Manisa Mayor: Success Comes from Local Youth, Not Ready-Made Transfers

Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Besim Dutlulu has called for a shift in sports investment, prioritizing the development of local youth talent over acquiring ready-made players. Speaking at an event organized for World Coaches Day, Dutlulu stressed that a municipality's core duty is to invest public resources in its citizens, particularly the younger generation.

“

We are a municipality, and we use the public's resources and opportunities for our people and our future. The most fundamental and vital task we must undertake in this direction is to invest in our youth.

"We are a municipality, and we use the public's resources and opportunities for our people and our future," Dutlulu stated. "The most fundamental and vital task we must undertake in this direction is to invest in our youth."

“

Manisa is a big city, and having ambitious teams in professional branches and top leagues suits this city's brand value.

While pledging full support for professional sports branches like basketball, volleyball, and handball to compete in top leagues and boost the city's brand, Dutlulu emphasized that the "real, lasting work" lies in nurturing children and developing infrastructure. He pointed out the difficulty amateur sports like athletics, archery, swimming, judo, and karate face in securing sponsorships, contrasting it with the support often available for football.

“

Our real, lasting work is our children, our youth, and our infrastructure work.

"As the Metropolitan Municipality, we must stand at this very point and open the way for our youth in amateur branches," he urged. Dutlulu also announced plans for new facility investments to strengthen the city's sports infrastructure, stating that success requires both dedicated coaches and modern facilities. The ultimate goal, he added, is to spread sports and healthy living to a wider audience, starting with identifying new talents through summer schools.

“

As the Metropolitan Municipality, we must stand at this very point and open the way for our youth in amateur branches.