In the wake of Türkiye's Euro 2024 qualifiers humbling loss to Croatia, Galatasaray businessperson Murathan Meserretçioğlu aired his grievances about Turkish football, loudly decrying the lack of technical management, as well as the infrastructural inadequacies that had become all too apparent.
The Crescent Stars were left shell-shocked on Sunday, as Mario Kovacic's two-goal brace left them open and vulnerable, handing Croatia a 2-0 advantage.
Though Stefan Kuntz's boys had some fleeting periods of domination, the overall performance ultimately left much to be desired.
Despite the torrent of criticism that followed the defeat, Murathan Meserretçioğlu, renowned for his bold statements and determination, stepped forward to offer a potential solution to Türkiye's woes.
Meserretçioğlu stated that it is sufficient to look at the National Team in order to interpret Turkish football.
"Our situation is in a precarious state. The stark reality of last night was laid bare; our technical ability to manage football was far from sufficient, and our players were unable to reach a level of quality commensurate with the highest standard of the nation. Our infrastructure is inadequate and we are far away from where we need to be in regards to football. The Croats laid bare the truth with their words; we are operating within a system that only has a population of 3.5 million. 'What are you doing with 85 million?' they said, and it was a valid question indeed," he said.
Meserretçioğlu said that for the problem to be solved, there is a need for a total overhaul.
"It is simply untenable to borrow continually in order to sustain outdated financial structures, to bemoan individual shortcomings rather than embracing progress, to decrease the number of foreign players without addressing the issues with referees in our own league, and to fail to recognize the deficiencies in the football infrastructure of a country with such immense potential. We cannot just continually talk about dreams and struggles on television shows, and expect the building to stand when the foundation has been laid incorrectly," he said.
In a recent statement, Meserretçioğlu called for a revolution and major changes in all aspects of Turkish football, citing financial, technical, infrastructural, administrative, and managerial issues.
He suggested the establishment of a "Football Development Board," similar to the Health Science Board and Earthquake Science Board, to lead the development of Turkish football.
He said that the committee would bring together experts from various fields, including sports economy, football infrastructure, clubs, bureaucracy, and refereeing, to determine the problems and deficiencies and develop a roadmap for improvement.
Meserretçioğlu believes that the success of Turkish football lies in the collaboration and contributions of experienced and valuable individuals gathered around the table to reveal this ideal, which could lead to a revolution in local football.