“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Portuguesa, and 10 appearances in 46 say he has earned the hearing.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Portuguesa, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Pedro Valdés has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Portuguesa, and 10 appearances in 42 say he has earned the hearing.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Portuguesa, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Portuguesa, and 10 appearances in 38 say he has earned the hearing.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Portuguesa, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The board have said in public what they had been saying in private. Results between now and the next meeting decide it, and everybody in the building knows the arithmetic.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Portuguesa, and 10 appearances in 34 say he has earned the hearing.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Portuguesa know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Everything was agreed until it was not, and Reniel Mendoza reports back to Portuguesa with a summer to forget. Neither club is saying who walked away from the table.
The shirt still fits. Xhesild Kapllanaj is back at Portuguesa, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Portuguesa, and 10 appearances in 30 say he has earned the hearing.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Portuguesa know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
A new face in his position, and Marco Bustillo suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Portuguesa have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.
Shifted about, taken off before the hour, asked to do somebody else's running — Johan Moreno has had enough of being useful and would like to be picked. Portuguesa know, and have known for weeks.
The name of Ezequiel Gnemmi has come up in conversations Portuguesa were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
Atletico Venezuela pay $150.0K, and the deal is done. The number reads well on a balance sheet; whether it reads well on the pitch is next season's question.
Asked to play a role that is not his, or taken off before the hour once too often — Johan Moreno has let it be known that he does not like the way Portuguesa are using him. Managers hear this long before the press does.
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 6 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
A 1-0 win over Metropolitanos, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Portuguesa, and 6 appearances in 21 say he has earned the hearing.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Portuguesa, 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.” Aragua have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Portuguesa know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Shifted about, taken off before the hour, asked to do somebody else's running — Johan Moreno has had enough of being useful and would like to be picked. Portuguesa know, and have known for weeks.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Portuguesa can pretend not to have heard.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Portuguesa, and 3 appearances in 9 say he has earned the hearing.
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 had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Aragua, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Portuguesa can pretend not to have heard.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Portuguesa they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
The name of Robert Mendoza has come up in conversations Portuguesa were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Marco Bustillo plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.