Serkan Reçber parted ways with Beşiktaş, which has appointed Önder Özen to the football director role. Who is Önder Özen, how old is he, and where is he from? What teams has Önder Özen managed?

Who Is Önder Özen?

Önder Özen, born on October 17, 1969, in Eskişehir, Turkey, is a football executive known for his modern field analysis, scouting systems, and visionary football management. He began his playing career with Ayaşspor and Dikmenspor before earning his coaching license in 1997. Özen was a highly respected commentator on Turkish national sports channels, known for his insightful and tactical analysis.

In 2001, he became the under-16 coach at Eskispor. From 2003 to 2005, he coached Fenerbahçe's under-21 team. He later served as an assistant coach under Zico, Luis Aragonés, and Christoph Daum at Fenerbahçe from 2005 to [2009]. He coached Hacettepe from June 2009 to May 2010 and Polatlı Bugsaşspor from 2010 to 2011.

In May 2013, he was appointed as Beşiktaş's sporting director, playing a significant role in the club's squad formation during the 2013-14 season. He was instrumental in bringing Slaven Bilić to the coaching position and was involved in the transfers of Gökhan Töre, Atiba Hutchinson, Tolga Zengin, and Kerim Frei. After leaving Beşiktaş, he briefly managed Kasımpaşa and Göztepe. He currently works as a sports commentator.

Teams Önder Özen Has Managed

Önder Özen has held significant positions in both technical and administrative roles throughout his career:

Eskispor (2001-2002): He began his career as an assistant coach.

Fenerbahçe (2003-2009): He worked in Fenerbahçe's youth setup and A2 team before moving to the first team, where he served as an assistant to renowned coaches like Christoph Daum, Zico, and Luis Aragonés.

Hacettepe (2009-2010): His first significant coaching challenge was with Ankara's Süper Lig club.

Bugsaşspor (2010-2011): He managed the team in the 2. Lig and led them to a playoff final.

Beşiktaş (2013-2014): He was appointed as the club's sporting director under Fikret Orman's presidency. He was instrumental in bringing Slaven Bilić to the coaching position and in key transfers like Atiba Hutchinson.

Kasımpaşa (2015): He briefly took over the Süper Lig club after Shota Arveladze.

Göztepe (2016): He managed the Izmir club and subsequently shifted towards sports commentary.