The Bundesliga gets a bad rap at times. German clubs have for the most part failed to reach the latter stages of the Champions League in recent years, matches can sometimes seem to move in slow-motion and the officiating can be uneven or even downright scandalous (see Hoyzer, Robert).

But despite all that, Bundesliga players have been sparkling in Euro 2008. And with players from the German league on 15 of the 16 teams no league is more widely represented.
 
There have been players from the German domestic league in the starting line-ups of almost all the teams that have played of the tournament. Only Spain have no Bundesliga players in their squad.

And many are making a mark — from Franck Ribery of France to the Netherlands’ Rafael van der Vaart and Croatia’s Josip Simunic. Even the first goal of the tournament was scored by a player who cut his teeth in the Bundesliga — Vaclav Sverkos of the Czech Republic, who spent 2003 to 2007 at Borussia Moenchengladbach and Hertha Berlin.

After watching so many Bundesliga players popping up in post-match TV interviews and speaking their lightly accented German, I had a hunch the Bundesliga was probably the most represented of all domestic leagues at the Euro. And so it is, at least according to the Bundesliga’s website, which says there are 65 players on 15 teams at the Euro, comfortably beating the Premier League (44), the Primera Liga (43) and Serie A (38).
 
Here are a few possible explanations why:
 
German clubs — lacking the deep pockets of their rivals in England, Spain and Italy — have long been especially open to young (i.e. inexpensive) talent from Eastern European and Southeastern European countries, where bargains can be found. Secondly, Germany has large groups of immigrants from many countries in Eastern and Southeastern Europe and some of the best players for Turkey, Croatia and Greece, for example, grew up in ethnic communities in Germany and play in the Bundesliga.
 
Another factor contributing to the international feeling of the Bundesliga is that some clubs in the heart of Europe seem to go out of their way to bring together a nucleus of internationals from one country or another. Bayern Munich have their French connection in Ribery and Willy Sagnol. Hamburg SV have a Netherlands trio — Van der Vaart, Nigel de Jong and Joris Mathijsen. Nuremberg are filled with players from the neighbouring Czech Republic and Eintracht Frankfurt have a big Greece contingent in Sotiris Kyrgiakos, Ioannis Amanatidis, and Fanis Gekas.

Please go ahead and keep sniggering about the Bundesliga. But you have to admit — Bundesliga players are ueber alles. Aren’t they?

PHOTO: Franck Ribery sits on the pitch during France’s Group C match against Romania at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich, June 9, 2008. REUTERS/Charles Platiau

The Turkish Football Federation has handed out a glossy brochure to reporters entitled “Letters to Euro 2008″.

The book, available in Turkish and English, is a collection of letters written by players and coaching staff in their own handwriting and detailing their thoughts about the tournament and the national team.

The letters throw light on why some of the players, including German-born Hamit Altintop, French-born Mevlut Erdinc and Kazim Kazim, born Colin Kazim-Richards in London, England, opted to play for Turkey instead of the country of their birth.

“I totally feel like a Turkish player,” writes Mehmet Aurelio, who was born Marco Aurelio Brito dos Prazeres in Rio de Janeiro but took Turkish citizenship in 2006 and changed his name.

“When the national anthem is played, I can feel my heart trembling,” he adds.

Kazim, who plays for Fenerbahce and scored a fabulous goal against Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-finals in April, says he chose Turkey “because success is more appreciated there”.

Kazim’s father is of Caribbean descent and his mother is Turkish Cypriot.

“When you look at me I might not seem like a typical Turk but actually I am,” he writes. “When I walk in the streets of London, nobody could know that I’m Turkish. In that case, to be called up to the national team is like a dream come true for me.”

Gelsenkirchen-born Bayern Munich midfielder Hamit, whose brother Halil plays for Schalke 04 but failed to make the final Euro 2008 squad, says that as “hot prospects” a few years ago he and Halil received an offer to play for Germany.

“But without even hesitating I have told them I would like to play for Turkey instead,” he writes.

PHOTO: A Turkey fan gestures before the Group A Euro 2008 soccer match against Portugal at the Stade de Geneve in Geneva REUTERS/Fatih Saribas

Chatting to some Turkish soccer journalists on Wednesday before the news conference with Nihat Kahveci and Hakan Balta, I got the sense they felt Turkey had some fine young attacking players and a lot of potential but could be fatally weakened at Euro 2008 by a dodgy back line.

“I’m a realist,” said Mutluhan Suner from the Kanalturk private television broadcaster.

“It’s not a bad team but their biggest problem is defence. The backs are not very good and they’ll have to take the game to the opponents to have any chance at all.

“I think Turkey will only take one or two points from the group stage and that won’t be enough.”

Altan Tanrikulu from Hurriyet newspaper said Turkey were worryingly erratic and predicted they would be able to make the semi-finals at best.

Coach Fatih Terim’s surprise decision to leave out VfB Stuttgart midfielder Yildiray Basturk was down to a personality clash that had been simmering for several years, he said. “It was a big mistake not to pick him.”

Milliyet newspaper correspondent Mehmet Demirkol disagreed, saying it was part of Terim’s bid to stamp his authority on the squad.

“He wanted to make the team his own, that’s the way he works,” he said, picking out young forward Mevlut Erdinc as a potential standout player of the tournament.

“He’s a striker but Terim uses him like a right winger and he’s strong on the ball and very fast,” he said.

What are your thoughts? Will Turkey be able to reproduce the form that won them third place at the 2002 World Cup or will they fall at the group stage?