Crocodiles rocked as big boys send them back down to earth
What would you think if, as a player, you looked to your own fans only to see them jumping up and down, making noise, with their backs turned in unison?
You can feel the enthusiasm, the heat of passion, but you know that something just isnâÂÂt right.
That âÂÂsomethingâ is BursasporâÂÂs European form â reading as Played four, Lost four, Scored none, Conceded nine.
While I am an optimistic follower of Turkish football, Bursaspor have failed to provide anybody with an ounce of hope and continued their pitiful form with a 3-0 loss to Manchester United in week 4.
It was a side not too dissimilar to that which suffered a 3-0 loss to Fenerbahce some years back, and a side that even included a number of the players who were beaten at Old Trafford by Besiktas last season. Reasons to have been optimistic you might think.
Reasons that will have been dashed as Darren Fletcher waltzed his way into the penalty area before guiding the ball into the bottom corner. Unmarked and with all the time in the world.
It must be said, for all their support, Bursa have struggled to take the step up into the big boysâ league.
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With the possible exceptions of Omer Erdogan and Vederson, many of the Green Crocodiles have none, or very little experience of top level football - it has certainly showed against the likes of Valencia, Manchester United and even Rangers.
It must also be said that a number of the players who helped Bursa to the league title last season are seriously struggling to find any sort of form.
Sercan Yildirim is not even half the player he was last season and is still searching for his goal scoring boots with just four goals this season.
The jinxing, lively Volkan Sen we once knew is becoming a distant memory, while Huseyin Cimsir is finding it hard to stamp his authority in the centre of the park.
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