14.11.2026 18:50
Fenerbahçe Head Coach Emre Belözoğlu spoke about the changes made at the Samandıra Can Bartu Facilities after he took office. Stating that change was a necessity, Belözoğlu said, "I came with a team. Change was needed at Samandıra."
Fenerbahçe Technical Director Emre Belözoğlu said that in the yellow-navy team they aim for a game focused on winning, with clear plans and increased defensive plans. Speaking with members of the press before the yellow-navy team's training at Fenerbahçe Can Bartu Facilities in Samandıra, head coach Belözoğlu answered many questions from the change in the team to their goals.
''WE CONDUCTED TESTS, EVERYONE IS IN GOOD CONDITION''
Regarding the game he wants to have Fenerbahçe play, Belözoğlu said, 'We need to build a structure that will move from player to game on its own. We are aiming for a game focused on winning, with clear plans, where we will increase defensive plans. This team showed against Liverpool, one of the strongest teams in the world, that it can do this in terms of defense. Even the smallest teams in the world do intense block training. We conducted tests today, everyone is in good condition. Fenerbahçe can physically match anyone. We aim to implement a game in which there is a plan in everything. We are working for that. God willing, we will show this picture to everyone as soon as possible.'
''IT HAD TO HAPPEN''
Answering the question about the change at Samandıra from the technical staff to the medical team by saying 'A change had to happen,' Belözoğlu said, 'There is nothing beyond the change that happened. I came with a team. A change was needed at Samandıra. There is no situation like those who came are perfect and those who left were bad. I do not find that right. Many people contributed. It is entirely a situation related to change. We had determined points and we had to act quickly. This is a relay race; we have taken it over. We will try to do more than our best. There is no other situation beyond the change. I thank those who contributed. People have families; this needs to be taken into account when making an evaluation here. Those who left were also valuable names.'
''SPRING DOES NOT COME WITH A SINGLE FLOWER''
Emphasizing that they need to play a different kind of football at Fenerbahçe, Emre Belözoğlu stated that athletic players have become important in the world. Stressing that the yellow-navy team has a past in terms of the football it plays, Belözoğlu said, 'Fenerbahçe has the genetics of the game. There is a great community expectation. I had also said what is needed for Fenerbahçe's game: quality and passion. In some matches, intelligence will enter the equation. In some matches, there will be different words. The indispensable part of this is quality. We will see how fast we can accelerate. My hope is to do this quickly. Our start was not bad. But spring does not come with a single flower; I wish for this not to be artificial.'
''THIS IS WHAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT''
Underlining that their current agenda is first the upcoming Kocaelispor match, Belözoğlu said, 'Our agenda is not the moves we will make in January and the team's shortcomings. Fenerbahçe has a clear strength. I feel it in training, I feel it when I talk to the player, I felt it in the first match we played. Today our agenda is not transfers and the Trabzonspor match. Our agenda is completely the Kocaelispor match, then there will be the Shakhtar match. We need to build an organization that will seriously be a remedy for the team. When the time comes, we need to make evaluations. There was an international break; this is an advantage. Some players were not called up to national teams; we will make small touches on them. At Fenerbahçe, the criterion for success is performance. How ready can I prepare the team for the Kocaelispor match—that is what I am concerned about.'
''WE NEED TO LOOK REALISTICALLY''
Emre Belözoğlu stated that his biggest desire at Fenerbahçe is to give chances to players raised from the academy. Reminding that he previously served at the yellow-navy club first as sporting director and then as head coach, Belözoğlu said, 'There were young names we played during that period. This is a big goal. But we need to look realistically; we need to take the field with the best and strongest squad we have. Yiğit Efe Demir is currently one of our most valuable players. He has experience both in the league and in Europe. We are talking about a young and experienced player. We need every footballer.'
''THERE ARE PLACES HERE THAT MUST REMAIN PRIVATE''
Speaking about the word 'privacy' he had previously used at a press conference, Belözoğlu said the following:
'The player needs to know that this place is private. There need to be things that will not affect the team. We must eliminate situations that will harm the team through artificial agendas. It needs to be known that Fenerbahçe makes everyone valuable. Here, tactical training preparation takes place. When the player sees this, he must know that it is a preparation. There are places here that must remain private. Part of what I meant by privacy was that the player should know this. There must be control over this. This is where I want to motivate the player. For this reason, we need to cut off contact with outside houses. We must have our privacy.'