Antalyaspor's young defender Ramazan Özçelik has been called up to the Turkey U18 national team's training camp. This development highlights the progress of talents emerging from the club's academy.
The U18 National Team, under coach Eyüp Saka, began a training camp on August 24th at the TFF Hasan Doğan Facilities in Istanbul's Riva district. The camp will run until Friday, August 28th. Ramazan Özçelik, who plays for Antalyaspor, is one of the defenders named to the squad. During the camp, players also received a seminar on new game rules and UEFA instructions from Central Referee Committee member Sebahattin Şahin.
This invitation is seen as a tangible result of Antalyaspor's investment in youth player development. The club finished the previous Süper Lig season in 14th place with 28 points from 30 matches. Young talents like Özçelik gaining national team experience is a promising development for future seasons. Details of the entire squad can be found on Antalyaspor's squad page.
Antalyaspor's biggest problem in the 1. Lig is its defensive line. It has been noted that the club has conceded a total of 8 goals in its last three league matches, a stat deemed unacceptable for a team targeting promotion to the Süper Lig. It was highlighted that in the recent 3-2 loss to Pendikspor, the defence was too spread out and distances between players were too great.
Issues such as "players far from the opponent, an expanding defence, and men getting behind" were listed. It was stated that statistics like this cannot be covered up with excuses like "it's early in the season" or "the team is new." Antalyaspor had the second-worst defence in the league last season when relegated from the Süper Lig, conceding 49 goals. Current stats show the team has an overall goal difference of -19.
Goalkeeper Abdullah Yiğiter's performance was also addressed. It was noted that it would not be right to blame Yiğiter for all defeats, but that some of the goals he conceded did not inspire confidence. His timing in leaving his line and failure to intervene on the first goal against Pendikspor were cited as examples.
The phrase "If Antalyaspor's target is the Süper Lig, there is no luxury of being emotional about this issue" was used. The view was shared that the club needs to seek a new goalkeeper who can instill confidence in the defence. This aligns with the team's recent form. Antalyaspor has 1 win and 2 losses in its last three matches, losing the last two. Its last result was a 2-0 loss to Konyaspor on April 17, 2026.
It was also noted that Antalyaspor showed a positive image in the second half of the Pendikspor match when it increased the pressure. It was stated that the team, trailing 2-0, managed to push the game forward, become more aggressive, and pull the score back to 2-2. This period was said to show what coach Bülent Korkmaz expects from the team.
This reaction is a hopeful sign about the team's character. However, consistency is needed considering the overall league situation. After finishing 40 points behind leaders Galatasaray last season, Antalyaspor now must find tighter defensive discipline in its 1. Lig standings battle. The upcoming fixtures schedule will be an indicator of how quickly these problems can be solved.
