'Take your time': Former Birmingham City star and Premier League legend Emile Heskey issues warning to Blues owners amid new stadium plans
Premier League legend Emile Heskey has encouraged the owners of his former side Birmingham City to ‘think realistically’ after ambitious new stadium plans were announced.
Speaking exclusively to Dream Vegas, Emile Heskey, who was named Birmingham’s player of the season in 2004/05, has been impressed by the Blues’ ‘fantastic’ owners so far, but wants to see the club ‘consolidate’ for now. On Birmingham’s ambitions to become a Premier League club in the near future, Heskey said: “Everyone wants that, but I think realistically you’ve got to take your time and develop as a squad, and develop as a club.”
“You don’t want to be going up and not be ready for it. I think that’s one of the main things.” On what has impressed him about Birmingham City’s ownership, Heskey admitted:
“The owners that Birmingham have who are putting in money to develop a new stadium, as well as developing the stadium for the women’s team, I think it’s fantastic.”
The stadium was announced during a launch event on Thursday and is to be developed by Heatherwick Studio and MANICA Architecture. It is set to be the centre-piece of the Sports Quarter project that the club's chairman and co-owner Tom Wagner is leading - which will also incorporate a women's stadium and other entertainment venues - and will cost approximately £1.2 billion.
An announcement video was released as part of the launch which included former player Jude Bellingham, as well as fellow co-owner Tom Brady, who stated that NFL matches would also take place at the stadium in the future. Wagner claimed that the stadium will become a reality in the next five years and will include features like an interchangeable pitch and a roof that will close within 20 minutes.
The 62,000 capacity would place the Powerhouse among the biggest football stadiums in English football, with only Old Trafford, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and London Stadium holding more in the Premier League.