Oğuz Sabankay

Oğuz Sabankay — Biography

Oğuz Sabankay is a midfielder from Akhisar who rose through Galatasaray's youth system and then spent many years in Turkey's lower divisions. After retiring as a player he moved into coaching, and since 2024 he has been in charge of his hometown club Akhisar Belediye 1885 Spor Kulübü.

Having come up at the Akhisar Belediyespor academy, Sabankay joined Galatasaray's youth side in 2004; the club signed him the same day Fenerbahçe signed the Brazilian Alex, and the press compared the two signings. He signed a professional contract before 2006-07 and made his debut on August 13, 2006, as an 84th-minute substitute against Kayserispor. A run of loans followed: Manisaspor in January 2007 (injuries and frequent coaching changes kept him from a regular place), Eskişehirspor in 2008 (where he did not play a match), İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor from 2009 and, in 2010-11, Kartalspor under Ergün Penbe. After leaving Galatasaray he went to Akyurt Şekerspor, signed a two-year deal with Bucaspor in 2012, parted ways with them in 2014 and then played for Eyüpspor and Tarsus İdman Yurdu. In 2023 he moved to Kınık Belediyespor.

He also played for the youth national teams, scoring three goals in 66 matches at the A-youth and B-youth levels; his first goal came against Northern Ireland in 2004.