Kazım Kazım: tonight's the night

A Brighton&Hove Albion reject he may be, as someone has pointed out on Dissensus, but how can you not like Colin Kazim Richards? He's done the unthinkable for a British (as in, born in Britain) footballer, by gamely moving to a 'foreign' country where he doesn't speak the language, rather than letting his career dwindle in the Football League - and he is something of a hero (and heartthrob) at Fenerbahce already. Sadly this video won't embed but it's well worth watching:

"They were singing some songs, I don't even know what they were singing, I don't know the words to it, I was just jumping up and down to the rhythm."

And as if that wasn't enough he's a local lad from Leytonstone and a Chelsea-hating Arsenal fan to boot.

Even with so many players out, it still looks like our Kazım is starting on the bench for Turkey tonight, but wouldn't it be wonderful to see a second half substitution when the inevitable comeback struggle begins. Make us proud bruv.

The cocks that crowed

"I don’t want to reinforce stereotypes but…"

Words of imminent doom from ITV’s John Champion during last night’s game. How do you end that sentence well? He didn't try very hard - “I don’t want to reinforce stereotypes but… Turkey do like a conspiracy theory”. Sidekick Jim Beglin immediately backed him up: “They like to find someone to blame. They’ve done it in the past”.

Awful stuff from both. 75 minutes of favouring the Czechs all the way and then an orgasm of hyperbole in favour of Turkey. Andy Townsend even went so far as declare them omnipotent – “They’re capable of absolutely anything those Turks”. Special game though and I can see them beating the waiting Croats...