Melbourne Heart FC’s defender Patrick Gerhardt is convinced he will not change his playing style as he prepares to tackle Newcastle Jets striker Emile Heskey
Melbourne Heart FC-s defender Patrick Gerhardt is convinced he will not change his playing style as he prepares to tackle Newcastle Jets striker Emile Heskey this Saturday at AAMI Park.
The Red and White, who are sitting second last on the Hyundai A-League table, are facing a challenging task against the Jets, led by the burly and so far prolific Heskey.
“Every game is important, and for the team every win is important. You-ve seen that everybody can beat anybody and vice versa so it-s hard to say,” Gerhardt said.
“I don-t think we-ve played badly, we-ve been unlucky in two or three games. But if we keep playing like this, the results will come.”
Newcastle-s shining light this year has been former English striker Heskey, who has already scored five goals in his first A-League campaign. However, Gerhardt believes that his will not faze him or his teammates.
“I haven-t followed him that much, but we will not change the way we play,” Gerhardt said.
“Doesn-t matter if it’s Heskey or [Alessandro] Del Piero, we will still play our game.”
“I don-t think I-ll change how I defend. We will try to play our game and we won-t worry about others.”
The Liberian defender, who has started all seven games in his first A-League season believes he is acclimatising well to his new surroundings.
“[The standard] is very good; I’ve settled in well, I-m trying hard to improve and help the team,” Gerhardt said.
While one marquee man is on everyone’s lips heading into tomorrow’s match against the Jets, another, Heskey’s former England teammate David Beckham, has been making waves in the local and international press.
However, Gerhardt played down the impact of talk surrounding Beckham this week, saying that it hadn’t affected preparations for the Newcastle match.
“The boys really haven-t discussed it too much,” Gerhardt said
“If he comes, of course it-ll be amazing and great but until he-s sure about it all, we can-t really say too much.
