Official: Former Portugal boss Fernando Santos fired by Besiktas
After just three months on the job, Fernando Santos, the manager of Turkish giants Besiktas, announced his resignation due to a disappointing run of results.
After losing their past five Super Lig games, Besiktas’ hopes of qualifying for Europe were cast into doubt following Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Samsunspor.
The Black Eagles were ranked sixth when Santos was appointed in January, but although moving up to fourth in the league, the team has not performed well under his leadership.
Besiktas leads Super Lig leaders Galatasaray by an astounding 36 points, but their lead over Kasimpasa for the final Europa Conference League spot is only two points.
“We have parted ways with our manager Fernando Santos. We thank him for his services and wish him luck in the future,” the club stated in a brief announcement on their website.
The former Portugal coach, led his country to victory at the 2016 European Championship and UEFA Nations League. The announcement is Santos’ second temporary job since his tenure as Portugal’s manager came to an end after the 2022 World Cup.
The 69-year-old took over Poland, who parted ways with Santos eight months later when their defeat in Albania left them struggling to qualify for Euro 2024. That tenure proved to be even shorter than the current one in Istanbul.