Muhammet Demir

Not to be confused with Aykut Demir.

Muhammet Demir

Personal information
Full name	Muhammet Demir
Date of birth	January 10, 1992 (1992-01-10) (age 19)[1]
Place of birth	Araklı, Trabzon, Turkey[1]
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) [2]
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Gaziantepspor
Number	11
Youth career
2002–2004	Karadeniz Ereğli Belediyespor
2004–2009	Bursaspor
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2009–2011	Bursaspor	2	(0)
2011–	Gaziantepspor	6	(3)
National team‡
2007	Turkey U-15	3	(3)
2007–08	Turkey U-16	6	(5)
2008	Turkey U-17	21	(19)
2009	Turkey U-18	4	(4)
2010	Turkey U-19	6	(8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 8 February 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 8 February 2011

Muhammet Demir (born 10 January 1992) is a Turkish professional footballer. He currently plays as a striker for Gaziantepspor in the Süper Lig.^[1]

Early life

Demir was born in Araklı, Trabzon. His family moved to Karadeniz Ereğli, Zonguldak when Demir was five years old. He has four brothers: two older and two younger twins. His younger brothers play for the Bursaspor youth team.

Demir played for his school team before Karadeniz Ereğli Belediyespor signed him to a youth contract in 2002. When asked what his goals were as a footballer, Demir replied "I didn't have any goals when I started playing football. It was just a game for me, but then I was signed to Karadeniz Ereğli Belediyespor. It was then I started thinking of what I wanted to accomplish... I wanted a better life for my family." Demir's favorite footballer is Fatih Tekke, a fellow striker from Trabzon.

Sedat Özden, a former professional football player who played for Bursaspor, spotted Demir at a youth tournament in Ankara. He became interested in bringing Demir to Bursa after he helped lead Karadeniz Ereğli Belediyespor to the championship. Bayram Altıntaş, Demir's coach at Karadeniz Ereğli Belediyespor, offered Demir to Bursaspor. The club signed Demir to a youth contract at age 12.

Due to his small stature and differences between his small hometown and the more modern, bustling city of Bursa, Demir quickly became homesick. After spending one month with Bursaspor, he packed his bags and returned home. Although he was highly coveted by the coaches in Bursa, Demir was reluctant to return. It was then that his father told him "go there (Bursa) and finish school. If you don't want to become a footballer, then at least finish school and come home."

Demir described his first season as a bad one. He said his teammates couldn't believe he was given a chance to play due to his bad form. However, his coach Yılmaz Burul believed in Demir's abilities and pushed him forward. Demir was named captain the following season.^[3] He has scored 17 goals in 27 A2 matches.^[1]

Club career

Demir joined Bursaspor in 2005 and signed a professional contract in 2007. He made his first appearance in the Süper Lig in the final game of the 2008–09 season, coming off the bench in the 86th minute against Gaziantepspor.^[4] Demir regularly trains with the senior squad, but has not been able to play many games due to injuries.

Chelsea and West Ham courted Demir and made offers after he scored two goals against Russia in a youth national team match.^[5] Bursaspor turned both offers down, stating that it was too soon for Demir to leave the club. He has stated that he does not want to play for an Istanbul club such as Fenerbahçe or Galatasaray, but move abroad instead.^[3]

After refusing to sign a new deal with his current club Bursaspor, he was sent to Gaziantepspor in January 2011. In the last day of the transfer period he accepted to sign a contract with Gaziantepspor for 4.5 years.

International career

Demir led the Turkey U-17 squad to the quarter finals of the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria, where the team lost 5–3 on penalties to Colombia.^[6] He scored three goals and notched one assist during his five games at the tournament, good enough for joint third place for top scorer.^[7][8]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} MUHAMMET DEMİR tff.org (Turkish), accessed 12 May 2010
2. ^ 67 Muhammet Demir transfermarkt.co.uk, accessed 12 May 2010
3. ^ ^{a b} Muhammet Demir: "Beklenen golcü" tff.org (Turkish), accessed 12 May 2010
4. ^ BURSASPOR GAZİANTEPSPOR tff.org (Turkish), accessed 12 May 2010
5. ^ TÜRKİYE RUSYA tff.org (Turkish), accessed 12 May 2010
6. ^ Colombian late show continues fifa.com, accessed 12 May 2010
7. ^ MUHAMMET DEMIR Player Profile fifa.com, accessed 12 May 2010
8. ^ Turk Demir's Double Ambition fifa.com, accessed 12 May 2010

External links

• Muhammet Demir – FIFA competition record

Persondata
Name	Demir, Muhammet
Alternative names
Short description	Footballer
Date of birth	1992-17-08
Place of birth	Araklı, Trabzon
Date of death
Place of death