Terim signs 7-year deal with national team as Turkey edges N. Ireland 1-0 in friendly

ADANA

Fatih Terim waves the supporters during friendly against Northern Ireland in his hometown of Adana, Nov. 15. AA photo

The most-decorated Turkish Coach Fatih Terim signed a five-year plus an optional two years deal with the national squad on Nov. 15, taking charge, once again, of the unachieved task to reform the country’s football. 

In the friendly game played after the announcement of the deal, Turkey edged Northern Ireland 1-0 at Terim’s hometown, Adana.

Terim had previously only agreed to take the helm of the national team to revive the little hope left during the four remaining games of an ill-fated World Cup qualifiers group stage. That agreement led to a divorce between Terim and Galatasaray, the club of his heart, which he led to back-to-back titles in Turkish League during the last two seasons. The Lions decided to rescind Terim’s contract, replacing the temperamental “Emperor” with the all Italian cool Roberto Mancini. 

“The plan is on my mind. If the executive board’s gives its approval, we will carry it into effect quickly. We won’t use the term ‘a new beginning.’ Everyone who came made a new beginning. We will prefer the word ‘reform,’” Terim said during the signing ceremony.

In his now official third spell with the crescent and stars, Terim will try to rebuild a long-term plan, in a way his predecessors Guus Hiddink and Abdullah Avcı have failed. 

For his first game after Turkey’s elimination at the qualifiers, Terim called 11 uncapped players, signaling the rebuilding process with fresh players. 

However, it was one of the veteran-talented, yet few times capped players, Bilal Kısa, who left his mark to an otherwise tame encounter. The 30-year-old midfielder with a nomadic career, who plays for the minnows of Akhisar Belediyespor, lobbed a through ball for Mevlüt Erdinç in Northern Ireland’s area. The Saint Etienne attacker slightly touched the ball home to give the lead to Turkey one minute before the break. 

Kasımpaşa’s forward Adem Büyük, Fenerbahçe’s midfielder Salih Uçan and Eskişehir’s winger Tarık Çamdal played with the national team for the first time.