Terim gives a mental edge that's hard to beat

As a special night for Turkey looms, Paddy Agnew, in Vienna, profiles the man who has done most to elevate the country's fortunes

ON THE morning after Turkey's penalty shoot-out, quarter-final win over Croatia, Turkish coach Fatih Terim summoned his medical staff to his hotel room at seven o'clock. Given the night that was in it, he had not slept much so he opted to get straight down to work preparing for tonight's semi-final clash with Germany in Basle.

Even before he went down for his breakfast, Terim wanted an updated medical bulletin, addressing his staff as follows: "How's Servet Cetin? How's Emre? Don't even bother to tell me that they're not ready because when it comes to playing a European Championship semi-final, everybody's got to be ready."

Terim, "The Emperor", is used to giving orders. Given that he goes into tonight's game with four players suspended (goalkeeper Volkan Demirel, defender Emre Asik and midfielders Tuncay Sanli and Arda Turan), Terim has little choice.

The time has come to grit the teeth and get on with it, semi-injured and all: "Obviously, the game against Germany is very special. It's a real derby for Turkey but we can win it even with 11 half-dead players because our heart, our will to win, will make all the difference."

The Emperor expects all the troops to answer his call. He knows only too well that the vast majority of the two million Turks who live in Germany will be watching this game, with many of them in the half-million-strong crowd expected to gather around giant screens erected close to Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.

Even here in Vienna, Turkish flags hang out of windows in the city's residential zones. That win over Croatia was greeted with late night motorcades, horn-blaring and much flag-waving throughout the Austrian capital.

Having staged dramatic comebacks against Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Croatia, Terim is convinced his side can do it again: "You know what one Turkish newspaper ran as a headline the other day - Miracles Are Our Trade"

Terim has never been short of self-belief. Born in Adana, Turkey, 54 years ago, he grew up in an era when Turkish clubs and national sides were considered nothing more than a first-round, nuisance obstacle along the way to a World Cup qualification or a European Cup final. Turkey, in those days, consistently featured among the international "also-rans".

Terim changed all that, arguably having done more than anyone to upgrade Turkish soccer, establishing its credibility far beyond the Bosphorus.

As Turkish coach, he was the first person to take Turkey to the finals of a major tournament when qualifying for the Euro '96 finals in England. He followed that up by winning the Uefa Cup in 2000 with Galatasaray, the team with which he had once starred as a player.

That impressive track record earned him spells in Italy, first with Fiorentina and then with AC Milan. True enough, both those spells ended badly but the Turk had shown enough to earn himself the enthusiastic support of the Fiorentina fans.

When the then Fiorentina owner Vittorio Cecchi Gori sacked Terim, he came in for vicious criticism from fans who had appreciated not only Fiorentina's attacking game under Terim but also the coach's passionate touchline behaviour, much in line with their own fervour.

The Fiorentina and Milan players recall Terim's passion, not to say temper. The UK-born Kazim Kazim, the former Bury, Brighton and Sheffield United player, knows all about it, saying this week: "It takes just one look from the coach . . . he is incredible. He doesn't let your head go down. If it does, he shouts at you straight away and, believe me, when that man shouts, you look. It's like nothing I've seen before."

When it comes to motivating his men for tonight's game, Terim for once will not need to indulge his fire-blast repertoire. This game is a self-motivator for the Turks but Terim will still have some choice things to say: "The other night I told my players I am not afraid of Germany. Fear does not help you to stay alive. We've already beaten the Germans, in a friendly two years ago . . . "

So, can the Turks spring a major surprise tonight? For those who argue that Turkey have played little attacking football and are lucky to have come from behind three times to win a semi-final place, Terim has a ready answer: "Those three games were like playing the Liverpool v Milan Champions League final all over again (the Istanbul one).

"The English were down but they were not out. You all saw it, my side refuses to lie down and die. Just like its coach."

The Emperor has spoken.