Sierra Leone captain Steven Caulker hopes to learn from his new manager Andrea Pirlo at Fatih Karagumruk to help with his long-term goal of becoming a coach.
The former Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool defender, 30, has signed a two-year deal with Turkish Super Lig side after terminating his contract with rivals Fenerbahce.
He was close to joining Championship side Blackburn Rovers before opting to sign for Istanbul-based outfit Karagumruk.
Pirlo was considered one of the best midfielders and play-makers of his generation, winning the 2006 World Cup with Italy, a combined six Serie A titles with Juventus and AC Milan and the Uefa Champions League twice among other achievements.
The 43-year-old coached Juventus in 2020-21 before moving to Karagumruk in June.
“I’m happy to be at Karagumruk and I’m looking forward to learning from coach Pirlo,” Caulker told BBC Sport Africa.
“I have a long-term goal to be a coach and that was part of my decision in coming to Karagumruk – to learn from one of the best players and someone who is very focused on being an even better coach. That’s a good experience for me.
“It’s a fresh start for me, to get the chance to work under an amazing football player with bags and bags of experience at the top level. He’s got a lot of good staff around him as well, he’s worked at the top, so I’m in good hands.
“I’m looking forward to learning from him.”
London-born Caulker won one cap for England, scoring in a 4-2 defeat by Sweden in 2012, and also featured for Great Britain five times at the 2012 Olympic Games.
However, he switched allegiance to Sierra Leone, the country of his paternal grandfather, last year and played in January’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon where he featured in all three group matches against Algeria, Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea.
