Fenerbahce have released a statement insisting that head coach Ismail Kartal is "still in his position," just 24 hours after he publicly resigned following his side's 1-1 Champions League draw with Roma.
The update came late on Friday, with the club confirming that Kartal will lead training ahead of the Gaziantep FK match. The statement read: "Our Head Coach, Mr. İsmail Kartal, is still in his position. Our team will continue preparations for the Gaziantep FK match with a training session tomorrow at 11.30am under the direction of our Head Coach İsmail Kartal. We hereby inform the public."
President refuses to sanction resignation
Kartal announced his resignation in his post-match press conference after the Roma tie, but Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim has refused to sanction his departure. Yildirim said in a statement released on Fenerbahce's website: "Ismail Kartal is still in charge. The club should support our coach. Until I leave, Ismail Kartal is the head coach of Fenerbahce."
Kartal only returned to Fenerbahce for his fourth spell as manager this summer. Speaking to the media following the midweek Champions League clash, the 65-year-old said: "I am resigning from my position while there is still time. I am resigning with the understanding that I will never return. I have been here for three months. From the beginning of the season until today, the training sessions and camps I conducted with my players … our president and managers tried to help us in every way."
Greenwood's turbulent start
Mason Greenwood, 24, has endured a turbulent time since moving to the club from Marseille this summer, due to the club's poor form and the subsequent saga involving Kartal. Fenerbahce currently sit ninth in the Turkish top-flight, and Yildirim slammed the attitude of the club's fans and the media for putting "pressure" on Kartal.
At his press conference, the manager alluded to the criticism, noting that he was hit with a water bottle from the stands during the Roma game. English full-back Archie Brown was taken by surprise when told of his manager's resignation after the Roma game. Quizzed whether Kartal had told his players that he was resigning from the team, Brown seemed puzzled. He was then informed that his manager had quit in the post-match conference, prompting Brown to say: "As coach? He's not the coach any more? I didn't know about this."
Greenwood's impact so far
The impending change of management comes just two months after Greenwood's signing. Fenerbahce paid Marseille around £33million for the one-time England international, with United receiving £13million. Greenwood has featured 11 times so far, scoring four goals and registering three assists.
Kartal won the Turkish Super Cup during his first spell in charge in 2014, while as a player he won two league titles with the club. However, Fenerbahce have struggled so far this season, and the club's statement on Friday reiterated that Kartal remains in his role despite the ongoing uncertainty.
