At the Peak of Turkish Football
A remarkable statistic regarding Trabzonspor’s new head coach, Şenol Güneş, has taken center stage. Here are the details…
After the departure of Abdullah Avcı, Trabzonspor appointed the legendary Şenol Güneş as their new head coach. It has been revealed that Avcı is not only an icon for Trabzonspor but also a legendary figure in Turkish football. Güneş, who has coached 6 teams over 23 seasons, stands at the top in many statistical categories. According to an analysis by Fotomaç, examining the managers with the most points since the establishment of the Süper Lig in 1959, Şenol Güneş is at the top of the list. He has collected 1,140 points, making him the coach with the most points in Süper Lig history. The successful coach won several trophies during his time at Trabzonspor and Beşiktaş.
AIMING FOR NEW SUCCESS
The 72-year-old Güneş reached this milestone by managing 604 matches across 6 different teams. The experienced coach has won 2 Süper Lig titles, 2 Turkish Cups, and 2 Super Cups. Galatasaray’s legendary coach Fatih Terim ranks second, with 955 points from 476 matches. Terim, who won countless championships and cups with Galatasaray, has 8 Süper Lig titles, 4 Super Cups, 3 Turkish Cups, and 1 UEFA Europa League title. Now, Şenol Güneş is set to embark on new successes with Trabzonspor. In his 5th term, he aims to fill in the missing pieces.
FIRST TARGET: WINGER
After Şenol Güneş’s arrival, the search for a target man shifted to a search for a winger. The new head coach’s move to reshape the team’s offensive play led the scouting team to get to work immediately. Reports suggest that scouts have identified several players, primarily from France and England, and have started negotiations.
RETURNING AFTER 11 YEARS
Güneş began his 5th stint at Trabzonspor, having last taken charge in the 15th week of the 2009-10 season ahead of the Ankaragücü match. He stayed until a 3-1 defeat to Elazığspor in the 19th week of the 2012-13 season. Güneş resigned on January 27, 2013, and is now back at the club after nearly 12 years.
14 COACHES SINCE HIS LAST TENURE
Following Güneş’s previous departure, 14 coaches have taken charge of Trabzonspor. These include: Tolunay Kafkas, Mustafa Reşit Akçay, Hami Mandıralı, Halilhodzic, Ersun Yanal, Şota Arveladze, Sadi Tekelioğlu, Rıza Çalımbay, Ünal Karaman, Hüseyin Çimşir, Newton, Orhan Ak, Bjelica, and Abdullah Avcı.
FIRST TARGET: WINGER
After Güneş’s appointment, the team shifted its focus from finding a target man to a winger. The scouting team, acting on Güneş’s input to reshape the attack, immediately began working, especially targeting players in France and England.
4TH COACH UNDER DOĞAN
Şenol Güneş will be the 4th coach to work under club president Ertuğrul Doğan, who took office on March 26, 2023. Before him, Orhan Ak, Bjelica, and Abdullah Avcı were entrusted with the team during Doğan’s tenure.
