I | Player Pics | A-Z of Players

Personal

Fullname: Emilio Arturo Izaguirre Girón
aka: Emilio Izaguirre, Izzy
Born: 10 May 1986
Birthplace: Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Signed: 18 Aug 2010 (from Montagua for £580,000)
Position: Defender, Left-back
Debut: Motherwell 0 - 1 Celtic, SPL, 29 August 2010
Squad No: 3
Internationals: Honduras
International Caps: 46 [May 2012]
International Goals: 1 [May 2012]

Biog

Honduras international full-back Emilio Izaguirre was signed by Celtic in August 2010 as new Bhoys boss Neil Lennon set about rebuilding the Hoops with a comprehensive and cosmopolitan overhaul of his squad.

The left-sided player - quickly nicknamed Izzy by the Bhoys faithful - was highly rated in his homeland and prior to arriving at Parkhead had previously been linked with a move to England and Ipswich Town. Lennon had monitored the player's progress at the 2010 World Cup and, impressed by what he saw, he moved to bring Izzy to Scotland.

An undisclosed fee was agreed with his club Montagua and Izaguirre signed for the Hoops on August 18th subject to a work permit. Handed the No.3 shirt, the Tegucigalpa-born ace was handed the unenviable task of filling Celtic's troublesome left-back berth.

The early signs were most encouraging. Izzy made his debut for the Hoops with an impressive performance in a 1-0 SPL victory at Motherwell on August 29th. This was followed by a series of displays where the player caught the eye with some fine performances. A solid defensive full-back with a seemingly devastating ability to get forward, the Honduran swiftly established himself as a fans favourite. Naturally an attack-minded player he excited and entertained in equal measure, while displaying fine stamina and a constant willingness to work hard for the team.

While several of Lennon's new arrivals took time to settle in Glasgow and the SPL, Izzy quickly became a key man for the Celts. While the Hoops early season form was not always convincing Izaguirre frequently impressed and his eye-catching displays saw him linked in the Scottish media to moves to several top English Premiership sides. As Celtic eventually hit their stride in the title race it was no surprise to see Izzy frequently integral to some very pleasing performances and victories.

His dashing runs forward became a key feature of Lennon's new look Celtic and his exciting play won him plaudits from opponents and pundits alike. It was no real surprise then that on May 1st Emilio won Scotland's PFA Player of the Year award. He would also pick up the Football Writers Award.

Although Celtic agonisingly missed out on the title, Izzy would add a Scottish Cup winners medal to his trophy haul as Celtic defeater Motherwell 3-0 in the Hampden final. Injury would thwart his ambitions of playing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States in June, but for Celtic fans that should mean the player returns to Glasgow fresh for the challenges of the 2011-12 campaign.

However, disaster struck on August 7th in Celtic's 1-0 win at Aberdeen. A hard but fair challenge from the don's Peter Pawlett ended with Izzy landing on the ground awkwardly which resulted in a broken leg. He was out of action for a minimum of 4 - 6 months. On his return he was lauded and feted by the welcoming support like a lost son. However, he couldn't manage a place in the side, and his form was still way off. Possibly the biggest issue was mental, and it wasn't until the 3-0 home victory over Rangers (one of the last games of the season) that his best form was back. The season was much of a write-off sadly for him.

It was though a false dawn, from then on in he never captured the great spirit and form of his first season. He looked to be afraid now, and challenges were avoided at all costs and he simply wouldn't take a man on on the outside. A shadow of his former self since the injury, and something of a liability to the team. The loss of the goal v Spartak in the Champions League group games in 2012 was a class example. Granted he wasn't the only one at fault, but it was Izzy's man who lost him and scored a goal that was crucial and very nearly lost us a place in the KO stages (saved by a late penalty to Celtic). It was something that was not happening before in Izzy's career and concern was high. The formerly highly feted player was on a downer.


[...]

Quotes

“And when I returned to the team against Dunfermline on last Monday and played 11 mins it was incredible, the fans were very beautiful."
Izaguirre (Jan 12)

Playing Career

[Table to indicate clubs played for, including dates, transfers and fees where known [e.g. soccerbase table]]

Honours with Celtic

Scottish Premier League:

• 2012

Scottish Cup:

• 2011

Scotland's PFA Player of the Year

• 2011

The Scotsman Interview (Jan 2012)

EMILIO Izaguirre shakes his head furiously then buries it in his hands. The Celtic defender has fought back from a broken leg but still has one major hurdle to overcome. “In two weeks’ time I will have another go,” says the Honduran. He’s talking about his driving test which he failed for the third time on Thursday.

Izaguirre can mock distress over a minor pain because he is over the major one, a pain the 24-year-old suffered when he snapped his ankle at Pittodrie in the club’s second game of the season. It left last season’s player of the year unable to contribute to the first four months of this campaign. Yet however grievous the incident for the player, he felt compelled to watch television replays of it.

“I heard a click but I didn’t know what it was then reached down and felt the ligaments were swollen,” he says. “After the first month, I didn’t stop going to the gym. I was in there every single day.”

That is how he coped ahead of his return to the senior side on 2 January. With three starts since, the defender says every week he is feeling “better and better”. A deeply religious man, Izaguirre maintains he never felt low or isolated, even 3,000 miles from home and unable to immerse himself in his job.

“I actually never felt really sad, I was always focusing on getting better and that kept me going,” he says. “And I always felt part of the team anyway because I was there to support them. That made me feel stronger, work harder with my rehabilitation and make sure I got back in the team. It was very, very tough for me and my family for me to be out for so long but I am very grateful to God for helping me get back playing again.”

And Scott Brown. The attributes that make the Scotland midfielder a fit for the Celtic captaincy may sometimes escape outsiders but Izaguirre is gushing over what Brown brings to the squad dynamic. Sharing hour upon hour of gym-time with the fun-loving Fifer, who was building up his fitness following ankle surgery, has the full-back beaming from ear to ear.

“He is crazy, crazy,” says Izaguirre, the phrase the only one he provides in English in the course of an interview otherwise conducted through a Spanish interpreter. “Scott Brown, Kelvin Wilson, Mark Wilson, we were all in the gym together most days and we got support from each other. Spending time in the gym with Scott was crazy. He is very funny, but I think he is a very good captain, he gives us all a lot of support.

“He is always a happy person and is one of a kind in a way. He is always first into training and first to show the rest of the team the way. He supports everybody, and the experience he has of playing here with Celtic and knowing other big players helps. The leadership he shows and the charisma he has is contagious in a way.”

Izaguirre’s warmth could be similarly described. He begins and ends sit-ins with the written media by going round each one and shaking their hands. An endearing affectation, the player is just too damn respectful to his God and fellow human beings to serve up any juicy titbits on his Honduran buddy Jorge Claros, currently on trial with Rangers.

The pair were pictured shopping in Glasgow this week, the same day that Claros was quoted as saying a move to Rangers would set him up with Scotland, his research having told him that the club had won more league titles and cups than any other in Scotland. What does Izaguirre think of that claim?

“As a player I wish him all the best, as I do with all other players. But if we ever get on the field against each other, we will not be friends. It is none of my business if Jorge signs for another team, but I only speak highly of other players, the decision will be down to the coaching staff at Rangers. He is a very good man marker and is very good at running. But I am at Celtic so I don’t want to say anything about any other team.”

Plenty was said over the summer about Izaguirre being the target for other teams, notably Manchester United. He signed a contract extension already agreed with Celtic during his time on the sidelines but says of the Old Trafford link: “My goal is to concentrate on Celtic then we will see what happens.”

The player doesn’t draw great comfort from the fact that, with his injury occurring right at the start of the season, he has been able to return for the title run-in and the decisive days in cup competitions awaiting Celtic as they chase the treble. He does admit, though, that there is a personal aim he wants realise.

“I was frustrated by the injury because I didn’t want my first season at the club to be like a ‘one-off’ thing,” he says. “I hope the second half of the season will show that I still have a lot to give to the club.”

So integral was Izaguirre to the Celtic cause that there is little doubt he will give them plenty; enough to see them atone for the defeat at Inverness that allowed Rangers to clinch their third consecutive championship.

“The title is an objective obviously that we want to reach,” he says. “Last season, for very little, that objective escaped through our hands.” His Celtic team are in the driving seat in a manner that shouldn’t have Izaguirre agonising.