Trabzonspor's iconic player and coach Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı passed away on Saturday at 87, leaving behind a legendary legacy in the Black Sea club and Turkish football.
Trabzonspor's official statement on the passing of their legend read, "We lost our legendary coach Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı, who won 4 league championships, 3 Turkish Cups, 5 Presidential Cups, 2 Prime Minister's Cups and 2nd League Championships, as well as countless cups for our club. Our condolences."
Özyazıcı's son, Hakan Özyazıcı, informed Anadolu Agency (AA) that the renowned coach, who had been receiving care in the comfort of his own home for several months due to his ailing health, sadly passed away Saturday evening.
Özyazıcı's remains were laid to rest on Sunday after the noon prayer at the Iskenderpaşa Mosque.
Following the passing of the Trabzonspor legend, an outpouring of heartfelt condolences began to pour in from all directions.
Trabzonspor club President Ahmet Ağaoğlu expressed his sympathies by saying, "We lost our legend; our pain is great"
In his heartfelt condolence message on the club's website, Ahmet Ağaoğlu praised Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı as one of the few exceptional footballers who have left an indelible mark on the history of the club, having achieved great success in their lifetime and having their name inscribed in golden letters.
Ağaoğlu said: "Our coach was a major figure and a symbol of not only Trabzonspor but also of Turkish football. During the three championship-winning campaigns, he was one of the principal architects of those legendary years that propelled our club to unprecedented success, with a style of football that was distinctly Trabzon and Trabzonspor, both in the composition of the squad and the tactical system."
Emphasizing that Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı and Özkan Sümer were among the main actors of the legendary years, Ağaoğlu said: "Two years ago, we lost our legend Özkan Sümer again. Now our coach Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı has passed away. We are losing our values and legends one by one. The contributions of both names to football are innumerable. They made a difference, especially with the understanding of modern football that they applied in the early 1970s. This is how they made Trabzonspor successful. Their understanding of football set an example for Turkish football as well. The game philosophies of our coaches have played an important role in the development of Turkish football since the beginning of the 1980s. Unfortunately, today we have sent our coach Ahmet Suat to eternity. Our pain and sadness are great. Our community, and his family. I offer my condolences to his fans and our country. We were faced with such sad news before we even had a chance to experience the pain of the earthquake inside us."
More tributes
Other football clubs around the Türkiye have joined Trabzonspor in mourning the loss of the legend, extending their condolences to his family and friends.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF), Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray clubs, and Beşiktaş technical director Şenol Güneş shared a video about Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı's death.
The TFF said: "It is with great sorrow that we bid farewell to the legendary Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı, a legend of Turkish football, who has passed away. During his illustrious career, he amassed many accolades and honors, including five Presidential Cups, four League Championships, three Turkish Cups, two Prime Minister's Cups, the Cyprus Peace Cup and the 2nd League. In 1959, Özyazıcı also represented his country in four amateur national matches. On Sunday, Feb. 19, his funeral will take place at Iskenderpaşa Mosque, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, fans, Trabzonspor community and the entire Turkish football family."
Beşiktaş manager Şenol Güneş shared a message on the club's website saying: "I have learned with great sadness that my dear coach and mentor Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı, with whom we achieved many successes together, passed away. May the Almighty have mercy on Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı, who left deep traces of his athlete identity and humanity in Turkish football and Trabzonspor. I offer my condolences to his grieving family, fans, and the Turkish football community."
Galatasaray said, "We learned with deep sadness the death of Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı, the unforgettable name of Turkish football and Trabzonspor. May the Almighty bless him; we express our condolences to his family, fans, and the Turkish sports community."
Fenerbahçe also expressed their sympathies, saying: "We are sad to learn the news that Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı, one of the unusual names of Turkish football and Trabzonspor community, passed away. May the Almighty bless the late Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı; we express our condolences to his sad family, fans, Trabzonspor community and Turkish football family. "
On the other hand, many clubs, from Spor Toto Süper Lig and the TFF 1. Lig, also sent condolences to Özyazıcı's friends and family.