Why can't Turkish Football Train Players?
Just looking at the basic practices in the countries where the young players recruited by Turkish football clubs come from, it is possible to train better youth players than the country with a population of 80 million.
While Germany, with a population of 3 million Turks, produces quality Turkish football players, how can Turkey, with a population of 80 million, not? Here is that cliché question that even the average football fan does not hesitate to ask… However, the answer to this question is not that simple. Because everyone, from the federation to the clubs and even the family of the young football candidate, has a responsibility in this issue, which is one of the most important problems of Turkish football. How? Let's explain.
You can say that the opportunities in Germany are very good, there are good trainers, the club's player development program is very strong, the children are better fed, trained more correctly, etc. It is possible to extend this list further. Each of these issues has its own importance and you are right globally. But the most vital point is; After the infrastructure training for young people in Germany, the opportunity to gamble on professional teams between the ages of 19-22. A player who has the opportunity to gamble until the age of 22 is naturally more likely to stay in professional football and his development is faster. As a natural result of this, professional clubs in Turkey; It focuses on football players of German origin who are well-educated, but who have demonstrated the most important opportunities and improved themselves. Since they cannot provide a sound education in their own infrastructure or do not give opportunities to these young people whom they have trained well, they turn to Turkish players from abroad by finding ready-trained young opportunities and gaining knowledge.
So, why and how do Germans offer opportunities to the young people they raise? This is where the German Football Federation, which is responsible for football in this country, comes into play. The Bundesliga's new broadcast tender was sold for 4.5 billion euros. The German Football Federation announced the distribution of 30 per 100 of this income depending on the performance of the last 5 years, while the remaining 2 per 100, which will be distributed to different departments, within the 70 bubble of 100, will be distributed to 19-22 year olds. It will offer opportunities to young people between the ages and distribute them to clubs. Considering the total number, it becomes clearer what is meant. In other words, with this distribution, the federation actually emphasized that the body has a more vital importance for itself: If you want to benefit from this serious financial resource, you will "make the young people play". In conclusion; If you provide infrastructure education and offer opportunities to young people after they graduate from infrastructure, the education you have will have meaning.
This situation in the country's football is revealed by a research conducted by the Switzerland-based Center for International Sports Research (CIES). According to the research, among UEFA member countries, Turkey ranks last in giving chances to players from the infrastructure. In other words, issues such as what your country can play and the size of your football economy no longer have any meaning when you go to national competitions between countries. In countries that provide better education and, most importantly, opportunities for young people, they can get ahead of you even if they are far behind you in terms of population and economy. If questioning and thinking critically is a dimension of the subject, offering suggestions on criticized issues is the more difficult and fragmented part of everything. Therefore, in the next part of the article, we included what can be done to solve this problem.
The challenges in Turkish football's ability to train players are multifaceted and involve various factors. Some reasons for the perceived difficulty in developing players in Turkish football include:
Infrastructure Issues
The quality and availability of training facilities and academies play a crucial role in player development. Insufficient infrastructure and training facilities can hinder the development of young talents.
Coaching Quality
The effectiveness of coaching staff in youth development is pivotal. The presence of well-trained and experienced coaches is essential for nurturing young talents, and any deficiencies in coaching quality can impact player development.
Educational and Developmental Focus
A comprehensive approach that includes not only technical skills but also physical, mental, and tactical aspects is vital for player development. A lack of emphasis on holistic player education and development programs may contribute to challenges in producing well-rounded players.
Mental and Physical Preparation
Football requires not only technical skills but also mental and physical attributes. Insufficient focus on mental resilience, tactical understanding, and physical conditioning in youth development programs can result in players who are not adequately prepared for the demands of professional football.
Club Management
The management and decision-making processes at football clubs can significantly influence player development. If clubs prioritize short-term success over long-term player development, there may be a lack of consistency and stability in nurturing young talents.
Competition and Pressure
The highly competitive nature of Turkish football, coupled with intense media and fan scrutiny, can create a challenging environment for young players. Excessive pressure and expectations may impede the natural progression of young talents.
Financial Constraints
Some clubs may face financial constraints, limiting their ability to invest in youth development programs, facilities, and coaching staff.
Strategic Planning
Long-term planning and adherence to a consistent development strategy are crucial for sustained success in player development. Frequent changes in coaching staff, playing styles, and club philosophies can disrupt the developmental pathway for young players.
It's essential to note that while these challenges exist, Turkish football has also produced talented players who have achieved success both domestically and internationally. Addressing these issues requires a collaborative effort involving football associations, clubs, coaches, and stakeholders to implement effective strategies for the holistic development of young talents in Turkish football.
Solutions of Turkish football
1. Transition to bodywork
In any professional club in the world, the infrastructure and superstructure conditions are not the same individually, and it is not possible. Conditions in most environments are not the same. The gap between infrastructure and superstructure in Turkey has started to widen in recent years. In this sense. It is vital for potential young players to prepare for bodywork training, to train there, to be nourished there and to make up for their deficiencies there. The cliché "Young people immediately become spoiled when they move up" cannot be abandoned. He can stay together to prevent these young players from getting spoiled or to choose the one who won't get spoiled. The most important point to consider in this process is to recruit the young player to the bodywork at the right time and age. Neither too early nor too late.
2. Acceptance
One of the main features of young players finding a place in the professional team squad is that they are not accepted by other team players. Unfortunately, professional team players and young players from the infrastructure see them as rivals or trained personnel who will do their job. This is why better young athletes get injured at the beginning of their careers and many of them lose this competition. In this process, the most important responsibility falls on the technical team. The security provided to the technically modified young player is expected to create an environment that will leave other players feeling torn apart. In this sense, one of the most watched ones is the pairing of a young player and a talented player in his team. This helps the young player to be protected by his teammates, increasing the youth and strength of the team.
3. Debut
The young player is vital for the correct use of the first match on the stage. Which match will be played, with what score, and for how long... As a player, a preparation record for the first time needs to be made very carefully. In recent years, the management of coaches; We have witnessed too many times when their young performances on the field were erased while losing 3-0 to give the message that 'I don't have any players'. Or, just to say "I attach great importance to young players", players who were played in 1-2 professional matches for 14-15 years and were forgotten.
4. Effective use of communication channels
The young player who is preparing for the professional squad needs to be properly introduced to the community and fans. For this, written and visual media must be used in the most effective way. This communication process, in which the media is used effectively and professionally, will increase the player's self-confidence and enable him to be accepted faster in the community.
5. Common perspective of family, manager, player and club
Coaches and professional staff of the club should inform the young player's career planning, as well as the player's family and manager. It is very important that all parties such as the player, family, manager and club agree on this plan. Uncertainty and anxiety about the future not only harm the young player, but can also cause him to make wrong decisions, often with external guidance. However, an experienced coach and his team can follow this process and prevent the player from losing performance due to different thoughts at the most unlikely time.
6. Correct salary strategy
Paying a young player a salary above his expectations will cause him to reduce his target, as it will enable him to reach a comfortable standard of living without playing. The fact that the salary is low will cause him to move away from the club in order to reach financial comfort as soon as possible, with the guidance of possible third parties.
7. Goal setting
Unfortunately, in Turkey, boards of directors only set performance targets for coaches. This goal is usually related to the ranking in the league or cup matches. If targets were set for the recruitment of young players to the upper structure and this was determined as a performance target, the coaches' perspective would naturally be different. Clubs with leading player development programs in European football can only bring a player from the infrastructure to the professional team squad every 2-3 years. They turn other graduate players into economic value and sell them.
