38 days on the announcement, and a year of quiet, unwatched rehabilitation behind it. Swieqi United lose a player for a season; he loses something harder to name.
Squad1 May 2034
A season's verdict on Brandon Powell: the best of his age
Swieqi United have a 21-year-old the division has just voted its finest young footballer. The club's next problem is that everybody else now knows it too.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Swieqi United can pretend not to have heard.
Nobody upstairs has said anything, which is the loudest thing they could do. Results buy silence in this game; the account at Swieqi United is running low.
Tomás Prost and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
“We keep meeting, and we keep leaving the room with the same numbers we walked in with.” Another round of talks at Swieqi United, another week without a signature from George Lloyd.
The dugout1 May 2034
William Pace is still being punished for one mistake
Nobody will confirm it and the team sheets confirm it every week. One error has bought him a spell as second choice that is already longer than the error deserved.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Swieqi United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
“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.
The dugout19 Dec 2033
The view from the dugout
“We controlled it. There were spells I did not like and we will look at them, but the group showed me something.” Interim Coach, on a 1‑0 win that he was already picking apart on the walk to the press room.
One weekend, judged against everybody else's. Brandon Powell has come out on top of it, and for most footballers a weekly award is the only silverware a career ever produces.
7 shots, and a count that reads like a good afternoon until you check the other column. Strikers survive weeks like this on the understanding that the chances keep arriving; the day they stop is the day it becomes a problem.
In brief
The dugoutWilliam Pace is still being punished for one mistake
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
“It is not the end of the world and it is not good enough. Both of those are true.” The manager, after a 1‑1 draw, said the honest thing and then went to say it again inside.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Swieqi United, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The one version of being left out a player cannot argue with, and the one he takes worst. Somebody else has been better and the team sheet says so, in public, every week until it changes.
Shots: 7. Goals: none. The chances were there and they were good ones, and they went into the stand, the goalkeeper's arms and the side netting in roughly that order.
The dugout21 Nov 2033
The manager has not finished forgetting William Pace's mistake
Publicly it is behind everybody. It is not behind the man who picks the team, and the only place that shows is a team sheet. He will get another chance; he will get it in a match that matters less.
Tomás Prost 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.
“There is a gap, and pretending there is not helps nobody.” Neither side has moved, and the calendar is working for exactly one of them.
Squad17 Oct 2033
9 new faces, and Swieqi United are still learning each other
A squad rebuilt inside one window pays for it in a currency nobody budgets for. The football is not worse than the sum of the players; it is worse than the sum of the players who have played together before.
“The players deserve the credit. My job was easy today.” It was not, and everybody in the room knew it; after 1‑0, Interim Coach could afford to be generous.
Every signing waits for it and every press conference asks about it until it comes. It has come, Swieqi United have their man off the mark, and the second one is always easier.
In brief
The dugoutThe plan did not have a place for Brandon Powell
The dugoutWilliam Pace is still being punished for one mistake
19 days on the announcement, and a year of quiet, unwatched rehabilitation behind it. Swieqi United lose a player for a season; he loses something harder to name.
Everything agreed with Birkirkara, everything agreed with the player; a doctor is the only person left to persuade. The photograph is a day or two away.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Yahor Laptev was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
1 months left and the two sides are nowhere near each other. Every week this drags on takes money off what Swieqi United could get for him.
The dugout22 Aug 2033
The manager has not finished forgetting William Pace's mistake
Publicly it is behind everybody. It is not behind the man who picks the team, and the only place that shows is a team sheet. He will get another chance; he will get it in a match that matters less.
It has been denied twice and printed three times, which is the usual arithmetic. Until Jackson signs something — a contract at Swieqi United or anywhere else — this column belongs to him.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Swieqi United can pretend not to have heard.
The deal with Hamrun Spartans is done in every sense but the one that puts him on the pitch. Nothing goes wrong at this stage, except on the occasions when it does.
Omer Shemshiu 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.
Swieqi United asked and Valletta said no without discussing a figure. It is the least ambiguous answer in football and the one clubs most often come back to test.
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Jakub Klíma trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
Nobody will confirm this and nothing else explains the last month of selections. A costly error buys a player a period of being second choice that is always longer than the error was.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Swieqi United can pretend not to have heard.
The deal with Marsaxlokk is done in every sense but the one that puts him on the pitch. Nothing goes wrong at this stage, except on the occasions when it does.
Omer Shemshiu 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.
Not now, not at any price the club was prepared to say out loud. Marsaxlokk have kept their man, and Swieqi United go back to a list with one name crossed off it.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Jacinto Andrada was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
Nobody will confirm this and nothing else explains the last month of selections. A costly error buys a player a period of being second choice that is always longer than the error was.
“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Artem Denisenko trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Swieqi United can pretend not to have heard.
Omer Shemshiu 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 oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Swieqi United, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The dugout30 May 2033
The manager has not finished forgetting William Pace's mistake
Publicly it is behind everybody. It is not behind the man who picks the team, and the only place that shows is a team sheet. He will get another chance; he will get it in a match that matters less.
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 have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Swieqi United can pretend not to have heard.
Omer Shemshiu 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.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Richard Russell was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
“We keep meeting, and we keep leaving the room with the same numbers we walked in with.” Another round of talks at Swieqi United, another week without a signature from Omer Shemshiu.
“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Omer Shemshiu trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
“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.
The dugout2 May 2033
The manager has not finished forgetting William Pace's mistake
Publicly it is behind everybody. It is not behind the man who picks the team, and the only place that shows is a team sheet. He will get another chance; he will get it in a match that matters less.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Swieqi United can pretend not to have heard.
Jackson 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.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Omer Shemshiu was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
1 months left and the two sides are nowhere near each other. Every week this drags on takes money off what Swieqi United could get for him.
The dugout28 Mar 2033
William Pace is still being punished for one mistake
Nobody will confirm it and the team sheets confirm it every week. One error has bought him a spell as second choice that is already longer than the error deserved.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Swieqi United, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Swieqi United know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
A bone, which is the one injury with a calendar attached. Swieqi United will name a return date and, unusually for this business, will probably be right about it.
Boardroom28 Feb 2033
The silence upstairs is getting loud at Swieqi United
Nobody on the board has said anything against the manager, which is the point — they have stopped saying anything for him either.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Swieqi United can pretend not to have heard.
Omer Shemshiu and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
“The supporters are entitled to be angry. So am I. We will put it right.” 0‑1, a manager saying the necessary things, and a dressing room that heard a different version of them.
Somebody watched every match in the division at the weekend and decided he was the best thing in any of them. A small honour, and most careers end without one.
Nobody will confirm this and nothing else explains the last month of selections. A costly error buys a player a period of being second choice that is always longer than the error was.
Jackson and a teammate went at it, and not about football. Training grounds are small places and a long season makes them smaller.
Squad20 Dec 2032
Words at Swieqi United training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Juan Cruz Aguilar is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
It needed Louis Spink to find the net to bring anything home at all: 1‑1 against Tarxien Rainbows, and half the dressing room will call it a point won.
“A point is a point and I will take it, but we should have had all three.” Interim Coach after the 1‑1 draw, and the sentence every manager in the country said at some stage this weekend.
One weekend, judged against everybody else's. Louis Spink has come out on top of it, and for most footballers a weekly award is the only silverware a career ever produces.
Something was said to Artem Denisenko and then it happened. In this industry that passes for remarkable, and the dressing room noticed faster than any supporter could.
Omer Shemshiu 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.
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Juan Cruz Aguilar and Swieqi United agree another 2 years.
The shortfall was covered from upstairs again. Supporters are entitled to be relieved and entitled to ask what happens the month it is not, and both feelings usually arrive together.
Mtarfa made Swieqi United work for it, but the scoreboard read 1‑0 at the end and the table does not ask how.
Squad8 Nov 2032
Words at Swieqi United training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Juan Cruz Aguilar is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Football clubs borrow; that is not the story. Borrowing more than the facility allows is, because from here it is the owner's money or somebody else's decision, and neither of those belongs to the board.
A bone, which is the one injury with a calendar attached. Swieqi United will name a return date and, unusually for this business, will probably be right about it.
Gustave Akueson and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
The borrowing is past what the bank agreed, which is the line where a debt stops being how football is financed and starts being a problem. Every phone-in in this town will quote the figure for the next five years.
Nobody at Swieqi United will say this on the record and the team sheets have been saying it for weeks. There is a small group in every squad who get picked when the fixture is difficult, and he has joined it.
The team at the top of the table next, and the honest measure of where this side actually is. Anybody can beat the club below them; the question is what happens against Zabbar St. Patrick.
The dugout11 Oct 2032
The manager has not finished forgetting William Pace's mistake
Publicly it is behind everybody. It is not behind the man who picks the team, and the only place that shows is a team sheet. He will get another chance; he will get it in a match that matters less.
Brutal, unambiguous and, for all the horror of the moment, usually less career-shaped than the ligament everybody fears more. 29 days, a clean timeline, and a return date somebody can actually plan around.
4 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.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Swieqi United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Juan Cruz Aguilar was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
Signings arrive with a picture of the club in their head, and this one’s picture was bigger than the building. He will play well and he will be gone, in that order, and everybody knows it.
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” William Pace and Swieqi United agree another 3 years.
“There are things I liked and things we will be doing on Tuesday until they are right.” 0‑0, and a manager who had already decided what Tuesday looked like.
A bone, which is the one injury with a calendar attached. Swieqi United will name a return date and, unusually for this business, will probably be right about it.
Squad20 Sep 2032
Words at Swieqi United training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Jackson is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
“We are a long way apart, and pretending otherwise helps nobody.” Neither side is close, and the calendar is not on the club's side.
The dugout20 Sep 2032
The view from the dugout
“We will look at it, we will learn from it, and we go again.” The three sentences every manager keeps for a 0‑1 defeat, delivered by Interim Coach to a room that had heard them before.
“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Charlie Gill trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
Successful dribbles: 13. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
The dugout20 Sep 2032
The manager has not finished forgetting Isaac Psaila's mistake
Publicly it is behind everybody. It is not behind the man who picks the team, and the only place that shows is a team sheet. He will get another chance; he will get it in a match that matters less.
Bones knit. That is the one merciful thing about this injury and the reason Swieqi United will talk about it more openly than they would about a knee. He will be back, and roughly when they say.
Naxxar Lions left with the points after a 1‑2 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.
Squad13 Sep 2032
Words at Swieqi United training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Juan Cruz Aguilar is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Naxxar Lions held the lead for 3 minutes, which is not long enough to enjoy it. Swieqi United answered before the celebration had properly finished, and the shape of the afternoon changed with it.
Football clubs borrow; that is not the story. Borrowing more than the facility allows is, because from here it is the owner's money or somebody else's decision, and neither of those belongs to the board.
Everything agreed with Birkirkara, everything agreed with the player; a doctor is the only person left to persuade. The photograph is a day or two away.
Squad16 Aug 2032
Words at Swieqi United training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Juan Cruz Aguilar is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Gustave Akueson and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
The borrowing is past what the bank agreed, which is the line where a debt stops being how football is financed and starts being a problem. Every phone-in in this town will quote the figure for the next five years.
Swieqi United have made the call to Hamrun Spartans. No fee, a share of the wages, and a spare shirt in the position where the squad has been thinnest all season.
1 months left, and both sides know what that means: every week without a signature, the fee Swieqi United could ask drops and the wages Ştefan Ciupercă can ask rise.
The dugout16 Aug 2032
William Pace is still being punished for one mistake
Nobody will confirm it and the team sheets confirm it every week. One error has bought him a spell as second choice that is already longer than the error deserved.
Everybody at Swieqi United saw it before anybody said it, which is how this always goes. At 36 the decline is real and measurable — 3 points — and the only question left is how the club handles somebody it owes a great deal to.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Jackson was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
Football clubs borrow; that is not the story. Borrowing more than the facility allows is, because from here it is the owner's money or somebody else's decision, and neither of those belongs to the board.
A loan enquiry to Valletta: cover, or a look at somebody the club cannot afford to buy yet. Either way the answer will come back inside the week.
The dugout19 Jul 2032
The manager has not finished forgetting William Pace's mistake
Publicly it is behind everybody. It is not behind the man who picks the team, and the only place that shows is a team sheet. He will get another chance; he will get it in a match that matters less.
2 months left, and both sides know what that means: every week without a signature, the fee Swieqi United could ask drops and the wages Ştefan Ciupercă can ask rise.