NEWS: Sunday May 11, 2008
CHAMPIONS!
May 11 (GalatasarayNews.com) Galatasaray won the
Turkish League title for the
17th time on Saturday as they beat Genclerbirligi OFTAS 2-0 at home. After a tight
race
for the championship, Galatasaray finished a full six points ahead of rivals
Fenerbahce, who ended their season with a 2-0 loss at Trabzonspor to finish
seconds.
Sivasspor finished fourth, even on points
with third-placed Besiktas but behind on
goal difference.
Galatasaray's goals came from veteran striker Hakan Sukur and
defender Hakan
Balta.
The Lions, who opened the season in good form, faced some
challenges on the
road to the title. Fenerbahce and Besiktas, as well as surprise
contenders
Sivasspor, nipped at their heels all season. The team's two foreign stars,
Tobias
Linderoth and Lincoln, missed much of the season due to injuries. And the
most
severe blow came in early April, when Galatasaray's aging German coach
Karl-Heinz
Feldkamp abruptly quit after disputes with the management, leaving the team
without
a leader in the closing weeks of the season.
But the Lions persevered, winning their last four matches including
the all-important
derby against Fenerbahce on April 25.
Temporary coach Cevat Guler, who took over from Feldkamp roles,
admitted that
"there may have been times in
recent
weeks when the fans didn't think we would be
champions." But, he added, "we are delighted
and
thank everyone for their support."
Thousands of Galatasaray fans poured into the streets of Istanbul after
the final
whistle, waving flags and celebrating long into the night.
NEW PRESIDENT: POLAT
March 28 (GalatasarayNews.com) Ozhan
Canaydin's six-year term as Galatasaray
chairman came to an end this week. Popular club vice-president Adnan Polat
was
elected by a wide margin to replace him.
Canaydin had decided not to run for another term due to health concerns,
and Polat's
opponent was a relatively unknown professor named Nazim Durak. Polat won by
a vote
of 2,148 to 230.
"To me, this is a dream come true," Polat said after the votes were
counted. "To be the
chairman of Galatasaray is the greatest and most honorable title I could
ever imagine."
Polat, 55, vowed to work towards achieving a "more comfortable financial
status" for the
debt-ridden club, and to end what he sees as a lack of unity in the club's
administration.
"Unity in the club
would sweep away all the current problems," he said in his victory speech.
New board member bios
HERE.
KAYSERISPOR TAKE CUP
May 8 (GalatasarayNews.com) Kayserispor won the 2008
Turkish Cup final on Wednesday, beating Genclerbirligi on penalties.
After a goalless match, Kayseri managed to win a tense
11-10 penalty shootout.
It was the first Cup final in over 20 years that did not feature
one of Turkish football's "big four".
Kayserispor's win earned the club a spot in the Uefa Cup
next season.
GS OUT OF TURKISH CUP
April 16 (GalatasarayNews.com) Galatasaray were
knocked out of the Turkish Cup on Tuesday after failing to beat Genclerbirligi
in the semifinal second leg at Ali Sami Yen.
The visitors took the lead in the 76th minute, and despite their home
field advantage, Galatasaray could not penetrate Gencler's defense until an Umit
Karan goal in the final minute of regular time. The 1-1 tie was not enough to
bring Galatasaray through to the final.
