Günes calls time on Trabzonspor

Trabzonspor have allowed Senol Günes to step down after the former Turkey coach tendered his resignation following a league defeat against Manisaspor.

Decision announced
Günes announced his intentions after the 2-0 defeat on Friday, saying: "My assistants told me to wait one more day but I opted to announce this now though it is against my general principles. I am a person who does not like to throw in the towel but now I am throwing in the towel."

Emergency meeting
Following a meeting on Saturday, the Trabzonspor board accepted Günes's decision, with club president Atay Aktug saying: "We were hoping that we could persuade him to continue in his job but he did not change his decision." He also announced that Günes's assistant Ihsan Derelioglu had left the club too.

Bronze medal
The man who led Turkey to a bronze medal at the 2002 FIFA World Cup had endured a difficult spell after taking over from Ziya Dogan last season. Having been knocked out of the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds by Anorthosis Famagusta FC, Trabzonspor had also been struggling in the league.

Bulak sacked
Meanwhile, another Turkish coach was dismissed on Saturday as Denizlispor parted company with coach Deniz Bulak. The coach had insisted that he would not resign following a 2-1 home defeat against Gaziantepspor, but was dismissed following an emergency meeting of the club's directors late the same night.