Nerang signing Tolga Yorulmaz says the Eagles are within striking distance of Premier League double

NERANG signing Tolga Yorulmaz has boldly declared the Eagles capable of challenging for the 2019 Gold Coast Premier League double as they build under new coach Dave Benigno.

NERANG signing Tolga Yorulmaz has boldly declared the Eagles capable of challenging for the 2019 Gold Coast Premier League double as their off-season build continues under new coach Dave Benigno.

Midfielder Yorulmaz, 24, became the Eagles’ third high-profile recruit last week, following Gold Coast United captain Acim Tomic and former Gold Coast City NPL player Tim Jackson to Glennon Park.

A member of the Surfers Paradise side that won the 2016 Premier League title under Benigno, Yorulmaz will be charged with guiding a youthful Nerang outfit featuring several members of the highly-successful Academy Of Football Australia.

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With the Eagles defying pre-season expectations to finish fifth this year, Yorulmaz, who has already been handed the captain’s armband, said the addition of the experienced trio had prompted a rethink of their 2019 aspirations.

Nerang signing Tolga Yorulmaz (right) with coach Dave Benigno. Picture: Luke Sorensen

“I hope we take the double. Every year I’m here for that and I just want to win,” he said.

“Yes, Surfers are going to be great, Burleigh are great, every year Broadbeach are great – there’s already some great teams and players out there on the Gold Coast – but I hate losing and I’m going to rip my hair out to the very last strand to get wins for the Eagles. That’s all I want and that’s why I’m here at Nerang.

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“Nerang has the strong family base and the players that Nerang have already attracted this year, like Acim (Tomic) from Gold Coast United, I believe are going to take Nerang to an even higher level. These guys can do that, on and off the pitch, and it’s not just about the football, it’s about the way they carry themselves and the respect they have.

Tolga Yorulmaz. Picture: Luke Sorensen

“I take everything week by week but everything starts with a good foundation, and I can see that Nerang’s foundation is already nothing short of amazing. I’m looking forward to getting into the hard work and to the moment when that work starts to pay off.”

Yorulmaz said Benigno, who has returned to the coaching ranks after a season off, loomed as the Eagles’ off-field weapon.

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“I’m a big believer in belief itself and that, for me, is what I’ve found in Dave but haven’t seen in anybody else. He just believes in his players so strongly to the point where the players themselves believe they can do anything.

“When you’re like that, and he backs you like that, you go out there and do things that you never believed were possible.”