Kemal Izzet believes Colchester United will have what it takes to take the Second Division by storm when the new football season gets under way in five weeks time.

The recently-crowned U's YoungPlayer-of-the-Year today told the Evening Gazette: "Everyone is very upbeat and raring to get going again.

Kemal Izzet

"And we are all looking forward to the big kick-off in August."

The all-action former Charlton midfielder went on: "Every player has come back flying for pre-season training and if we can keep up all the good work we are doing at the moment there won't be a fitter side in the division.

"Everybody is already in the mood to get cracking and it would be great to get our season off to a good start.

"If we can do that who knows what can happen?"

The busy 22-year-old play-maker was quick to pay tribute to the U's coaching team - manager Phil Parkinson, assistant Geraint Williams and coach Brian Owen, plus physio Stuart Ayles - for their imaginative new training regime.

Izzet said: "We've all come back fitter and stronger after our personal training programmes and that's all down to the boss and his team.

"Our entire training programme has been superbly structured and the lads are looking really sharp from the fitness work we are doing.

"We can't wait for the pre-season friendlies to get under way next week."

Izzet also revealed that he will still be wearing the plastic padding over his injured wrist for the first couple of weeks of the new season as the corrective surgery he underwent to rectify the problem in May has not yet fully healed.

Published Wednesday, July 9, 2003

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