Milliyet columnist reveals: 'TFF left no door unknocked before Saudi Arabia'

The Turkish Football Federation has announced that the Super Cup final, which will feature Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, will be played in Saudi Arabia.

According to the statement made by the TFF, the two teams will take the field on Saturday, December 30, 2023, at the Al-Awwal Park stadium in the capital, Riyadh.

Following this development, some citizens raised the question, 'Why is this match not being played in Europe?'

Milliyet columnist Cemal Ersen revealed the unknown truth regarding the matter.

Ersen wrote about what happened behind the scenes, stating, "The Football Federation left no door unknocked before Saudi Arabia, and received negative responses from all of them. The guys are right; why would they invite trouble when they have none?"

Here is that article by Cemal Ersen:

It is debatable how much the Football Federation's initiative to have the Super Cup final played in Saudi Arabia will contribute to the image of Turkish football.

The justifications presented are the same. Oh, they say Neymar, Ronaldo, and many world stars are continuing their football careers in this country. They would; if Martians gave them hundreds of millions of euros, the whole lot of them would change planets.

Saudi Arabia has signed 5-year agreements with Italy and Spain. They would; these people are marketing their football culture, expertise, and brand values.

World-famous top-level referees like Halil Umut Meler are officiating important matches in this country. They would; even FIFA referee committee chairman Collina would run to blow the whistle if he heard that kind of money.

The passion for playing the Super Cup final abroad is not new. Federations have tried the same method in the past. The goal was to satisfy the football longing of our people abroad and to bring Turks in Europe together. The thought was nice, but the results were problematic. Even in those matches, incidents would break out among the spectators. It wasn't just in the stadium; there were street battles. Bad memories remained.

What did TFF President Mehmet Büyükekşi say? “We wanted to hold the Super Cup in Germany. Germany did not allow two Turkish teams to play a match in their country due to security concerns. We said let's do it in England, same situation. No European country is allowing it.

It seems the Football Federation left no door unknocked before Saudi Arabia, and received negative responses from all of them. The guys are right; why would they invite trouble when they have none?

So, why must it be another country? Was there no facility in Turkey, which will host the European Football Championship in 2032? Aren't our stadiums in Bursa, Konya, Eskişehir, or the Istanbul Olympic stadium sparkling?

The decision has been made. Despite different opinions and criticisms, it has been finalized that the Super Cup final will be played in Saudi Arabia. What can we say; may it be beneficial, this is also an experience. Hopefully, we will learn from official sources what it will bring to us and our country.

2But these questions should not remain unanswered; How many fans will be able to go to watch the match? How will the excitement and enthusiasm of the derby be carried thousands of kilometers away from Turkey? Who will fill those stands? How will the foreign players on both teams be motivated for the match after coming out of their Christmas break? What will be the gain for the clubs and especially the TFF from this choice? I personally am curious, how about you?

News Source: 12punto