Esentepe President and

Coaching positions are now appointed

Esentepe Football Club news

 

News report from Rich’s Sport………

By Graham Brown and Richard Beale…….

 

The Esentepe Football Club have announced that the Village President (Başkan) Cemal Erdoğan has agreed to take up the Presidency of the Club for the coming season. Cemal held that position previously, but expressed a wish that he did not want a further year in charge. After 5 General Club Meetings no one “threw their hat in the ring” for consideration, which was rather disappointing. Rather than let the Club drift aimlessly along without a rudder and Captain, Cemal agreed to a further year in charge. The Club President role is very important as he is responsible for the day to day running of the Club, raising money, sponsors, players wages and transfers etc. The Club is heavily in debt and has been for a number of years, mostly of their own making. Next season there will be no money available for transfers, and a wage cap will be imposed on the players. I understand that players will be paid between 4,000TL and 10,000 TL for the season, depending on their ability and status. If anyone is not happy with this, they will be either transferred or loaned out for the season. We wish the President well for the coming season.

The positions of 1st team Coach and Assistant Coach have also been filled with the return of two old favourites (I should say 1 is older), Özben Kalfa and Gökhan Kim.

The veteran Özben Kalfa will take the position of 1^st team Coach, as he holds the necessary Coaching badges, but the actual running of the team will be carried out by his Assistant Gökhan Kim. A little like Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison did in the 60s at Man City, or more importantly Lennie Lawrence and Paul Trollope at my club Bristol Rovers a few years ago.

Özben Kalfa is vastly experienced both as a former player and Coaching at various Clubs (Türk Ocak and Girne Halk Evi to name but a few).

Gökhan Kim, you will probably know as he runs the corner bar in the village next to the Türk Limassol Bank, and is Esentepe through and through as Youth Coach and “caretaker” 1^st team Coach.

When a 1st team Coach gets the sack, and it often happens with Esentepe, Gökhan steps in to rescue the season. Season 2013-14, after a dreadful start Esentepe sacked Coach Kirata Kasapoğlu and in stepped Özben and Gökhan as “Caretakers” and the Club embarked on an amazing 11 match unbeaten run, qualifying for the play offs, and ending up as finalists, losing to Gençler Birliği 4-1.

Gökhan is mostly credited when he was in charge of the Youth Team, coaching, training and bringing on most of the current 1^st team squad. He knows their strengths and weaknesses, and the players respect him and know him well.

One thing for certain, next season will be tough and Esentepe cannot carry on sacking their Coach during the season, as has happened in the last 3 seasons. The Coaching positions require stability, again we wish Özben and Gökhan success for the coming season.

Incidentally the players report back for Pre-Season training on Monday July 27^th.

To read more from Esentepe Community please click here