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Turkish manager Mehmet Topal criticized Jose Mourinho's recent remarks about his time at Fenerbahce on Friday, calling the Portuguese coach's comments "unfortunate and wrong."
Mourinho, who recently signed with Portuguese club Benfica after parting ways with Fenerbahce, said joining the Turkish giants was a "mistake." The comments have drawn sharp criticism from Topal, who previously played for Fenerbahce as a midfielder before transitioning into management.
"I think Mourinho made an unfortunate and wrong statement," Topal said during a press conference at the World Legends Padel Tour event in Istanbul. "I never think coming to Fenerbahce could be a mistake. Even if you fail, when talking about certain clubs, you need to pay attention to their greatness."
The 39-year-old manager, who most recently coached Romanian club Petrolul, emphasized the importance of respecting major football institutions regardless of personal experiences.
"This applies to anyone, even if they are one of the world's best coaches," Topal said. "I am someone who values respect in this regard. Of course, I don't know what he experienced, but I think someone as important as Mourinho should be careful when making statements."
Topal also discussed the need for more Turkish managers to work internationally, saying the domestic football environment has become too chaotic for proper development.
"We need to open up more abroad because in a place where there is such a bad football environment, where things other than football are talked about more, continuing in Europe is a huge advantage for those who want to develop themselves," he said.
The former Fenerbahce midfielder added that he has received offers from several clubs and hopes to continue his coaching career outside Türkiye. "I hope that in the future we will get out of this chaotic environment and fully adapt to football. My goal is to continue abroad."
Addressing recent poor results for Turkish football, Topal commented on the national team's 6-1 defeat to Spain in World Cup qualifying and Galatasaray's 5-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.
"We suffered a bad defeat in the national team's last match. We were very upset. However, we played against a very tough and serious country. We must not forget this," he said.
Despite the setbacks, Topal expressed optimism about Turkish football's prospects. "Sometimes there can be such bad times, but what's important is to represent our teams and our star and crescent flag in the best way. I think they will recover in other matches. I wish them success."
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