Forgotten Lionel Messi team-mate who once fired gun in hospital during bizarre career lands first managerial job
ARDA TURAN has launched his managerial career with Turkish second-tier side Eyupspor.
And the maverick former star, who previously played for Barcelona alongside Lionel Messi, is taking inspiration from Diego Simeone and Luis Enrique.
Eyupspor sit top of the Turkish second tier, having won their first four games under Turan.
With a squad featuring former Liverpool star Ryan Babel, they have scored 11 goals so far this term, conceding just one.
Turan, 36, has spoken of how he wants to incorporate skills from two of the high profile managers he played under at Barca and Atletico Madrid.
He told Marca: “I learned a lot from both. Cholo’s (Simeone) contribution to my defensive perspective is great. From Luis Enrique I focus on the offensive movements and positioning on the field.
“In addition to technical and tactical understanding, I learned from both of them to be very honest and open with the players. It was one of the things that impressed me the most about them.
“Tactically speaking, I learned a lot from Simeone in terms of team positioning, rigidity, acting together in defence, pressing, receiving in the 4-4-2, not allowing the ball to be passed between blocks and in the organisation of set pieces.
“From Luis Enrique I learned a lot about how to position the team, how to find solutions against rival defences, how to settle in and react.”
He then added: “Cholo’s most important characteristic was that he was very honest and very open. He said directly what he wanted. I try to be as clear and open as him in all my conversations with my players.”
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Controversy seemed to follow Turan around during his playing career.
From on-field misdemeanours including lobbing his boot at a linesman to allegedly threatening to “crush” a reporter at his wedding – Turan’s story was always an eventful one.
In 2019 he was even hit with a two year and eight month suspended jail sentence after being found guilty of intentional injury and possession of an unlicensed weapon.
After allegedly approaching Turkish singer’s Berkay’s wife Ozlem Ada Sahin, the footballer was angrily confronted.
He is then claimed to have broken Berkay’s nose, before following him to hospital.
In a dramatic scene, Turan was found to have brandished a gun in Berkay’s hospital room, before placing it in front of him and saying: “I didn’t know she is your wife. I’m sorry, just kill me.”
The stricken pop star refused, but Turan’s gun still went off – terrifying patients.
He later apologised for his “instant error” in a written statement.
Turan was also acquitted of sexual harassment in the same case.