[1][2] Yanal started his coaching career in 1990 at Sarayköyspor, a team located in the Sarayköy district of Denizli, where his family resided for many years.

After Ümit Kayıhan's resignation, Yanal took charge of Denizlispor in the last 6 weeks of the league, experiencing 1 win, 2 draws and 3 defeats in 6 games.

His job was to secure qualification for the 2006 World Cup but despite being on target to achieving this goal, sitting in second place in the qualifying group, he was dismissed in June 2005 to be replaced by Fatih Terim, who couldn't lead the team to the finals in Germany.

[10][11] His appointment coincided with tough times for Fenerbahçe who had been banned from European competition for two seasons over their alleged involvement in a domestic match-fixing scandal.

[14] On 18 July 2013, Fenerbahçe played in the Champions League third qualifying round despite its UEFA ban after winning an emergency ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

[15] On 31 July 2013, on Yanal's first official match, Fenerbahçe made the most of their Champions League lifeline with a 1–1 draw against Red Bull Salzburg in the first leg of their third qualifying round tie.

[22][23] On 17 August 2013, Yanal coached his first league match with Fenerbahçe, squandering a 2–0 first-half lead to lose 3–2 to newcomer Torku Konyaspor in their Süper Lig opener at Konya Atatürk Stadium.

[30][31][32] On 1 December, Yanal coached his first Beşiktaş-Fenerbahçe rivalry, drawing 3–3 with the black and whites in an eventful Süper Lig match that witnessed a number of controversial positions.

[clarification needed][33] On 4 December, Fenerbahçe suffered an unexpected 2–1 loss in the 2013–14 Turkish Cup at home against first division side Fethiyespor.

[34] Yanal's Fenerbahçe won the Süper Lig title with three games to spare after a 0–0 draw at home to Çaykur Rizespor, in front of a crowd made up exclusively of women and children.

It was announced by the club that they parted ways but Ersun Yanal that he would be in charge of the team against Trabzonspor in the Ziraat Turkish Cup match to be played on 4 March 2020.