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Gerets leads revamped Galatasaray

Galatasaray SK have appointed Erik Gerets as coach while releasing Hakan Ünsal and Arif Erdem.

Wolfsburg move
Former Belgian international Gerets, 51, left Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday having in 14 months led the team from relegation candidates to a comfortable mid-table side. The former Club Liège, Lierse SK, Club Brugge KV, PSV Eindhoven and 1. FC Kaiserslautern coach is taking his first Turkish job at the club which Hagi left earlier this week having led them to victory in the Turkish Cup.

UEFA Cup campaign
Gerets will now take change for Galatasaray's 2005/06 UEFA Cup campaign, but will not be able to call on two players that helped them win the competition five years ago as defender Hakan Ünsal and forward Arif have not had their contracts renewed.

Duo depart
Arif, 33, has been with the club since 1991 and described leaving as "painful". Hakan Ünsal, 32, said he still wished to continue his playing career for two further seasons.

Quartet rewarded
Meanwhile, Turkish youth internationals Ugur Uçar, Mülayim Erdem, Arda Turan and Özgürcan Özcan have all been given three-year contract extensions. Striker Özcan was part of the Turkey team that won the UEFA European Under-17 Championship in May under former Galatasaray academy coach Abdullah Avci.

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