Altay Bayindir’s season at Manchester United has been a peculiar one. The Turkish goalkeeper, signed last summer, has spent most of his time on the bench, overshadowed by Erik ten Hag’s preference for Andre Onana. Onana’s quick return from the Africa Cup of Nations only further sidelined Bayindir.
Bayindir, eager for playing time, has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, with Celtic mentioned as a potential destination. However, his current bench-warming status means he will likely continue in that role for Turkey during the Euros.
Trabzonspor captain Ugurcan Cakır is expected to start in goal for Turkey, a team filled with youthful promise. Despite past disappointments, including a dismal Euro 2020 performance and failure to qualify for the Qatar World Cup. Turkey had a strong qualifying campaign, finishing top of Group D. This has sparked cautious optimism.
Italian head coach Vincenzo Montella has injected youth into the squad, notably giving Real Madrid prospect Arda Guler the central No.10 role and Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz a platform to shine. Montella’s strategic move of positioning captain Hakan Calhanoglu in a deeper midfield role has also been pivotal. Montella has previously lauded Calhanoglu as one of the best midfielders in Serie A, if not the world.
Many of Turkey’s players are relatively unknown outside their domestic league, which adds an element of intrigue. A 6-1 friendly loss to Austria in March caused some panic, but a recent draw against Italy in Bologna. Where Bayindir kept a clean sheet, has restored some confidence.
Turkey has a favorable draw in the tournament, starting against the weakest team, Georgia, and potentially deciding their fate in the group against Czechia on June 26. Portugal is a strong contender, but Turkey’s early matches could set a positive tone.
Montella remains optimistic, saying, “For the first time, we finished the qualifiers at the top of our group and advanced to the tournament three times in a row. But we failed to advance past the group stage in the last two tournaments. Our first target is surely to achieve what we couldn’t achieve those times, through hard work, unity, and faith. We have to take it step by step. Once we advance from the group stage, our dreams and aims may change. Relying on my experience, everything is possible.”
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