davieG Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/01/08/making-caglar-soyuncu-upbringing-like-no-began-leicesters/1 The making of Caglar Soyuncu: An upbringing like no other - how it all began for Leicester's warrior in defence Çağlar Söyüncü at Altınordu FK Çağlar Söyüncü was forged at Altınordu FK Mike McGrath 8 JANUARY 2020 • 7:30AM For young Altınordu FK players the day starts with farming before football. At the Academy where Çağlar Söyüncü forged his “warrior spirit” they pride themselves on producing rounded citizens as well as some of the biggest prospects in European football. While English youngsters learn their trade cleaning boots, at the Metin Oktay grounds in İzmir, on the west coast of Turkey, there is a hencoop, sheep, a goat and two cows. “They learn that Avocado is not an Italian footballer,” says agent Ömer Uzun, who worked on Söyüncü’s deal to SC Frieberg from Altınordu. “It is not only a football club, when the kids wake up they all have duties like getting the eggs or milking the cow. They are teaching them life. “It is compulsory and they are being taught to be a human being, a good person and a good footballer. If you don’t become a footballer, they teach life.” Söyüncü has stood out since arriving at Leicester at the start of last season. And it is not just the long hair and fearless dribbling, sometimes in his own penalty area, that sets him apart. His upbringing is like no other player in the Premier League either. The 23 year-old has Wembley in his sights on Wednesday night when he faces Aston Villa. Playing in big cup finals was his dream growing up as part of a project that is reaping rewards now. Çağlar Söyüncü has been a rock at the back for Leicester City CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES Söyüncü is competing at the top of the Premier League, while Cengiz Ünder at AS Roma is the other high-profile graduate of a club producing players for Turkey rather than relying on players brought up in the German system. All of them working on the farm, studying full-time in the classroom and training to become footballing assets. The national team wins but so does Altınordu. So do the players. Söyüncü made his old club money when he moved to the Premier League but if he had not made it to the top, the project would have pushed him to succeed elsewhere. Altınordu’s academy was a way out for Söyüncü after growing up in Menemen, 25 miles north of İzmir. Arriving at 15 from his local team, his transformation into a centre-back was a stroke of luck. “He joined our academy as a striker,” said Altınordu president Seyit Mehmet Özkan. “Our Under-15 team had a good striker and we needed a defensive, midfielder centre in that team. “The coaches saw that his capabilities were suitable to play in that position. In that year, he improved his tackles, clearances and passing. Söyüncü (centre) with his Altınordu FK team-mates Çağlar Söyüncü (centre) was converted from a striker into a centre-half “One year later, our Under-16 team needed a central defender. Çağlar was the most appropriate player for this position. We saw that his physical strength, stamina and concentration were at a high level. He always had a warrior spirit, from our academy to the senior team.” Brendan Rodgers has joked that “Cags” - his name sounds more like “Charla” in his native tongue - does not listen when it comes to dribbling the ball out of defence. But there have been bumps on his journey to the King Power Stadium that forced Söyüncü to learn quickly on the job. At 17 he was sent off for the reserves in an important game in the Turkish Amateur League, receiving a straight red card for a reckless tackle. “We talked with him about his aggression on the field,” said Özkan. “He had to stay in the field for 90 minutes and control his passion in the field. He listened to us and applied what our coaches said to him. I still tell this story because he was a teenager who always listened to his coaches and tried to make the correct thing. “When he was 18 he played for the senior team and one of his first games was Fenerbahçe away in the Turkish Cup. He stuck to Emmanuel Emenike, who was top-scorer in Turkey that season. Emenike couldn’t get any possession. He really shone in Turkey from that game.” Çağlar Söyüncü celebrates with his Altınordu FK team-mates Çağlar Söyüncü (third from the left) celebrates with his Altınordu FK team-mates His team-mates called him “big brother” in the first team and while his aggression was curbed, he was encouraged to keep playing the ball out of defence rather than playing it safe. “We always trusted him even if he made mistakes during the game,” said Altınordu head coach Hüseyin Eroğlu, who is still in charge at the club. “We always told him, ‘even if you make a mistake, continue to set up the attack in defence by making short passes. Don’t make long passes without thinking’. We tried to adapt this philosophy to him.” From the farm to Frieberg. Söyüncü could have gone to Turkey’s big clubs but the decision was about where the player would get regular game-time, which would ultimately mean a better return for his Academy as they put 25 per cent sell-on clauses into deals. Chelsea and Manchester City sent scouts to watch him at the time but the Bundesliga was where Söyüncü was likely to get most first-team action. 7788 Çağlar Söyüncü holds out a ball at his former club, Altınordu FK Çağlar Söyüncü is an ambassador for his former club, Altınordu FK “Freiburg’s technical coordinator had watched him and decided on him,” said Özkan. “In that time many youth talents in Turkey tried to make their transfers to Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş which means they stayed in domestic level. “But Altınordu FK has an important principle that we would like to sell our home-grown academy players to the top leagues of Europe. “We want that they will become international star players. Çağlar Söyüncü promised us about applying our club’s principle and go to a European club. He kept his promise and didn’t forget our club’s values. He followed our plan about his career and became an international ambassador of our club.” They host an annual tournament and it is no surprise that Premier League clubs send teams to compete and see what talent Altınordu are producing. The next crop is being grown at the farm.
st albans fox Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 Interesting that he was a striker till 16 explains a lot about his positioning and he is undoubtedly still learning his trade as a CB
urban.spaceman Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 30 minutes ago, davieG said: “They learn that Avocado is not an Italian footballer,”
Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 He's quickly gaining legendary status here already, great guy
Les-TA-Jon Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 Going to struggle to keep him beyond the summer I think
StriderHiryu Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 Very interesting article, thanks for sharing! His first club sure did a good job, because Soyuncu seems very well grounded and a thoroughly decent human being, on top of being a great player. I think Soyuncu has strong mental attributes and that will help him get to the top of the game. Maguire is struggling at Man U and I feel a big part of it is because of the large price tag he was acquired for. Soyuncu on the other hand I think would give zero shits about any price tag and would be Cruyff turning his way out of trouble regardless of if he was playing in a Champions League Final or down the park for a Sunday kick about.
Arkie Bennett Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 He is destined for the very top. We must enjoy his time with us.
weller54 Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 12 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said: Very interesting article, thanks for sharing! His first club sure did a good job, because Soyuncu seems very well grounded and a thoroughly decent human being, on top of being a great player. I think Soyuncu has strong mental attributes and that will help him get to the top of the game. Maguire is struggling at Man U and I feel a big part of it is because of the large price tag he was acquired for. Soyuncu on the other hand I think would give zero shits about any price tag and would be Cruyff turning his way out of trouble regardless of if he was playing in a Champions League Final or down the park for a Sunday kick about. Maguire is struggling at Manure because he doesn't have Jonny Evans next to him.
FoxFossil Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 So can Play up front! Ideal to have a CB upfront in League Cup against Villa - New Matty Elliot, he's the new Matty Elliot.
KFS Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 Caglar, Caglar Soyuncu, he’ll farm the shit out of you!
dynamark Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 Charlaaaaaas please. I was never convinced with Harry due to the Hull goal fest record .Solid but I'm sure Cags is more mobile player and tends tends not to get pulled forward out of position.Wish he was a bit taller
Guest Cujek Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 46 minutes ago, FoxFossil said: So can Play up front! Ideal to have a CB upfront in League Cup against Villa - New Matty Elliot, he's the new Matty Elliot. Or Steve Walsh
mozartfox Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 Is the main stand at Dean Court in that picture?
Foxxed Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 A Turkish warrior who makes tackles and can milk goats - not brought up but made. What a man. Cags, Hamza and Vardy all have a wonderful work ethic and confidence. And happily they’re not the only ones.
fox_up_north Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 Honestly this just makes me love him even more. To think we were all worried about losing Maguire. Hopefully he knows how much City fans appreciate him and, if/ when he goes, it's to a top tier European side.
urban fox Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 9 minutes ago, fox_up_north said: Honestly this just makes me love him even more. To think we were all worried about losing Maguire. Hopefully he knows how much City fans appreciate him and, if/ when he goes, it's to a top tier European side. People need to start realising that he is already at one (or least one that is knocking on the door)
HybridFox Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 Can't wait till he headers the winner one day in a must-win game at the King Power. Absolute carnage that would be
smr Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 2 hours ago, Arkie Bennett said: He is destined for the very top. We must enjoy his time with us. WE are the top.
thegaffa Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 Soyuncu ohhh ohh soyuncu ohhh ohh he feeds the goats and sheep he’ll leave you in a heap Soyuncu ohhh ohh soyuncu ohhh ohh he fetches the chickens eggs he’ll break your f***ing legs 😂😂
Guest Manini Posted 8 January 2020 Posted 8 January 2020 Probably my favourite player ever. He’s hilarious and ****ing unbelievably good all rolled in to one.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.