Villa striker Emile Heskey retires...

[LeeB]

Where's the hatred of which you speak anyway?  A lot of people think he's a shit footballer, so what?  I can't see anybody tearing into him as a bloke.  I don't suppose he loses any sleep over the fact that people on the internet think he's shit while he earns his £3m a year, so I'm not sure why you're being such a big kid about it.

That Risso talks shite, but I'm sure he doesn't mind me saying it as he rakes in shitloads living in a tax haven.

[JUAN PABLO]

René Higuita scored more International goals than Heskey and he was a goalkeeper  ;-D

[Risso]

Where's the hatred of which you speak anyway?  A lot of people think he's a shit footballer, so what?  I can't see anybody tearing into him as a bloke.  I don't suppose he loses any sleep over the fact that people on the internet think he's shit while he earns his £3m a year, so I'm not sure why you're being such a big kid about it.

That Risso talks shite, but I'm sure he doesn't mind me saying it as he rakes in shitloads living in a tax haven.

Aww, you didn't do your hilarious wickerman insult.

[pauliewalnuts]

Surely when people refer to him as a "sack of shit", other posters must realise they're talking about his footballing abilities?

Or is it just a chance to clamber onto a high horse?

I see the beginnings of some "he was driven out of Villa under appalling abuse" nonsense when, actually, the reason for him leaving (whenever he does) will be the fact he's delivered next to nothing on the pitch.

Mind you, he could sit on the bench and rake in the 60k a week until he's 35 if he so wanted. What a genius piece of contract work that was.

[Concrete John]

Surely when people refer to him as a "sack of shit", other posters must realise they're talking about his footballing abilities?

Or is it just a chance to clamber onto a high horse?

By the same token, when people say he should be applauded for his efforts for England, compared to the rest of the squad who didn't seem to care, they must realise we're talking about his character and not his footballing abilities?

Or is it just a chance to get in a few thinly veiled digs at Villa manager?

[Villa'Zawg]

I've never known a Villa player held with such contempt by Villa fans, especially one that has given nothing less than 100%. It's horrible and reading the same old jokes gets a bit boring.

What on earth do you expect from an Emile Heskey thread?  He's been an absolutely appalling signing, and if reading it about it upsets your sensibilities, just avoid the thread, it really is that simple.

Thanks for the advice, continue with the good work.

I'll tell you what I don't expect, hatred. It's pathetic.

I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments but if it wasn't Heskey they were abusing it would be another of our players.

They don't have a single sensible comment to make about why Capello chose to use him in the world cup ahead of his other options and why he was one of the few who came out of it with any credit. They don't need to give a sensible answer when they can post "he's shit" and have the same small group of prolific naysayers respond with "yeah, he's shit".

Heskey is a team player. He's completely selfless and everything he does is intended to create opportunities for his teammates. Managers and other players appreciate that, people who judge him on goals scored dismiss it as horseshit.  

If it wasn't Heskey it would probably be Cuellar (there will always be at least one scapegoat). You can ask them to discuss why Cuellar finished last season as the 3rd highest ranked defender on the official PL stats and perhaps isn't as bad as they claim. The answer will be that he is shit and we definitely, definitely need a new left back.

[Risso]

If it wasn't Heskey it would probably be Cuellar (there will always be at least one scapegoat). You can ask them to discuss why Cuellar finished last season as the 3rd highest ranked defender on the official PL stats and perhaps isn't as bad as they claim. The answer will be that he is shit and we definitely, definitely need a new left back.

I love how you've created your own brand new argument about Cuellar out of nothing, and then decided what other people will argue.  I can't even see why Cuellar being shit (which nobody has argued) would mean that we'd need to replace Warnock.  Oh well, carry on.

[Olneythelonely]

People were calling Cuellar shit all season.

[Risso]

People were calling Cuellar shit all season.

I think most people were saying that he shouldn't be at right back instead of Young.  Most people were quite happy with his performances when he was in the middle.

[john e]

i'l tell you who will be next years scapegoat,
 Downing,   now he is shit, 12 million pounds worth of it

[stevenjos]

People were calling Cuellar shit all season.

I think most people were saying that he shouldn't be at right back instead of Young.  Most people were quite happy with his performances when he was in the middle.

I think you'll find Cuellar gets loads of stick in the north when he goes forward (He's Shit, Sub Him off, etc). And whenever they give him stick i mention as loud as possible "its not his fault, Its Martins, HES NOT A RIGHT BACK"

Back on topic though, Heskey is a waste of a player on the pitch. and we will be a better team when he leaves. Even if he's replaced with a corner flag.

But thanks for the effort emile, god knows what motivates a man to jog around for 90 minutes a week! £60k?

Maybe if we upped it to £90k, he'd break out into a sprint and get in the box?

[Concrete John]

Heskey is a waste of a player on the pitch. and we will be a better team when he leaves. Even if he's replaced with a corner flag.

I don't think Peter Crouch will be available for transfer this summer.

[Taylor]

Surely when people refer to him as a "sack of shit", other posters must realise they're talking about his footballing abilities?

Or is it just a chance to clamber onto a high horse?

I see the beginnings of some "he was driven out of Villa under appalling abuse" nonsense when, actually, the reason for him leaving (whenever he does) will be the fact he's delivered next to nothing on the pitch.

Mind you, he could sit on the bench and rake in the 60k a week until he's 35 if he so wanted. What a genius piece of contract work that was.

Whenever a player's talent is discussed, be it on this site, on 5 live, talk sport, or wherever, someone will always complain about the enormous wedge of cash these players earn. This is totally and utterly irrelevent, it is not Emile Heskey's fault that he earns what he does, and do you honestly expect him to hive a few quid back because he has missed a couple of 'sitters' in the past. The fact is, he's a Villa player and doesn't deserve the abuse he recieves on this site. As someone else mentioned earlier Heskey is a player who actually contributes to the team.

If you want him to leave Villa, then fair enough, but to keep referring to the wage he recieves is pointless. Footallers earn lots of cash, get over it.

[pauliewalnuts]

Surely when people refer to him as a "sack of shit", other posters must realise they're talking about his footballing abilities?

Or is it just a chance to clamber onto a high horse?

By the same token, when people say he should be applauded for his efforts for England, compared to the rest of the squad who didn't seem to care, they must realise we're talking about his character and not his footballing abilities?

I'd have thought so, but I don't really see the connection between that and suggesting he's getting a tough deal at VP.

Or is it just a chance to get in a few thinly veiled digs at Villa manager?

Err, no. There's nothing veiled about my views on Heskey and MON. He's not good enough, was never going to be good enough, and has done absolutely nothing to prove otherwise whilst here.

He's also on a large contract which will see him through until he's 35.

That - in my opinion - is bad. Yours will differ, I imagine, but I don't see anything below the belt about mine, disagree though you may,

[pauliewalnuts]

Surely when people refer to him as a "sack of shit", other posters must realise they're talking about his footballing abilities?

Or is it just a chance to clamber onto a high horse?

I see the beginnings of some "he was driven out of Villa under appalling abuse" nonsense when, actually, the reason for him leaving (whenever he does) will be the fact he's delivered next to nothing on the pitch.

Mind you, he could sit on the bench and rake in the 60k a week until he's 35 if he so wanted. What a genius piece of contract work that was.

Whenever a player's talent is discussed, be it on this site, on 5 live, talk sport, or wherever, someone will always complain about the enormous wedge of cash these players earn. This is totally and utterly irrelevent, it is not Emile Heskey's fault that he earns what he does, and do you honestly expect him to hive a few quid back because he has missed a couple of 'sitters' in the past. The fact is, he's a Villa player and doesn't deserve the abuse he recieves on this site. As someone else mentioned earlier Heskey is a player who actually contributes to the team.

If you want him to leave Villa, then fair enough, but to keep referring to the wage he recieves is pointless. Footallers earn lots of cash, get over it.

I'm not using it as a stick to beat Heskey. Where have I suggested it was his fault?

I'm using it to point out what a dreadful signing he was and that, far from leaving as many seem to want, he could quite easily sit out his contract until he's 35 and rake in the money.

Only an idiot would think that was his fault. I know who I blame for it, and it isn't Heskey.

We don't pluck wages from a money tree round the back of the North Stand, you know, it all comes from a finite pot. So, I hope you manage to "get over it" if we find ourselves struggling to fund new players whilst the likes of Heskey (not to mention NRC, Beye, Davies, Shorey, Sidwell) are syphoning up huge quantities of cash on lucrative contracts whilst contributing next to nothing.

And, just for clarity, not their fault they're on big contracts.