Turkey coach Fatih Terim said he would probably leave following their unlucky 3-2 defeat by Germany in the Euro 2008 semi-finals.

Given the way his determined and depleted side played and the gracious manner in which Terim conducted himself, a move to a big European club may not be far away.

Of course the former Galatasaray boss already had short stints at AC Milan and Fiorentina at the start of the decade. The Italian media and fans were suspicious of a Turkish manager and he was not given ample time to show what he could do.

After dealing with a raft of suspensions and injuries and still leading Turkey to an unprecedented European Championship semi-final, he fully deserves another opportunity at a top European club. His side never gave up, scoring some improbable late goals, and against Germany in Basel they were better side for much of the game and should have won.

I was most impressed with his amazing dignity in the pre and post match news conferences. He refused to make the suspensions an excuse or criticise the referees. The snappy dresser, who changes his sweaty shirts in the dugout, also congratulated Germany and said they had to accept the result even if they were unfortunate.

So which club chairman will be singing “you’re the one for me, Fatih”?

(Apologies to those who do not know obscure songs by British crooner Morrissey.)

Mark Meadows in Basel

PHOTO: Turkey coach Fatih Terim after their Euro 2008 semi-final defeat by Germany at St Jakob Park stadium in Basel, June 25. REUTERS/Jerry Lampen

Kaka’s withdrawal from Brazil’s World Cup qualifiers later this month has raised more doubts over his commitment to playing for his country.

The AC Milan player missed last year’s Copa America at his own request, saying he needed a rest. He hasn’t played for Brazil yet this year and will now sit out this month’s World Cup qualifiers away to Paraguay and at home to Argentina after knee surgery.

Kaka underwent an arthroscopy operation on his left knee on May 23 and initially said he hoped to be ready for the games, two of the most difficult and important in Brazil’s qualifying campaign for 2010.

But on Wednesday, Brazil coach Dunga withdrew him from the squad after being told by Milan that Kaka could only start training on June 10, five days before the match in Asuncion against group leaders Paraguay.

Brazil doctor Jose Luis Runco said Kaka had suffered damage to the meniscus caused by overuse, leading to discomfort.

It was the timing of the operation, immediately after the end of the Italian season, which has been questioned by some critics. They argue that if the injury was serious, Kaka should have undergone surgery earlier and that if it wasn’t that serious, he could have waited until after the qualifying matches, when he would have had several weeks to get better.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) are also upset at AC Milan’s refusal to allow Kaka to play in the Olympic Games as an overage player. Sources at the CBF said recently that the general feeling is that Kaka would have been released by the club if he had made a fuss.

Brian Homewood, Rio

Italian players used to stick to their own league until relatively recently.

Then Gianluca Vialli and Gianfranco Zola wowed Chelsea and the floodgates opened with the likes of Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluca Zambrotta and Luca Toni going abroad.

Now AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has hinted he may want a fresh challenge away from Serie A.

Having already had a short stint at Rangers in the late 90s, Gattuso would appear to be ready made to play in another European league. He is more of an English midfielder than an Italian one, charging around and launching tackles rather than pinging long passes.

He said last week the Premier League appealed to him but rumours in the Italian and German press say Bayern Munich, thrilled by the success of Toni this season, are very interested.

Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti has said Gattuso is the heartbeat of the team and will not be allowed to leave whether he wants to or not. But after signing Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini on Monday, Milan already have a replacement.

Gattuso has had an average season by his standards for a stuttering Milan side but will be keen to remind Europe of his ability in Euro 2008.

Should he stay or go? If he does leave is Bayern or the Premier League his best bet?  

Mark Meadows, Milan

PHOTO: Gattuso lies on the pitch during AC Milan’s Serie A match against Genoa, Jan 27. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo

It is hard to know when to say goodbye. 

A footballer’s career is short and it can be tempting to play on as long as possible. But soccer is cruel and past achievements mean nothing when clubs plan for the future.

AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini, 39, will soon decide if he will retire at the end of the season following 23 years at the San Siro. The defender had been due to quit in May but is having second thoughts. It may all hinge on whether Milan snatch a Champions League place.

Team mate Cafu, 37, says he wants to play on as he is still motivated. The problem is Milan need fresh blood in defence and might not want him to stick around. Sometimes it is best to decide before the club have to.

Luis Figo, 35, is also pondering the future. He was given a one-year deal by Inter Milan last season after he pulled out of a move to Saudia Arabia. Injuries have robbed the Portuguese of his drive and he now looks a spent force. Inter coach Roberto Mancini has hinted this, but owner Massimo Moratti wants to keep Figo on.

Go out at the top, they always say, but if football is all you have known it can be a huge wrench to suddenly stop. Look at what has happened to poor Paul Gascoigne and others.

So what should this great trio do? Hang up those famous boots or plough on in search of even more success?

Mark Meadows, Milan

PHOTO: AC Milan club captain Paolo Maldini speaks to reporters during a news conference in Yokohama during the Club World Cup, Dec 7. REUTERS/Michael Caronna

A Ronaldinho move to AC Milan now just seems to be a matter of time, after the club and the player’s agent both announced that personal terms have been agreed.

“There is a general agreement with the player,” Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani said on Saturday. ”Now a deal has to be reached with Barcelona. Give us time.”

When we last discussed this on the blog, the general feeling seemed to be that he should leave Barcelona asap. Whatever the reasons, it is a long time since the Brazilian has played consistently well for Barca and if a move elsewhere can help him rediscover the effortless brilliance of old, everyone who loves football will be happy.

Assuming the move goes ahead — and sorting out a deal between the two clubs may not be straightforward — the question remains whether Milan is the best place for him.

When Ronaldinho joined Barcelona he was basically on a rescue mission for the Catalan club, who had fallen so far behind Real Madrid that it was getting embarrassing.

It’s easy to forget now, but for the first few months at the Nou Camp he was not entirely successful. Sure, he showed more than a few flashes of brilliance, and he certainly brought the club the touch of glamour they so desired, but it was only when Edgar Davids came in mid-season that the team’s fortunes revived.

The arrival of the Dutchman seemed to relieve a bit of the weight from Ronaldinho’s shoulders and by the end of that season few people had any doubts that they were watching the world’s best player.

Milan are not in such bad shape as Barcelona were in 2003 but unquestionably they are no longer top dog in Italy. If Ronaldinho does go there, will the pressure to lead the revival prove too much for him? Or is it just the sort of challenge he needs? Give us your thoughts in the comments. 

PHOTO: Ronaldinho sits on the pitch during Barcelona’s Champions League game against Celtic at the Nou Camp, March 4, 2008. REUTERS/Gustau Nacarino

If a footballing-loving Martian suddenly appeared, you’d be hard pressed to persuade him that Andriy Shevchenko was once the most feared striker on our planet.

He broke records galore in seven years at AC Milan, but his two seasons at Chelsea have been utterly miserable. Injury has played a part in his fall from grace, but generally the 31-year-old has been too slow for the demands of English football and has lost his magic touch.

Why then are AC Milan so obsessed with bringing him back to the San Siro? You could count on one hand the number of players that have gone back to their former clubs and succeeded. Ian Rush (Liverpool-Juventus-Liverpool) may be one along with Juan Roman Riquelme (Boca Juniors) and Mark Hughes (Manchester United) but there are few other instances (Johann Cruyff, Robbie Fowler and Teddy Sheringham were never as good on returns to Ajax, Liverpool and Spurs for example).

Club president Silvio Berlusconi, a personal friend of the Ukrainian, may think the striker can roll back the years if he returns to familiar, comfortable surroundings. But Serie A is not the league he left. The play has got quicker, conversely because the standard is lower.

Milan have a habit of buying players when they are past their best. Ronaldo was an injury waiting to happen when he signed from Real Madrid. Now the soon-to-be ex European champions are courting Barcelona’s Ronaldinho, simply because he may come on the market because he is not as good as he was.

Think also of Inter Milan, who brought in Luis Figo when he was in decline and Patrick Vieira after he’d had his best years at Arsenal. Contrast that with English football, which is so dominant now because they buy players at their prime or just before (Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres).

To be fair to Milan, they took a gamble signing 18-year-old Brazilian striker Alexadre Pato, and it has partially paid off. Carlo Ancelotti has said Pato and Shevchenko are too similar, but that hasn’t stopped Berlusconi.

Media reports say Sheva may be given a free transfer by Chelsea. I think he should resist the temptation to return to Milan. What do you think?

Mark Meadows, Milan

PHOTO: Shevchenko with Chelsea team mate Didier Drogba, whose form has often kept the Ukrainian out of the starting lineup.  March 2007 REUTERS/Eddie Keogh