“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at CSKA Sofia, and both men came out saying it was fine.
11 graduates from an academy now rated 11 out of 20. A club this size does not survive any other way, and every name on that list is known in the town.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Molde 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 Molde, and 1 appearances in 30 say he has earned the hearing.
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.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Molde know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
The board have signed the man in the dugout to a longer contract, which says more than any statement of support. Stability is easy to promise and costly to keep.
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.
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 shirt still fits. Mihail Delev is back at CSKA Sofia, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
The shirt still fits. Valentin Georgiev is back at CSKA Sofia, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Molde have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
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.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Molde know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
The name of Dimitar Evtimov has come up in conversations CSKA Sofia were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. CSKA Sofia know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
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.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Molde know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
A window away with the national side, and a shirt at Molde that briefly doubles as an advertisement. A call-up flatters the player and the club that built him in the same breath.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Molde, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Molde know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at CSKA Sofia is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Molde have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Molde know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Molde they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Molde, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Molde know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. CSKA Sofia know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” CSKA Sofia have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. CSKA Sofia know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Molde know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at CSKA Sofia is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
A player who expected to start watched it instead. The manager will call it a decision for the team; Matthias Phaëton will call it something else in private.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. CSKA Sofia know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Molde have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Molde, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Molde know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
The best deals are the ones the accountants never notice. Mamadou Jalloh arrives at Molde with his wages the only cost and something to prove the only clause.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Molde can pretend not to have heard.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Molde know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
He found out with everybody else, an hour before kick-off, from a sheet of paper on a wall. Nobody at Molde pretended it was anything other than a decision about him.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Molde have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Molde have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
A player who expected to start watched it instead. The manager will call it a decision for the team; Thiago Galhardo will call it something else in private.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Molde know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
In brief
SquadSergio Rizzi unhappy with how he is being used
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Molde can pretend not to have heard.
He found out with everybody else, an hour before kick-off, from a sheet of paper on a wall. Nobody at Molde pretended it was anything other than a decision about him.
A player who expected to start watched it instead. The manager will call it a decision for the team; Sergio Rizzi will call it something else in private.
The fee is $5.3M, the contract is signed, and the argument about whether he is worth it can begin. Tskhinvali drove a hard bargain; time will say who won it.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Molde know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Molde, and both men came out saying it was fine.