Trabzonspor Reject  Coach Tekke’s Resignation

Trabzonspor have dismissed head coach Fatih Tekke’s resignation following the Turkish club’s Europa League elimination, with new signing Mohamed Salah publicly affirming his dedication to the project.

The Super Lig side crashed out of the competition on Thursday after suffering a 4-0 defeat by Ferencvaros in Hungary, culminating in a 5-0 aggregate loss in the play-off round.

Tekke, who guided Trabzonspor to a third-place league finish last season, submitted his resignation in the immediate aftermath of the heavy defeat. However, the club moved swiftly on Friday to reject his departure, attributing the 48-year-old’s decision to the “intense emotional impact” of the European exit.

Salah, the former Liverpool icon who made a surprise move to Trabzonspor last month, addressed the setback publicly, insisting the result would not shake his commitment.

“Nothing in my career ever came easy. Bad nights and disappointments are part of football, and I have learned to turn them into motivation and into trophies,” the Egypt international wrote on social media platform X.

“Trabzonspor is my club, and I am part of this project, body and soul. Last night will not change that. I know expectations are high, and I truly believe we can and will deliver. ‘I came here to win’ is not just a slogan to me.”

Despite the European disappointment, Trabzonspor will now compete in the Europa Conference League this season, where Scottish side Hearts feature among their six group-stage opponents.

The seven-time Turkish champions have been aggressive in the summer transfer window, securing Premier League-winning experience through Salah and Fabinho, while Andre Onana has also returned to the club on loan from Manchester United.

Salah, 34, mutually agreed to terminate his Liverpool contract at the end of last season before making the shock switch to Trabzonspor. The forward ranks as the third-highest goalscorer in Liverpool’s history with 257 goals in 442 appearances, trailing only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt following his 2017 move from Roma.

The veteran attacker opened his account for his new club in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir, netting both goals in the win.