Fatih Altaylı criticizes clubs over Super Cup crisis: 'They made this mess together'
Journalist Fatih Altaylı, in an article written following the Super Cup crisis in Saudi Arabia, stated: "You went to them like a dog, and they imposed their conditions. You accepted them. Period. The Saudis were disgraceful. So what! The Saudis were scum. That may be, it doesn't concern me. What concerns me is the attitude of the teams I support. It concerns what the federation, which has 'Turkey' at the beginning of its name, has done."
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Despite public backlash, the Turkish Football Federation decided to hold the Super Cup final between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray, marking the 100th anniversary of the Republic, in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
Hours before the match, when Saudi authorities did not permit Atatürk banners and t-shirts, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray decided not to take the field.
As the repercussions of the crisis remain a hot topic, journalist Fatih Altaylı published an article on his own website titled "If you go to the Saudis!"
Reminding readers that he had written about the Super Cup final being held in Saudi Arabia as soon as he heard the news, Altaylı stated: "Even though they were slightly intimidated by fan pressure and tried to act coy, saying things like 'Actually, we don't really want to,' it turned out that both of them had signed the contract prepared by the federation."
The relevant section from Altaylı's article today is as follows:
"Club managers who didn't remember Atatürk and his words while signing the contract suddenly remembered Atatürk.
The Saudis said they wouldn't allow Atatürk posters, and the teams resisted.
In the end, the match was canceled. Look, you might get angry, but the party with the least blame in this matter is the Saudis.
What business do you have in the Saudis' home? If you go there, the man will impose his rules on you.
And if you sign the paper containing those rules, he won't back down from the agreement. Let no one spout the nonsense that 'The Saudis have principles. They acted this way because of their religion.'
Their religion and all that is nonsense. When they hang posters of Ronaldo and others everywhere, and when they don't say a word about Ronaldo living with his girlfriend in a country where living together without marriage is forbidden, what religion are they talking about!
The issue has nothing to do with religion. The issue is your incompetence. You went to them like a dog, and they imposed their conditions. You accepted them. Period.
What concerns me is the attitude of the teams I support. It concerns what the federation, which has 'Turkey' at the beginning of its name, has done.
They made this mess together. For no reason, they also created an international crisis. Then, even though they didn't deserve it at all, they were declared 'heroes.' Well, did this disgrace have any benefit!
For God's sake, it did. It was an opportunity to show both domestically and internationally how important and valuable Atatürk is to a significant portion of this nation.
We showed the whole world the determination of this country to not stray from Atatürk's path, still and despite everything and everyone.
Domestically, the enemies of Atatürk were also a bit more enraged.
But all of this does not make one forget what the federation and club managements did.
It only proves the greatness of their communities."