Multiple Turkish champions have played many times in the Champions League, and in 2008 they even reached the quarterfinals of this tournament, but in recent years they kept hitting a wall in the qualifiers.
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However, this time “Fenerbahçe” managed to break into the European football elite by defeating the French team Lyon “Olympique” in the decisive qualifying round, and at the start of the tournament they erased a deficit and drew with “AS Roma” from Italy.
Despite the positive start, I. Kartal immediately announced after the match that he was resigning and added that he would never return to the club where he had previously played and worked as an assistant coach.
“I spent three months here. From the start of the season until now, the players’ efforts in training and our club president’s efforts have been excellent. It was a wonderful period,” said the Turk who took over “Fenerbahçe” only this June. “Tonight I congratulate my players and resign from my duties. I made this decision together with the team. From now on, to help ‘Fenerbahçe’, my players, and future coaches, I resign from my duties with the thought that I will never return.”
However, despite I. Kartal’s claims that he made the decision together with the team, “Fenerbahçe” president Aziz Yildirim did not accept the 65-year-old coach’s resignation request.
“Ismail Kartal is still in charge. The club supports the coach. As long as I do not step down, Ismail Kartal will be the coach of ‘Fenerbahçe’,” the club leader said in an official statement.
A. Yildirim also mentioned that he spoke with the coach after the match. He said that the reason for the resignation was the pressure he was under and an incident during the match when a water bottle thrown from the stands hit him directly.
“Fenerbahçe” has already announced that the fan who threw the bottle was identified – he has been banned from attending the Istanbul team’s stadium.
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A. Yildirim also criticized the club’s fans and the media, saying they create unbearable pressure and constantly criticize, and urged them to adhere to the values of the “Fenerbahçe” community by showing greater respect to I. Kartal.
“This community should support Ismail Kartal. We cannot treat him like this. Ismail Kartal should not announce that he is continuing his work. I am his leader. I said he stays, so it will be so. We are a family,” the “Fenerbahçe” president said firmly.
The message broadcast by I. Kartal after the match shocked not only the fans but also the players.
“What do you mean he resigned? Did the coach do that? He won’t coach the team anymore? Did he just say that? I know nothing about it,” wondered Archie Brown, the scorer of the only “Fenerbahçe” goal.
I. Kartal won the Turkish Super Cup with “Fenerbahçe” in 2014 when he first worked as the team’s head coach, and previously he worked twice as an assistant. As a player, he represented “Fenerbahçe” from 1983 to 1993 and won six trophies in total, including two Turkish championship titles.
In the Turkish league, “Fenerbahçe” started this season with two wins and two losses and is in ninth place.
