An interview with our colleague Elif Ünal Gümüş, Turkey's only female football match commentator, given to Hürriyet Newspaper:
Elif Ünal is Turkey's only female match commentator. Despite graduating from the Archaeology department, Ünal, who charted a new path for herself after her father's death and received announcing training, narrates Lower League and Development League matches in Ankara. The young female commentator aims to serve as a commentator in the live broadcast of Super League matches. Her greatest dream is to narrate Galatasaray's matches in European cups.
Although football audiences are used to listening to matches in a male voice, 26-year-old Elif Ünal is an exception in this field. Elif Ünal, who completed her undergraduate education in the Prehistoric Archaeology department at Ankara University, grew up intertwined with football due to her father Zafer Ünal instilling his interest in her. "I would have very much liked my father to see me narrating a match," said Ünal, explaining her story and place in sports media as the only woman practicing her profession as follows:
I WAS GOING TO BE AN ACADEMICIAN, I FOUND MYSELF NARRATING MATCHES
"In 2014, I started studying archaeology at Ankara University. I had built my career planning on being an academician. We are 3 sisters, all three of us are graduates of Ankara University, and as a family, we are very fond of studying. I finished my department in third place, so after graduation, my priority was to improve my English and do a master's degree in my field. However, these plans for my life changed in 2017 with the passing of my dearly loved father due to pancreatic cancer.
“YOU'RE GIVING US A HEADACHE AT HOME, GO NARRATE A MATCH”
After my father passed away, it was very difficult for me to accept the situation. When college ended in 2018, my professors sent me off saying "we are waiting for you for a master's degree," but I was in a void, I didn't know what to do because I didn't have the strength to start an academic adventure. I was constantly consulting my older sister Gözde about what I should do. One day she joked with me, saying "since you were little, you've been giving us a headache by talking about sports at home. Go give the viewers in front of the screen a bit of a headache," and directed me to go to a diction course. I went to the course thinking if it happens, it happens, if not, it remains as my hobby, and I received training from TRT announcers. When Erdoğan Arıkan noticed my interest in football, he said that if I completed my training, I could progress in this field. Hearing this from a name like him, the thought "I can do my hobby as a job" started to form. However, I didn't stay away from education either. While practicing my profession, I studied Media and Communication at Anadolu University's Open Education Faculty.
I CAN'T SAY IT'S AN EASY JOB
Since my childhood was spent watching matches, I have an ear for match narration, so I don't have difficulty. My first match was the Ankaragücü-Hatay match. I started by narrating 2020-2021 Super League matches in radio format. This past season, I worked for a YouTube channel broadcasting Lower League and Development League matches in Ankara and gained on-field narration experience for the first time. I narrated first league, second league, and third league matches. I narrated youth infrastructure matches broadcast on the social media accounts of clubs like Ankaragücü and Gençlerbirliği. The stadium atmosphere is truly different; you have to have complete command of the field and not miss anything. While one eye is on the field, the other should be on the 4th official or the technical bench. I can't say it's an easy job.
THE PERCEPTION THAT FOOTBALL IS A MEN'S SPORT IS WRONG
Football is known as a men's sport, yes, but women can certainly do match narration like any other profession. I also want to show this and break the wrong perception. Looking at the reactions, positive ones predominate. I also note negative reactions in my mind to improve myself.
I WOULD HAVE VERY MUCH LIKED MY FATHER TO SEE ME
My father was a complete football enthusiast. He was a very good Galatasaray fan. He had played football, but my grandfather didn't allow him to progress. He used to take me to matches on carpet pitches since I was little. He would be the technical director in amateur tournaments and explain the tactics to me first. While watching summaries of matches from the 80s and 90s on TRT, he would remember and predict positions and goals in advance. I look at my profession as my father's legacy. If he were alive, he would be proud of me and would be my biggest supporter. Every time I get behind the microphone, my father is in a corner of my mind.
WHY NOT A CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL?
Realizing my Galatasaray fan identity is because it's a legacy from my father. However, even though I am a fan, I am objective in my work. My dream is to narrate Galatasaray's match in European cups, perhaps even a Champions League Final. Why not?
I WANT TO BE ETCHED IN MEMORIES WITH MY WORK
When I look at my professional elders, the name that impresses me most in match narration is Ercan Taner, although he is not narrating currently. He has a very impressive presentation, especially in goal moments. Among those actively working, I like Gökhan Abdik's narration. However, I also want to be etched in memories as Elif Ünal with the success I will achieve in my work.
Source: Hürriyet Newspaper
You can access the full version of this interview via Hürriyet Newspaper.
As part of the AGB Media family, we are proud of Elif Ünal Gümüş.