Ersun Yanal

Ersun Yanal — Biography

Ersun Yanal is a coach known for attack-minded football who led Fenerbahçe to the league title in 2013-14. He clinched it with three games to spare, and it remains the only league title of his career. His teams are also known for conceding nearly as many goals as they score. He was named Turkish Manager of the Year in 2014. Today he is more visible through television commentary than on the touchline.

As a player he moved between Denizlispor, Şirinköyspor, Sarayköyspor, Manisaspor and Nazillispor. He began coaching in 1990 at Sarayköyspor, won a regional cup with Yeni Salihlispor and spent two seasons at Denizlispor. At Ankaragücü he finished sixth in 2000-01 and fourth in 2001-02. With Gençlerbirliği he eliminated Blackburn Rovers, Sporting CP and Parma in the 2003-04 UEFA Cup before losing to Valencia in extra time in the fourth round, and he lost the Turkish Cup final to Trabzonspor in 2003 and 2004. He coached the national team from April 2004 to June 2005, then moved to Manisaspor. He took charge of Trabzonspor in three separate spells. With Eskişehirspor he finished fifth in 2011-12 and qualified for Europe. From 2010 to 2011 he was general director at the Turkish Football Federation.

He had arrived at Fenerbahçe in June 2013 on a one-year contract; that first spell ended in August 2014 over disagreements with the board; he returned in 2018-19 and left in March 2020. He then coached Antalyaspor, taking them to the 2021 Turkish Cup final, and moved to Alanyaspor in 2023 and Amedspor in 2024.