Galatasaray parts ways with coach Fatih Terim after loss

ISTANBUL

Galatasaray has parted ways with coach Fatih Terim in the wake of another defeat in the Turkish Süper Lig.

Galatasaray lost 1-0 at home to Giresunspor on Jan. 8, suffering its seventh league defeat of the season. The Istanbul club has won just once in the last nine weeks.

Burak Elmas, the club’s president, held a 15-minute meeting with Terim yesterday, during which the parties decided to part ways.

The decision came after supporters protested both the experienced coach and the players in the loss against Giresunspor.

Terim’s post-match comments had no indication of a resignation, as he asked for more time for rebuilding.

“Neither Galatasaray nor I am accustomed to such a trend,” Terim told reporters in a post-match press conference. “I guess that’s why fans reacted, but despite everything, I expect the support of fans in any case.”

“I find some reactions during the game natural, but these are our players. We will continue with them until the end of the season,” Terim added in a bid to spare his players from supporters’ wrath.

The coach said he “will not sacrifice the club’s future because we lost one or two games.”

“I want to leave a football legacy to Galatasaray; I want to create a team that constantly renews itself economically,” Terim said. “For that, we need something I’ve never demanded before in my life: Patience. We are in a tunnel, and I can see the light at the end of it. Only in this way can we reach that light.”

Terim also called on the club’s fans to be more supportive. “I have always seen a different kind of love from Galatasaray fans; we have a very special bond,” he added.

“They showed me tolerance which would not have been shown to any other coach, I know that. I get it, it’s great to win, losing games creates pressure on everybody. But I think we will not succumb to these pressures and make the wrong decisions to achieve short-term success.”

On the other hand, Leader Trabzonspor grabbed its 15th win of the season by beating Malatyaspor 1-0 to extend the gap with its closest rival to 10 points, while defending champion Beşiktaş was held to a 2-2 draw by Rizespor.