It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Charleroi 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 Charleroi know it.
The phone has started ringing about Dalil Ouadrassi again, and this time the name on the line is Waasland-Beveren. Charleroi are listening politely and promising nothing.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Charleroi this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
The name of Solal Théréau has come up in conversations Charleroi were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
Jakob Napoleon Romsaas 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.
Aiham Ousou 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.
The chase for Thomas Boyata ended with $450.0K changing hands and KV Oostende out of reasons to say no. The supporters will judge the fee the only way that matters: on Saturdays.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” KV Oostende have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what KV Oostende can pretend not to have heard.
Guido Rodríguez 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.
Charleroi paid $450.0K and KV Oostende took it, which is the whole story in one sentence. The longer version involves a wage budget and will be told all season.
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Adnan Courtois knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
Marked 8.06 — 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.