Turkey coach keeps his job as FA vows to 'stand by' under-fire Vincenzo Montella despite embarrassing World Cup exit

The Turkish national team arrived in North America with high expectations for their first World Cup appearance in 24 years, but a disastrous group stage campaign in the USA, Canada and Mexico has seen them eliminated before the final matchday. Despite the early exit, TFF president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu has moved quickly to dismiss any talk of a coaching change, insisting that Montella remains the right man to lead the nation forward.

Haciosmanoglu was firm in his support for the Italian tactician on Monday, telling reporters: "We will stand by both the coach of this team and the players. This is not a club. If you look at club teams, failures occur precisely because of a lack of continuity. You can't just send 15 players away and bring in 15 new ones here."

Turkey’s exit was sealed in sobering fashion, starting with a 2-0 opening-day defeat to Australia. Hopes for a recovery were high against Paraguay, but even after playing with a numerical advantage for a significant portion of the match, Turkey fell to a 1-0 defeat. This has left their upcoming clash against the USA as a dead rubber, serving only as an opportunity for a "reconciliatory conclusion" to a disappointing summer.

"You can't dismiss the coach and bring in a new one. You can't remove the chairman and appoint a new one," Haciosmanoglu explained.

He emphasised that the federation is looking at the bigger picture, which includes the successful qualification campaign that brought the team to the world stage. "That's why we stand by our players. We never exchange those with whom we have walked the path together for others we meet along the way."

The TFF president's main argument centres on the need for stability, a luxury often missing in the volatile world of Turkish football. By refusing to sack Montella, the federation hopes to break the cycle of short-termism that has hindered the national team in the past.

Addressing the harsh criticism that has rained down on the squad and the coaching staff, the TFF chief made it clear that he will not be swayed by public pressure or the media outcry. He believes that the current group of players and staff have the quality to bounce back, provided they are given the time to rectify the mistakes made during this campaign.

With their World Cup journey ending prematurely, Turkey has already shifted its focus toward the next major international cycle. The goal is now firmly set on Euro 2028, with Haciosmanoglu expressing total confidence that this specific group will lead the nation back to glory. He stated quite simply: "These men will bring us the same successes again."