09.04.2026 19:23
Galatasaray's former President Adnan Polat stated that he does not consider running for the presidency of the club, saying, "Whoever the president may be, I will help if called upon for support and assistance in any matter."
Former Galatasaray Club President Adnan Polat stated that he does not consider running for the presidency of the club, saying, "Whoever the president is, I will help if called for support and assistance on any matter."
During his visit to the Adana Branch of the Turkish Sports Writers Association (TSYD), Polat met with branch president Engin Kanber and the board of directors, making statements.
Addressing the importance of Galatasaray's victory against Göztepe, Polat said:
"The result we achieved is good, but I personally did not find the football we played sufficient. We need to be better. I guess Galatasaray has gone through a turbulent period. Both European cups and many injuries, consecutive matches, matches every three days... They couldn't handle it a bit, there were some imbalances. Right now, there are 6 matches left and we are 4 points ahead. I believe Galatasaray will definitely win the championship, I have no doubt. We are happy when Galatasaray wins and becomes champion."
In response to a journalist's question about whether he has any thoughts of candidacy for the presidency of Galatasaray or the Turkish Football Federation, Adnan Polat said, "No, I am not considering it. I served for 11 years. A very long time. Being the vice president, acting president, and president of a team like Galatasaray is a job that never ends, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is a difficult job. Galatasaray is a club with a fairly wide range consisting of 12 branches and around 2,000 athletes. Whoever the president is, I will help if called for support and assistance on any matter."
Polat, explaining that they consulted with club president Dursun Özbek during the process of appointing Okan Buruk as the head coach of Galatasaray, noted:
"When Dursun Özbek was elected president and before that, I insisted a lot that 'You will take Okan.' He asked, 'Will it be sufficient?' He came from our youth academy; I had made him a professional. I have always appreciated him for his character and politeness. After making him a professional, when he broke his leg 6 months later, we stood by him until the end. The man made Akhisarspor the Turkish Cup champion and Başakşehir the Turkish league champion. It's not easy. How else can he prove himself? Thank goodness President Dursun made that decision. He has won three championships, and right now, with 6 weeks to go, he is leading by 4 points." At the end of the visit, Engin Kanber presented a gift to Adnan Polat.