Marked for Celso Castillo
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Match6 May 2028
No end in sight to Kolkheti's wait for a win
5 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Kolkheti has to find a result from somewhere.
Market8 May 2028
Fee agreed, terms agreed, medical booked. Vakhtang Mikautadze will be somebody else’s player by the weekend, and around Kolkheti the goodbyes have quietly begun.
Squad8 May 2028
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Davit Jikia and Kolkheti agree another 2 years.
Squad8 May 2028
Davit Jikia 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.
Player ratings8 May 2028
Headers, blocks, tackles, interceptions — 21 of them, and not one goal behind him. The sort of performance that never makes a highlight reel and wins football matches.
Player ratings8 May 2028
Successful dribbles: 16. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Player ratings8 May 2028
The afternoon belonged to Tord Salte
A mark of 7.50, and nobody in the ground would argue with it. He was involved in everything that mattered and most of what did not.
Squad8 May 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.
Match6 May 2028
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Chikhura defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
Back issues
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Squad27 Sep 2027
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 6 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
Squad27 Sep 2027
Celso Castillo: 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.” Kolkheti have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Match25 Sep 2027
The wait goes on for Kolkheti
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.
Squad27 Sep 2027
Tord Salte 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.
Match25 Sep 2027
Beaten 1‑2, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.
Player ratings27 Sep 2027
A performance of 8.93 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Player ratings27 Sep 2027
Successful dribbles: 17. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Squad27 Sep 2027
“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 Kolkheti know it.
Loan watch27 Sep 2027
“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 Kolkheti, and 3 appearances in 14 say he has earned the hearing.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Market30 Aug 2027
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Kolkheti, and it is not being withdrawn.
Player ratings30 Aug 2027
Defensive actions: 25, and a clean sheet at the end of it. A centre-half's best afternoons look like nothing happening, which is precisely the point.
Squad30 Aug 2027
Davit Jikia 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 Kolkheti this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Match28 Aug 2027
Guria made Kolkheti work for it, but the scoreboard read 1‑0 at the end and the table does not ask how.
Player ratings30 Aug 2027
Defensive actions: 18. He was first to everything and second to nothing, and the goalkeeper had an easy day because of it.
Squad30 Aug 2027
“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.
Player ratings30 Aug 2027
Some games turn on a moment; this one turned on a man. 7.90 on the card, and the Kolkheti support went home talking about one name.
Loan watch30 Aug 2027
“I watch every Kolkheti game from here. That says everything about where my head is.” The loan at Dinamo Batumi runs its course, but his heart never made the trip.
Player ratings30 Aug 2027
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.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Market9 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.
Squad9 Aug 2027
Davit Jikia 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.
Squad9 Aug 2027
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Jakob Larsen and Kolkheti agree another 4 years.
Match7 Aug 2027
Merani made Kolkheti work for it, but the scoreboard read 2‑0 at the end and the table does not ask how.
Player ratings9 Aug 2027
A performance of 8.79 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Player ratings9 Aug 2027
Marked 8.40 — 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 ratings9 Aug 2027
A performance of 8.33 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Player ratings9 Aug 2027
Defensive actions: 19, and a clean sheet at the end of it. A centre-half's best afternoons look like nothing happening, which is precisely the point.
Squad9 Aug 2027
“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
Steady
Squad12 Jul 2027
There were 8 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.
Market12 Jul 2027
Zurab Kashia hands in a written request
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Kolkheti can pretend not to have heard.
Player ratings12 Jul 2027
Defensive actions: 25. He was first to everything and second to nothing, and the goalkeeper had an easy day because of it.
Player ratings12 Jul 2027
Successful dribbles: 23. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Squad12 Jul 2027
Tord Salte 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 Kolkheti this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Market12 Jul 2027
Levan Kashia has left for Samtredia in a $27.0K deal. The accountants are pleased; the supporters are less certain.
Player ratings12 Jul 2027
Defensive actions: 18. He was first to everything and second to nothing, and the goalkeeper had an easy day because of it.
Squad12 Jul 2027
“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.
Loan watch12 Jul 2027
“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 Kolkheti, and 2 appearances in 21 say he has earned the hearing.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Match22 May 2027
No end in sight to Kolkheti's wait for a win
7 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Kolkheti has to find a result from somewhere.
Player ratings24 May 2027
Defensive actions: 26, and a clean sheet at the end of it. A centre-half's best afternoons look like nothing happening, which is precisely the point.
Squad24 May 2027
Davit Jikia 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 Kolkheti this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Player ratings24 May 2027
Successful dribbles: 20. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Player ratings24 May 2027
Defensive actions: 20. He was first to everything and second to nothing, and the goalkeeper had an easy day because of it.
Squad24 May 2027
“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.
Squad24 May 2027
“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 Kolkheti know it.
Loan watch24 May 2027
“I watch every Kolkheti game from here. That says everything about where my head is.” The loan at Sapovnela runs its course, but his heart never made the trip.
Match22 May 2027
Ninety minutes, two goalkeepers with clean gloves, and not one finish worth keeping. Shukura will be the happier side with the point.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Match15 May 2027
The wait goes on for Kolkheti
6 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.
Market17 May 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.
Player ratings17 May 2027
Defensive actions: 23. He was first to everything and second to nothing, and the goalkeeper had an easy day because of it.
Squad17 May 2027
Davit Jikia 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.
Squad17 May 2027
The manager makes an example of Jakob Larsen
“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.
Loan watch17 May 2027
“I did not go to Alanyaspor to sit and watch. I want to come back to Kolkheti and fight for my place.” 2 appearances in 13 matches say the rest.
Squad17 May 2027
“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 Kolkheti know it.
Squad17 May 2027
Celso Castillo 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 Celso Castillo trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
Player ratings17 May 2027
Successful dribbles: 13. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Match31 Mar 2027
Lokomotivi ended it 0‑1. The season narrows to the league now, and everyone in the ground knew it before the final whistle.
Market5 Apr 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.
Squad5 Apr 2027
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Kolkheti have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Squad5 Apr 2027
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Daniel Roca commits to Kolkheti for another 2 years.
Squad5 Apr 2027
Davit Jikia 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 Kolkheti this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Player ratings5 Apr 2027
A performance of 9.17 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Match3 Apr 2027
Tskhinvali made Kolkheti work for it, but the scoreboard read 2‑1 at the end and the table does not ask how.
Squad5 Apr 2027
The manager makes an example of Celso Castillo
“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 ratings5 Apr 2027
Successful dribbles: 16. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Squad29 Mar 2027
Davit Jikia 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.
Match27 Mar 2027
1‑2 to Lokomotivi, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.
Squad29 Mar 2027
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Jakob Larsen, and the manager let it.
Loan watch29 Mar 2027
“I watch every Kolkheti game from here. That says everything about where my head is.” The loan at Sapovnela runs its course, but his heart never made the trip.
Squad29 Mar 2027
“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 Kolkheti know it.
Squad29 Mar 2027
Celso Castillo asks for a word with the manager
“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad8 Feb 2027
Davit Jikia 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 Kolkheti this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad8 Feb 2027
The medical room confirms 14 days on the sidelines for Alexey Ivanov, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.
Market8 Feb 2027
Everyone has stopped pretending: Guria will make the call about Irakli Lobjanidze this week. Kolkheti have a number in mind, and the number is not shy.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Market14 Sep 2026
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Kolkheti, and it is not being withdrawn.
Squad14 Sep 2026
Tord Salte 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 Kolkheti this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Market14 Sep 2026
The deal that would have taken Khvicha Mchedlidze to Sioni has collapsed at the last stage, and he reports back to Kolkheti with a summer to forget and a season still to play. Nobody is saying which side walked away.
Match12 Sep 2026
A bad afternoon for Kolkheti against Dila
1‑2 to Dila, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.
Player ratings14 Sep 2026
Successful dribbles: 19. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Player ratings14 Sep 2026
Marked 8.60 — 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.
Squad14 Sep 2026
The manager makes an example of Celso Castillo
“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 ratings14 Sep 2026
5.51 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.
Market14 Sep 2026
Every press conference now starts and ends the same way: with Shota Gamsakhurdia’s future. The manager has run out of new ways to say nothing.