Galatasaray allows Fatih Terim to lead Turkish national team

ISTANBUL

Fatih Terim's is poised for a third spell as the Turkish national team coach.

Galatasaray has given permission for Fatih Terim to coach the Turkish national football team on a temporary basis, Doğan News Agency has reported.

Terim met with club chairman Ünal Aysal the day after receiving an offer from the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) to take over the vacant national team job. Terim, who has just started the third season in his third spell as Galatasaray coach, had told TFF chairman Yıldırım Demirören that he had to speak with Aysal.

According to reports, Aysal would only approve of Terim’s coaching the national team during its final four matches in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign. However, daily Hürriyet reported on its website that the TFF wanted Terim to continue working as Turkey coach after the qualifications finished, adding that Demirören would now start considering other options.

Commitment to club

On Aug. 19, Terim, whose Galatasaray contract runs out on May 2014, released a statement through the club’s website, saying he would “not quit Galatasaray unless Galatasaray quits me.”

Daily Hürriyet reported that Demirören would start talks with veteran coach Mustafa Denizli if the Terim issue was closed. If Denizli is appointed as the new Turkey coach, it would mark a reunion between him and Demirören, after the duo worked together for two seasons at Beşiktaş, including in the title-winning 2008-2009 campaign.

On Aug. 19, Abdullah Avcı stepped down as the national football team coach, ending an ill-fated 22-month spell. Avcı’s Turkey fell far behind runaway leader the Netherlands in Group D of the World Cup qualification round, and it now requires a miracle to catch up with Hungary and Romania for a playoff spot for next year’s tournament.

Turkey will play against Andorra and Romania in two qualification matches next month.