Sven in plea to Turks

Sven-Goran Eriksson today made a TV appeal to the Turks for calm ahead of next month's Euro 2004 qualifier in Istanbul.

England's coach is trying to reduce tensions for the potentially volatile final group game against Turkey, especially after his recent warning that England fans could be risking their lives by going to the match.

He met two Turkish television crews, and one of the country's leading newspapers, at the Football Association's Soho Square headquarters to make his appeal.

FA head of media Adrian Bevington said: "In the light of the many recent comments, Sven is keen to speak directly to the Turkish people ahead of the game in Istanbul."

Eriksson appealed for the match to be played in a friendly, albeit competitive-spirit and for there to be no trouble. The FA have turned down their ticket allocation for the 11 October fixture and have urged fans not to travel to Istanbul.

Eriksson hopes to hold a joint press conference ahead of the game with Turkish counterpart Senol Gunes.

Officials from the England and Turkey FAs have been called to a meeting at UEFA headquarters in Geneva next week to discuss the concerns surrounding the match.

Meanwhile, Eriksson joined bomb victim Ali Abbas at Stamford Bridge yesterday to kick off a campaign to raise money for underprivileged children in Iraq.

Ali, 13, lost both arms when a stray missile hit his Baghdad home during the last Gulf War.