ISTANBUL, Sept 29 (AFP) - Spanish coach Vincente Del Bosque insisted on Wednesday he was staying at the helm of Turkish first division side Besiktas amid reports the club was seeking a replacement following their disastrous start to the league.
"As I have said before, I do not intend to leave my job. There may be diffrent opinions among the 20 club managers, but they have so far given support to me," Del Bosque told a press conference here.
His remarks followed reports in an Istanbul daily that Besiktas have contacted three former star players to see if they would be interested in takin over Del Bosque's job.
According to the mass-circulation Sabah newspaper, the club has asked former Besiktas player, Riza Calimbay, who now coaches first division outfit Rizespor, to become its new trainer and has reached agreement with him.
Two other former players -- Metin Tekin and Ali Gultekin -- have also agreed to an offer to return to the club as Calimbay's assistants, Sabah said.
Former Real Sociedad and Nantes coach Raynald Denoueix has already turned the job down.
Asked about the report, Del Bosque said the club had not told him anything, but added that he would not find it strange if it was true.
"I would find this normal in the world of soccer," the Spaniard said. "If we consider the fact that a club fails to win matches it should win, the first point to consider is the coach."
Del Bosque, who was sacked from Real Madrid last year despite winning two Spanish and two European titles in three years, has been in trouble since the start of the Turkish season, with his side so far failing to win a single game.
Sunday's home 3-2 defeat against minnows BB Ankara was the last straw that sent fans screaming for his resignation.
Besiktas announced on Monday that it had given Del Bosque a reprieve yuntil after the game against Bodo.