Dog days of summer

So EURO 2008 is over, the season has not started, the phony war is on with transfer rumors by the bucketful but no real substance and so what to do.......I have no idea. I could watch baseball but that would be less than interesting.

MLS is on and watchable these days, not brilliant but then Samsun versus Adana hardly gets the pulse racing either and I have to say the technical level is high even of the oppressive summer heat here slows things down.

Galatasaray are in Germany and won the first preparataion match against Holmberg 2-0. Good to see that Linderoth was in action again after almost a season out.

Still no movement on Lucas Neill but thats not exactly a disappointment. If Servet and Emre can get fit and play as well as they did at EURO 2008 then the defence is sorted.

New goalkeeper would be a benefit and a 25 goal a season striker but thats maybe wishful thinking.....

Roll on the new season

Well the final was not so good but the team that had the shots and chances won the game. Can you believe that Germany did not have a shot on target in 90 minutes!!!! It was such a pity that Turkey was stripped of its best players thanks to the Italian/Croatian ref. I have to say though that he proved that his incompetence was not restricted to only booking Turks, he was almost as bad on the final hading out yellow cards for imaginary elbows and failing to book send of Michael Ballack for continuous fouling, makes you wonder if Ballack was Turkish whether he would have stayed on the pitch because he made tackles way worse than what Arda and Tuncay got booked for. Anyway, its past but it still leaves s lightly bitter taste.

On to the new season now. With a new younger manager, we will leave the geriatrics to Kadikoy for now, a couple of Turkish recruits already and possibly Harry Kewell, not my favorite player I have to say, this may be one of slight optimisim. I can see GS providing they replace Hakan and can keep Linderoth and Lincoln free of injury easily defending their title this season and also possibly getting out of the group stages in Champions League. With Song leaving for Trabzon though we do need a new defender to partner Servet although Emre Gungor looked good at Euro 08. Of course both are injured!!!

Team is having a good clear out with Okan Buruk, Carrusca and Bouzid on the way out as well as a large number of younger fringe players.

Anyway lets see what happens in the next couple of weeks but I am cautiously optimistic.