From rescuing a sinking ship to guiding it to win a battle, in little over a year, Abdullah Avcı has done the impossible as he led Trabzonspor to its first Turkish Süper Lig title in 38 years last Saturday.
In the 35th game week, Trabzonspor drew 2-2 with Antalyaspor and was declared champion of Turkey with three matches to spare, something even the Trabzon diehard fan would have dismissed as a ludicrous dream back in November 2020, when Avcı took over.
Trabzonspor brought in the 58-year-old Turkish player-turned-coach on Nov. 10, 2020, with the club reeling in the 17th spot after a spell of disastrous results.
That however now looks like a distant nightmare as the Burgundy-Blues clinched the title with 77 points from 35 matches at the top of the table. Its nearest opponent, Istanbul powerhouse Fenerbahçe is trailing the champion by nine points.
In the 67 weeks under Avcı, Trabzonspor has picked up a total of 40 wins, 22 draws and suffered only five losses, before crowning the run with its first title since 1984.
The Black Sea Storms had made a muted start to the 2020-21 season under English coach Eddie Newton. But they suffered four losses, three draws and could muster a solitary win in the first seven weeks of the season.
Trabzonspor then parted ways with Newton and brought in Avcı, who had started his managerial career back in 2000 with Istanbulspor while helming Istanbul Başakşehir for nearly a decade in two stints.
Having lost four times in the first eight weeks of the league, Trabzonspor was struggling with just six points on the board.
Under these circumstances, Avcı's hiring could not have come at a more crucial time and he delivered. Trabzonspor soon bounced back, losing only three, while winning 18 and securing 11 draws in the remaining 32 matches under the management of the new coach.
Trabzonspor eventually finished fourth, behind the Big Three – champion Beşiktaş, Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe – with 71 points from 19 wins, 14 draws and seven losses in 40 games.
Beşiktaş, under Turkish great Sergen Yalçın, had clinched the title on goal difference, after being tied on 84 points with Galatasaray.
With its fourth-place finish, Trabzonspor got the opportunity to participate in the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers, which came to a premature end against Jose Mourinho's Roma.
However, the early heartbreak in Europe turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Trabzonspor. While the Big Three were busy with their European campaigns, Avcı had the opportunity to rethink his approach, better prepare his side and maintain focus for the long haul.
His men eventually picked up a record 22 wins and 11 draws while suffering only two losses in 35 game weeks so far this season. Their performance was so dominating, that Trabzonspor led the points table for an astonishing 29 weeks.
Under Avcı, the team from Turkey's northeastern Black Sea region had also won the 2020 Turkish Super Cup, beating Medipol Başakşehir 2-1 at Istanbul's Atatürk Olympic Stadium on Jan. 28, 2021.
Trabzonspor can complete a historic double by adding the 2022 Ziraat Turkish Cup to its trophy cabinet. It is currently in the semifinals and holds a 1-0 advantage over Kayserispor. The second leg is scheduled for Tuesday.
By securing the title with three matches in hand, Trabzonspor became equaled Fenerbahçe's record of becoming the earliest champion.
The Yellow Canaries accomplished the feat in the 1967-68, 1969-70 and 2013-14 seasons.
Trabzonspor has sights on one more record, matching Galatasaray's record of becoming champion with the biggest lead in the points table.
With three more weeks left, it can increase its lead to at least 12 points at the top, matching Galatasaray's title-winning performance in the 1987-88 season.
