Response to Fixture Criticisms by Fatih Terim

Galatasaray’s coach Okan Buruk has frequently criticized the match schedule lately, and Fatih Terim made noteworthy comments on this topic during the İzmir Sports Summit 2024.

Here are Fatih Terim’s full statements:

“Having money without brains is useless. If you have brains but no money, that is also useless. Both must be used wisely. Otherwise, the world’s richest people will buy the biggest teams, do what they want, and be successful. Both together is a beautiful thing.”

“THE GAP WITH OUR EUROPEAN RIVALS IS CLEAR”

Comparing the football played in our country with that in Europe, Terim stated, “The difference between the football we play in our country and our European rivals is very clear. We have worked hard to overcome this for years, and it has not been easy. It should be regarded as a separate place. Therefore, a greater focus and attention are needed in Europe.”

“IF YOU WANT SUCCESS, YOU WON’T PLAY LESS THAN 60 MATCHES”

Regarding the fixture issue that has recently been a topic of discussion, Terim made striking remarks:

“If traffic is congested and there are no days available, then if we play in our country, there is no problem at all. Let’s play the Turkish Cup after November, let’s play 30-35 matches in the league, and let’s finish it. If you want to be successful, you won’t play less than 60 matches. The players probably think similarly to me. I am in favor of playing a lot because of our presence in Europe. In 2000, we played between 60-70 matches. This number is significant. Many teams in Europe play this number now. We even played our friendly matches against teams like Barcelona and Rosenborg as if they were important matches. Yet, we won all the trophies. The rotation is there so that every player gets a chance. So why do we pay for 30 players? 22 players are enough for the Turkish league. Let’s avoid this. Let’s not get players, managers, or coaches accustomed to excuses or reasons. You said, ‘Is there no match?’ Now you are complaining.”