Montella Stays, Major Changes Begin in Turkey National Team

The Turkish Football Federation has decided to continue its cooperation with head coach Vincenzo Montella despite the national team's unsuccessful participation in the 2026 World Cup.

Although Turkey failed to advance from the group stage of the World Cup, the federation leadership does not intend to solve the problem simply by replacing the head coach. Major changes are expected regarding Montella's staff, player selection criteria, and the team's tactical play.

Federation supports Montella

The president of the Turkish Football Federation, Ibrahim Hojiosmanoglu, stated that there were no plans to dismiss Montella even after the early exit from the World Cup.

The Italian specialist himself emphasized that he has no intention of resigning and still possesses sufficient strength and passion to work with the national team.

Turkey lost to Australia and Paraguay in the World Cup, losing its playoff chance by the final round. The team beat hosts USA 3-2 in the final group match, but this victory was not enough to advance to the next stage.

Mentor to be added to the coaching staff

According to Takvim, the federation leadership discussed changes to be implemented with Montella ahead of the Nations League starting in September.

Both parties agreed on the need to partially renew the coaching staff. Specifically, there are plans to involve an experienced consultant-mentor in the staff.

The new specialist is expected to assist Montella with tactical decisions, match analysis, and managing the team in critical situations.

This decision shows that the federation has chosen to strengthen the working system around Montella rather than replacing him entirely.

Physical preparation staff may also be renewed

The activities of the specialists responsible for the athletic and physical preparation of the Turkey national team will also be re-evaluated.

According to Takvim, there is a possibility of changes in the coaching staff in this area. The federation intends to conduct a detailed analysis of the players' physical condition during the tournament, recovery rates, and performance under high pressure.

The time remaining until the Nations League is expected to be used to test new approaches and clearly distribute staff responsibilities.

Approach to player selection will change

Montella now plans to call up candidates based on the players' current sporting form, rather than based on name or previous services to the national team.

The coach is said to give more opportunities to new players who are performing well and to be more flexible in squad selection.

This decision may open the doors of the national team wider for young players performing well in the Turkish Super Lig and European championships.

Playing without a center-forward to be reviewed

One of the most criticized aspects during Montella's tenure has been the method of playing without a nominal number nine, i.e., without a classic center-forward.

This tactical approach faced severe criticism after Turkey failed to score in the first two matches of the World Cup. Although the team created many attacks, they struggled to convert situations into goals.

According to Takvim, Montella is ready to review this system. The team may operate with a classic center-forward or change the attacking structure depending on the opponent's characteristics.

Nations League will be a new test for Montella

The Nations League starting in September will become an important test for Montella and the renewed coaching staff.

The federation hopes that the mistakes of the World Cup will not be repeated and that the team will be more effective in attack and fairer in squad selection.

Montella remains in his post, but this does not mean his work will continue as before. Now, the Italian specialist is required to show not only results, but also tactical flexibility, a strong staff, and trust in the most deserving players.