FORGET PARIS ...OXFORD IS GOLDEN
Frenchman Idris happy to swap Olympics for pre-season at Kassam
IDRIS EL MIZOUNI insists he would not have swapped a second of pre-season training with Oxford to take in the Olympics spectacle in his home city of Paris.
For the 23-year-old signed for £400,000 from Ipswich, the idea of sporting heaven is being 100 percent ready for the club’s first Championship season in 25 years.
Des Buckingham, who grew up a stone’s throw from the three-sided Kassam Stadium, returned from coaching roles in New Zealand, Australia and India to steer Oxford to promotion via the play-offs in May (below).
And one of his first signings for a team already written off by bookies as relegation favourites was El Mizouni – surplus to requirements at the Premier League Tractor Boys.
Oxford, back in the second tier after winning the League One play-off final with their 2-0 defeat of Bolton in May, open their season against Norwich on Saturday. And, after loans to Cambridge, Grimsby and Orient while at Portman Road, the Tunisian international says he has points to prove.
El Mizouni, born and raised in the French capital, said: “I used to love Zinedine Zidane as a kid because I am from Paris and of course he was huge in France.
“There is the big Olympics party in Paris at the moment but I don’t want to be there at all! Too many tourists for me, too busy at the moment.
“I have enjoyed pre-season and I know what a big season it is for the club. I can’t wait for it to start. I would much rather have been here getting myself in the perfect shape.
“I don’t mind if the bookmakers think we are sure to be relegated. They can think whatever, they will see when we play. If everyone thinks that we are going to go down, then maybe we can surprise some people..”
Other eye-catching arrivals to date are Matt Phillips from West Brom, Chelsea’s Under-21 goalkeeper Jamie Cumming, and Crystal Palace winger Malcolm Ebiowei on loan.
El Mizouni said: “The ambition is to win as many games as we possibly can. We need the fans to be right behind us because it will be tough.”