Doğan Koloğlu

Doğan Koloğlu — Biography

Doğan Koloğlu was a footballer, coach, club official and journalist, remembered for his lifelong tie to Galatasaray and his place in Turkish sports journalism. In his columns he often used the term "hücum futbolu" (attacking football) and wrote hundreds of pieces on the importance of attack; he is also associated with the phrase "patlayan forvet" (an exploding striker). He was regarded as a doyen of the Turkish sports press and died in 2013.

Born in Sürmene, he went through all his schooling at Galatasaray High School, then served the club first as a player and later as an official and coach, and was second chairman of its General Assembly board. He began coaching at Beyoğluspor in 1963-64 and managed Feriköy in 1964. His best-known spell came in 1975, when after Jack Mansell left he took charge of Galatasaray on a caretaker basis and led the team to the Prime Ministry Cup title.

He headed the sports desk at Hürriyet and also worked at Akşam, Milliyet, Sabah and Vatan. A founding member of the Turkish Sports Writers Association, he was its president in 1981-1984. His father was the governor Sadullah Koloğlu, his brother the journalist and historian Orhan Koloğlu, and his son is Sina Koloğlu, a musician and founding member of the band Bulutsuzluk Özlemi. He died in hospital, where he was being treated, and was buried at Zincirlikuyu Cemetery.