Gündüz Kılıç

Who was Gündüz Kılıç?

"Baba" Gündüz Kılıç was a Turkish football player and coach. He was Ali Kılıç's son and Altemur Kılıç's brother.

Born in 1918 in Istanbul, Gündüz Kılıç attended Galatasaray Lycee and then started his football career as a center forward with Galatasaray SK. He was strong, big, well-educated, sophisticated, charismatic, charming and hungry for success. He never looked flashy, yet was never boring. Kılıç was the mastermind behind the rise of Turkish football schooling football players that would become respectable managers after their career.

He took a break from his career in 1938, moving to Germany for a university education. When he returned to Turkey, he again wore the Galatasaray shirt and won two league championships with the team. Kılıç, who played 11 matches with the Turkey national football team, played for Galatasaray until 1953 except he played for Ankara Demirspor during his national service military obligation. His 5 goals against Beşiktaş JK are still a record for all 3 Istanbulian derbies. His 5 goals were scored in the 43', 58', 73', 76' and 89'.

The "Gündüz Kılıç Revolution" started early one morning at Galatasaray in 1952, when he hung his uniform in his locker and put on his coaching suit and whistle without looking back. Once the captain of the Galatasaray team, Gündüz Kılıç coached his former teammates and the bright young talents he added to the squad. He led his team to several championships after eighteen years without a championship between 1934 and 1952. He also transferred Turkish superstar Metin Oktay to the team.