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