Turkey lost 3-1 in Italy. In Bologna. Fourth defeat in a row, a first since 1988. I read about it at the chip shop on Monday, in my weekly football magazine and in the DH (a Belgian daily), to compare.
After the match, the national coach, Vincenzo Montella, said: “The result is not positive”.
I put the paper down. I read the sentence again.
Five words. No “we lacked a bit of luck”. No “there are positives”. No “we’ll analyse it calmly”. A man looks at a 3-1 and says it is not positive. In 1980, people spoke like that. A manager lost, he said it was not good, and we went home for lunch.
The rest I know as well. The Turkish supporters in Bologna called for his dismissal. He was booed by his own supporters. He asked them to trust him and reminded everyone that the target was still the Euro. According to the Turkish media, sacking him would cost the federation close to 5 million euros. He is under contract until after Euro 2028.
Twenty twenty-eight. In my day, a manager’s contract was counted in seasons. Sometimes in months. I’m not criticising. I’m comparing.
The Turkish media are already naming Fatih Terim and Nuri Sahin as successors. The bench is occupied, and there is already a queue in front of it.
A queue, Marcel, is a luxury. At my place, you first have to convince the successor to turn up on a Sunday.
Freddy exaggerates. Or not.
Meanwhile, Italy have overtaken Belgium in Group A. Turkey host the Red Devils on 12 November, in Izmir. I will watch the match on television. Not in black and white. They don’t offer it any more.
Well. It’s the times.
It’s true, we checked: DH Les Sports+.
