It is very important for someone to start, not from very high, but over the years and hard work, to make their biggest dreams come true. And certainly one of them is the president of Trabzonspor, Ahmet Agaoglu, the man who started at the Ahmet Ağaoğlu Kabataş Boys' High School, then graduated from the Naval School of the Technical University of Istanbul in 1979 and gradually worked as a captain.

In fact, on seagoing ships, he became an important businessman in his country, who at some point, seeing his favorite team threatened with bankruptcy and, of course, disbandment, stepped in the middle. Just like the captain who leaves the ship last… Here he just did the opposite. He entered the battle at the helm and as we all see he has won much of it, as the journey to the top which is his great goal continues at a steady pace.

Ahmet Agaoglou, 64, who was with the team for 18 years, and from 2000 to 2002 as vice-president, when he saw that the team was going to the rocks, his debts had drowned him. On April 8, 2018, he ran for the General Assembly and was solemnly elected president.

"The team was in dire financial straits. We fought and managed to save her from bankruptcy. Honestly the first two years were very difficult. But we never surrendered. First of all, we took care to collect the finances of the club. "We got in touch with FIFA and settled all our issues."

The 64-year-old, 17th president (in history) of the champion of the Turkish championship and favorite at the moment for the conquest of the title, Ahmet Agaoglou, speaks to Manos Staramopoulos and Discoveryfootball.com at our meeting in beautiful Trabzon.

Mr. Agaoglou, as captain of seafarers and large ships in general, but also later as an excellent businessman, had the way to get the team out of the way and bring it on the right path. Of course it was not easy.

DF: Mr. President, in order to achieve the financial consolidation of the club, how much time do you spend on the team?

R/: Laughs. Look. I have to admit that I sacrificed my life. 80% is dedicated to the club. But I am not upset at all, because I felt inside that it is a part of my life. "

DF: What exactly are the moves you made to make Trabzonspor financially upright?

R/: "We have reduced our budget 4-5 times. The salaries were 23 million euros. The club could not cope. So from 40 million euros we fell to 15 million euros. Then we made sure to get the "right" players in terms of management and technical leadership. It certainly was not easy. We tried to get footballers who have the same culture, speak the same language and at the right price. We even proceeded to sell football players. We gave Leipzig the Norwegian striker, Sorloth with 23 million euros. Then we follow a strategy which of course will have to be adapted to the different needs if we play in the Champions League… ". In general, we made mistakes, but as little as possible ... "

DF: We know that Trabzonspor has one of the best academies not only in Turkey but also in Europe and certainly the first one created in your country…

R/; "Indeed, we have an amazing academy of 600 children. Ages from 10-19 years old. It was created 20 years ago. Of course, this task is not simple. We have 12 teachers who teach children. We also want good people, in addition to good footballers. We have 8 fields with the latest type of grass… "