Harsh words from Hasan Arat to previous management
Besiktas President Hasan Arat criticized the actions of the previous management, stating, “Besiktas is not a place for satisfying your commercial interests.”
At the club’s Ordinary Administrative and Financial General Assembly held at the Istanbul Congress Center, Arat addressed past misconduct, neglect of club properties, and his administration’s efforts to recover assets for the club. He emphasized the challenging financial situation they inherited and thanked the board members and club employees for their hard work. Arat also expressed frustration at not receiving a proper handover from the previous administration, remarking, “If you are leaving a role, you should transfer it properly. Besiktas is a heavy burden, and you will be crushed under it if you cannot handle it.”
“They created parallel structures in the club for financial gain”
Discussing financial issues under former president Ahmet Nur Cebi, Arat said, “Besiktas is not a place for satisfying your commercial interests. Many people who were illegally made members of the club have been removed. Real Besiktas fans have joined the club, and the era of seizing Besiktas’ assets is over.” He revealed how the former management had allegedly set up parallel structures within the club to profit from memberships.
Arat also noted a shift in the approach to club associations, explaining that land donations from associations outside Istanbul would be used to establish energy plants, providing financial support to the club.
“We still have foreign players we don’t plan to keep”
Commenting on the restructuring of Besiktas’s first team, Arat criticized the previous management’s signings, questioning the value of players like Eric Bailly and Ante Rebic. Arat highlighted that they released 37 players and brought in only 8 key transfers to reinforce vital positions. He also mentioned that some foreign players are not in their plans and that their team will focus on these adjustments in the winter transfer window.
