Daum confirmed as Fenerbahçe coach
Friday, June 6, 2003
Article summary
Christoph Daum has been unveiled as the new coach of Turkish side Fenerbahçe SK after days of speculation.
Article body
Speculation over
Former Bayer 04 Leverkusen boss Daum ended days of speculation by signing a three-year contract with the Istanbul club. Fenerbahçe said on Wednesday that they were close to appointing the 49-year-old, who left FK Austria Wien last weekend.
Second time lucky
Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yildirim was glad to have got his man at the second time of asking. "Three years ago, when Daum was with Leverkusen, we tried very hard to bring him to Fenerbahçe," he said. "Even though we offered big money, he couldn't come because he was under contract."
Familiar ground
Daum returns to the Super Ligi after two previous stints with Besiktas JK, the new champions. He becomes Fenerbahçe's tenth coach since 1998, replacing caretaker Tamer Guney.
Return to grace
With his appointment, Daum, who led Austria to the league and cup double, continues his return to grace after a spell in the football wilderness. While at Leverkusen, the German Football Association named him as their next coach but he never took charge following reports about his drug taking in the media.
