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It was thought to be the end of Sergen Yalcin, the enfant terrible of Turkish football.
Ahead of the 2001-2002 season, Galatasaray manager Mircea Lucescu took a gamble and signed Sergen on loan (still from Siirt-Jet). He saw Sergen as the replacement to the retired Gheorghe Hagi. The move was rewarded as Sergen repaid his manager's faith by starring in the UEFA Champions League with 2 goals and 2 assists as Galatasaray progressed to the second group stage. Unfortunately, Sergen tore his knee ligaments and would miss the rest of the season. He was told to lose weight or never play football again. Galatasaray went on to win the league championship that season, Sergen contributed with 7 goals and 8 assists in 18 matches.
In the 2002-2003 season, after years of wandering, Sergen returned to Beşiktaş. Sergen was signed on a permanent deal by Lucescu, who also moved to Beşiktaş. Lucescu brought the best out of Sergen, as Sergen (30) was finally maturing to fulfill some of his lost potential. Besiktas won the league, with Sergen the key instigator, scoring a vital 11 goals and assisting another 6. The 2003-2004 season would see Beşiktaş' re-entry to the Champions League where Sergen was to feature in arguably the most memorable match of his career. Roman Abramovich became the owner of the English club, Chelsea FC, spending |
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When Sergen was asked why he never moved to Europe, he simply replied, "If I was 20 again, I would leave Turkey within 3 days." [9]
[edit] International career
Sergen made his debut in a friendly game against F.Y.R. Macedonia in 1994. He would represent his nation in Euro 1996 and 2000, but injury prevented him from featuring at the FIFA World Cup in 2002. For the Turkish national team, Sergen scored 5 goals in 37 matches.
[edit] Euro 1996
Euro 1996 was Turkey's first tournament appearance since 1954. Sergen played a key role in qualification, scoring two goals. Sergen featured in two matches at the finals where they fell at the first hurdle, pointless and goalless.
[edit] FIFA World Cup 1998
Sergen was fairly inactive in the national team during this period. In the opening round of World Cup qualification, Sergen came on as a second half substitute against Belgium. Sergen went from hero to villain in the space of five minutes by contriving to get himself sent off after initially scoring a splendid half-volley on the edge of the box. Turkey went on to lose the match 2-1 at Brussels. Manager Mustafa Denizli saw Sergen as a liability and did not select him for the next 13 months. Sergen's only other match during qualification was the 5-0 victory at San Marino, and Sergen was hugely disappointing. Turkey failed to make the finals.
[edit] Euro 2000
To his detractors, Sergen was a luxury item in a team which can ill afford luxuries. Those who had a fondness for decrying Sergen's abilities have suggested that, when playing at the highest level, he glitters rather than shines. So when Sergen was given a second chance, many lashed out at Denizli's decision to select him. Having finally accepted that he was the linchpin of his national side, Sergen dedicated himself to banish bitter memories of his past.
The opening match saw Sergen give a man of the match performance in a 3-0 victory over Norther Ireland, followed by a 1-0 victory against European champions Germany, but then shamefully defeated 1-3 to Finland. The next match against Moldova, Sergen was the maestro for the Turkish side, with his spectacular dribbling runs, shots at goal and his clairvoyant passes creating scoring chances for his teammates. It was from his corner kick Turkey opened the scoring, and four minutes into injury time when Sergen took the stage, displacing the lead-footed Moldovan defenders one by one before slotting in a cracker from the edge of the area to give Turkey a 2-0 victory. Sergen also made history because his goal was the 400th scored in the history of the Turkish national team. Prior to the next match, Turkey never defeated Finland in any official match since 1924. Outpaced and outplayed for 15 minutes, Turkey trailed 2-0 before Sergen intervened. The man of the match was involved in three goals as Turkey turned around a two-goal deficit to defeat Finland 2-4. Turkey gained five points from their final three matches to finish group runners-up. The final game with Germany ended 0-0, but is seen as one of the greatest individual displays in the history of the Turkish national team, as Sergen "pulled all the strings," according to the German manager Erich Ribbeck. As group runners-up, Turkey faced the Republic of Ireland in a play-off tie to qualify for Euro 2000. The Irish entered the match as favorites mainly due to their influential skipper, Roy Keane. In the first leg, Ireland could only do with a 1-1 draw in Dublin. Eamonn Sweeney of the Irish Examiner wrote the match report.
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The second leg ended 0-0, which was enough for Turkey to qualify through the away-goals rule. In the first 20 minutes of the second half alone, Sergen set up four clear scoring chances as he produced another man of the match performance.
Turkey opened their Euro 2000 campaign with a controversial 2-1 defeat to Italy. The Guardian writer Ian Ross recalled the game.
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tekaan UCL Quarter-finals 1st leg DIBUKA!
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Ari tu yg kalah 1-0 dgn Spain tu...
frenly ke qualifying..??
Nmpk mcm susah je kali ni nk quali... |
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Originally posted by edmundo at 31-3-2009 17:34 
Ari tu yg kalah 1-0 dgn Spain tu...
frenly ke qualifying..??
Nmpk mcm susah je kali ni nk quali...
Qualifying first leg. Nanti diorang ada second leg pulak kat Sukru Saracoglu Stadium....ari tu ramai gak yg injured x main like Hamit Altintop n Servet Cetin... |
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Apa cite geng turki tak qualify
dahsyat.... |
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Author
Post time 27-3-2009 11:55 PM
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