Stark picture for Besiktas

By Türker Tozar

Before the start of the season, if any Turkish football fan was asked who would be the Superleague champions in 2004/05, Besiktas JK would certainly have been among their top tips. However, as they prepare for their final league game of 2005 at home against Sebatspor, they are 14 points adrift of leaders Fenerbahçe SK.

New broom
With the new board having hired former Real Madrid CF coach Vicente Del Bosque, Besiktas had been by far the most active side in the transfer market in the summer signing 13 players. Turkish internationals Okan Buruk, Tayfun Korkut and Ali Günes strengthened their midfield, young defenders Ibrahim Toraman and Çagdas Atan reinforced the rearguard while Norwegian international John Carew and Turkey Under-21 forward Ibrahim Akin brought added firepower up front.

Impatient world
Inevitably with such wholesale changes, the new team needed time to gel, but in the impatient world of Turkish football, supporters are not tolerant of such periods of transition. And with renovations to the Inönü stadium forcing Besiktas to play their first five games of the season away from home, Del Bosque did not have a happy start.

Grim start
His side picked up just five points from those first five fixtures, with their only win being a 4-1 victory at Sakaryaspor AS. However, results did not improve dramatically enough for many as the Inönü reopened, as a 3-2 home defeat by BB Ankaraspor was followed by a 1-0 defeat at Trabzonspor.

Intense criticism
The 53-year-old Spanish coach was the subject of intense criticism from the Turkish press and even elements of the club board but the owners stood by him and, since a 4-0 win against Diyarbakirspor in their ninth game of the season, Del Bosque's side have been on an unbeaten run in Turkey.

Successful run
That run of good results saw Besiktas beat Istanbul rivals Fenerbahçe 2-1 at the Inönü, and with Carew finding his striking form and Ibrahim and Sergen Yalçin providing plenty of goals in support of the Norwegian striker, the Black Eagles' lean period seems to be at an end. However, their chance of a UEFA Champions League finish - let alone winning back the Turkish title they lost to Fenerbahçe last season - seems remote.

European significance
Thus, Thursday's UEFA Cup Group B tie at Parma FC has taken on a huge significance for the club as their only real chance of winning a major title this season. A win would put them in the draw for the last 32 - anything else could spell further choppy waters for Del Bosque.

UEFA Cup campaign
Having beaten Norway's FK Bodø/Glimt 2-1 on aggregate to reach the group stage, Besiktas started well with a 3-1 win against Athletic Club Bilbao. However, a subsequent 2-1 defeat at FC Steaua Bucuresti and a 1-1 draw at home against R. Standard de Liège has left them with a mountain to climb in Italy.

Parma problems
In their favour, Parma sacked coach Silvio Baldini earlier this week and seem to be in disarray, while Besiktas have plenty of battling spirit and a successful squad rotation policy which has ensured no player feels like a substitute. Striker Tümer Metin - often a reserve in the past - has been a notable success in this sense, scoring four goals in his eight appearances this season.

Enormous tie
However, such small successes will mean little to Besiktas fans without a glint of silverware to go with them. Ultimately, Del Bosque's Turkish reputation may well rest on the result against Parma.