The Bull

Dmitri Bulykin had yet to make an impact when with three Euro 2004 qualifiers to go and Russia trailing third in Group 10 brand new coach Georgy Yartsev gave the Dynamo Moscow striker his debut in a crucial 1-1 draw at Ireland in September 2003.

Three days later though the battering ram centre forward scored a hat-trick against group leaders Switzerland as Russia got back on track with a 4-1 victory.

He was on the score card again for the next game, a 3-1 win over Georgia that ensured Russia's second place in the group and a play off against Wales which they subsequently edged 1-0 on aggregate.

Five goals in four games for Bulykin and a ticket to Euro 2004 in Portugal for Russia.

At 6 foot 3 inches (1.90m) Bulykin owes some of his stature to his parents, who both played volleyball at the top level. After emerging from the Lokomotiv Moscow youth set up people were starting to compare him to Carsten Janker, then enjoying succes at Bayern Munich.

Over the top

He broke into the Lokomotiv first team in 1998 when he was just 18 but attracted a certain amount of scorn for his less than professional attitude despite his talent.

In the 2000 season an exasperated coaching staff said a reluctant farewell to the underacheiving Bulykin and he moved to city rivals Dynamo.

He improved somewhat with the move and when one of his former Lokomotiv coaches Geory Yartsev took over the Russian side in 2003, the now mature Bulykin got his international chance.

His international teammates thrive on having the burly man up front and often lob a ball over the top for his youthful legs to chase in a regular tactic to secure goals.

Many are tipping the big man to shine in the Portuguese sun and perhaps then make a move to one of the richer European clubs.