Belief is the key, says Lions’ coach
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 19, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Istanbul’s Galatasaray is on the European stage and, once again, has major squad concerns. When taking on Germany's Hamburg for the second leg of the UEFA Cup's round of last 16, Galatasaray football team is missing some key players but according to coach Bülent Korkmaz, they can make it, if only they believe.
Yes, there are no first-choice defenders on hand, the team’s brightest starlet is out with injury and the opposition is a team from a country famous for its never-say-die attitude. But Galatasaray coach Bülent Korkmaz believes that his side can knock Hamburg out of the UEFA Cup to make it to the quarterfinals. The keyword here is "believe."
Following last Thursday’s hard-fought 1-1 draw in Germany, Galatasaray will play against Hamburgh at its Ali Sami Yen Stadium tonight for a ticket to the last eight in the UEFA Cup.
A draw in the away game is always a positive result, but Galatasaray lost Emre Aşõk in the game, which is the main cause of circulating worries. The only decent defender in the squad following Fernando Meira’s sale to Russia’s Zenit St. Petersburg and injuries to Servet Çetin and Emre Güngör, Aşõk’s red card has left Korkmaz’s team utterly short staffed. The Lions were able to survive the last 40 minutes of the Hamburg game with a stunningly heroic defensive performance by winger Harry Kewell, who filled in Aşõk’s place, but whether Korkmaz will count on the Australian’s miracle working again remains doubtful. But given that he ruled out the possibility of using the 18-year-old defender Semih Kaya as a starter for the first time in his career, Korkmaz may give Kewell another shot as a defender.
Lack of fit players in the team
"I want to use Semih, but he did not play in a friendly game this season, let alone a competitive game," Korkmaz said at a press conference yesterday. "He lacks match practice. The last time he played was with the reserve team. I want to see him play, but I won’t for certain reasons."
The team is so short of defenders that the media and fans repeatedly make the joke that Bülent Korkmaz’s making a return as a player must considered. As the most successful defender of the club’s history, he could have contributed to the team as a player-manager, but Korkmaz is one whose not a fan of that joke.
"Would you play if you could, in that game?" asked one reporter.
"I am the manager now," he replied. "My playing days are left behind." As Korkmaz will not use himself Ğ not that he could, a player can only play in the UEFA Cup if the team has added his name to the list before the start of the competition Ğ all eyes turn to Kewell again. However, using Kewell at the back will not be the most appropriate option, since the Australian’s attacking skills may be missed, too.
Arda Turan, who starred against the second leg game of Bordeaux in the previous round with two goals, is injured and will probably be out of service tonight. Following winger Turan’s injury, Kewell’s contribution to the attack will become more crucial. So does Lincoln’s. The Brazilian star was not used in Sunday’s Turkcell Super League game against Trabzonspor, seen as a result of his outburst directed at Korkmaz in the Hamburg match, when he reacted angrily to be substituted in the second half.
When asked if he had a private talk with Lincoln, Korkmaz said, "I talk to every player in my team."
"After the Trabzonspor game I said that I would use Lincoln in the Hamburg game," he added.
With his team severely short of options due to suspensions and injuries, Bülent Korkmaz does not have his squad at its best shape, but still, the Turkish coach said the Lions could make it, only if they believed that they could. Ê
"I have full trust and belief in all my players," said Korkmaz. "We are Galatasaray and every player of us is important." "Yes, we lack some players," he said. "But if we are a big team, and yes we are, we should overcome everything."
The main motivation for the game will be making a leap forward to the UEFA Cup final, which will be played at the Şükrü Saracoçlu Stadium on May 20. The fact that the stadium belongs to archrival Fenerbahçe will make such an achievement even sweeter for Galatasaray. So the Istanbul side will see the Hamburg game as a hurdle before that big day. "If we want it, we believe it," said Korkmaz, also known as Braveheart among Galatasaray fans, "we can do anything."
Following last Thursday’s hard-fought 1-1 draw in Germany, Galatasaray will play against Hamburgh at its Ali Sami Yen Stadium tonight for a ticket to the last eight in the UEFA Cup.
A draw in the away game is always a positive result, but Galatasaray lost Emre Aşõk in the game, which is the main cause of circulating worries. The only decent defender in the squad following Fernando Meira’s sale to Russia’s Zenit St. Petersburg and injuries to Servet Çetin and Emre Güngör, Aşõk’s red card has left Korkmaz’s team utterly short staffed. The Lions were able to survive the last 40 minutes of the Hamburg game with a stunningly heroic defensive performance by winger Harry Kewell, who filled in Aşõk’s place, but whether Korkmaz will count on the Australian’s miracle working again remains doubtful. But given that he ruled out the possibility of using the 18-year-old defender Semih Kaya as a starter for the first time in his career, Korkmaz may give Kewell another shot as a defender.
Lack of fit players in the team
"I want to use Semih, but he did not play in a friendly game this season, let alone a competitive game," Korkmaz said at a press conference yesterday. "He lacks match practice. The last time he played was with the reserve team. I want to see him play, but I won’t for certain reasons."
The team is so short of defenders that the media and fans repeatedly make the joke that Bülent Korkmaz’s making a return as a player must considered. As the most successful defender of the club’s history, he could have contributed to the team as a player-manager, but Korkmaz is one whose not a fan of that joke.
"Would you play if you could, in that game?" asked one reporter.
"I am the manager now," he replied. "My playing days are left behind." As Korkmaz will not use himself Ğ not that he could, a player can only play in the UEFA Cup if the team has added his name to the list before the start of the competition Ğ all eyes turn to Kewell again. However, using Kewell at the back will not be the most appropriate option, since the Australian’s attacking skills may be missed, too.
Arda Turan, who starred against the second leg game of Bordeaux in the previous round with two goals, is injured and will probably be out of service tonight. Following winger Turan’s injury, Kewell’s contribution to the attack will become more crucial. So does Lincoln’s. The Brazilian star was not used in Sunday’s Turkcell Super League game against Trabzonspor, seen as a result of his outburst directed at Korkmaz in the Hamburg match, when he reacted angrily to be substituted in the second half.
When asked if he had a private talk with Lincoln, Korkmaz said, "I talk to every player in my team."
"After the Trabzonspor game I said that I would use Lincoln in the Hamburg game," he added.
With his team severely short of options due to suspensions and injuries, Bülent Korkmaz does not have his squad at its best shape, but still, the Turkish coach said the Lions could make it, only if they believed that they could. Ê
"I have full trust and belief in all my players," said Korkmaz. "We are Galatasaray and every player of us is important." "Yes, we lack some players," he said. "But if we are a big team, and yes we are, we should overcome everything."
The main motivation for the game will be making a leap forward to the UEFA Cup final, which will be played at the Şükrü Saracoçlu Stadium on May 20. The fact that the stadium belongs to archrival Fenerbahçe will make such an achievement even sweeter for Galatasaray. So the Istanbul side will see the Hamburg game as a hurdle before that big day. "If we want it, we believe it," said Korkmaz, also known as Braveheart among Galatasaray fans, "we can do anything."