Fernando Santos can already leave Istanbul. The Portuguese coach was fired by Besiktas on Saturday evening, bringing an end to a three-month tenure.
Fernando Santos's tenure at Besiktas, marked by high expectations due to his successful stint with the Portuguese national team, ended abruptly as the club sought immediate results.
Besiktas, historically one of Turkey's football powerhouses, has been under pressure to perform consistently at the top of the league and compete in European tournaments. Santos was seen as a potential stabilizer for the team, someone who could utilize his international experience to elevate the club's performance.
However, the league results under Santos's leadership were far from satisfactory. Out of thirteen matches, only four resulted in victories a performance metric that fell short of the club’s ambitions for a top-three spot in the Süper Lig. The recent draw against Samsunspor, a lower-ranked team, compounded the frustrations surrounding the team's direction and ultimately led to Santos's dismissal.
The search for a new coach now begins anew for Besiktas. Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who was initially in talks with the club before Santos's appointment, remains a candidate. His previous hesitation involved the inability to bring along his trusted assistant, Jean-Paul van Gastel, from NAC Breda due to contractual obligations. With Van Gastel’s contract at NAC Breda not being renewed, this could potentially open the door for a new negotiation phase that might include both Van Bronckhorst and Van Gastel joining Besiktas, offering a fresh start and new tactical approaches.
This coaching change is part of a broader trend in Turkish football, where clubs often display little patience with managers, reflecting the high-stakes nature of the sport in the country. Besiktas's decision underscores a common theme in football management where immediate results are prioritized, and the long-term building processes are often overlooked. The next appointment will be crucial for Besiktas as they aim to realign their objectives and stabilize the team's performance to meet the expectations of their passionate fanbase.
