Terim back at Galatasaray

Fatih Terim has returned to Galatasaray SK as successor to the Romanian Mircea Lucescu who has quit the post.

Mission accomplished
Lucescu, who led the Istanbul club to this season's 1. Lig title, resigned last night claiming he had "completed his mission at Galatasaray". It was a second domestic title for Lucescu, who took over from Terim in June 2000 and immediately won the UEFA Super Cup.

'Left of his own will'
Galatasaray vice-president Ali Dürüst said: "We have parted company with our coach Lucescu and named Fatih Terim as his successor. Lucescu has decided to leave of his own will. As the Galatasaray board, we appreciate the work he has done and the effort he put in. We want to thank him again."

UEFA Cup success
Terim, who has been a free agent since his dismissal by Milan AC in November last year, left Galatasaray in 2000 to coach AC Fiorentina. In his first spell at the Ali Sami Yen stadium the former Turkish national team coach guided his team to four successive league championships and, most important of all, the UEFA Cup in 2000 - the first European trophy won by a Turkish side.

Lucescu link
Terim's return to coaching role is not much of a surprise in Turkey, since Galatasaray's new president, Özhan Canaydin, had expressed his desire to work with the 48-year-old. Lucescu is now being linked with the vacant Besiktas JK job following Christoph Daum's decision to quit the club on Sunday.