2000-2001 Turkish 2.League - Predictions for the Play-off Group

Maintained by Erdinç Sivritepe
Last updated: Dec 10
Predictions for the Stage 2
Mark Willoughby watches the 2.League games on satellite in Nottingham, England.
He writes minute-by-minute reports on these games every week. I hope you were enjoying his
reports here. He analyzed the play-off teams this time and send his predictions for the
play-off group games of the Stage 2 of the Turkish 2.League.

Altay GK İzmir
Ground rating = 8
Altay are going to be one of the teams who will be in the top 5. They have got to play well
both at home and away in order to get through. I somehow myself think that they will get
back to the 1st league on this time of asking, but you cannot write them off. They have
come from a difficult group in the first round of matches and I think they will start to
drop off when the play offs come round.
KEY PLAYERS: Oktay and Aydın{goalkeeper)

Diyarbakırspor K
Ground rating = 9 I love this ground.
Diyarbakır fell at the final hurdle last season against Çaykur Rizespor, in the second
round of play offs. They will not do the same this season and I expect them to be in the
top two without a doubt.The fans of Diyarbakır will be of crucial importance to their
chances and the other teams will not relish the prospect of going here. They have got good
depth in the squad and proved that they can play well without their big names. I expect
Diyarbakir to either be champions or runners up.
KEY PLAYERS: Hasan Çelik, Armağan Yapıcı

Elazığspor K
Ground rating = 6
They are here just to make the number up. They are very poor in their strategy and do not
make up for it with good commitment. Pre-season signs of doing well are now starting to
fail and I think they will be in the bottom 3.
KEY PLAYERS: Unless they buy they do not have anyone I think stands out

Göztepe SK İzmir
Ground rating = 9
Again like Altay played well then let standards drop. I do not see Göztepe getting to the
1st league either but that just depends if they change their attitudes towards the game. In
my eyes over the final weeks they have been very dispointing.
KEY PLAYER:Kurthan

Hacılar Erciyes SK Kayseri
Ground rating = 9
What a fairytale for them, but as I said in a match report, this is the team who play
passionate football. They will be helped on by the passionate Kayserispor fans as well.
They have got good team morale and play well as a unit. They were the surprise of their
group but it is no surprise to me as I said they would make they play offs. People will say
they will get hammered in the play offs but no they will not. Hacılar will be the third
team to go into 1st league. Congratulations Hacılar your dream will come true and restore
1st league football back in Kayseri.
KEY PLAYERS: Özgür, Ertuğrul,Ferhat & Ekrem

Hatayspor K
Ground rating = 7
Forget it they have shown they now have as many holes in their defence as the Titanic
did. They are boring to watch in my opinion and lost a big lead to end up as runners up.
I do not think they will finish above seventh.
KEY PLAYERS: Selçuk,Hakan

İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor K
Ground rating = 4
Even though they have played well so far, I think the play offs will show their weaknesses.
They have come through group 1 on taking their chance more than nice football. If they get
a good start they might make the top 3 otherwise forget it as there are other teams who
will punish them.
KEY PLAYER: Erkan

Kombassan Konyaspor K
Ground rating = 10
Konya will be champions. They have the depth and class players. Last season was just a
platform to build on and this year they will be champions. Konya's strengths will be
everybody else's weaknesses and their football is magnificent. Forget about the last two
defeats they mean nothing.
KEY PLAYERS: Ercüment Şahin, Birol Demirhan, Serdar, Yunus

Sivasspor K
Ground rating = 9
They have got here more by the results of others and not on theirs. Too many times they
have threw away winning positions into defeats and also drew a lot. They will be the draw
specialists in the play off group and I expect no higher than mid table.
KEY PLAYER: Tolga

Şeker SK Ankara
Ground rating = 7
Have not lost a game all season but got whipped in the cup. I am not sure that they will
sustain their good form as it will come to an end. They have a lack of followers and really
that could tell when they play in 10000 plus crowds in Diyarbakır and Konya. In my
opinion they are a team which puts spectators off the game. I think they will be in the
bottom 4.
KEY PLAYERS: I do not know any
Prepared and maintained by Mark Willoughby and Erdinç Sivritepe.

Author: Mark Willoughby
Editor: Erdinç Sivritepe