Latest news with #AcunIlicali
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Jose Mourinho's ugly first season in Turkey ends in anger as two ex-Premier League stars REFUSE to play in Fenerbahce's last game of the season and leave the club after goodbyes in the training ground kitchen
Two former Premier League stars refused to play for Jose Mourinho in Fenerbahce's final game of the season on Saturday. Fenerbahce faced Konyaspor at home in their last league game having secured second place in the table after failing to mount a significant challenge to Galatasaray in the title race. But two of their senior players missed the game, and it has now emerged that they made themselves unavailable to play. Edin Dzeko and Dusan Tadic were due to be given commemorative plaques after announcing that they will leave the club this summer, but they decided they did not want a ceremony at the stadium due to fears over fan unrest. Fenerbahce supporters showed their anger towards their players following a match earlier this month, and there were concerns the same could happen again on Saturday. Instead, Dzeko and Tadic opted to say their goodbyes in the training ground kitchen. The ceremony was attended by their team-mates, club president Ali Koc and vice-president Acun Ilicali. Sporting director Mario Branco and four coaches from manager Mourinho's team also bid farewell ahead of leaving the club this summer. Galatasaray held their own farewell ceremony at their stadium for departing stars Fernando Muslera and Dries Mertens on Saturday, leading to Fenerbahce fans reacting angrily to not getting the chance to say their own goodbyes to Dzeko and Tadic. Tadic subsequently released a statement to explain why he and Dzeko had not turned up to the stadium for the final game. The statement read: 'It was a decision we made together with Dzeko not to play in the last match. We didn't want to damage Fenerbahce's image. 'The fans have always supported us. The way he said goodbye is not a problem for me. I would have preferred it to be in the stadium, but the ambiance is not very good at the moment. That's why it's better to be that way.' Fenerbahce beat Konyaspor 2-1 as they finished the season on 84 points, 11 adrift of Galatasaray. They end the campaign trophyless, while also waving goodbye to Dzeko and Tadic. Dzeko, who previously played 189 matches for Manchester City, finishes with 46 goals in 99 games for Fenerbahce. Ex-Southampton forward Tadic scored 29 goals in 109 appearances for Fenerbahce. Dzeko and Tadic failing to make a farewell appearance ends what has been a turbulent first season in Turkey for Mourinho. The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss was accused of making racist comments earlier this season after he claimed Galatasaray players were 'jumping like monkeys' when appealing for decisions to go in their favour. Mourinho denied the allegations, and Fenerbahce launched a lawsuit against Galatasaray as they leapt to their manager's defence. Mourinho was then hit with a three-match ban for pinching the nose of Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk following a feisty Istanbul derby in April. Earlier this week, Mourinho lashed out at Turkish reporters after his team were beaten 4-2 by relegation contenders Hatayspor. The Portuguese boss said: 'In the last seven years, I have played in two European finals. So in the past seven years I have played more European finals than the history of Turkish football together.' The 62-year-old may be proud of his past achievements, but it has been a difficult first season for him in a new country, and now he must prepare for life without Dzeko and Tadic following their abrupt departures.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Hull City looking to appoint Jakirovic
Hull City are looking to appoint Kayserispor boss Sergej Radio Humberside understands that the 48-year-old Bosnian and his coaching staff are hoping to get their visas next Tigers sacked boss Ruben Selles earlier this month after they avoided relegation to League One on goal has managed in Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and was appointed as head coach of Turkish Super Lig side Kayserispor in City owner Acun Ilicali said last week that the club had five candidates and that they hoped to have a new head coach in place in 10 days who played as a defender and won five caps for Bosnia, led Dinamo Zagreb to the league and Croatian Cup double in he left the club in September two days after overseeing their heaviest ever defeat, a 9-2 reverse at Bayern Munich in the Champions are 12th in the 19-team Turkish top flight and travel to third-placed Samsunspor for their final game of the season on Sunday.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Forgotten Liverpool star emerges shock favourite to become new manager of Championship club
Hull City are reportedly eyeing a former Liverpool star as their next manager following the shock dismissal of Ruben Selles. The Spaniard guided the Tigers to safety on the final day of the Championship season but was nonetheless given the boot after only six months in charge. The 41-year-old became the third head coach sacked by Hull owner Acun Ilicali in the last 12 months, with his exit beginning the search for the club's fifth permanent boss since the Turkish media mogul took control in early 2022. According to The Sun, former Reds and Manchester City winger Albert Riera has emerged as a leading candidate to become their next manager. The Spaniard, who spent two seasons at Anfield under Rafael Benitez, is currently in charge of Slovenian top-flight side NK Celje, who currently sit fourth heading into the final round of the term. The report claims that Riera is keen on managing in England following spells in charge of fellow Slovenian outfit Olimpija Ljubljana and fallen French giants Bordeaux. Riera was appointed Bordeaux manager in October 2023, returning to the French outfit after making 66 appearances for Les Girondis in the fledgling years of his professional career between 2003 and 2005. In later years, he would move to Liverpool, where he would make 56 appearances in all competitions under Rafa Benitez, before moving on to play for Olympiacos, Watford and several other sides. The Spain international was suspended by Benitez in 2010 after he had openly criticised the Reds boss and called Liverpool, per The Guardian, a 'sinking ship'. Riera went on to hang up his boots in 2016, before stepping into management. Earlier this month, Selles' removal came as a shock to many Hull fans who had just seen their side avoid relegation to the third tier. Hull went into the final day of the season in the bottom three and a 1-1 draw at Portsmouth was enough to save them, while Selles won nine of his 27 league games in charge. Speaking after that result, Selles had admitted that the season had been a 'really difficult one'. Selles had signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with the Tigers when he quit as Reading's head coach to replace Tim Walter. Walter had been appointed as successor to Liam Rosenior, who was sacked in May 2024 after guiding Hull to a seventh-placed finish, missing out on the play-offs by three points. In addition to Riera, former QPR and Rangers boss Michael Beale is also reportedly on the shortlist of candidates to takeover. According to The Sun, he has been interviewed for the post. Furthermore, it has been claimed that former Newcastle midfielder Emre Belozoglu is another name on the shortlist.
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Forgotten former Liverpool winger leading contender to become next Hull City manager after stint in SLOVENIA
FORMER Liverpool star Albert Riera is a leading contender to become the next Hull City boss. Riera is currently manager of NK Celje, who are fourth in Slovenia 's top flight going into the final day. 1 The ex-Anfield winger has worked wonders in his second stint as the club's boss but is thought to be keen on managing in England. And Hull are on the lookout for a new man in charge after they sacked Ruben Selles at the end of the season. Selles had steered Hull to Championship safety on the final day but it was not enough to save his job. The Spaniard was the third manager to be dismissed by Hull owner Acun Ilicali in the last year along with Liam Rosenior and Tim Walter. Former Sunderland and Rangers boss Michael Beale has been interviewed by Hull for the vacancy. While ex-Newcastle midfielder Emre Belozoglu joins Riera on the club's four-man shortlist. Riera steered NK Celje to a huge quarter-final berth in the Europa Conference League despite finishing 21st out of 36 teams in the league phase. After beating Cypriot side APOEL in the knockout play-off, Celje beat Swiss side Lugano via penalties in the last 16. But the club crashed out in the final eight after losing 4-3 on aggregate to Serie A side Fiorentina. A wideman in his playing days, Riera first moved to England in 2006 when Manchester City loaned him in from Espanyol. Former Premier League club closing in on return to EFL despite finishing 23 POINTS behind play-off opponents In 2008 he joined Liverpool and spent two years at Anfield, scoring five goals and providing nine assists in 56 appearances. However, his time at the club was cut short after he was suspended by then-manager Rafa Benitez. The Spaniard made comments to the Spanish press regarding his first team opportunities and was subsequently exiled and transfer listed. Riera also played for Olympiacos, Galatasaray, Watford, Udinese, Zavrc and Koper. Since hanging up his boots, Riera has managed alongside Slovenian club NK Olimpija Ljubljana as well as French side Bordeaux. Riera began his managerial career with Olimpija in July 2022 and went on to win the league title in his first season.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'I want results & entertaining football'
Hull City owner Acun Ilicali says he wants to have stability at the club but does not view changing managers as a Tigers, who avoided relegation from the Championship on goal difference this season, sacked Ruben Selles last week, just six months after the Spaniard replaced Tim Walter."People say consistency is very important and I agree, of course it is good to go along with your coach," he told BBC Radio Humberside."We have changed too many, that's true. But who can say that changing coaches too much is killing a club?"He added: "Nottingham Forest changed nine coaches in four or five years and now they maybe go to the Champions League, which is my dream."Ilicali sacked Liam Rosenior last May after the East Yorkshire side had finished seventh in the Championship and has also sacked Grant McCann and Shota Arveladze since taking over in January the Turkish entrepreneur was asked about criticism that they were becoming like fellow second tier side Watford, who have not started and ended a calendar year with the same manager since 2010, he said: "I wish I was the new Watford because they have been to the Premier League."Rosenior led Strasbourg to a seventh-placed finish in Ligue 1 this season but Ilicali defended his decision to sack him."We won two home games between January and May so I wanted to change," he said."I want results and entertaining football. We had to change because we din't have the results and we didn't have entertaining football but some of the fans didn't want to change and I respect that." Ilicali said that he could not be "satisfied" at only just avoiding relegation and with the fact Selles' side did not score two goals from open play in the same game in any of their final eight matches."Ruben is a fantastic guy and a good coach but at the end of the day we have to be a team together and trust each other and if we don't have the full trust then I don't think it can last," he said."We're happy we stayed in the league but I'm not happy about the general picture."I don't make this kind of decision by myself. We have a football team and everyone was in agreement and on the same page." Five candidates for new boss Reports have linked the Tigers with a move for Antalyaspor manager Emre former Newcastle midfielder was given a two-and-a-half-month suspended prison sentence for racially abusing Trabzonspor midfielder Didier Zokora in a match against Fenerbahce in 44-year-old was also accused of racism three times during his spell in the Premier League between 2005 and who is also vice-president of Fenerbahce, said he did not believe Emre was racist but would not proceed with looking to appoint him if the fans were against him being hired."I love my fans and they are very important. If our fans are very against a coach then why should I make them unhappy of course?" he added."Emre is a candidate but I leave it to their heart. I will not push against them. I am here to make them happy."Ilicali said the club had five candidates and that they hoped to have a new head coach in place in 10 days time.
