By GÖKHAN TÜRE
If you don’t try, you can’t fail. Or succeed. So, if you want to accomplish anything, you have to try and at the same time you have to be ready to learn from your mistakes. Nobody was born knowing everything. And mistakes are the only road to knowledge. Nobody said its easy. And that’s why not everybody is successful. So, now you can understand why Turkish teams didn’t had the opportunity this year to live their ultimate goal: to reach their Final Four!
For a country which spent over than 100.000.000 euros –just in past two years-, Turkey certainly cannot feel happy with the outcome. They can feel smarter than a year ago and they know –for a fact- money cannot guarantee your happiness. Nevertheless success.
Now, if you did the maths and you didn’t reach our total, it must be cause you forgot Turkish Airlines. The main sponsor –actually name sponsor- of Euroleague, from 2010. It was clear that soon enough Turkey would get a Final Four. And they got this year’s. That’s why past summer was enormous important for Turkish teams. How they react to the challenge?
Fenerbahce Ulker
The champion team of 2010-11 season, got its own state-of-the-art arena to support the general idea of a great team, which belongs to the elite. But way before the great opening (25 January vs. Emporio Armani), the 3rd of July, the president of the organization, Aziz Yildirim was taken into custody over allegations of several cases of match fixing and player manipulation. Even though he is still in jail, Fenerbahce in a fully function basketball team thanks to its sponsors and first of all thanks to Ulker – major Turkish manufacturer of food products, which are exported internationally, to 110 countries and its operating income for 2010 was 74 million euros. And just for this year they allowed a budget close to 15.000.000 euros.
And Ulker was the reason Jerrells and Gist didn’t leave the team, which was the plan after the end of last season, in order Fenerbahce could hire NBAers –cause of the lock out. The main sponsor decided not to let them go and denied the perspective of any other coach than Neven Spahija at their bench. But there was a problem: many players have had -already- problems with Spahija. And they got one more after they ve learned they will have to play under him for one more season.
Emir Preldzic was the unhappiest of all with his time and the way his coach was using him. He wasn’t the only one who thought he could go much better (from Ukic, Jerrells to Atsur, almost everybody had problems) and to their defense were big holes on the roster. The biggest one was at “5” position and to make a long story short, Turkcan and Peker –the oldest players- were the only truly professionals, with consistency and desire to prove themselves –for the common good- each night. And in this way you cannot have results –something was crystal clear at Turkish cup and off course at TOP16.
We kept the best for last: there are some rumors that Fener is getting ready to fire Spahija in the next midweek, keep going with Ertugrul Erdogan (assistant coach), until the end of the season and planning to bring Ivkovic from Olympiakos!!!! But this is just a rumor -for now.
They changed their name – after Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Authority prohibited the advertisement of tobacco and alcohol products in sports organizations-but they didn’t change habits. For one more season they spent more than 15.000.000 euros to create something capable of reaching Final Four and –why not- take the crown.
To understand Anadolu’s “modus operandi”, you have to know few things about its owner: Tuncay Ozilhan. At the age of 63, the 879th richest person on earth for 2011 (according to Forbes his net income is 1.400.000.000 $ for 2011) is the owner of one of country’s most popular brands, Efes Pilsen beer. He also Isuzus cars in Turkish plants and imports Lada and Kia cars made in Russia and Korea, which are then distributed in Ukraine and Central Asia countries. He was a basketball player and he truly adores the sport. How much? 190.000.000 euros much -past decade. And even he has gotten domestic champion titles and Turkish cups, he hasn’t had nothing in European sphere.
To his pros is he refuses to interfere to his coaches plans. Even when they change 10 players each summer. And when he decides to trust a coach, he supports him till the end of the road. That’s what he did with Ufuk Sarica. A rookie coach, who didn’t have the “know how” to take titles –neither the experiences. But cause Ozilhan was the first one who believed in Oktai Mahmuti’s and Aydin Ors’s capabilities –and they proved him right- he has sure that it was about time to create the next best Turkish coach. But this time he was wrong and he realized it after he gave Sarica to handle the biggest budget of all times.
He chose Batista, Barac and Kuqo for “5” position and even all together they cannot create a real center. And even it was impossible to predict Gonlum’s injury, he could do something better with Vlado Ilievski, after he realized his player thought very high of himself –and the biggest risk was to allow him react in any way he liked. You see, Ilievski came to Anadolu as one of the biggest stars at last Eurobasket (in Lithuania) and at Efes… he was coming from the bench. Something he clearly didn’t like and he didn’t hide his feelings. BUT he forgot something you could say it was important: at FYROM he had McCallebb beside him as a starter. At Efes he was reserve and when his coach needed him, he was already furious. He demanded to be a starter, Sarica denied his -lets say- request and he decided that sitting on the bench was much way better than play as… a second choice. As long as Ilievski was reacting like a 3 year old, Efes didn’t have solutions at the point guard position. Kerem Tunceri was desperately alone –with Balbay being too young to give critical solutions. Sasha Vujacic is a good player, but… even him doesn’t know how he will play each night (he is far from being the most stable guy) and Savanovic was under much pressure of offering everything… in all places. While all these were the reality of Anadolu’s life, Sarica didn’t know how to react in his team’s best interest. And even though Efes lost its way to this year’s Final Four, even when Efes didn’t reach the final of Turkish cup, the owner decided it was about time to to something: and he ve asked from Elias Zouros to replace Sarica, in order to keep the Turkish champion title dream alive -the last of their goals.
GS Medical Park
In this case, we don’t have –really- that much to say cause If you think how much money they spent and everything they already have done; its easy to understand they are the best Turkish team so far –from those which where at Euroleague. Last year’s finalist –at Turkish championship- got their way to Euroleague through qualification round. This year’s project costs 6.000.000 euros, but as opposed to Efes and Fener they have an experienced coach (Oktay Mahmuti), who knows how to push his player limits for the common good (at his last interview, he underlined the importance to be happy with your job, to work every day like its your first day and the most important is not to have a team, but a family). After last game at TOP16 -when Olympiacos kept GS away from the play offs-, Mahmuti was sad, but proud for his players efforts. He also said it’s about time for Euroleague to give GS an A license “cause we proved we belong to the elite and we responded to criteria, which are based on results in Euroleague Basketball competitions, television revenue and arena attendance, in our first year to the biggest competition in Europe. The decision though, belongs to Euroleague”. Before we say… goodbye keep in mind the latest rumour, which is about Galatasaray negotiating with Turk Telekom, for unification starting by next season (like Galatasaray Turk Telekom) as the new main sponsor!