The former England striker is impressed by the young blood at the Hunter Stadium.
Emile Heskey expects Newcastle Jets’ rising stars to make a big contribution next season after they made waves on the international stage.
Josh Brillante, Connor Chapman, Andrew Hoole and Adam Taggart all starred for the Young Australia squad at the Fifa under-20’s World Cup tournament in Turkey earlier this summer, leading to Brillante and Taggart being called up tothe senior Socceroos squad for the East Asian Cup by head coach Holger Osieck.
With the Jets finishing a disappointing eighth in the A-League last term Heskey believes the club’s young players could make a significant impact during the 2013/14 campaign, provided they remain consistent.
“We know we’ve got a young side and it has been great for them to get a full season under their belt and to play regularly during the season,” Heskey told Football Australia.
“They’ve had a good bedding in period last season, so hopefully we can expect good things from them this season.”
Heskey, a former England international, tracked the Young Socceroos’ progress throughout the off-season and feels the experienced acquired by the aforementioned Jets quartet will stand them and the club in good stead.
“It’s been great experience for them,” Heskey said.
“I’ve obviously been following it back in England. I watched some of the games and they were a little unlucky, possession-wise, they passed people off the park.
“It’s nice to have so many young players playing for not only their under 20 national team, but a few that went away with the senior squad as well, which shows the Club is going in the right direction.”
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