Erol Ates

Erol Ates (born 19 June 1993) is a Finnish-Turkish football manager and a former player, currently working as a manager of Superettan club GIF Sundsvall. Ates has completed the UEFA Pro coaching license in 2022.

Early life
Ates was born in Konya, Turkey. He was raised in Turkey until 2007, when his family relocated to Finland when he was 13 years old. They settled in Turku, where Ates started playing football in the youth sector of FC Inter Turku.

Playing career
Ates played in youth teams of Inter Turku, Turun Toverit (TuTo) and Turun Palloseura (TPS). He played also for VG-62, Pargas IF, PiPS and Åbo IFK before switching to coaching.

Coaching career
Ates has worked as a youth coach for TPS, Vaasan Palloseura (VPS) and ÅIFK.

Inter Turku
He returned to his former club Inter Turku as a youth coach in 2018. Since the beginning of 2019, he worked as a head coach of Inter Turku II academy team in the fourth-tier Kolmonen. During 2021–2022, Ates was an assistant coach of Inter Turku first team in Veikkausliiga. He left the club after the 2022 season.

JäPS
On 13 June 2023, it was announced that Ates was named the head coach of Järvenpään Palloseura (JäPS) on a two-year deal, starting in the 2024 season in new second-tier Ykkösliiga. It was also announced that first Ates will work for JäPS as a technical advisor for the remainder of the 2023 season.

Since 2023, Ates has also worked for Naantali-based VG-62 for the coaching development in the club.

GIF Sundsvall
On 12 July 2024, Ates was named the head coach of GIF Sundsvall in Swedish Superettan.