Alexandra Hudson

Nobel prize-winning writer Guenter Grass is dressed in a
mustard-brown cord suit and reading his work to a reverent
audience in a hushed Berlin night club.

It feels more like a book launch than a political campaign
event just days before the German election. Yet as far as
celebrity endorsements for German political parties go, this
is as big as it gets.

The Social Democrats (SPD) have boasted Grass, author of "The Tin Drum", among their most famous  and vocal supporters for 40 years. Party leaders have come and gone, but 81-year-old Grass is reassuringly familiar -- and strangely ageless as he reads in an expressive, animated voice.

The mood is convivial. Hardly what is required to provide the much-needed shot in the arm for the SPD, who lag Chancellor Angel Merkel's Christian Democrats in the polls.

Political endorsements by Germany's stars of stage and screen have always been earnest and low-key, in sharp contrast to the glamour Hollywood celebrities or chart-topping musicians hope to inject in U.S. elections.

But this time around, in an election campaign lacking dynamism and momentum from all sides, even the endorsements sound particularly flat, as the testaments on campaign websites for the two leading candidates show.

"When I see him and hear him speak, I see a man who is very clear," explains Katharina Saalfrank, a television presenter famous for reforming naughty children in the show "Super Nanny", on a website supporting Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the SPD Chancellor candidate.

Frank is "very laid-back", says a member of the Berlin band, TheBossHoss, who according to the campaign website stormed the charts in 2005.

Not to be left out, the Christian Democrats (CDU) have their own endorsement site for Merkel, which
features businesspeople, actors and curiously, several German boxers and kickboxers expressing their support.

German world boxing champion Regina Halmlich says she likes Merkel because she "keeps a cool head".

Former German national footballer Olaf Thon says he wants her to remain in her job because "as a woman she is the strongest man in the country."

Some 20 percent of the German electorate are still undecided on which way to cast their vote. Germany's "promis", or celebrities, seem unlikely to provide any help.

The 700 children who have come to Turkey for the Turkish Language Olympics -- an annual event described in my feature "Turkish language fest shows preacher's global reach" -- will know little if anything about the controversy here over the powerful socio-religious community behind their schools.

(Photo:School girls sing at Turkish Language Olympics in Istanbul, 3 June 2009/Halit Omer Camci)

Getting ready to perform in a huge auditorium in Istanbul more often used for international conferences, the 30-odd signing competition entrants appear giggly and excited, fussing over their elaborate folk costumes. Most are visiting for the first time and have been completely charmed by Turkey - just as Turkey has been charmed by them.

The children attend schools run by individuals or associations inspired by the teachings of Muslim preacher Fethullah Gülen. He is revered by many Turks as a tolerant, moderating force in Islam, but suspected by some secularist Turks of harbouring a covert political agenda. Gülen groups are active in publishing, inter-faith dialogue, charity and above all education.

A look at the invited audience here to watch the Olympics reveals where the Gülen community fits in the social fabric of Turkey. The vast majority of the women wear the Muslim headscarf and elegant ankle-length coats. These are the same observant professionals who vote for the ruling AK Party.

Turkey's ardent secularists are suspicious of the Gülen community, but some concede the Turkish Language Olympics have put the international schools in an excellent light. The youngsters, often with full scholarships, are given chances they might never have had in local state education. When you speak to the children they are ambitious and confident and communicate in excellent Turkish, even though not all are from Turkish backgrounds. This helps stir nationalist hearts in Turkey.

While some of the most critical claims about Gülen schools assert he wants to train a new cadre of youngsters to lead a future Islamic Turkish state, what comes across most strongly from watching the finals is that this is a group of smart, spirited children relishing their experience abroad.

"There is no nightlife in Sivas," states Sivasspor coach Bulent Uygun.

This is why his team are surprise leaders of the Turkish championship.

Located in Anatolia's bleak central heartland, Sivas is a tortuous 12-hour drive from the temptations of Istanbul. Turkey's glittering beach resorts aren't much closer.

You'd have thought the 38-year-old Uygun might have a bit more sympathy for his players. But to a man nicknamed "the soldier", and whose website displays poems he has penned to Turkish generals and the Turkish Republic, discipline is key.

"There are only a few shops where my players can buy drinks but I'm in contact with the shop owners," Uygun told Hurriyet newspaper.

"I am informed as soon as one of my players buys drinks and I warn him."

With two months to go, Sivasspor have a real chance of breaking the Istanbul teams' 24-year stranglehold on the title -- and Uygun is excited.

"Sivasspor will be champions and show a good example to other Anatolian teams."

He also relishes the prospect of minnows Sivasspor, with a budget of just $12 million, joining the Champions League.

But how will his clean-living team fare when swapping conservative Central Turkey for the drinking dens of Soho and Madrid?

PHOTO: A calf looks out of the back window of a cab as it is transported to shelter after a cold snap caused temperatures to fall below minus 22 C in the central Turkish town of Sivas, Jan. 11, 2002. REUTERS/Anatolian FS/WS

Galatasaray took a gamble in replacing German coach Michael Skibbe with former captain Bulent Korkmaz just three days before their UEFA Cup tie against Bordeaux.

But there was jubilation at the Ali Sami Yen stadium on Thursday after the team clinched a place in the last 16 with Sabri Sarioglu's 90th minute decider sealing a thrilling 4-3 win.

"There was a lack of motivation before I came," Korkmaz said after the game, which ended a run of five matches without a victory.

"Tonight my players showed how they can play... We have done nothing yet, this is just the beginning."

His side will play Bundesliga side Hamburg SV next.

Known affectionately to fans as the "Buyuk Kaptan", (Great Captain), Korkmaz won eight domestic titles and the UEFA Cup in 2000 with Galatasaray. He was also capped 102 times by Turkey.

"He has brought us the spirit of 2000," rejoiced a supporter on a Galatasaray blog. "Bulent is our boy."

With his broad smile and coiffed black hair the Buyuk Kaptan certainly cuts a dash on the touchline.

But he has a patchy record as a manager. Since becoming a club coach in 2006 he has had stints with Kayseri Erciyesspor, Bursaspor and Genclerbirligi - all of them brief.

Fans see no better man to ferry their team across the Bosphoruous come May to a UEFA Cup final to be held in the stadium of bitter rivals Fenerbahce. But does Korkmaz risk joining the ranks of great players who fade into ineffectual managers?

PHOTO: Galatasaray's supporters celebrate during their UEFA Cup match against Girondins Bordeaux at the Chaban Delmas stadium, Feb. 18, 2009. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

On the subject of goalkeepers (see Kev's blog on Jens Lehmann here), you have to pity the Austrians Alexander Manninger and Juergen Macho.

Gruff coach Josef Hickersberger said he would name his number one keeper on Wednesday, having already advised the unlucky one to display the stoic "humanity" shown by Germany's Oliver Kahn after Juergen Klinsmann left him on the bench in 2006.

But now after "discipline issues" (one team member showed up late for a meeting) Hickersberger says he will keep them dangling until Saturday evening, just one day before Austria's opening match against Croatia.

Where is the logic, gobsmacked journalists asked after his announcement.  It doesn't sound fair, suggested one Austrian reporter at the team's base in Stegersbach. "Tough," answered Hickersberger.

One theory runs he just wants to provoke his team. Either way 'Hicke' likely spoiled Manninger's 31^st birthday celebrations on Wednesday. Crumbs and candles everywhere, I shouldn't wonder.

Alex Hudson, with the Austrian team in Stegersbach

PHOTO: Alexander Manninger goes for a save in training as Juergen Macho looks on in Stegersbach June 3, 2008. REUTERS/Robert Zolles

One Salzburg bar is offering free drinks for every sending-off in a match and even Mozart's house has a soccer ball and an Austria shirt in the window.

You wouldn't have thought it, but even sleepy little Salzburg, beloved of older tourists and "Sound of Music" fans has embraced Euro 2008 fever.

Salzburg locals, who love wearing traditional Alpine garb  -- lederhosen for men, and dirndl dresses for women (which make even a waif look buxom) say their love of winter sports makes them the perfect hosts.

"Vienna has the slogan ‘Vienna is different.' It is true, they are different. It is flat there and they complain a lot," says 24-year-old Robert Moser.

"We are very into our sport in this part of Austria".

For now, carefully arranged little footballs grace the windows of boutiques and chemist shops. It looks cute, like the city. But looking at the crowds of well-behaved Japanese tour groups with their guide books, you get the feeling Salzburg has no idea what is going to hit it.

Up until a few weeks ago you'd have been fined in Austria for flying a flag on your car. Only ambassadors and government officials were allowed to that. But bureaucracy is slipping and passions are stirring, albeit slowly, as Euro 2008 approaches.

In the last few days Austrian flags have been fluttering from cars in the capital after the government lifted the ban for the duration of the tournament to help drum up some atmosphere. Some of Austria's cheap supermarket chains will sell tournament merchandise half-price this weekend, and at last the Austrians, whose first sporting love will always be skiing, are starting to show an interest.

Culture reigns supreme in Vienna, famed for its balls, its classical music and art galleries. When I arrived in Vienna in mid-May the city's residents still pulled faces when asked if they were looking forward to the tournament. Drunk fans might smash windows or make a noise at night.

"Hosted by losers" T-shirts and underwear became must-have items, while the son of a former Austria player even launched a website urging the team to withdraw to spare the country the sort of international humiliation usually only experienced by Britain at the Eurovision song contest.

But now it seems they may want to impress after all. The fan zone will be in the heart of the city, shutting off one of Vienna's main arteries -- a sweeping avenue flanked by imposing imperial architecture. Curiosity if nothing else will have the locals heading off to the fan zone, perhaps to check there is no trespassing on the monuments.

The Austrian team is ranked 101st in the world and not even the most patriotic fans fancy their chances of winning the tournament. But the Austrians are desperate to outperform the Swiss, on and off the pitch, and remember, no one outside Germany thought they'd be able to throw a party at the World Cup, and look how much fun that was.

PHOTO: An Austrian worker holds an official UEFA EURO 2008 logo in the fan zone in front of the historic Hofburg palace at Heldenplatz square in Vienna, May 27, 2008. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

They may not be Marco van Basten's A-side, but "Jong Oranje" -- the Dutch Under-21 team who face Serbia in the final of the European Championship on Saturday -- are drumming up considerable excitement at home.

The heroics of keeper Boy Waterman, who made three fine saves during Wednesday's epic penalty shoot-out with England as well as scoring from his own spot-kick, certainly helped.

"Boy oh Boy, we're through!" celebrated the top selling daily Telegraaf on its front page the next day, alongside a photo of Boy's delighted grin at his team's 13-12 victory.

Whereas some of the crowds have been so small that testy verbal exchanges on the pitch have been audible even to those watching at home, the Dutch team, the defending champions, have managed to draw a more respectable fan base.

Some 23,500 spectators turned out to see the Netherlands play England for a place in the final, and UEFA says total attendances have already surpassed the mark seen in last year's Under-21 finals in Portugal.

The great and the good of Dutch soccer are lining up to deliver their assessment on the young team, after Jong Oranje coach Foppe de Haan opted to abandon the traditional Dutch 4-3-3 system in favour of 4-4-2.

Johan Cruyff has warned de Haan in his column to be "more careful" and that his view of 4-3-3 as old fashioned could be "extremely damaging" for Dutch football. "4-3-3 is the lifeline of the Dutch game," he said.

Alex Hudson is a Reuters correspondent based in Amsterdam