Overview
- Ismail Kartal stepped down and his resignation was accepted by Fenerbahçe following the club’s recent run of poor results, with local reports confirming the decision late this week.
- The club immediately promoted assistant Dirk Kuyt to interim technical coordinator to lead the first team until a new head coach is appointed.
- Kuyt will take charge for the upcoming Süper Lig trip to Göztepe and will be in the dugout for Fenerbahçe’s Champions League match with Liverpool on 4 November.
- The change follows damaging setbacks that included a 6-0 Champions League defeat to Aston Villa and derby losses to Galatasaray and Beşiktaş, leaving Fenerbahçe fifth in the league and six points behind the leaders.
- Kuyt is a former Fenerbahçe player and ex-Liverpool forward who has prior managerial experience, and the club’s short-term move aims to calm supporters and give the board time to run a targeted search for a permanent successor.