Famed Turkish team Galatasaray have hired former team captain Bulent Korkmaz to take over as coach from Michael Skibbe, who was fired following an embarrassing 5-2 home loss to lowly Kocaelispor on Sunday. The defending and 17-time Turkish League champs are in an unfamiliar fifth in the league, even with rival Fenerbache and eight points behind surprise leaders Sivasspor.

The 40-year-old Korkmaz, who had an extensive playing career that included 102 times representing Turkey, as well as eight league titles and a UEFA Cup as a central defender with Galatasaray, signed only through the 2009-10 season. Korkmaz was given the nod over former Galatasaray player/coach and perhaps more popular choice in Romania native Gheorghe Hagi, who had sought but was not rewarded with a multi-year contract. Read the original story...