Cüneyt Tanman

Cüneyt Tanman — Biography

Cüneyt Tanman is a former Turkey international who captained Galatasaray from 1985 to 1991 and later served in the club's management. He wore the yellow-and-red shirt from 1974 to 1991, apart from a single loan season at Giresunspor in 1975-76, and he also works as a football commentator.

Admired for his ball technique and his reading of the game, he played as a sweeper, left-back, midfielder and centre-forward, and is remembered as the player who has appeared in more different positions than anyone else in Galatasaray's history. During his captaincy he was a key member of the 1987 side that ended a 13-year wait for the league title, and he won a second championship in 1988. He made 533 appearances in all, scoring 41 goals in 401 league matches, and is counted among the league's exemplary players for his gentlemanly, dignified manner. He also appeared as a guest for the opposition in Peter Shilton's testimonial match.

He won 29 caps for Turkey across age levels, 17 of them for the senior side, which he captained nine times, and was in the under-18 squad that finished fourth at the 1975 European Championship. From 2004 to 2006 he was the director in charge of Galatasaray's football branch under president Özhan Canaydın, a spell that covered the 2005-06 title. In 2015 he returned to the post on Dursun Özbek's list and also became chairman of Galatasaray Sportif A.Ş., then announced his resignation from the football branch on 24 June 2015.