Turkey
Tactics
Although Fatih Terim is normally a 4-4-2 man, he could well go with 4-5-1 to allow him to exploit his high number of midfield options.
Support for Nihat
In a lot of the qualifying games the coach played Hakan Sukur alone up front. At the finals, the role will be given
to Nihat. However, with creative, attack-minded players such as Basturk, Emre Belozoglu and Arda, the nominal lone striker will hardly be up front on his own. With other midfield options such as Gokdeniz and Tuncay, Terim can alter his tactics mid-game. But he is likely to be especially cautious in the opening match, against the creative, inventive Portuguese. Sabri, who can also play at right-back, should take the right-wing slot, while Brazil-born Mehmet Aurelio is first-choice in the holding midfield role.
Big centre-backs
Volkan is very likely to start in goal. In defence, Hamit Altintop could take the right-back spot, though he can also play on the right of midfield, with Hakan Balta at left-back. Big duo Gokhan Zan and Servet are the first-choice centre-back partnership.
When all is said and done, however, Terim is renowned for springing surprises, so there could be
another tactical possibility – but one that only he knows!
Newsletter
