EURO 2008 coaches gather in Vianna

The head coaches of the 16 nations who will compete at UEFA EURO 2008™ are expected to attend the finalists' workshop in Vienna on Wednesday and Thursday, in preparation for June's final tournament in Austria and Switzerland. Some 130 guests are expected in the Austrian capital, with each delegation potentially sending up to eight members including the president, general secretary, head coach, ticketing officer, manager and team doctor.


Wednesday will feature general presentations, with group meetings about specific topics scheduled for the following day. The most important topics being addressed are tournament guidelines, services and facilities available to the participating teams, organisational activities of UEFA and Euro 2008 SA, accommodation, transport, accreditation, pitches, match operations, medical services, TV and media issues and anti-doping.

All 16 associations will sign an Anti-Doping Charter in a ceremony at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion – the venue for the final on 29 June. The charter pledges that the anti-doping campaign will be given full backing by all of the countries taking part. Other events heralding the EURO tournament will take place at the workshop, with details to be unveiled during the course of the two days in Vienna. Eight venues – Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Salzburg and Vienna (Austria) and Basel, Berne, Geneva and Zurich (Switzerland) – are staging UEFA EURO 2008™ between 7 and 29 June.

Source: This Blog,UEFA and Wires

BESIKTAS STILL ON TOP BUT WITH A LITTLE LUCK!

I have been following the Turkish soccer seen for a long time and I have never seen a race like this on top for quite a long time.

And, I don't even remember, four teams, running for the top spot....
it was either two or three, never four!...

Well, this year , I said before, Sivasspor is for real!....They are putting a hell of fight on top.

In the Last Nine weeks, Turkish Turkcell Super League will witness really though matches and we will see a lot of changes on top!...

Besiktas stayed on top, with a little luck, scoring in the last seconds of injury time, by a fish goal, after a defenders, big mistake!

I don't know but, I did not counted, this was Besiktas's seventh winning in the last minutes of the matches...How long this luck will go on?....

Besiktas has a major defense problem....Guys like Baki on defense needs to learn to cover a man..... He is really bad!...on, one and one he is just disaster ...plus he can really clear any balls!.So, Besiktas played on Friday and won, on Saturday, Galatasaray played and won....and on Sunday, Sivaspor and Fenerbahce payed and they won.
So, like I said, nothing has changed at the end of the 25Th week in the Turkish Super League!...

Here is the report from this weekend.......

BESIKTAS WINS IT WITH A LITTLE LUCK..
Besiktas substitute Deivson Bobo has grabbed a last-minute winner at Genclerbirligi.

All had looked to be going to plan for the visitors when Ibrahim Toraman put them ahead on the hour-mark, only for Kerem Seras to restore parity for the hosts nine minutes later.But Bobo had the last word to secure Besiktas a 2-1 victory.

GALATASARAY BEAT KAYSERISPOR
Galatasaray knows hoe to win, at home they defeated one of the strong teams in the league Kayseripsor with the score of 2-0.

Kayserispor, Second half's best perform team could not function against Gala, and lost their first game since the start of the second half in the league.

FENERBAHCE WINS BIG!....

Fenerbhace booked their place in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League in midweek with a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory against Sevilla and their comfortable win against Manisaspor ensured they remained one point behind Turkish Turkcell Super League leaders Besiktas.On the other hand,Manisaspor, ever since they let go coach Giray Bulak and hired Part-Time coach Yilmaz Vural, playing with a strange defense and every game they are getting scored like 3 or 4 goals...
Looks like this season again, Mr.Vural, will go down with another team to the lower division....this will be a record!...

Mateja Kezman struck either side of the break with further goals from Mehmet Aurelio and Selcuk Sahin setting Fener on their way to victory before Burak Yilmaz grabbed a late consolation for the visitors.

Australian goalkeeper Michael Petkovic Score a goal for Sivaspor!...
Sivasspor also remain a point behind the leaders after a dramatic 3-2 win against Ankaragucu.

Murat Sozgelmez gave the hosts a 19Th-minute lead before Abdullah Sume equalised 10 minutes later.

Australian goalkeeper Michael Petkovic (41) and Muhammet Kurtulus (55) gave Sivasspor a two-goal lead, which they needed after substitute Joao Jaba's last-minute penalty.

Bursaspor twice came from behind to record a 2-2 draw with Genclerbirligi with Egeman Korkmaz (30) and Ronald Gutierrez (44) cancelling out strikes from Da Silva Sandro (13) and Remzi Giray Kacar (43).

First-half goals from Huseyin Cimsir and Baris Memis sent Trabzonspor on their way to a 2-1 win over Kasimpasa, who got a consolation goal through Erhan Kucuk.

And Beto's 57Th-minute strike earned Gaziantepspor a 1-1 draw with Caykur Rizespor after they opened the scoring through Mustafa Cicek in the 32nd minute.

With these scores, Besiktas on top with 55 points Galatasaray second 54, Fenerbahce third with 54 and Sivaspor on fourth place with also 54 points.

At the bottom....last team Kasimpasaspor has 16 points on top of Kasimpasa is Manisaspor and they have 22 points. The 16th place team Caykur Rizespor and 15th place team B.B. Ankarspor each have 24 points.

Top Goal Scorers:

11 goals: Semih (Fenerbahce), Gokdeniz (Trabzonspor), De Nigris (Ankaraspor), Gokhan (Kayserispor)

10 goals: Nonda, Umit Karan (Galatasaray), Mehmet (Sivasspor), Holosko (Besiktas)

9 goals: Alex (Fenerbahce), Bobo (Besiktas)

TURKMAN FAMILY SMILED WITH FENERBAHCE..

Dear Friends, the news about my long time friend Dr.Renan Turkman, His mom, long time Fenerbahce Club member(one of the oldest female member) and also Club's High Councel member Dr. Suheyla Turkman, was visiting his dear son in Rochester,New York.

Dr. Renan Turkman chocked on a piece of meat back in 2001.

It has been seven years, mom, still waiting for miracle from God (Allah) so his son could wake up some day!....

On Tuesday, After Fenerbahce made history , she was smiling for his son Renan Turkman...Because, He was also rapid Fenerbahce fan...and was know as "KALAMIS ABI" on famous Fenerbahce fan web site Antu.com

Please read my article in HurriyetUSA.com...

Sorry...It is in Turkish.....

Türkmanlar Fenerbahçe ile güldü

Fenerbahçe'nin Şampiyonlar Ligi'ndeki başarısı ABD'de hastanede olan acılı anneye moral oldu.



Ahmet TURGUT / ROCHESTER

Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü'nün en eski kadın üyelerinden aynı zamanda kulübün Yüksek Divan Kurulu üyesi olan Doktor Süheyla Türkman, Fenerbahce'nin salı akşamı Şampiyonlar Ligi'nde İspanyol takımı Sevilla'yı elerken yaşattığı tarihi sevinci, ABD'de hastanede tedavi gören ve kendisi gibi koyu Fenerbahçeli olan oğlu Doktor Renan Türkman'ın yanında yaşadı.

Yılda iki sefer oğlunu ziyarete gelip uzun zaman yanında kalan acılı anne, Fenerbahçe'nin başarısıyla biraz güldü.

2001 yılının Mart ayında yemek yerken boğulan ve o zamandan beri hastanede olan Doktor Renan Türkman da, Fenerbahçe taraftarlarının sitesi Antu.com'da, "Kalamış Abi" takma isimiyle tüm Fenerbahçelilerin yakından tanıdığı bir isim. Antu.com, Renan Türkman'ın adına özel bir forum sayfası açmıştı.

New York Eyaleti'nin Rochester Kenti'nde RIT Üniversitesi'nde 1984 yılından beri öğretim üyeliği yapan Doktor Renan Türkman'ın adına, çalıştığı okul bir burs açmış ve her sene öğrencilere Renan Türkman Bursu vermeye başlamıştı.



Doktor Renan Türkman'ın başucunda Fenerbahçe forması asılı yatağı


Fenerbahçe'nin bu tarihi mutluluğunu oğlunun yanında beraber yaşamanın sevinci içinde olan anne Doktor Süheyla Türkman, oğlunun sağlığına tekrar kavuşmasının ümidiyle yaşadığını söylerken, "Allah'ın bir gün bana o büyük mutluluğu da yaşatacağına inanıyorum" dedi.

http://www.hurriyetusa.com/haber/haber_detay.asp?id=14791

Fortis Turkey Cup - Semi-finals Draw

Draw for Fortis Turkey Cup was made in Istanbul on Wednesday.
Genclerbirligi will take on Galatasaray in semi-finals while Caykur Rizespor will play against Kayserispor.

First leg between Caykur Rizespor and Kayserispor will be played on March 18th in Rize while Genclerbirligi and Galatasaray will play the first leg in Ankara on March 19th.

Second legs will take place on April 16th.

FENERBAHCE'S DREAM COME THROUGH...........

Photo:AP
WE SAID .....WE BELIEVE IN YOU................

ALL TURKISH PEOPLE ARE FENERBAHCE FANS TODAY!.... MARCH /4/2008

Historic night for Turks....

FENERBAHCE'S DREAM COME THROUGH...........

Fenerbahce Keeper Volkan Demirel was first goat than hero for Fenerbahce as they advanced from a penalty shoot-out with Sevilla and into the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in their history.

After 90 minutes Sevilla led 3-2 to cancel out the first-leg deficit and make the score 5-5 on aggregate and with no goals in extra-time, it was left to visiting goalkeeper Volkan, who saved from Julien Escude, Ivica Dragutinovic and Dani Alves.



Volkan had earlier gifted Sevilla a two-goal lead within nine minutes, as four goals were scored in a pulsating first half.



Edu Dracena and Luis Fabiano on a ball hunt

He failed to deal with long-range efforts by Dani Alves and Seydou Keita, and although Brazilian forward Deivid pulled a goal back for Fenerbahce on 20 minutes, Sevilla restored a two-goal advantage with a deflected Frederic Kanoute shot just before half time.



Deivid pounced for his second with 11 minutes left, and with no more goals after extra time it was left to Volkan to make amends for his earlier errors.



He saved Sevilla's second penalty from Escude, and although Palop kept out Edu Dracena's powerful effort in response, Volkan then stopped Enzo Moresca's blasted shot and punched away Alves' powerful effort to send the Turkish side through.



Sevilla had dominated from kick-off, their early pace troubled the Fenerbahce defence, and when Keita was held back by Selcuk Sahin the home side fortuitously took a fourth-minute lead with the resulting free-kick.



Alves' powerful 35-yard strike was straight at Volkan, who could only punch the ball into the top corner putting Sevilla ahead in the tie under the away goals rule.



Their confidence yielded a second goal just five minutes later, Keita striking a left-foot swerving shot from a similar range which deceived the 26-year-old Turkey goalkeeper and flew into the top-left corner.



Fenerbahce began to recover and Deivid scored on 20 minutes, shooting low from 12 yards through an advancing crowd after a Mehmet Aurelio corner had not been cleared.



Both sides then went close as space opened in midfield, and Sevilla took advantage five minutes before the break.



Alves crossed from the right to Kanoute, who controlled with his chest from 12 yards and fired a low volley at goal, which was deflected by Gokhan Gonul past the helpless Volkan.



Sevilla held on for the rest of the half, Christian Poulsen clearing off the goal-line deep into injury time after Aurelio had set-up Deivid's shot.



Fenerbahce played with more fluency in a quieter start to the second half, and came close to an aggregate equaliser through Alex and then two chances for Ugur Boral.



And the home side paid the price for their own missed opportunities on 79 minutes as Fenerbahce drew level on aggregate.



Deivid crept unmarked behind the defence to latch onto a long free-kick from Alex, and first hit the post before pouncing on the rebound to score from two yards.



The game remained 3-2 after 90 minutes and went into extra-time, where both sides struggled to maintain their earlier intensity.



Deivid had chances for a hat-trick, but missed two 20-yard efforts within a minute while Alves shot a 25-yard free kick wide on 99 minutes.

Alves hit a 25-yard free-kick against the wall in injury time, and the game went into penalties, where Volkan's saves ensured a safe passage for Fenerbahce.

Fenerbahce 20th In Club World Ranking

Turkish football(soccer) team Fenerbahce, chasing both championship at Turkcell Super League and quarter finals at European Champions League, held the 20th place among football teams all around the world.
According to a classification made by International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), Fenerbahce secured the 20th rank up from the 21st with 195 points as of the end of February.

Other Turkish football teams Galatasaray achieved an impressive improvement and ranked the 52nd up from the 64th. Besiktas was down by 7 ranks to the 31st.

Fenerbahce's rival at Champions Leauge Sevilla FC lost the leadership in the Club World Ranking after a record period of 17 months because they lost 3-2 in Istanbul against Fenerbahce.

Source: turkish wires

ANOTHER COACHING DILEMA IN THE TSL...

Coaching Mary go Round still on, in the Turkcell Super League!...

Ankaraspor the team who is really struggling in the league Sacked their coach Hikmet Karaman and hired a new, "tested" coach Saffet Susic .

The reason for change ... According to Ahmet Gokcek, the team official also son of Melih Gokcek Mayor of Ankara, "Hikmet Karaman made mistakes this weekend changing players during the match against Gaziantepspor"

This is what I mean!...... I wonder, how young Ahmet Gokcek, knows soccer(football) more than coach Hikmet Karaduman!...