Kazım Kazım buzzing at Turkey run

Making history
London-born under the name Colin Kazim-Richards, the 21-year-old was called up to play for Turkey last year due to his maternal lineage. A fine first season for Fenerbahçe, including a UEFA Champions League quarter-final goal against Chelsea FC, earned him a call-up for these finals where he started against Portugal and aided the dramatic comeback defeats of Switzerland and the Czech Republic as a substitute. Next up is Croatia in Vienna on Friday, and Kazım Kazım and his team-mates' morale is high. "It's a chance for us to make history," he said. "It's one of the first times we've been at a EURO. Everyone believes we can make history. The way we're preparing, we're not even in Vienna so there's no distractions."

Confidence
As for the game itself, he said: "I think we have a very good chance. We just beat the Czechs. They were bigger favourites than Croatia. But Croatia are a very good team." Kazım Kazım is also backing Rüştü Reçber to star in goal following the suspension of his club-mate Volkan Demirel. "Volkan's situation is football," Kazım Kazım added. "We've got two other good keepers. We've got Rüstü who's very experienced and will be ready to take over so there's no problem."

Terim tenure
Coach Fatih Terim gave Kazım Kazım his chance at international level, and the forward is enjoying playing under him. "He's very good. He's very enthusiastic. He knows what he wants and how to get it out of the team. He doesn't just dictate. Sometimes he gives heart-to-heart meetings. He really wants his players to make history. He doesn't believe in 'what ifs?'. If we lose a game, there's no 'what if we did this?'. He's also very cool and suave. A very good manager."

Language no barrier
With his English roots, Kazım Kazım is still to master Turkish, but that does not stop him bonding with the squad. "I don't speak a lot of Turkish," he admitted. "I speak to everyone; I've got good friends in the camp like Mehmet Aurélio. Emre [Belözoğlu] speaks English. Tuncay [Şanlı] speaks some English, Hamit Altıntop. That's just outside of football. But football-wise football's my language so it's not really a problem."

Favourite goals
Meanwhile, the former Bury FC, Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Sheffield United FC player is looking forward to the first senior summer of his career where he has not moved club, and asked about the favourite goals of his career, picks two in contrasting circumstances – one from this April, one three years before in England's fourth tier. "The Chelsea quarter-final in the Champions League last year," he said. "Because of the stage, the players, the team it was against and what it meant to the nation and the team of Fenerbahçe. Also I liked my goal for Bury v Cheltenham [Town FC]."