Barry backs Heskey’s Villa quit threat
FORMER Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry has risked reigniting the wrath of his old fans by backing Emile Heskey’s threat to quit the Midlands side.
Striker Heskey is considering asking for a January transfer unless he gets the Premier League minutes he needs to retain his place in the England team for next summer’s World Cup. And Barry, who infuriated Villa supporters by accepting a big-money summer move to Manchester City, says he can see why his international colleague would want to leave.
“The World Cup is in the back of everyone’s mind so I can understand where Emile is coming from,” said Barry. “It’s not just Emile, it’s that time of year when you want to be playing regularly. He has his place in the England team at the moment and won’t want anything to change that. Playing regularly for your club can help you cement a place in the England squad.”
Despite being an England regular since Fabio Capello revitalised the national team, Heskey has recently struggled to hold down a place under Villa boss Martin O’Neill.
The 31-year-old has started just one Premier League game this season – the opening-day defeat to Wigan – with O’Neill preferring Norwegian giant John Carew in tandem with Gabriel Agbonlahor.
That has jeopardised his place in the England set-up, with Capello a vocal exponent of only selecting players who are starting and performing well for their clubs.
Heskey’s case will provide a test of the Italian’s loyalty to that doctrine, since the powerful forward’s prosaic attributes have dovetailed so effectively with the more mercurial talents of Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney.
“He’s struck a great partnership with Wayne Rooney in the qualifying campaign,” Barry added. “His work-rate and the way he plays for the team is second to none. Wayne and the other attacking midfielders have thrived playing off him.”