Turkey turns to ex-international Sergen Yalçın after brutal Nations League start
Besiktas' head coach Sergen Yalcin, right, gestures during a Champions League group C soccer match between Besiktas and Sporting Lisbon at the Vodafone Park Stadium in Istanbul, Oct. 19, 2021. Credit: AP/Uncredited
ISTANBUL — Turkey hired former international Sergen Yalçın as coach on Tuesday to replace Vincenzo Montella.
Montella was fired this month after the team started its Nations League campaign with four straight defeats — to France, Italy (twice) and Belgium.
The Turkish Football Federation announced the appointment of the 53-year-old Yalçın following a board meeting on Tuesday. He has been given a four-year contract.
Yalçın’s last coaching position was at Beşiktaş but he left in May by mutual consent after only a season in charge.
That was his second spell at Beşiktaş, which he led to the domestic double of the Süper Lig and Turkish Cup in 2021.
Yalçın, a former attacking midfielder who made 37 appearances for Turkey, also played for Beşiktaş for 10 years across two spells.
As a player, he won three league titles and two Turkish Cups with Beşiktaş. He also won the Süper Lig twice with Galatasaray.
Yalçın’s first match in charge of Turkey will be at home to Belgium on Nov. 12. It then plays France away three days later.
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