Trabzonspor: Trabzonspor head coach Fatih Tekke said Friday he will continue leading the Turkish club with determination after the board rejected his resignation following the team's elimination from the UEFA Europa League playoff.

According to Anadolu Agency, Tekke expressed in a statement on the club's website that his decision to resign was self-initiated due to the 'emotional turmoil' that followed their 4-0 defeat to Hungary's Ferencvaros. Despite this setback, the board's rejection of his resignation has reinforced his commitment to the team.

Tekke extended his gratitude to Trabzonspor President Ertugrul Dogan, the board, players, and coaching staff for their unwavering support. He stated, "I would also like to thank our Chairman, Mr Ertugrul Dogan, who has shown his trust and support in me since yesterday, as well as our board of directors, my players, and my coaching staff. We have a very strong and very valuable squad. As I said yesterday, we will be a very good team. We will address our shortcomings, grow stronger with each passing day, and put up the fight that Trabzonspor deserves."

Tekke emphasized that the club has significant goals to achieve in both the league and European competitions. He remarked, "I believe in this team's strength, in the character of my players, and in what we can achieve together. Now is the time to draw a line under last night's result and look ahead. It is time to fight together, rise up together and unite behind the victories we will achieve together. We will continue our fight for Trabzonspor with the same faith, the same determination, and the same sense of responsibility."

The 48-year-old former Trabzonspor captain initially announced his resignation in an interview Thursday following the team's 4-0 away defeat to Ferencvaros, which resulted in their elimination from the UEFA Europa League playoff round. However, the club's board later decided to reject his resignation, affirming that Tekke would continue to lead the team in its upcoming Turkish Super Lig match against Amedspor.

Tekke began his tenure with Trabzonspor in March 2025 and successfully guided the Black Sea club to a third-place finish in the Turkish Super Lig with 69 points last season, along with securing the Turkish Cup title.