Emile Heskey says he is desperate to get a taste of finals football ahead of the Jets’ clash with Melbourne Victory on Saturday.
Hunter Ports Newcastle Jets marquee striker Emile Heskey says he is desperate to get a taste of finals football as the Jets look to keep alive their hopes of finishing in the top six when they take on Melbourne Victory at Hunter Stadium on Saturday.
A win over the Victory on Saturday would keep the Jets in contention for a place in the Hyundai A-League Finals Series going into final round of the 2013/14 regular season the following week.
“You want to experience it,” Heskey said.
“Within your career you always want keep topping you achievements up and it would be great to go into the Finals Series.
“It-s a little bit strange because obviously Brisbane won the league and nothing has really been made of it and obviously they were very good over the course of the season.
“I think probably the closest thing to it is the FA Cup.
“The FA Cup has got such great history and obviously with seeing the Grand Final here and things like that, you can see how important (the Finals Series is) to the fans, the players and the Club.”
The task facing the Jets became all the more difficult after they surrendered a 1-0 lead in the final 10 minutes of their clash with Perth Glory at nib Stadium last weekend, eventually going down 2-1.
However, Heskey said the Jets have put the disappointment of that result behind them immediately to concentrate on Saturday-s must-win clash with the Victory in front of their home fans.
“It-s always disappointing when you-re 1-0 up after 80 or so minutes and then throw it away,” Heskey said.
“We-ve got to take the positives out of it and go again.
“We-ve got a vital game against Melbourne Victory coming up and you can-t really afford to dwell on last weekend, you-ve got to put it behind you.
“That-s one of the good things about being able to get straight back on the training pitch and hopefully getting that (disappointment) out of your system.”
Should Newcastle qualify for the Finals Series, Heskey is confident the Jets will not be there just to make up the numbers.
“I think if we get there, we-ve got one of the greatest chances to go on and win it,” Heskey said.
“We have beaten the top teams and they do fear us with the way that we play.
“We set up so right to hit on the counter attack with myself and Tags (Adam Taggart) and the wide lads as well, so I think we are to be feared.
“We know what we have to do and it-s our hands to do that at the end of the day.
We-ve got two home games, we-ve got to go into those positive and come out with the points.”
Heskey said he was relishing the combination he has struck up with fellow attacker Adam Taggart, with the former England international occasionally dropping deeper to feed Taggart the ball.
“At the end of the day football is about exploring different formations and it is a little bit of horses for courses,” Heskey said.
“It has fit in quite well with Tags doing so well of late.
“He makes some great runs and as long as you see those runs early enough, he-s through on goal on his own half the time.
“It-s where it has worked the most and where it has been the most effective with me playing sometimes behind Tags.
“We actually play with two up front, but then one of us drops to kind of flood the midfield at little bit.
“It-s just panned out that way and it has been great, so I can-t complain at all.
“To be honest with you, I-m just enjoying being on the pitch. I was injured at the start of the season and that wasn-t enjoyable.”
Newcastle Jets v Melbourne Victory
Hunter Stadium
Saturday April 5
Kick-off 5.30pm
Tickets available from PROticket.
