Is another legend taking charge instead of Arda Turan? Turkey have apparently found a new national team coach
A successor to the recently sacked Vincenzo Montella as coach of the Turkish national team has apparently been found.
Several Turkish media outlets report that Sergen Yalcin is set to take charge. The 53-year-old, who most recently coached Süper Lig top club Besiktas until mid-May, has reportedly already agreed to take the job. According to the reports, an official announcement is expected after the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) board meeting on Tuesday.
Montella lost his job in early October after three years in charge. The Italian had guided Turkey to the quarter-finals at an impressive Euro 2024 and then led a side featuring Real Madrid star Arda Güler to the 2026 World Cup. But two defeats in their opening matches at the tournament in North America confirmed a disappointing group-stage exit early. Four defeats in the Nations League followed during the most recent international period.
Heavy defeats at home to Italy (1-4) and away to Belgium (0-3) fuelled discontent and piled pressure on Montella, ultimately costing him his job. Arda Turan initially emerged as the preferred candidate to replace him, but the former Turkey international turned down the job because he would rather continue at Shakhtar Donetsk, where he is under contract until next summer. Turan took charge of the leading Ukrainian club in 2025.
Sergen Yalcin set to take charge as Turkey push for home-grown coach
The Turkish federation reportedly also approached Abdullah Avci, who most recently worked at Trabzonspor until August 2024 and previously coached the national team from November 2011 to August 2013. Avci was unavailable too, leaving Sergen Yalcin apparently third in line. The federation is understood to have decided quickly during its search to appoint a home-grown coach, having most recently employed two foreign coaches in Montella, an Italian, and his predecessor Stefan Kuntz (Germany).
Like leading candidate Arda Turan, Yalcin made a big name for himself as a player and is a legend at Besiktas. The gifted left-footer won 37 caps for Turkey, scoring five goals, and played a key role in their successful qualification for Euro 2000 with five assists and one goal. He made three appearances at the tournament in Belgium and the Netherlands, having also played twice for Turkey at Euro 1996. A cruciate ligament injury kept Yalcin out of the 2002 World Cup, where Turkey finished third.
Sergen Yalcin led Besiktas to the double in 2021
After ending his playing career in 2008, he initially worked as a youth coach at Besiktas. From 2013 to early 2020, Yalcin coached various Turkish clubs, usually for short spells, before taking charge of Besiktas' first team for the first time. He returned to the dugout at the club closest to his heart in summer 2025, but resigned in mid-May this year and has been without a coaching job since. His greatest success as a coach came in the 2020/21 season, when he led Besiktas to the league and cup double.
On 12 November, Yalcin would make his first appearance as national coach when Turkey host Belgium in the Nations League. Three days later, they travel to face France, who have new coach Zinedine Zidane. After four defeats to start the campaign, Turkey's relegation from League A of the Nations League is all but sealed.
