Trabzonspor has escaped the Istanbul competition and is considered the biggest candidate for the title. A success that is closely linked to Marek Hamsik.
There is this joke that Cem Yilmaz brings up over and over again in his demonstrations. The best-known stand-up comedian in Turkey tells of Temel from Trabzon, who is invited to America by his friend Dursun to live there. “Yes, but what should I work there?” Asks Temel. Dursun says: “It is enough if you collect the money that is lying around on the streets.” So Temel flies to New York, gets off the plane and sees a $ 100 bill on the floor. Temel is annoyed and scolds: “You can’t start working on the first day.”
“You think this is a joke?”, Yilmaz asks the audience: “No, this guy really exists. I had a Çay with him!” Temel jokes have a tradition in Turkey like the East Frisian jokes in Germany. Laughs are almost always guaranteed, but – like Yilmaz – you of course serve certain stereotypes. The Trabzoner is commonly described in the saga as very peculiar. Emotional, simple, warm, but also rough.
Of course, these are all barely tenable clichés, but in some situations they at least provide a clue about the circumstances on the Black Sea, where Trabzon is located. A large portion of emotionality, as it is described, can actually not be denied to the local people. An emotionality that often got in the way of the Trabzonspor football club, but is actually a mainstay of this institution. Because Trabzonspor is not a normal football club, but a statement.
Founded in 1967, the club not only has fans in its own region, but across the country. The club sees itself as the opposite pole to the mighty Istanbul greats Besiktas, Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, loves to play this role and therefore has many fans all over the country.
Hamsik triggers a hype at Trabzon
Marek Hamsik, 34, this constellation will not seem strange. He played for SSC Napoli for twelve years. The club from the south of Italy has always been the symbol of a revolt of the little ones against the mighty from Milan, Rome and Turin. When Diego Maradona personally led the club to the championship in 1984, it was “the biggest kick in history”, as Italy expert Oliver Birkner aptly described it.
Trabzonspor also made these kicks again and again between 1975 and 1984, but after that neither Naples nor Trabzon were able to win a championship and the longing is getting bigger and bigger. Since then, every season has started with the hope that the time has finally come. “I actually see similarities,” says Hamsik. “I know what people want to see here and I want it too.”
When Trabzonspor presented the Slovaks in July, the hype in Trabzon itself was great. Children (and also a few brave adults) had their new hero’s mohawk cut and the reception for Hamsik at the airport was of course emotional. There was criticism that a 34-year-old ex-star, who last played in China and Sweden, cannot be trusted with a title fight. After twelve of 40 match days, however, it can be said that Hamsik’s commitment has been a direct hit so far.
Trabzonspor leaders of the Süper Lig
Trabzonspor are leaders of the Süper Lig, have nine points ahead of Galatasaray, ten points each over Besiktas and Fenerbahce and are the biggest title contender after a quarter of the season. It’s not just the fact that Trabzonspor is still undefeated so far, but also the way Trabzon rushes from win to win. Trainer Abdullah Avci’s troop plays well and successfully at the same time.
This also has a lot to do with Hamsik: The Slovak is the hoped-for pacemaker, who sets the pace and direction and lets his great class flow regularly and profitably. Ugur Meleke, one of the most renowned sports journalists in the country, has a very special comparison ready at Hamsik.
“I think it is no exaggeration when I say that Marek Hamsik is the Michael Jordan Trabzonspors. Hamsik is involved in every action his team takes, he has the ball at his feet in every attack. He determines where the game goes . He’s the head and when things get tight he changes his position and remains dangerous. “
Of course, the Jordan comparison is not entirely without, it is absolutely correct that the Trabzoners currently feel comfortable in the care of their leader and like to take part in his very personal “The Last Dance”.
Endurance runner Hamsik gives Trabzon hope
It is impressive that Hamsik not only shines with phenomenal passes – as in the last 2: 1 in the guest game against Master Besiktas – but also because he is physically at the highest level. In Istanbul he ran 12.687 kilometers – the best value among all players. Hamsik has an explanation for this: “It is not enough to train well for an hour every day. You have to be careful what you eat and drink, when you go to bed. I am of a certain age and base my life accordingly. “
This professionalism is well received in Trabzon. In the longing for the title, the club has started countless new attempts in history and has crashed many times because the chemistry between newcomers and the environment was often wrong. It is now right at Hamsik, who also has a positive influence on other newcomers such as Gervinho and Co.
The similarity to the emotional structure in Naples, in which everything is subordinate to football, certainly plays a role for Hamsik. But he knows from his own experience that things can also go in the other direction if things don’t go well and accordingly the veteran also builds: “I’m happy about the support and it’s nice that we are at the top. But that The real difficulty is staying up there. There will be phases in which we will lose. Then the fans will have to stay by our side. “
If this succeeds, one could actually satisfy an eternal longing in Trabzon in the end. Temel would definitely be happy.