Gencler on the precipice

The first half of the season has now passed... Genclerbirligi have had three full-time coaches (and one part-time), they haven't managed to score a goal for at least four weeks and we find ourselves in the relegation zone. Things are starting to look scary.

Eskisehirspor 2 - 0 Genclerbirligi

The match kicked off at 7pm on a freezing Monday night in Eskisehir and as I had a diary clash with the Presidential Symphony Orchestra I had to listen to the first half on the radio whilst driving towards the Ankara Arena, next door to our spiritual home - the 19 Mayis.

The traffic was horrible but Gencler started fast but... in their first attack of the game Eskisehir scored. About half an hour in the anouncer said that Gencler had had something like 80 percent possession! Eighty-bloody-percent! We had shots and headers but nothing went in.

Then about the half hour mark Eskisehir went two up. Both goals seemed to have come from nowhere.

Seemingly everyone going to the concert drove and so I ended up having to park near the Ruzgarlı Gate Bridge. Half-time in the match and in the Arena I turned off my phone. I wasn't upset.

I then sat back and enjoyed one of those classical music concerts that aim to please everyone. You get all the famous bits of music from the commercials, you get the sing-along Turkish classical music bits. We even got some Andrew Lloyd Webber. It sounds horrible but was actually quite funny. A sort-of easy listening concert that you go to more for the cultural experience than for the music. Don't get me wrong, the Presidential Symphony Orchestra are brilliant... just not in a basketball hall.

Half-time in the concert, turn my phone on and check the messages... "Gencler have gone from a Jekyll and Hyde team to Hyde and Hyde," said Alex. Quite.