Former Galatasaray Defender Abel Xavier quits football and becomes Muslim!.

Former Galatasaray and Portuguese international player Abel Xavier has announced his conversion to be a Muslim.

Xavier held a press conference in the Ras Al Khaimah stadium in the UAE before a league match in which he announced his conversion and his new name – Faisal.

The former Galatasaray defender held the press conference in the presence of members of the local royal family and announced his official retirement from football. He is now set to take part in a humanitarian project which will benefit the lives of millions in Africa.

"It's an emotional goodbye and I hope to participate in something very satisfying in a new stage of my life," said Xavier. "In moments of grief, I have found comfort in Islam. Slowly, I learned a religion that professes peace, equality, freedom and hope. These are foundations with which I identify. Only after a thorough knowledge and an intense experience, I took this decision. I'd like to thank the royal family for its love and affection. They embraced me and made me feel special."

The 37-year-old Xavier last played for Los Angeles Galaxy. He launched his career in Portugal and pursued it in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, England, Turkey, Germany, and ultimately the
USA.

Source : Wires

DOES TRABZONSPOR HAVE A FINANCIAL PROBLEM?.HUGO BROOS SPEAKS OUT....

If you look at the Black Sea Region top team Trabzonspor, lately, there is a lot of weird things happening with this team....

They have wasted and sacked a lot of coaches in the past ten years....

They hired the coach that was sacked by their own hands, three times and rehired for the fourth time after they sacked Hugo Broos.

According the http://www.superlignews.com web site article, Hugo Bross, gave a recent interview to Belgian media and Broos, spoke about Trabzonspor's financial problems....


It was absurd to bring Senol Gunes for fourth time , when he announced in Korea he was going to rest for six months, after finishing his coaching career in S. Korea.....

They even went out of their way. to go to S.Korea to bring Senol Gunes to Trabzon...

They were desperate,,,,

Senol Gunes was going to be their savior....

For how long, I don't know?...

You could bet your money, If Gunes, loses three matches back to back or loses to Besiktas and Galatasaray, you could see him out the door too....

Because,that is how, things operates in Trabzon and in the most of the Turkish Super League teams!


Hugo Broos claimed, He and most of the players did not get paid for two months....

And the club officials wanted, Gokhan Unal and Alanzinho to be in the starting line up, from him...

Here is the whole remarks from Hugos Broos on http://www.superlignews.com ,web site...


After you read the interview and what Broos said , you are going to be shock!

But, I am sad to say, this this is what happens in the most of the Turkish soccer clubs in Turkey..

We have to admit this.....


But, This has to change...........

With professionals, running the teams and the league.........


HUGO BROOS SPEAKS OUT....


HUGO BROSS:

"The players wages were not paid for months, since the 28th of June no player wages has been paid. Only the players who had been left out of the squad, received their wages and they only did that because they were afraid of the players complaining to UEFA about their treatment by the club [since they are not receiving playing time either]."

"I myself didn't get paid between October and November, the board's president Sadri Sener had told me that the players wages had to come before my own and that they had a tight budget."

"Alanzinho was bought for 4 milion Euros and Gokhan Unal was bought for 6 million Euros. They wanted me to play them in the starting 11 even if they were off form, or were not motivated enough. If I didn't play them their values would drastically drop, they even had the assistant manager pressure me to try and play them both in the starting line up."

"Another situation that upset me at the club was the treatment of Ibrahima Yattara, he was forced to train even when he was injured the club expected too much of him. They even had the clubs doctor say he was fit to play even when he was clearly unfit! He came into training on one leg sometimes."

"There is also a problem with Tony Silva who wants to leave the club because he didn't manage to find a proper school for his child."

Trabzonspor v Fenerbahce 1-2.... FENERBAHCE ON TOP OF THE TURKISH SUPER LEAGUE!

Fenerbahce captured the top spot in the Turkish Turkcell Super League, in the last match of the weekend and last match of the first half of the season.

Fenerbahce beat Trabzonspor in away match with Guiza's only goal.

The 17th week, saw three teams on top , Friday it was Bursaspor. who beat Besiktas and on Saturday, it was Gaatasaray, who beat Genclerbirgi with Harry Kewell's goal, now Fenerbahce after beating Trabzonspor, in Trabzon with one goal.

Spanish International player Daniel Guiza's goal moved Fenerbahce on top of the Turkish Turkcell Super League with 37 points.

Galatasaray who has 36 points finished the first half, on
second, Bursaspor on third and Kayserispor on fourth, Besiktas finished the first half in the fifth place with 32 points.

Trabzonspor and their new coach Senol Gunes missed a great opportunity to beat Fenerbahce at home and be a part of the chase for the top!....

Turkish Turkcell Super league will have a one month winter brake.. .

Here are the scores from 17th week....

20th December 09
Trabzonspor 0 - 1Fenerbahce
Ankaraspor 0 - 3Istanbul BB

19th December 09
Galatasaray 1 - 0 Genclerbirligi
Ankaragücü 2 - 3 Sivasspor
Kayserispor 1 - 2 Antalyaspor
Eskisehirspor 0 - 0 Diyarbakirspor
Gaziantepspor 2 - 1Denizlispor
Kasimpasa 3 - 1Manisaspor

18th December 09
Besiktas 2 - 3 Bursaspor

Besiktas 2-3 Bursaspor

Besiktas loss to Bursaspor, at home with the score of 2-3.

With this score, Bursaspor moved to the first place in the Turkish Turkcell Super League, on Friday night ,

Besiktas dropped down to fifth place with 32 points..

On Saturday, Kayserispor will be home aaginst Antalayaspor while Galatasaray will host Genclerbirligi. Galatasaray and Kayserispor both has 34 points , and the pressure will be on them on Saturday.

On Sunday, Fenerbahce will travel to Trabzon to play Trabzonspor. Fenerbahce also have 34 points

On the other hand this will be, the real test, for new Trabzonspor coach Senol Gunes. If Trabzonspor wins this , they too will be in the race for the top with 30 points.

Here is the Saturday and Sunday matches in the TSL...

Saturday
Eskisehirspor v Diyarbakirspor, Gaziantepspor v Denizlispor Kasimpasa v Manisaspor , Kayserispor v Antalyaspor ,Ankaragucu v Sivasspor ,Galatasaray v Genclerbirligi

Sunday
Trabzonspor v Fenerbahce

TURKEY'S SOCCER(FOOTBALL) ATTENDANCE IS NOT SO GOOD!

When I was reading the blog called "thebesteleven.com" I could not believed what I saw ..

In the attendance list Turkey was below MLS....


That is absurd and ugly, in my opinion....

The teams are talking millions and billions of dollars and there is not enough spectator to come to watch them!..

Something is wrong with Turkish football(soccer)!


The other major problem , no team or league(TSL) announces the attendance of the matches during or after the match....

That is also absurd....

So, to see Turkey, in the 17th place , in the attendance list was shocker for me...

Here is the list from www.thebesteleven.com .....

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2009
World Soccer Average Attendance List
This is a ranked list of all the world soccer leagues (that I could find fairly recent numbers for) whose average game attendance was at least 5,000 per game.


41,914 - German Bundesliga
35,599 - English Premier League
29,124 - Spain La Liga
25,379 - Mexico Primera Division
23,180 - Italy Serie A
21,050 - France Ligue 1
20,886 - Argentina Primera Division
20,195 - England Football League Championship
19,827 - Dutch Eredivisie
19,278 - Japan J-League
17,601 - Brazil Campeonato Serie A
16,482 - China Super League
16,460 - Major League Soccer
15,550 - Germany 2.Bundesliga
14,915 - Scottish Premier League
14,058 - Turkey Super Lig
13,334 - Russian Premier League
13,242 - South Korea K-League
12,966 - Australia A-League
11.369 - Belgium Jupiler League
10,917 - Switzerland Super League
10,438 - Norway Premier League
10,390 - Portuguese Liga
10,326 - Vietnam V-League
10,258 - Sweden Allsvenskan
9,552 - Colombia Copa Mustang
9,338 - Austrian Bundesliga
9,216 - Iran Premier League
9,052 - Ukrainian Premier League
8,814 - Denmark Superliga
8,599 - France Ligue 2
8,112 - Spain Segunda Division
8,324 - England Football League One
7,622 - Greece Super League
7,526 - South Africa Premier Soccer League
7,336 - Uzbekistan League
7,329 - Poland Orange Ekstraklasa
7,219 - Brazil Campeonato Serie B
7,072 - Japan J-League 2
6,147 - Chile Primera Division
6,044 - Romania Divizia A
6,026 - Italy Serie B
5,453 - Germany Regionalliga Nord
5,305 - Israeli Premier League
5,147 - Czech Premier League

Turkish Super League weekend schedule...WEEK 17

Playing on Friday Besiktas v Bursaspor (1800)

Playing on Saturday Eskisehirspor v Diyarbakirspor (1130) Gaziantepspor v Denizlispor (1130) Kasimpasa v Manisaspor (1130) Kayserispor v Antalyaspor (1130) Ankaragucu v Sivasspor (1400) Galatasaray v Genclerbirligi (1800)

Playing on Sunday Trabzonspor v Fenerbahce (1800) *Ankaraspor v Buyuksehir Bld. Spor

* Ankaraspor have been relegated after their links to top-flight rivals Ankaragucu were deemed to be anti-competitive by the Turkish football authorities. A 3-0 victory will be awarded to the opposition in all matches involving Ankaraspor.

Source: Wires

Monaco 0-4 Lille - Full Highlights and Goals

Fenerbahce's opponent is French team Lille...

Can Fenerbahce have good fight with Lille?