Şekip Mosturoğlu calls for 'change' after Fenerbahçe loses ground in title race

The April Ordinary High Council Meeting of Fenerbahçe is being held at the Fenerbahçe Sports Club Faruk Ilgaz Facilities. The meeting was attended by Fenerbahçe Sports Club President Sadettin Saran, High Council President Şekip Mosturoğlu, and members of the Council.

Former president of the yellow-navy club, Aziz Yıldırım, also attended the meeting. The meeting began with a moment of silence and the singing of the National Anthem.

"A CHANGE IN MENTALITY IS ESSENTIAL IN FOOTBALL"

Fenerbahçe High Council President Şekip Mosturoğlu addressed the points lost by the football team yesterday in his speech, drawing attention to the success that has remained elusive in recent years. Mosturoğlu said, "I would like to express my condolences on behalf of the Fenerbahçe community regarding the tragic incident that occurred in our provinces of Şanlıurfa and Kahramanmaraş. I wish God's mercy upon our teachers and students who lost their lives and extend my condolences to their grieving families. I offer my best wishes for a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident. We have gathered here today following the match result from last night that deeply saddened us all.

We all know what the draw our football team received means for the Süper Lig championship race. We are all very sad and experiencing disappointment. Yet, before the match, we as a community had focused on the championship goal and had become, as it were, one heart. Yesterday, with the atmosphere created by our fans at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, our team took the lead despite falling behind in the score, but in the final seconds, they caused great disappointment to our fans. This situation has occurred more than once this season; we have fallen behind when we could have taken the leadership seat. Although our championship chances still mathematically continue, unfortunately, the reins are no longer in our hands, and the initiative has passed to our rival.

Ignoring this picture today, belittling it, or trying to portray it as something other than what it is, does not suit this podium or this community. It is also extremely natural for our fans to be angry. Because Fenerbahçe fans always want trophies, they want championships. This club is the club of those who do not accept defeat. For this reason, we feel the disappointment our fans are experiencing most deeply. Of course, there is responsibility for these negative results. This responsibility cannot be reduced to just one person or one group. Everyone, from the management to the technical staff, from the players to all stakeholders, shares this sense of responsibility. The entire responsibility for this situation does not belong solely to this management.

While we have an overwhelming superiority in all other branches we compete in, why can't we reach this level in football? Why? I do not accept the double-standard decisions that change from club to club, and I do not want what we are experiencing today to become normalized. Our overwhelming superiority and success in the other branches we compete in are the work of a philosophy maintained through systematically built stability. With this philosophy, continuous and overwhelming successes have been achieved through squad continuity and technical staff stability, and with squads built upon the existing team. These dynamics that lead us to success in other branches we compete in work in exactly the opposite way in football.

Changing the technical staff and squads like a puzzle every season is the root cause of the frequently repeated failures in football. For us, a change in mentality in football is essential. This will not be possible through impulsive, emotional decisions, but rather through the establishment of a new working model and system where a proven sporting approach and philosophy are made dominant in football," he said.

Şekip Mosturoğlu continued his speech as follows:

"Fenerbahçe is a club that has experienced difficult periods throughout its history but has managed to get back on its feet every time. The disappointment we are experiencing today is great, yes. But the strength of this community reveals itself precisely in such times. It is only possible for us to emerge from the difficulties we are in through collective wisdom. The most important thing we need to do here today is not to wear each other down, but to protect our collective wisdom. Criticism will certainly exist, and it should. But it is the responsibility of all of us to ensure that this criticism is constructive and remains on a ground that will not harm Fenerbahçe. Let us not forget that this club draws its greatest strength from unity. We are strong when we stand shoulder to shoulder, not when we are divided. Today, perhaps our morale is low, perhaps we are angry. However, we must not forget that our community expects us to produce solutions precisely on such a difficult day. This community never gives up the fight. It feels sad today, but it gets back on its feet tomorrow. Because this is the character of Fenerbahçe. What needs to be done today is to produce the ideas and solutions that will enable us to get back on our feet quickly."

News Source: İHA