Aziz Yıldırım announces his candidacy, makes striking remarks: 'The state is one thing, the government is another,' we will not confront the state

Ahead of the ordinary elective general assembly to be held atFenerbahçe, presidential candidate Aziz Yıldırım is making statements.

Aziz Yıldırım's statements:

"I said I wouldn't fight with anyone, but if they fight with me, I will fight back. Our concern is for Fenerbahçe to be the champion. Championships grow clubs and communities in terms of power."

"When I left 6 years ago, everyone said, 'Aziz Yıldırım is gone, Turkish football is saved.' Unfortunately, today we have reached the point where they say, 'Let Aziz Yıldırım come and save Turkish football.'"

"Fenerbahçe will never have a money problem. Fenerbahçe is one of the largest non-governmental organizations in Turkey. If we cannot ensure unity and solidarity, nothing will happen."

"Fenerbahçe is a corporate structure; they brought in people from the outside to audit the club. Can such a thing happen? Yesterday, they dismantled the state of Fenerbahçe; our friends are examining the documents. If we have any thoughts, I will express them. There is no money problem at Fenerbahçe! Why did I take the club public? If I wanted to, I wouldn't have done that; I would have been president until I died. I took the club public while I was in prison; I wanted there to be 1 million members. I wanted buildings to be opened in Anatolia to bring Fenerbahçe fans together, and we did that in a few places. However, they closed them down."

"Fenerbahçe is one of the largest civil society organizations in Turkey. 'Fenerbahçe Sports Club is the Kuva-yi Milliye (National Forces) of Turkey.' Nothing that Fenerbahçe does not want can happen in Turkey! When? If we come together! If we are not together, nothing will happen."

"Why did I become a candidate? I had no intention. I am content. But I saw some problems at Fenerbahçe. We need to do something. What will we do? I told my friends, 'One of you become a candidate, and we will proceed that way.' They said, 'We won't be candidates while you are here.' That is why I was forced to. Because I served as president for 20 years. We were league champions for 6 years, even during difficult days. We managed it for 20 years."

"I have been following the football team with sadness. I gained the advantage of looking at the club from a distance. I observed the mistakes we made. Changing our mindset and developing through change is a virtue. I did not act as an opposition in order not to hinder the work of the current club president and management, and not to take the matter outside the pitch. When I did speak, I drew attention to unity and solidarity. Especially this season, I have been calling for calm since January 2024 so that the election would not affect the pitch. I invited the community to stand behind the football team. We will win the Galatasaray derby this week, and a new process will begin. Our 2018 championship was sacrificed to the election process; I did not do that. No election is more important than a championship. I hope that from now on, no trophies or medals will be sacrificed for the sake of an election. Today, I stand before you with the sadness that the championship advantage lies with our rival."

"The current president said, 'As long as I am president, they will not let Fenerbahçe be champion.' What does this mean? We thought about this with our friends. Who does not want us to be champions? Is it the government, or the state? Is it the referees, or the TFF President? Who? If these are connected to each other, we will not go from the bottom up! We will speak from the top!"

"The state is separate, the government is separate! We cannot fight with the state! But we will struggle with the government when we are right, and we have done so! They were intertwined regarding FETÖ, and we walked together! That is why we will be open!"

"WE WILL WIN THE DERBY AND A NEW PROCESS WILL BEGIN"

"We did not hinder the work of the current club president. We did not act as an opposition; we remained silent. When we did speak, I drew attention to the unity and solidarity of the community. Since January 2024, I have constantly called for calm. I called on our community to stand behind our football team. We will win the derby this week, and a new process will begin."

"The current president said, 'As long as I am the president of Fenerbahçe, they will not let Fenerbahçe be the champion.' We all heard it. My friends and I have thought about this issue thoroughly. Who does not want us to be champions?"

STATEMENT ON JOSE MOURINHO 

"We spoke with Jose Mourinho for two hours. My friends will continue with his agents to keep the talks going. We did not discuss money or transfers. He said he watched the Konyaspor match. One candidate spoke on the phone. The current president sent an agent. Three things... Now they say, 'Is 15 million Euros worth it for him?' Well, what is it to you, my brother?"   

"Jose Mourinho will come if we agree on the terms! But you are not leaving him alone, he is following this place! He is not going to Saudi Arabia! Relax! He will go to Bahrain for two conferences, 2 million dollars! Understand this, dear press! Be positive!"

I HAVE NOT SPOKEN WITH OBRADOVIC 

"I have not spoken to Zeljko Obradovic at all for 5 months! The coach is doing just fine; you don't break what is working! If it goes bad, then we will look into it!"

HALF IS ON ME 

"My offer to this administration is, if they are thinking of working with Jose Mourinho; I will ask Şekip Mosturoğlu, let friends from both sides go and sign the contract. Whoever gets elected, let them continue with Mourinho! If we lose, I will pay half of Mourinho's salary! Let's see now..."

WHAT WILL I DO WITH RICH MEN

"Rich businessmen are supposedly joining the board! What will I do with rich men? When a rich man joins the board, he doesn't work! Is your intelligence really that limited? It's enough if they just provide money! I told Murat Ülker and Ferit Şahenk to become president, but they are busy!"

"WE COULDN'T WAVE THE FLAGS"

"We took out the flags, but we just couldn't wave them."

"If we need to get rid of debt, the basketball arena can be sold if necessary! I don't know, those things will be looked into! We are coming for the championship and to make the children happy."

"WE FOUGHT AGAINST FETÖ"

"Where did I say that Galatasaray is very strong off the pitch? You are making things up, brother... During my time, Galatasaray was a non-factor! We fought against FETÖ. They infiltrated the state, and we fought against the state. Because we were fighting them, we couldn't fight anything else. In the end, I went to Ankara and said, 'I am ready to go to prison, make your decision.' And they did!"

Question: "Will the harsh language in football change? There are constant harsh statements."

"They started talking after I left. They couldn't talk while I was there."

"I have never bet on horse racing in my life! I owned horses; they were the best horses in Turkey as a favor to some people. I went once, Murat Özaydınlı bet 2 liras and won 4 liras."

"WHEN DID THEY FIX THE DEBT"

"They fixed the debt, how much did they fix it? I challenge them to disclose it. We told them to sign Ramos, to sign Dzeko. We brought in Anelka and Ortega. You go and make very poor transfers in the first 1-2 years. They spent a lot of money."

"I arrived at the council meeting by sea, like a mafia leader... (Laughing). Not one person said 'Welcome.'"

"THE GOAL IS THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN TURKEY"

"The goal is the championship in Turkey! Don't exaggerate! There is no Champions League or anything, my friend! First, we will be champions in Turkey! Then we'll see! What Champions League? There is no need to deceive people or sell them dreams! We haven't been champions for 10 years, championship first!"

"FETÖ IS EVERYWHERE!"

Question: "Do you think FETÖ has been purged from football? What is your view on the TFF and its boards?"

"FETÖ has not disappeared in Turkey! We see it every day, they are catching them... No FETÖ operation has been carried out in sports, nor among referees. It hasn't been done in the boards of directors, and they need to do it. These things are obvious. It also needs to be done in the press; there are criminal complaints regarding 55 members of the press. I went and asked, but they are not taking action. On the morning of July 3, on Kanal D or somewhere... Someone who takes July 3 and explains it in a new way is doing a program on Halk TV. I will talk about these and expose the FETÖ members in the media. FETÖ has infiltrated everywhere; it is even stronger."

Question: "Are the names for your management list determined?"

"Including my friends, and including the registry and sub-audit boards, we haven't spoken to anyone. On my honor and integrity. There is a wedding on Saturday, I will go to that. I will come to Istanbul on Sunday. Then we will talk and submit it to the council. Everything written is a lie. I don't need a rich man; I need a smart man."

"GALATASARAY COULD NOT WIN IN KADIKÖY"

"During my tenure, Galatasaray had no victories in Kadıköy!"

MESSAGE TO THE FANS

"I am no one's man, and the fans will not be anyone's man either! If they are not, they are welcome! If they become someone else's men, we will clash. I founded the Young Fenerbahçeliler! Later, they got bored of the association and went in another direction. They were chanting for me, and I told them not to. Support the team there. I abolished chants in my own name. I have no problem with the fans, but if they have a problem with me... Then it won't work. I will not give money or tickets to anyone. Minds will change at Fenerbahçe!"

"I served as president for 20 years and never took a single job from the state. This year, I took two jobs."

THE NUMBER 10 TRANSFER

Question: "There is an expectation among the fans for a number 10. The name Dybala is being discussed. What do you think?"

"For the number 10, Cemil Turan... Good heavens... (Laughing). You can't buy that with money!"

"I AM NOT ON BAD TERMS WITH ALI KOÇ"

"I am not on bad terms with Ali Koç; we just have different opinions."

"We lost the election. I lost the election. Oh, they say I left through the garage. Was I supposed to fly out? My car was in the garage. We lost, we were sad, we went home, had two glasses of whiskey, and relaxed."

STATEMENT ON NİHAT ÖZDEMİR

"They say they will reconcile Ali Koç and me... I said, why are you speaking on my behalf? I am not at odds with Ali Koç. The President is making a statement implying that he is offended by Fenerbahçe. Nihat Özdemir served Fenerbahçe by my side for 12 years! You don't know, ignore their lies! The hostility between them dates back to 2011... There are issues you don't know about. Nihat Özdemir was an asset to Fenerbahçe... They attacked the man, and he resigned from Fenerbahçe. Take a flower in your hand, go and say, 'Mr. President, they are doing this and that to us, please resolve this.' Was he supposed to ask why you came? We are destroying all our values. My problem is not with Ali Koç, but with his actions. If you are satisfied, then I am satisfied. If you are not, then neither am I."

News Source: 12punto