World Football Daily

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Orhan Gulle is a hell of a player from the city of Trabzon in Turkey. He is a young man who has stayed true to his roots and lives an ordinary life in Istanbul. He is able to separate his football life from his personal life. But when it is time for football, everything else stops. Only the white round ball matters. He plays for the Besiktas and Turkey U17 teams and will no doubt his star will shine in the U17 European Championships in Germany this May. He is currently being tracked by some big clubs but the only one so far to declare their interest publicly is Aston Villa. Not surprising since Martin O’Neil is a good judge of a young player. Here is my interview with Orhan:

Q) How did you discover football? What was your first introduction to football like?

A) Let’s say that I’ve been playing football since as long as I can remember. It’s been a part of my life for ever.

Q) What was your first memories of football as a kid?

A)There is one memory that sticks out the most. In our junior league, we had to win the last game in order to win the championship. We fell 1-0 behind. Then I scored 3 goals and we won 3-1. I loved that feeling of being winners. That is one of my first significant memories of football from my early childhood.

Q) When did you realise that you could make a living as a professional footballer?

A) In a way, I’ve always had dreams of being a successful professional footballer from a very early age, like any kid. But the real belief that I could do this kicked in a year after I joined the Besiktas youth system.

Q) How long have you been at Besiktas? Did you join them from another team or is this your fist team?

A) I’ve been at Besiktas for 3 years now. I started at an amateur team called Esenlerspor. That was my fist introduction to real team football as opposed to the street football I first played. Besiktas scouts discovered me while I was playing for Esenlerspor. I jumped at the opportunity to join Besiktas and they transferred me from Esenlerspor.

Q) What is your background (working class/middle class/privileged), that is, did football open doors for you that otherwise would remain closed?

A) I’m from a working class background. Football has and will open doors for me because of the fact that Turkey has a massive young population and the competition for jobs are immense. You have to go to university in order to get a good job and earn a good living. But the competition for university places are also fierce. So you could say that football will open dors that would have been closed to me. I’ve been to places that i might not have gone had I not been a footballer.

Q) Can you describe the Besiktas youth system a little bit? Have you encountered anything that you deemed a bit weird?

A) In all honesty, the Besiktas youth system is not all that glamorous. Although it has produced many good players, it still has a long way to go if it is to reach the efficiency and success rate of a Boca youth system. True, Besiktas have produced a lot of players that went on to play for Turkey, but it seem to me at times that us youngsters are not as valued as the first team players.

Q) Is there a specific system that the Besiktas youth team plays? Also on what size pitches did you first start playing in? Was it 11 V 11 or were the numbers reduced?

A) At Esenlerspor, we played in teams consisting of 8 players. This helps improve the basic skills of football like short passing, going past players in confined spaces and quickness of feet. From the age of 14-15, I’ve been playing 11 V 11. At Besiktas, I found that the skills I gained in those early days at Esenlerspor have been a blessing in disguise. Now I’m able to needle passes through much more easily since I’ve been doing it in smaller pitches.

Q) As you may have realised, the way transfers are now conducted seems to be changing. Big European clubs now seem to be snatching young players from their native clubs at younger ages. Best examples of this are Messi moving to Barca at 13 years old and also the Da Silva twins moving to Man Utd before they even played a game for Fluminense. It’s been well covered in the Turkish media that Aston Villa are very much interested in transferring you. How does this make you feel? Do you feel you should continue your progress in Turkey, in a familiar environment, or are you keen to move to England to start a new adventure, even before making your debut in Besiktas’ first team?

A) The interest from Villa can only be a good thing. It makes all those hours of practice that I’ve put in since I was little worthwhile. It also motivates me to improve further to realise my dreams of playing international football and Champions League football. If Aston Villa are the team that helps me realise that dream, then so be it. In all honesty, I’m very excited at the prospect of moving to England and playing for Villa. I want to join them as soon as possible.

I realise that I’ll be stepping into the unknown in England. I’ll be leaving family and friends behind. But I also realise that this move could be career defining and life defining. I’ll be very happy if this transfer happens. It would be nothing short of great to improve my football in England. I also think that it is better for a young player to come to England as he can learn much quicker than a player who is 25-26 years old.

Q) Would you have followed the Cesc Fabregas path and if given the chance signed for Arsenal at 16 or 14 or 12…?

A) Of course I would have. The reasons are above!

Q) What is the quality of the youth team football in Turkey like?

A) I think that the youth football played here in Turkey is poor. But then I like to be very critical. Those who disagree with me would point out that Turkey won the 2005 European Championships and came 3^rd in the 2005 U17 World Cup in Peru. It is certainly right that youth football in Turkey is improving rapidly but I think there are still obstacles to overcome.

Let’s talk a little about the Turkey U17 team.

Q) First of all congrats on making it to the finals in Germany (to be played in May). You’ve been drawn alongside England, Germany and Holland. What can Turkey do in this tournament? Can there be a repeat of 2005? Who do you think is the favourites for this tournament?

A) There aren’t any favourites. This is because all the teams involved are very, very strong. Teams like us, Holland, Germany, Italy and France will all be fighting to win this tournament. However, we believe in ourselves and we’ve seen that these teams are not in a whole other class than us.

Q) the stars of the future make their first splash in this tournament. Some of the best players from past tournaments like (2002) Wayne Rooney, (2004) Cesc Fabregas, (2005) Nuri Sahin and (2007) Bojan Krkic are well on the way to becoming major stars. The players that tend to win this award are attack-minded players. Do you think that you’re a candidate and you can win the Best Player award?

A) Of course I’m a candidate and I honestly feel that I have what it takes to win that award. But there are a lot of good players that’ll participate in this tournament. A lot will depend on individual performances during the tournament but also the team’s performances. My main concern is the success of the team. If we win and I win the Best Player award, it would only be the cherry on top of an already delicious cake!

Q) The Turkey U17 team is coached by Abdullah Ercan. What kind of coach is he? Does he share his vast experiences in tournaments with the Turkish national team (he played in EURO 96, EURO 2000 and World cup 2002)? How closely is Fatih Terim watching the U17 Team?

A) Coach Ercan is a great coach. He plays a 4-5-1 system with us, which means that he trusts us a lot. For a 4-5-1 to be effective, in when we win the ball in defence, we run like hell to make it 4-3-3. As soon as we win the ball, the wide men are off in support of the striker.

He does share his experiences with us. His stories of playing in those massive tournaments drive us to do the same as he did. Terim does take a lot of interest in how we’re developing. He has come to watch us in the past and helices to promote youth development. He knows that there is massive potential in Turkey. It’s just a matter of discovering that potential and polishing it.

Q) Your U17 teammate Gokhan Tore recently joined Chelsea from Bayer Leverkusen. Going back to the possible Villa move, how close is it to coming off?

A) Talks are currently ongoing but all signs seem positive. I want to go to Villa as soon as possible. Their youth system is very good and you can see that wit them producing players like Agbonlahor, Delfouneso and Barry. It seems a great place for a young player to prove his potential.

Let’s talk a little bit about your personal preferences in football

Q) Who is the player from the past that you most liked?

A) One answer and he had it all. Zinedine Zidane

Q) Who is the currently active player that you most like now?

A) As a midfielder, it has to be Steven Gerrard. He’s so determined and versatile on the football pitch. I also like Messi for his great dribbling skills.

Q) You’ve been described by Villa scouts as the Lampard of the future. What is your best position in midfield? Do you like to be the playmaker from a slightly deeper position or do you prefer being the attacking midfielder?

A) I like to play in both positions and I have the game to be the best in those positions. I can make the play with my passing and vision but I also like to play behind the strikers and make runs into the box.

Q) What are your best attributes?

A) Shooting, passing (long and short), going past players, one on ones and set piece taking.

Q) What areas should you improve on?

A) I think every player needs to improve their awareness and also the ability to think fast and make quick decisions. This will give you that extra split second to execute that crucial pass or shoot that special shot.

Thank you very much Orhan. We look forward to seeing you in the U17 European Championships in Germany this coming may but also in a Villa shirt soon.

It was a bitter ending to one of the best internationals played at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium. Turkey had lost on away goals to Switzerland in their World Cup Play Off tie. Fatih Terim himself admitted that it was a small miracle that Turkey had even reached the playoffs after a bad start to their qualifying campaign under Ersun Yanal. But the final whistle meant one thing. It was the beginning of the road to Switzerland and Austria.

However, Terim realised that in order to get to EURO 2008 the team needed to change its mentality and he needed to change some aging members of the squad. They needed to become winners. The first step he took was to arrange six friendlies in the summer of 2006. He realised that the players needed a distraction from the World Cup to prevent depression in the camp at the thought of what they had missed out on. The friendlies all went well. The last of the friendlies was against Brazil. Few even gave Turkey a chance to get something out of the game. However, Terim realised he accomplished the shift in mentality of the Turkish National team. During those 90 minutes against Brazil, Turkey were by far the better team (against a strong Brazilian team featuring the likes of Maicon, Ronaldinho and Robinho to name but a few) and few could deny that they deserved more than the eventual score of 0-0. Terim had convinced his team that they could compete with the biggest of footballing nations. He had convinced them that the belonged in the top tier of nations.

This new found confidence and self belief was evident in the EURO 2008 qualifying groups. Turkey made a great start with comfortable wins against Moldova, Malta and Hungary. Then came the most astonishing match. Greece in Athens. On the anniversary of the historical day in which the Greeks became independent from the Turkish Ottoman Empire. It started badly for Terim’s side. They conceded a sloppy goal in the 5^th minute. It looked like the Greeks would do the usual Greek speciality. Get and early goal and lie on it. But Tuncay flipped the script when he scored, to the disgust of the crowd, who littered the Turks with foreign objects as they celebrated. Turkey went on to score 3 further goals to do what most sides couldn’t do in EURO 2004. They shattered the Greek defence into pieces. In their own back yard. Even the Greek crowd were impressed as they gave a standing ovation to Terim and his men at the end of the match.

As a result of this game, Turkey topped the group, with Greece, Norway and Bosnia and Herzegovina trailing them. The next game was against Norway in Germany behind closed doors as Turkey were serving the suspension given to them by FIFA for the ugly scenes at the end of the already mentioned World Cup playoff game against Switzerland. The Norwegians’ style was proving difficult for the Turkish defence. The long balls played by the Norwegians caused problems and they profited from this. Twice. With his team trailing 2-0 at the break and not able to lean on any crowd support, Terim somehow fired up his players to play like they did in Athens. Turkey grabbed two miraculous goals with two Hamit Altintop rockets. It must be said that the Norwegian keeper had a big hand in both goals. But whatever the reasons, whether it was greater powers at work or not, Turkey got something from a game they looked out of.

The press were attaching the tags of favourites to Terim’s team. It looked like they would stroll to qualification. How wrong they were. Turkey managed to throw away a lead twice against Bosnia away from home to hand them a 3-2 win. Things looked more desperate in their next game, where they handed a draw to Malta. Although they beat Hungary convincingly at home (3-0) in their next game, all was not well with the team. There was tension simmering in the background. There was a power struggle and the team had to decide whether it was to continue with or without the legendary striker Hakan Sukur. Terim decided even though that Sükür had served the national team as well as anyone had done in it history, but he had become too big a distraction. Terim axed him from the squad and yet for a while it did not make a difference. Turkey went on to draw with Moldova away and then the most devastating of 1-0 losses at home. Against Greece.

By now, Norway had claimed second place behind Greece. Turkey were languishing in 3^rd place and it looked like they needed a miracle to qualify. They needed 6 points from their last 2 games. The first of which was against Norway in freezing temperatures. The Norwegians raced to a 1-0 lead. The new Turkish right back, Ibrahim Kas was being terrorise by John Arne Riise. As fate would have it, he suffered an injury and his replacement Gokhan Gonul would turn the tables around against Riise. Call it divine intervention if you will, but as soon as Gön?l came on, it looked like Turkey would win the game. And win it they did, with great goals from Emre and Nihat. Turkey had done what many pundits called impossible by beating a tough Norway side in the freezing cold. All they needed to secure qualification was to beat Bosnia at home. And they did. In a nervy affair it was Nihat who stepped up to slot home the winner in the first half. At the final whistle the Ali Sami Yen was jumping.

This qualification campaign was a real roller coaster ride for the Turkish team. But at the end of it, they had done what they set out to achieve: qualification for the EURO 2008 tournament. And if the draw for the group stage permitted, the possibility of revenge against the Swiss in their own patch. But it must be pointed out that at the end of the campaign Terim had achieved one other major things. He made his players believe and fight like heck for the cause. He also integrated some young blood into the team. Some players for Turkey in the Euros (the likes of Sabri Sarioglu, Colin Kazim-Richards, Arda Turan and Hakan Balta) hadn’t featured in the World Cup qualifying campaign of two years previous. We all saw the fighting qualities of the Turks in EURO 2008 and this is the story it stems from. This never-say-die attitude comes from having ultimate respect for the coach and willing to go out on the football pitch and die for him. Had Turkey not qualified for the Euro 2008 tournament, Terim may well have been sacked. But his persistence in never giving up reflected onto his team, who were able to believe in themselves and pulled off a miracle. With a little bit of divine intervention here and there of course! But at the end of the day, the Emperor made his troops believe.

If you have any questions about Turkish football, you can post them to me through the following e-mail address: turkfootball@hotmail.co.uk

I’ll pick out two or three to answer in the column next week.