To some, Emile Heskey was lucky to play for England, let alone 62 times but for many others, he became recognised as the perfect foil for Michael Owen, forming a partnership at both club and country that clearly worked when for all intent and purposes, it should never have done so. For fans of those clubs that Heskey graced on the pitch such as the Leicester and Liverpool's of the world, they recognised just how useful he became and that his longevity in the game shows that he had a heck of a career and played in one of the greatest, yet most underachieving England sides that we ever saw. As a fan of the Foxes, my keen interest in this book would clearly be understandable. As a regular watching the Leicester City of the 1990's, the sounds that often emanated from Filbert Street were the shouts of 'Bruno' but to hear this dislike of the nickname and the laziness that fans stereotyped in using this nickname, tinged this book with a bit of sadness despite probably our best intentions at the time.

Learning of anyone's background and how they came into the game, has always been an interest in any sports autobiography that I read and this was no different, largely because of all the reminders of growing up in Leicester and being able to recognise those memories that make them all that more real. Likewise learning about his family and how one of his sons could one day follow in his footsteps is something that can also catch the interest. Of course, having played for Liverpool, arguably the most glamorous club in England, his career took him to the YoYo sides in English football across the last two decades with stints at the likes of Wigan and Birmingham City where he was faced with a different calibre of player and changed from being a small fish in a big pond, to a big fish in a small pond. 

On both levels, how Heskey was perceived as a player epitomised his career in that he was adaptable to all situations and arguably now, readers may have that understanding of just why Heskey was considered to be so valuable to England as a natural foil to players with more ability, but those that needed an Emile husky in their side. This book is a fantastic insight into a misjudged character in English football over the last 20 years and a must for readers who will hopefully come away from reading this book with a new found appreciation for Emile Heskey. Grab a copy today and get reading!

Don't take our word for it, grab the book and give it a read and let us know your thoughts!