DRAWS MADE FOR UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE..............
Draws were made for the UEFA Europa League's first and second qualifying rounds on Monday.
The draws took place in Swiss city of Nyon.
According to the draws, Turkey's Galatasaray soccer club will play against Kazakhstan's Tobol team on July 16 and 23 in second qualifying round. Galatasaray's first game with Tobol will take place in Kazakhstan.
The UEFA Europa League is the second most important European competition for eligible football clubs, after the UEFA Champions League.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Frank Rijkaard and Rustu Recber with Barca -2003 ,by Ahmet B. Turgut
All the Photos in the silide show belongs to Ahmet B. Turgut
Friday, June 5, 2009
Mustafa Denizli Won't Leave Besiktas !
Besiktas coach Mustafa Denizli has signed a one-year extension to a contract which was due to expire after leading the team for double cup this season
There had been a lot of speculation that Denizli, 59, would step down citing tiredness that he stated, but the coach decided to stay on with Besiktas.
France v Turkey: Preview
Lyon striker Karim Benzema has urged his France team-mates to perform as well as possible in tomorrow's friendly with Turkey to put the nightmare against Nigeria behind them.
Les Bleus slipped to a 1-0 defeat on Tuesday in St Etienne amid continuous jeers from the sparse crowd.
Benzema and his fellow Lyon players were singled out for special attention at the home of their club's bitter rivals but he is confident similar scenes on and off the pitch will not be repeated tomorrow.
"We want to win this match and show that we made a mistake against Nigeria,'' Benzema said.
"And there the fans will be behind us. Turkey have very good supporters, there will be an atmosphere in the stadium.
"We have to win to change things with the fans. There have been a lot of matches where we weren't great, where we didn't have any success.
"We've made approaches to the fans. On the pitch we applaud them, we thank them.
"Now the people are coming to see a football match. We have to put on a show for them, be strong on the pitch, prove something because we need them.''
Benzema admits the jeers were hard for him and his team-mates.
"I just felt as if I was playing a Lyon-St Etienne match,'' added the 21-year-old. "It was disappointing, we represent the national team.
"I didn't understand the supporters. I wasn't expecting whistles like that every time I touched the ball.
"It always annoys you a bit. In a football match you need the supporters to push you, to give you that desire to look for something.
"I understand those who whistle after defeats. To be whistled like that, no. But I have to leave that to one side.''
The supporters have grown more and more disappointed with the France team following a dismal Euro 2008 and a poor start to their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Les Bleus lie second in Group Seven with 10 points from five games after losing to Austria and being held to a draw by Romania.
Florent Malouda, Cedric Carrasso and Franck Ribery are all doubts but coach Raymond Domenech has an otherwise full squad at his disposal.
France captain Patrick Vieira, who has had an injury-riddled season and before Tuesday's game last featured for Les Bleus in November, could play his second match in four days after declaring himself fit.
"The coach and I agreed we would wait for today's training session,'' he said. "I feel fine, there's no reason not to play.''
Turkey had a good start to their qualifying campaign but back-to-back defeats against Spain has dropped them to third.
However, coach Fatih Terim is confident his team will be in South Africa next summer and views the France match as the best preparation ahead of Turkey's next qualifier at home to Estonia in September.
"It will be a serious game,'' he said. "They were the world and European champions.
"It's important to play with the team well, and not act as individuals who are not part of a team.
Source: Wires
"It will be good experience. Whatever the result the match will be useful.''
Les Bleus slipped to a 1-0 defeat on Tuesday in St Etienne amid continuous jeers from the sparse crowd.
Benzema and his fellow Lyon players were singled out for special attention at the home of their club's bitter rivals but he is confident similar scenes on and off the pitch will not be repeated tomorrow.
"We want to win this match and show that we made a mistake against Nigeria,'' Benzema said.
"And there the fans will be behind us. Turkey have very good supporters, there will be an atmosphere in the stadium.
"We have to win to change things with the fans. There have been a lot of matches where we weren't great, where we didn't have any success.
"We've made approaches to the fans. On the pitch we applaud them, we thank them.
"Now the people are coming to see a football match. We have to put on a show for them, be strong on the pitch, prove something because we need them.''
Benzema admits the jeers were hard for him and his team-mates.
"I just felt as if I was playing a Lyon-St Etienne match,'' added the 21-year-old. "It was disappointing, we represent the national team.
"I didn't understand the supporters. I wasn't expecting whistles like that every time I touched the ball.
"It always annoys you a bit. In a football match you need the supporters to push you, to give you that desire to look for something.
"I understand those who whistle after defeats. To be whistled like that, no. But I have to leave that to one side.''
The supporters have grown more and more disappointed with the France team following a dismal Euro 2008 and a poor start to their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Les Bleus lie second in Group Seven with 10 points from five games after losing to Austria and being held to a draw by Romania.
Florent Malouda, Cedric Carrasso and Franck Ribery are all doubts but coach Raymond Domenech has an otherwise full squad at his disposal.
France captain Patrick Vieira, who has had an injury-riddled season and before Tuesday's game last featured for Les Bleus in November, could play his second match in four days after declaring himself fit.
"The coach and I agreed we would wait for today's training session,'' he said. "I feel fine, there's no reason not to play.''
Turkey had a good start to their qualifying campaign but back-to-back defeats against Spain has dropped them to third.
However, coach Fatih Terim is confident his team will be in South Africa next summer and views the France match as the best preparation ahead of Turkey's next qualifier at home to Estonia in September.
"It will be a serious game,'' he said. "They were the world and European champions.
"It's important to play with the team well, and not act as individuals who are not part of a team.
Source: Wires
"It will be good experience. Whatever the result the match will be useful.''
Turkish National Team Moves UP In The FIFA May Rankings..
Turkish National Team moved up in the FIFA rankings for May 2009.
Spain still holds the first place....
1. (1) Spain
2. (3) Netherlands
3. (2) Germany
4. (5) Italy
5. (4) Brazil
6. (7) England
7. (6) Argentina
8. (8) Croatia
9. (9) Russia
10. (10) France
11. (11) Portugal
12. (14) Turkey
13. (17) Paraguay
14. (15) United States
15. (12) Czech Republic
16. (18) Switzerland
17 = (13) Greece
17 = (16) Uruguay
19. (22) Ukraine
20. (23) Serbia
Spain still holds the first place....
1. (1) Spain
2. (3) Netherlands
3. (2) Germany
4. (5) Italy
5. (4) Brazil
6. (7) England
7. (6) Argentina
8. (8) Croatia
9. (9) Russia
10. (10) France
11. (11) Portugal
12. (14) Turkey
13. (17) Paraguay
14. (15) United States
15. (12) Czech Republic
16. (18) Switzerland
17 = (13) Greece
17 = (16) Uruguay
19. (22) Ukraine
20. (23) Serbia
Galatasaray New Boss, Rijkaard
Rijkard and Ahmet Turgut back in 2003 when he was the coach of Barca....
Galatasaray appointed Dutch technical director Frank Rijkaard as their new coach.
The club stated on its website on Friday that they agreed with former Barcelona coach Rijkaard to replace Bulent Korkmaz, according to the report.
Rijkaard is expected to arrive in Istanbul, Turkey on Friday and sign a 2-year-contract with the club at a ceremony at 8:00 p.m.local time (GMT 1700).
Rijkaard, born on September 30, 1962 in Amsterdam, is a Dutch football manager and former player. Rijkaard played for Ajax, Real Zaragoza and Milan, and represented his national side 73 times, scoring 10 goals.
Rijkaard's coaching career began when he was appointed manager of the Netherlands national football team in 1998. He had previously served as an assistant coach, along with Johan Neeskens and Ronald Koeman under the managerial tenure of Guus Hiddink.
During the 2001-02 season, he became manager of Sparta Rotterdam, and then he was appointed manager of Barcelona for the 2003-04 season.
I have followed Rijkaard back in 2003 when he came to United States with Barcelona for a friendly matches.
At that time he was the coach of Turkish International Keeper Rustu Recber who was
transfered to Barcelona.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Turkey Wins The Friendly Match Against Azerbaijan
Turkish National soccer team scored two late goals to overcome Azerbaijan in an international friendly at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
The visitors battled well and looked like they might hold their opponents, ranked more than 100 places above them in FIFA's world standings, to a creditable goalless draw until Halil Altintop broke the deadlock with 20 minutes to go.
And within five minutes Turkey had doubled their advantage, Ibrahim Uzulmez slotting home to wrap up the victory.
Stadium: Kadir Has
Referees: Mario Vlk, Marian Rusbarsky, Erik Weiss (Slovakia)
Turkey: Volkan, Ceyhun (min. 58 Yusuf), Mehmet, Gokhan, Nihat (min. 46 Halil), Semih (min. 70 Sabri), Nuri, Tuncay (min. 63 Sercan), Kazim (min. 46 Arda), Ibrahim Uzulmez (min. 78 Caner), Eren
Azerbaijan: Valiyev, Malikov, Shukurov (min. 46 Chertogonov), Nabiyev (min. 46 Bakhshiev), Abasov, Gomes (min. 46 Javadov), Sadigov, Huseynov (min. 56 Pereira), Maharramov, Akhtyamov (min. 83 Subasic), Levin
Scorers: min. 70 Halil, min. 75 Ibrahim Uzulmez (Turkey) (GC-EÖ
The visitors battled well and looked like they might hold their opponents, ranked more than 100 places above them in FIFA's world standings, to a creditable goalless draw until Halil Altintop broke the deadlock with 20 minutes to go.
And within five minutes Turkey had doubled their advantage, Ibrahim Uzulmez slotting home to wrap up the victory.
Stadium: Kadir Has
Referees: Mario Vlk, Marian Rusbarsky, Erik Weiss (Slovakia)
Turkey: Volkan, Ceyhun (min. 58 Yusuf), Mehmet, Gokhan, Nihat (min. 46 Halil), Semih (min. 70 Sabri), Nuri, Tuncay (min. 63 Sercan), Kazim (min. 46 Arda), Ibrahim Uzulmez (min. 78 Caner), Eren
Azerbaijan: Valiyev, Malikov, Shukurov (min. 46 Chertogonov), Nabiyev (min. 46 Bakhshiev), Abasov, Gomes (min. 46 Javadov), Sadigov, Huseynov (min. 56 Pereira), Maharramov, Akhtyamov (min. 83 Subasic), Levin
Scorers: min. 70 Halil, min. 75 Ibrahim Uzulmez (Turkey) (GC-EÖ
Monday, June 1, 2009
FIFA.COM: "Black Eagles soar in Turkey"
The streets of Istanbul became a sea of black and white at the weekend as Besiktas fans in their tens of thousands riotously celebrated the Kara Kartallar's (Black Eagles) first Turkish league title in six years. The team coached by Mustafa Denizli had already won the domestic cup and thus became the first club to do the double since 2000. The feeling on the Bosporus now is that Besiktas are finally poised to stretch their wings and regain long-term parity with bitter city rivals Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.
"Winning the double is a great achievement and I’m overjoyed. It felt like a volcano erupting inside me,” Denizli gushed after the title-clinching 2-1 victory away to Denizlispor on the last day. "We’ve succeeded in bringing a long adventure to a happy conclusion," continued the 59-year-old, for whom the triumph means not one but two entries in the Turkish roll of honour: he is not only the first Turkish coach to lead Besiktas to glory, he is also the first to win the Super Lig with all three of Istanbul’s major clubs. "My team totally deserves their triumph,” the former Turkey international summed up.
Sivasspor miss out, Gala fall short
However, a real upset looked on the cards for a long spell in Turkey this season. Surprise package Sivasspor were never far from the headlines after leading the league for most of the last five months. A first championship triumph for a club from outside Istanbul since 1984 seemed on the cards, but coach Bulent Uygun’s valiant side ultimately ran out of steam on the home straight. In an ironic twist, it was Besiktas' fierce rivals Galatasaray who administered the coup de grace, as new Turkey superstar Arda Turan struck a brace on the last day to seal a 2-1 win over Sivasspor and hand the title to the Black Eagles.
At the end of the day, a extra touch of class made the difference, as Besiktas finished five points clear at the top, with more victories and fewer defeats than Sivasspor. Uygun and his men thus failed in their attempt to become only the fifth team outside the Istanbul triumvirate and Trapzonspor to claim Super Lig glory, but were consoled with second place and a shot at qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. Trabzonspor, Fenerbahce and Galatasaray took third, fourth and fifth respectively, and have to be satisfied with place in the newly-formed UEFA Europa League.
Winning the double is a great achievement and I’m overjoyed. It felt like a volcano erupting inside me.
Besiktas coach Mustafa Denizli
Of this trio, Gala were the most disappointing this term. The previous year’s champions lost seven times on their travels, including a 4-1 defeat to Fener and a 3-1 reverse against Besiktas. Their record of 39 goals against was easily the worst of the teams in the top seven, and they sneaked into Europe only by virtue of Fenerbahce’s 4-2 defeat to Besiktas in the cup final – Fener qualified for the Europa League on the basis of their league position.
A small consolation for the Lions of the Bosporus, who rate as the nation’s joint-most successful club alongside Fenerbahce with 17 league titles apiece, was that Milan Baros recaptured the form of his golden years and finished Super Lig top scorer on 20 goals. Aided and abetted by Harry Kewell, who enjoyed a productive first season in a Gala jersey, Baros provided moments to celebrate for the boisterous and excitable Ali-Sami-Yen stadium crowd, although everyone at the club realises it was still not enough. "There is just one place for Galatasaray and that is the number one position. If you don't get that, there is going to be a backlash,” Kewell exclusively told FIFA.com just a few weeks ago. A stormy summer beckons for the wounded Gala crew.
Dawn of a new era?
Konyaspor, Kocaelispor and Hacettepe proved unable to escape the relegation trapdoor, but Besiktas' 11th domestic title has raised hopes of a new era for the men in black and white. The media spotlight has fallen on Yusuf Simsek and Fabian Ernst as the orchestrators and architects of the latest triumph. "Our midfield, and particularly Simsek and Ernst, made a major contribution to our triumph. Both absolutely lived up to expectations,” commented coach Denizli.
Ernst, capped 24 times by Germany, switched to the Bosporus from Schalke during the winter break. "We’ve played good football, and we’ve made our fans happy,” reflected Ernst. The next step for the Black Eagles is success on the international stage, with the aim of matching the achievements of Galatasaray, UEFA Cup winners in 1999/2000, and Fenerbahce, UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists in 2007/08. With the expertise and cunning of Denizli at their disposal, Besiktas certainly appear to have exactly the right man in charge of their destiny.
Source: Fifa.com
"Winning the double is a great achievement and I’m overjoyed. It felt like a volcano erupting inside me,” Denizli gushed after the title-clinching 2-1 victory away to Denizlispor on the last day. "We’ve succeeded in bringing a long adventure to a happy conclusion," continued the 59-year-old, for whom the triumph means not one but two entries in the Turkish roll of honour: he is not only the first Turkish coach to lead Besiktas to glory, he is also the first to win the Super Lig with all three of Istanbul’s major clubs. "My team totally deserves their triumph,” the former Turkey international summed up.
Sivasspor miss out, Gala fall short
However, a real upset looked on the cards for a long spell in Turkey this season. Surprise package Sivasspor were never far from the headlines after leading the league for most of the last five months. A first championship triumph for a club from outside Istanbul since 1984 seemed on the cards, but coach Bulent Uygun’s valiant side ultimately ran out of steam on the home straight. In an ironic twist, it was Besiktas' fierce rivals Galatasaray who administered the coup de grace, as new Turkey superstar Arda Turan struck a brace on the last day to seal a 2-1 win over Sivasspor and hand the title to the Black Eagles.
At the end of the day, a extra touch of class made the difference, as Besiktas finished five points clear at the top, with more victories and fewer defeats than Sivasspor. Uygun and his men thus failed in their attempt to become only the fifth team outside the Istanbul triumvirate and Trapzonspor to claim Super Lig glory, but were consoled with second place and a shot at qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. Trabzonspor, Fenerbahce and Galatasaray took third, fourth and fifth respectively, and have to be satisfied with place in the newly-formed UEFA Europa League.
Winning the double is a great achievement and I’m overjoyed. It felt like a volcano erupting inside me.
Besiktas coach Mustafa Denizli
Of this trio, Gala were the most disappointing this term. The previous year’s champions lost seven times on their travels, including a 4-1 defeat to Fener and a 3-1 reverse against Besiktas. Their record of 39 goals against was easily the worst of the teams in the top seven, and they sneaked into Europe only by virtue of Fenerbahce’s 4-2 defeat to Besiktas in the cup final – Fener qualified for the Europa League on the basis of their league position.
A small consolation for the Lions of the Bosporus, who rate as the nation’s joint-most successful club alongside Fenerbahce with 17 league titles apiece, was that Milan Baros recaptured the form of his golden years and finished Super Lig top scorer on 20 goals. Aided and abetted by Harry Kewell, who enjoyed a productive first season in a Gala jersey, Baros provided moments to celebrate for the boisterous and excitable Ali-Sami-Yen stadium crowd, although everyone at the club realises it was still not enough. "There is just one place for Galatasaray and that is the number one position. If you don't get that, there is going to be a backlash,” Kewell exclusively told FIFA.com just a few weeks ago. A stormy summer beckons for the wounded Gala crew.
Dawn of a new era?
Konyaspor, Kocaelispor and Hacettepe proved unable to escape the relegation trapdoor, but Besiktas' 11th domestic title has raised hopes of a new era for the men in black and white. The media spotlight has fallen on Yusuf Simsek and Fabian Ernst as the orchestrators and architects of the latest triumph. "Our midfield, and particularly Simsek and Ernst, made a major contribution to our triumph. Both absolutely lived up to expectations,” commented coach Denizli.
Ernst, capped 24 times by Germany, switched to the Bosporus from Schalke during the winter break. "We’ve played good football, and we’ve made our fans happy,” reflected Ernst. The next step for the Black Eagles is success on the international stage, with the aim of matching the achievements of Galatasaray, UEFA Cup winners in 1999/2000, and Fenerbahce, UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists in 2007/08. With the expertise and cunning of Denizli at their disposal, Besiktas certainly appear to have exactly the right man in charge of their destiny.
Source: Fifa.com
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