Fatih Terim should stay on until 2010 and not resign as Turkey coach in the wake of a Euro 2008 semi-final defeat, the nation's football supremo Hasan Dogan said on Friday.
"Fatih Terim is the coach and he will hopefully fulfil his contract until 2010," Dogan said in a statement posted on the Turkish football federation's website.
"I spoke with Terim on the return flight (from Switzerland). He is at the top of the national team. But I must admit that it is tough to be a footballer or a coach in Turkey," said Dogan in reference to swift criticism in the country if things don't go well, reported dpa.
Terim said immediately after Wednesday's last-minute 3-2 semi- final defeat against Germany that he would probably retire. He said he had offers from clubs in England and Italy but would not make a final decision until having met with players and officials.
Terim won the UEFA Cup with Galatasaray Istanbul in 2002 and two years later led Turkey to third place at the World Cup in Japan and South Korea in his first term as national team coach. The clubs he has coached in the past also include AC Milan.