Great success in Greece from Turkish head coach Yunus Öçal

Turkish head coach Yunus Öçal, who made the AEK Women's Volleyball Team win the Greek Cup for the first time in its history, said that he is very proud to have made the club's history.

Öçal, who worked as an assistant coach at Eczacıbaşı and Turkish Airlines at the level of clubs and in Türkiye and Greece on the basis of national teams, achieved an important success in a short time in his first head coaching experience, which he started in November 2022.

Under the management of Yunus Öçal, AEK won its first championship in this organization by outscoring Panathinaikos 3-1 in the Greek Cup final.

Evaluating his success in the cup to the AA correspondent, the 35-year-old head coach said, "We won an important trophy. After we started working in AEK, we tried to play more neatly.

We started to get results by winning the matches. So everyone believed in each other more. I continue to carry out my job very satisfied and happily. Receiving this trophy is very valuable to us. It was very important to go into club history. We are incredibly happy."

Stating that his daughter was born on March 8 before the Final Four, Öçal said, "We were waiting for our baby to be born after the tournament. We could not sleep in that process. After this happy news, I left my wife and daughter in the hospital. I entrusted them to my friends and went to the Final Four. We had a good tournament. and we won the trophy. I think this championship is my daughter's chance." he said.

Championship goal in league

Emphasizing that they want to carry the success they achieved in the cup to the league, Yunus Öçal said, "We have not lost in the league since I came here. We have won against all our serious opponents. We were in the third place when I came and there was a difference of 10 points with the leader. We are now in the second place and there is a difference of 2 points with the leader. Last week, we will play with the leader PAOK. If we win, we will finish the regular season as the leader. Then there is the play-off period and the Final Four stage. After winning the cup, we took the pressure of the league championship on us. Our goal is to complete the season with 2 trophies."

"I am pressured to stay"

The 35-year-old coach stated that the right steps he took since he started working in AEK have paid off. "We want to do our best in both lanes. AEK sets me apart. This partnership will continue for a while." he used the phrases.

Getting started as head coach at AEK

Yunus Öçal, who stated that he was recommended to the clubs by the president of the federation when he was the assistant coach of the Greek Women's Volleyball Team, explained the agreement process with AEK as follows:

"Last summer, when we were assistant coaches for the Greek National Team, the team was divided into two groups. I had the training of one group. The President of the Greek Volleyball Federation followed our every practice. He realized that I could do this job. I think he recommended me to clubs that need a coach. Season "I was an assistant coach at Turkish Airlines from the very beginning. I had no expectations. I received a message from the president of AEK, and after evaluating it with my wife, we accepted this offer."

"There is a serious potential for young coaches in Türkiye"

Stating that he had the opportunity to synthesize and apply the experiences he gained at Eczacıbaşı and Turkish Airlines with his own thoughts, Öçal noted that young Turkish coaches should be given an opportunity.

Underlining that he works with important head coaches, Yunus Öçal said, "Eczacıbaşı and Turkish Airlines and the coaches I have worked with at these clubs have contributed a lot to me. I feel very lucky. I think there is a serious potential for young coaches in Turkey.

Our clubs should create opportunities for these coaches. They have overly scientific and progressive views. I am hopeful. As much as I can, I will try to get Turkish coaches to work in Greece. I think these friends of ours will do well, too.”