GERMANY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER- Turkish soccer teams holds one off public training session in Guetersloh

Record ID: 860048

  • Title: GERMANY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER- Turkish soccer teams holds one off public training session in Guetersloh
  • Date: 25th May 2008
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) LEVENT KIZIL, TURKISH NATIONAL SOCCER FEDERATION SAYING: "We did not get here easily. We were not in the cup in 2002. I hope that.. in football, you need luck. We don't need luck: if Allah is with us, we should be in a very good position."
  • Embargoed: 9th June 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • City:
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA347HQ13K18S1AGAVMXIDG3TBW
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  • Story Text: Turkey's national soccer team holds one-off public training for Euro 2008, bows to fans' pressure.
    Turkey's national soccer team has bowed to fans' pressure and held a one off public training for Euro 2008 in Germany on Thursday (May 22).
    Coach Fatih Terim's squad is training in the northwestern town of Guetersloh where several hundered supporters watched their idols at the city's Heidewald stadium, cheering and waving Turkish flags.
    After more and more Turkish fans descended on the German city, trying to get a glimpse of Terim and his team, Turkey's national soccer federation decided to have a one off public training.
    Urgig Gok, a youth who watched the training, said "I think it's great, after the World Cup which we did not qualify for. I think it's really nice that they are here."
    Cihan Yildirim was filled with "pride" as Bayern Munich player Hamit Altintop and his teammates trained behind him.

    "We expect a lot from them this year," Yildirim said.
    Terim is affectionately known as the "Emperor" in his homeland -- a tribute to his UEFA Cup triumph at the helm of Galatasaray and to his forceful character on the touchline.
    But eight years have passed since that victory against Arsenal and after patchy stints at Fiorentina, AC Milan and Galatasaray, he is hungry for more success to revive his claim to that nickname.
    Even the achievement of taking Turkey to Euro 2008 was only possible after a bumpy start to his second spell as national coach in 2005 after a nine-year gap.
    His team failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup and the pain was heightened by an unsavoury brawl involving players and coaching staff after the playoff against Switzerland.
    Turkey will play Switzerland in the group stages and Terim, 54, said in a recent interview he was keen to draw a line under the incident which resulted in heavy FIFA sanctions.
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