A major career achievement has been achieved. For the first time, a young Turkish citizen, having emerged from Turkey’s youth academy, transferred to Real Madrid, the world’s most successful club in terms of trophies, at the age of 18. I congratulate everyone involved, especially Arda Güler. His family, his coaches, the clubs he played for, and his circle. They all undoubtedly contributed to Arda’s success. Kudos to him.
Now, let’s get to the topic of this article. After the scandal that erupted in 2017 when Arda Turan, playing for Barcelona, attacked journalist Bilal Meşe after an international game, I respected him and wrote an article entitled ‘Brotherly Advice for Arda Turan’ for his well-being. You can read it in the following link; H. Serhan Süzer – Arda Turan’a abi nasihatları (serhansuzer.com)
I sent that article to Arda, who lives in Barcelona, through people who know him. Arda responded. I was told he liked it and thanked me. Just one comment: he corrected me on the 80,000 TL monthly expenses I mentioned in that article, saying, “My expenses are much higher.” He even invited me to Barcelona in August 2017 in exchange for my article and recommendations.
Cancelled Visit
We arranged our flight, and just as we were preparing to go to Barcelona, he called back a few days before our visit, explaining that he urgently needed to go to Turkey. He apologized and canceled our visit. I advised him, “No problem, we can always meet, but don’t try to return to Turkey right now. He should try to establish himself at Barcelona and not give up on the fight. If he can’t make the team at Barcelona at all, then he should transfer to another team in Europe.”
Then, that trip to Türkiye turned out to be a transfer to Başakşehir. So, while I was saying, “Don’t return to Istanbul,” I was already thinking of Arda, so much so that I was saying, “Go back to Galatasaray, the team I love.” He made the biggest mistake of his life by transferring from Barcelona to Başakşehir, not Galatasaray. After arriving in Turkey, the chain of mistakes continued, resulting in fiasco after fiasco.
Arda’s Unstoppable Downfall
The most recent incident that erupted was when he assaulted Berkay after an argument with Berkay, a singer, for harassing his wife at a nightclub. He then followed them to the hospital and continued his threats (showing them a firearm, etc.). These are actions you wouldn’t expect from a soccer player of Barcelona’s caliber. Unfortunately, Arda was responsible for these events. At the time, to follow up on the article I wrote titled “Arda’s Advice from a Brother” and to close the topic, I wrote another article titled “The Unstoppable Downfall of Arda Who Didn’t Heed His Advice.” You can read this article at https://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/nasihat-dinlemeyen-ardanin-onlenmeyen-cokusu .
Arda Turan While Playing in Barcelona…
Now, I’ll discuss the topics in both articles, explaining how Arda Turan ignored my advice and orchestrated his downfall, and how Arda Güler should learn from them. Let’s consider the topics (I’ll use their initials, A.T. for Arda Turan and A.G. for Arda Güler, to list what Arda Turan did and what Arda Güler should do):
- Never raise your hand against someone older than you again
A.T.: Arda Turan did it again and raised his hand. Considering that singer Berkay was born in 1981 and Arda was born in 1987, I can say he didn’t heed my advice. Here, beyond raising his hand, he broke Berkay’s nose. And of course, my main advice was to avoid using violence against anyone except in self-defense. It doesn’t matter if they’re big or small. Any form of violence against any living being is deeply wrong.
A.G.: Arda Güler shouldn’t even consider raising his hand against anyone. Soccer is a stage. And if you’re playing for Real Madrid, you’re on the most important stage. Therefore, Arda Güler needs to set an example for society and the young people who will follow him with all his actions. To do this, he shouldn’t be the one who commits violence, but rather one who avoids violence, calms the environment, and always conveys positive vibes to society. He has that kind of quality.
- Apologize to Bilal Meşe before returning to Spain this summer.
A.T.: He didn’t apologize. He didn’t give a damn.
A.G.: In our society, apologizing is perceived as a sign of weakness. However, even in a perfectionist society like Japanese culture, which is based on honor and pride, apologizing is considered a sign of greatness and maturity. Everyone makes mistakes. Arda Güler should also know how to apologize when he makes a mistake and not avoid doing so.
3) Stop bickering with the press
A.T.: Arda Turan has relatively stopped bickering with the press. However, the vast majority in the press hasn’t forgiven his behavior towards Bilal Meşe. Arda’s lack of apology and his dismissive attitude have fueled this backlash.
A.G.: Forget bickering with the press; Arda Güler needs to always strive to maintain a good relationship with the press. Because how the press holds that mirror up to your experiences is in the hands of the press. It can make you look better or worse than you are. To avoid problems, it’s best to always maintain a good relationship. Of course, when you say this, be careful not to be too close and maintain a certain distance. Your relationship shouldn’t become as slack as Arda Turan did. They should always respect you, and if possible, love you.
4) Simplify your surroundings
A.T.: He couldn’t do this during his soccer career. He was always surrounded by people. He always had people around him. It was reported that even when he visited Berkay in the hospital, he went with 6-7 people. So, as you can see, “Acun Style” was in full swing. We’ve run out of words to say, “Don’t hang around with unnecessary people, don’t let them weigh you down.” During his time in Barcelona and Madrid, Arda Turan constantly hosted a lot of people. This led him to focus on his Turkish circle instead of focusing on the world’s best players on his team, like Messi and Neymar. This was a huge mistake. Because if Messi, Neymar, and the other players had fully embraced Arda, they wouldn’t have let him leave Barcelona.
A.G.: Don’t host anyone from Turkey except for a few close friends from time to time. Your family may stay with you for a while, but you need to aim to build your own life in Madrid and get back on your feet within a few years.
5) Forget Turkey, focus on Spain
A.T.: He couldn’t get a foothold in Spain. He couldn’t even get a transfer to any other club in Europe, let alone Spain. He returned to Turkey. In Turkey, he chose Başakşehir over a club like Galatasaray. Transferring from Barcelona to Başakşehir was a career-ending hara-kiri. His subsequent decline in motivation left him unable to establish a presence at Başakşehir. His aggressive behavior left everyone wondering, “What happened to this kid?” He even received a 16-game ban in Turkey for his actions toward the referees during one game.
A.G.: He needs to leave Turkey entirely and focus on Spain. Whatever happens in Turkey, happens; it’s none of your business anymore. Of course, you can’t be indifferent to family matters, but if your family truly values you (and they do, judging by what we observe from the outside), then they won’t project their own problems in Turkey onto you. There’s only one thing you need to focus on: your life in Spain and your performance at Real Madrid.
By the way, when I say focus on Spain, I don’t just mean hanging out with your teammates. Arda Güler needs to establish himself as a part of Spanish society and a role model soccer player. To achieve this, he needs to improve his foreign language skills significantly and become fluent. This applies not only to English, but also to Spanish. Arda Güler needs to reach a level where he can easily conduct interviews in Spanish and discuss everything in Spanish with his teammates.
He’s young, smart, and has determination. He should hire a Spanish coach without delay and learn Spanish as soon as possible. For example, in Turkey, they praised you for speaking Turkish during your Real Madrid debut (see: His request to speak Turkish instead of English during his Real Madrid interview: http://cuts2.com/STNJC ). Speaking Turkish was portrayed as a nationalist stance, and you received unnecessary praise. My thought was the exact opposite. I thought he probably wanted to speak Turkish because he wasn’t very proficient in foreign languages. I hope this is the case, and that you avoid actions that will hinder your development. Learn Spanish as soon as possible and start conducting your interviews in Spanish. In the meantime, constantly improve your English.
6) Focus on your soccer (answer everyone with your soccer skills)
A.T.: Unfortunately, after Barcelona, he’s always been in the news for his non-soccer behavior. This has also been reflected on the field, and his performance has dropped significantly. He hasn’t been able to showcase his talents on the field.
A.G.: Your focus should be on improving your performance at Real Madrid. Your priority there should be breaking into the starting eleven and playing successful games for Europe’s most successful team. You’re on an incredibly important platform where you can prove yourself. Appreciate this and do your best.
7) Be modest.
A.T.: He showed no signs of being modest. His headstrong nature and flamboyant lifestyle continued. His soccer career is over, and now he’s working as a manager at Eyüpspor in the Turkish First League (i.e., a lower league). I think he’ll get his act together a bit more from now on, because the chances of earning the money he earned in soccer as a manager are much lower. However, if he doesn’t compromise on his life, the real downfall will begin then.
A.G.: From what I’ve observed from the outside, he has a modest character. My advice to him is to maintain his character. Don’t get too spoiled as your success increases. On the contrary, try to be humbler as you rise. This is also important for your personal development. You have the stamina and family upbringing to do this.
8) Follow the rules.
A.T.: In the final stages of his soccer career, he not only failed to follow the rules, but also caused legal issues. Following the Berkay incident, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office filed an indictment against Arda Turan, seeking up to 12.5 years in prison. Of course, he received a 16-game ban because of the violence he displayed on the field.
A.G.: In Spain, society must abide by its rules, laws, and traditions. I hope no one has anything to say to Arda Güler in this regard. In fact, I hope they see his efforts in this regard and increase their support.
9) Get your personal life in order
A.T.: Arda Turan has made only one progress here. He married his girlfriend, Aslıhan Doğan. However, his actions after marriage revealed how unprepared he was for the institution of marriage. The night of his fight with Berkay, he left his eight-month-pregnant wife at home and went to Gizli Kalsın, a popular nightclub in Istanbul, for a night of men’s partying. I hope he doesn’t repeat the same mistakes during his time as manager.
A.G.: Don’t be overwhelmed by the attention he receives. Always remember who you are and where you come from. Keep your instincts and willpower in check. It’s not necessary to have a girlfriend right away; you can go without one for a while. Of course, the ideal thing is to have a girlfriend with whom you can be happy, who motivates you, and with whom you can share your private life for a long time, without worrying about anything. If you’re happy with your girlfriend, this will also reflect on your soccer playing. Don’t fall into the self-proclaimed habit of jumping from one thing to another, which some soccer players claim is a good thing. This will significantly impact your performance and leave you emotionally unstable.
10) Take Galatasaray legend Tugay Kerimoğlu as an example.
A.T.: He never acted like one. Although Tugay divorced his wife, after over 20 years of marriage, a few years ago. But even Tugay’s divorce was a fitting one. They resolved their problems quietly and within their family.
A.G.: You can choose soccer players who have had exemplary soccer careers as role models. In Turkey, you can take Galatasaray’s Tugay Kerimoğlu and, even more recently, Metin Oktay, Fenerbahçe’s Oğuz Çetin, and, even more recently, Can Bartu as role models.
Of course, you can take Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski as role models abroad. Messi is already the world’s greatest soccer player of all time. He’s broken every record and left no trophy unclaimed. He’s also a role model in his personal life. I specifically mentioned Lewandowski here because, like him, you need to strengthen your physique. His wife is a fitness trainer and is specifically supporting Lewandowski to improve his performance. I hope you find a partner like that.
11) Demonstrate exemplary behavior for young soccer players (soccer is a stage)
A.T.: Not only did he fail to demonstrate exemplary behavior, but on the contrary, he exhibited all sorts of behaviors that set a bad example: swearing, attacking the referee, angry behavior, starting a fight at a nightclub, leaving his pregnant wife to go to a nightclub in the middle of the night, using an unlicensed weapon, causing a scene at the hospital, etc.
A.G.: Whatever you do, both on and off the field, act with the understanding that millions of people follow you and that thousands of young people will look to you as a role model. This, of course, means restricting your freedom at times, but that’s the reward for all that fame, glory, money, and love. In other words, you can only repay your debt to society by doing exemplary work and contributing to it. Remember that too.
12) Stay out of politics
A.T.: He was very involved in politics for a while. We haven’t heard much about him since. He’s doing better in this regard than in the recent past.
A.G.: Don’t even mention politics. You’re a professional soccer player. Politics isn’t your job. Avoid doing things that might give politicians credit or criticizing them. Your job is soccer, and at that stage, you should achieve good things that can be an example to society. For example, you could make a significant contribution to your country by scoring or helping score goals for the national team. You could also support charitable causes in the future. This would be a good incentive for everyone.
13) Show your respect for the national team in deeds, not words.
A.T.: He couldn’t do this because he no longer has a national team career. Yet, his national team career was going so well. Even though we didn’t win the championship, the taste of that 2008 European Championship is still fresh in our mouths.
A.G.: Speaking of the national team, always try to give your 100% on the field, especially in international games. If you can do this and put on successful plays, you will make a significant contribution to the country and constantly raise your reputation in society.
14) Take an active part in civil society activities.
A.T.: He didn’t even bother with such a good cause. Or maybe we didn’t hear about it.
A.G.: After you mature a bit in your soccer career, in your early twenties, you can choose an area you’re passionate about and work to benefit society in that area in your spare time. For example, do you love animals and want to do something for them? Then, in the future, you could donate to an animal charity and occasionally participate in charity work.
15) Manage your income and expenses well (cut your expenses).
A.T.: The only thing I heard from Arda, who read my article about him, was his reaction to this point. After reading the article, he said, “I don’t spend 80,000 TL a month, I spend much more.” I don’t quite understand whether he meant it as a trick. In any case, the fact that he focused solely on this point and commented on it shows he’s read my article superficially. Still, I want to emphasize this: Even if you’re the highest-earning soccer player in the world, excessive spending can lead to personal bankruptcy. It’s that simple. You’ll see this more clearly after you retire from soccer. Until you prove yourself as a manager, your income will be much lower. From now on, you’ll need to be much more careful with your spending. Otherwise, you’ll enter a dark period you’ve never experienced before. Be careful.
A.G.: I hope you’ve empowered people who truly love and care about you to manage your finances. This could be your parents, or someone close to your family, someone truly honest and knowledgeable about these matters. In any case, I’m not saying, “Leave your money to whomever you entrust it and forget about it.” You need to be involved, learn how things are done, and be able to intervene when necessary. Avoid excessive spending. For your own personal development, you need to find a way to sustainably increase your money and control your spending. This will be important for you throughout your life.
16) Think about what happens after you retire from soccer
A.T.: Arda Turan recently retired from soccer and immediately took over as manager of Eyüpspor. Some soccer players try to pursue non-soccer careers after retiring, and the vast majority fail. Arda’s decision to stay involved in soccer, in other words, his profession, is a good thing and the right choice. Beyond coaching, Arda would make a good soccer commentator, a quick-witted player who can look at issues from a different perspective. But no matter what, if he wants to establish himself within the soccer community, he needs to clean up his act and try to stay away from controversy. It’s safe to say he’s more disciplined now than he used to be. He shouldn’t use Emre Belözoğlu as a role model. I don’t think his managerial career, like his playing career, will be mired in controversy. He won’t change his temper.
A.G.: It’s too early for him to think about what happens after he retires from soccer. He’s only 18 and in the early stages of his career. Right now, he needs to focus on his soccer career. He also needs to establish his financial management skills and establish a system that will continuously increase his income to secure his future. Once he’s in his 30s, he can start thinking about life beyond soccer.
I wish our young Arda Güler success in Spain. Just as 20-year-old Spanish tennis player Alcazar defeated Djokovic, considered the world’s greatest tennis player, to win Wimbledon and make the Spanish nation proud, we hope the 18-year-old Arda Güler will play in Real Madrid’s starting eleven, win many Champions League titles, and lead our national team from one success to the next. In any case, we’re proud of you, brother. Good luck!
Arda Güler’s first promotional training session at Real Madrid…
Tag: education
