Threat of Turkey has Ballack on red alert

Published on Tuesday 24 June 2008 10:22

GERMANY captain Michael Ballack believes Turkey's unpredictability makes the outcome of tomorrow's Euro 2008 semi-final in Basel too close to call.

The Turks have a mountain of injury and suspension problems ahead of their match with the highly-fancied Germans, but their never-say-die attitude makes them dangerous opponents.

Fatih Terim's men have scored last-minute goals in their last three games to progress to their first European Championship semi-final against all the odds.

And Ballack is not about to make any rash predictions in the face of such mercurial opposition. "Turkey are certainly not better than us tactically, technically and in terms of individual players," said the Chelsea midfielder, who excelled in Germany's 3-2 quarter-final win over Portugal.

"But they are unpredictable and they won't underestimate any of us Turkey have up until now always been brilliantly set up against their opponents and they almost have a bit of the German mentality about them.

"It will be a tough task, but we have a big chance of making the final."

Ballack is set to have Torsten Frings back alongside him in central midfield at St Jakob Park tomorrow night, the Werder Bremen anchorman having returned to training after breaking ribs.

Indeed, Germany coach Joachim Low confirmed all 23 players in his squad were available for the match. The situation is the exact opposite for Terim, who could be faced with the prospect of playing third-choice goalkeeper Tolga Zengin in an outfield position if he is needed off the bench.

The latest blow to befall the Turks came yesterday when UEFA turned down goalkeeper Volkan Demirel's appeal against his two-game suspension.

Volkan, Terim's No.1 stopper, was sent off in stoppage time of his side's dramatic 3-2 Group A victory over Czech Republic after pushing Jan Koller, and missed the quarter-final win over Croatia as a result. He had hoped to get the ban reduced in order to play against Germany, but UEFA have upheld their decision.

It leaves Terim with four players – including Middlesbrough forward Tuncay Sanli – suspended, while Nihat Kahveci, Emre Gungor, Servet Cetin, Tumer Metin and Newcastle midfielder Emre Belozoglu are all injured.

Meanwhile, Turkey forward Colin Kazim-Richards has hailed the man-management skills of Terim following their dramatic progression through the tournament.

London-born Kazim-Richards, who should keep his place in the starting line-up for the Germany clash, admits a fired-up Terim is a sight to behold in the dressing room. "He is always instilling belief," the 21-year-old said of the former AC Milan and Galatasaray boss.

"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. The coach gives us belief."

Terim will certainly have if managerial skills tested to the limit tomorrow evening. But Kazim-Richards, who played for Bury, Brighton and Sheffield United before joining Fenerbahce last summer, has dismissed any fears the team will struggle fitness-wise against the Germans after Saturday night's energy-sapping victory in Vienna.

"Even if you are tired, you would never know it. It's not a problem," he added. "I don't think the team looked tired (against Croatia], I think we looked good.

"We have a fitness coach from America, from Athletes Performance. We have been working hard and I think the Croatians looked more tired than us."