Feldkamp sparks Galatasaray revival

Galatasaray AS may be thriving in the Süper Lig under Karl-Heinz Feldkamp but the German is determined to put the Turkish side on the "true path" in Europe at Panionios GSS.

European letdown
The 73-year-old attained legendary status at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium as he led Galatasaray to a league and cup double in 1992/93 before retiring for health reasons. Given permission by doctors to replace Erik Gerets in Istanbul this summer, the German is working wonders in the league again, with only some drab performances in Europe letting the side down.

Domestic success
Galatasaray are top of the Turkish table and unbeaten in domestic football this season, but defeats by FC Girondins de Bordeaux and Helsingborgs IF have left them bottom of UEFA Cup Group H as they prepare to take on Panionios in Greece tonight. However, with another game at home against FK Austria Wien to come, Feldkamp - known as the White Fox in his homeland - remains hopeful.

Bloodied but unbowed
"Bordeaux and Helsingborg are not better than us," he said. "In the games we lost we deserved better results. Neither side dominated the games nor did they pressure us. It was really infuriating for me to leave those games empty handed. But a win against Panionios will put us back on the true path. Therefore we will do our utmost to achieve it."

Guiding principles
Previously a coach with the likes of 1. FC Kaiserslautern, BV Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt, Feldkamp's arrival in Istanbul in 1992 brought a revolution as he took the team's star players down a peg, imposed a rigid disciplinary structure and fashioned a dangerous counterattacking side which none in Turkey could match. However, health problems saw him quit after just one season.

Doctor's orders
He briefly returned with Galatasaray in 1999 only to quit again on doctor's orders, but is again making waves now in his third spell at the club. Feldkamp may prefer a more aggressive, pressing style these days, but he still makes no concessions to star players - thus far Lincoln, Hakan Sükür and Ümit Karan have all felt his wrath for breaches of club discipline.

German imports
Back in 1992/93, Germans Reinhard Stumpf and Falco Götz came in to reinforce the defence, and in his second spell at the club, Feldkamp has also headed for home in search of new talent, with SC Rot-Weiss Essen players Barıs Özbek and Serkan Çalık - both born in Germany but of Turkish descent - giving Galatasaray creativity in midfield. "We have a very young team so from time to time there are some unexpected lapses," explained Feldkamp. "It is impossible to get a perfect combination in five months."