Trabzonspor coach Fatih Tekke announced his resignation after his team were eliminated from the UEFA Europa League with a 4-0 loss to Hungarian side Ferencvaros on Thursday, but the club’s management later rejected his decision.
Ferencvaros overturned Trabzonspor’s advantage in the playoff tie with a dominant performance at Groupama Arena, leaving the Turkish club out of the Europa League despite entering the second leg with hopes of advancing.
Tekke announced his resignation in a post-match television interview, taking full responsibility for the defeat and saying he believed he had to accept the consequences.
“Until the red card, it seemed like it was going to be a match that would go well,” Tekke said. “As a result, we couldn’t qualify for the Europa League.”
The 48-year-old coach said he and his staff had spent the past 18 months working relentlessly to improve the team but acknowledged that the defeat was one he could not accept.
“For 18 months, my team and I have been working day and night, thinking about how we can do better,” he said. “The team will be much, much better, that’s for sure. I won’t elaborate further. As of now, I am resigning from my position after 18 months. I believe I have the right to impose this punishment on myself.”
Tekke revealed that he had not informed the Trabzonspor president or club officials of his decision before making the announcement live on television.
“I haven’t told the management about my resignation. I’m saying this on television for the first time. Nobody knows,” he said.
Tekke repeatedly described the result as unacceptable, saying he could not simply move on from a performance that had deeply disappointed him.
“There are some matches that hurt you deeply. We experienced one of those matches,” he said. “Today’s defeat is unacceptable. Bad luck is acceptable, but I cannot accept this. I can’t sleep like this.”
Tekke also pointed to a principle he regularly emphasizes to his players, saying he takes responsibility when Trabzonspor lose while crediting his players when they win.
“There’s something I always tell my players: Defeats are my responsibility, victories are theirs,” he said. “This defeat is something I have to take upon myself. That is the right thing to do.”
He thanked Trabzonspor’s management, president and supporters while expressing confidence that the club had a strong future.
“Trabzonspor has a bright future,” Tekke said. “I wish Trabzonspor success. May everyone forgive me. We did our best.”
Tekke acknowledged that leaving Trabzonspor would be particularly difficult because of his strong connection to the club.
“The sad part is leaving Trabzon,” he said. “Life is like this. We have to accept some things.”
Tekke returned to Trabzonspor in March 2025 and quickly helped stabilize the club, guiding them to third place in the Turkish Super Lig last season with 69 points.
He also led Trabzonspor to the Turkish Cup title, giving the club a major domestic trophy during his tenure.
The Black Sea club invested heavily in the squad during the summer transfer window, including the signing of Egyptian star Mohamed Salah on a two-year deal.
Despite their Europa League elimination, Trabzonspor will continue their European campaign in the UEFA Conference League league phase.
Tekke said he did not want his resignation to become a distraction for the club and insisted that Trabzonspor had the squad and structure to move forward.
“There is no point in forcing things in a way that will harm Trabzonspor,” he said. “Trabzonspor has a bright future.”
Despite Tekke’s announcement, Trabzonspor management did not accept his resignation, leaving his immediate future at the club unresolved.
The dramatic development came after an emphatic defeat that ended Trabzonspor’s Europa League hopes and overshadowed what had otherwise been a successful period under Tekke.
The club now faces the task of determining whether Tekke will remain in charge following his public decision to step down, while preparing for the Conference League and the new domestic season.
