Outburst by Galatasaray's Terim could pave way for first top-flight female coach

ISTANBUL

Duygu Erdoğan (L) may coach Galatasaray this weekend and mark a first in Turkish football history.

Duygu Erdoğan may coach Galatasaray this weekend to make history as the first female coach with Fatih Terim facing a lengthy touchline ban after getting involved in a heated argument during a Spor Toto Super League game on April 6.

Coach Erdoğan and goalkeeping coach Claudio Taffarel are the only eligible names if Galatasaray head coach Terim and his two assistants are handed a touchline ban for being sent off.

“Erdoğan and Taffarel might be [coaches] at the Karabükspor game,” Terim told Lig TV. If that happens, Duygu Erdoğan will be the first female coach to manage a Super League team.

Ten-man Galatasaray rallied to beat bottom-dwelling Mersin İdman Yurdu 3-1 to maintain its league lead, but the game will be remembered more for Terim’s fury than the Lions’ comeback.

Ref Süleyman Abay sent off Terim after the Galatasaray boss angry threw the ball to the ground to protest a call late in the first half.

In the second half, Terim’s assistants Hasan Şaş and Ümit Davala were also sent off on separate occasions for protesting Abay’s calls, leaving the Galatasaray bench empty but for masseur Uğur Durul in the last 10 minutes.

The trio will likely receive suspensions, with Terim probably facing a longer ban due to a previous offense. “We will be the champions even if I manage the team from the moon,” Terim said after the game.

However, Galatasaray’s record without Terim has not been a success in the past, with the Lions collecting just four points from the three matches he was banned.

With six matches left, Galatasaray leads the standings with 56 points, and Fenerbahçe, which was scheduled to visit Orduspor later yesterday, follows with 49 points.

On April 6, a Didier Drogba double added to a Felipe Melo penalty, as the Lions fought back from an early Mersin goal. The hosts played with 10 men for one hour after Dany Nounkeu was sent off.