TFF remains, Montella is gone!

Turkish Football Federation (TFF) Board of Directors held its highly anticipated meeting yesterday and the questions on the agenda were largely answered. At the meeting in Riva, the management headed by İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu decided to "continue their duties", and parted ways with the National Team Coach Vincenzo Montella...

At the meeting, the first issue was discussed: "Should we hold an extraordinary election or not?" Hacıosmanoğlu, who signaled that he would continue his duty by saying "You cannot blame 30 years of dirt on us" in his special statement to Hürriyet last week, also answered the question on the subject yesterday, "You know me, will I resign!" he replied.

At the meeting followed with excitement by the football community, TFF 1st Deputy President Mecnun Otyakmaz and board members Murat Şahin, Zafer Bahadır Saraç, Mustafa Temel Bozbağ and Bilal Arslan; Arguing that it would not be right for 7 people from the arbitration organization, including MHK President Ferhat Gündoğdu and referee Yasin Kol, to continue their duties after their arrest, he said, "Let's hold an extraordinary election." However, president İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu clearly rejected this request and replied, "We will continue our duty." Thereupon, Otyakmaz, Şahin, Saraç, Bozbağ and Arslan announced that they resigned from all their positions on the TFF Board of Directors.

Thus, the number of people who officially resigned from the 27-person TFF Board of Directors, who took office at the general assembly held on July 18, 2024, increased to 12. After those who resigned left the hall, substitute board members İbrahim Özbay and Metin Akyüz were appointed as full members and the quorum for the meeting was reached. Later, in the meeting, the situation of National Team Coach Vincenzo Montella was discussed and it was decided to part ways with the Italian coach. Finally, Serdar Yıldız was appointed as the TFF General Secretary, which was vacated with the resignation of Abdullah Ayaz, and Ahmet Erzurumlu, who currently serves as the TFF Registration Affairs Director, was appointed as his deputy.

The TFF Board of Directors dismissed the coach of the National Team, Vincenzo Montella, who could not deliver what was expected in the 2026 World Cup and UEFA Nations A League.

Mecnun Otyakmaz, who resigned from TFF: There was no point in continuing