A season average of 7.19 at an age when most of his year group are still in the youth team. Bra know what they have, and so, by now, does everybody else.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Bra have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Bra know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Bra, and both men came out saying it was fine.
A season average of 7.03 at an age when most of his year group are still in the youth team. Bra know what they have, and so, by now, does everybody else.
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 10 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
Cremonese go through and Bra go home, 0-0 the scoreline that did it. The dressing room will call the league the priority now, because that is what dressing rooms say.
1 kept out in the shoot-out, and a stadium that will still be describing them in twenty years. A goalkeeper only needs one of these to be remembered forever.
The terraces27 Sep 2027
The ground has had enough
“We travel everywhere and we get this.” 6 of the 30 senior players heard it walking off, and the ones who did not hear it were not playing.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Bra have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
A 2-1 win over Guidonia Montecelio, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Bra have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
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.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Bra know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Bra have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Bra know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
He left as a boy and has come back still knowing where the away end is. Most signings have to be explained to a town; this one needed a photograph and nothing else.
The shirt still fits. Achille Mariani is back at Bra, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
The shirt still fits. Alessio Marini is back at Bra, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
Leonardo Ciani is 18, and Bra have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Bra, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Bra know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
What was said behind closed doors has now been said in front of a microphone. Everybody at Bra can do the arithmetic, including the man it is aimed at.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Bra know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Bra, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Eros De Santis plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.
Pietro Anfossi is 19, and Bra have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.
A new face in his position, and Jacopo Sassi suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Bra have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.
Gabriel Herzuah is 19, and Bra have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Bra know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
What was said behind closed doors has now been said in front of a microphone. Everybody at Bra can do the arithmetic, including the man it is aimed at.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Bra can pretend not to have heard.
Carlos Carrillo is 20, and Bra have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.
Stefano Fedele is 19, and Bra have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Bra, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Mattia Leoncini has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
He came through the session, took part in everything and finished it smiling. Bra will not rush him, and he will spend the next fortnight trying to rush them.
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Umberto Morleo has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Bra, and both men came out saying it was fine.
What was said behind closed doors has now been said in front of a microphone. Everybody at Bra can do the arithmetic, including the man it is aimed at.
22 years old, every age group at this club behind him, and a borrowed player of much the same standard in front of him every Saturday. The parents in the stand have noticed, and so has every kid below him.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Bra have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Bra, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Mattia Leoncini has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Bra, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Bra 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 Bra can pretend not to have heard.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Bra have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Bra, and both men came out saying it was fine.
11 days since the seat came open, a list of names doing the rounds, and nobody has signed anything. Every week this drags on the shortlist gets shorter.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Bra know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
In brief
SquadAndrea Madio asks for a word with the manager
SquadThe selectors could not leave Martin Miculi out
“Somebody picks the team on Saturday. This week it is me, and that is as far as I have thought.” No promises were made in either direction, which is how these usually begin.
A defender's mistake gets tidied up by somebody else; a goalkeeper's ends up in the net. He knew before the ball crossed the line, and so did everybody in the ground.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Bra have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Bra know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
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.
At 28, Franklyn Akammadu has come through every age group this club has, and now watches a borrowed player of much the same level start every week. An academy notices these things, and so do the parents in the stand.
28 years old, every age group at this club behind him, and a borrowed player of much the same standard in front of him every Saturday. The parents in the stand have noticed, and so has every kid below him.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Bra know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Bra, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Bra know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Bra, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Bra spent the window trying to move Mattia La Marca on and nobody came. He trains with a squad that has already told him he is not part of it, and both sides now wait for the next one.
22 years old, every age group at this club behind him, and a borrowed player of much the same standard in front of him every Saturday. The parents in the stand have noticed, and so has every kid below him.
Shifted about, taken off before the hour, asked to do somebody else's running — Enrico Baldini has had enough of being useful and would like to be picked. Bra know, and have known for weeks.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Bra can pretend not to have heard.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Bra know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Bra have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Pianese defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Bra know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
A defender's mistake gets tidied up by somebody else; a goalkeeper's ends up in the net. He knew before the ball crossed the line, and so did everybody in the ground.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Bra have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Bra have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Bra have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Bra, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Bra have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
Catanzaro ended it 1-3. The season narrows to the league now, and everyone in the ground knew it before the final whistle.
The terraces28 Sep 2026
The boos come down from three sides
“We pay for this every fortnight. The least we want is somebody who looks like he cares.” 7 of the 31 senior players walked off into it; the rest were not playing.
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Davide Franzini knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Bra have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Bra can pretend not to have heard.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
Every debut is a small story about the future: Gianmarco Di Biase, 20 years old, off the academy pitches and into the first team. The parents in the stand will keep the programme.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Bra can pretend not to have heard.
Silvio Caruso is 17, and Bra have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Franklyn Akammadu plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.
“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at Bra has been clear about where Mattia La Marca stands, which is more than many ever get.