Emilio Izaguirre

His first season he was probably the best full back I have seen in the flesh, and definitely the best celtic full back I have ever seen full stop. Wasn't quite the same after the leg break but still a good player for us.

 

Riyadh: After spending seven years in Scotland playing for Celtic, Honduras left-back Emilio Izaguirre packed his bags and headed to Saudi Arabia last summer to join the ambitious newly- promoted Al Fayha as part of an overhaul that saw them sign over 20 players in one transfer window.
Ahead of Honduras’ Intercontinental Play-off with Australia for a spot in the FIFA World Cup 2018 Russia, the-AFC.com caught up with Izaguirre to talk about his thoughts on the big clash, his move to Asia, and what he makes of former teammate and Friday opponent, Tom Rogic.

Q: Last time CONCACAF and AFC representatives met at the play-off, Trinidad & Tobago overcame Bahrain to reach 2006 FIFA World Cup. Do Honduras have what it takes to overcome Australia this time?
A: We need to travel a long distance for this game, but the Honduras players are hungry to win and go to the World Cup.
So, we must try to sleep well, eat well and be professional. We need to focus on the match which will be a difficult one.

Q: You moved to Saudi Arabia after seven years at Celtic, what motivated you to make that decision?
A: I spent seven seasons at Celtic, winning 11 trophies, playing almost 50 UEFA Champion League games, nearly 300 matches overall, I carry them in my heart.
In the last six months I did not play much, and they did not want me to leave. I was offered a new contract, but I needed to play constantly to be able to play for my national team.
I accepted the offer and I am enjoying here. The most important thing is that I am playing every game and enjoying.

Q: You played alongside Australia’s Tom Rogic at Celtic, what do you think of him?
A: There so many good attributes about Tom Rogic, he does almost everything well; a great person and one of the best players I've had as a teammate.
But my wish is that Honduras go to the World Cup. I respect Tom as he was my teammate in Celtic for more than three years and always I wish him the best.


Q: What did you know about Saudi football before receiving the offer to move to Al Fayha?
There are two Honduran players who played in Saudi before; Alex Lopez and Roger Rojas.
They told me it was a good competitive professional League. So, I came and have so far played seven matches in a very good League that I am enjoying.
I want to my team, Al Fayha, to come in the top five in the league, and we are fighting for that.


Q: You have experience playing in two FIFA World Cups, how does it feel to represent your country on the global stage?
A: The most valuable moment for a player is to play football for love, and to play for the national team of your country is something very special.
I have experienced playing in two World Cups, but I want to play the third and do great things for my country.


Q: And finally, what is your opinion of the Australian national team?
Australia are a very good national team. What I think now? I am only think of winning and bring joy to our country together with my teammates.


http://www.the-afc.com/2018-fifa-wo...he-best-but-my-wish-is-for-honduras-at-russia

 

Stop it Izzy

 

What a guy

 

I miss Izzy , he was one of us who loved the club .
Good luck wee man .

 

IZAGUIRRE REVEALS HE REGRETS LEAVING CELTIC


http://readceltic.com/2018/03/13/__trashed-2/#article-comments


Former defender Emilio Izaguirre has revealed he regrets leaving Celtic, but is unwilling to talk about exactly why he left the club after nearly seven years.

The exact details remain unclear as the 31-year-old didn’t reveal exactly why he left, but cited personal problems behind his exit from Celtic Park last summer.

Speaking to Honduran media outlet Diario Diez, the former left-back said:

They’re very difficult things to say. I don’t want to say them and there will be a day when I will talk about my departure from Celtic. I don’t want to because it was due to personal problems which I had with agents in England, and that’s why I left.

I had a hard time leaving. Brendan Rodgers got angry with me because he came to me and it was with regret that I had to leave, but I left the door open as they say, and you don’t know what may come tomorrow.

I spent my best moments there and the fans treated me well, but there are things I don’t want to touch. We had a hard time with my wife and children because of personal things that happened to us.

Celtic received a fee of £1.25 million from Saudi Arabian side Al-Fayha for the veteran, who made over 250 appearances for the club and won 11 trophies.

The move seemed almost inevitable after the emergence of Kieran Tierney through the academy, although it seems both parties were happy for the Honduran international to remain as a competent back up to the young Scot.

SInce his move, Izaguirre has made 26 appearances for the Saudi club who are currently seventh in the league standings.

Questions and intrigue from Celtic fans will remain about his departure after these latest comments, although it could be some time before they get answers.



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I thought he left on good terns?

Surely a lost in translation effort this?
Could he be hinting towards hatred and abuse from opposite fans ?
As for agents in England, I will also guess pushing for him to go south, but maybe personal issues made him feel the need to get out/off the island?

 

That's weird, as it's in complete contrast to the interview above.

 

Weird one i basically think he was saying his agent was at it and moved him on and Brendan wasnt happy with him leaving? Always remeber at the time brendan said "it was too good for his family to turn the move down" did seem strange we activated his 1 yr option then agents moved him on by my take on it!

Agents are the scum of the earth they are the * who have ruined football along with sky

 

Hes a big boy he can easily say "naw im no signing that bit of paper agent"

 

Very strange one. We could do with him right now to give KT some rest. He's a rare one I'd be happy to have back but can't help but feel his decline will have been accelerated over there.

 

Depends if his agent has made a situation that is hard for him to get out if. They do handle all the players legal documents and a lot of them are underhanded.

It’d be easy to manuever them into a position that is more pliable to their way of thinking rather than the players.

 

If Izzy wants to come back then bring him home. Backup for KT sorted.

 

* sake, bring him home.

 

Makes me well up everytime I see that, the emotion in his eyes, fighting back those tears. Knowing that neither wants to leave but it's what is best for the children.

Bring him home please.

 

Get him back for Browns testimonial

 

HIBS have failed in an ambitious attempt to sign former Celtic star Emilio Izaguirre because he doesn’t want to return to Scotland.

Izaguirre is looking for a club in the US after spending seven years at Celtic, where he won six Premiership titles, two Scottish Cups and two League Cups. But the left back revealed he turned down the chance to return to Scotland with Hibs. Izaguirre said: “I want to end my contract early in Saudi Arabia. My family has found the culture to be very difficult. I have a meeting with them to discuss my exit.

“I have options in the UK, Scotland mainly. Neil Lennon called me. He’s the manager of Hibs, but I told him I don’t want to play again in Scotland because of what I went through at Celtic and agents there.

“I had major problems with agents in Scotland who have threatened to sue me and asked me for money. I don’t want to go back to Scotland. “First, I need to solve my contract situation in Saudi Arabia. I want to go to the MLS because it is closer to Honduras in terms of my international career. “I was in Scotland for seven years and travelling 24 hours every time to play for your country was not ideal. I don’t want to go through that again. “One day I will go back to my first club, Motagua. But I want to play in at least two major tournaments with Honduras first.”

 

Never realised he was having such a hard time here at the end.