A superb first 12 months in management had seen Trebor Mahtal nearly lead a Swedish minnow to safety and then inspire an unfancied side to Turkish third-tier glory. So this was shaping up to be a really exciting Football Manager story.
That success had seen Mahtal already installed as one of Ískenderunspor fans’ favoured personnel. He now faced the significant challenge of strengthening the squad to compete in the second tier of Turkish football. Mahtal’s first full summer in management began by releasing 10 players, including 37-year-old striker Ergin Keles, while goalkeeper Muhammet Can Tuncer returned from a loan at Osmaniyespor.
The signing of the summer was 18-year-old midfielder Yusuf Sertkaya, who immediately became the best player at the club, from Bursuspor. He was joined by winger Ali Sinan Gayla and defensive options Evren Korkmaz and Yusuf Esendemir. However, just as the season had started they lost wantaway star defender Ali Keten for a club record £300k to Bandirmaspor, and replaced him with arguably a better defender as Bojan Kovacevic arrived on loan from Cukaricki. Then in January, they snapped up experienced striker Davis Ikaunieks on a free transfer alongside a few loans to bolster the squad. Mahtal also opted to change up their approach, switching from the 4-4-2 diamond to a wider 4-3-3.
First Taste of Tier 2 Football
The bookies don’t fancy Ískenderunspor’s chances, predicting them to finish 17th in the 20-team Trendyol 1. Lig, which has four relegation places. However, new signing Sertkaya is the second favourite to be the league’s young player of the year. Relegated Alanyaspor are 8/11 title favourites along with Göztepe (6/4), Fatih Karagümrük (4/1), Pendikspor (5/1) and Bodrum F.K. (11/2).
They began with a tough game at home to Bodrum but their performance offered plenty of promise. Ískenderunspor bossed the game, conceded a fluky own goal but Sertkaya’s header earned a deserved point before Esendemir’s 30-yard strike cannoned out off the underside of the bar. Another impressive point followed as they went to Göztepe and Gayla’s first goal earned a 1-1 before midfielder Göktan Isilak and striker Ahmet Sivri eased them to a 2-0 win over Ümraniyespor.
The promising performances continued with a 2-2 at Bandirmaspor then Ahmet’s double and Kovacevic’s near-post header downed Yeni Matalyaspor 3-1. Winger Muhammed Demirci’s penalty decided a 3-2 victory at Pendikspor before a first defeat of the campaign at home to Sakaryaspor was swiftly followed by a second at Fatih Karagümrük. They bounced back with goals by Demirci, Gayla and Kovacevic defeating bottom-side Tuzlaspor 1-3, then a 2-1 win at home to Manisa saw them hit the heady heights of 2nd place after 12 games.
A major beneficiary of the tactical switch had been 22-year-old Göktan, who scored a 30-yarder to edge a 1-0 win at home to Sanliurfaspor. That was part of an eight-game unbeaten streak that ended with a 3-1 loss at Istanbulspor in mid-December. But Ískenderunspor still went into a 21-day winter break sitting pretty in 5th place on 33 points, with any relegation concerns long forgotten about.
Can Ískenderunspor Maintain A Promotion Push?
The winter break did Ískenderunspor’s attackers the world of good as they scored five at home to Göztepe led by a Gayla hat trick, but they’d also trailed 4-1! They lost to new leaders Bodrum but a 1-0 win over Bandirmaspor and Ikaunieks’ first goal in a 2-2 at Ümraniyespor took them to the 40-point mark with 15 games remaining.
The unlikely promotion push continued by putting four past bottom-side Yeni Matalyaspor, in which Ahmet ended his 18-game goal drought. A mass of injuries, including a significant one for goalkeeper Tuncer, saw form dip through March and April, but Ískenderunspor remained right in the playoff and, probably less likely, the promotion mix. They found themselves 6th with four games remaining, nine points clear of 8th and seven points off the automatic promotion places.
Ískenderunspor secured their playoff place with a 0-0 at 5th-place Ankara, which was their fourth draw in the last five games. That seemed to release some tension as Gayla braces led 4-0 and 4-1 wins over strugglers Istanbulspor and Giresunspor before an unlucky 3-2 defeat to Alanyaspor. That saw Ískenderunspor finish in an impressive 5th place and move into the Trendyol 1. Lig playoffs. They finished with 66 points after 18 wins, 12 draws and 8 defeats, scoring 71 and conceding 48, only missing out on promotion by 9 points.
Trendyol 1. Lig Playoffs
Ískenderunspor entered the playoffs with a quarter final at home to 6th-place Fatih Karagümrük. They started the game on top and took advantage as Sertkaya swept home a delicious curling effort from 25 yards and Gayla quickly doubled the lead. An idiotic red card but them under unnecessary pressure but a solid defensive effort secured a 2-0 win. That took them into a two-legged semi final against Sakaryaspor, who finished 7th. The away leg was a pretty terrible game that Ískenderunspor certainly should have won but a squad depleted by injuries laboured to a 0-0. They then started the home leg poorly, giving away a penalty after 14 minutes but Ikaunieks swiftly levelled things up. The big striker missed two big chances but made up for it by turning and firing his side in front on 76 minutes, which earned a 2-1 success.
That set up a massive Playoff Final against the league favourites Alanyaspor. Mahtal still had some injury concerns but lined up:
Emircan; Onur, Kovacevic, Kutay, Turan; Canli, Sertkaya; Göktan; Demirci, Gayla; Ikaunieks
Subs: Ahmet, Tuncen, Evren, Ender, Hegland, Yigit, Elano, Hamza, Mneney, Kusan
The game started brightly as Alanyaspor shot just wide before Demirci sent Göktan through to calmly tuck the ball into the bar corner. And Ískenderunspor were in dreamland when holding midfielder unleashed a thunderbolt from fully 30 yards after 25 minutes. And they led 2-0 at half time after two shots and just 0.18 xG but 58% possession. Alanyaspor had to go for it but were architects of their own downfall as a stray pass sent Ikaunieks through to calmly finish one-on-one with their third shot. Canli crashed a free kick off the bar and Alanyaspor got a late consolation…. then another… But Ískenderunspor killed it off as midfielder Ender smashed in a fourth with their fourth shot on target.
Ískenderunspor won the Playoff Final and were promoted to the Turkish Süper Lig!!
Celebrating An Unbelievable Promotion
Mahtal had been pretty certain they wouldn’t be in any relegation trouble in their first season in Turkey’s second tier. But he hadn’t even entertained the idea of achieving promotion with Ískenderunspor, not even when they managed to wrap up a playoff place. So it was safe to say he was left a little lost for words in the aftermath of their dramatic smash-and-grab playoff final victory.
The star of this team is undoubtedly Sertkaya, who won the 1. Lig Yilin Genc Oyuncusu award for the best young player in the league with Kovacevic in 3rd. The young midfielder got 13 assists plus four goals in 39 league games and became recognised as a Süper Lig standard player halfway through the campaign. While Mahtal won the 1. Lig Yilin Menajeri award.
Gayla led the way with 15 goals in 38 games followed by Göktan (13), Ikaunieks (11 in 21), Ahmet (8) and Kovacevic and Demirci (7). Winger Demirci again led the assists with 19 followed by Sertkaya (13), Gayla (6) and Göktan and Esendemir (4).
A massive task now awaited Mahtal as he faced up to the prospect of leading his Ískenderunspor into the Turkish top tier after just two years as a Football Manager. But would his achievements lead to more interest from other clubs? Join us on Monday to find out!
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