Fenerbahçe head coach Yanal resigns

ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency

Ersun Yanal's resignation as Fener coach came as a surprise after he comfortably guided the club to last season's Super League title.

Ersun Yanal, head coach of Turkish Spor Toto Super League defending champions Fenerbahçe, has resigned from his post.

Yanal quit his post on Aug. 9 amid media reports of disagreements with club chairman Aziz Yıldırım that included accusations about the coach's personal life, as well as reported anger that players were given time off despite lackluster preseason performances.

"It's impossible to maintain my job in these circumstances as a head coach," Yanal said in a statement to Anadolu Agency.

He added that it had been a great honor to manage Fenerbahçe and thanked the fans, board, media and sports community for supporting him last season.

"Principles are superior to the money that we earn and they are indispensable for success as well," the 52-year-old Yanal added.

Fenerbahçe dispatched two-time defending champion Galatasaray to win last season's title, but the club was barred from participating in the season's Champions League due to the 2010-11 match-fixing probe.

The club will open its 2014-15 season at home to Kardemir Karabükspor on Aug. 31.