Famous coach Christoph Daum, who led Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Bursaspor, dies at 70
Christoph Daum when he was coaching Fenerbahçe. (Photo via Türkiye Gazetesi)
Christoph Daum, the esteemed German football coach known for his contributions to several top European clubs, has died at the age of 70.
Daum, who had been receiving treatment for a lung condition, left an indelible mark on the football world, particularly in Türkiye, where he managed Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Bursaspor.
Legendary coach’s career spanned multiple clubs
Born in October 1953, Daum’s football career began as a midfielder with Duisburg and FC Köln. His managerial career took off in 1986 when he became the head coach of FC Koln. Daum achieved his first major success in the 1991-92 season by leading Stuttgart to the Bundesliga title.
Daum’s impact on Turkish Football
In 1993, Daum took the helm at Beşiktaş during the mid-season and quickly made an impact by winning the Turkish Cup in his first season, followed by a league title the next year. After leaving Besiktas in 1996, Daum returned to the club in March 2001, though his second stint lasted only three months.
Daum’s association with Turkish football continued as he returned in 2003 to manage Fenerbahçe. Under his guidance, Fenerbahçe secured back-to-back league titles, but in his third season, the team narrowly missed out on the championship, losing it to Galatasaray in the final week.
Daum returned to Fenerbahçe in the 2009-10 season, where a similar fate awaited; the team, leading into the final week, was overtaken by Bursaspor for the championship.
Daum’s last chapter in Turkish football was with Bursaspor during the 2013-14 season. Despite a two-year contract, the partnership ended within a year because of poor results.
The final role of his distinguished coaching career was with the Romanian national team in the 2016-17 season.
Final years and Daum‘s legacy
Christoph Daum’s legacy as a coach is marked by his tactical acumen and his ability to inspire teams to achieve success, especially in Türkiye, where he is remembered as a key figure in the nation’s football history.
Christoph Daum won the league championship, Turkish Cup and Turkish Super Cup with Beşiktaş in Türkiye, while he won the league championship and Turkish Super Cup twice with Fenerbahçe.
Christoph Daum last coached the Romanian National Team in his coaching career.
Christoph Daum, who expressed his love for Türkiye at every opportunity, expressed his loyalty to our country with the words “I am not a Turkish friend, I am half Turkish”.
