Turkey mutually parts ways with head coach Şenol Güneş over poor performance at World Cup qualifiers

Turkey is to part company with national team head coach Şenol Güneş by mutual consent, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) said on Friday, after his team were thrashed by the Netherlands in their World Cup qualifier this week.

Memphis Depay scored a hat-trick as the Netherlands ran out 6-1 winners over 10-man Turkey at the Amsterdam Arena on Tuesday to go top of World Cup qualifying Group G. The defeat for Turkey comes on the heels of a disappointing showing at the Euro 2020 championship.

"Following the discussions with our National Team Head Coach Şenol Güneş, it has been decided mutually to part ways," the TFF said in a statement, thanking the coach for his contributions.

Güneş was appointed as Turkey's coach in March 2019.

Following the historic defeat, Turkey dropped to the third spot in the group with 11 points.

It was a devastating defeat but not the heaviest one for the Turkish team, as England toppled Turkey 8-0 twice, in 1984 and 1987.
Turkey appeared to have a good mix of veterans and young talent that performed admirably in qualifiers for the pandemic-delayed Euro 2020.

But they lost all three matches in the tournament, conceding eight goals and scoring once.

They followed that up with a lackluster draw against Montenegro and a 3-0 victory against lowly Gibraltar before being humiliated by the Dutch on Tuesday.

"I'm the only one responsible here," Güneş said after that performance. "The failure is mine."

The football federation said it wished Güneş "good health and success in his future life".

It announced no immediate successor.