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Author: Scott Cooper Date: 05-10-03 Time: 12.00pm

 Wolves Captain Paul Ince has expressed his opinions on Englands Crucial Euro 2004 Qualifier against Turkey next Saturday.

 Paul Ince will be enjoying a deserved break in Portugal whilst England Play in Turkey on Saturday, but the former England Captain claims finds England games "Boring" but will still sit down to watch the game.

 “I do find England games boring to watch, I can only watch so much because it just does not keep my attention. I am not saying England are boring - I just can’t sit through an entire game." Ince told the Birmingham Post.

“But this time it’s different because it’s a massive game for us. I’ll be in Portugal when the game’s on but you can bank on me sitting down with my son Thomas to watch this one.”

 As you may have read here a few weeks ago, wolvesfc.co.uk helped the Football Association out with trying to warn fans not to travel to Turkey as their health may be at risk and the hostile atmosphere in Turkey is something the Wolves captain knows far to much about for his liking. 

“I went there early in my England days when we won 2-0 and I know you’ve got to be mentally strong to put up with the hostility,” he said.

“But players like Michael Owen, David Beckham and Paul Scholes all know about handling this type of pressure.

“And they’ll need to because what struck me my first time there was when I went out on the pitch an hour before the game. Normally there are about 40 or 50 fans when it’s a league game but in Turkey it was packed.

“The noise was incredible. There were signs, fireworks going off and loads of jeers, and that’s something you have to deal with.

“What I remember is Gazza going over to the crowd and they went absolutely mad. It was something only Gazza could do but it was incredibly funny and that relaxed all the lads. That’s the type of thing the lads will need this week. I know there’s not really a joker in the pack like Gazza but David James is a bit of one, and anything that can relieve the tension will help.”

 In his interview with the Birmingham Post, Ince also talks about an unsavory incident he witnessed involving the Turkish Authorities.

 It was in his Manchester United days and involved Manchester United Legend Eric Cantona.

 "Eric got sent off right at the end of the game after punching the ball into the air as we failed to qualify for the next stages of the Champions’ League, The police were all around us and then one of them hit Eric with his shield. Then it all went off in the tunnel."

"I couldn’t believe it. You expect that a nutter might run on the pitch and have a go but you don’t expect it from the police. They are there to provide security. I just hope that that’s the case next week and that there’s no aggro.”

 To read the statement from the FA on Fans Traveling to Turkey then please Click Here.

 Remember to leave your message of thanks to Sir Jack Hayward on the special "Thank`s, Sir Jack" Message Board.

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