Five Takeaways From Martin O’Neill’s Podcast Appearance
So, naturally, there was no one better to host the chat than two of his former players – Gerry Taggart and Matt Elliott – both stalwarts of O’Neill’s defences during his five-year tenure as Leicester City Manager from 1995 to 2000.
Here, we’ve picked out some of the many discussions from an enthralling chat between the trio of Foxes favourites as they took a trip down memory lane…
On first name terms
Elliott was keen to take the formality away from the meeting with his former manager and became reacquainted with O’Neill by losing the ‘gaffer’ name he used all those years ago.
“We’re just getting to that stage where we feel brave enough to call you Martin, not gaffer,” Elliott joked in his introduction. “We’ve evolved to that level now and I’m glad to hear that. I didn’t want to get told off at the very outset.”
Turning things around
As O’Neill explained, it wasn’t an easy start to his Leicester career, and few would have predicted the success that followed. After taking charge in December 1995, the Foxes won just three league games in the next three months.
The fans’ patience was wearing thin following a 2-0 home defeat to Sheffield United in March 1996, but the back-to-back victories which followed, and a run of four straight wins to end the regular season, helped O’Neill go from villain to hero.
“When the crowd turn against you, regardless of what sort of support you may or may not have in the boardroom, it doesn’t really make any difference,” the 71-year-old explained. “It’s really hard to turn that around. It was tough.
“After the game (against Sheffield United), there were demonstrations both outside and inside Filbert Street. I’d been used to be a bit of success with Wycombe Wanderers and just needed a bit more time.
“On the Tuesday night, we were playing down at Charlton Athletic. We won 1-0 and then went to London again on the Saturday and beat Crystal Palace 1-0. Although they pounded us in the game, [Steve] Walsh was brilliant, he headed everything.
“Even though we came back to Filbert Street and lost to West Bromwich Albion, the crowd had settled a little bit. Then we went on a run of winning three home games in a week and got into the play-offs by beating Watford on the last day and a couple of other results going our way.”
Promotion in sight
The momentum was now with O’Neill’s side and there was no doubt in his mind that they were on course for a trip to Wembley Stadium for the final. A dramatic showpiece followed as Leicester secured an immediate return to the top-flight at the first time of asking.
The Northern Irishman recalled: “Once we hit the play-offs, I felt it didn’t matter who we were going to play, we’d go through. In the two-legged game against Stoke City, Kevin Poole made a great save at Filbert Street and kept us in it.
“We won the match (1-0) at the old Victoria Ground and then we’re at Wembley. By that time, [Neil] Lennon was back. He was fantastic in the final against Crystal Palace. Even though they took the lead, we were really strong in the game but couldn’t quite get the goal.
“Muzzy [Izzet] then got the penalty and there was no one I’d rather ask to take it than [Garry] Parker. He sticks it in the net and then [Steve] Claridge shins it in to win the game and go up.”
Adjusting to the top flight
A run of four consecutive top 10 finishes in the Premier League was some feat for a newly promoted side. Building the foundations took time, but some astute signings, blending a mix of youth and experience, saw City enjoy some of the best times in the Club’s history.
That first season in particular, placing ninth and winning the League Cup, was one to remember for O’Neill and his players.
“I knew it was going to be difficult for us to start with,” he admitted. “In the opening games, we drew at Sunderland and beat Southampton at home when Emile [Heskey] scored a couple of goals. Then we got turned over against Liverpool and you realised what a gap there was.
“But we stuck at it and finally the lads were coming to terms with it and had started to eke out a few results. The players were right behind me and some were playing phenomenally well. Gradually things were starting to work, we were holding our own.
“It was always a battle that first season, just to stay up. In the meantime, we were starting to do well in the League Cup. That run was great. It picked up a bit of momentum, by which time I’d won the crowd over. There was a lot of positivity.
“I loved the Football Club in the next few years and the success that we had was just phenomenal.”
Muzzy’s quality
A cult hero among Leicester City fans, Turkish international midfielder Muzzy Izzet was first brought to the Club by O’Neill, who instantly saw the type of player he now had at his disposal.
City’s former Manager said: “I’d just signed Muzzy and I knew he could play. He’d come on against Sheffield United and just for a brief second of respite, Muzzy turned and made a little move, which was brilliant. He made the crowd at least just stop roaring - for a second or two anyway.
“Muzzy must have thought this was really strange because he's just come up from Chelsea on loan and is thinking: ‘Well, the manager is not going to last another 10 minutes, what am I doing here?’.
“But in fairness, the long and the short of it is that he played, he started the game and on the Tuesday night at Charlton we won 1-0. What a player.”
Catch the full episode HERE, which is free for Digital Members to watch or listen to, along with the entire back catalogue of previous podcasts with Foxes legends.