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Euro 2008 Team Preview: Turkey

Hakan Suker Turkey Euro 2008 FOOTBALL – Euro 2008 Team Preview – TURKEY

50/1 with totesport to win Euro 2008.
7/1 with skybet to win Qualifying Group A (includes Portugal, Czech Republic and Switzerland).

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Past Championships

Not a good record in the European Championships for Turkey, including nine straight non-qualifications from 1960 onwards. A first round exit in Euro ‘96, having lost all three group games, does not read a great deal better. However, they did make the 2000 quarter-finals (second in their qualifying group) before again failing to qualify in 2004.

1960 - Did not qualify

1964 - Did not qualify

1968 - Did not qualify

1972 - Did not qualify

1976 - Did not qualify

1980 - Did not qualify

1984 - Did not qualify

1988 - Did not qualify

1992 - Did not qualify

1996 - Round 1

2000 - Quarter-finals

2004 - Did not qualify

Coach

Fatih Terim is a former Turkish national team captain and one of Turkey’s most celebrated domestic managers after spells at his former club Galatasaray and with Fiorentina and AC Milan in Italy’s Serie A. A coach who values discipline but encourages creative freedom, Terim is highly valued at home and abroad as one of European football’s most tactically astute coaches. Terim is enjoying his second spell in the Turkish hotseat since 2005, with happy memories of the continental competition, as he was the first man to achieve qualification in 1996.

Qualification

Some high scoring wins during qualifying Group C almost weren’t enough to take the Turks to Euro 2008 as Norway pushed them all the way for the second qualification spot behind Greece. Only one point separated the two sides in 2nd and 3rd place at the end and Turkey’s 2 - 1 win away to Norway in their penultimate game was enough to finally edge them ahead. At the finals they will face hosts Switzerland, Czech Republic and Portugal in a group from which “escape” might be tricky.

Key Players

Turkey’s record capped player Rustu Recber is moving towards the twilight of his career, but even at the age of 34 the big goalkeeper can still play a great part in Turkey’s Euro 2008 challenge. His temperament has frequently been questioned, but his performances rarely have. Hakan Suker is Turkey’s record international goalscorer. The second most capped player as well, Suker may be 36, but his goals will still be vital to Turkish hopes.

Villarreal striker Nihat Kahveciis looking to make his name on the continental stage. Prolific in Spain and while he hasn’t quite hit the same heights for the national side, that could change this summer. Playmaker Gokdeniz Karadenizis is just starting to establish himself as one of his country’s brightest talents and is looking forward to a shot at his first major tournament. Gokdeniz recently made a big-money move to ambitious Russian club Rubin Kazan. Has recovered his form and his place in the national team after a betting scandal in 2005.

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