Re: Ex-players (the thread nobody's been waiting for)
From sportingpreview.com:
Ralph Ellis, 4 Sep 2009
Here's a quiz question. Who was the last English footballer to appear in a World Cup semi-final? No, don't name Sir Bobby Robson's 1990 team - it was London born Muzzy Izzet who played for Turkey against Brazil in 2002. Betting.betfair found him warming up for this Sunday's Masters Football Finals.
"I got on for the last 16 minutes of the World Cup semi-final against Brazil so I'll always remember that. I managed to bag Roberto Carlos' shirt. The only disappointment was we lost by the only goal."
Hi Muzzy. Aren't you a bit young to be playing in this?
Probably. I'm 34, but I've been retired three years now so they let me join in. After I left Leicester to join Birmingham my knee just wasn't up to playing in the Premier League any more
That can't have been easy to deal with...
No, it was hard. I think it was only fortunate that we were just starting a family so three kids have kept me busy. I suppose in a way it was a relief, though, when the surgeon told me it was best to hang my boots up, because otherwise I could have done myself real long term damage. I just couldn't get myself back to where I wanted to be. You can't play any more at that top standard at 80 per cent fit, or even if I could have got there at 95 per cent. You have to be bang on every week and I was 60 or 70 per cent. I was way off it. The pitches don't help.
Explain that...
They've got so much harder. When I first started playing you had a lot of pitches that were softer, and a lot of forgiveness for your joints. I think now, maybe because Sky want them to look lovely for the TV cameras, they don't cut up any more. There's no give in them, and if you have a dodgy knee the last thing you want is something hard. Even though you are playing on grass, underneath the pitches are hard and quite solid. That made things far worse.
So will more players finish early?
I hope I'm wrong, but quite possibly. You are starting to get all sorts of injuries now. What's the one everybody breaks?
The metatarsal?
That's it. I'm no medical expert, and people say it's the boots but I think it's as much the hard pitches. There has to be something that's playing a part. Still I'm not trying to sound like a grumbling old pro - I had a great career, enjoyed every minute and made a lot of friends. Hence they've roped me into playing for the Leicester team in the Masters on Sunday. It will be good fun, live on Sky.
So how much fitness work have you had to do to get ready for it?
None! That's the appeal! Although when we played in the regional competition at Nottingham Arena I wished I had done some work because it was so hot. All the lighting and everything else, and a few thousand people too. There was not a lot of air. This one is at the Echo Arena in Liverpool so it will be even bigger.
Is it just a bit of fun?
That's the idea, you want to be light hearted and enjoy it, but we all have that competitive streak in us that won't allow that.
You play Wolves in the quarter-finals...
There won't be too much love lost there then! In the old days there were always fireworks in that fixture. Just as well my mate Steve Walsh and Steve Bull aren't involved because it seemed like they always got sent off!
You said the Leicester team of the 1990s had a special spirit...
Very much so. We had a lot of good players and an excellent manager, and a lot of the lads still live in the area so we stay in touch socially. I probably had the chance to earn more money by moving a couple of times. Middlesbrough especially came in for me one year. But I just sort of thought I was at a good club, we were going into a new stadium, I was happy. Why mess that up for a few quid? I'm glad now because it gives you a special feeling for the area and the club.
Tell us about Martin O'Neill. Villa fans have been starting to question him in the last few months...
That's the biggest mistake they could make. He's the tops. No matter where he's gone he's done well. Maybe Villa were in too many competitions last year and perhaps they ran out of that bit of puff. They didn't have a big squad, but he's always liked to have a close knit group of 16 or 17 to call on, rather than 25 or 30. With that players become tired. But I think he's bought well again this year and I think they'll be challenging for that top four again.
What's he got that's so special?
If you are doing well for him he makes you feel like you are one of the best players in the world. I never played under another manager like him. You felt special. When you have a manager telling you: 'You're better than him,' and: 'You're a great player', and constantly telling you that, you just want to go out and give everything you've got. He manages to do that with every player he brings in. He took me from Chelsea's reserve team and gave me my chance.
It's still tough for young Chelsea players to get through now...
Yes, but not as hard because now they get sent out on loan. People like Michael Mancienne, or Scott Sinclair, don't get just stuck in the reserves. The club send them out to play competitive football so they can learn their trade. They see if they are good enough to come back to their own first team, and if not sell them. It's better for the player and the club. I wasted three years at Chelsea playing reserve team football. I was ready to play at a decent level two years before I got the chance.
We must ask you about that World Cup...
It's something I'll never forget. It was difficult because of the language barrier. Although my dad's family are Turkish I didn't know the language and not many of the players understood English. But we got by, and it was something unique really. I got on for the last 16 minutes of the semi-final against Brazil so I'll always remember that.
Brilliant, did you get a shirt from it?
Yeah, I managed to bag one from Roberto Carlos so I can't complain. The only disappointment was we lost by the only goal.
You're running coaching centres now?
Yes, I set up a business with Steve Walsh and it's been going fantastically well. We've done all the summer holidays so it's been hectic, and now we'll do three evenings a week. We're trying to help young kids enjoy the game and develop - and if we find any good'uns we'll send them on to Leicester or some of the good semi-pro clubs
Thanks for your time - and we've a free £50 bet for your favourite charity...
