Talent, organisation, belief

That said, some of their stars are suffering something of a World Cup hangover. Keeper Rustu Recber, so often touted for a move to the Premiership, has suffered between the sticks for struggling Fenerbahce. The mastermind of Turkey’s Far East success, Senol Gunes, will however retain faith with his war-painted custodian.

Another World Cup hero, Alpay Ozalan, can now only be labelled a sometime Aston Villa player after some rather too public fantasising for a big move to a big club has resulted in him being frozen out by boss Graham Taylor. Ring-rustiness is bound to be a factor too for Hasan Sas, Alpay’s companion in FIFA’s team of the tournament for the World Cup.

Sas, whose unpredicatable running from a deep-lying striker role scared defences aplenty in the summer, is in dispute with club Galatasaray after speculation linking him with a move to Italy bore no fruit. His recent appearances at club level have been sporadic.

Galata colleague Umit Davala is even more troubled. The mohawk man’s form has suffered terribly in the face of criminal charges resulting from an incident with some Turkish paparazzi.

Meanwhile, two players born and brought up in the many Turkish enclaves in Germany, Bayer Leverkusen’s Yildiray Basturk and Beskitas pin-up boy Ilhan Mansiz, have struggled to repeat their glittering form of last season and summer.
Basturk has suffered amidst Bayer’s remarkable fall from the grace of Champions League finalists to Bundesliga strugglers and has been lambasted by domestic press for his supposedly lazy performances while in a Turkey shirt.

Ilhan, meanwhile, has lost the scoring touch that first eliminated Senegal with a quarter-final Golden Goal and sunk the South Koreans in the third-place play-off with a brace.

Besiktas may be leading the Telsim One Liga but their prized asset has become embroiled in a bitter war with the press, a seemingly occupational hazard for any football star in Turkey and, in the light of some criticism of his relationship with a German girl, has openly yearned for a return to Germany.

Yet despite these troubles, Gunes takes his team to Sunderland with maximum qualifying points in the bag and a hatful of goals racked up. Less trumpeted talent has come through for him in the wins over Slovakia, Macedonia and Lichenstein. Veteran Arif Erdem already has three goals to his name though misses out this time through injury. And despite the foibles of some of his World Cup stars, such is the depth of talent that Gunes can still call on some proven class.

The arrival of Turkish football as a genuine threat on the field to the English game (matters off the field have of course taken some tragic turns over the years) perhaps came in 1993 when Galatasaray dumped Manchester United out of the European Cup. And two stars of that tie remain in the reckoning for the Turkish national side. And curiously, both have found a home down the road from their victims of a decade ago – at Blackburn Rovers.

Tugay Kerimoglu has been one of the Premiership’s most influential midfielders in his near two seasons with Graeme Souness’ side. And recently, and after an injury-hit start, he has been joined by Turkish football’s original pin-up, Hakan Sukur, whose athletic front-running recently drove champions Arsenal to distraction.

Sukur had a sometimes comedic World Cup in front of goal but his iconic status, a recovery in fitness and Ilhan’s recent troubles meant he was always likely to be asked back at some time by his international manager.

And Gunes can call on two stars of Spain’s Liga too. Real Sociedad’s rise from relegation fodder to championship contenders has been due in no small part to the prolific goalscoring of Nihat Kahveci, only recently converted from right-winger to centre-forward. His pace and skill has already made him a target for Manchester United among other big name suitors. He is accompanied at Sociedad by a fellow German-born player in Tayfun Korkut, a versatile squad member comfortable in both midfield and defence.
And to complete a roll call of the big leagues, Turkey can include a genuine star of Serie A in Inter Milan’s Emre Belozoglu. The 22-year-old has a left foot to grace any occasion, and as a man previously annointed to be the great Gheorge Hagi’s annointed heir at Galatasaray, a range of skills that can troubled any defence.

The young man also has an edge of gritty determination that may trouble the likes of Gerrard, Beckham and Scholes in England’s midfield. His minder and Inter colleague Okan Buruk is also likely to play a part.

So, and especially considering the turgid torpor of England’s display in Liechtenstein, there will be much to fear for Eriksson, Beckham and co on Wednesday night. At least one side with talent to burn, team spirit and a pedigree in international competition will be running out at the Stadium of Light.