ANKARAGUCU - CRISIS LOOMING ?!

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

It was a very bitterly cold snowy day yesterday in Ankara and I was half expecting the match to be postponed. After all, the Konya v Cimbom match didn’t make it later in the evening. However, well done the 19 Mayis ground staff for pulling out the stops and making the pitch reasonably playable.

It was bucketing down with the `white stuff` all morning and all day, and when I arrived at the Stadium direct from school the ground staff were still trying to clear the snow. They were like `ants` on the pitch and the players had a hard time finding space to warm up. The red marking machine was being trundled around all the lines and the snow was swirling around us all with the gusting wind. Brrrrrrrrr ….. get the picture ?

Maniac Kanka joined me inside the Stadium having been for his pre-match refreshment in The Lacivert, but not for the first time this season, I was stone cold sober !

Not a happy report I’m afraid……

ANKARAGUCU 0 Trabzonspor 2

So, the statistics don’t read well….. 4 consecutive matches without scoring a goal and ANKARAGUCU’s league position is heading `southwards` with a crisis looming !

So, as I said, it was only Maniac Kanka and I there yesterday and we kept looking for some kankas to keep us company. Where were they we were wondering ???

My comment was …… Bloody fair weather supporters !!
Maniac Kanka had stronger words….. he suggested we call them effin HALF KANKAS !!!

We can excuse Battle Damaged Kanka who was out of town and returned too late to attend, however, I’m sure there will be comments from the others ??!!

To the match then, and it started well enough for ANKARAGUCU who attacked throughout the 1st half and went close a few times. Lots of sliding and slipping made for goalmouth melees with the ball being scrambled away by the Trabzon defence several times. When confidence is down, usually Lady Luck is absent !!

There was also a fair penalty claim turned down by a `blind` referee when Gokhan was upended in the box.

It was still all ANKARAGUCU at the half hour mark when Trabzon made one of their few breakaways of the half. The ball was played through the centre to `old boy` Umut, but Kirita had it covered and was about to tackle Umut and clear when he slipped on the snow. Umut doesn’t pass up those type of gifts and coolly despatched the ball past a helpless Serkan.

So, Trabzon went in at half time one up and totally against the run of play. Life is cruel sometimes !! Out came the red marking machine again. Also the `ants` were beavering around with the snow clearing tools. In fact, the referee had to stop the match twice to allow the `ants` to keep the lines clear !

Trabzon came out in the 2nd half and started to play a bit. ANKARAGUCU reverted to their old bad habit to pumping high balls forward to the diminutive Jaba who didn’t win one header all afternoon against the tall defenders of Trabzon. Bebe was his usual self ….. chasing back into defence and midfield to find the ball and he wins my man of the match award for his `never say die` efforts.

ANKARAGUCU continued to press forward but I could feel the confidence of the players ousing away as the clock ticked onwards. Then with 20 minutes remaining, a stunning goal from Ayman who picked the ball up about 30 yards out on the left and sent in an angled screamer which had Serkan clawing thin air (and falling snow) !

Diawara and Murat Duruer were brought on and it was all out attack from ANKARAGUCU now. Another clear penalty was turned down by that ibne of a referee when Bebbe was brought to ground by THREE defenders. Bebbe also had a great over-head kick well saved by the Trabzon keeper who palmed the ball out for a corner.

It was just not ANKARAGUCU’s day and Lady Luck stayed absent. Even the Gecikondu Boys decided enough was enough and they all disappeared out of the Stadium with 15 minutes remaining. First time I’ve ever seen that !!

So, back to The Cappadokia Bar to thaw out and put some fire down our throats, or in other words….. drown our sorrows !!

Hakan Kutlu now has a major problem on his hands. How is he (a defender) going to show his team how to score goals again ? Also, does he have the necessary attributes to motivate the team for next week’s tricky visit to Istanbul BBS ?

Well, there is no alternative. He has to find the answer. Time is running out and being sucked into the end of season `dog fight` is not something which I would recommend !!

Eski Kanka is running out of optimism !!

All the best from down in the dumps Eski Kanka Jim

Photo nicked from Milliyet website.