21 Nov 2005(Mon)

November 19, 2005 -- Well, who can Alpay Ozalan blame this time?

The referee?

The Swiss team?

Takayuki Suzuki?

I don't know if you saw the highlights -- or, rather, the lowlights -- of the World Cup qualifier between Turkey and Switzerland in midweek, but they were pretty shocking scenes at the end.

As the players ran for the tunnel, following Turkey's 4-2 victory on the night but Switzerland's overall victory on the away goals rule to qualify for Germany, missiles were flying from the stands above.

This is inevitable in Istanbul, one of the most volatile stadiums in the world, and in a city where two Leeds United fans were stabbed to death a few years ago.

A Swiss player ran past a Turkish trainer and kicked him on the back of his left leg, and then a Turkish player tried to exact revenge.

Guess who it was, Reds fans?

Yes, it was Alpay, who could be seen kicking a Swiss player from behind, but not the same one who had kicked the Turkish trainer.

Then a wrestling match began -- in fact I'm sure I saw Kyoko Hamaguchi in there, and her father "Animal" -- as the players filled the tunnel.

They were disgraceful scenes, but totally predictable from Alpay.

After all, this was the guy who was run out of the English Premier League after his verbal attack on David Beckham in Istanbul, who walked out on his club in Korea and who was fired by Urawa for his appalling disciplinary record.

The weather now in Japan, sunny and crisp, is similar to what it was on the opening day of the season at Saitama Stadium, where Alpay was sent off for his assault on Takayuki Suzuki.

It was easy for Reds staff and fans to point the finger at Takayuki, but everyone knows the Antlers player's tricks and tactics to win a free kick.

The fact that Alpay took the bait and got himself sent off for grabbing Takayuki round the chin was nobody's fault but Alpay's. At his age and with his experience he should have known better, but clearly he still doesn't, and now he can expect a ban from FIFA.

The problem with Alpay is that he is such a gentleman off the pitch, friendly and polite, as anyone who came across him during his time in Japan will tell you.

It's just that a red mist descends over him when he goes on the pitch. Urawa suffered from this, and will feel vindicated with their decision to fire him after this latest episode.

ends