Tahir Karapınar

Tahir Karapınar — Biography

Tahir Karapınar is a former midfielder who spent many years at İzmir's historic club Altay and later became a coach. His best-known post as a coach came in June 2020, when he managed Fenerbahçe on an interim basis for the rest of the season. He then took on roles at Fenerbahçe tied to player development, first in the academy and then with the first team; he and the club parted ways in November 2025.

He began at Tirespor and played for Muğlaspor, Manisaspor (on loan) and Göztepe before moving from Göztepe to Altay, where he played twelve straight seasons. He is counted among Altay's legendary figures.

After retiring as a player he started work at Altay in 2004 and held various posts there until 2009. In early 2009, after the club parted with Feyyaz Uçar, he took over the first team; Altay finished the 2008-09 season fifth in the second tier and reached the play-offs, but lost the semi-final to Kasımpaşa and missed promotion to the Süper Lig, and he resigned at the end of the season. He later worked as an assistant coach at Gaziantepspor (2011-12) and Manisaspor (2013-14), and as a first-team coach at Konyaspor in 2017-18. On 9 June 2020 he was appointed interim head coach of Fenerbahçe for the league's remaining eight matches; he won his first match 2-1 against Kayserispor at Kadıköy, coming from behind, and lost his first derby 2-0 away at Beşiktaş. From 2020-21 he served as the academy coordinator, later becoming responsible for individual development with the first team.