Emily Heskey opens up on his approach to parenting his footballing sons at Man City

If you’re a parent of a child involved in grassroots football, you probably know the familiar feeling of having to take a step back and let coaches do their job.

We’ve covered plenty of horror stories about overly-involved parents not allowing coaches to properly take charge of a team - and it ultimately leads to frustration from every party involved, including the kids themselves, who are subject to mixed messaging and confusion.

With two sons - Jaden and Reigan - coming through at Man City’s academy, it’s a situation Premier League legend Emile Heskey has found himself in before and, with his vast experience in the game, he’d be forgiven for thinking he knows best when it comes to playing football.

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Yet, speaking to Kick N Mix, he says that, whilst there have been times he may have done things differently to his sons’ coaches, he has enjoyed actively taking a step back and simply watching on from the sidelines.

“I’m someone who stands really far back and I become a dad, really,” he explained. “If they want to ask me something, I tell them, or if they want to come out with me and do a little bit extra, then I’ll take them, but I’m not the one who’s going to force them.

“They enjoy it, they love it.

“Yes, there are some times when I think ‘I want to say something’, but the reality is it’s not my career. Another reality is, what has the manager or coach told them to do? Because if I tell them to do something different then there’s a conflict there.

“So I take a step back and I enjoy watching it, to be honest, as it’s nice to see them progressing.

“I’ve watched them from the age of four and now they’re 19 and 17, they’re doing fantastic.”

Yet, when asked if he would give the same sort of advice to other parents whose children are playing football, Emile cautioned against a one-size-fits-all approach, and said that ensuring sport remains fun is key to keeping kids’ passions for it alive.

“I’m not every parent!” he said. “I’d definitely say let the coaches do their job, let the kids enjoy being there as football is supposed to be enjoyed, it’s supposed to be a love and a passion, and if you’re pushing too much, you can take that passion out of it. So let them enjoy that side of it.

“It’s each to their own, though, and I can’t tell someone how to parent their own child.

“I can just say the way I do it, which is to step back and let them enjoy it. They’re at an academy where they’ve got really good coaches, so let the coaches work and, if they need advice, I will give it.”

Emile was talking to us after surprising young participants at a Kellogg’s Football Camp in Wigan.

The former England striker, who won 62 caps for his country, led kids through some of his favourite training drills and offered advice on how to master important skills before sharing stories from his own career.

“It was really good,” Emile said of his surprise appearance. “It’s obviously tough times for some parents and it’s a wonderful thing that Kellogg's are doing, with 30,000 free spaces for kids up and down the country.

“It’s great what they’re doing as it’s this time of year when you’re trying to keep kids active and it’s nice that Kellogg’s are putting on these free spaces where kids can enjoy not just playing football but also the social side of things, such as meeting new people, engaging with new people and making new friends.

“It was interesting that we saw a lot of girls there as well, which was fun - obviously from my time coaching in the women’s game, it’s nice to see, and with the Lionesses winning the Euros it’s even better.”

The former Liverpool star, who was appointed head of women’s football development at boyhood club Leicester City in 2021, says he has definitely noticed a growth in girls taking part in similar coaching camps.

“There has been a massive growth,” he said.”I think it’s important that they feel comfortable coming to these coaching camps and just enjoying themselves and meeting new people. I think it’s fantastic in that sense and Kellogg’s have done a fantastic job.

“I’m guessing every parent will have some sort of Kellogg’s box in their cupboard - there’s a QR code on them where they can just scan for a chance to get on the course.”

The visit stirred up memories of his own childhood playing football, and the 47-year-old says there was one overriding emotion that he thinks of when he looks back upon his time playing grassroots.

“I just wanted to have fun, play football and run around,” he recalled. “I was very energetic and just needed to run around, so these were key options to have where you could just play football and meet new friends.

“I was meeting new friends all the time - when I played football as a grassroots player, I was actually playing in a completely different county to where I was from, so I was meeting new friends and people and enjoying that side of it. It was great.”

He added: “You’ve got to have fun at a grassroots level, as it’s all about engagement and putting a smile on people’s faces, but even at a professional level you’ve got to have a bit of fun.

“It’s got to be something that you love and enjoy, we’ve seen it with many players where the smile has gone from their face a little bit, but when they’ve got that smile, you’ve seen the best from them. I think that’s a key thing that you’ve got to have that - it’s fundamental.

“At the Wigan camp with Kellogg’s, some of the kids weren’t signed up for the whole week, but then, once they got there and really enjoyed themselves, they signed up. That’s what it’s all about - helping to create memories of fun and enjoyment.”

To secure a spot at an upcoming camp, parents simply need to use the on-pack QR code from a promotional box of Kellogg's cereal to sign up at www.kelloggsfc.com. T&C’s apply.

This is an extract from Kick N Mix, our Grassroots football newsletter. To sign up, either fill out the form above, or click here.