Werner Lorant passed away at the age of 76. The famous German coach had a brilliant career in club football in Turkey, Germany, and also Iran, where he coached Saipa for a period.

Engin Firat, former coach of Sepahan and Saipa, who was Lorant’s assistant at Fenerbahce in 2002, recalled their time together and spoke about the German coach’s personality and influence.

Firat described Lorant as a strong personality but, contrary to his tough appearance, a kind and humorous person who loved chatting, joking, and even playing with children.

He was shocked by the sudden news of Lorant’s death, as he was unaware of his illness. Firat fondly recalled the good memories of working with Lorant and said, “It’s good that he was in my life. Lorant wasn’t the strict character he seemed from the outside, but quite the opposite.”

Firat pointed to Lorant’s coaching style, which was based on physical and powerful football, a style that was common at the time but may not align with today’s standards. He dismissed claims about Lorant’s failure at Fenerbahce, emphasizing that the team was in second place under his guidance and after his departure, Fenerbahce nearly faced relegation.

Firat believes that if Lorant had continued, he could have led the team to the championship. He referred to important victories like big wins against Bursaspor and Ankaragucu, saying these results showed the quality of Lorant’s work.

Firat also mentioned Lorant’s successful period at Sivasspor but added that his short experience at Kasimpasa was unsuccessful due to Firat’s departure and Lorant’s decision to continue alone.

He considered Lorant a prominent figure not only in Turkey but also in Germany, where he had a special reputation due to his harsh behavior and numerous fines as a coach. However, Firat emphasized that behind this tough appearance was a warm and lovable person who, if known closely, would change one’s opinion about him.

One of the most memorable moments of Lorant’s career was the historic 6-0 victory of Fenerbahce against Galatasaray in 2002. Firat described this victory as so unexpected that even they were more shocked than Galatasaray. He said Lorant saw this win like an ordinary game, without celebration or fuss, and went to bed early. This behavior showed his humble and balanced personality, who didn’t exaggerate anything and lived football passionately.

Firat also pointed to the problems after this game, saying the media unfairly blamed Lorant for the team’s issues, especially the Ariel Ortega affair, while these problems occurred after their departure. He recalled that after they left, Fenerbahce lost to many teams, and even Augusto Cetin, the next coach, couldn’t improve the situation.

Firat also mentioned Lorant’s special interest in the rosary, which started during his coaching in Iran and continued in his teams Fenerbahce, Sivasspor, Kayserispor, and Kasimpasa.

Lorant had said about the rosary: “It calms me down, reduces my stress, and looks beautiful in my hand.”

This trait, along with his bold coaching style and multifaceted personality, made Lorant a lasting figure in football history who had a profound impact in both Turkey and Germany.