Erden Timur's statement on Fenerbahçe: We are not expecting an apology!

Galatasaray Sports Club President Dursun Özbek called for unity in the championship race in the Super Lig, which is entering its final week, for the yellow-red community that will elect its new president on Saturday, May 25. Dursun Özbek also made a statement regarding the events that occurred during the derby.

Providing information about his ongoing projects, Özbek stated: "Our projects are endless. We came to work for Galatasaray. Florya is now becoming too small for Galatasaray. There was a need for a larger and more advanced facility. We have reached the point of completing the Kemerburgaz Metin Oktay Facilities. We will open the new season in this magnificent facility. It is a place that will be among the few facilities of Europe's major teams, as there is nothing like it in Turkey already. Our indoor sports are very scattered. We practice every branch in a different facility. This fragmentation both brings costs and prevents the maintenance of integrity. That is why we bought the 62-acre land next to our stadium. We will build a complex here where we will gather indoor sports. We have now reached the end of the preparation process."

Reminding that the land of the Florya Metin Oktay Facilities will be evaluated, Özbek continued his words as follows: "Florya is the biggest project ever done for Galatasaray. We took action to carry out this project by receiving authorization from the general assembly in 2022. In the first stage, we thought that it would be more profitable if the club did it with its own means. However, the authorization received covers either doing this project ourselves or giving it to a contractor. I have a background in construction; I know this business. In 2022, we had a report prepared by the Industrial Development Bank of Turkey (TSKB). According to the report in question, we presented that if we do it ourselves, we would sell it for an average of 5 thousand dollars per square meter and make a profit of 370 million dollars. In this framework, we received authorization from the general assembly by unanimous vote. In May 2024, we received a report from TSKB regarding the same project, again on the condition that we do it ourselves. This time, the average sales price per square meter came out to 6 thousand 750 dollars. Meanwhile, costs have also increased. After the costs are deducted, Galatasaray will earn 434 million dollars. TSKB is one of the most important institutions in this business. Everyone in the construction sector does their projects according to the report of this institution. At the general assembly, we requested authorization according to the reports of TSKB, which is the most reliable authority."

RESPONSE TO SÜHEYL BATUM

Regarding the claim by presidential candidate Süheyl Batum that the square meters of the residences in Florya are sold for 13 thousand dollars and that Galatasaray will lose approximately 500 million dollars, Özbek used the following expressions: "We discuss these issues at every board of trustees meeting. If these people came to our meetings, they wouldn't say this. I wish we could sell them for 13 thousand dollars. They think, 'They did the tender, they gave it to someone. While it was 13 thousand dollars, they gave it for 6-7 thousand dollars. What happened to the difference?' A person's tongue reflects their own thoughts. We are constantly in the region. Finally, we bought the land of the Galatasaray Solidarity Foundation and researched real estate prices. There is no such price. I wish there was. Even if we did it ourselves at the stated prices, or if we did revenue sharing, our profit would be 800-900 million dollars. Which Galatasaray fan wouldn't want this? There is no tender made in the middle. There are a few companies that can do a job of this size. We are talking to all of them. We are coming to the end of the process. There will be a tender to be broadcast on GSTV within the framework of the authorization we received at the general assembly. We have established an independent tender advisory board selected from within our club to examine the preliminary offers. Letters of intent are being examined. The letters of intent that pass the examination go before Ernst&Young. At the same time, we are explaining these to Ziraat Bank. No Galatasaray fan should fall into the thought that 'Dursun Özbek and his friends are going beyond what they said at the general assembly.' My door is open. I can show all our members what has been done."

THERE ARE 2 ALTERNATIVES FOR THE FLORYA LAND

Emphasizing that there are two alternatives regarding the evaluation of the Florya land, Dursun Özbek spoke as follows: "One of the alternatives is for us to undertake the construction ourselves, and the other is to do it in the form of revenue sharing with a contractor. The general assembly gave us authorization for both alternatives by unanimous vote. As long as we stayed within this authorization, the allegations were made against the will of the general assembly. For the club to be able to do it with its own means, the 14 billion lira mortgage on the land must be lifted within the scope of the restructuring agreement signed in 2019. The money required for this is 2 billion 200 million lira, which is approximately 70 million dollars. According to the TSKB report, there is a construction cost of 220 million dollars under today's conditions. People who have never done a project in their lives do not know this. At least you should cover 25 percent of this 220 million dollars from your own equity. Galatasaray does not have this money. When we borrow, interest rates in the market are at the level of 55-60 percent. I will not put Galatasaray at risk where today's real estate market has come. Also, there are two important issues. If we cannot exit the restructuring agreement and start the construction ourselves, 50 percent of every sale made will go to the Banks Association of Turkey (TBB) to close the debt. The most important issue is the tax exemption for the club's activities. If we give the land to someone else to build, the exemption continues. As soon as I try to do it myself, the exemption is lifted. Then we will have to pay 25 percent corporate tax and 18 percent withholding tax. I don't think the friends who say 'Let's do it' have thought about these."

WE WILL DO A NEW CONSTRUCTION

Stating that approximately 100 thousand square meters of construction will be built, Özbek said, "There is no team in Galatasaray to sell a construction of this size. We are a sports club. We are currently building Mecidiyeköy and Kemerburgaz entirely with our own means. Both are approximately 25 thousand square meters. We gained a lot of experience during this time. I am evaluating it based on this. Of course, I would like us to do Florya ourselves. However, when we enter into a detailed analysis of the work, the picture is very different." Expressing the advantages if they do the project in the form of revenue sharing, the president of the yellow-red club said, "We are working on this. As a result of Ernst&Young's analyses, we will broadcast the tender in which the companies we will invite will participate on GSTV. We have done our homework on this subject. We require the companies that will enter this business to first close the 2 billion 200 million lira TBB debt. While explaining to the general assembly, I said that we did the Florya project to get out of the TBB agreement. If we had done this place, we would have paid 100 million dollars in interest for 3 years, 34 million dollars each year, as long as the TBB agreement was not exited. The second issue is the tax dimension. A 100 million dollar tax debt will also come. In this framework, it turns out that if we go to revenue sharing, we will earn more than what we do ourselves. I am working with my friends so that Galatasaray can come out more profitably."

WE HAVE CANCELLED OUR ELECTION EVENTS

Stating that they have cancelled all election events because the championship race in the Super Lig has remained until the last week, Dursun Özbek said, "I think we have served Galatasaray successfully in the last 2 seasons. Galatasaray now has an important motto that has been settled in the literature. This is the motto 'Mays are ours.' It is a phrase that emerged with the 2000 UEFA Cup final. It is a motto that has come from that day to this day. When Galatasaray is mentioned, 'Mays are ours' comes to everyone's mind. Those who will manage Galatasaray must also always raise the success line in accordance with this motto. Galatasaray is a success-oriented club. It is a community that knows how to unite and be a single fist while going to success. That is why it is Turkey's biggest sports club and non-governmental organization. We will also play a match on Sunday. Here, too, we will prove that the mays are ours. I invite our entire community to unite a few days before the championship match. The match we will play on Sunday is very important. Everyone needs to focus on this. There is a very beautiful historical sequence. We won our 23rd championship in 2023. We aim to win the 24th championship in 2024 and the 25th championship and the fifth star in 2025. We are working to achieve this. Accordingly, I became a candidate again."

THEY BEHAVED AS THEY ARE

Özbek answered the question, "Do you have any expectation of an apology from Fenerbahçe regarding the events that took place after the derby?" by saying, "We have no expectations from Fenerbahçe. They behaved as they are. The incident has already been reflected in the law. Immediately after the incident, we made our complaints to the relevant authorities. The legal department of Galatasaray Sports Club has managed this process successfully. We are the followers of this business."

Evaluating the championship race they entered with Fenerbahçe in the Super Lig, Özbek stated, "The championship race is taking place between two teams this season. A big gap has formed between the two teams and the third. I wish they were also in the race. Thus, we would watch more enjoyable and less tense matches. Both teams have been pushing for the top since the beginning of the season. We are currently 3 points ahead. We will go to Konya for the championship match. By winning that match, we will finish the league ahead. My fans, my community, my technical team, and my players have put in great effort. We need to get the reward for this. That is why the championship is very important."

HE ANNOUNCED HIS BIGGEST DREAM

President Özbek said that his biggest dream is to turn the Cendere Valley into a Galatasaray valley. Mentioning the 62-acre area next to the Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex, Özbek said, "My most important project in the coming period is to create a Galatasaray valley. I lie down and wake up living with this dream. A Galatasaray valley that has come together with its stadium, training facility, and sports halls is my biggest dream."

Dursun Özbek said that the climate of love they brought to the Galatasaray community played a leading role in their success. Reminding that he came to office 2 years ago, Özbek said, "We brought a climate of love to Galatasaray. This affects everything. Successes come with being a single fist. This situation will develop and continue to grow. I thank my friends on the board of directors, our fans who allow us to play every match to 50 thousand people, and my community who supported our projects by unanimous vote. We went to the earthquake zone many times. The love that the people there have for Galatasaray is incredible. A child in Şanlıurfa or Hatay hugging me is the greatest support given to us. The climate of love and seeing how much we were loved during the earthquake period, and the increase in our sponsors motivated us a lot. This is at the root of our success. Of course, we have a good team, we brought world stars, our coach Okan, our technical team, our players, and Mr. Erden's work are very successful, but the main roof is the climate of love."

OUR PRIORITY WILL BE EUROPE

Galatasaray Sports Club President Dursun Özbek explained that if they are re-elected, they aim to win a cup in Europe in the coming period. Stating that they could not reach their goals despite playing good matches in Europe this season, Özbek said, "There is a mission that Ali Sami Yen brother loaded on us. Galatasaray showed the whole world that it can fulfill this mission. We won the UEFA Cup in 2000 by defeating the English and the Germans. However, this is not enough. We have a responsibility to take success to a higher level. World football is going to a completely different place. We must be a club that does not follow them but carries the race with them. Kemerburgaz facilities are the starting point of this. While going to success in Europe, we must have facilities at their level. If this remains missing, it will not work. Our goal is to win a cup in Europe in the coming period."

WE WILL PROTECT THE SKELETON

Özbek said that if they are elected, they want to protect the skeleton of the football team in the new season. Emphasizing that they have very important football players, the president of the yellow-red club said, "Before the summer transfer season, many European clubs are interested in our players. When a sufficient level is reached, of course, some players can be sold. However, next season we will go for the 25th championship and to wear the 5th star. Some things cannot be measured by money. That is why we are not thinking of changing the skeleton of the team. We will not make any move that will affect our going to the fifth star. We only allow sales if an offer comes that is well above the player's value and we come to the conclusion that we can fill his place. We have a successful team."

WE WILL SUPPORT THE CANDIDATE WHO WILL PROVIDE JUSTICE

President Özbek said that they will support the candidate who will provide justice to Turkish football in the Turkish Football Federation elections to be held on July 18. Emphasizing that there are about 2 months left until the election, Özbek said, "Two months is such a long time that a lot of water will flow under this bridge. Galatasaray is the most important club in the federation elections. We are after electing the person who will manage the federation best and bring justice. The issue we care about most is the provision of justice for everyone. Justice must come to Turkish football. Everyone saw what dimension the discussions reached when there was no justice. Electing a federation president who provides justice is my biggest expectation."

News Source: 12punto