Dirk Kuyt is set for an emotional reunion with Liverpool next week, after Fenerbahce confirmed the Dutchman will stay in charge of the first team until the upcoming international break.
The 46-year-old was put in temporary control following the departure of Ismail Kartal, who stepped down after Fenerbahce’s 2-1 loss to fierce rivals Galatasaray in Monday’s Istanbul derby.
The Turkish giants said their board has handed Kuyt the reins on an interim basis while a dedicated committee works to find a permanent replacement. The club added that it intends to speed up that search.
That means Kuyt will be on the touchline when Liverpool, the club where he made his name in English football, travel to Istanbul for their Champions League meeting.
Kuyt is a familiar face for supporters of both teams. The former Netherlands international spent six years at Anfield from 2006 to 2012, becoming a fan favourite for his work rate and big-game goals. He then moved to Fenerbahce, where he helped the club lift the Turkish Super Lig title in 2014.
Now, more than a decade later, he returns to the dugout at a turbulent moment for the club, with the task of steadying the side and taking on his old employers on one of European football’s biggest stages.
