AP:Terim back in charge of Turkey and looking for success

"The Emperor" is back in charge, and with him ride Turkey's chances at the European Championship.

Fatih Terim, who coached the Turks at Euro 1996 before leading Galatasaray to the UEFA Cup title in 2000, is the man most Turkish fans believe can lead the country to its first major success.

"We are living everything in its extreme form: happiness and sadness, victories and losses," Terim said recently. "It's hard to carry this burden on our shoulders."

Since retiring as a player, Terim has seen the best and worst as a coach.

After Euro 1996, when Turkey finished last in its group with three straight losses, Terim led Galatasaray to Turkey's first European club title in the UEFA Cup. He followed that by moving to Fiorentina, where his success in Serie A led him to the top job at AC Milan.

Terim lasted only nine games with Milan in 2001 before being replaced by Carlo Ancelotti. But Terim returned to Galatasaray for a couple of sub-par seasons before taking over the national team once again in 2005, giving the Turks what they had longed to see in his predecessor: charisma and authority.

Unfortunately for Terim, the team he inherited was on the decline after having reached the semifinals at the 2002 World Cup. Turkey failed to qualify for Euro 2004, and then lost to Switzerland in a tense playoff for a spot in the 2006 World Cup.

But Terim, who got the nickname "Imparator," or "Emperor" during his first spell at Galatasaray because of his authoritarian style, is hoping for more than just another first-round elimination when Turkey plays at this year's tournament in Austria and Switzerland.

The Turkish fans expect Terim to salvage the national team, but the coach is cautious when it comes to making promises — especially in a group with contenders Portugal and the Czech Republic, and co-host Switzerland.

"I made a promise, we will get past the group stage and our achievement will be significant in the finals," Terim said. "We have to do something good in the finals and our faith is strong."
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Source: AP