INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) – Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella says he has no intention of resigning after his team suffered two scoreless losses and is already out of contention for the World Cup title.
Montella also hit back at what he saw as undue criticism of the team, both online and in person, during a heated press conference on Wednesday. Turkey has completed its mission world cup against Undefeated co-hosts USA Thursday night at SoFi Stadium.
“Will I resign? The answer is no,” Montella said through an interpreter. “Because I still have energy. I still have enthusiasm. And I feel stronger after this experience. Maybe if there are people who want me to resign, maybe they’ll have to accept that I’m not resigning.”
The Italian coach, who capped a hugely successful tenure by leading Turkey back to the World Cup for the first time in 24 years, implored his team’s fans and media to be polite and even cooperative after the World Cup exit. Lost 2-0 to Australia and Lost 1-0 to Paraguay. Although Turkey dominated both games based on many statistical indicators, they were unable to find the back of their opponents’ net.
Coach Montella knows that the Turkish team, which was a popular pick for great success at this World Cup, has suffered a huge disappointment and does not want this setback to affect the attitude of his young players and their confidence in the future of Turkish football.
“I sincerely ask that you respect them because they are the same players, the same players who are here today and will probably be here in the future,” Montella said. “Because they’re our sons, they’re our players. And I’ve seen personal attacks that I can’t accept. Because this is what you’re doing to your own son and I can’t accept it.”
turkish team received a disrespectful heckle When he arrived by bus at the team hotel in Los Angeles on Tuesday, several fans erupted in anger. Fans shouted in English, “Montella, go home!” He yelled at his coach, who was not fluent in Turkish, at the president of the football federation, Ibrahim Hasisomanoglu, and tried to personally provoke his captain, Hakan Calhanoglu.
“I didn’t always expect congratulations, but I didn’t expect this kind of communication,” Montella said. “There were people who followed us in their cars (cheering) from the stadium to the airport to the hotel. There was a group of maybe three or four (hecklers), and when you think about it now that this is how the whole country feels, well, this is a negative. It’s not a positive for the system, because there were another 50 (fans) cheering.”
Montella reiterated a long list of statistical positives from Turkey’s two games, but admitted they did not translate into victory. Turkey’s 21-year-old winger Kenan Yildiz said his teammates were particularly frustrated by the lack of results after what they felt were two solid performances.
“Expectations for us were very high,” Yildiz said. “We got sent off early, but to be honest, I don’t think we were in bad shape. We were the better team in the two games. If you look at the stats, I think we were (better) in a lot of places. We took the most shots. We won the most duels. In both games, we were good, we gave our best, and that shows in the stats. But like in football, statistics don’t win games.”
Montella is a former manager of AC Milan, Sevilla and Fiorentina. He took charge of the Turkish team in September 2023 and led them to the quarter-finals of the 2024 European Championship. turkey Achieved excellent results in the World Cup qualifying playoffs Last March, he secured a spot for the first time since 2002.
Turkey could still leave North America with success, and Montella believes his players will embrace the chance to do well at this World Cup against group winners the USA, who are likely to rest several key players in a meaningless match.
“I’m very motivated,” Montella said. “I have the support of the president (Hasisomanoglu), which is enough for me. I also have the support of the players, but this is even more important. I am a professional and I have poured my heart and passion into this team during this time.”
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/FIFA-World-Cup
