Özgür Bayer

Özgür Bayer — Biography

Özgür Bayer was born on 4 April 1979 in the Sarıbeyler township of Balıkesir and started playing football at Soma Sotesspor. He moved to Soma Linyitspor at 15, spent 1998 on loan at Beylerbeyi, then returned to Linyitspor before joining Yimpaş Yozgatspor, with whom he reached the Süper Lig and spent two seasons.

Two and a half productive seasons at Denizlispor made the centre-back a target for bigger clubs, and he transferred to Trabzonspor, later turning out for Ankaraspor and Kayseri Erciyesspor, then Gaziantepspor in 2007-08. He agreed terms with Kocaelispor in July 2008, moved to MKE Ankaragücü for the rest of the season in January 2009, and signed for First League side Giresunspor for 2009-10, where he had a strong campaign. He then had one-year spells at Boluspor under Levent Eriş from June 2010, Karşıyaka in 2011-12, and his former club Denizlispor again in 2012-13. Later in his career he also played for Adanaspor and Osmanlıspor.

Bayer was called up to Turkey's A2 national team three times, earning three caps at that level. In 2015 he drew wide attention in Turkish football for beating cancer, and moved into coaching after retiring as a player.