After coach Saffet Susic had enabled Alanya to survive in the league the previous season, the board decided to keep on working with him this season, but he did not last in charge until 2018. When the season was over, they finished with a 3rd coach in charge. To summarise, the season did not go well as they hoped, but survival should be a success for their squad quality.
They did not kick off the season well as they could collect only four points in the initial five games and proved that they were going to be one of the survival contenders. After they managed to come back from a three-goal deficit on the road against Trabzon, they increased their morale and motivation, but they were unable to build a stable streak. At the end of the season’s 1st part, they returned to their bad form and could collect only one point in the last four games which made them remain three points far from the relegation spots.
The board decided to make a change on the bench during the winter break and appointed coach Hikmet Karaman, but his charge did not last long as they could collect only three points in six games. In this terrible run, the board’s decision to sell Vagner Love affected them a lot. The fans were angry with this decision, but it was a must for them considering the financial situation. The board appointed coach Mesut Bakkal as the last choice. In a short term, he showed that he was the right man. They suffered only two defeats in eleven fixtures and guaranteed themselves survival in the league.
During the whole season, they recorded four clean sheets. So the defence line was their biggest problem. If coach Bakkal stays in the club, his first task should be to improve his backline’s quality. There are already some offers for Emre Akbaba who was the most productive player of the last season. If he is sold, his replacement is vital. If they cannot replace him, it is obvious that they will struggle a lot in the offence zone.
