Turkish Super League Review : Empty Stadiums and Failed Stars !

It's only second weekend  but Turkish Super League started the 2015- 2016 season where they left off !

Empty Stadiums ......

In both weekend matches,stadiums were empty...

When you have big name players like Robin Van Persie playing in your league and fans don't go to stadiums to see him, there is something wrong !

This past weekend , Fenerbahce travelled to Rize and Rize stadium was empty....

It was the same case for Galatasaray in their own stadium ...

Besiktas the team with no stadium at the moment ,play their matches at Olimypic stadium ! 

Stadium chaos still on for Besiktas this season too...

That was the big reason why they lost the Championship last season to Galatasaray .

There is only one team draws good at home ,that is Fenerbahce ! 

They have sold over 30 thousand season tickets after they signed big name stars....

Overall, Turkish Super League's biggest problem is the fans in the stands ...

Turkish Football Fedaration has to do something about ! 

Financially struggling clubs could be in deep trouble ...

Some of the teams ,already are ...

NOT A GOOD START FOR GALATASARAY,FENERBAHCE AND BESIKTAS !

They have spent a lot of money on big names in the transfer season but they have struggled in last two  weekends ....

This past weekend big three, Galatasaray ,Fenerbahce and Besiktas loss points ! 

Fenerbahce got only one point in Rize with Van Persie's goal....

Galatasaray went down in front of their own fans against league's newcomers Osmanlispor with a score of 2-1 ! 

And Besiktas loss to Trabzon at windy Olympic stadium 2-1 .....

While they were struggling, underdogs like Kasimpasa and Antalyaspor and Trabzonspor were the only three teams won their two matches and stayed perfect so far !

Kasimpasa sits on top of the Turkish Super League at the end of the second weekend....

Eto's Antalyaspor has surprised everyone with two wins so far...

They surprised me too ! 

But, I still think they won't be around next season.....

If I remember correctly,last season Akhisar started the season on top of the league but then struggled .

Antalyaspor rookie coach Yusuf Simsek does not hold FIFA's coaching license yet, that's why his assistant coach  (old enough to be his father ) does the flash interviews after the matches ! 

It's bazaar.....

Eto scored three goals in two weeks and scored the winning goal this past weekend for Antalyaspor! 

The third weekend matches will be played on Friday,Saturday and Sunday ...

There won't be Monday Night match on Monday because of Turkish National team matches next weekend .

The third week will kick of on Friday with Gaziantepor vs Besiktas match ...

Galatasaray will travel to Konya on Saturday and Fenerbahce will be at home against Eto's Antalyaspor on Sunday night! 

Before that match , onThursday ,Fenerbahce has to win against Greek team to other to advance in Europa League ....

Lastly, my player of the week in the second weekend was Greek legend player Gekas who is playing for Eskisehirspor this season ...

He scored great goals this past weekend ...

Gekas also scored three goals too after two weeks .

Worst performance was by Galatasaray keeper Muslera  and Besiktas's Gokhan Tore ! 

Muslera looked very bad on both goals they scored on him....

Gokhan Tore, missed a open net and assisted on Trabzonspor goal with a bad clear in front of Besiktas's goal ...

Kudos to Rizespor coach Hikmet Karaman, Osmanlispor coach Mustafa Akcay and Kasimpasa coach Riza Calimbay  and Trabzonspor coach Sota .

Robin van Persie made his debut in Turkish Super Lig #STSL

Robin van Persie made his debut on Friday in the Turkish Super Lig's opening match as he came from the bench in the second half of the match against Eskisehir.

Fenerbahce won the match 2-0  with Sow and newcomer Brazilian Fernandao who came from Bursaspor.

Both of the goals were scored in the first half.....

When Robin Van Persie came into match in the 62th minute there was huge standing ovation for him at Kadikoy Sukru Saracoglu stadium.

He replaced second goal scorer Fernandao.....

About 40 thousand Fenerbahce fans filled the Kadikoy stadium.

Since 2000, Fenerbahce won their first opening match in the Turkish Super League !

Eskisehir who is coached by Skibe did not create any offensive play against Fenerbahce

Their Greek player Gekas was out of commission!


Robin van Persie was on the field about 30 minutes but could not connect with the ball ...

Persie officially played his first Turkish Super League match on Friday with Fenerbahce uniform .

Fenerbahce  added Ozan Tufan and Volkan Sen to their rich roster , from Bursaspor .

Galatasaray and Besiktas will open the league in away matches this weekend...

Galatasaray will be in Sivas on Saturday and Besiktas visits Mersin on Sunday.

On Saturday's Eto's Antalyspor will face Basaksehir in Istanbul....

Star Studded Turkish Super League !

 Turkish Super Lig will take a start this Friday with Fenerbahce and Eskisehir match in Kadikoy stadium .

This season Turkish Super League will have Europe's stars like Van Persie ,Nani, Eto,Podolski, Quaresma and Gomez ! 

Without a doubt , Fenerbahce was the winner in the transfer season ......

They surprised a lot of people inTurkey and in the world when they transferred Robin van Persie ! 

Actually ,they became Fenerbahce United  after getting Nani from Manchester United too...

Along with Persie and Nani, Fenerbahce added Simon Kjaer from Lill , Joseph de Souza from Brazil and keeper Fabiano and Bursaspor goal scorer from last season Fernandao .....

And they are still not done yet ! 

According to reports they want to add Volkan Sen and Ozan Tufan from Bursaspor....

From last season, names like, Emre Belozoglu,Emenike and Dirk Kuyt will not be with Fenerbahce...

Emre's contract wasn't renewed and he jumped to his old pal's team Basaksehirspor!

  

Losing to Shakhtar in the Champions League qualifying around was disaster for Fenerbahce..  

 

They will not be in the Champions League this season ...

Instead , They will play in the Europa League !

Star studded Fenerbahce was aiming to Champions League with new additions but did not happen ..

That was huge disappointment for Fenerbahce fans around the world !

Now, with a new coach Vitor Pereira and brand new team they will open the 2015-2016 season's curten on August 14th, Friday night in Kadikoy,Istanbul against Eskisehirspor...

After getting big names ,Fenerbahce sold total of 37 thousand season tickets for this season !

On the other hand , the other two clubs, Galatasaray and Besiktas were quite ......

They both signed German star players !

Galatasaray got Lukas Podolski and Besiktas added Mario Gomez and their former player and fans beloved Quaresma their roster....

Podolski and Sneijder could be very good duo for Galatasaray this season !

On the other hand Besiktas with Gomez and Quaresma should be better then last season....

The only handicap for Besiktas is the goal keepers ! 

Three of the keepers so far are not giving confidence to new coach Senol Gunes and Besiktas fans ..

Galatasaray and Fenerbahce has solid goal keepers !

Lastly, New comer Antalyspor made a huge splash  and signed  34 year ols Eto !

 How long will he stay there is the biggest question , in my opinon ...

Antalyaspor even tired to get Ronaldinho but they were not sucsesfull  !

With a rokie coach  former Fenerbahce and Denizlispor player Yusuf Simsek ,I really don't know god will the team be this season !

I could bet you this....

They will not be in this league next seson !


Finaly,

In closing.......

Few teams spent a lot of money this season....

Fenerbahce  and Galatasaray team are the most spenders this season.....

Fenerbahce team worth around 172.5 million dollars.....

Galatasaray team worth around 151.5 million dollars ....


According to reports whole Turkish Super League teams (18 teams ) worth around 1.10 billion !

There is alot of money being spent for the sport that is not drawing huge spectators in the stands ..

This has to  change !

If TFF(Turkish Football Federation ) and the teams doesn't hire well knowlege people to market the league, the Turkish Super Lig will be one big bust.....

It's time to clean house and make this league enjoyable !


Incidents  on  and off  the field hurts Turkish football ......

Just like what happended to Mehmet Topal yesterday  while he was in his car....

Enjoy your opening Turkish football weekend.....

Turkish Football Blogger
 
AHMET BOB TURGUT


WEEK ONE.....

August 14, Friday:
Fenerbahçe-Eskişehirspor
August 15, Saturday:
Trabzonspor-Bursaspor
Medipol Başakşehir-Antalyaspor
Medicana Sivasspor-Galatasaray
August 16, Sunday:
Osmanlıspor-Kayserispor
Torku Konyaspor-Akhisar Belediyespor
Gaziantepspor-Kasımpaşa
Mersin İdmanyurdu-Beşiktaş

August 17, Monday:
Gençlerbirliği-Çaykur Rizespor

It's Official ! Robin Van Persie sign with Fenerbahce

Fenerbahce have completed the signing of Manchester United striker Robin van Persie.
The 31-year-old Netherlands striker flew to the Turkish capital on Sunday and leaves United after three years at the club.

Having received a warm welcome when landing in Istanbul, Van Persie was again afforded another rapturous reception at Fener’s Sukru Saracoglu Stadium on Tuesday.
“I am humbled to see so many fans come today to greet and welcome me to your family,” he told supporters.

“I promise you one thing, I will do everything in my power to help Fenerbahce win as many titles as possible to make you guys happy.

“If I see today, I can only imagine what it would be like if you win the league and what sort of party that would be. I want to share that you with you.

“I will try to learn Turkish fast because I think it’s very important to adapt to the country you’re living in. I am part of the Fenerbahce family – I will adapt to this country and to you.”
After joining United from Arsenal, Van Persie enjoyed a stellar first campaign under Sir Alex Ferguson, scoring 26 goals to help secure a 20th Premier League title at Old Trafford.
Van Persie played in every single game of that league campaign, but familiar fitness issues have since dogged him under the management of David Moyes and Louis van Gaal, the striker managing 21 and 27 Premier League outings in the last two campaigns respectively.

The signing of Memphis Depay by United in May hinted at a changing of the guard up front, with 
Radamel Falcao also moving on after his loan from Monaco was not turned permanent.


Van Persie becomes Fener’s eighth signing of a busy transfer window, and joins a familiar face at the Sukru Saracoglu in the shape of Nani, who also made the move from United to Turkey last week.

Enes Unal sign with Manchester City !

@MCFC: Manchester City are pleased to announce the signing of Turkey international striker Enes Unal from @BursasporSk #mcfc http://t.co/nMvSy07Upw 

Welcome to Barca, Arda Turan !

Soccer-Turkey struggle to beat lowly Kazakhstan in Euro qualifier

- Turkey kept their Euro 2016 qualifying hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 win away to bottom side Kazakhstan thanks to a late Arda Turan's strike in their Group A game on Friday.

The visitors, who handed Kazakhstan their heaviest ever home defeat when they beat them 6-0 last time the teams met in Almaty in 2006, dominated the game but missed several chances.

Turkey's top scorer in qualifying, Burak Ylmaz, missed the target in the 53rd minute and hit the woodwork 20 minutes later.

But it was Yilmaz who set up Arda Turan to score what proved to be the winner in the 83rd minute in a tough match.

Third-placed Turkey are on eight points after six games ahead of the Netherlands, who have seven from five and were visiting Latvia later on Friday when group leaders Czech Republic, on 13, were away to second-placed Iceland who have 12.

Kazakhstan, who have one point, opened their account with a 0-0 draw at home to Latvia but have lost all five of their subsequent fixtures.

The top two qualify for the finals with the best third-placed finisher in the nine groups. The eight remaining third-placed teams play off to determine the last four qualifiers. 

Source: Reuters