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| June 15, 2002 | Saturday | Rabi-us-Sani 3, 1423 |
Turkish press buries hatchet with coach
ANKARA, June 14: The Turkish press Friday celebrated the historic qualification of the national team for the second round of the World Cup, burying the hatchet with under-fire coach Senol Gunes.
Newspapers dedicated their front pages almost entirely to Turkey’s 3-0 victory over China Thursday, which made many Turks forget their worries at a time when the country is experiencing one of its worst recessions.
“Thank God, such a relief!”, the mass-circulation Milliyet said in a banner headline, calling on the team to take the next step and qualify for the quarter finals.
“The Turkish team rises from the ashes”, was the headline in Radikal, which printed a photograph of Turkish fans holding a giant Turkish flag during the China-Turkey game in the South Korean city of Suwon.
The editor of Radikal thanked Brazil for defeating Costa Rica 5-2 in the other deciding game from Group C, a result that ensured Turkey’s qualification for the next phase.
“Brazil’s role in our qualification is as important as our team’s,” said the editor.
Many dailies called for an end to the bitter disputes between the media and the team administration that have dominated the first round in South Korea.
“Gunes (meaning “the sun” in Turkish) now rises from the horizon”, read the headline in the Hurriyet daily.
However some columnists continued their criticism of the team, and called on Gunes to “learn lessons”.
“We succeded but we didn’t play well,” complained a columnist from the mass-circulation Milliyet. “It is hard to say the team was well coordinated,” he added.
Gunes has been strongly criticised for his choice of players and his tactics in the first two games against Brazil and Costa Rica.—AFP
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