Fenerbahçe SK head coach Ismail Kartal's attempt to resign has been rejected by club president Aziz Yildirim. The club issued a blunt statement confirming Kartal remains in charge and that the team will continue preparations for the Gaziantep FK match under his direction.
Kartal announced his resignation in a post-match press conference following the 1-1 Champions League draw with AS Roma on Thursday, 10 September 2026. The 65-year-old manager said he stepped aside "to pave the way for the club" and that the decision was made collectively. He noted he had been at the club for three months since the start of the season.
AZIZ YILDIRIM'S FIRM RESPONSE
Club president Aziz Yildirim intervened by refusing to sanction Kartal's departure. Yildirim stated, "Ismail Kartal is still in charge. The club should support our coach. Until I leave, Ismail Kartal is the head coach of Fenerbahçe." The president also criticised fans and media for increasing pressure on Kartal.
The club's official statement on Friday reiterated that Kartal's position remains unchanged. It confirmed, "Our team will continue preparations for the Gaziantep FK match with a training session tomorrow at 11:30am under the direction of our coach Ismail Kartal." This decision shows a search for stability in a project that recently incorporated forward Mason Greenwood, who joined from Marseille for around £33 million this summer.
MATCH DETAILS AND SQUAD REACTION
In the Roma match, Fenerbahçe's goal was scored by English left-back Archie Brown in the 48th minute, with an assist from Mason Greenwood. Greenwood has now scored four goals and provided three assists in his 11 appearances for the club.
It was also reported that Kartal was hit by a water bottle thrown from the stands during the match. Archie Brown, who learned of the resignation news afterwards, expressed surprise, saying, "As coach? He’s not the coach any more? I didn't know about this."
LEAGUE STANDING AND NEXT TARGET
These developments come at a critical time for Fenerbahçe, who sit 9th in the Süper Lig with 6 points from 4 matches. The team's form over the last five games reads three wins, one draw and one loss. The yellow-navy blues, who are 6 points behind leaders Beşiktaş, will close the first half of the season with an away match against Başakşehir on 6 December 2026. The opponent currently occupies 12th place in the table.
Ismail Kartal returned to Fenerbahçe for his fourth spell as manager this summer. A former player who won two league titles with the club, Kartal also lifted the Turkish Super Cup as a manager in 2014. The club's current squad structure and statistics are available on our dedicated pages. The board aims for a rapid climb up the standings under Kartal's continued leadership.
