Avci looks abroad for talent

Turkey coach Abdullah Avci will look to Germany to try and infuse his team with young talent after their failure to qualify for Euro 2012.

The 48-year-old will look abroad for promising prospects – flying to Germany on Friday to meet with young German-born players of Turkish ancestry over the course of five days.

Avci will be accompanied by a psychologist and will hold talks with both footballers and their families.

Tensions between the German (DFB) and Turkish (TFF) Football Associations have escalated in recent years, especially following Gelsenkirchen native Mesut Oezil’s decision to play his senior football for Germany.

Now, with eight members of Germany’s 2011 under-17 World Cup team – which set a record for goals scored at the tournament – being of Turkish ancestry, the TFF has launched a renewed initiative to recruit from abroad.

In July, former Bundesliga player Erdal Keser claimed he had agreements from as many as three players from that under-17 side to represent Turkey, prompting outrage from DFB sporting director Matthias Sammer.

However, captain Emre Can committed his future to Germany, as did the father of top scorer Samed Yesil on behalf of his son.

“The players know what they have at the DFB,” Sammer told Bild after learning of Avci’s visit.