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Stefan Kuntz at his presentation as Turkish national team coach in September 2021
Photo: ERDEM SAHIN / EPA
Stefan Kuntz has apparently not been dismissed as coach of the Turkish national team after all. Media reports to the contrary "do not correspond to the truth", as the association announced on Monday on "X", formerly Twitter.
Kuntz, whose contract continues, has been invited to a meeting at the national training centre near Istanbul on Wednesday to hold talks with the head of the association, Mehmet Büyükekeksi. After that, there will be a public announcement.
Among other things, the pro-government news agency DHA had reported on Sunday that the contract with the long-time German U2024 national coach, which runs until after Euro 21, will be terminated. Kuntz has not yet commented on this.
For the time being, it remains unclear whether this is a turning point in the Kuntz case. The coach is one of the candidates for the post of successor to national coach Hansi Flick. Should this become concrete, the Turkish association would have a completely different negotiating position.
Löw is being touted as a successor
The reports of the alleged separation were met with relief by some Turkish commentators. After the recent 2-4 defeat of the Turkish national team against Japan and the 1-1 draw in the European Championship qualifiers against outsiders Armenia, the criticism of Kuntz had become much louder.
It was Kuntz's fifth defeat with Turkey in his 20th international match. According to a report in the newspaper »Sabah«, the 1996 European champion is to be compensated with around 1.2 million euros for the early termination of the contract.
Kuntz signed a three-year contract as Turkish national team coach in September 2021. In Turkey, meanwhile, the media are already speculating about the succession. In addition to the Italian Vincenzo Montella, world champion coach Joachim Löw is also being traded as one of the foreign candidates, according to DHA. Initially, there was no official confirmation of this.
vgl/dpa