DF: You took over the technical leadership of the Turkish national team in a difficult period, as hopes of reaching the final phase of the 2022 World Cup were almost completely diminished.

SK: We succeeded to keep our World Cup hopes alive by reaching the play-offs thanks to victories against Latvia, Gibraltar, and Montenegro. Unfortunately, we lost to Portugal in the single-legged play-off game, but we learned a lot from this defeat. 

DF: But then we see that with the renewal you tried, things started and work much better…

SK: Yes, the change was noticeable, but we still have a lot of things to improve.

DF: Where do you think Turkish football should be improved, so that the Turkish national team can do better?

SK: This is a complicated matter involving lots of individual structures which are not so easy to change. 

DF: In November we have for the first time the World Cup in the middle of the season. How much will this change benefit football and how much do you think big new markets will open up in the East and beyond?

SK: It will be a big challenge for all players who take part in the World Cup. It will also be difficult for clubs who need to manage this break in the middle of the season.

DF: Who are your favourites for the 2022 World Cup?

SK: The top five countries of Europe, together with Brazil and Argentina.

DF: Is the German national team, under the guidance of Hansi Flick, capable of reaching the top, or is there a danger of premature elimination as happened in Russia back in 2018?

SK: They have good chances of reaching the semi-finals.

DF: We all know that so far Lionel Messi has not managed to lead the Argentinian national team to a World Cup victory. Will Lionel succeed this year?

SK: This will be his last try and so I expect him to work harder than ever and his teammates will probably want to give him a final present with a big achievement.

DF: This year the Golden Ball will be given before the top event which is the World Cup. Who do you think will be the big favourites to conquer it?

SK: Karim Benzema

DF: Türkiye had tried to host the final phase of the 2024 European Championship but failed. Maybe it's now Türkiye’s time to organize a top tournament. Besides, its facilities and stadiums are many and modern.

SK: I know that there is a big desire to host the final round of a European Championship. Earlier this year, the Turkish Football Federation announced its candidacy for hosting EURO 2028 and EURO 2032. UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin already labelled Türkiye as a ‘strong candidate for EURO 2032’ in a recent interview.

DF: Do you think that Trabzonspor title triumph last season will contribute to the improvement of football in Türkiye?

SK: Not more or less than former champions.

DF: The presence of many foreigners in each national league helps its development. Do you believe at some point it will be needed that FIFA, UEFA and certainly the European Union should introduce certain rules?

SK: That’s up to every federation and they would decide the best for their own country.

DF: We all see that time is relentless and at some point, in the near future Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will retire. Are there successors for those big names or should we be patient?

SK: There are already a lot of potential successors for those names in the word football.