Steven Gerrard is the best player I have ever played with: Emile Heskey

Former England striker Emile Heskey is of the opinion that former Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is the best player he has played alongside ignoring some big names like Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard, and Wayne Rooney.

Heskey started his career at Leicester City, going on to represent English giants Liverpool, Aston Villa, Bolton Wanderers, and many more clubs during a 21-year long senior career in top flight. He also represented England 62 times in 11 years and got to play alongside some of the world's best players like John Terry, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Michael Owen, and Robbie Fowler but chose Liverpool legend and current Rangers manager Steven Gerrard as the best he has played alongside.

"I would say Stevie G. I played with him from a young age and saw the potential of being one of the greats. Then, I also played with him at his peak for the national team and he completely fulfilled that potential, becoming a driving force in midfield where most of the games are won or lost."

When quizzed about the toughest opponent during a long and illustrious career, Heskey didn't have to think twice as he named former Arsenal captain Sol Campbell.

"Sol Campbell was a great challenge, he is bigger than me, he is taller than me and just as quick as me, that was pretty tough."

Heskey had a few ups and downs in his England career but he says that the 5-1 win over Germany is still his favourite moment of the 11-year long international career. The former Liverpool striker said,

"Everyone talks about that 5-1 win over Germany, everybody remembers where they were when that game was being played. It's an iconic match, we were 1-0 down and to actually come out of it victorious 5-1 was amazing."

Heskey is praised for his ability to set up the goals for others as well as his goalscoring prowess.

The 6 ft. 3 inches tall striker, when asked who resembles his style in today's modern game, he said

"It's a difficult one, because when I played, we often played with two strikers up-front, so you struck a partnership with someone. Now, you play with a solitary striker, so it's odd to pinpoint one player that's similar to what I do but I love watching (Roberto) Firmino play, the way he makes his team tick and what he brings on the pitch is very different."

Every Liverpool fan is anticipating Jordan Henderson lifting the Premier League trophy and breaking the 30-year drought, on which the 42-year old said, "It's still a few games to win before we go over the line so we don't want to call it too soon but having won trophies with the club, it's a wonderful achievement and a great atmosphere around the city."

Commenting on the three defeats in a space of two weeks, Heskey said, "The lads still gotta get over the line, they have done a tremendous job and they have to get back to winning ways. It's just a little minor blip and the media always makes a lot more of it than it actually is, it's been a pretty amazing season and we have to praise them for it."

With Emile's former teammates and colleagues managing the likes of Rangers, Chelsea and more, Heskey is of the opinion that he wouldn't like to be in charge of a club as the manager. He said, "I have looked into it and I probably think not. The thing with management is that you have got to look within yourself and find that desire. The best managers are natural leaders that bring something other than a coaching session to the table. I am not saying I can't do that but not at this moment. Plus, a manager's career is actually double the time of a footballer's career. You never get to switch off."

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