Tugay returns to Turkey and makes case for his Rovers
Tugay Kerimoglu smiles at the difficulty most English-speakers experience with the pronunciation of Blackburn Rovers’ opponents in the Uefa Cup on Wednesday. ‘Genclerbirligi,’ he says. ‘Gen-sher-bill-ay. It is not a place name [the club are based in Ankara], it is a Turkish expression. The first part means youth, the second means together, or playing together. Genclerbirligi. Youth together.’
Tugay will enjoy the trip back to Turkey and trusts Blackburn’s visit will pass off without incident. ‘English teams are always welcome in Turkey,’ he says.
‘The fact that I play for Blackburn will help, but there would still be a welcome even if I didn’t.’ The first-round, first-leg tie, which also takes the Rovers manager Graeme Souness back to the country, acts as a preliminary before the main event next month, when England’s visit in the final Euro best buy canada goose jacket ebay ideas about canada goose parka on pinterest 2004 qualifier will put Tugay’s confidence in his country’s hospitality to the ultimate test.
Tugay will be playing for the home team on 11 October and in front of an almost exclusively Turkish audience. The English Football Association fear England fans will be so welcome in Istanbul that it has effectively banned them from travelling, refusing to take up its ticket allocation and repeatedly issuing dire warnings about the dangers.
Tugay is not impressed. It may be convenient for the FA to say they are concerned for the safety of English fans, but the bottom line is that English rather than Turkish misbehaviour has led to a situation where England could be kicked out of next summer’s European Championships in Portugal if there is more trouble.
Feelings are still running high since the death of two Leeds United supporters in Turkey three years ago and there is every chance of trouble when the countries can i wash my canada goose coat meet, so the FA are erring on the side of caution, even buy canada goose jacket in canada if their diplomacy leaves something to be desired.
‘What the FA have done saddens me, because I know there is no foundation to many of their fears,’ Tugay says. ‘I know the truth, as do the millions of people who come to Turkey for their holidays.
‘There is no antagonism towards England. The decision not to let fans travel has been made and everyone has to respect it, but Turkey were made welcome in England and we would have liked to best canada goose jacket review reciprocate. Turkish supporters from all over Europe went to the game in Sunderland and I don’t believe there would be any problem if fans were allowed to travel to Turkey. There is no safety issue. This canada goose coat 1000 calorie is a game of football, buy canada goose coat uk not a war.’
Yes, but Leeds travelled to a Uefa Cup semi-final in April 2000 and two of their fans failed to come home. ‘I regret that that happened, but there have been deaths in other places than Turkey,’ Tugay says.
‘There is a fanatical element attached to most national teams and a lot of clubs and there is canada goose coat 1000 bulbs garland always the potential for conflict. Turkey is no different to anywhere else. An English fan is not going to get punched in the face just for being an English fan. There would have to be some sort of provocation first. If people do not do anything provocative there is no issue. No one attacks others without a reason, in Turkey or anywhere else.’
If Tugay feels he and his countrymen are misunderstood and wilfully misrepresented in England, at least that does not happen at Blackburn. ‘Graeme Souness knows me very well from his time [as manager] at Galatasaray and he has been very loyal to me throughout my canada goose coat 1000 bulbs reviews career,’ Tugay explains.
‘We get on well. In Istanbul we had a sort of father-son relationship and I don’t necessarily mean that in a complimentary way. He seemed to understand me perfectly and he helped me enjoy my football more.
Other players felt the same. He treats everyone equally and fairly. He knows a bit of Turkish, too, though not words I could repeat here.’ Tugay’s own English is coming along slowly linked site, though he says you do not need much to get by on the pitch.
He could certainly read the writing on the wall when Blackburn signed two international midfielders this season – Barry Ferguson and Dino Baggio – and must have got the message when he could only make the bench for last week’s visit of Liverpool.
‘I had played for Turkey against Liechtenstein and Ireland and I was tired,’ he says. ‘I don’t feel worried yet. Competition in a squad is always healthy.’
At 33, Tugay feels he is good for two or three more years and would like to end his career in the Premiership. ‘I have always wanted to play here and I really enjoy it,’ he says. ‘It suits the way I play. I believe the Premiership is the leading competition in Europe, perhaps not the most technical, but the one I like best.
‘A lot of people in Turkey feel the same way. There is a feeling for English football. When Graeme Souness came to Galatasaray everyone knew who he was and what he had done. I hope I can play out my career at Blackburn. I would certainly like to stay in England. I think the present squad is strong enough to qualify for the Champions League. That is everyone’s aim this season. If Real Sociedad and Bayer Leverkusen can do it, so can we.’
Surely Tugay will be glad when 11 October is out of the way and he can resume the rest of his career in peace? ‘It is best canada goose jacket review only the English who are building up this game as a big story,’ he argues. ‘It’s not such a big deal in Turkey. Of course we want to win, because that would guarantee automatic qualification. It does not matter that it is England. Supposing England win, will the celebrations be because you have qualified, or because you have beaten Turkey?
‘Qualification is the important thing, isn’t it? Well, in Turkey we are the same. We did not play to our full capabilities in Sunderland and in Istanbul we get a chance to put that right. If we win, great. If we don’t then it’s the play-offs. Either way, it is not going to be the end of the world.’
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