Marked for Joaquín Santos
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad20 Mar 2028
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Levadia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad20 Mar 2028
126 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
Player ratings20 Mar 2028
Successful dribbles: 17. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Squad20 Mar 2028
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Joaquín Santos, and the manager let it.
Match18 Mar 2028
Point won or two lost for Levadia?
Ninety minutes, no goals, and the argument started before the car park emptied: a point gained, or two thrown away against Tulevik? Both sides of it will still be going on Thursday.
Player ratings20 Mar 2028
The one thing Marek Klavan could not do
Shots: 5, enough of them from close enough that a striker in form scores two. He is not a striker in form.
Back issues
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad21 Feb 2028
Karl Kallaste 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.
Squad21 Feb 2028
“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 Levadia know it.
Market21 Feb 2028
6 months remain and no agreement is close. Every week without a signature costs Levadia money.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad7 Feb 2028
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Levadia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad7 Feb 2028
14 days, the scan says, and scans are kinder than reality. The fixtures in that window have just become somebody else’s job.
Squad7 Feb 2028
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Hendrik Liivak commits to Levadia for another 3 years.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad31 Jan 2028
97 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
Squad31 Jan 2028
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Joaquín Santos, and the manager let it.
Squad31 Jan 2028
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Levadia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad10 Jan 2028
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Levadia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad10 Jan 2028
“Some mornings you wake up and you are still a long way from everything you know.” It is not the football and it never was; Levadia are dealing with a man who wants a different country.
Squad10 Jan 2028
“I respect the manager and I am not going to sit here and pretend I am happy.” It is the most common sentence in football and it has never once been the end of a story.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad3 Jan 2028
An individual honour is a strange thing in a team game, and the best of them are never argued with. He has had the sort of year that ends with his name being read out, and Levadia have had the benefit of it.
Squad3 Jan 2028
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Levadia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad3 Jan 2028
130 days, the scan says, and scans are kinder than reality. The fixtures in that window have just become somebody else’s job.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad8 Nov 2027
“Some mornings you wake up and you are still a long way from everything you know.” It is not the football and it never was; Levadia are dealing with a man who wants a different country.
Market8 Nov 2027
The Erik Igonen story refuses to die
It has been denied twice and printed three times, which is the usual arithmetic. Until Erik Igonen signs something — a contract at Levadia or anywhere else — this column belongs to him.
Squad8 Nov 2027
A season on the outside for Luis Sandoval
He trains hard, says the right things and goes home to an empty flat. Nobody at Levadia has done anything wrong, which is exactly what makes it so difficult to fix.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad1 Nov 2027
Liliu Sappinen 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.
Squad1 Nov 2027
Joaquín Santos knocks on the manager's door
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Levadia, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Squad1 Nov 2027
A year in and the language has not come, the city has not opened up, and he eats alone more often than anybody at Levadia would like to admit. It is showing on Saturdays.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market25 Oct 2027
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Levadia, and it is not being withdrawn.
Squad25 Oct 2027
“Some mornings you wake up and you are still a long way from everything you know.” It is not the football and it never was; Levadia are dealing with a man who wants a different country.
Squad25 Oct 2027
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Levadia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad6 Sep 2027
“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 Levadia know it.
Squad6 Sep 2027
Joonas Igonen knocks on the manager’s door
“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Joonas Igonen trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
Squad6 Sep 2027
A window away with the national side, and a shirt at Levadia that briefly doubles as an advertisement. A call-up flatters the player and the club that built him in the same breath.
Squad6 Sep 2027
International call for Liliu Pikk
Liliu Pikk joins up with his country. Levadia lose him for the window and would like him back in one piece.
Market6 Sep 2027
Contract settled, hands shaken, no fee changing hands. Taijo Hein leaves Levadia the quiet way, and the wage bill breathes a little easier.
Market6 Sep 2027
Contract settled, hands shaken, no fee changing hands. Vlasi Ainsalu leaves Levadia the quiet way, and the wage bill breathes a little easier.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market16 Aug 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.
Squad16 Aug 2027
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Levadia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad16 Aug 2027
Joaquín Santos asks for a word with the manager
“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.
Market16 Aug 2027
The Erik Igonen story refuses to die
It has been denied twice and printed three times, which is the usual arithmetic. Until Erik Igonen signs something — a contract at Levadia or anywhere else — this column belongs to him.
Market16 Aug 2027
Contract settled, hands shaken, no fee changing hands. Markus Dmitrijev leaves Levadia the quiet way, and the wage bill breathes a little easier.
Market16 Aug 2027
Contract settled, hands shaken, no fee changing hands. Brent Dmitrijev leaves Levadia the quiet way, and the wage bill breathes a little easier.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad9 Aug 2027
Liliu Sappinen 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.
Squad9 Aug 2027
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Brent Vassiljev and Levadia agree another 3 years.
Squad9 Aug 2027
Liliu Sappinen asks for a word with the manager
“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.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market19 Jul 2027
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Levadia can pretend not to have heard.
Squad19 Jul 2027
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Levadia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad19 Jul 2027
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Artur Zenjov, and the manager let it.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market5 Jul 2027
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Levadia can pretend not to have heard.
Squad5 Jul 2027
“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 Levadia know it.
Squad5 Jul 2027
Marek Klavan 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.
Player ratings5 Jul 2027
Vlasi Puri runs at them all day
Successful dribbles: 18. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Squad5 Jul 2027
Luis Sandoval 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.
Squad5 Jul 2027
The award is a small thing with a heavy meaning: for four weeks nobody in this division did his job better. Levadia have the trophy on a shelf and the player in the side.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad28 Jun 2027
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 7 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
Market28 Jun 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.
Squad28 Jun 2027
Artur Zenjov: 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.” Levadia have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Squad28 Jun 2027
Yasir Al-Sinan 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.
Player ratings28 Jun 2027
Successful dribbles: 16. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Squad28 Jun 2027
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Zidane Afreza and Levadia agree another 3 years.
From our football correspondent
Upbeat
Match19 Jun 2027
Levadia bow out of the cup
Sillamae Kalev go through and Levadia go home, 2‑1 the scoreline that did it. The dressing room will call the league the priority now, because that is what dressing rooms say.
Market21 Jun 2027
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Levadia can pretend not to have heard.
Squad21 Jun 2027
Sergei Liivak decides it from twelve yards
1 kept out in the shoot-out, and a stadium that will still be describing them in twenty years. A goalkeeper only needs one of these to be remembered forever.
Squad21 Jun 2027
“Some mornings you wake up and you are still a long way from everything you know.” It is not the football and it never was; Levadia are dealing with a man who wants a different country.
Squad21 Jun 2027
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Levadia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Player ratings21 Jun 2027
A performance of 8.99 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Player ratings21 Jun 2027
Marked 8.24 — 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.
Player ratings21 Jun 2027
The kick that got away from Marek Klavan
Twelve yards, a goalkeeper guessing, and it still did not go in. He will take the next one, and every soul in the ground will hold their breath.
Player ratings21 Jun 2027
Successful dribbles: 16. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Market14 Jun 2027
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Levadia, and it is not being withdrawn.
Squad14 Jun 2027
“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.
Player ratings14 Jun 2027
Vlasi Puri runs at them all day
Successful dribbles: 20. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Squad14 Jun 2027
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Levadia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Match12 Jun 2027
Parnu left with the points after a 0‑1 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.
Squad14 Jun 2027
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Sergei Liivak, and the manager let it.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market24 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.
Squad24 May 2027
“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.
Match22 May 2027
Still nobody has beaten Levadia
The unbeaten run reaches 7. Some of them were wins and some were escapes, but a side that refuses to lose is a side other dressing rooms talk about.
Player ratings24 May 2027
Defensive actions: 21, and a clean sheet at the end of it. A centre-half's best afternoons look like nothing happening, which is precisely the point.
Squad24 May 2027
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Joonas Igonen commits to Levadia for another 4 years.
Player ratings24 May 2027
A performance of 9.10 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Match22 May 2027
Tulevik made Levadia work for it, but the scoreboard read 2‑0 at the end and the table does not ask how.
Player ratings24 May 2027
There is a version of this player everybody suspected was in there, and on this evidence it is. 8.60, and no argument anywhere in the ground.
Player ratings24 May 2027
Successful dribbles: 17. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market3 May 2027
Luis Sandoval hands in a written request
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Levadia can pretend not to have heard.
Player ratings3 May 2027
Successful dribbles: 24. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Squad3 May 2027
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Sergei Liivak commits to Levadia for another 3 years.
Squad3 May 2027
“Some mornings you wake up and you are still a long way from everything you know.” It is not the football and it never was; Levadia are dealing with a man who wants a different country.
Squad3 May 2027
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Levadia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad3 May 2027
The manager makes an example of Sergei Liivak
“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.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market26 Apr 2027
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Levadia, and it is not being withdrawn.
Squad26 Apr 2027
39 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
Squad26 Apr 2027
“The easiest signature of my career.” Erik Igonen and Levadia agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Squad26 Apr 2027
Joaquín Santos 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.
Player ratings26 Apr 2027
Marked 8.73 — 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.
Player ratings26 Apr 2027
A performance of 8.46 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Squad26 Apr 2027
“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.
Match24 Apr 2027
A 2‑2 draw with Flora leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.
Player ratings26 Apr 2027
5.53 on the card. Some afternoons a footballer looks like a man who has only just been introduced to the game, and this was one of them.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market29 Mar 2027
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Levadia, and it is not being withdrawn.
Squad29 Mar 2027
Brent Baranov 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.
Match27 Mar 2027
Narva Trans made Levadia work for it, but the scoreboard read 1‑0 at the end and the table does not ask how.
Squad29 Mar 2027
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Joonas Ojamaa, and the manager let it.
Squad29 Mar 2027
32 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
Player ratings29 Mar 2027
A mark of 7.98, and nobody in the ground would argue with it. He was involved in everything that mattered and most of what did not.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
The terraces8 Mar 2027
The ground has had enough
“We travel everywhere and we get this.” 6 of the 30 senior players heard it walking off, and the ones who did not hear it were not playing.
Squad8 Mar 2027
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Marek Klavan commits to Levadia for another 3 years.
Squad8 Mar 2027
“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 Levadia know it.
Squad8 Mar 2027
Joaquín Santos 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.
Match6 Mar 2027
0‑2 to Nomme Kalju, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.
Squad8 Mar 2027
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Marek Klavan, and the manager let it.
Player ratings8 Mar 2027
Successful dribbles: 18. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Market8 Mar 2027
He is 17, and the scouting reports agree on the only line that matters: the ceiling. Signings like this are lottery tickets written by professionals.
Market8 Mar 2027
Rauno Ainsalu is 17, and Levadia 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
Steady
Market15 Feb 2027
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Levadia can pretend not to have heard.
Squad15 Feb 2027
“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 Levadia know it.
Squad15 Feb 2027
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Joonas Sappinen and Levadia agree another 4 years.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market25 Jan 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.
Market25 Jan 2027
Levadia say no — this time
The offer from Sillamae Kalev for Ken Antonov 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.
Market25 Jan 2027
Riku Huuhka has left for Tulevik in a $39.0K deal. The accountants are pleased; the supporters are less certain.
Market25 Jan 2027
Paide paid $6.0K and Levadia took it, which is the whole story in one sentence. The longer version involves a wage budget and will be told all season.
Squad25 Jan 2027
Joaquín Santos 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.
Squad25 Jan 2027
Somebody else's move, somebody else's headline. What it left at Levadia is an empty peg and a footballer who keeps glancing at it.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market11 Jan 2027
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Levadia, and it is not being withdrawn.
Market11 Jan 2027
Add another name to the list: Flora have asked the question everybody in the game has been asking about Markus Dmitrijev. The answer from Levadia has not changed — yet.
Squad11 Jan 2027
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Levadia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Market11 Jan 2027
Both sides expect a conversation in the coming days. Levadia will name a price, and everything after that is arithmetic.
Squad11 Jan 2027
Vlasi Puri knocks on the manager’s door
“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Vlasi Puri trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
Squad11 Jan 2027
He trains hard, says the right things and goes home to an empty flat. Nobody at Levadia has done anything wrong, which is exactly what makes it so difficult to fix.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market4 Jan 2027
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Almirante Brown can pretend not to have heard.
Squad4 Jan 2027
Leonardo Jara 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.
Squad4 Jan 2027
“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.
Squad4 Jan 2027
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Franco Almanza commits to Almirante Brown for another 3 years.
Squad4 Jan 2027
Bruno Miño asks for a word with the manager
“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.
Market4 Jan 2027
36 months to run and not a word offered. A club that lets the calendar negotiate for it usually ends up losing to the calendar.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market4 Jan 2027
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Levadia, and it is not being withdrawn.
Squad4 Jan 2027
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Levadia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Market4 Jan 2027
The name of Brent Vassiljev has come up in conversations Levadia were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
Squad4 Jan 2027
The manager makes an example of Joonas Ojamaa
“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.
Squad4 Jan 2027
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Levadia, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Squad4 Jan 2027
“I respect the manager and I am not going to sit here and pretend I am happy.” It is the most common sentence in football and it has never once been the end of a story.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market16 Nov 2026
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Almirante Brown, and it is not being withdrawn.
Squad16 Nov 2026
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Almirante Brown this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad16 Nov 2026
110 days, the scan says, and scans are kinder than reality. The fixtures in that window have just become somebody else’s job.