New coach Denizli welcomes Galatasaray risk

Mustafa Denizli will take the Galatasaray helm after Wednesday's UEFA Champions League trip to Atlético Madrid, the 66-year-old having previously served the club as both player and coach.

Denizili has agreed an 18-month contract with club president Dursun Özbek but will not assume his position until after the must-win Group C visit to Atlético, for which Cláudio Taffarel remains in caretaker charge. The Brazilian stepped into the breach following Hamza Hamzaoğlu's departure last week.

"I ended my playing career at Galatasaray, and Galatasaray is where my biggest successes as a coach began," Denizli said. "When I received this offer from the club that I owe my reputation and fame to, it was – of course – not the same as any other offer. If I am going to risk my reputation, it could only be for Galatasaray.

"I can only feel honoured when Galatasaray call," he added. "I hope to achieve all the goals that our club are aiming for. It is a difficult task and I am really excited. In fact, if I wasn't excited, I wouldn't be doing the job. I am twice as excited now as the first time I took the helm at Galatasaray in 1987."

A left-winger for the Istanbul side in the final season of his playing career – 1983/84 – Denizli stayed on at Galatasaray after hanging up his boots, working under coach Jupp Derwall and later replacing the German when he stood down. He won the title in his first term and the following campaign became the only coach to lead a Turkish team to the semi-finals of the European Champion Clubs' Cup.

After holding the Turkey reins from 1996–2000, Denizli was the first Turkish coach to win the championship with Fenerbahçe, in 2000/01, and subsequently struck gold with Beşiktaş too, in 2008/09. Thus he was the first coach to win the league with all three major Istanbul clubs, having triumphed in his maiden campaign with each one.