"People out here seem to like me," smiled Emile Heskey as he was given a room upgrade by the wide-eyed desk clerk while checking into his plush Singapore hotel.
The former Liverpool and England striker retired only a year ago -- his last club was Bolton Wanderers in England's second tier -- and yet this is his sixth trip to Southeast Asia since hanging up his boots. Whether it's coaching, playing in masters' tournaments or working as a media pundit, the 39-year-old just can't seem to keep away.
Heskey flew into Singapore from the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens where he teamed up with fellow ex-Premier Leaguers like Phil Babb, Michael Silvestre, Lee Hendrie and David James in the Masters' competition.