25.05.2026 14:41
Fenerbahçe Presidential Candidate Aziz Yıldırım stated that the problems at the yellow-navy club will be solved with experience, saying, "That's why we set out. I will serve as president for one year. What will it bring me? There's another election in a year. Since we are taking all these risks, we believe that we will stop this bleeding. No one else can stop it but us."
Aziz Yıldırım, who is a presidential candidate for Fenerbahçe Sports Club's extraordinary general assembly with elections to be held on June 6-7, continues his election campaign. Yıldırım attended a breakfast program at the Istanbul Jewelers' Chamber.
Speaking there, Aziz Yıldırım emphasized the importance of the championship in the upcoming season, saying, "Fenerbahçe could not achieve the desired stability for 4 years with me, and for 4 years after me and my friends. This is unprecedented in Fenerbahçe's history. The longest period without a championship was 7 years, between 1989 and 1996. In other years, they had championships every 3-4 seasons. Fenerbahçe has reached a point where it cannot compete with its rivals because they lack strong management. Money is not everything; money does not solve everything. Alongside money, there must be intelligence. The power that intelligence provides must be there. When these come together, it becomes valuable. If we cannot become champions this year, we may not become champions for many years. That is something to be handled and solved with experience. Without experience, it will not be solved. That is why we set out. I will serve as president for 1 year. What will it bring me? What will it bring my friends in management? There will be another election in 1 year. If we are not successful, if we encounter any problems, you will not vote for us in the election to be held in 1 year anyway. Given that we have taken all these risks, we believe that we will stop this bleeding. No one else can stop it but us."
"THE ELECTION HELD IN SEPTEMBER HARMED THE COMMUNITY" Yıldırım, who said he met with former president Ali Koç in May 2025, shared the details of that meeting as follows:
"Ali Koç came to me in May. Hulusi Belgü was with him. I also invited the President of the High Disciplinary Board, Mr. Şekip (Mosturoğlu). We held a four-way meeting. I told him, 'Let's hold the election in June, don't postpone it to September.' 'If you postpone it to September, it will harm this club. Whether you are elected or not, it will be harmful for both you and the general club. Tell the public regarding the election: 'I want to stay in office for one more year. Support me; if I am not successful, I will step down. Also talk to the presidential candidates.' I told them, 'I want to step down after 1 year. If I am successful, I already have the right to continue for 2 years.' I said, 'If there is a presidential candidate you cannot convince, I will talk to them.' He said, 'Okay, let me go to Dubai and come back.' He went to Dubai and came back, but he never came to see me again. They set the election for September. Postponing it to September harmed the community."
"ALL PLAYERS WILL ARRIVE READY" Presidential candidate Yıldırım, emphasizing that they have formed a football intelligence team consisting of former players, said, "When I go home in the evening, I read the report written to me again. We will buy two strikers. The names of the two strikers are known. Negotiations with them and the clubs are ongoing. I am going abroad. Their agents will come and meet with me, and I will have the final talks with them. We will announce these names before the election. We need to build a team. We brought many stars, but it doesn't work; we will build a team. We need to acquire two scorers. After that, we will complete the other deficient positions. We will make a maximum of 5-6 transfers. If there are players we want to send from the current squad, those who want to leave, or if there are those we want to send, once we resolve these, we can then look at other new players. The first target is to handle everything by June 15, before the season starts. For the first time, including the years I was there, all players at Fenerbahçe will arrive ready. Because some of them are not going to the World Cup. We have that chance with the players I mentioned."
"REGISTRATION OF PRE-1959 CHAMPIONSHIPS IS EASY" Regarding the question about the registration of championships before 1959, Aziz Yıldırım replied, "What we want is that we say we have 19+9 championships before 1959. You can put what you rightfully deserve (the star) on your chest. If we link the star registration to a material event proving the championship each year, then it becomes a problem. If you say register our championship, that is easy. They don't even need to register it. We will already determine and send it to them. Look, we have this many championships; whether you register it or not, I have placed the star here. They added 2 championships to Beşiktaş; do they receive championship bonuses in broadcasting rights? When you do this, when you sum up all championships, it becomes excessive. There are 2 extras there. When they receive the money, they include those 2 as well."
After the speeches, Aziz Yıldırım was presented with a plaque by the Jewelers' Chamber. At the end of the program, as Yıldırım was leaving, yellow-navy blue fans lit torches in front of the building and showed support with chants.