Former England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey yesterday revealed he almost signed the dotted line for Indian Super League (ISL) club FC Pune City in 2014, but the deal fell through
Former England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey yesterday revealed he almost signed the dotted line for Indian Super League (ISL) club FC Pune City in 2014, but the deal fell through. Speaking during an announcement of 'Legends Match 2018', an initiative to promote and develop football in India, Heskey said: "I nearly joined an ISL team. I was offered a contract by FC Pune City in 2014, but I don't know why I didn't accept it. I ended up joining English club Bolton Wanderers."
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Emile Heskey
"When I was in India for promotional activities [in 2014], I got a chance to watch the ISL final [Kerala Blasters v ATK at Kochi]. Around 90,000 fans thronged the stadium for that match. Football is massive in India. Wes Brown [Kerala Blasters defender] is a very good friend, so I keep an eye on the league," Heskey, 39, added. He made 62 appearances for England and won six trophies for Liverpool, including the UEFA Cup.
With the ISL boasting of some top English players and coaches from the Premier League, Heskey admitted that there is an English
influence on the Indian league.
"Yes, when it comes to managers, there is an English influence in the way the teams play," he said.
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