Mohamed Salah’s transfer, captain of the Egyptian national team, to Trabzonspor was not merely a resounding football deal to sign one of the Premier League’s brightest stars; the deal’s impact extended to other aspects far beyond the pitch, according to Turkish actor Erkan Yöji, one of the participants in the announcement introducing the Egyptian star.
“Yalla Koura” conducted an interview with Erkan Yöji, in which he revealed behind-the-scenes details of filming the announcement introducing Mohamed Salah, the moments he shared with the Egyptian star, how Salah learned some Turkish words, as well as the deal’s impact on the city of Trabzon and the relationship between Egyptians and Turks.
Here is the text of the interview:
-First, tell us about yourself and how you came to take part in the announcement introducing Mohamed Salah?
I am a professional actor in series, cinema and theater, from the city of Trabzon in Turkey, and I am currently playing the character of “Khidr” in the series “Taşacak Bu Deniz.”
When I received news that an announcement for Trabzonspor was being prepared, Fatih Zaman, the agency owner, contacted me and told me they wanted a short test video from me. I sent the video and they liked it, after which they chose me to participate in the announcement.
-Did you know that Mohamed Salah would be participating in the announcement? And how was your first meeting with him?
At first we did not know that Mohamed Salah would be coming; we found out later. When he arrived, I discovered that he is a truly wonderful person. He was friendly and warm with everyone and treated us as if we had known each other for years.
The location where we filmed had a wonderful natural view, and I saw Salah holding his phone and filming the beautiful green spaces. He was smiling a lot, and it was clear he was extremely happy to be there.
-Did you have any conversation during the filming?
We did not have much opportunity to talk, but in one of the scenes I offered him a plate of the famous “black cabbage rolls” from Trabzon, and after tasting it he told me it was very delicious.
-Do you remember any funny incident or behind-the-scenes secret from the announcement?
One of the funny moments was that Salah wanted to speak Turkish, and he did so very well; his final line was even: “Tamam, görüşürüz,” which means “Okay, see you later.”
During filming we were almost trying to get him to taste all the foods in front of him.
We did not repeat the scene many times; we filmed it almost on the first take because Salah had to rush to his contract-signing ceremony. Despite the tight schedule, he succeeded very well in pronouncing the Turkish words, and the interpreter was beside him helping him.
Salah wanted to learn the phrase “Tamam, görüşürüz,” meaning “Okay, see you later.” We use this phrase when leaving or saying goodbye, so he wanted to say it in Turkish. He asked his interpreter about it, and the interpreter taught him how to pronounce it.
-How was the atmosphere on set with a global star the size of Mohamed Salah?
All the crew members were extremely excited to have Mohamed Salah with us, because we were standing in the same scene with a global star.
This is something anyone could dream of, but it is not something that happens every day. At the same time, the crew rose to the occasion and everyone showed great professionalism, diligence and dedication.
-Are you a Trabzonspor fan? And how did you receive the news of signing Salah?
Yes, I am a very big Trabzonspor fan, and I am also a member of the club’s general assembly.
When I learned of Salah’s transfer to Trabzon I was extremely excited and kept following the deal’s news, especially since I was also a fan of his during his time at Liverpool.
-How did the city of Trabzon receive Mohamed Salah?
The city of Trabzon embraced Salah strongly, and the enthusiasm was not limited to the city alone but extended to all of Turkey.
Trabzon has previously held massive fan celebrations during Trabzonspor’s title wins, and with the reception of Salah at his signing ceremony inside the stadium, the city sent a new message to the world. In my opinion, Salah came to one of the biggest clubs in the world’s cities.
-Away from football… what impact has Mohamed Salah’s deal had on Trabzon and Turkey?
I do not look at Salah’s transfer from a football perspective only. Mohamed Salah is known not only in Trabzon but throughout Turkey, and I feel he is also playing the role of a cultural ambassador.
From the very first day we saw that his presence could add a great deal to the region from a tourism standpoint, and it also gave the city of Trabzon a big boost of morale and enthusiasm.
I believe a wonderful relationship has developed between Egypt and Trabzonspor, and even between Egypt and Turkey as well. Direct flights between Cairo and Trabzon will now begin, and around 170 Egyptians arrived in Trabzon on the first flight. I think these numbers will continue to grow in the future.
-What do you expect for Trabzonspor this season after signing him?
I am fully confident that Trabzonspor will win the league this season after signing Mohamed Salah, and I believe we will once again witness those loud fan celebrations for which Trabzonspor supporters are famous around the world.
-After appearing with Salah, have you noticed any interaction from Egyptian fans with you?
Certainly, even if I speak only about my personal experience, since Salah’s transfer and the publication of the photo I took with him during filming, I have received huge interaction.
In just four days, my account gained around 5,000 new followers, and I saw tremendous interest from Egyptians and from Mohamed Salah’s fans. I hope this interest continues, because I love Egyptians very much and I am grateful to the Egyptian people.
-Finally… if we asked you to describe Mohamed Salah after dealing with him, what would you say?
I see him as a kind, professional person and a family man, and I also see him as an ambassador of culture and goodness in the Islamic world.
