Reading Reaction: Jewell's support for Heskey

Last updated : 28 August 2006 By Paul Farrington

Paul Jewell

"I think he (Heskey) is a good player. He played last week, but did not score and he scored today.

"But it was a team effort today. It was not a great first half as it was a bit scrappy, but when you have not got any points, you are delighted to get off the mark and I am delighted for Emile Heskey.

"We had four or five good situations to score again and we nearly paid the price near the end, but Kirky (Chris Kirkland) showed why he is in the England squad."

"We have got three more points than we did at this stage last season. "It is going to be a long hard season and I feel we are better prepared this year, but only time will tell if all round, the squad is better."

Steve Coppell

"The first half was almost going nowhere, it was two sides cancelling each other out. They scored a goal, and like any goal that goes against you it was disappointing.

"I still felt we were capable of getting into it though. We had to respond to their physicality, we tried to play when we could but it was stil very congested.

"Man for man they're bigger than us, and they're a big side who play big football. I think they only have two left over from when they got promoted against us, they've made big changes."

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