Lemi Çelik on Hatayspor: 'Relegation would be a great injustice'

Former footballer and sports writer Lemi Çelik made significant remarks regarding the sports agenda.

Çelik shared important comments on the projects of Beşiktaş President Hasan Arat, the presidential race at Fenerbahçe, Dursun Özbek's statements regarding other teams in the context of the earthquake, and the situation of Hatayspor in the league.

'IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND MEHMET BÜYÜKEKŞİ'

Pointing out that Turkish Football Federation President Mehmet Büyükekşi has lowered the brand value of Turkish football, Çelik said, "It is impossible to understand Mehmet Büyükekşi. Mehmet Büyükekşi is the most unsuccessful Turkish Football Federation President in the history of Turkish football. It is as if Büyükekşi spent many long years on football pitches. It is as if he worked in football for a very long time; he has no success. You have dragged the brand value of Turkish football into the dirt. You have filled the federation with partisan coaches, and we see that all those coaches are names close to a certain community and sect. Therefore, please resign so that Turkish football can be rid of you. You are being booed everywhere you go. You will not be able to enter any stadium," he stated.

'HATAYSPOR SHOULD NOT BE RELEGATED'

Stating that Hatayspor should not be relegated from the Süper Lig this season, Çelik said, "In my opinion, Hatayspor should not be relegated. If necessary, the Süper Lig can be played with 21 teams next year, but it would be a great injustice to relegate Hatayspor, which has experienced a great trauma, having lost its stadium, its pitch, and its players in the earthquake. Please do not relegate Hatayspor. In this sense, I call on all sports fans in Turkey to launch a campaign. The TFF and Hamit Altıntop are not doing anything about football anyway; at least let them do something about this so that they can heal the wounds in the hearts of the Turkish people and Turkish sports fans a little. The Turkish Football Federation should not relegate Hatayspor. If Hatayspor is relegated, the federation will open a deep wound in the hearts of the Turkish people," he expressed.

"I DO NOT THINK AZIZ YILDIRIM WILL BE A CANDIDATE"

Evaluating the presidential race at the general assembly to be held in June at Fenerbahçe, Çelik said, "Mr. Ali Koç did the right thing and announced his candidacy for the presidency once again. Ali Koç should continue because, until now, he had always built poor squads while hiring good coaches. Now, for the first time in three or four years, he has built an excellent squad but hired a poor coach. With a coaching change and a few reinforcements next year, Fenerbahçe is the most important candidate for the championship. I do not think Aziz Yıldırım will be a candidate at the congress. Fans only look at the championship in football and do not look at any other branch; the fans' perspective is a bit emotional, and because of this, the fans might show an emotional reaction in this sense. I think Aziz Yıldırım shares the same view as me on this matter; with Ali Koç continuing, the squad not being dismantled, a change in coach, and one or two reinforcements, a stronger Fenerbahçe with a richer bench and a better coach will be the champion next year," he said.