Jose Mourinho and the Fenerbahçe Challenge: A New Era Begins

For years, I have had a strong opinion about great coaches: achieving success with teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester City, which have unlimited budgets, is always easier than achieving success with teams that have significant financial constraints. The glorification of these coaches as geniuses has always seemed exaggerated to me. I’ve always thought that it would be interesting to see one of these coaches achieve the same success with a Turkish team. Fate smiled upon me, and “The Special One” Jose Mourinho, who is considered one of the top five coaches in the world, has taken charge of Fenerbahçe.

Now, all the fans are expecting Mourinho to wave his magic wand and bring successive championships. But this task will not be as easy as it seems. There are a few important pieces of information that would be useful to share with Mr. Jose Mourinho.

Turkish Football Federation:

For the past 15 years, Turkish football has been managed by individuals chosen by the Galatasaray lobby. These individuals make important decisions in favor of Galatasaray. For example, foreign player rules are determined according to the situation of Galatasaray’s squad, and the Super Cup final is scheduled to accommodate Galatasaray’s forward player’s readiness. Naturally, this significant Galatasaray influence also reflects on referee performances. Referees who make mistakes in favor of Fenerbahçe or against Galatasaray are sidelined for weeks, while mistakes in the opposite direction face no sanctions. Therefore, be prepared for a series of absurdities, Mr. Mourinho.

Central Referee Board:

This board, which is under the control of the Football Federation and supposed to be impartial, fails to achieve this. A board that has no tangible aspects in terms of referee assignments and performance evaluations is supposed to ensure justice in football. Be prepared for the rain of penalties that will pour down on you, Mr. Mourinho.

Opponent Team Performances:

In the league, 19 teams will play two matches each against each other. The 18 teams will play with a different motivation against Fenerbahçe compared to other teams. Players who missed open goals the previous week will take amazing shots from any distance when playing against Fenerbahçe. Goalkeepers who conceded goals from 40 meters the previous week will make 14-15 saves in one match. Coaches will set the goal of defeating Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe in their careers and will make the game as ugly as possible. Club presidents will settle all their debts to players before Fenerbahçe matches, and politicians will assist club presidents in this regard. Be ready to play against a championship contender every week, Mr. Mourinho.

Fenerbahçe Fans:

You have behind you a fan base that has been hungry for a championship for 10 years and is very fragile. At the slightest point loss or unsuccessful result, they will criticize you without considering your career. Fenerbahçe media members will seem like friends, but at the first unsuccessful result, they will attack you without hesitation. In matches where you fall behind, the stands will fall silent, and murmurs will begin immediately. Fans will whistle at your players. You will face unexpected reactions outside the stadium. Be prepared for the fans’ constant expectation of successful results, Mr. Mourinho.

Probably the toughest season of your career awaits you, Mr. Mourinho. I hope we experience the seasons where you make the most extraordinary marks on this illustrious career with you.