FORMER Newcastle star Emre Belozoglu has landed his first managerial role as Istanbul Basaksehir boss.
The 41-year-old’s arrival was confirmed today after Aykut Kocaman was sacked just eight months into the job.
Basaksehir, Turkish league champions in the 2019/20 season, could only muster a 12th place finish last term.
And after losing six of their opening eight games in the new campaign, they sit 15th in the table and are already 13 points off leaders Fenerbahce.
Belozoglu, famous for his technical skills and hot-headedness as a player, has now been tasked with turning around Basaksehir’s alarming decline.
And after playing 128 times for the club during a four-year spell from 2015 to 2019, he is confident of living up to expectations.
Belozoglu declared: “There is a great motivation and love here. It gives me happiness and pride to be here.
“My biggest dream after football is to be one of the greatest coaches in Turkey. It was a pleasure to join.
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“As someone who has mastered the genes of the club here, I know it very well.
“Success is desire, so I know what the community wants from me. I will fight for it as much as I can.”
Belozoglu started his his senior career at Galatasaray, and won four titles, two Turkish Cups, the UEFA Cup and Super Cup by the time he was 21 years old.
A four-year spell at Inter Milan followed, which resulted in Coppa Italia glory in 2005, before Belozoglu headed to Newcastle.
He played 82 times for Magpies over three years before returning to Turkey with Fenerbahce.
One title and one Turkish Cup later, Belozoglu moved to Atletico Madrid for just six months.
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He returned to Fenerbahce for a further two-and-a-half years to win one more title and Turkish Cup.
And it was then Belozoglu began his love affair with Basaksehir, before spending one final season at Fenerbahce ahead of his retirement in 2020.
Belozoglu also won 101 caps for Turkey, playing six times for his country in 2019 at the age of 39.
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