SUNDERLAND boss Mick McCarthy last night urged England stars to show no fear when they make the daunting trip to Turkey.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's men are guaranteed a hostile reception when they travel to Istanbul on Saturday knowing a point will secure a place in next summer's European Championships in Portugal.

McCarthy has experienced the atmosphere of a vibrant Turkish crowd during both his playing and managerial days.

And the Black Cats chief insists that things will be nowhere near as bad as what has been suggested during the build up to the crucial encounter.

"England can't let any of the nonsense leading up to the match get to them, they need to show some bottle and stand up to the challenge," said McCarthy, who was in charge of the Republic of Ireland for World Cup qualifier in Bursa in 1999.

"The crowd will be right on top of them and the stands go up as high as you can see. It is very intimidating so the players will need to be single-minded and shut everything else out.

"One or two of the players may be a little bit concerned but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. A few nerves do not hurt your performance, nerves can make you work harder.

"All the hype surrounding the game will lift the players. The Turks can make it as intimidating as they want to on the terraces but that should hold no fears for those on the pitch.

"Stand up and play, because whatever they are doing in the stands this is a game of football.

"Don't worry about what might be waiting over there. They can send whatever welcome party they want, it shouldn't be a problem."

There has been a lot of media attention surrounding the possibility of England fans making the trip to the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium - even though they have been advised not to by the Football Association.

And McCarthy believes the mass coverage the qualifier is receiving will suit Turkey rather than the English ahead of the clash at the home of Fenerbahce.

"The build up is ideal for the Turks," said McCarthy. "All they do is stand back and let the thing get blown out of all proportion.

"It is a game surrounded by so much propaganda and that gives them a real head start - but I have never had a moment of trouble over there.

"The atmosphere was incredible. There were fireworks and smoke and the games are very passionate. I think a player should relish this kind of thing, they are great games to play in."

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