“Things Couldn’t Have Started Any Better”
Mehmet Ertaş believes Beşiktaş have opened the new season in a way few would have dared to imagine. Evaluating the black-and-white side’s early form, especially in the Europa League qualifiers, he underlined that this beginning is close to perfect not only for the team, but also for the coach, the new technical staff and the club’s hierarchy.
According to Ertaş, the current picture around the club deserves special emphasis:
“For Beşiktaş, this is as good a start as you can possibly have. Not just for Önder Hoca, but for Italiano as well. Even for the President… If we take last season into account, the same goes for Serdal Adalı. For all of them, you couldn’t script a better beginning.”
He reminded how the mood was completely different when the Europa League draw paired Beşiktaş with Midtjylland:
“When Midtjylland came out of the pot, we were all together in the office that day. What did we say? ‘They’ve drawn the most difficult opponent.’ It was clear they’d got the toughest team in that draw. We called it bad luck right away. We were already talking about the worst-case scenario: ‘What if they’re knocked out? How will you explain that to people?’ We said Önder Hoca had a really tough job ahead of him.”
Ertaş stressed that the challenge was multiplied by the situation in the squad at that point:
“The coach’s job was hard. During that period, he went to the training camp with a very young group. He hardly had any top-level players to work with. Trossard hadn’t arrived, nobody of that calibre was there yet. Nübel wasn’t there, there was practically no established star. People were asking, ‘Why did they even go to camp with this group? There are only 20 players, and 15 of them are from the academy.’ Those were the conversations being had back then.”
From that fragile, uncertain start, the team has quietly built momentum. Ertaş highlighted how dramatically things have changed on the pitch:
“And from that point to where we are now, Beşiktaş have come through without conceding, without any real damage, moving from one tie to the next. That’s not something you can just gloss over. And now they’ve added Vlahovic to the squad as well.”
He underlined that the progression in Europe is not an accident, but a product of structure and clarity in the team’s approach. For him, the defensive solidity in the qualifiers is the clearest sign that the coaching staff have already imposed a functional system:
“If you go through European qualifiers without conceding, that tells you the team is organized, the distances between lines are right, and everyone knows their role. You cannot hide in Europe. Even in qualifiers, if your structure is weak, it shows immediately. Beşiktaş have passed that test in the best way possible.”
Looking ahead, Ertaş is confident Beşiktaş will continue their journey in the Europa League. The next hurdle, Kauno Žalgiris, is in his eyes a step the team is fully capable of clearing:
“As I said, you couldn’t ask for a better start. I expect, and I truly hope, that they’ll get past Kauno Žalgiris as well and reach the league phase of the Europa League. That’s the logical continuation of this beginning.”
A turning point after a turbulent season
In Ertaş’s view, the significance of this start lies not only in results but in timing. Coming off a problematic previous season, marked by inconsistency and criticism towards the board, the current momentum acts as a much-needed reset:
“Given what we saw last year, this opening has a psychological value that goes beyond just qualifying. It rebuilds trust. It gives the fans something concrete to hold on to. For the President and for Serdal Adalı, it’s almost like wiping the slate clean and saying, ‘This is a new era.'”
The early European performances have also eased the pressure around new appointments within the technical structure. The inclusion of Italiano in the staff was a talking point; now, Ertaş argues, those doubts are fading:
“When you bring in a new figure like Italiano, people always ask: ‘Will this work? Is the balance right?’ The way the team has started reassures everyone that the technical staff are aligned. The ideas are clearly being translated onto the pitch.”
From youth camp to competitive core
One of the most striking contrasts, as Ertaş points out, is between the squad that went to pre-season camp and the group that now steps onto the European stage. What was initially seen as a weakness – a camp dominated by academy players – has turned into a hidden advantage:
“At first, everyone mocked that camp. ‘They’re going with kids, what kind of preparation is that?’ people said. But those sessions built an internal competition. The youngsters trained every day as if they were already in the first team. Some of them are now genuine alternatives from the bench, and that pushes the established players to stay sharp.”
He notes that working with a stripped-down, youthful squad can force a coach to focus on principles rather than just names:
“When you don’t have stars yet, you’re forced to work on patterns, on pressing triggers, on transitions. You build a framework. Then, when Trossard or Vlahovic walk in, they slot into a ready-made structure instead of the team having to adapt to them from scratch. That’s why Beşiktaş now look more coherent than many expected at this stage.”
The impact of new signings
The arrival of high-profile names like Trossard, Nübel and Vlahovic has, according to Ertaş, lifted both the competitive level and the ambition inside the dressing room:
“Trossard brings creativity and end product in the final third; a player like that changes how opponents defend. Nübel, with his experience, adds calmness from the back. And Vlahovic, of course, is not just any centre-forward. His presence alone means defences have to drop deeper, which opens more space for others. These are signings that don’t just add quality; they change the geometry of the game.”
For the club’s management, landing such players is also a clear statement:
“When you present this calibre of transfer early in the season, you’re sending a message: ‘We’re not just here to participate in Europe; we want to be there in the spring as well.’ It also tells your own players that the club is serious, that their efforts will be matched from above.”
Tactical evolution under Önder Hoca and Italiano
Ertaş also drew attention to the tactical footprint that is starting to appear on the team. While it is still early, he sees indications of a clear game model:
“You can see there’s a focus on compactness without the ball and quick, vertical transitions when possession is won. The full-backs are carefully chosen when to push, the midfield doesn’t stretch too much, and there’s a constant attempt to find Vlahovic early between the lines. That kind of consistency doesn’t happen by chance; it’s coaching.”
He argues that this clarity is precisely what was missing last season:
“Last year, Beşiktaş often looked like a team reacting to events rather than dictating them. Now, even when they suffer a difficult spell, you can tell what they’re trying to do. That alone is a huge step forward.”
Mental resilience and European identity
Beyond tactics and transfers, Ertaş values the mental resilience the team has shown. Drawing Midtjylland, being seen as unlucky, and yet progressing without conceding is, for him, a marker of character:
“When everyone labels your draw as the toughest one and almost starts calculating how you’ll explain a potential elimination, the psychological load on the dressing room becomes heavy. To handle that, to go out and deliver clean, controlled performances, is proof that the mental framework inside the team is stronger than people thought.”
He believes that building a recognizable “European identity” should be one of Beşiktaş’s long-term goals:
“You want rivals to look at the fixture list and say, ‘We really don’t want to play Beşiktaş away.’ That aura is created over years, with consistent results, solid defensive records, and a stadium atmosphere that punishes any sign of weakness. This season’s qualifiers are a chance to take another step toward that.”
Expectations for the Kauno Žalgiris tie
Regarding the upcoming clash with Kauno Žalgiris, Ertaş warns against complacency while remaining optimistic:
“On paper, Beşiktaş are the favourites, no question. But European football punishes any drop in intensity. The key will be to approach both legs with the same seriousness they showed against Midtjylland. If they control the tempo, avoid cheap mistakes at the back and stay ruthless in front of goal, there’s no reason they shouldn’t progress.”
He stresses that reaching the league phase would change the entire picture of the season:
“Group-stage football brings rhythm, reputation and revenue. It gives you midweek tests at a different level, which in turn raise your domestic performance. For the squad, it means more minutes to share around, keeping both starters and backups engaged. For the club, it’s proof that the project is on the right track.”
Building sustainable, “permanent” success
Ertaş links this promising start to a broader strategy aimed at long-term stability rather than short bursts of form:
“Beşiktaş have taken steps that look beyond a single season. Blending experienced, high-level signings with academy players, establishing a clear tactical identity, and restoring confidence in the management – these are foundations for permanent success, not just a one-off run.”
He insists that the real test will be how the club reacts when inevitable difficulties arise:
“No season goes perfectly. There will be injuries, dips in form, maybe a painful defeat somewhere. If the club stays loyal to the plan, continues to back the coaching staff, and protects the young players in tough moments, then this start won’t just be remembered as a bright flash. It will be remembered as the beginning of a new cycle.”
For now, though, Ertaş is in no doubt about the significance of what Beşiktaş have done in these opening weeks. Considering last year’s disappointments, the difficult European draw, the youthful camp, and the late arrival of star signings, he sums up the mood around the club in a single, emphatic sentence:
“Under these circumstances, for Beşiktaş, for the coach, for the technical staff, and for the board, there really couldn’t have been a better start.”