JURY STILL OUT FOR TRABZONSPOR BOSS
Frank Athlete's position as Trabzonspor manager may yet be under threat just nine months into his tenure. The manager began a 2 year contract with the club last Summer, but after a tricky start to his first campaign in Turkish football, many are left wondering whether the Board's patience will last much longer, with some factions of the fan base already calling for a change.
Trabzonspor finished last season in 2nd place after an impressive title chase saw them fall just short to eventual winners Başakşehir. Despite a few departures of key players over the Summer, many fans had expected the team to challenge again but it's been a very different experience with Athlete at the helm this term.
After a long and arduous pre-season, Athlete oversaw back to back defeats in the club's opening two games, first at home to bitter rivals Fehnerbache before an away trip to surprise outfit Goztepe. Following this disappointing start, we saw glimmers of what we had hoped the new man would bring to the club, with a 10 game unbeaten streak that saw the Black Sea Storm rapidly climb the table to sit 2nd after the first 12 games.
This relative success was short-lived however, as another run ensued, this time a 5 game streak without a win, including three back to back home defeats to Sivasspor, Rizespor and Yeni Malatyaspor. This left the team outside of the top 6 and struggling for form with just the league's top scorer Djaniny seemingly the only one capable of finding the back of the net.
The catalyst for a recovery proved to be a 6th Round Turkish Cup win against lower league side Adana D.S. in mid-January. Trabzonspor would then manage a further five wins and two draws in the league, seeing them climb to 5th, just inside the European places, after twenty-five games.
The latest twist in the tale has seen the side's form slump once again, this time with a disappointing defeat to Hatayaspor before a damning draw against Konyaspor at home. This blip has at least been recovered somewhat through the back to back wins against Gaziantep and Antalyaspor in recent weeks.
This leaves the side in 5th place, but with every chance of the chasing pack catching them if their inconsistent form continues. Athlete will have his work cut out if he's to ensure his side stay in the European places after the final 10 games of the season.
Among those final fixtures are home ties against Başakşehir and Galatasaray, as well as an away fixture against Yeni Malatyaspor. Trabzonspor managed 4 points from those games in the reverse fixtures.
The manager will be looking for the likes of Marlon, Flavio and Djaniny to continue their good form right through to the end of the season, and bring his side some much needed stability and a few more goals.
If they can keep their place at 5th then they'll have got the job done, but barely. Black Sea fans will show patience for a short while, but they'll be fully expecting their team to be much more competitive next year, and Athlete will be fully aware of the expectation resting on his shoulders.
European qualification awaits all the teams in top five, with the top two reserved for Champions League, 3rd for the Europa League, and 4th and 5th place for qualification to the Europa Conference League.
One thing is certain, Athlete has left a lot to be desired and will need a strong finish to appease the fans, let alone the Board of Directors, who will be expecting a Süper Lig title within the next three years.
Analysis: Djaniny set to Eclipse Burak Yilmaz's Süper Lig Goals Record
Nomadic striker Djaniny is set to break the Trabzonspor league goals record as his current haul of 27 goals this season sits just 6 short of the club record of 33, held by Burak Yilmaz.
Stat Attack
With 10 games remaining of the season, Cape Verde international Djaniny will need to find an average of 0.6 goals per game. His current return is 0.87 goals per 90 minutes against an expected 0.67 goals (xG) per 90 minutes, making him odds on favourite to achieve the feat.
Djaniny arrived at Trabazonspor on a free transfer this season, joining from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli. His impressive form in front of goal has been a welcome addition to the side, after the likes of Alexander Sørloth left the club for RB Leipzig last term.
Sørloth's return of 24 goals last season was enough to earn him his move to the German Bundesliga, as well as the Süper Lig's Gol Kralı (Goal King) Award.
Djaniny is on track to win the Gol Krali himself, as he also hunts down the Trabzonspor goals record which has been in place since the close of the 2011/12 season, prior to Yilmaz's move to divisional rivals Galatasaray.
What we really want is trophies.
Djaniny
Frank Athlete should certainly take some credit for Djaniny's form this season. Abandoning the side's tried and tested 4-3-3, Athlete has favoured a 5-3-2 approach with Djaniny just one player enjoying the spoils of the new system.
Athlete was full of praise for the front man, saying "Djaniny has really hit the ground running this year. He's been a consistent performer for us and I expect to see more of the same."
Asked about his prospects of breaking the record, Djanany said "I'm just delighted to have made an impact. The gaffer's tactics have helped me massively, and i'm just focussed on scoring goals for the team. The records are nice but what we really want is trophies."
Djaniny, who turned 30 last week, has two years left to run on a 3-year deal and will hope that this season's form would be enough to earn him a contract extension through to the end of his career.
Insider: Trabzonspor U19 Set for Elite League Group A Title Win
While all eyes have been on the first team's performances this season, the U19 side have been quietly going about their business, and look good value to secure the Elite League Group A title this year.
Despite having a relatively depleted squad, many of Trabzonspor's academy players have found fine form this season and will give first team manager Frank Athlete something to think about when he looks ahead to plan for the next campaign.
Their season didn't start quite as well as it looks to be finishing though. Taking just 5 points from their opening 5 games, many presumed there would be little to cheer this year back in September.
However, a run of 14 games without losing was enough to see the team climb swiftly up the table, and despite a momentary blip with a home defeat to Kayserispor, they quickly got their season back on course with a further run of 7 games without defeat.
Now, with just 7 games remaining, and despite competition from Galatasaray U19 and Bursaspor U19, Trabzonspor U19 find themselves heavy favourites to win the division.
Among the young players that are making a name for themselves this year is 19 year old striker Salih Kavrazli, who's attacking prowess has already bagged him 6 goals in the league this season.
His eye for the target has been a joy to watch and has highlighted the team's positive style that has become a staple throughout the club's entire structure under Athlete's tenure.
Opinion: Cup Slip Highlights Athlete’s Shortcomings
Few have forgotten the celebrations of last Summer as Trabzonspor ran out Turkish Cup winners on a warm evening in the capital.
They looked good money to win it again this year too, after early victories against lower league sides Hekimoğlu Trabzon and Adana D.S. saw them through to the Quarter Finals.
Ankaragücü were the opponents and while the game was far from being a classic, an emphatic 3-0 win was enough to see them through to the next round.
Fast forward another few weeks and the team found themselves just one win away from their second consecutive cup final, with old nemesis Başakşehir the only team in their way.
Once again Athlete set up in the now familiar 5-3-2 formation, but his men hardly got going, conceding within the first 30 minutes and never looking like they were in the game.
A disappointing exit all things considered, and the side may well be made to rue a missed opportunity if they can't recover some decent form in their remaining league fixtures.
As for hopes of reclaiming the cup, that will have to wait until next season.
Memory Lane: A Glance at Trabzon’s Ancient History
In our previous edition, this column looked at the early establishment of Trabzon, right up to the arrival of the Roman's in 64 BC.
Roman occupation in this region was unlike any other, in fact it was almost non-existent in the traditional sense, and the city was eventually granted the status of civitus liberas (a free city), even gaining the right to mint its own coins.
Trabzon's stock grew through it's access to major roads that led through the Zigana Pass into Armenia and the upper Euphrates Valley. From here, new roads were then constructed out of Trabzon and into Persia and Mesopotamia, leading to it becoming a major trade route.
In the early part of the 2nd Century AD, the Roman emperor Hadrian commissioned further work to be carried out in the city, this time giving the city a more structured harbour.
Over the course of the next 200 years, Trabzon fell victim to a Roman civil war between Septimius Severus and Pescennius Niger that saw parts of the city reduced to rubble.
In 257 AD, further misfortune befell the city as it was pillaged by Goths, and a year later the Persians took a turn as well. Despite the city undergoing several rebuilds, it's recovery did not begin until the reign of Diocletian towards the end of the 3rd century...
Tactical Analysis
Athlete's famed 5-3-2 setup has now been used across 34 games in all competitions this season, with a record of 19 wins, 8 draws and 7 losses. His unique playing style has already earned the nickname "Athlete-ball" from sections of the press as he strives to reinvent Turkey's reputation for attractive football.
His wing backs are constantly finding themselves in acres of space when they receive the ball, giving them time to whip in a cross for the punchy 3-man attack to nod in. The team have netted 65 times already this season.
Defensively, the set up is fairly solid, with both wing backs and the defensive central midfielder able to get back behind the ball when needed. Trabzonspor have conceded just 26 times so far this season.
Around the Grounds
In this regular feature, we take a look at some of the other news stories from around the world that have captured our attention beyond Trabzon in recent days.
BC Madeira Boss Blames Injuries for Poor Form
After a fairly successful first season in the second tier of Portuguese football, the small band of BC Madeira fans were looking ahead to the 2022/2023 season with a lot of optimism. The club had lost a few key players but by retaining Yakubu, Yago and Penetra on loan deals, the future looked fairly solid. Read more.
Velez Sarsfield Continue March on Silverware
Velez Sarsfield boss, Callum Curtis, takes the plaudits for his possession based style of football with continued success seemingly on the cards as his side look to progress in the Copa Libertadores. Read more.
Ojeda Gets Junior Firing
On 17 July 2021, the Football (Manager) Gods decided that El Toque would come home to Hugo Ojeda’s Junior Club. It signalled the start of a good domestic run for Barranquilla‘s best club side. But was it enough to earn some silverware? Read more.
Tactical Overhaul Sends Cristal Clear
Sporting Cristal boss has injected an air of calm into his side this season with his renewed tactical approach proving too much for many opponents. The big question on everyone's lips though, is whether or not the search for the next Nobby Solano is at an end. Read more.
Pellissard Key to Future Success at US Concarneau
Club record signing Jessim Pellissard (signed for 475K€) joined two seasons ago when still in Ligue 2 but rarely got a look in because of Rutter's fine form. Now with Rutter no longer first choice, Pellissard is his natural successor as Concarneau's number one striker. Read more.
January Window Shows Promise for Toulouse
Under studious management, the purple demons have defied their own expectations, and sit in 2nd place in Ligue Un. Another January, another set of fixtures to navigate, and an attempt to ensure the manager has enough depth and quality for the remainder of the season, to keep this overachievement going. Read more.
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