Galatasaray stormed past Eyüpspor with a ruthless 5-1 victory on Sunday in Süper Lig’s 33rd week, leaving Eyüpspor coach Arda Turan grappling with disappointment, frustration, and sobering truths about his team’s struggles.
Facing reporters after the heavy defeat, Turan didn’t mince words. “We wanted to offer a better spectacle,” he said. “We prepared well, but we’re not in the right spirit. Concentrating as a team is becoming a real challenge.”
Despite a bright start to the second half, Eyüpspor quickly unraveled against a highly motivated Galatasaray side, who struck from a familiar formula — set pieces — to open the floodgates.
“I congratulate Okan and Galatasaray,” Turan said. “They played magnificent football. We couldn’t establish control early. We knew we couldn’t just defend our way through, but we couldn’t impose ourselves either.”
Turan admitted that even tactical drills aimed at countering Galatasaray’s lethal set pieces weren’t enough. “They scored their 29th goal from a dead ball. We worked on that, but couldn’t stop them,” he said.
As his squad fell apart, Turan lamented the deeper issues plaguing the team. “The conditions we’re in… they don’t motivate us enough,” he said, admitting morale is rock bottom. “As the leader, I have to fix it.”
Still, he defended his players’ effort: “They gave it their all. In football, you win some, you lose some.”
“What We Built Here Is Precious”
Asked about next season, Turan’s tone shifted from frustration to pride.
“We’re happy here,” he said, reaffirming his commitment to Eyüpspor despite uncertain financial backing. “The financing isn’t my responsibility; it’s up to our president and vice president. I focus on the field.”
Turan spoke about the project he’s trying to build. “We tried to adapt styles you see at Barcelona and City to Turkish football. It’s not easy,” he said. “What we created is precious. My only regret is that tonight, we couldn’t show it.”
“We Must Talk About the Game, Not Just the Results”
Turning philosophical, Turan called for a shift in Turkish football’s mindset. “If we don’t focus on the quality of play, we’ll never see European matches in March, April, or May,” he warned.
“Let’s dream of better football, better pitches, better stadiums,” he said. “If the game is good, it’ll be more fun — and then maybe someone can actually beat Galatasaray or Fenerbahçe.”
Admitting he’s “tired and worn out,” Turan stressed the need to look beyond just results.