Aston Villa: Emile Heskey will benefit from quitting England - Luke Young

Oct 12 2010 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail

LUKE Young has reassured Villa team-mate Emile Heskey of the benefits of putting club before country by standing by his decision to quit England.

Heskey will be an interested observer when the Three Lions take on Montenegro tonight after refusing to come out of international retirement.

Fabio Capello offered Heskey the chance to play in this evening’s Euro 2012 qualifier at Wembley after the national team was hit by a striker shortage.

But Heskey, who has been in the form of his Villa career in recent weeks since deciding to hang up his England boots, declined the request.

Young knows from experience how leaving the world stage can have a positive impact on club form after rejecting a similar offer from Capello last November.

Along with Heskey, the popular right-back has been one of Villa’s early-season success stories and puts it down to the increased rest periods.