Hikmet quits Kocaelispor post
Wednesday, October 9, 2002
Article summary
Hikmet Karaman has resigned as coach of the Turkish top-flight's bottom club, Kocaelispor.
Article body
Hikmet Karaman has resigned as coach of the club at the foot of the Turkish Super League, Kocaelispor, after a poor start to the season.
Club statement
The Kocaelispor president, Sefa Sirmen, had publicly backed Hikmet during the club's disappointing run. However, in a statement on Monday he said that if Hikmet wanted to leave he would not stand in his way. Hikmet subsequently announced his resignation.
Candidates contacted
"We have cancelled [Hikmet's] contract and Kocaelispor do not owe him any amount of money," Sirmen said today. "We will name our new coach in a couple of days and we are in touch with a few candidates including Yilmaz Vural [the former Trabzonspor coach] and Sakip Özberk [formerly of Denizlispor]."
One point
Kocaelispor are bottom of the table with one point from eight matches and were eliminated from the UEFA Cup by the Hungarian team Ferencvárosi TC 5-0 on aggregate in the first round.
