GS1905

Actually Samsunspor have a seemingly very good core of players in them.They've got Vlado Petkovic as the team's headcoach. He enjoyed fantastic success at Young Boys Bern, as he promoted top quality players to the world stage, including Seydou Doumbia and Thierry Doubai. They have a decent goalkeeper in Ertugrul Taşkıran, on loan from Fenerbahce. He was a key player for Fenerbahce A2 (U21s) team when I worked there. Sometimes flops in crosses department, but still OK. Just 21 y-o. Defence seems to be the weakest area. They have former PSV centre-back Andre Bahia, who seems to be the only decent players in that unit. Valdomiro, Hakan Arslan and Kemal do not seem sufficient. They have Michael Fink, formerly of Beşiktaş and Monchengladbach in the midfield, partnered by Colombian Dominguez Cabezas, who they signed from FC Sion. On the right side plays Simon Zenke, Nigerian powerhouse wingforward. On the left they usually put Pal Lazar of Hungary, or Ekigho Ehiosun of Nigeria. Ekigho is the guy who scored both goals vs Galatasaray last week, as they went up 2-0, before losing 2-4. The striker since the beginning of the season has been Aristide Bance, former Mainz striker. And now that Gekas arrived for that position, I could see Bance either downgraded to the bench, or put on the left side instead of Ekigho. As stated, Samsunspor do have a very good core of players, plus a decent coach. Will they turn things around in the second half of the season, I don't know but there's every reason to be hopeful.

Hey mods, time to change the current title to Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor A.Ş.).. ;)

He's just signed a 2,5 year contract, worth ?300k for the remainder of this season, ?500k for next season, and ?600k for his final season to be. I don't know what his bonuses will be. By the way, as Galatasaray are away at Samsunspor later this evening, strange things happened. When Gekas landed at Samsun 19 Mayıs Airport, it was Galatasaray fans that greeted him. :LOL: Check out this photo gallery for further details and laugh!! :LOL: :LOL: (Pic 10 shows him with his new jersey on) ;) Gekas in Samsun - Gallery

Indeed!I felt he could still be worthy and good enough if he joined Galatasaray to back Elmander and Baros up. Great signing for Samsunspor!! :tup: Pity that their first game is against Gala! :o

Gekas to join Samsunspor According to Milliyet and many other Turkish papers such as Fanatik, Zaman and Sabah, Greek striker Fanis Gekas is set to join Turkish Superleague strugglers Samsunspor in a few days. Samsunspor Director of Football Adnan Sezgin is in Germany to sort out the final few details of the transfer.

GALATASARAY HAS QUALIFIED FOR TURKISH AIRLINES EUROLEAGUE!!!!!!! :nw: :nw: Galatasaray have beaten hosts and seasoned Euroleague contenders Lietuvos Rytas 71 - 63 in front of 9,500 passionate Lithuanian fans and qualified for Euroleague for the very first time in our history!!! Thanks a world to coach Oktay Mahmuti and 12 fighting lions!!! :tup: :tup: All the pre-season signings and last year's defensive system work have paid off!!! RE RE RE RA RA RA G'SARAY G'SARAY CIM BOM BOMMM !!!! :nw: :nw: :nw: :nw:

First day results for the Two Nations Cup, played in Istanbul.. Anadolu Efes - Panathinaikos : 84 - 76 Fenerbahce Ulker - Olympiakos : 78 - 88

Galatasaray - ASVEL Lyon : 93 - 83 Cim Bom Bom are in the Final of the Euroleague qualifiers!!! :tup: Oktay hoca's boys have beaten French side ASVEL with a fantastic performance from downtown.. Galatasaray sunk 14/24 from 3 pt-range with Jaka Lakovic leading the scorers with 22 points. Cevher had 12, Andric and Josh Shipp scored 11. Tutku Acık had 6 assists and 3 steals. Galatasaray will play the Final with hosts Lietuvos Rytas tomorrow. Whoever thought of this home team qualifier system is a big-style idiot in my opinion!! Why not play two-legged games and decide who is better on a much fairer occasion??!! ULEB!!!! :tdown:

Galatasaray - PAOK : 77 - 64 Cim Bom Bom recorded a relatively easy win this evening in Rytas over Greek side PAOK in what was a Qtr-Final Euroleague qualifier. The offensive impact of PG Ender Arslan and PF Luksa Andric were quite effective, getting 14 pts each whilst Jamon Gordon was simply everywhere on the court, getting 21 points, 2 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. Young center Furkan Aldemir also had a pleasing game, 11 points 9 rebs. Galatasaray will play with ASVEL Villeurbanne-Gravelines winner tomorrow at 16.00 CET.

It's a done deal. Galatasaray have notified the Stock Market that they have reached an agreement with Albert Riera. Galatasaray will pay Olympiakos €3M, €2M of which is paid the day the player signs the deal, and the remaining €1M will be paid in 2 installments of €500k in January 2012 and July 2012. Albert Riera is going to sign a 3+1 year contract, getting €2.7M in his first season, €2.9M in his second, €2.9M in his third and €3M in his additional year if his contract is extended. Riera's contract will be extended by default if he plays 20 league games in his third season. He will also get €7,5k per game for his full 90 minutes. Official Announcement

seemingly our football director and chairman's personal lawyer is in piraeus to sort the riera thing out. nothing's been on the club's web site yet, but insider rumours and both turkish and greek press keep putting up figures for the transfer. according to turkish sports web site sporx.com, galatasaray will announce sulley muntari and albert riera tomorrow. for riera, olympiakos will be paid €4.5m and the spaniard will be given €3.1m a season for 3 years. i think that will be a sad move for us after establishing such a good squad, to compliment it with a nomadic spaniard who seems to be worried wherever he goes, and do it by paying a massive lump of money.. fatih terim said he is a fan of riera for a long time, to chairman unal aysal, in a behind-closed-doors meeting.

Ela re you make some very good points around the African player's ages.I think it should have been very suspicious when Makoun turned up at Rendi to sign his contract with Oly with his 26 year old son! :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: I still think Makoun is an improvement over Maniatis, though. By the way, Turkish press is crazily writing today that Albert Riera is a target for Galatasaray.

GALATASARAY SIGNINGS 2011-2012 Jaka Lakovic, PG-SG (Regal FC Barcelona) Jamon Lucas Gordon, SG-SF (Olympiakos) Darius Songaila, PF-C (Philadelphia 76'ers) Furkan Aldemir, C (Karşıyaka) Cevher Ozer, SF-PF (Beşiktaş Cola Turka) Ender Arslan PG (Anadolu Efes) Can Korkmaz, PG-SG (Pertevniyal SK) Luksa Andric, C-PF (2-year extension of contract) Jaka Lakovic Luksa Andric After playing in our first Finals series since 1990, Galatasaray have now set higher targets with head coach Oktay Mahmuti in charge with these great signings. The qualification for Euroleague will start on September 29 in Rytas, Lithuania. There's every reason to be hopeful!!

Anadolu Efes, the renamed Efes Pilsen, have signed Turkish NT power forward and Milwaukee Bucks player Ersan Ilyasova for a year. The long-range sharp shooter who had a great World Cup last year, is going to make $2M in his sole season at Efes. The player has reiterated his wish to come back to European game or play for another franchise in the NBA as he was very discontented to be at Milwaukee. Efes inks Ilyasova and Mills Efes have also snapped up point guard Patrick Mills from Portland Trail Blazers. The details of that agreement is kept secret for now, but is believed to be a lockout-long deal. Patrick Mills Ersan Ilyasova

Greece is the favourite?? Well, they may win the tie, in sport anything can happen, but looking at how both teams played so far, Turkey is the clear cut favourite here.