Miloš Veljković was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Some transfers need a press campaign. This one needed a shirt with the old number on it. Lazar Mladenovic is a Crvena Zvezda player again, and the town has its story of the summer.
Some transfers need a press campaign. This one needed a shirt with the old number on it. Djordje Pavlovic is a Crvena Zvezda player again, and the town has its story of the summer.
He left as a boy and has come back still knowing where the away end is. Most signings have to be explained to a town; this one needed a photograph and nothing else.
The offer from Vojvodina for Vladimir Lučić was heard out and sent back the same day. First bids are rarely meant to succeed; they are meant to find out how loudly the door closes.
Miloš Veljković was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
“I watch every Crvena Zvezda game from here. That says everything about where my head is.” The loan at NK Osijek runs its course, but his heart never made the trip.
48 months left and silence from upstairs — no offer, no talks, nothing for his people to answer. Clubs that let a calendar do their negotiating usually end up negotiating with the calendar.
Some transfers need a press campaign. This one needed a shirt with the old number on it. Marko Mladenović is a Crvena Zvezda player again, and the town has its story of the summer.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Crvena Zvezda this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
He trains hard, says the right things and goes home to an empty flat. Nobody at Crvena Zvezda has done anything wrong, which is exactly what makes it so difficult to fix.
A new face in his position, and Miloš Veljković suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Crvena Zvezda have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.
Serginho was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Bariş Kalaycı trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Crvena Zvezda this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
10 goals in 26 games at Al Jazira — numbers that travel home faster than he does. Somebody at Crvena Zvezda updates a spreadsheet every Monday, and it makes better reading each week.
3 goals in 12 games at Napredak — numbers that travel home faster than he does. Somebody at Crvena Zvezda updates a spreadsheet every Monday, and it makes better reading each week.
He looks like a man who lives here now rather than one who is working here. It took most of a season, and at Crvena Zvezda the difference is visible from the back of the stand.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Fatih Karagumruk, and both men came out saying it was fine.
6 goals in 34 games at Fatih Karagumruk — numbers that travel home faster than he does. Somebody at Fatih Karagumruk updates a spreadsheet every Monday, and it makes better reading each week.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Fatih Karagumruk, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Fatih Karagumruk have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Crvena Zvezda this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
10 goals in 26 games at Al Jazira — numbers that travel home faster than he does. Somebody at Crvena Zvezda updates a spreadsheet every Monday, and it makes better reading each week.
8 goals in 35 games at Fatih Karagumruk — numbers that travel home faster than he does. Somebody at Crvena Zvezda updates a spreadsheet every Monday, and it makes better reading each week.
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Marko Arnautović has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
Marked 8.31 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
5 goals in 34 games at Ankaragucu — numbers that travel home faster than he does. Somebody at Fatih Karagumruk updates a spreadsheet every Monday, and it makes better reading each week.
The competition arrived without a word said to him about it. Daniele Verde keeps the shirt for now, at Fatih Karagumruk's convenience rather than his own.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Crvena Zvezda this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
7 goals in 34 games at Fatih Karagumruk — numbers that travel home faster than he does. Somebody at Crvena Zvezda updates a spreadsheet every Monday, and it makes better reading each week.
He looks like a man who lives here now rather than one who is working here. It took most of a season, and at Crvena Zvezda the difference is visible from the back of the stand.
“Judge me on him.” Managers do not say that kind of thing by accident — it moves the pressure from Timi Max Elšnik’s shoulders onto his own, and both of them know it.
In brief
SquadMarko Mladenović is training like a man with a point to make
8 without a win now, and the ground has developed the special quiet of a crowd that expects the worst. One scrappy 1-0 would cure most of it; that is the maddening part.
“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Matías Kranevitter trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
In brief
Loan watchThe goals keep arriving from Daniele Verde’s exile
0‑3 against Basaksehir, and no complaints that would survive the replay. The manager spoke about character afterwards; the terraces used shorter words.
7 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Fatih Karagumruk has to find a result from somewhere.
Marked 8.82 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
Every touch is being weighed now, in print and everywhere else. Some players grow into that and some are quietly ruined by it, and nobody knows which in advance.
It is a strip of cloth and it decides nothing on a Saturday. It still tells the dressing room exactly whose opinion the manager values, which is the whole point of it.
In brief
The terracesThe press cannot get enough of João Camacho
5 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Fatih Karagumruk has to find a result from somewhere.
Headers, blocks, tackles, interceptions — 21 of them, and not one goal behind him. The sort of performance that never makes a highlight reel and wins football matches.
Ninety minutes, no goals, and the argument started before the car park emptied: a point gained, or two thrown away against Sivasspor? Both sides of it will still be going on Thursday.
“Nobody outside is coming to save us.” It was short, it was not comfortable, and by all accounts the Fatih Karagumruk squad were quieter afterwards than they had been all season.
“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Nurettin Korkmaz trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Crvena Zvezda have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Crvena Zvezda this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
“I have given this everything, but my family is not here and neither am I, not really.” A footballer can be coached out of bad form. Nobody has ever been coached out of this, and Crvena Zvezda know it.
4 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Fatih Karagumruk has to find a result from somewhere.
A defender's mistake gets tidied up by somebody else; a goalkeeper's ends up in the net. He knew before the ball crossed the line, and so did everybody in the ground.
Miloš Veljković was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
A defender's mistake gets tidied up by somebody else; a goalkeeper's ends up in the net. He knew before the ball crossed the line, and so did everybody in the ground.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Igor Lichnovsky and Fatih Karagumruk agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Miloš Veljković was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
4 goals in 27 games at Fatih Karagumruk — numbers that travel home faster than he does. Somebody at Crvena Zvezda updates a spreadsheet every Monday, and it makes better reading each week.
“I did not come here to warm up in front of people.” He is out of contract eventually, he is old enough to count the weeks, and Crvena Zvezda will have to give him a reason to stay or an exit.
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Anıl Yiğit Çınar and Fatih Karagumruk agree another 4 years.
9 goals in 24 games at Giresunspor — numbers that travel home faster than he does. Somebody at Fatih Karagumruk updates a spreadsheet every Monday, and it makes better reading each week.
Headers, blocks, tackles, interceptions — 29 of them, and not one goal behind him. The sort of performance that never makes a highlight reel and wins football matches.
Marked 9.19 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Fatih Karagumruk have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
“If we are going to be beaten, let it not be because somebody in here could not be bothered.” He stood up and said it in front of everybody, which is a thing a squad remembers about a man for years.
5 without a win now, and the ground has developed the special quiet of a crowd that expects the worst. One scrappy 1-0 would cure most of it; that is the maddening part.
He is the name in every column and on every phone-in, which is a heavy thing to carry at any age. Some footballers thrive on it; others are quietly finished by it.
Headers, blocks, tackles, interceptions — 27 of them, and not one goal behind him. The sort of performance that never makes a highlight reel and wins football matches.
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Hatayspor defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
“I have ambitions, and I would like the club to share them.” Nobody has asked to leave and nobody has been shown the door — but a player chooses that sentence carefully, and a boardroom hears it exactly as it was meant.
Miloš Veljković was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Every touch is being weighed now, in print and everywhere else. Some players grow into that and some are quietly ruined by it, and nobody knows which in advance.
Marked 8.23 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
9 goals in 20 games at Giresunspor — numbers that travel home faster than he does. Somebody at Fatih Karagumruk updates a spreadsheet every Monday, and it makes better reading each week.
A year in and the language has not come, the city has not opened up, and he eats alone more often than anybody at Fatih Karagumruk would like to admit. It is showing on Saturdays.
Shots: 7. Goals: none. The chances were there and they were good ones, and they went into the stand, the goalkeeper's arms and the side netting in roughly that order.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Crvena Zvezda this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Boardroom28 Dec 2026
101% of the income goes out in wages at Crvena Zvezda
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
5 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Fatih Karagumruk has to find a result from somewhere.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Fatih Karagumruk this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
Every touch is being weighed now, in print and everywhere else. Some players grow into that and some are quietly ruined by it, and nobody knows which in advance.
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 10 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
4 without a win now, and the ground has developed the special quiet of a crowd that expects the worst. One scrappy 1-0 would cure most of it; that is the maddening part.
Igor Lichnovsky was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Crvena Zvezda this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Marked 8.81 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Fatih Karagumruk this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Ask anyone on the way out what separated the sides and you will get one name: Shavy Babicka. 2‑1 against Kasimpasa, and the applause at the whistle was mostly his.
“Nobody outside is coming to save us.” It was short, it was not comfortable, and by all accounts the Fatih Karagumruk squad were quieter afterwards than they had been all season.
In brief
Loan watchThe goals keep arriving from Tiago Çukur’s exile
The terracesThe press cannot get enough of Shavy Babicka
Headers, blocks, tackles, interceptions — 31 of them, and not one goal behind him. The sort of performance that never makes a highlight reel and wins football matches.
A shoot-out is remembered by its ending, and this one ends with Ivo Grbić: 1 kept out, and a set of supporters who will describe every one of them for the next twenty years.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Fatih Karagumruk this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
“I did not go to Adana Demirspor to sit and watch. I want to come back to Fatih Karagumruk and fight for my place.” 4 appearances in 13 matches say the rest.
3 wins on the spin now, and the question has changed from whether the run ends to who ends it. Confidence like this cannot be bought; it has to be earned exactly this way.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Fatih Karagumruk this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Ask anyone on the way out what separated the sides and you will get one name: Kenan Dervišagić. 2‑1 against Umraniyespor, and the applause at the whistle was mostly his.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Fatih Karagumruk this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
Headers, blocks, tackles, interceptions — 19 of them, and not one goal behind him. The sort of performance that never makes a highlight reel and wins football matches.
Headers, blocks, tackles, interceptions — 30 of them, and not one goal behind him. The sort of performance that never makes a highlight reel and wins football matches.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Fatih Karagumruk this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
There were 6 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
The terraces19 Oct 2026
The boos come down from three sides
“We pay for this every fortnight. The least we want is somebody who looks like he cares.” 5 of the 24 senior players walked off into it; the rest were not playing.
Kenan Dervišagić was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Marked 8.78 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
“I watch every Fatih Karagumruk game from here. That says everything about where my head is.” The loan at Adana Demirspor runs its course, but his heart never made the trip.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Fatih Karagumruk this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Fatih Karagumruk, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Kenan Dervišagić was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
Marked 8.72 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
The captaincy has been taken off Igor Lichnovsky. Fatih Karagumruk will call it a decision about the team; a dressing room reads it as a verdict on a man.
Ivo Grbić was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
A year in and the language has not come, the city has not opened up, and he eats alone more often than anybody at Fatih Karagumruk would like to admit. It is showing on Saturdays.
Ivo Grbić was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Shots: 7. Goals: none. The chances were there and they were good ones, and they went into the stand, the goalkeeper's arms and the side netting in roughly that order.
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Giresunspor defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Fatih Karagumruk, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The fee is $480.0K, the contract is signed, and the argument about whether he is worth it can begin. Kayserispor drove a hard bargain; time will say who won it.
Kenan Dervišagić was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
Marked 8.62 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
Marked 8.12 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Ivo Grbić knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
Headers, blocks, tackles, interceptions — 22 of them, and not one goal behind him. The sort of performance that never makes a highlight reel and wins football matches.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Fatih Karagumruk this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Serginho was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
He is 17, and nobody at Fatih Karagumruk signed him for this season. Deals like this are judged in four years, by people who may not still be in the building.
He is 16, and nobody at Fatih Karagumruk signed him for this season. Deals like this are judged in four years, by people who may not still be in the building.