Galatasaray stars in Turkey squad

Izzet's long wait for international football is over

Turkey coach Mustafa Denizli has named nine Galatasaray players in his 22-man squad for Euro 2000.

Leicester midfielder Muzzy Izzet is also included in the final party, following his decision earlier this year to apply for citizenship and make himself available for selection.

The Istanbul side provide the lion's share of the midfield places while Hakan Sukur and Arif Erdem, two of just three strikers in the squad, are almost certain to start up front.

The Turkish champions' dominance could have been even greater but for injuries to club captain Bulent Korkmaz and talented young midfielder Emre Belozoglu.

Galatasaray striker Hakan Sukur

Turkey's defence is built around the veteran partnership of Fenerbahce's Alpay Ozalan and Ogun Temizkanoglu with Rustu Recber, also from Fenerbahce, in goal.

Recber has had a poor season by his standards and is recovering from a neck injury, though his side's bad defensive record against mediocre domestic opposition was just as much down to a shaky back four in front of him.

Turkey face Italy in their first Euro 2000 Group B match in Arnhem on Sunday 11 June.

---

Turkey squad:

Goalkeepers: Rustu Recber (Fenerbahce), Fevzi Tuncay (Besiktas), Omer Catkic (Gaziantepsor).

Defenders: Fatih Akyel (Galatasaray), Hakan Unsal (Galatasaray), Alpay Ozalan (Fenerbahce), Ogun Temizkanoglu (Fenerbahce), Osman Ozkoylu (Trabzonspor).

Midfielders: Okan Buruk (Galatasaray), Suat Kaya (Galatasaray), Sergen Yalcin (Galatasaray), Ergun Penbe (Galatasaray) Umit Davala (Galatasaray), Tugay Kerimoglu (Glasgow Rangers), Tayfur Havutcu (Besiktas), Ayhan Akman (Besiktas), Tayfun Korkut (Fenerbahce), Abdullah Ercan (Fenerbahce), Muzzy Izzet (Leicester).

Fowards: Hakan Sukur (Galatasaray), Arif Erdem (Galatasaray), Oktay Derelioglu (Gaziantepspor).