New Turkey head coach Mircea Lucescu signed a contract with Turkish Football Federation (TFF) at a ceremony held in Hasan Doğan National Teams Camp & Education Facilities today.

A career with 35 trophies

Speaking at the contract signing ceremony, TFF president Yıldırım Demirören said: "Firstly, I want to thank our former coach Fatih Terim and his crew for his services. Now me and the executive committee is proud to be working with a coach who won 35 trophies in his career". "We would work with Mr. Lucescu 13 years ago but the destiny made it possible today. He accepted our offer for our next four matches plus further two years. I got in touch with him first on 31 July afternoon. Then we verbally agreed terms on Wednesday in a meeeting."

"There's no need to debate about our coach. With his age, career and character, he has always been the desired person every year. I wish him all the best in the path lies ahead of us" he continued.

Spells at Galatasaray and Beşiktaş

Having recalled his memories from his days at Shakhtar Donetsk and Zenit, Turkey coach Mircea Lucescu added: "The love of Turkish people made an influence on my decision to come here. I worked before in Galatasaray and Beşiktaş; I think Fenerbahçe fans will have sympathy for me too. I am now in a very prestigious role."

"I know that there has been some problems with several players. My goals is to convince them to serve for the national team. Certainly, I will contact Arda Turan. I can see how much he is suffering. National team needs him, he needs the national team." Lucescu said.

Known names for Lucescu

Turkey's first test under Lucescu in FIFA World Cup qualifying will be against Ukraine, a team that the Romanian coach knows very well. "Eight players in Ukraine's current starting eleven were my charges from Shakhtar. I have respect for Shevchenko's team but I want to win this encounter. When Turkey won the world third place in 2002 FIFA World Cup, the whole country was united. We can achieve the same thing now" he concluded.