Marked for Daniel Herrera
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Boardroom23 Apr 2029
The scrutiny sharpens at Rodina M
Nobody upstairs has said anything, which is the loudest thing they could do. Results buy silence in this game; the account at Rodina M is running low.
Market23 Apr 2029
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Rodina M can pretend not to have heard.
Market23 Apr 2029
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Rodina M is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
Squad23 Apr 2029
Rodrigo Ruiz 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.
Loan watch23 Apr 2029
“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 Rodina M, and 0 appearances in 9 say he has earned the hearing.
Market23 Apr 2029
4 months left and the two sides are nowhere near each other. Every week this drags on takes money off what Rodina M could get for him.
Back issues
From our football correspondent
Steady
Match16 Aug 2028
Rodina M through in the cup
A 2‑1 win over Astrakhan, and the draw for the next round can be watched with some interest for once.
Boardroom21 Aug 2028
Rodina M counting the cost
The accounts make uncomfortable reading. Wages first and ambition second is the order of business at Rodina M now.
Market21 Aug 2028
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Rodina M can pretend not to have heard.
Squad21 Aug 2028
Igor Woś in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Rodina M this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Player ratings21 Aug 2028
Marked 8.96 — 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 Aug 2028
Marked 8.89 — 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 Aug 2028
Marked 8.69 — 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 Aug 2028
Marked 8.71 — 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.
Squad21 Aug 2028
“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
Market10 Jan 2028
“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.
Player ratings10 Jan 2028
Successful dribbles: 29. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Squad10 Jan 2028
“I remember the meeting. I remember exactly what was promised in it.” Al-Nahda may remember it differently, which is precisely the problem.
Market10 Jan 2028
The chase for Abdulraouf Al-Duqayl ended with $120.0K changing hands and Al-Fayha out of reasons to say no. The supporters will judge the fee the only way that matters: on Saturdays.
Squad10 Jan 2028
Rayyan Enad in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Al-Nahda this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad10 Jan 2028
At 21, Jesús Peralta is already the best thing here
An average of 7.03 in a first team he is several years too young for. Al-Nahda have something, and by now the whole division has noticed.
Squad10 Jan 2028
Rayyan Enad 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.
Match8 Jan 2028
Beaten 0‑1, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.
Player ratings10 Jan 2028
Marked 5.76, and generously at that. Nothing came off, and by the end the crowd had stopped expecting it to.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Market18 Oct 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.
Squad18 Oct 2027
Rayyan Enad 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.
Match16 Oct 2027
Al-Orobah left with the points after a 1‑2 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.
Squad18 Oct 2027
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Aboubakkar Moussa, and the manager let it.
Player ratings18 Oct 2027
Successful dribbles: 17. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Squad18 Oct 2027
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Magomed Ibragimov commits to Al-Nahda for another 3 years.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Match25 Sep 2027
The wait goes on for Al-Nahda
7 without a win now, and the ground has developed the special quiet of a crowd that expects the worst. One scrappy 1-0 would cure most of it; that is the maddening part.
Squad27 Sep 2027
Nikita Antipov: 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.” Al-Nahda have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Player ratings27 Sep 2027
Successful dribbles: 22. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Squad27 Sep 2027
Grey Garbino in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Al-Nahda this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Match25 Sep 2027
Grey Garbino scored, and precious little else went right: 1‑2 to Al-Mojzel, and a quiet walk to the dressing room.
Squad27 Sep 2027
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Mohammed Hameran, and the manager let it.
Player ratings27 Sep 2027
A performance of 8.66 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Market27 Sep 2027
The name of Grey Garbino keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Al-Nahda say nothing, which says plenty.
Player ratings27 Sep 2027
5.50 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
Squad23 Aug 2027
“I remember the meeting. I remember exactly what was promised in it.” Al-Nahda may remember it differently, which is precisely the problem.
Squad23 Aug 2027
There were 7 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Market23 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.
Squad23 Aug 2027
Grey Garbino 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.
Squad23 Aug 2027
“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.
Player ratings23 Aug 2027
A performance of 8.16 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market26 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 Al-Nahda can pretend not to have heard.
Market26 Jul 2027
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Al-Nahda is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
Squad26 Jul 2027
Grey Garbino 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.