Tugay Kerimoğlu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tugay Kerimoğlu

Tugay in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Tugay Kerimoğlu
Date of birth	(1970-08-24) 24 August 1970 (age 54)
Place of birth	Trabzon, Turkey
Height	1.76 m
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
0000–1983	Trabzonspor
1983–1987	Galatasaray A2
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1987–1999	Galatasaray	279	(34)
1999–2001	Rangers	42	(4)
2001–2009	Blackburn Rovers	233	(11)
Total		554	(49)
National team
1986–1987	Turkey U16	13	(1)
1987–1988	Turkey U18	8	(0)
1988–1991	Turkey U21	20	(3)
1990–2007	Turkey	94	(2)
Teams managed
2010	Galatasaray A2
2015–2016	Şanlıurfaspor
Honours Representing  Turkey Men's football FIFA World Cup Third 2002 Korea/Japan Mediterranean Games Gold 1993 Languedoc-Roussillon
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Tugay Kerimoğlu (born 24 August 1970), known in England as just Tugay, is a Turkish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He played for Galatasaray, Rangers and most notably Blackburn Rovers. After retirement, he was the coordinator of the Galatasaray youth academy, after a short spell working with Mark Hughes at Manchester City. He then served as Roberto Mancini's assistant at Galatasaray during the 2013–14 season.

Club career

Tugay was born and raised in Istanbul. He started playing football in the youth academy of Trabzonspor. His father, Özkan, was a semi-professional footballer before becoming a bank manager and his brother, Tolgay, was also a football player.

He played for Galatasaray from 1987 to 2000, where he won the Turkish League six times and the Turkish Cup four times. The midfielder was made captain at Galatasaray in the 1992–93 season, making him the youngest captain in the history of his club. He had signed for Scottish club Rangers in the January 2000 mid season transfer window, and joined Blackburn Rovers for the 2001–02 season.

Former Galatasaray boss Graeme Souness brought Tugay to Ewood Park from Scottish side Rangers in the summer of 2001 for a £1.3m fee. His debut for Rovers was as a substitute against Sunderland. His first goal came on 14 October 2001 in a 7–1 home thrashing against West Ham United in which he scored with a trademark effort from outside the box, lobbing the keeper. Tugay immediately became a fan favourite at Blackburn, where he was an integral part of the club's success on the field since his first season. He missed Blackburn's League Cup final win in 2002 through suspension. Tugay was named Blackburn's Player of the Year in the 2003–04 campaign.

Tugay's final career goal came against Portsmouth in a 3–2 Premier League defeat at Fratton Park on 30 November 2008. He retired from football on 24 May 2009 at the age of 38. His last game was against West Bromwich Albion at home at Ewood Park in front of a crowd of over 28,000 fans, who applauded Tugay during the match when he was substituted in the 85th minute to be replaced by Swedish left back Martin Olsson.

International career

Tugay has represented Turkey at Euro 1996, Euro 2000 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where Turkey finished in the quarter finals of Euro 2000 and third place in the 2002 World Cup. He retired from international football in 2003 after Turkey failed to qualify for Euro 2004 in order to focus on his Blackburn Rovers career. His last match was on 5 June 2007 in a friendly against Brazil in Dortmund, Germany. He wore number 94 to commemorate his 94 caps for his country.

Managerial career

On 3 June 2009, Tugay began working with his former manager Mark Hughes behind the scenes at Manchester City academy in a coaching role. He was linked for various assistant positions for the Turkey national team after Fatih Terim's departure, then he became the coordinator for the Galatasaray youth academy in February 2010.

On 21 October 2010, Galatasaray announced that Tugay was assigned for the position of the new assistant coach for Galatasaray, alongside of Gheorghe Hagi. On 22 March 2011, Hagi was sacked following a string of poor results. Tugay refused to become the head coach until the end of the season, saying it would be wrong to accept the position for the head coach right after the sacking of Hagi.

On 4 October 2013, Galatasaray SK announced that Tugay was assigned again for the position of the new assistant coach for Galatasaray, this time alongside of Roberto Mancini. However, after Mancini's dismissal at the end of the 2013–14 season, he left his position.

In November 2015, Tugay took over Şanlıurfaspor in the Turkish second division as head coach for. He left in April 2016 by mutual agreement.

Personal life

Tugay generally keeps himself out of the media spotlight, and even with very good English and an apparent good sense of humour, he rarely gives an interview, even to his previous club's own radio station (Radio Rovers). Tugay was married to Etkin, a former Galatasaray and Turkish international basketball player. He has two children, named Berke and Melissa. As a youngster, he was also an extremely promising motor racer, competing as high as a Formula 3 level. Tugay is a Muslim, stating that his religious beliefs are "something which is in my heart and I don't need to express that to other people".

Career statistics

Club

International

Honours

Galatasaray

• 1.Lig: 1987–88, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99
• Turkish Cup: 1990–91, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1998–99
• Turkish Super Cup: 1988, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997
• Prime Minister's Cup: 1990, 1995

Rangers

• Scottish Premier League: 1999–2000
• Scottish Cup: 1999–2000

Blackburn Rovers

• Football League Cup: 2001–02

Turkey U21

• Mediterranean Games: 1993

Turkey

• FIFA World Cup Third place: 2002

Individual

• Blackburn Rovers Player of the Year: 2003–04

Order

• Turkish State Medal of Distinguished Service

See also

In Spanish: Tugay Kerimoğlu para niños