Will the Turkish team pick themselves up from a disappointing qualifying campaign?
Of the four groups for Euro 2008, Group A is perhaps the most well balanced when considering team strengths. It is composed of the last edition’s losing finalists Portugal, co-hosts Switzerland, Turkey and the Czech Republic.
Turkey
Turkey has managed to qualify for the tournament in the last day of their Group C matches. Actually, the bulk of the job had been done in the penultimate match when they defeated the other main contenders for the second spot Norway in Scandinavian territory. However, with an inconsistent march that had them rely on veteran and manager favourite Hakan Sukur for the goals, the struggle looks uphill as they face quite strong and well organized squads in Group A of Euro 2008.
The Manager – Fatih Terim
The ex-Milan, Fiorentina and Galatasaray manager has probably been the most notorious Turkey figure in football ever. As manager of Turkish side Galatasaray, with whom he served as a strong defender and captain in his youth, he reached the pinnacle of his career in the year 2000 when he lifted the Uefa Cup high in the skies.
His return to management with Turkey was full of promise for a nation that had seen its team slide backwards after its great achievements at the 2002 World Cup held in Japan and South Korea. On that occasion they had managed a historic semi-final place that contrasted sharply with the failure to qualify for the 2006 World Cup.
The Squad
Despite Terim’s reassurances Turkey failed to convince in their qualification matches for Euro 2008 losing to group leaders Greece at home and obtaining unfruitful draws in Malta, Moldova and when they hosted the Norwegians in March of 2007.
Hakan Sukur, Tuncay Sanli and Nihat Kahveci are Terim’s favourite choices in attack. All fare well with the goals but supply goes through the feet of playmaker Hamit Altintop who is also quite able at finding the net on his own. He is the only key player for the Turks and thus blocking him might well help keep the team from threatening its opponents. The poor form of Tugay and Emre with their respective clubs in England provides further headaches to the Emperor Terim who will be keen to try out outfield players who play with more regularity in the Turkish Super Ligi.
The back line has never given the coach ample guarantees giving performances verging on the comical at times. The truth is that at his disposal Terim has no really solid all-round defenders which he can rely on.
Prediction
There seem to be too many uncertainties surrounding the Turkish side right now. Terim has himself admitted his determination to quit had they failed to qualify for this competition. The manner in which ultimately they snatched qualification also does not augur well for their fortunes at Euro 2008. They suffered too much in a group in which they were considered sure qualifiers and sole rivals to Greece for its leadership. In the end they found themselves hanging in there with a final day meager 1-0 win over Bosni-Herzegovina on their own soil.
Although the Emperor has promised to make their voices heard at the tournament the signs so far have been of a disastrous Euro 2008 appearance in the making. Against more compact sides such as Switzerland and Portugal it will be difficult to see Terim fulfill his promise to a nation.
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