Marked for Kyle Smith
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad11 Jan 2027
Miles Robinson 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.
Squad11 Jan 2027
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Samuel Gidi and FC Cincinnati agree another 4 years.
Squad11 Jan 2027
Words at FC Cincinnati training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Brian Schaefer 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.
The dugout11 Jan 2027
Ender Echenique has become a man the manager trusts
Nobody at FC Cincinnati 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.
Market11 Jan 2027
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. FC Cincinnati know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
The dugout11 Jan 2027
Samuel Gidi 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 Samuel Gidi trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
Back issues
From our football correspondent
Steady
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 FC Cincinnati this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Market4 Jan 2027
It is the most legitimate ambition in the sport and the hardest for most clubs to satisfy. Bryan Ramírez wants continental football; whether FC Cincinnati can provide it is a question about the next two seasons, not about him.
Squad4 Jan 2027
Words at FC Cincinnati training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Bryan Ramírez 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.
The dugout4 Jan 2027
Ayoub Jabbari gets picked when it counts
Every manager keeps a short list in his head of the men he wants on the pitch when the stakes rise, and it is never published. The team sheets for the big afternoons say Ayoub Jabbari is on it.
The dugout4 Jan 2027
Samuel Gidi 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 FC Cincinnati, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Market4 Jan 2027
Every press conference now starts and ends the same way: with Kévin Denkey’s future. The manager has run out of new ways to say nothing.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad21 Dec 2026
Bryan Ramírez and a teammate went at it, and not about football. Training grounds are small places and a long season makes them smaller.
Squad21 Dec 2026
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Brian Anunga was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
Market21 Dec 2026
The Pavel Bucha story refuses to die
It has been denied twice and printed three times, which is the usual arithmetic. Until Pavel Bucha signs something — a contract at FC Cincinnati or anywhere else — this column belongs to him.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad14 Dec 2026
Pavel Bucha 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 FC Cincinnati this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad14 Dec 2026
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Carlos Abeldaño was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
Loan watch14 Dec 2026
“I did not go to Columbus Crew to sit and watch. I want to come back to FC Cincinnati and fight for my place.” 6 appearances in 18 matches say the rest.
The dugout14 Dec 2026
Ender Echenique has become a man the manager trusts
Nobody at FC Cincinnati 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.
Market14 Dec 2026
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. FC Cincinnati know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Squad14 Dec 2026
“I have done everything asked of me in training and it has not changed a thing on a Saturday.” The most familiar complaint in football, and one FC Cincinnati will have to answer with minutes or with a transfer.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad30 Nov 2026
Miles Robinson and a teammate went at it, and not about football. Training grounds are small places and a long season makes them smaller.
Squad30 Nov 2026
Words at FC Cincinnati training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Tom Barlow 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.
The dugout30 Nov 2026
“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 dugout30 Nov 2026
Brian Anunga 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 Brian Anunga trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
Market30 Nov 2026
Every press conference now starts and ends the same way: with Bryan Ramírez’s future. The manager has run out of new ways to say nothing.
The dugout30 Nov 2026
The manager makes Kyle Smith a promise
Nothing in writing and nothing in public: a word about playing time, given face to face at FC Cincinnati. The team sheets over the next month will show whether it was worth having.
From our football correspondent
Steady
The dugout23 Nov 2026
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” FC Cincinnati have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Squad23 Nov 2026
Miles Robinson 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.
Squad23 Nov 2026
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Carlos Abeldaño was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
The dugout23 Nov 2026
Kyle Smith 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.
Market23 Nov 2026
The Pavel Bucha story refuses to die
It has been denied twice and printed three times, which is the usual arithmetic. Until Pavel Bucha signs something — a contract at FC Cincinnati or anywhere else — this column belongs to him.
The dugout23 Nov 2026
Nick DePuy has become a man the manager trusts
Nobody at FC Cincinnati 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.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad9 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 FC Cincinnati this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad9 Nov 2026
Words at FC Cincinnati training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Brian Anunga 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.
Squad9 Nov 2026
49 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
The dugout9 Nov 2026
It is never announced and it is entirely visible: the biggest afternoons of the season keep containing him. A press box works this out long before anybody at the club confirms a word of it.
Market9 Nov 2026
Every press conference now starts and ends the same way: with Kévin Denkey’s future. The manager has run out of new ways to say nothing.
The dugout9 Nov 2026
Michael Creek 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 FC Cincinnati, and both men came out saying it was fine.
From our football correspondent
Steady
The dugout2 Nov 2026
“I remember the meeting. I remember exactly what was promised in it.” FC Cincinnati may remember it differently, which is precisely the problem.
Squad2 Nov 2026
Bryan Ramírez 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.
Squad2 Nov 2026
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Carlos Abeldaño was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
Loan watch2 Nov 2026
“I watch every FC Cincinnati game from here. That says everything about where my head is.” The loan at Columbus Crew runs its course, but his heart never made the trip.
Squad2 Nov 2026
The captaincy has been taken off Nick Hagglund. FC Cincinnati will call it a decision about the team; a dressing room reads it as a verdict on a man.
Market2 Nov 2026
Every press conference now starts and ends the same way: with Bryan Ramírez’s future. The manager has run out of new ways to say nothing.
From our football correspondent
Steady
The dugout12 Oct 2026
Carlos Abeldaño: 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.” FC Cincinnati have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Squad12 Oct 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 FC Cincinnati this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad12 Oct 2026
Words at FC Cincinnati training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Carlos Abeldaño 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.
The dugout12 Oct 2026
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Kyle Smith, and the manager let it.
The dugout12 Oct 2026
It is never announced and it is entirely visible: the biggest afternoons of the season keep containing him. A press box works this out long before anybody at the club confirms a word of it.
Market12 Oct 2026
Every press conference now starts and ends the same way: with Kévin Denkey’s future. The manager has run out of new ways to say nothing.