Turkish PM Erdoğan lauds Galatasaray’s new apple of the eye, Drogba

ISTANBUL

The Ivorian striker scored within five minutes of entering the match against Akhisar Belediyespor. AA photo

Galatasaray’s star mid-season transfer, Didier Drogba, has already won plaudits from hard-to-please Turkish football commentators thanks to his performance in his first game, but now he has a new fan as well, die-hard Fenerbahçe supporter Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – the prime minister.

Erdoğan, a solid defensive player playing in amateur leagues that attracted the scouts of big Istanbul clubs during his youth, was impressed with Drogba’s sensational first performance, in which the Ivorian striker scored within five minutes of entering the match before setting up another in Galatasaray’s 2-1 win over Akhisar Belediyespor on Feb. 15.

“Drogba is a great player. We were watching him with admiration when he was playing for Chelsea. The guy changed the course of the match in just five minutes,” Erdoğan was quoted as saying by Turkish media Feb. 19. 

Some reluctant commentators had strongly criticized Galatasaray for spending big sums of money on Drogba as well as Wesley Sneijder, the former Inter and Real Madrid player, during the mid-season transfer window. 

Erdoğan, however, seems to have given his full approbation to the moves – or at least to Drogba’s transfer. “[Drogba] will be successful in Turkey. That’s how you make a transfer,” he said.