What happened in Turkish football today? 19/02/2019

Referees tend to take side of title race teams in recent games.

Among high amount of criticism towards referees during past week which has led for resignation of Central Referee Committee CEO Yusuf Namoglu, there has been some arguments that referees do close their eyes towards Basaksehirspor games.

This conversation has been raised pretty actively following Super League 22nd week game between Antalyaspor and Basaksehirspor, where game's referee Metin Kalkavan has provided high amount of mistakes and didnt use VAR system at its maximum amount including positions which were not clear. Even through media and some administrators tend not to imply that referees are being nice to Basaksehirspor, it was stated that some decisions has been interested and do defend teams which are fighting for league title. Now, it needs also to remind that their are been very interesting and strange referee performances during last 3 weeks, and hence it could be seen that yesterday's performance of Kalkavan has been due of main poor performance of referees during this weeks and has nothing to do with specifically with this game. With new Central Referee Committee appointment, including of Sadik Ciftci as CEO, would have difficult task at bringing back of referees in Turkey.

It is crucial period of TFF and referee committee and individual referees to provide good performance from this week until end of the season as it has difficult task of regaining trust of itself due of recent week.

Trabzonspor has send its 5 players back to main squad.

It was announced today by Trabzonspor that it has send its 5 young players from main squad back to academy of team for not providing satisfying performance and also low chances of getting to the squad for upcoming games.

This decision is also good message which has been send to players, namely Berkay Sefa Kara, Kerem Baykus, Koray Kilinc, Behlul Aydin and Oguzhan Acil, as it made clear that their are not entirely ready for main squad and need to work to improve with its academy. Rather than seeing this as high criticism towards themselves in a sense of performance this could be recieved as sign that team has trust of them and now those 5 players would need to focus to work hard at academy to prove how much their worth of the side. Taking account that their were taking to main squad at 1st place proves that side has full trust on them, but its crucial for those players to prove themselves to the administrators and main squad.

This could be an important message to players and their should respond accordingly to this decision for sure.

Their are reasons why Besiktas-Fenerbahce game has been scheduled to Monday. 

Besiktas CEO Fikret Orman has been observed to provide high amount of criticism towards TFF for putting their derby game against Fenebahce on 25th February stating that it didnt provide same decision with them when their met with Galatasaray after Europa League game against Sarspborg 08.

Even through Fikret Orman does make sense about game could been played on Sunday rather than on Monday, he does forget about factor of broadcaster and Turkish Cup. If Besiktas and Fenerbahce has been played on 24th February instead it would mean that Galatasaray would be playing on 25th but since it does have Turkish Cup game against Hatayspor during next  midweek and also broadcaster wishing to broadcast games at different days, it was expected for game to be played on Monday rather than Sunday. In fact, to some it might be surprising that Besiktas has demanded for game to be played on 24 rather than 25, hence not having an extra day but reason does lie for monetary reasons. Even through derby games are always full at the stadiums, their would be higher demand to the game if it was played on Sunday rather on 1st day of the week where it might not get entirely full stadium at such derby game. Besiktas CEO Fikret Orman would rather need to take account Turkish Cup remembering that it still take place this season even if his side has been banned to this year competition.

Even through derby games are tend to take place at weekend with some scheduling issues and more games in a season, TFF didnt have much chance to play game on Monday as broadcaster also provides extra push at scheduling for sure.

In other news:

- PFDK referalls:
- Yeni Malatyaspor and Trabzonspor has been referred for behaviour of fans and events at field.
- Yeni Malatyaspor player Adem Buyuk and Konyaspor player Adis Jahovic has been referred due of breaking rules.
- Besiktas has been referred for events at field
- Bursaspor and Konyaspor has been referred for events at field.
- Kasimpasa has been referred for allowing unallowed fans to game
- Kasimpasa worker Cuneyt Soylen has been referred for not following guidelines.

-  CentralRefereeCommittee positions has been appointed as follows:
CEO: Sabri Celik
vice-CEO: Mustafa Culcu
Professional Competition Executive Committee: Sabri Celik, Mustafa Culcu, Muhittin Bosat
Spokesman: Mustafa Culcu
Mentorship representative: Unsal Cimen.

- Super League club CEOs, apart of Galatasaray CEO Mustafa Cengiz had attended to meeting with TFF and Turkish Bank Union to discuss about deal with banks regarding of debts.

- UEFA has announced referee of Europa League 2nd round 2nd leg game between Zenit and Fenerbahce as Michael Oliver.

- UEFA has announced referee of Europa League 2nd round 2nd leg game between Benfica and Galatasaray as Ovidiu Hategan.

- Sivasspor player Hugo Vieira continues his recovery from injury in Portugal.

- Akhisarspor are interested to appoint Ibrahim Uzulmez as club's head coach.

- YeniMalatyaspor player Omer Sismanoglu has become injured during today's training session.

- Chelsea are interested to transfer Roma player Cengiz Under

- Besiktas has signed business partnership with Dorak Tour

- Fenerbahce are interested to transfer Leicester City player Shinji Okazaki.

- Unnamed Saudi Arabic club has offered 11 million euro for Galatasaray player Younes Belhanda.

- Galatasaray considers to extend contract with its player Selcuk Inan for 1 more year.

- Alanyaspor considers to extend contract with its player Efecan Karaca at the end of the season.