lsgworldl
11-03-2004, 05:55 AM
Birmingham's Emile Heskey has insisted he made the right choice in leaving Liverpool to find first-team football.
Heskey, who joined Birmingham for £6.25m, returns to Anfield on Saturday.
"I knew if I moved on I would get into another first team but I don't have any regrets about my time spent at Liverpool," said Heskey.
"In the end I needed to be playing more. Liverpool is probably one of the biggest clubs in the world but I didn't want to be sat on the bench."
Heskey joined Liverpool from Leicester for £11m in 2000 and scored 22 goals in his first full season as the Reds won a famous treble of the FA Cup, Uefa Cup and Worthington Cup.
But despite playing regularly for England, the goals began to dry up for the 26-year-old and he moved on in the summer.
He added: "Liverpool was the club I supported as a boy. I went there to win things, to establish myself and progress and I feel I accomplished that.
Heskey upbeat about Blues
"I never felt that I had anything to prove and never felt the pressure of the price tag. That was between the clubs. It was other people who kept mentioning it.
"The manager knew my qualities and he wanted to add them to the team. Gerard Houllier was a great influence, giving me licence to go and play, which is exactly what I did."
Heskey has scored two goals in 10 Premiership appearances for Birmingham.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/3970969.stm
Heskey, who joined Birmingham for £6.25m, returns to Anfield on Saturday.
"I knew if I moved on I would get into another first team but I don't have any regrets about my time spent at Liverpool," said Heskey.
"In the end I needed to be playing more. Liverpool is probably one of the biggest clubs in the world but I didn't want to be sat on the bench."
Heskey joined Liverpool from Leicester for £11m in 2000 and scored 22 goals in his first full season as the Reds won a famous treble of the FA Cup, Uefa Cup and Worthington Cup.
But despite playing regularly for England, the goals began to dry up for the 26-year-old and he moved on in the summer.
He added: "Liverpool was the club I supported as a boy. I went there to win things, to establish myself and progress and I feel I accomplished that.
Heskey upbeat about Blues
"I never felt that I had anything to prove and never felt the pressure of the price tag. That was between the clubs. It was other people who kept mentioning it.
"The manager knew my qualities and he wanted to add them to the team. Gerard Houllier was a great influence, giving me licence to go and play, which is exactly what I did."
Heskey has scored two goals in 10 Premiership appearances for Birmingham.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/3970969.stm