- Title: TURKEY: SOCCER/FOOTBALL: Hagi replaces Rijkaard as Galatasaray coach
- Date: 23rd October 2010
- Summary: PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL ISTANBUL, TURKEY (OCTOBER 22, 2010) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS-ACCESS ALL) ( ** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) NEW GALATASARAY COACH GHEORGHE HAGI WALKING THROUGH ARRIVAL LOUNGE AT AIRPORT ISTANBUL, TURKEY (OCTOBER 22, 2010) (REUTERS-ACCESS ALL) MEDIA AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE HAGI AND OFFICIALS OF GALATASARAY CLUB STANDING HAGI SHAKING HANDS WITH VICE CHAIRMAN OF GALATASARAY CLUB YIGIT SARDAN PHOTOGRAPHERS NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) GALATASARAY'S NEW COACH, GHEORGHE HAGI SAYING: "I have come to this club because it will be a big challenge for me. As I have always said, it is a great honour to be Galatasaray's coach. I know the club is going through a tough time but I will do my best and I believe that everything will be all right. I would not come here if I did not think that Galatasaray have potential. Galatasaray have potential that is why I came." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) GALATASARAY'S NEW COACH, GHEORGHE HAGI SAYING: "I cannot guess whether this would be a turning point for my career after 30 years in football, I had a lot of turning points in my career and we will observe this one together. But first I have to observe the team carefully and get to know the players well and two months later we will have a meeting with members of the board and we will decide who will be transferred and who will leave." REPORTERS HAGI, SARDAN AND HAGI'S ASSISTANT COACH TUGAY KERIMOGLU STANDING / LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM FANS WAITING OUTSIDE / CHANTING SLOGANS FOR HAGI HAGI WAVING TO FANS
- Embargoed: 7th November 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Turkey
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA5FOC05Z62JPU608B1J99NF7E8
- Story Text: Gheorghe Hagi replaces Frank Rijkaard as Galatasaray coach, says he believes in his teams potential.
Romanian Gheorghe Hagi became Galatasaray's new coach on Friday (October 22) replacing Frank Rijkaard who had his contract terminated earlier in the week.
In a surprise move the Istanbul club appointed Hagi to a second spell as technical director in a bid to revive the fortunes of the club which the Romanian led to UEFA Cup glory as a player a decade ago.
Hagi has spent the last three years out of management and will be assisted in the post by former Turkey international Tugay Kerimoglu.
The former UEFA Cup winners parted company with Dutchman Rijkaard after a bad start to the season. They are ninth in the Turkish championship after eight games, eight points adrift of leaders Bursaspor.
Speaking at the news conference, Hagi said he feels honoured to be Galatasaray's coach and sees great potential in the team.
"I have come to this club because it will be a big challenge for me. As I have always said, it is a great honour to be Galatasaray's coach. I know the club is going through a tough time but I will do my best and I believe that everything will be all right. I would not come here if I did not think that Galatasaray have potential. Galatasaray have potential that is why I came," he told reporters.
Hagi previously coached Galatasaray in 2004-2005, when he led them to victory in the Turkish Cup. He resigned at the end of that season, when they finished third, complaining about a lack of support from the club's directors.
Asked about whether he would transfer any players, he said:
"First I have to observe the team carefully and get to know the players well and two months later we will have a meeting with members of the board and we will decide who will be transferred and who will leave."
During an illustrious career, Hagi won 125 international caps, played for Real Madrid and Barcelona and had a key role in the Galatasaray team which won a string of league titles and the UEFA Cup in 2000.
His coach during that period at Galatasaray was Fatih Terim who turned down an offer to take over from Rijkaard, according to media reports.
Hagi has had a chequered career as a coach, with short spells at a series of clubs in Turkey and Romania.
His last soccer assignment was in 2007 when he coached Steaua Bucharest for less than three months. Since then he has focused mostly on the hotel business.
Nicknamed "The King," Hagi won Romania's all time greatest soccer player award in 2000. Last year he founded a Soccer Academy, "Gheorghe Hagi," on the outskirts of the Black Sea city of Constanta to help talented children start a football career.
Hagi's arrival comes ahead of a key derby for the 17-times Turkish champions against Istanbul rivals Fenerbahce on Sunday (October 24). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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