A mission too far?

A month or so ago when Ankaragucu appointed an Aussie, Vlado Bozinoski, to be their coach I, perhaps naively, said we ought to get an interview with the bloke for the blog. Sir Eski Kanka and myself then promptly went on holidays but my plan was still there.

In the last week or so I have been asked by a few people what on earth are we doing to get the interview. In short I've been accused of not doing my job, well, it was all said in the nicest way possible.

This is all an introduction to my failures so far. I was going to write this up once we actually had an interview organised but at the rate I'm going I somehow doubt that it will ever happen.

Having organised with Sir Eski Kanka what dates he would be free to venture out to the Cemal Aydin Spor Kompleksi I finally got around to calling the club last week. Here is the timeline.

Tuesday 16th August
Phone the club, ask to speak to press spokesman. I'm put through to a woman to whom I explain that I'm a writer for an English-language website on Ankara football. She gives the phone to someone or other, I repeat the spiel, and he says I should phone back the next day and speak to Bozinoski himself at at 10am. Sounds brilliant.

Wednesday 17th August. 10 a.m.
Rang Ankaragucu at 10 am, asked to speak to Bozinoski only to be told one word from the secretary "Antreman'da" (at training). I have to call back at midday.

Wednesday 17th August. Midday.
Secretary puts me through to someone who asked what I wanted. He clearly didn't have a clue and so put me on to someone who spoke English. This fellow was not a native speaker of English and so I offered, in Turkish, to speak Turkish. He merely replied, "Do you speak English?". "Ah yes", I said. I repeated the spiel and he said that Bozinoski would be there in 20-25 minutes.

I'm starting to get frustrated at all this. Why can't I just speak to someone who could arrange all this. I asked this fellow, "Who is the press spokesman?". He said he didn't know as he was new to the club. My brain finally clicks over... "And what is your name?" I ask. "Srebrenko". Ahhh, our Croatian friend.

Wednesday 17th August. 12:30 p.m.
I ring back and the secretary puts me through to somewhere or other. No answer. The telephone call thus reverts to the secretary. I ask her once again who is the press spokesman of the club. She replies "they" are all "izinli", whatever that means. "Ahhh. Are they out of Ankara?" I ask. Long pause and then "yes". I tell her yet again that I'm a journalist and I want to speak to Mr. Bozinoski and how am I supposed to do this. She then gives me Bozinoski's mobile number.

Wednesday 17th August. 12:40 p.m.
I message the number given for Bozinoski asking when would be a good time to call him.

Wednesday 17th August. 4 p.m.
After no reply to the text message I phone the number given to me. No answer.

Wednesday 17th August. 7 p.m.
I phone again. No answer.

Thursday 18th August 10 a.m.
I phone again. No answer.

At this stage I've pretty much given up hope. I've e-mailed a few mates for some ideas but they don't have any and so I'm going public. If anyone can help then please contact me. In the meantime I'm going to annoy that secretary at Ankaragucu until I get onto the fellow. Afterall, there are probably less than a dozen Aussies in Ankara and perhaps Bozinoski would like to meet the other 11.

Either way, I'm just glad that Cemal Aydin is only in charge of a football club and not the country at large.

I'll update you all with my progress, if any. Wish me luck.