Kemal Tokak

Kemal Tokak — Biography

Kemal Tokak was born on April 25, 1989, in the Yüreğir district of Adana and played as a center-back. He started football at the age of ten in the Adanaspor academy, where youth coach Suat Kaya was a major influence on his development. After four years he moved to Çanakkale Dardanelspor, arriving at 15 and turning professional there. In 2008-09 he was loaned to Mustafakemalpaşaspor and, at the end of the season, to Orhangazispor. He won two Turkey U-18 caps in friendlies against Israel in 2007 and, in 2011, played for the Turkey A2 national team against Belarus.

He joined Samsunspor in 2010, was named Young Talent of the Year in the league at the end of that season, and played with the club in the Süper Lig in 2011-12. When Beşiktaş showed interest, he said he would gladly play for a big club. At the end of the season he moved to İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor, but eight days later he terminated the contract and signed a five-year deal with Gaziantepspor.

At Gaziantepspor he made 29 league appearances over two seasons. In 2014-15 he went to Şanlıurfaspor, where injury kept him from playing, and midway through the season he moved to Elazığspor, making his debut on March 8, 2015. He later wore the shirts of Boluspor, Eyüpspor, Bursaspor and Karacabey Belediyespor. A lifelong Adana Demirspor supporter, his idol is Paolo Maldini.