ANKARAGUCU - CUP ASPIRATIONS ON HOLD !

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

Another `bad day at the office` for Hakan Kutlu !!

Ankaraspor 2 ANKARAGUCU 0

ANKARAGUCU's Cup aspirations were dealt a severe blow in the `Stadium from Hell` yesterday with both teams playing on a disgraceful surface of ice and not grass. The match was therefore a lottery with Ankaraspor twice hitting the jackpot !

Rip Off Kanka Erman was the only kanka able to attend, but I unfortunately don't have the benefit of his match report. However, I'm sure he will not have been a `happy bunny` !

I met Maniac Kanka Harun last night in The Lacivert Pub and we were told that Hakan Kutlu had Kirita, Bebbe and Jaba on the bench. An amazing decision given his comments the previous day in the Hurriyet that his ambition was to take ANKARAGUCU to the Cup Final !

Granted, Kirita and Bebbe were brought on in the 2nd half, but by then the damage had been done ! Another case of ..... too little too late !

Murat Erdogan took the captain's armband for the match in place of Kirita.

Well, after 3 or 4 beers (or was it more ?!) Maniac Kanka and I were still incensed about Hakan Kutlu's decision and our frustration of `throwing away` 3 points. So much so that he decided to phone Hakan Kutlu to express our anger and ask for an explanation.

Hakan said that his decision was based on the fact that all 3 players had returned to their home countries for Christmas and New Year and therefore were unable to train with the team in preparation for the Ankaraspor match.

OK, so it's his call as team coach, but what I think is not able to be printed here !!! All 3 players are professionals who were given persmission to go home and should therefore be trusted to return fit to play !

ANKARAGUCU is now left with a mountain to climb if they are going to qualify for the Knock Out stage of the Cup.

At home to Sekiztrash on 16 January now becomes a MUST WIN match. So, having `shot ourselves in the foot` we heap extra pressure on the players for that match and also the final one away to Rize.

Well, at least we poured ourselves out of The Lacivert in a happier (intoxicated ?!!) frame of mind than that in which we had entered !!

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim