Denizlispor 0-3 Ankaragücü Match report!

 

Ali Kaan was the star of the night as he delivered and outstanding performance scoring 2 goals helping Ankaragücü to an excellent 3-0 win at Denizlispor.

Team - Akin, Erdem, Sinan, Yusuf, Pinto, Ishak, Ali Kaan, Huseyin, Cem, Murat, Erdem

Subs - Bahadir, Erdi, Abdullah, Ulas, Aatif, Sahverdi, Ayiribi. Geraldo, Sitiki Ferdi 

First chance of the game came for Denizli as Mustafa shot just wide from 30 yards with Akin scrambling. Two minutes later though Ankaragücü had the ball in the back of the net. A corner from Erdem was brilliantly met by Yusuf who headed past Stachowiak to make it 0-1.

Ten minutes later and Ankaragücü doubled their lead from an almost identical goal. This time Ali Kaan with and excellent header from and Erdem corner to make it 0-2.

Gokhan went close for Denizlispor from a free kick but the ball went inches wide. A few minutes later and Ali Kaan put Murat through on goal with a great pass but he shot straight at Stachowiak.

Ankaragücü were wrongly down to ten men when Cem Ekinci was sent off for a challenge on Mohammed Gonulacar. It was a yellow but definitely not a red and a bad mistake by the referee.

Five minutes later on the stroke of half time, Ankaragücü showed how to deal with adversity, and it was that man Ali Kaan again. He played a nice touch and go with Murat and then burst through on goal before showing great composure to put the ball past Stachowiak to make it 0-3.

Half Time 0-3

Into the second half and Yilmaz saw an outstanding 35 yard screamer come back off the post as Denizlispor looked to get back into the game. Five minutes later Okan had an effort easily saved by Akin.

Any chance of a comeback were dashed for Denizlispor when Erdal Akdari was sent off for a bad challenge.

Ali Kaan continued to impress and this time set up Ayiribi but he shot straight at Stachowiak when he should have scored. Ayiribi and Gerlado both had chances in the dying minutes but neither could finish them. Geraldo continues to waste any opportunities that come his way.

A great result for Ankaragücü with some excellent performances from the likes of Ali Kaan, Erdem, Ishak and Murat. Both Ishak and Ali Kaan showed having players who are in shape and fit in midfield makes a big difference. Eren still continues to be a concern as he failed again to register a shot on goal. Rumours in the press tonight have linked Ankaragücü with a move for Samsunspor striker Nadir Cifci which IMO would be another poor signing.

Next up for Ankaragücü is the derby against struggling Genclerbirligi on 12th September after the International break.

GENCLERBIRLIGI TAKE UP THEIR FAMILIER LEAGUE POSITION !!

 

 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

After 3 matches of the new season, Gencler find themselves in familier league territory, ie, 3^rd bottom on 1 point.

There was an eerie atmosphere in the Stadium last night with very few Gencler ‘clappers’, and unsurprisingly, was no ‘noise’ from them during the entire match.

 

GENCLERBIRLIGI        0                    Manisaspor             3

 

Team – Ramazan, Mert, Artan, Kula, Akyuz, Hrechyshkin, Berisbek, Alici, Tshibola, Lualua and Lima

 

Substitutes – Kerim, Ilker, Musa, Tuzcu and Sallalich

 

The match was initially played at a pedestrian pace until the 23^rd minute when it exploded into action.

 

Ankaragucu olde boy, Orgill, made the crucial pass from just outside the box in the centre to Nino who controlled the ball and fired it in just inside the left post.

 

10 minutes later, Orgill almost scored the 2^nd when he was put through inside the box, but his shot went narrowly past the left post.

 

Into the last 10 minutes of the 1^st half and Manisa were content to stroke the ball around and run the clock down to half time and go in 1-0 up.

 

10 minutes into the 2^nd half and a moment of controversy which may have had an important bearing on the eventual outcome of the match.    A Manisa corner was swung into the box and was adjudged to have been controlled by Mert’s hand before it was cleared.    Mert argued furiously with the referee indicating that the ball had touched his thigh and not his hand.    However, the referee was adamant and gave Mert a yellow card for his protests.    Caliskan stepped up and sent the ball inside the left post to make it 2-0.     Having seen the replay a few times, it is not 100% clear if it did hit his hand, but the referee was well placed to see the incident and therefore there can be no argument.

 

10 minutes to go and Tormin, who had just come on as a substitute, was fed the ball from the right to the left.    He cut-in to avoid 2 tackles and sent his shot just inside the left post.

 

There can be no complaints by Gencler who were outplayed by a strong Manisa team who look likely to be challenging for promotion this season.

 

The Gencler Coach now has 2 weeks to prepare his demoralised players for the Ankara Derby which will be played on the weekend of 11/12 September.

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

Denizlispor vs Ankaragucu match preview!

 

Sundays match has a lot at stake for both Ankaragucu and Denizlispor with both sides still looking for their first win of the season. The two clubs were relegated last season from the Turkish Super Lig and know how important it is financially to bounce back at the first attempt. 

Another week has went by and still the lack of information and communication coming from Ankaragucu is non existent. We have no idea how long Owusu will be out for, or the latest with Atif and Ayiribi. We just need to go with some of the photos from the training sessions and it looks like Ayiribi may be available for selection which would be a big boost. 

Last weeks performance was as poor as you are going to see from any football team. Although the positive was that we kept a clean sheet. That was more to do with how poor Kocaelispor were, than how good the Ankaragucu defence was.

The midfield and attack in particular were so poor, with no pace, no skill and a clear lack of fitness from many of the players. 

Mustafa Dalci looks incapable of learning from his previous mistakes and it will likely be the same rubbish we are served on Sunday night. No creativity from midfield, a striker in Eren who walks about the pitch and has no fitness. And wide players who just dont have the quality in attack. 

If Ayiribi and Owusu are available for selection they would be a big boost for Ankaragucu. Both of them have speed and power that is so badly lacking in this team. 

The other problem is the lack of opportunities given to any academy players. A total of 0 minutes has been given to academy players over the two league games and TSYD Cup match against Genclerbirligi. Fenerbahce finished their Europa League game last night with a 16 year old, 18 year old and 20 year old in attack. 

No one can convince me that we don't have academy players who are more capable than Yasin Gurler, Geraldo, Abdullah, Sahverdi etc? The young players at least bring enthusiasm and will work hard for the jersey. But we also have academy players who are technically good too including Ulas, Atakan Dama and Eren Emre.

Former Ankaragucu midfielder Serhat Gulpinar is the manager of Denizlispor and he will be boosted by the new signings his club have made after the transfer ban was lifted earlier this week. They lost 2-0 at home against Bandirmaspor and 1-0 at Manisa FK in their opening two games. 

A different Denizli side will be available this week though and Ankaragucu will be hoping for the early settling in issues with so many new players joining at the same time. 

Ankaragucu will look to sign 2 more players before next weeks transfer deadline according to WebAnka. Lets hope we have our first win by then and the new signings joining are of the quality needed to get out of this division. 

GENCLERBIRLIGI AND ADANASPOR PLAY OUT A .........YAWN .......ZZZZZzzzz !!!

 

 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

This must rank and one of the most boring matches I’ve had the misfortune of watching last Saturday.  (On a par with the Ankaragucu match the following day).    How I managed to stay awake is a miracle, and I only made it to the final whistle by hoping that the deadlock might be broken, which in hindsight was foolish   !!!

 

Adanaspor       0              GENCLERBIRLIGI           0

 

Team – Ramazan, Kerem, Mert, Kula, Arda, Berisbek, Hrechyshkin, Lualua, Tshibola, Kerim and Lima

 

Substitutes – Baris and Ilker

 

There was only one moment in the match when a goal was almost scored in time added on in the 1^st half when an Adana forward had a chance to poke the ball in with Ramazan stranded, but he missed the ball completely and it went out of play

 

In fairness, both teams were attempting to attack but feeble efforts on goal meant that the goalkeepers were never really tested.

 

In reality, they could have played a further 90 minutes and the score would probably have remained the same   !!

 

Gencler will be at home next Sunday against Manisa who have won their opening two matches and will therefore be favourites to heap more misery on Gencler.    (Must remember to obtain some ‘uppers’ just incase there is a reprise of last week’s performance   !!!)

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

Ankaragucu 0-0 Kocaelispor - Match Report

 

Chaos is the only word to describe the first game back at Eryaman in 1.5 years for Ankaragucu fans. Most clubs worldwide have flocked back to their Stadiums with the opportunity to see their teams for the first time since restrictions have been eased. 

Ankaragucu however had less than 1,000 fans turn up to watch the match despite 9,000 tickets being available. Most fans have decided to boycott Faruk Koca and his Management team for the dreadful team they have assembled but more to do with the lies and lack of transparency that goes on at the club. Other fans were locked out due to the testing process, and others decided to leave the stadium with rival fan groups fighting each other. 

That was as exciting as it was going to get, as yet again the product served on the pitch by Faruk Koca and Mustafa Dalci is awful to watch.

Team - Akin, Erdem, Sinan, Yusuf, Yasin, Lukasik, Ishak, Huseyin, Murat, Cem, Eren

Subs - Bahadir, Alperen, Abdullah, Ulas, Pinto, Sahverdi, Ali Kaan, Sitiki Ferdi, Embiya

Kwabena Owusu was ruled out due to injury which was a massive blow before kick off. Despite 8 players being out with Covid and Injury there was no place for academy players in Mustafa Dalci team. 

Instead he decided to fill the team with old, slow players and three defensive midfielders. No surprise that Ankaragucu only managed 1 shot on goal the whole game. Yasin Gurler made his debut at left back and delivered the worst performance of any Ankaragucu player ive seen in the last 12 years. Eren Derdiyok had that title just last week. 

Eren has now played 2 games with no shots on goals and has more yellow cards than shots on target. Its incredible to think he is on 400,000 Euros, a player who is finished. To be fair to him, the service provided by the wing backs, wingers and midfielders was non existent.

I have also never seen a team as unfit as this Ankargucu team. Abdullah Durak and Huseyin Acar are two of the main culprits and no player should deserve to wear the Ankaragucu jersey unless they at a very minimum are in good shape. 

The first chance of the game came on the 37th minute when Benhur saw his shot blocked by Ishak when he looked certain to score. That would be the only chance of the first half for either team as Ankaragucu were booed of the pitch by the small number of fans who were there. 

Into the second half and Yilmaz had a shot from the edge of the box go wide for Kocaelispor. Ten minutes later Akin made a good save from Benhur who again looked certain to score. 

Erdem Ozgenc hit the bar for Ankaragucu on the 67th minute before Cem saw his weak effort easily saved by Korcan. That was as close as Ankaragucu came to scoring. 

Two poor sides share the points, and going on that performance they both have a fight on their hands to stay in the league never mind promotion. Ankaragucu will be hoping to see Atif, Ariyibi and Owusu back as soon as possible. But even when they do return, Mustafa Dalci will still be manager. Its clear this team will go nowhere under his management. 

Ankaragucu vs Kocaelispor match preview!

 

Two of Turkey's most historical and well supported teams go head to head this Sunday as Ankaragucu host Kocaelispor at Eryaman stadium. A 50 percent capacity will be allowed into the stadium as Turkey still has Covid restrictions in place. It will be a welcome bonus for Ankargucu having fans back in the stadium, especially some of the most loyal fans in Turkey. 

Sadly for both of these clubs their fortunes over the last 10-15 years has been very similar with both suffering from poor management and financial problems off the pitch. Despite that they are still two of the most well supported clubs in Turkey with crowds of 25,000 - 30,000 in the lower leagues over the years. 

Ankaragucu kicked off their campaign last Sunday and sadly our concerns became a reality. Faruk Koca stated in his first press conference that Ankaragucu now have the strongest management in history and one of the best managers in Turkey in Mustafa Dalci. 

Here we are 1 week into the season and Ankaragucu have one of the oldest and most expensive teams in the Super Lig. A team full of slow players with many of them out of shape and just not good enough. But why would we expect anything different? This is the same transfer committee who oversaw the clubs signings the last two seasons when the team was relegated. We are still using Emre Yildiz as an agent despite all the poor signings recommended by him. 

His star player Geraldo has now went 20 games with 0 goals or an assist in his Ankargucu career. Staggering for a forward player who continues to be picked. Thiago Pinto has been finished for a while now but he is on an expensive salary and his two backups Yasin and Mahmut Akkan are of Lig 3 standard. 

Mert Topuz was Man of the Match against Alanyaspor on his debut last season. His reward? Being removed from the team for Akin and Bahidir Gungorgu both new signings that dont have the greatest of CVs. Why spend those salaries when we have a talented young Goalkeeper in the team?

Yusuf Abdioglu was someone i never liked as a player the first time he was here. Its reported that he has had his salary more than doubled to come and play for Ankaragucu which is quite incredible if true. His partner Sinan looked very slow and clumsy on Sunday and will need to improve quickly if Ankaragucu are to have any chance this season. The goal conceded against Tuzla at the weekend had the full back 4 at fault with Murat exposed at the back post too. Murat should never play at right back again, but our only option now is 37 year old Erdem Ozgenc.

Onto the midfield, Huseyin looks like he will be a good signing and worked really hard but needs to get his match fitness back. Abdullah you can tell has been a good football player but he is overweight, slow and 34 years old. Again the team have no natural Number 10 and that will be left to 35 year old Atif who is technically very good but again slow and no athletic ability. Mustafa Dalci again ignored Emre Eren who has been a standout in the Youth team. To not give the boy an opportunity when you have so many average players doesnt send the right message to Ankargucu academy players. 

In the forward areas, Geraldo as we mentioned again was wasteful with any opportunities that came his way and Eren Derdiyok put in one of the worst striker performances i have ever seen. He spent most of the match walking around the pitch due to how unfit and slow he was. Cem worked hard and looks like he will be a good squad player. 

Kwabena Owusu was the standout performer and looks like he will be an excellent signing for the club. He has pace and power but can also play too and capped off a great performance with a brilliant goal. Gboly Ayiribi should also be a good signing once he comes back from Covid. 

Faruk Koca surprised everyone with hiring Mustafa Dalci as manager in the summer. He failed last season as manager so why hire him again? Faruk Koca is a control freak and for 2 years hid behind Fatih Mert as president. He is now doing the same with Dalci. Koca is making the big decisions and using Dalci as a puppet again. No other respected manager would work this way and Koca knows it. 

Kocaelispor didnt get off to the best of starts themselves with a 3-0 home defeat against Umraniyespor. Former Ankargucu players Korcan Celikay and Atilla Turan made their debuts in that game and the team are managed by former Ankargucu manager Mustafa Resit Akcay. 

They do however have some good players and Ankargucu should take no note of that scoreline. When the two sides met last season in the Cup Kocaelispor won at Eryaman with a weaker team than they have now. 

Its a huge game for Mustafa Dalci as the pressure is already adding with how negative and unorganised the team look. Will the team deliver or will it be another disaster under this management? 

ANKARAGUCU MAKE AN INAUSPICIOUS START TO LIFE IN DIVISION ONE !

 

 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

Ankaragucu was rather fortunate to ‘escape’ from Istanbul with one point tonight thanks to an opportunist goal from Owusu assisted by Cem.

 

After a bright start, Ankaragucu faded and Tuzla gradually took control of the match and carried the threat for most of the 1^st and half and all of the 2^nd half.     They were more direct than Ankaragucu and should really have capitalised on their possession, chances and slack defending by Ankaragucu.

 

Tuzlaspor          1                 ANKARAGUCU       1

 

Team – Akin, Murat, Yusuf, Sinan, Pinto, Abdullah, Hasan, Owusu, Geraldo, Cem and Eren

 

Substitutes- Isak, Ali Kaan, centin and Erdem

 

The Ankaragucu infamous defence screwed up in the 17^th minute to gift Tuzla the lead.     A cross came in with Kinali the only forward in the danger area and he was allowed to have a free header with FOUR Ankaragucu defenders in the danger area with him.   The look on Akin’s face said it all !!!

 

They should have increased their lead twice before half time, but hit the post with the first effort, and even allowing for a panic in the Ankaragucu defence for the 2^nd effort, they construed to miss the chance.

 

Then with the match 2 minutes into time added on in the 1^st half and the referee looking at his watch, Ankaragucu equalised from the only real chance they had in the match, and an excellent goal it was too.    Good work by Cem half way into the Tuzla half to dispossess a defender and a great pass to Owusu who evaded a tackle and shot high into the centre of the goal with the goalkeeper well beaten.

 

Ankaragucu did have one chance after the break after a flowing move, but Geraldo’s  shot was weak.    I despair about Geraldo and ask the question ................ ‘Will he ever score a goal for Ankaragucu’  ??    Surely his days are numbered at this Club !!!

 

Tuzla hit the bar shortly after and was giving the Ankaragucu defence a torrid time.    Akin had to look lively to finger-tip a goal bound header over  and Tuzla had 2 more genuine chances but their finishing was wayward.

 

Coach Mustafa Dalci has a major job on his hands, and from what I’ve seen tonight it is going to be a long hard slog to avoid another relegation battle.

 

There is no commanding presence in the defence (Sinan is a tall man, but so so slow !!), there is no midfield general to dictate play and I’m sorry to say that Pinto is not the man to wear the captain’s armband.      Cem and Owusu look to have potential, but Eren is too slow to be a lethal striker.     I’m sure Mustafa Bey has clocked these points, but the main question is ........... does he have the wherewithal to rectify the situation   ??!!

 

Ankaragucu will be at home next Sunday when they host Kocaelispor.     Let’s see if there are any signs of improvement.

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

GENCLERBIRLIGI RECEIVE A PAINFUL REMINDER !!

 

 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

As I have said many times here, there are no ‘easy’ matches in The Championship League (Division 1) and Gencler was given a reminder of that last night.

 

Gencler had only 3 players on show who were part of last season’s relegated team.    There were glimpses of skill from the ‘new boys’, but it will obviously take time for them to operate as ‘a team’.

 

I lost count of how many Coaches Gencler had last season (4   ?) but they have retained Diyadin, but for how long   ??!!

 

Pre-match surprise was old Ankaragucu favourite and Turkish International, Umut Bulut, lining up at No9 for Eyupspor.

 

GENCLERBIRLIGI     2                   Eyupspor              4

 

Team – Ramazan, Artan, Arda, Kula, Kerem Akyuz, Hrechyshkia, Sallalli, Berisbek, Kerim Avci, Lualua and Lima

 

Substitutes – Baris and Huseyin

 

Not many supporters in The Eryaman Stadium, but situation normal for Gencler who have a poor support base.

 

It took until the 13^th minute for Eyup break the Gencler defiance and it was a well constructed goal.    A fast attack down the right and an astute pass to Umut who had timed his run to perfection, and the ball was stroked in with Ramazan exposed and helpless.

 

The 2^nd goal on the half hour mark was probably goal of the match.   An Eyup throw-in on the right was taken and the ball taken to the goal line.     The attacker looked up, spotted Umut near the penalty spot unmarked and sent in the classic cut-back for Umut to bury the ball in the top left.

 

Gencler only had one realistic chance in the 1^st half when Arda sent in a powerful header from a corner, but the goalkeeper parried and gathered the ball before Arda could pounce on the rebound.

 

Eyup were well worth their half time lead but Gencler came out for the 2^nd half in more determined fashion and started to threaten.      Their persistence paid off in the 62^nd minute when Kerim scored a scorcher into the top right from just outside the box.

 

Eyup didn’t fold and Umut was unlucky not to have bagged his 3^rd goal 10 minutes later when Arda headed his shot off the line with Ramazan out of position.

 

However, the 3^rd goal arrived 5 minutes later even if there was some luck and comedy about it   !      From a free kick on the right, a shot was made which was deflected off a Gencler attacker straight to the unmarked Taskin on the left who shot in from a tight angle.

 

Gencler continued to attack and were rewarded with an excellent headed goal by Lima from a right wing cross.

 

However, any hopes Gencler had of finding the equaliser were dashed 1 minute later when Eyup attacked straight down the other end and Cenk lobbed the ball over Ramazan who had strayed too far off his line.

 

Gencler have another difficult match next Saturday when they travel to take on Adanaspor.     They will need to work on tightening their defence for this match   !!!

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

THE 2021/2022 FOOTBALL SEASON IN ANKARA

 

 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

Another season beckons without a Super League team in Ankara with both Ankaragucu and Genclerbirligi having been relegated last season   !

 

For our regular readers, this site has mostly focused on Ankaragucu with match previews, reports and analysis by Nadeem and I, but it was founded ‘many moons ago’ to cover both teams.   Unfortunately, one of this site’s founders left Turkey for personal reasons and I have tried to keep making Gencler reports on a regular basis to compensate for his absence.

 

I will continue to do this as far as I can due to the fact that most of the original Gencler kankas have unfortunately stepped back from supporting their team  !

 

As we all know, the Turkish Championship League  (Division 1) has a high standard of football and the incentive for teams to gain promotion is all too clear for the players and, of course, for financial reasons.    So, a difficult season is looming for both teams.

 

The first matches get underway this weekend with Gencler at home tonight to Eyupspor to start the ball rolling.

 

As you have seen from Nadeem’s preview, Ankaragucu travel to play Tuzlaspor on Sunday.

 

Both teams have seen the majority of last season’s players depart for pastures new and we wish them well.

 

I will have a report of the Gencler match up here tomorrow.    The 1^st league match of the season is usually a tight affair and I see no reason why this match will be any different.

 

I’m infamous for my predictions, however, I’ll stick my neck out and predict a no scoring or a low scoring draw  !!

 

Good luck and success to Ankaragucu and Gencler this season in their endeavours to return to the super League at the first time of asking.

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

Gbolyi Ayiribi and Kwabena Owusu in, as Stelios Kitsiou departs!

 

Ankaragucu favorite Stelios Kitsiou today completed his move to Gaziantep FK on a 2+1 year contract and joins Torgeir Borven. Two excellent signings for Gaziantep and both players will likely shine playing in a better team.

Kitsiou has been one of the clubs most consistent players since his move from PAOK back in 2019. He helped the club stay in the Super Lig in his first season and built a reputation as one of the best right backs in the league. 

His work rate and fitness combined with his skill and technique on the ball made him one of the most dangerous attacking threats in the team. 

Sadly for Kitsiou, things started to turn sour last season as he had a few injuries and wasnt paid his salary either. It is believed Kitsiou was unhappy with the management of the club and that was his main reason for wanting to leave. Most Ankaragucu fans will have good memories of Kitsiou and will wish him all the best.

Some good news for Ankaragucu as Kwabena Owusu and Gboly Ayiribi have both been issued their licence by the TFF and are free to play on Sunday. Both will be key players and give Ankaragucu that much needed pace and power that they need in attack. 

TRT will also be the broadcaster for all Lig 1 games this season and you can watch them all on their official website. 

Tuzlaspor vs Ankaragucu match preview!

 

We are 4 days away from the opening week of the Turkish Lig 1 2021/22 season and we don't know if the match will be shown live due to Broadcasting rights, we don't know which players will be available for selection due to license issues, and the TFF have announced a ban on fans attending away matches due to Covid restrictions. Welcome to the chaotic world of Turkish Football which we all love and hate at the same time. 

Some transfer news before we look ahead to Sundays match. Stelios Kitsiou has agreed to a 3 year deal with Gaziantep FK and will join former Ankaragucu team mate Torgeir Borven. We wish him all the best.

Ankaragucu are still waiting on the licenses being issued to Kwabena Owusu and Gboly Ayiribi for Sundays match. Both are said to be key players for the team this season and the club will be hoping they can be part of the squad that travels to Tuzla. Eren Derdiyok has been issued his license today and will be available for selection. 

Last weekends match with Genclerbirligi was extremely disappointing and Ankaragucu fans will be hoping for a better performance this coming weekend. Most of the new signings failed to impress but both Murat Ucar and Cem Ekinci did show flashes of what they are capable off. With Owusu, Eren and Ariyibi still to come into the team, it will make Ankaragucu more competitive moving forward. 

Tuzlaspor has some fantastic memories for Ankaragucu fans. Especially the match i attended back in 2017 at the 19 Mayis Stadium. Ankaragucu just needed the 3 points to guarantee promotion to Lig 1 but went down 1-0 with 9 minutes remaining. Two last minute goals from Enes and Kenan sent the 19 Mayis crowd wild and one of the best footballing memories i have ever experienced. 

Tuzlaspor are looking to compete for promotion this season and have added players such as Lamine Diak, Marcus Pederson and Anil Basaran to their squad. Former Ankaragucu players Arif Morkaya and Emre Koyouncu are also part of their squad. 

Its difficult to tell how far on the Tuzla squad will be in terms of fitness and preparation. Its difficult to believe they will be any worse off than the Ankaragucu team who have numerous players still out of shape. 

Atif Chahechahoue is a player i have always liked since his days with Sivasspor and Fenerbahce. Hes 36 now and doesnt look in the best of shape looking at the training pictures. If Ankaragucu can get him fit he will still be an important player for the team.

Mustafa Dalci is already coming under pressure from the Ankaragucu fans for his negative approach to the game last week and failure to use any academy players. The likes of Atakan Dama, Ulas and Emre Eren in particular have all received excellent praise for their performances with the U19 team and in training. None of them were given an opportunity on Sunday and neither was Mert Topuz who was man of the match on his debut last game of last season. 

Unless something happens in the next couple of days, Ankaragucu are going into Sundays match with only 1 striker. Eren Derdiyok who is a while away from match fitness. It raises more concerns about the recruitment team and failure to identify players for key positions. 

Hopefully TRT Spor announce in the next couple of days that they have the broadcasting rights for Lig 1 and we can watch the games live. Either way we will keep you posted and have some sort of report on Sunday night. Haydi Baskent!!

Ankaragucu lose TSYD Cup against Genclerbirligi!

 

It was more disappointment for Ankaragucu fans as they watched their side lose 5-3 on penalties against Genclerbirligi in the TSYD Cup final. It was an opportunity for the fans to see some of the new signings on show on their first time back in the stadium since the pandemic. 

Team - Akin, Erdem, Sinan, Yusuf, Pinto, Abdullah, Sahverdi, Huseyin, Cem, Ucar, Geraldo

Subs - Mert, Erdi, Abdullah Celik, Alperen, Ulas, Lukasik, Arif Emre, Ali Kaan, Embiya, Ferdi, Atakan, Yasir

Eight new signings were given their debut for Ankaragucu and the most notable thing is how old they all are. Most players are over the age of 30 and some of them really need to get in shape, particularly Abdullah Durak. 

It was a bore fest of first half with neither keeper making a save. Ankaragucu looked comfortable in defence and Murat Ucar was the only bright spark in attack. 

The first chance of the second half fell to Lima in the Gencler attack but his shot was straight at Akin from the edge of the box. 

Ten minutes later Murat brilliantly set up Cem who shot from a tight angle but Ramazan made a great save. Just 1 minute later Pinto put a good ball into the box, Geraldo took the ball down nicely but then somehow blasted against the bar with just the keeper to beat. 

The opportunity summed up Geraldos time at Ankaragucu. A winger who has failed to register a single goal or assist. Youngster Emre Eren was on the bench and never got an opportunity, same with Atakan Dama, Mert Topuz, and Ulas. Its really disappointing that Dalci gave no time to any of the academy products. 

The game ended 0-0 after normal time but Gencler went on to win 5-3 on penalties and were crowned 2021/22 TSYD Cup champions. 

Ankaragucu will hope to have the licences of Owusu, Ayiribi and Eren sorted by then while Atif depending on fitness could also be available. Next Sunday the season starts at Tuzla and we will have the match preview midweek. 

Ankaragucu announce 20 new first team signings!

 

Welcome to the crazy world of Ankaragucu! With 1 week to go until the new season starts, Ankaragucu management have lifted the transfer ban and announced 20 new signings with 2-3 more to come next week. Faruk Koca also confirmed that Stelios Kitsiou has played his last game for the club.

The new signings are as follows:

1. Kwabena Owusu - Forward from Qarabag

2. Gregory Ayiribi - Winger from Panteolikos

3. Eren Derdiyok - Striker from Pakhtakor

4. Aatif Chahechouhe - Midfielder from Erzurum

5. Abdullah Durak - Midfielder from Rizespor

6. Akin Alkan - Goalkeeper from Hatayspor

7. Erdem Ozgenc - Defender from Tuzlaspor

8. Yusuf Abdioglu - Defender from Hatayspor

9. Sinan Osmanoglu - Defender from Altinordu

10. Murat Acar - Defender from Erzurum

11. Huseyin Ucar -Midfielder from Alanyaspor

12. Cem Ekinci - Winger from Keciorengucu

13. Bahadir Han Gungordu - Goalkeeper from Ankara

14.Ishak Cakmak - Midfielder from Bandirmaspor

15. Yasin Gurler - Defender from Tuzlaspor

16. Mahmut Akan - Defender from Ankaraspor

17. Ulas Yilmaz -  Youth Team

18. Arif Emre Eren - Youth Team

19. Hakan Ozturk - Youth Team

20. Kaan Cinkaya - Youth Team

Ankaragucu vs Genclerbriligi match preview! TSYD Cup

 

Its nearly 20 years since Ankaragucu last won the TSYD Ankara Cup, and they have it all to do on Saturday afternoon against Genclerbirligi. The transfer ban is set to be lifted on Friday which would mean all the new signings are free to play. 

Before we take a look ahead to Saturdays match, just a couple of bits of news over the last couple of days to keep you up to date. Ibrahim Akdag has completed his move to Kayserispor after he paid his 90K release clause from Ankaragucu. Atakan Cankaya has also left the club on a 1 year loan deal to Goztepe for 130K euros. Goztepe will have an option to buy Atakan at the end of the loan for 1.3 Million. 

They join Torgeir Borven who signed for Gaziantep last week and Stelios Kitsiou could be set to join him according to reports in the last couple of days. Endri Cekici completed his move to Konyaspor last week for 250K Euros.

Youngsters Frukan Beklevic, Halil Acikgoz, Ender Aygoren and Suat Kaya have all left on 1 year loan deals to Igdir BB who as far as i can see play in the bottom tier of Turkish Football. A strange move to allow Suat Kaya in particular leave the club after a successful spell on loan to Tarsus last season and impressing in pre season. 

Onto the weekends match and the long awaited return for competitive football is nearly upon us. Ankaragucu will take on Gencler before the season opener a week later at Tuzlaspor. Ankaragucu are undefeated in pre season so far and going by reports have defended well but struggled in attack.

Loosing Torgeir Borven, Endri Cekici, Alper and potentially Kitsiou is a big blow for the club as they were the only players of real quality in the squad from last season. The players brought into replace them will need time to prove themselves and adjust but the striker position and Number 10 are the main concern. 

With just over 1 week until the season starts Ankaragucu only have Eren Derdiyok as a recognised striker. Eren is however rumored to be in poor shape and carrying to much weight. We were unable to watch any of the pre season matches due to Ankaragucu requesting for them to be played behind closed doors. 

Some players are said to have caught the eye with their performances including Sahverdi Cetin, Erdem Ozgenc and Owusu Kwabena. Others such as Geraldo and Yasin Gureler came in for some criticism. 

My main concern from the squad is the lack of youth and too many old players who are coming to the end of their career or just not good enough. The likes of Emre Eren and Ulus will hopefully be given opportunities along with Mert Topuz in goal. Its so important for a club like Ankaragucu to be using the academy and giving opportunities to young players. 

Like Ankaragucu, Gencler have had a big turnover in players over the summer. The likes of Candeias, Stancu, Yilmaz, Ayite, Sio and Toure have all been moved on and replaced with a mix of foreign and Turkish players. 

Two notable signings are Aaron Tshibola who previously played with Aston Villa and Kilmarnock in Scotland. Tshibola was very highly rated as a teenager but hasn't lived up to his potential. He had a successful start to his Kilmarnock career, but was part of the squad who were relegated last season. 

Another British based player Kazenga Lua Lua who is the brother of former Karabukspor striker Lomana Lua Lua. 

Saturday will be a good indicator as to where Ankaragucu are at in terms of fitness. Mustafa Dalci said the team are in good condition and ready to go. He also said the team is short in the Number 10 area of the pitch and is hoping they can get someone in. 

The game will be shown live on TRT Spor for those who cant get tickets for the game. As of yesterday Ankaragucu had snapped up most of their allocation. 

Predicted Team

Akin, Erdem, Sinan, Yusuf, Pinto, Abdullah, Sahverdi, Huseyin, Cem, Geraldo, Owusu