Meira hits ground running at Galatasaray

Portugal defender Fernando Meira has taken time out to answer questions from uefa.com readers. Here he gives his first impressions of life in Istanbul since his summer move from VfB Stuttgart.

When you first arrived you were compared to Galatasaray legend Gheorge Popescu. What did you think about that?
Metecan Kanbur, 18, Istanbul

Meira: I was very proud, because Popescu was a great player and he was very successful at Galatasaray. He is an inspiration to all the players who play here and he will be to those who come here in the future. He is one of the best players that ever played for this club.

Can Galatasaray win the UEFA Cup this year? What do you think of the fact the final will be played at Fenerbahçe’s Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium?
Murat Senkoy

Meira: I think we have enough quality to reach the final. We've had some injuries, but I hope we can be much better in January. But of course we need some luck with the opponents that come our way. From the moment we reach the last 16, anything is possible. We have the quality, although it won't be easy. And we have this extra motivation of knowing the final will be held in Istanbul.

What do you think about the atmosphere at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium? What affect does it have on players during matches? Good luck against Metalist!
Tolga Mehmetoglu, Finland

Meira: It's amazing! In my whole career as a footballer I've never experienced such an atmosphere. It was one of the things that attracted me most, to know that the fans are crazy about football here. It's great for someone that plays at the top level to feel the support from a 12th player. It's hard to describe the emotions and the strength that our fans give us.

As a Galatasaray player, what is the relationship like between you and the fans?
Ozkan Evcin, 21, Turkey

Meira: I have a great relationship with them. As I told you before, they are special fans, who support and live for their team. They've encouraged me from the beginning and I will try to pay them back with good performances and much success.

How would you compare VfB Stuttgart and Galatasaray?
Berk Burak Bektas, 13, London, England

Meira: VfB Stuttgart is a great club in Germany, but Galatasaray tries to win every competition they play, it's an ambitious and a top club. This was one of the main reasons why I came here. VfB Stuttgart try the best they can but their main goal is a place in the UEFA Cup. Galatasaray always fights to be champion and that makes them bigger than Stuttgart.

How did it feel for you after Galatasaray beat your former club Benfica 2-0?
Serdar Selvi, 15, Stuttgart, Germany

Meira: I was very happy, because it was a very important result for us. It was in a stadium where I was once captain and where I have many good memories and friends. It was a very special game for me, but I wanted to win. Thank God we did!

What is your favourite place to hang out in Istanbul off the pitch?
John Blasing, 22, Providence, USA

Meira: Unfortunately I don't have much time to go out because we have midweek games every week. I like to spend the few days I have free with my wife and kids and I haven't had time to go to the city centre and get to know Istanbul. So, the place that I know best so far is my home.

Who do you think is the most talented Galatasaray player and who is your best friend in the team?
Kemal Pak

Meira: I'm friends with all the players and it's hard to choose just one. They are all team-mates like I had in Portugal: humble, hard-working and everyone gets on well. The most talented? That's also a hard question, but in attack we have Harry Kewell, Lincoln, Arda Turan. They are three of the many quality players we have here.

How did it feel playing for Galatasaray in the Istanbul derby against Fenerbahçe? Is it really one of the biggest derbies in the world?
Serdar Copur, 26, Istanbul, Turkey

Meira: It was amazing! I'm sure that when they play in our stadium it will be exactly the same. We wanted to win so much because we knew that it is the most important game of the season for our fans. We had a good start but we couldn't win, because we ended very badly. The [4-1 defeat] doesn't reflect what happened during the 90 minutes. These derbies are fantastic though – when we played Trabzonspor at home, it was also a great experience.

You're 30, with a contract that will run until you are 34. Is your plan to retire at Galatasaray at 34? Do you see yourself as a future coach or manager of a club after your retirement?
Paulo Pincaro, 19, New York, USA

Meira: Yes, I do see myself as a manager. It's one of my ambitions. I'm a very organised person and I'm very persistent when I'm chasing goals. When I start a project I do it with all my commitment and I won't rest until I succeed. My goal right now is to achieve all the success for Galatasaray for four years and later to go back to the club I support, which is Vitória Guimaraes. I hope when I leave Turkey that I still have the strength to help Vitória as a player, because that's my desire. And I will only play after my contract with Galatasaray expires, if I still have the desire and joy from playing football. If I don't, then I will try to help Vitória in some other role.

What are your personal impressions of Turkey and Istanbul?
Selami Yüksekkale, 18, Ravensburg, Germany

Meira: It's a beautiful city, a bit like Lisbon but bigger. The city is very nice, with lots of good and old traditions and a good quality of life. The people are warm and the weather is magnificent. I'm extremely happy to be here.

You have played in the Portuguese and German leagues with well-known teams. How do you rate the Turkish league in comparison?
Deniz Ilbay, Arnhem, Netherlands

Meira: It's a bit like the Portuguese league. There are four or five clubs that play to win the league, three or four more that try to reach the UEFA Cup and the others who try to avoid relegation. The smaller clubs are very well-organised, very hard to beat. It's a competitive league, which was a surprise to me.

With so many good upcoming youngsters knocking on the door for Portugal, do you think you can keep your place in the national side?
Hamood Maxar, 16, Pakistan

Meira: It is true, this is a challenge for me. It's the circle of life, you need changes. I feel I can still be useful for the Portuguese national team but I know there are some players with the quality to break into the team in the near future. Right now I feel I can help the national team and I hope to be in the 2010 World Cup – it is my last goal.

We supporters adore the team which played against Benfica and Olympiakos, but can't believe it was the same team that was beaten by Eskişehirspor. What do you think is the main reason behind Galatasaray's problems in the league?
Ares Shporta

Meira: These smaller teams who stole points from Galatasaray have a huge motivation to play against us. Their will to beat us is amazing and it is never easy to play against them. We also had lots of injuries and the lack of options on the bench is sometimes a problem for our team.

Which position do you prefer, centre-back or defensive midfielder?
Özgür Sarhan, 19, Ankara, Turkey

Meira: Centre-back, no doubt.

Why did you move to Galatasaray?
Murat Urun, 24, Istanbul, Turkey

Meira: Mainly because it's a club that fights every year to win the league. I wanted to leave Germany, where I'd spent almost seven years and I wanted to move to a great club, where I could be a champion again. Turkey is a country where people live football with a big passion and I just hope to win more trophies with Galatasaray.