World Cup 2022 commentator sacked MID-GAME after mentioning name of former hero.
A Turkish commentator was sacked halfway through a World Cup match by the state broadcaster after mentioning the name of Hakan Sukur on air.
Alper Bakircigil was commentating on Canada’s game against Morocco on Thursday on TRT when the remarkable incident happened. Hakim Ziyech gave the north African side the lead after just four minutes, prompting Bakircigil to talk about the fastest goal scored in World Cup history.
Turkey’s Hakan Sukur holds that record, having scored after just 11 seconds against South Korea in the third place play-off match at the 2002 World Cup. Although correct, that fact didn’t go down well with his employers and Bakircigil was replaced by a colleague when the match resumed for the second half.
Bakircigil wrote in a now-deleted tweet: “I was cut off from the TRT institution, where I worked proudly for many years, after the event that took place today. Separation is included in love. Hope to see you again. Goodbye..”
Sukur is one of Turkey’s most famous footballers, having scored 51 goals in 112 appearances for his country. But it is his actions post-retirement that makes him a controversial figure in Turkey.
Upon retirement, Sukur worked as a pundit for state broadcaster TRT before going into politics. He became an MP for the ruling Justice and Development Party – the party of current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was even a witness at his wedding.
But he remained close to powerful cleric Fethullah Gulen and later openly criticised Erdogan on social media. In July 2016 there was a failed coup against Erdogan’s leadership which was blamed on followers of Gulen, known as Gulenists.
In the aftermath, Sukur refused to denounce Gulen and saw his life fall apart. He managed to flee to the United States and started working as an Uber driver. If he were to Turkey he would face charges of insulting the president and rebelling against the government – charges which would be punished with Life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
“I have nothing left. Erdogan took everything: my right to freedom, my right to freedom of speech and my right to work,” he told German news outlet Welt Am Sonntag in 2020. “I never did anything illegal. I am not a traitor or a terrorist.
“I might be an enemy [of] this government, but not the state or the Turkish nation. I love my country.
“After the split with Erdogan, I started to receive threats. My wife’s shop was attacked, my children were harassed, my father put in prison and all my assets confiscated.
“So I moved to the United States, initially running a cafe in California, but strange people kept coming into the bar. Now I drive for Uber and I sell books.”
What happened to Linekar,Scott and Neville who went to Qatar for loads of bucks saying that they would be able to get they're views on human rights across when they are there. I heard a wee bit when the first match was on, now it's " what a great place this is, when do ah get ma check " they're two faced liars the lot of them.
Ben White 'in World Cup spat with England coach' that saw Arsenal star sent home.
Arsenal star Ben White left the England squad earlier in the World Cup with personal reasons cited as the reason he jetted home from Qatar, but it has now emerged that the defender reportedly had a bust-up with Gareth Southgate’s assistant Steve Holland that led to his exit. The 25-year-old did not play a single minute at the tournament, and left following the group stage’s conclusion as the Three Lions defeated Wales 3-0 to secure top spot.
The Daily Star claims that while personal reasons were claimed to be the reason for White leaving the camp, it was due to a disagreement with assistant coach Holland.
The Gunners’ defender was unhappy in the camp and struggled to bond with the rest of the squad, despite having been called up with England previously at Arsenal and Brighton.
However the reason for his departure was a clash with Holland for not being able to recite his personal stats and key information regarding England’s opponents Wales, Iran and the USA.
The report claims that White turned up to a team meeting prior to the second group stage game against Gregg Berhalter’s side without knowing the requisite information, and he and Holland exchanged words in front of the rest of the squad.
After his departure on November 30, England released a short statement: “Ben White has left England’s training base in Al Wakrah and returned home for personal reasons,” the statement read.
“The Arsenal defender is not expected to return to the squad for the remainder of the tournament. We ask that the player’s privacy is respected at this moment in time.”
Though White’s inability to remember key statistics may not have come as a huge surprise to England’s staff, having been in the national side setup for 18 months and previously admitting that he is not a huge football fan, despite being a professional player.
“No I never watched football when I was younger, still don't now,” he told Sky Sports over a year ago.
“I just loved the game, I was always playing it - never watching it. So I don't know too much about older generations.
I think most of us have been in jobs that we are not necessarily huge fans of.
But professionals, in any job, still put in the hard yards to enable them to do their job well. Shame-he should have been the natural replacement for Walker in the future
On a separate note, the Premier League starts again in 17 days. Huge disparity in players still at the World Cup, which is bound to impact upon the restart.
11 players still in-Man City/Man Utd 6-Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs 4-Arsenal, Newcastle, West Ham 0-Bournemouth, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Leeds, Nottm Forest, Southampton
There may be some value in some teams' odds on the restart.
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A Turkish commentator was sacked halfway through a World Cup match by the state broadcaster after mentioning the name of Hakan Sukur on air.
Alper Bakircigil was commentating on Canada’s game against Morocco on Thursday on TRT when the remarkable incident happened. Hakim Ziyech gave the north African side the lead after just four minutes, prompting Bakircigil to talk about the fastest goal scored in World Cup history.
Turkey’s Hakan Sukur holds that record, having scored after just 11 seconds against South Korea in the third place play-off match at the 2002 World Cup. Although correct, that fact didn’t go down well with his employers and Bakircigil was replaced by a colleague when the match resumed for the second half.
Bakircigil wrote in a now-deleted tweet: “I was cut off from the TRT institution, where I worked proudly for many years, after the event that took place today. Separation is included in love. Hope to see you again. Goodbye..”
Sukur is one of Turkey’s most famous footballers, having scored 51 goals in 112 appearances for his country. But it is his actions post-retirement that makes him a controversial figure in Turkey.
Upon retirement, Sukur worked as a pundit for state broadcaster TRT before going into politics. He became an MP for the ruling Justice and Development Party – the party of current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was even a witness at his wedding.
But he remained close to powerful cleric Fethullah Gulen and later openly criticised Erdogan on social media. In July 2016 there was a failed coup against Erdogan’s leadership which was blamed on followers of Gulen, known as Gulenists.
In the aftermath, Sukur refused to denounce Gulen and saw his life fall apart. He managed to flee to the United States and started working as an Uber driver. If he were to Turkey he would face charges of insulting the president and rebelling against the government – charges which would be punished with Life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
“I have nothing left. Erdogan took everything: my right to freedom, my right to freedom of speech and my right to work,” he told German news outlet Welt Am Sonntag in 2020. “I never did anything illegal. I am not a traitor or a terrorist.
“I might be an enemy [of] this government, but not the state or the Turkish nation. I love my country.
“After the split with Erdogan, I started to receive threats. My wife’s shop was attacked, my children were harassed, my father put in prison and all my assets confiscated.
“So I moved to the United States, initially running a cafe in California, but strange people kept coming into the bar. Now I drive for Uber and I sell books.”
I heard a wee bit when the first match was on, now it's " what a great place this is, when do ah get ma check " they're two faced liars the lot of them.
Unreal stuff.
Best 45 minutes so far.
Arsenal star Ben White left the England squad earlier in the World Cup with personal reasons cited as the reason he jetted home from Qatar, but it has now emerged that the defender reportedly had a bust-up with Gareth Southgate’s assistant Steve Holland that led to his exit. The 25-year-old did not play a single minute at the tournament, and left following the group stage’s conclusion as the Three Lions defeated Wales 3-0 to secure top spot.
The Daily Star claims that while personal reasons were claimed to be the reason for White leaving the camp, it was due to a disagreement with assistant coach Holland.
The Gunners’ defender was unhappy in the camp and struggled to bond with the rest of the squad, despite having been called up with England previously at Arsenal and Brighton.
However the reason for his departure was a clash with Holland for not being able to recite his personal stats and key information regarding England’s opponents Wales, Iran and the USA.
The report claims that White turned up to a team meeting prior to the second group stage game against Gregg Berhalter’s side without knowing the requisite information, and he and Holland exchanged words in front of the rest of the squad.
After his departure on November 30, England released a short statement: “Ben White has left England’s training base in Al Wakrah and returned home for personal reasons,” the statement read.
“The Arsenal defender is not expected to return to the squad for the remainder of the tournament. We ask that the player’s privacy is respected at this moment in time.”
Though White’s inability to remember key statistics may not have come as a huge surprise to England’s staff, having been in the national side setup for 18 months and previously admitting that he is not a huge football fan, despite being a professional player.
“No I never watched football when I was younger, still don't now,” he told Sky Sports over a year ago.
“I just loved the game, I was always playing it - never watching it. So I don't know too much about older generations.
But professionals, in any job, still put in the hard yards to enable them to do their job well. Shame-he should have been the natural replacement for Walker in the future
On a separate note, the Premier League starts again in 17 days. Huge disparity in players still at the World Cup, which is bound to impact upon the restart.
11 players still in-Man City/Man Utd
6-Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs
4-Arsenal, Newcastle, West Ham
0-Bournemouth, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Leeds, Nottm Forest, Southampton
There may be some value in some teams' odds on the restart.