Bruce Tells Heskey To Stay Put

Wigan Athletic boss Steve Bruce has questioned whether Latics striker Emile Heskey would be making the right decision if he chose not to renew his contract at the JJB and head for pastures new, or old.

Heskey is being linked to a host of clubs including this weekends opponents and his former employers, Liverpool, Heskey himself admitted that it would be tempting to go back up the East Lancs Road and join the Liverpool set up once again but Bruce says that may not necessarily be good for Heskey, Bruce told reporters:

"If he goes to Liverpool or wherever, is he going to play week in, week out?"

"Emile has had two wonderful seasons at Wigan where he has played week in, week out.

"I don't think you can be at your best if you are not playing every week. That is the conversation I will be having with him. I haven't given up hope of keeping him here and neither has the chairman."

Bruce reckons that the Latics have certainly had their monies worth out of Heskey and he is worth so much more than goals to the teams that he players in, Bruce continued:

"When you leave Liverpool, a lot of players go downwards, Emile has done the opposite. He doesn't owe this club a penny. Whatever the figure was that Wigan paid for him [£5.5million], he has paid it back two or three times over with his performances.

"The biggest criticism directed at Emile is that he doesn't score enough goals, but you have to weigh that up with what he brings to the team. He is vital. He was the whipping boy a few years ago, but England look a far better team when he is playing.

"He is at the age where he knows how to prepare properly, what to drink and what not to drink. When you see him, he is in the best condition of his career."

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