IS THIS THE BEST TRANSFER IN THE TURKISH SUPER LEAGUE?....

GALATASARAY SIGNS ELANO!

Manchester City have confirmed that Elano has joined Galatasary.

The Brazilian midfielder decided to move on after falling out of favour with manager Mark Hughes last season.

Following his arrival two seasons ago when Sven-Goran Eriksson was in charge, Elano quickly became a fans' favourite with a string of excellent displays.

However his form tailed off in the second half of his debut campaign and he struggled for consistency under Hughes.

Elano, 28, scored 18 goals in 80 appearances for City and remains a regular member of the Brazil squad.

So, is this the best transfer of the season in the Turkish Super league, so far?

I think so, let me know what you think?

GALATASARAY GETS KAZAK TEAM!

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.

Frank Rijkaard and Rustu Recber with Barca -2003 ,by Ahmet B. Turgut

All the Photos in the silide show belongs to Ahmet B. Turgut

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.''

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

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.