Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Genclerbirligi blow up

Two critical matches left in the league and what the hell are Genclerbirligi doing? Concentrating on the task ahead, getting behind the team and coach, presenting a united front to the world? Nope. They are going through a messy boardroom brawl that is undermining everything.

In today's Hurriyet there was a small story that Chairman Ilhan Cavcav had sacked General Manager Hasan Cetinkaya and replaced him with a fellow called Cem Onuk. Yeah well, so what, I thought and then I've just noticed a story from the Anatolian news agency that the whole thing has severely upset the club's vice president Atilla Aytek who claims the whole affair undermined the team before last week's loss to Samsunspor.

I'm translating from Anatolia pretty much word-for-word:

"Leaving the match meeting one-and-a-half hours before the match against Samsunspor I was walking with Mesut (Bakkal - the coach) and he asked me: "Did you know they are bringing in Cem (Onuk)?"" Aytek, the vice chairman of the club is quoted.

"I thought to myself that for this kind of decision a board meeting would be needed but such a board meeting had not happened and I was very surprsied," Aytek said.

"I asked Mesut Bakkal, "Where did you learn this?" His answer was very interesting. "From the footballers," he said. "And from where did they learn this", I asked."

"At the time of the pre-match meeting Cem (Onuk) rang the footballers on their mobile phones and told them "I've taken over. From now on I'll be arranging your work""

At this point Vice Chairman Atilla Aytek clearly has smoke billowing out of his ears and goes on to rant:

"In 17 years of service this is the first time I've experienced such a thing," Aytek pretty much said but didn't exactly say because there are a few words in the original sentence which I can't be bothered to check the dictionary for.

"The pre-match meeting is for discussing tactics, for nothing else," Atek said.

He goes on and on and accuses Chairman Ilhan Cavcav of undermining the team.

Oh dear, oh dear. And I thought the TFF were the masters of good timing.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:24 pm

    Mr. Cem Onuk was responsable for the very, very bad transfer modalities between Fenerbahce and Genclerbirligi about Deniz Baris.
    He was manager before Hasan and it was a dammed good decision to let him go to Izmir. But unfortunately he is back. Hasan, english speaking, very open minded, new area against - the old fashioned tipical turkish stile. I'm very disappointed when I heard this. Last update: Hasan remains in the club and Cem will be his assistance

    But now guys - open up the eyes, there is now a need to win against pkk-diyarbakir and rizespor to keep the hopes alive.

    Lanky Kanka

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  2. Apparently optimism IS infectious after all, and here was poor old Sir Eski Kanka thinking that he was all alone in a world full of Oz Kanka pessimism.

    Well done Lanky Kanka. Let's think positively and let the players do the talking on Saturday ON THE FIELD.

    C'mon Gencler !!!

    All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

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