Trabzonspor has formally accepted the resignation of head coach Fatih Tekke, reversing an earlier decision to reject his request to step down, the Turkish Super Lig club confirmed in a statement.
Tekke, 48, initially offered his resignation following Trabzonspor's heavy Europa League play-off exit, having been eliminated 5-0 on aggregate by Hungarian side Ferencvaros. The club's board first turned down his offer on Friday, with officials suggesting at the time that the decision had been driven by the "intense emotional impact" of the European elimination rather than a considered choice.
However, just days later, Trabzonspor announced it had reached what it described as a "mutual understanding" with Tekke, agreeing to part ways in what the club called the interest of its "long-term objectives."
In its statement issued on Wednesday, the club struck a warm tone in reflecting on Tekke's roughly 18-month spell in charge, crediting him with meaningful contributions both on and off the pitch. "Over his approximately 18-month tenure, Fatih Tekke brought significant value to Trabzonspor," the statement read. It went on to praise his role in developing players brought into the squad during his time at the helm, as well as the sporting and financial benefits his stewardship delivered to the club.
Among Tekke's most notable achievements was guiding Trabzonspor to a third-place finish in the Super Lig last season, a result that secured European qualification and underlined the progress made under his leadership. He also led the club to Turkish Cup glory, a triumph the statement highlighted as another mark of his legacy at the Black Sea club. "By bringing the Turkish Cup back to our museum, he once again wrote his name into Trabzonspor's history," the club said.
Despite the accolades, the disappointing European campaign appears to have been the tipping point that convinced both parties a change was needed. According to the club's statement, Tekke himself was adamant that he would not allow his continued presence to negatively affect the institution. "At this point, we reached a mutual understanding with our coach — who stated he would never allow his presence to harm Trabzonspor in any way — that drawing a new roadmap, prioritising the club's interests above all else, had become unavoidable," the statement explained.
The club closed its announcement by thanking Tekke for his commitment and the results achieved during his time in charge. "We thank our coach for his efforts, his dedicated work, the successes he delivered, and the value he added to Trabzonspor," the statement concluded.
Tekke's departure leaves Trabzonspor searching for a new head coach as they look to build on last season's domestic success while attempting to move past the disappointment of an early European exit. The timing of the change, coming so soon after the initial rejection of his resignation, reflects the pressure generated by the manner of the Ferencvaros defeat and the scrutiny that followed within Turkish football circles.
No successor has yet been named, and the club has not indicated a timeline for appointing Tekke's replacement. Attention will now turn to how Trabzonspor manages the transition as they continue their Super Lig campaign, aiming to build on the foundations laid during Tekke's tenure while seeking fresh direction following a turbulent week at the club.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.