Fenerbahçe Presidential Candidate Aziz Yıldırım: 'I spoke with Aykut Kocaman'

Aziz Yıldırım, a candidate for the Fenerbahçe presidency, has declared his intention to build a formidable team and management structure, aiming to restore the club's former glory. "We have assembled a strong management team," Yıldırım stated, emphasizing the synergy between his experience and the collective expertise of his colleagues. He believes this unified approach will foster a strong team that reconnects with the club's spirit and unites the fanbase, ultimately leading to the championship title they aspire to win.

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We have assembled a strong management team. The experience and knowledge I possess will be combined in a pool we will create with these friends. If we build a good team and with this team, we will ensure that the spirit of Şükrü Saracoğlu re-emerges, players integrate, and the community embraces us all. If we do these things, we will achieve the championship we speak of.

Yıldırım reflected on the 2018 season, attributing the lack of a championship to a divided fanbase and internal discord. He stressed the importance of creating a cohesive team over relying on individual stars, drawing a parallel with Alex de Souza, who became a beloved figure through his performance and connection with the fans. "The important thing is to create a good team, not a star player," he asserted, highlighting that Alex's stardom emerged from his dedicated play for Fenerbahçe.

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The important thing is to create a good team, not a star player. Was Alex a star player? No. He played well here, became everyone's favorite, and became a star player.

Addressing the club's financial health, Yıldırım vowed to prevent any future accusations of mismanagement. "We will not let anyone say behind our backs that 'He bankrupted the club, he can't even find a sponsor!'" he declared. Fenerbahçe, he affirmed, has no debts and belongs to no single individual. He also reassured concerned supporters about the basketball division, stating, "We are not here to shrink or close down departments. That is the vision of small minds." He expressed pride in nurturing national athletes and pledged to continue this tradition under the guidance of Atatürk.

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We will not let anyone say behind our backs that 'He bankrupted the club, he can't even find a sponsor!' Fenerbahçe has no debt to anyone, nor does it belong to anyone.

Regarding technical appointments, Yıldırım revealed that İmparator Oğuz Çetin will lead the football intelligence unit and is working with his team. He confirmed a prior conversation with Aykut Kocaman before announcing his candidacy, agreeing to discuss matters further depending on the election outcome, though no firm commitment was made. International consultations are ongoing, and decisions on a new technical director will be made and announced in the first week after the election, should his slate win. He also dismissed rumors about signing Luis Suarez, citing the player's high transfer fee and availability, suggesting a more strategic approach to player acquisitions post-election.

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There are those who are worried about basketball. We are not here to shrink or close down departments. That is the vision of small minds. Nurturing so many national athletes swells our chests. We will continue to nurture athletes in the light of the Great Leader Atatürk.