Barcelona star reveals which manager reminds of him Man United boss Jose Mourinho
Barcelona star Arda Turan has revealed that Basaksehir manager Abdullah Avci reminds him of a Man United boss Jose Mourinho.
“He is special, when I was young I used to call him Apo Mourinho, he is like a young Mourinho,” Turan told Fanatik in an interview.
“He is a tactical genius and was just as meticulous when he was coaching us in the Galatasaray academy as he is now.”
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Avci coached Turan as head coach of the Galatasaray academy side and enjoyed a brief stint as Turkish national team head coach.
The 53-year-old manager has worked wonders with the Istanbul minnows transforming the club from total obscurity into title challengers.
Basaksehir are currently second in the Turkish league, just two points behind leaders Besiktas which is an incredible achievement considering the difference in budget between the two clubs.
The Istanbul based outfit were only established in 1990 and despite having arguably the smallest fanbase in the league and a shoestring budget, Avci has managed to secure a top four finish for the past two seasons.
What Avci has achieved is nothing short of remarkable.
Avci has been described as the Warren Buffet of Turkish management.
The US business tycoon is a master at finding undervalued stock and Avci has developed a reputation as spotting undervalued players.
After signing ex Newcastle United midfielder Emre Belozoglu on a free-transfer last season he snapped up 19-year-old wonderkid Cengiz Under for just £600,000 from Altinordu – in what could end up being the signing of the season.
Avci may not have won anywhere near the number of trophies Mourinho has but Basaksehir winning the title would be an achievement on the level of Leicester City winning the league title.