Başakşehir wants to extend stay atop league

Istanbul club Başakşehir is determined to remain the leader of the Spor Toto Super League as it prepares to host Akhisar Belediye on Oct. 30.

This year's surprise club Başakşehir, under former Turkish national coach Abdullah Avcı, remains unbeaten in the league with six victories in eight weeks, and is leading Beşiktaş on goal difference.

Beşiktaş was to play against Gençlerbirliği in Ankara late on Oct. 28.

Avcı said his team was determined to beat Akhisar and remain the leader. "Akhisar is very good at defense and has not conceded a goal in its last four gamers," Avcı told Anadolu Agency. "But we are used to winning and we want to keep it that way. All our plans are focused on winning. Once we win, we will shift our focus to our next opponent. We want to continue at this current pace," he said, adding that his club's success had not come as a result of luck. 

"With the support of our club's president, Göksel Gümüşdağ, and board members, we have the right foundation. I'm the sole man responsible on the pitch. I can focus fully on my job and that is very important," he said.

The successful manager also noted Başakşehir fields around nine Turkish players each weak, in a league where the limit on foreign players has been lifted. 

"I've worked in the youth system, youth national teams and the national team, so I have great knowledge of the player pool in Turkey and Europe," Avcı said.

"When we transfer players, we prioritize the domestic ones we know, and they have not let us down so far. I hope this trend will carry on. Of course, I'm not against foreign players; some of them have added great value to the Super League," he said.

"Başakşehir should set an example to other clubs. What we are doing in...