12 Feb 2004(Thu)

The room was filled with excitement and anticipation as the star of the show prepared to enter the arena.

The lights dimmed, the drums rumbled, and "Prince" was led out by the vanguard of his entourage.

No, not the pop music idol.

This was Ilhan Mansiz, nicknamed "The Prince" by his Japanese army of fans after his exploits for Turkey in the 2002 World Cup.

And it was Tuesday afternoon, at a top Tokyo hotel, when Prince Ilhan introduced himself to the mass media...all 200 of them.

He surprised many with his short hair, as opposed to the flowing locks of 2002, and he sparkled in front of the cameras in his white suit and yellow shirt over a white T-shirt.

"I want to have a bright future, so this is why I chose this suit," he said.

And the hair?

"I know that most of my fans remember me with long hair, but I am at peace with this style."

And for David Beckham?

"I know he has a lot of fans in Japan. He is a great player and I respect him. I won't be trying to win over his fans, because I have my own."

Every smile and gesture was greeted with a high-pitched roar of whirling cameras, and 19 TV crews devoured the drama.

Vissel Kobe, now with the Rakuten billions behind them, are hoping to boost their average home attendance from just under 11,000 to 20,000 this season. Prince Ilhan is the flagship of this bold new world, and is being paid handsomely for his services. So is his Turkish club Besiktas.

At times, especially when he was smiling, Ilhan reminded me of a young Richard Gere in movies such as "An Officer and a Gentleman."

Have Vissel signed a football player or a movie star?

They hope it's both, of course, and good luck to them. Kansai football needs a boost, and Vissel now have Prince Ilhan to stir up some interest.

But don't expect wondrous things from the striker.

He is 28, and remained in Turkey after his World Cup heroics. He didn't transfer to a big European club, or even to Chelsea.

At the World Cup he played in all seven games for Turkey, the first six as a substitute and the full 90 minutes only in the playoff for third place against Korea.

He scored three goals, the winner against Senegal in the quarterfinals and two against Korea in the "dead" match.

He is not a great player, but he is great for Vissel Kobe.

Catch the Ilhan Show at a stadium near you this season.

ends