FootballSport TodayTürkiye

Why was the National Team Bad?

Hürriyet writers Uğur Meleke, Güntekin Onay, and Engin Kehale evaluated the poor performance of our National Team in the 0-0 draw against Wales in the Nations League B Group 4 match.

UĞUR MELEKE: SOME PLAYERS SEE THEMSELVES AS SUPERSTARS

Seven of the 11 players who started the quarter-final match in Berlin on July 6 were in the starting lineup again. The coach is the same. The formation is the same. The players are almost the same. But that 11 dominated the Netherlands in the first 45 minutes, while in Cardiff, they barely touched the ball in the first half. It’s really interesting. I believe this dramatic difference is due to three reasons:

1- Some of our players who gave their all at EURO 2024 now unfortunately see themselves as superstars. But the secret to their success in the summer was working humbly on the field. Some of them need to get their feet back on the ground as soon as possible.

THEY’RE NOT SPENDING THE OFF-SEASON WELL
2- Like almost all Turkish teams playing in Europe, the national team is physically behind. With 7 Super Lig players in our starting 11, the problem is clear: Super Lig players are not spending the off-season well. They don’t return ready. Summer training camps are not enough.

MONTELLA CONTINUES WHERE HE LEFT OFF
3- Unfortunately, Montella continues from where he left off. In Berlin, we didn’t understand why he didn’t make any substitutions between the 46th and 75th minutes, and why he waited until we conceded 2 goals. It was frustrating. In Cardiff the other day, he should have put in 3 fresh players at halftime. It seemed like he was waiting for the red card to make a substitution.

GÜNTEKİN ONAY: WHY THE INSISTENCE ON BARIŞ ALPER YILMAZ AS A STRIKER?

The National Team’s draw against Wales was completely thanks to their opponents’ inability to score. It’s sad and concerning to see us play so defensively, fail to create chances, and be under constant pressure against such a modest opponent that lacks any international stars. We keep saying we’ve caught a good generation, but the football we’re playing is not progressing; it’s regressing.

MONTELLA’S STUBBORNNESS IS COSTING US GOALS
Montella’s insistence on using Barış Alper Yılmaz as a striker, despite him not contributing with goals or assists, and lacking the ability to shoot or dribble in tight spaces, is depriving the National Team of goals. Montella has tried this multiple times with no success. Why isn’t he looking for alternatives? It’s hard to understand. Plus, we’re missing out on Barış Alper’s effectiveness on the right wing.

Another issue is why a special player like Hakan Çalhanoğlu, a set-piece master and a playmaker, didn’t start the game?

Why did a player like İrfan Can Kahveci, who is both creative and highly competitive, only come on in the final minutes?

Montella must opt for a more technical and passing-oriented style in the Iceland match, bringing the ball down more often.

ENGİN KEHALE: EVEN IF HAKAN HAD PLAYED, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HARD TO MATCH THEIR ENERGY

I don’t think it’s right to evaluate the Wales game without considering the opponent. It’s clear that Craig Bellamy has shaken off the rust in the team and prepared well for his first managerial experience. This happened in the very stadium where he played his final match as a Cardiff City player.

Without Hakan Çalhanoğlu, we struggled to control the tempo, but even with him, it would have been difficult to match Wales’ energy, movement, and physical play. I expect a different game against Iceland, with a faster and more pressing National Team.

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One Comment

  1. çok genç bir kadro. 2026 dünya kupası da vasat geçecek belki euro2028 de takım zirveye çıkabilir

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