Huge responsibility on Terim's shoulders during dark times
We are witnessing an extraordinary period in the history of the Turkish Republic. The biggest derby in the country, the Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe game was postponed after serious threats and, naturally, football lost its place in the prime time. Nobody in Turkey has time to discuss Fenerbahçe's strategies or examine Beşiktaş's declining performances right now, and almost every football show on TV was about the security measures. I cannot blame them, extraordinary times require extraordinary measures, but I am not willing to give the terrorists what they want. I shall do my job, as I did last week and the week before, because life must go on and it will.
However, even though football does not seem an important business these days, I see a great opportunity for the national team to unite the nation and boost public morale. Yes, we have been hurt, distracted by the horrors of these attacks and we are worried about our future. Nevertheless, if we cannot prevent the damage, at least we can control it and not let it hurt us anymore. Thus, a strong message both inside and outside the field should be made by coach Fatih Terim and his team against Sweden. Although it will be a friendly game, it will mean much more in the public view, which yearns for a sign of strength, unity and confidence.
Terim is known in the history of Turkish football for his thrilling speeches before crucial games, and has been seen a source of motivation for many of his players and coaches. Hence, I know he will deliver the speech that he is supposed to deliver before and after the game, but the point is about a promising game against Sweden, showing the Turkish people that their team not only puts their heart into the game, but is also capable of crushing their opponent. Only then will his words make a noticeable impact on the
Turkish people.
Now the question is, how to do it? Given Sweden have always been a tough nut to crack, Turkey will need a dominant and creative game plan. But we are talking about a team that hardly managed to catch Iceland and Czech Republic in the qualifiers to get their ticket for France. This Thursday, we will see how Terim has interpreted this period and if he has built a self-sufficient strategy, finally. I expect the Turkish national team to be the aggressive side, but considering the team's lack of quality, it will break down after 20 minutes when the gas gauge signals the end. Thus, without implementing a sophisticated plan, the traditional Terim way of assaulting the opponent may not work and may lead to an undesirable result, which would be a disappointment for the public.
You might say I am putting unfair responsibility on the national team and Fatih Terim's shoulders, but there is nothing to lose but chains right now. If the national team fails to deliver the message and instead exhibits weakness, which would be the worst case scenario, we would be in the same place as we are now. Nonetheless, the prize of a possible strong message would be highly beneficial for Turkey's war on terror. As I said earlier, extraordinary times require extraordinary measures, and whether you like it or not, you have to admit football is never just football.
However, even though football does not seem an important business these days, I see a great opportunity for the national team to unite the nation and boost public morale. Yes, we have been hurt, distracted by the horrors of these attacks and we are worried about our future. Nevertheless, if we cannot prevent the damage, at least we can control it and not let it hurt us anymore. Thus, a strong message both inside and outside the field should be made by coach Fatih Terim and his team against Sweden. Although it will be a friendly game, it will mean much more in the public view, which yearns for a sign of strength, unity and confidence.
Terim is known in the history of Turkish football for his thrilling speeches before crucial games, and has been seen a source of motivation for many of his players and coaches. Hence, I know he will deliver the speech that he is supposed to deliver before and after the game, but the point is about a promising game against Sweden, showing the Turkish people that their team not only puts their heart into the game, but is also capable of crushing their opponent. Only then will his words make a noticeable impact on the
Turkish people.
Now the question is, how to do it? Given Sweden have always been a tough nut to crack, Turkey will need a dominant and creative game plan. But we are talking about a team that hardly managed to catch Iceland and Czech Republic in the qualifiers to get their ticket for France. This Thursday, we will see how Terim has interpreted this period and if he has built a self-sufficient strategy, finally. I expect the Turkish national team to be the aggressive side, but considering the team's lack of quality, it will break down after 20 minutes when the gas gauge signals the end. Thus, without implementing a sophisticated plan, the traditional Terim way of assaulting the opponent may not work and may lead to an undesirable result, which would be a disappointment for the public.
You might say I am putting unfair responsibility on the national team and Fatih Terim's shoulders, but there is nothing to lose but chains right now. If the national team fails to deliver the message and instead exhibits weakness, which would be the worst case scenario, we would be in the same place as we are now. Nonetheless, the prize of a possible strong message would be highly beneficial for Turkey's war on terror. As I said earlier, extraordinary times require extraordinary measures, and whether you like it or not, you have to admit football is never just football.