Source: Team_Talk
Gunes aiming to erase bad memories
Trabzonspor coach Senol Gunes is hoping for better luck at Anfield on Thursday than on his last visit 34 years ago.[LNB] Gunes, best remembered for leading Turkey to the 2002 World Cup semi-finals, was a member of the Trabzonspor side beaten by Liverpool on their way to European Cup glory in 1976-77.[LNB]Liverpool lost the first leg of that second round tie in Trabzon 1-0 but hit back to win the second leg comfortably 3-0.[LNB]The two clubs face each other on Thursday night for the first time since that encounter in the first leg of a Europa League play-off.[LNB]Gunes, who was in goal in that last meeting, said: "At that time the infrastructures of the clubs were very different.[LNB]"We were playing against maybe the strongest team of the time and they became European champions.[LNB]"We won at home but when we came here it was really surprising.[LNB]"On the matchday when we came here it was sunny, but when we arrived in the evening the pitch had been watered.[LNB]"We were surprised and we conceded three goals in 20 minutes to get eliminated.[LNB]"They had many famous players - Toshack, Dalglish, Clemence. We still have positive memories of Liverpool from that time in Trabzon but, personally, I am a Manchester United fan!"[LNB]Trabzonspor, the Turkish cup winners, are perhaps the country's most celebrated club from outside Istanbul.[LNB]Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson believes they were the toughest of the non-seeded teams the Reds could have drawn.[LNB]Gunes is looking forward to pitting his wits against the five-time European champions with a place in the Europa League group stage at stake.[LNB]He said: "We are going to play against a big brand of European football and it will be a tough game but, if we deserve to have a place in European football, we should be ready for these kind of difficult games.[LNB]"We are ready for a tough challenge and all kinds of conditions."
