Leicester City In 100 Players: Muzzy Izzet
Izzet played 319 games for Leicester City between March 1996 and July 2004, scoring 47 goals. Brought to Filbert Street by Martin O’Neill, initially on loan from Chelsea in March 1996, he signed a permanent contract four months later.
O’Neill described him as ‘one of the finest players ever to don a Leicester City shirt’. He made his mark as a top-class midfielder, becoming an integral part of the Club’s success.
Although slightly built, Muzzy was a courageous player who was able to deal with the toughest of challenges. He was two footed, beautifully balanced, could glide past players and was a good header of the ball.
Muzzy’s partnership in midfield with Neil Lennon was outstanding, complimenting each other perfectly. As he explained, ‘Neil broke things up and started play off, and my job was to get forward and try to create and score goals’.
Muzzy was a key member of the Leicester sides that won two promotions to the Premier League in 1996 and 2003. He played for seven seasons in the Premier League finishing in the top half for four consecutive seasons from 1996/97 to 1999/00.
He played in three League Cup Finals, winning the League Cup twice in 1997 and 2000 and featured in two UEFA Cup campaigns - 1997 and 2000. He was the Premier League Player of the Month in September 1999, and completed the most assists in the Premier League in 2003/04. He was also selected for the PFA First Division Team of the Year in 2002/03.
In addition, London-born Muzzy won eight of his nine Turkey international caps whilst playing for Leicester. He was in Turkey’s squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Finals in Japan and South Korea, appearing in Turkey’s semi-final defeat to Brazil.
After O’Neill left Leicester in June 2000, Muzzy played two more seasons in the Premier League before the Club was relegated. He was a key player in the team achieving promotion back to the Premier League year later, even though the Club were in administration for part of that season.
The team’s standout player in the 2003/04 season, when the Club was once again relegated from the Premier League, Muzzy then joined top-flight Birmingham City in July 2004, but he suffered with a knee injury for most of his time at St Andrews and retired from football in June 2006.