Turkey take great delight in teasing the fat lady

After three weeks in Switzerland and Austria blogging for Times Online, I thought I’d sum up my own highs and lows from Euro 2008.

Turkey were my team of the tournament. The obvious highlights were their 3-2 win against Czech Republic, after being 2-0 down with 15 minutes to go, and the quarter-final victory over Croatia, when their extra-time equaliser turned up later than a Zimbabwean election result. Every time the fat lady got up to sing, the Turks pushed her back into her seat.

The Italians were the biggest disappointment. They looked so brilliant when they won the World Cup two years ago, but they seemed to have descended into catenaccio hell. Luca Toni was particularly poor — proof that Peter Crouch wouldn’t necessarily get better if he beefed up a bit. Mind you, the Italians were dealt a particularly cruel blow when playing the Dutch. One of Holland’s first-half goals against them was about three yards offside. I know these things happen, but to eradicate any possible doubt about how wrong the decision was, they showed one of those fancy overhead camera replays on the stadium’s big screen. That really rubbed salt in Italy’s wound.

The players stood frantically calling to the ref and pointing at the replay, but the official kept his eyes fixed on the centre spot as he ran back to restart the game. You could almost hear him saying “what big screen? I don’t know what you’re talking about” as he hurried past them.

The Swiss fans were sweet. They reminded me a bit of Japanese football fans; they were very keen to join in but didn’t quite know what they were joining in with. They started doing that thing some fans do, before corners and goal-threatening free kicks, when you hold your arms out straight in front of you and shake your hands. Combined with a “Whoooo!” sound, I think it’s supposed to unnerve the opposing defenders. The only problem was, the Swiss fans, in their enthusiasm, started it way too early and their arms were drooping to their sides by the time the kick was actually taken.

I also thought it was very sweet when, after the Portugal game, the Swiss team held up a banner that said “Merci, Kobi”, thanking their manager, Kobi Kuhn, as he bowed out after seven years in the job. It would have been lovely if the England players had done something like that for Steve McClaren, preferably after the draw with Macedonia.

On a personal level, I’d never been to Switzerland or Austria and I loved them. Switzerland was so clean. The dog-mess disposal bins had “Bravo!” on them to congratulate the responsible citizen who deposited there and the River Rhine in Basle was grey-blue and fresh-looking. I saw an old man swimming in it. If I see anyone in the Thames I assume it’s a suicide.

I even took to using public transport again. It’s been a while; me on the bus with my little ticket in my hand — what an adventure. But no seatbelts; where’s the logic in that?

In Vienna I saw Placido Domingo do an outdoor concert in the grounds of a majestic Hapsburg palace. I must say, the regular cries of “bravo” seemed slightly devalued. Domingo got the same response for an awe-

inspiring version of Wagner’s Winterstürme as a Swiss person gets for putting dog mess in a bin. Anyway, back to the football.

My lowest point was, of course, England not being there. It was fine being a neutral. I could appreciate the finer points of the game, like that moment in the second half of Spain-Russia when the ball fell from a great height to Cesc Fàbregas, to the left of the Russian goal. Instead of bringing it down like most players would, he volleyed a beautiful cross into the area. No one got on the end of it, but then no one scored when Pelé dummied that keeper in 1970; football magic doesn’t always need a payoff. Fàbregas’s volley made me mutter “brilliant” under my breath. His cross for David Silva’s goal turned that mutter into a roar.

When I sat in the midst of other countries’ fans, as I did with the Czechs and the Croats, I started to feel for their team — a sort of support by osmosis — but I don’t know if that was empathy or fear of getting my head kicked in. It certainly wasn’t the same as supporting England. When I watched those Czechs and Croats close up, wincing and shrieking at every kick, even during quite dull passages of play, I remembered what watching football is really about. I just wish we’d been there, no matter how bad. Rather the gut-twisting disappointment of Gelsenkirchen than the blandness of the gently applauding, no-colours neutral.

FRANK SKINNER

Comments

[John]

Turkey has been getting better and better, They were third place, in Japan/Korea only being beaten by Brazil, who won the tornament. So looking at history per say, Turkey does have it in them, there not the run of the mill team. They brought lots of excitment and will power. They were fun to watch. Turkey was lucky, but to bring the ball to that point shows class, and they gave a good fight against Germany.

[Omer]

Despite of wining europian cup like Greece i prefer lose like Turkey!
We are different as Turks.
and you know!..if turks want nobody can stop them!

[Cos]

David

How could they remind you of greece in 2004, they WON it!!!

Ozzy

Yes ozzy Turkey were nothing like Greece cos if they were they would have won the Euro.

Lucky shots- ignorant but expected. Yes of course they won a whole tournament on lucky shots.

[David Rodriguez]

Dear Ozzy,
I said nothing about England. I guess you got confused with Charlie's comments.
Anyway, if you want to call it 'determination and willpower', ok, its your opinion. Mine is Turkey's goal againts Croatia was pure milk. Its true you played well agains Germany, but Germans sometimes doesnt need to play well to win.
I wouldnt compare Turkey with England. English were playing football when turkeys didnt know what a ball was. And this doesnt mean that one day you can beat them or anybody. Football is football. A game.
History, man. Everybody knows who are the best teams of the world: Brazil, Italy, Germany, Argentina, England, Holland, Portugal, Spain and some more. If one of these teams win an Euro or World cup, anybody would be surprised. You really need to show more in coming decades.

[Ozzy]

Turkey was nothing like Greece. I don't know if you saw, but Greece scored from lucky shots deflected of players.

David Rodriguez: I don't know if you saw but, England didn't qualify for Euro 2008.

England, right now, is utterly terrible. Don't compare teams, by their previous tournaments.

Italy was the WC champoions,but look how far they went.

Turks had the best determination and willpower in all of their games.

Germany won pure out of luck against them, they had no teamplay, ballack hardly had a touch, but one lucky pass and they scored.

[David Rodriguez]

With all my respect, Turkey were lucky. They have improved their football, but they reminded me of Greece 04.

[Charlie]

Kevin,

England were better than Turkey in Euro 2008, they scored more goals than Turkey, went further than Turkey and even had more worldwide praise than Turkey.

Your love for football is a Fiasco.

When the England players learn to use the outside as much as the inside of their feet you might stop being a hockey stick. Learn from your own press.

[Kevin]

Turkey were about as awful as Greece of 2004 vintage, however their luck ran out a little earlier

[Albert]

What an inexorable team Turkey was and will be.

Incredibly talented youngsters such as Arda Turan, Ugur Boral, with prime world-class players such as Nihat and Hamit Altintop along with diehard selfless defenders such as Aurelio, Servet Cetin and Hakan Balta.

I can't help but to think that they will be main contenders for WC 2010. This tournament has finally made them one of the Great Powers of Football.

[Matthew Bower]

yes Turkey added exitement and colour to tournament