Tugay Kerimoğlu Explained

Tugay Kerimoğlu
Fullname:Tugay Kerimoğlu[1]
Birth Date:24 August 1970
Birth Place:Istanbul, Turkey
Height:1.76 m[2]
Position:Midfielder
Youthyears1:–1983
Youthclubs1:Trabzonspor
Youthyears2:1983–1987
Youthclubs2:Galatasaray A2
Years1:1987–1999
Clubs1:Galatasaray
Caps1:279
Goals1:34
Years2:1999–2001
Caps2:42
Goals2:4
Years3:2001–2009
Caps3:233
Goals3:11
Totalcaps:554
Totalgoals:49
Nationalyears1:1986–1987
Nationalteam1:Turkey U16
Nationalcaps1:13
Nationalgoals1:1
Nationalyears2:1987–1988
Nationalteam2:Turkey U18
Nationalcaps2:8
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:1988–1991
Nationalcaps3:20
Nationalgoals3:3
Nationalyears4:1990–2007[3]
Nationalcaps4:94[4]
Nationalgoals4:2
Manageryears1:2010
Manageryears2:2010–2011
Managerclubs2:Galatasaray (Assistant manager)
Manageryears3:2013–2014
Managerclubs3:Galatasaray (Assistant manager)
Manageryears4:2015–2016
Managerclubs4:Şanlıurfaspor

Tugay Kerimoğlu (born 24 August 1970), known in England as just Tugay, is a Turkish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He played for Galatasaray, Rangers and most notably Blackburn Rovers. After retirement, he was the coordinator of the Galatasaray youth academy, after a short spell working with Mark Hughes at Manchester City. He then served as Roberto Mancini's assistant at Galatasaray during the 2013–14 season.

Club career

Tugay was born and raised in Istanbul.[5] He started playing football in the youth academy of Trabzonspor. His father, Özkan, was a semi-professional footballer before becoming a bank manager and his brother, Tolgay, was also a football player.[6]

He played for Galatasaray from 1987 to 2000, where he won the Turkish League six times and the Turkish Cup four times. The midfielder was made captain at Galatasaray in the 1992–93 season, making him the youngest captain in the history of his club. He had signed for Scottish club Rangers in the January 2000 mid season transfer window, and joined Blackburn Rovers for the 2001–02 season.[7]

Former Galatasaray boss Graeme Souness brought Tugay to Ewood Park from Scottish side Rangers in the summer of 2001 for a £1.3m fee. His debut for Rovers was as a substitute against Sunderland. His first goal came on 14 October 2001 in a 7–1 home thrashing against West Ham United in which he scored with a trademark effort from outside the box, lobbing the keeper. Tugay immediately became a fan favourite at Blackburn, where he was an integral part of the club's success on the field since his first season. He missed Blackburn's League Cup final win in 2002 through suspension. Tugay was named Blackburn's Player of the Year in the 2003–04 campaign.

Tugay's final career goal came against Portsmouth in a 3–2 Premier League defeat at Fratton Park on 30 November 2008. He retired from football on 24 May 2009 at the age of 38.[8] His last game was against West Bromwich Albion at home at Ewood Park in front of a crowd of over 28,000 fans, who applauded Tugay during the match when he was substituted in the 85th minute to be replaced by Swedish left back Martin Olsson.[9] [10]

International career

Tugay has represented Turkey at Euro 1996, Euro 2000 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where Turkey finished in the quarter finals of Euro 2000 and third place in the 2002 World Cup. He retired from international football in 2003 after Turkey failed to qualify for Euro 2004 in order to focus on his Blackburn Rovers career.[11] His last match was on 5 June 2007 in a friendly against Brazil in Dortmund, Germany. He wore number 94 to commemorate his 94 caps for his country.[12]

Style of play and reception

Primarily a deep-lying playmaker in midfield, he was also competent as an attacking midfielder or playing in the holding role. He was widely recognised for his ability and was highly rated in the football industry. In 2000, former Romanian midfielder Gheorghe Hagi rated him as one of the finest ball-playing midfielders in Europe,[13] and in 2006, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had suggested that if he were ten years younger, Tugay's ability would make him an ideal player for the Old Trafford team.[14] When Tugay's manager at the time, Mark Hughes, was asked if he too wished Tugay was ten years younger, his answer was "No, because if he was, he'd be playing in a Barcelona shirt."[15]

Managerial career

On 3 June 2009, Tugay began working with his former manager Mark Hughes behind the scenes at Manchester City academy in a coaching role. He was linked for various assistant positions for the Turkey national team after Fatih Terim's departure, then he became the coordinator for the Galatasaray youth academy in February 2010.

On 21 October 2010, Galatasaray SK announced that Tugay was assigned for the position of the new assistant coach for Galatasaray, alongside of Gheorghe Hagi.[16] On 22 March 2011, Hagi was sacked following a string of poor results.[17] [18] Tugay refused to become the head coach until the end of the season, saying it would be wrong to accept the position for the head coach right after the sacking of Hagi.

On 4 October 2013, Galatasaray SK announced that Tugay was assigned again for the position of the new assistant coach for Galatasaray, this time alongside of Roberto Mancini.[19] However, after Mancini's dismissal at the end of the 2013–14 season, he left his position.[20]

In November 2015, Tugay took over Şanlıurfaspor in the Turkish second division as head coach for.[21] He left in April 2016 by mutual agreement.

Personal life

Tugay generally keeps himself out of the media spotlight, and even with very good English and an apparent good sense of humour, he rarely gives an interview, even to his previous club's own radio station (Radio Rovers). Tugay was married to Etkin, a former Galatasaray and Turkish international basketball player. He has two children, named Berke and Melissa. As a youngster, he was also an extremely promising motor racer, competing as high as a Formula 3 level. Tugay is a Muslim, stating that his religious beliefs are "something which is in my heart and I don't need to express that to other people".[22]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague Cup[23] EuropeTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Galatasaray1987–881.Lig40201070
1988–891.Lig160403010240
1989–901.Lig230102020280
1990–911.Lig1202130171
1991–921.Lig2632120304
1992–931.Lig256613050397
1993–941.Lig251250301004312
1994–951.Lig231623070393
1995–961.Lig303603020413
1996–971.Lig3341010354
1997–981.Lig302713082485
1998–991.Lig222701050342
Total2793450628045340243
Rangers1999–2000Scottish Premier League161161
2000–01Scottish Premier League263000070333
Total424000070494
Blackburn Rovers2001–02Premier League3330060393
2002–03Premier League371004040411
2003–04Premier League362001020382
2004–05Premier League2102110241
2005–06Premier League2711050331
2006–07Premier League301300071402
2007–08Premier League202101050272
2008–09Premier League2913040361
Total233111018018129313
Career total5544960650070474460

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Turkey199030
199160
199260
199350
199430
1995110
1996102
199730
199830
199950
200040
200160
2002160
2003110
200400
200500
200600
200720
Total942

Honours

Galatasaray

1987–88, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99

1990–91, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1998–99

1988, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997

1990, 1995

Rangers

1999–2000

1999–2000

Blackburn Rovers

2001–02

Turkey U21

1993

Turkey

Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tugay Keri̇moğlu . Turkish Football Federation . 22 January 2020.
  2. Web site: Tugay: Overview . Premier League . 22 January 2020.
  3. News: Kerimoglu Tugay – International Appearances. The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
  4. News: The golden generation. https://web.archive.org/web/20160808135515/http://www.fifa.com/u20womensworldcup/news/y=2007/m=10/news=the-golden-generation-610696.html. dead. 8 August 2016. FIFA. 4 October 2007. 12 June 2016. en.
  5. News: Tugay welcomes the next wave of Turkish talent . Tim . Rich . The Independent . London . 4 October 2003 . 22 January 2020.
  6. Web site: On the Spot: Tugay Kerimoglu. Sam Wallace. 20 September 2003. 7 May 2022. The Telegraph.
  7. Web site: Tugay's goodbye. 21 May 2001. 7 May 2022. Lancashire Telegraph.
  8. Web site: Former Blackburn Rovers manager Hughes hails Tugay. 23 May 2009. 7 May 2022. Andy Cryer. Lancashire Telegraph.
  9. Web site: Blackburn bid emotional farewell to Tugay as West Brom bow out. Graham Chase. 24 May 2009. 7 May 2022. The Guardian.
  10. Web site: Remembering 'magician' Tugay 11 years after Rovers farewell. Rich Sharpe. 24 May 2020. 7 May 2022. Lancashire Telegraph.
  11. Web site: Tugay quits as Turkish international. 28 November 2003. 10 May 2022. The Irish Times.
  12. Web site: Tugay to bow out against Brazil. 13 May 2007. 10 May 2022. UEFA.
  13. News: Tugay Kerimoglu. https://web.archive.org/web/20020326144928/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/euro2000/turkey/player/Kerimoglu.html. dead. 26 March 2002. 13 July 2000. Mail&GuardianOnline.
  14. News: Ecstasy then agony for Tugay. 20 November 2006. ESPN FC.
  15. News: Tugay Kerimoglu: A Turkish Delight, a Blackburn Legend. 23 May 2009. Bleacher.
  16. News: Hagi and Tugay take Galatasaray helm. 21 October 2010. UEFA. 10 May 2022.
  17. Web site: Blackburn Rovers legend lands job at Galatasaray. 24 March 2011. 10 May 2022. Lancashire Telegraph.
  18. Web site: Hagi leaves Galatasaray for the second time. 26 March 2011. 10 May 2022. UEFA.
  19. https://web.archive.org/web/20131005000411/http://www2.galatasaray.org/futbol/futbol_as/haber/18081.php Futbol Takımı Yardımcı Antrenörlüğüne Tugay Kerimoğlu Getirildi
  20. http://www.sabah.com.tr/Spor/Futbol/2014/06/16/tugay-kerimoglu-gorevi-birakti "Tugay Kerimoğlu görevi bıraktı"
  21. Web site: Tugay Kerimoğlu resmen Şanlıurfaspor'da. 9 May 2017 . Tugay Kerimoğlu is officially in Şanlıurfaspor. 10 May 2022. tr.
  22. News: On the Spot: Tugay Kerimoglu. https://web.archive.org/web/20100130102434/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2010/teams/england/2421786/On-the-Spot-Tugay-Kerimoglu.html. dead. 30 January 2010. The Daily Telegraph. 20 September 2003 . London . Sam . Wallace . 20 September 2003.
  23. Includes also Chancellor Cup, President Cup and TSYD Cup
  24. Book: Crouch, Terry. 2002. The World Cup - The Complete History. Great Britain. Aurum Press Ltd. 548. 1845131495.
  25. News: 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™. FIFA. 8 February 2022. En. https://archive.today/20220208124130/https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2002korea-japan. 8 February 2022. live.
  26. News: Korea Republic 2 – 3 Turkey. FIFA. 8 February 2022. En. https://archive.today/20220208130610/https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2002korea-japan/match-center/43950063. 8 February 2022. live.