Turks look to Nihat to be full of beans

Nihat Kahveci's name means coffee salesman and Turkish football fans will be hoping that the Villarreal star gives them a much needed boost in the Euro 2008 finals in June.

The 28-year-old is along with Newcastle United's Emre perhaps the most recognizable of the names in the Turkish squad as it rebuilds following the retirements from the fray of the majority of the side that reached the 2002 World Cup finals.

Nihat has already proved his worth in the Euro 2008 qualifiers scoring vital goals in the last two matches against Norway and Bosnia to ensure they progressed to the finals taking his total to 14 for the national side.

"Without him (Nihat), the team loses its talent and its power in attack," wrote one Turkish commentator.

"He is dynamic in pushing forward and can turn defence into attack in the twinkling of an eye."

While he began his career with Besiktas it has been his success in Spain that has really marked him out as a special talent, first with Real Sociedad and then latterly with Villarreal, who have upset the natural order in the Spanish league by coming second in the title race this year behind Real Madrid.

Whilst his contribution this term has been limited after suffering a serious knee injury last year, he showed he had returned to full fitness and much to the relief of national coach Fatih Terim by scoring a brace against league rivals Getafe.

However, Nihat has a lot of pressure on him to inspire the emerging generation of Turkish players to try and reach the heights of their predecessors, who were led by legends such as Hakan Sukur or the 'Bull of the Bosphorous'.

For a traditionally fiery team coached by the equally emotional Terim it is a big ask for someone to keep their head and not allow a repeat of the disgraceful scenes witnessed at the end of their 2006 World Cup finals play-off defeat by Switzerland.

However, in a country that places football high above any other sport it is going to take a lot for Nihat to suppress his team-mates emotions, but with his experience gained in Spain and earning such headlines as 'the player who has brought honour to Turkey abroad' thanks to his exploits there, Terim should not fear for what goes on up front.

Unlike Hakan and his mediocre spells abroad, Nihat has with 72 goals since going to Spain in almost six years shown that while he will never have to resort to making coffee, he plays like somebody who has drunk several double espressos.

Sapa-AFP