From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad26 Jul 2027
“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.
Squad26 Jul 2027
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Stephen Wisdom has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
Back issues
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Market12 Jul 2027
“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.
Squad12 Jul 2027
34 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
Market12 Jul 2027
Modibo Diaby is 17, and US Bougouni have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Market31 May 2027
“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.
Squad31 May 2027
“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.
Squad31 May 2027
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Stephen Wisdom has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Market15 Feb 2027
“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.
Squad15 Feb 2027
Mpho Manare: that is not what I was promised
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” US Bougouni have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Squad15 Feb 2027
Younes Idder gets it from the manager
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Market23 Nov 2026
“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.
Match23 Nov 2026
US Bougouni are in real trouble now
Position 12, 6 points, and a fixture list with fewer games left in it than excuses. The arithmetic is not cruel yet, but it has stopped being kind.
Match21 Nov 2026
Beaten 0-1, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market16 Nov 2026
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what US Bougouni can pretend not to have heard.
Match14 Nov 2026
2-2, and both dressing rooms will call it two points lost. A draw that asked plenty of questions and answered none of them.
Squad16 Nov 2026
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at US Bougouni, and both men came out saying it was fine.