20 Aug 2029
Monday
Process
159 Edition

The Guria Courier

13 Aug 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Match

7 unbeaten for Guria

Hard to beat is not the same as winning, but 7 matches without defeat is a foundation Guria did not have in the autumn.

Squad

Nika Bostoghanashvili 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.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze 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.

Match

No goals between Guria and Dila

Ninety minutes, two goalkeepers with clean gloves, and not one finish worth keeping. Dila will be the happier side with the point.

Market

The Levan Isiani talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Market

José Cadenas runs his contract down

4 months remain and no agreement is close. Every week without a signature costs Guria money.

In brief

Back issues
158 Edition

The Guria Courier

6 Aug 2029
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Mikheil Basheleishvili is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Guria is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Squad

Sergi Abramishvili says Guria went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Squad

Alexandr Kuchinskiy signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Alexandr Kuchinskiy commits to Guria for another 2 years.

Match

6 unbeaten for Guria

Hard to beat is not the same as winning, but 6 matches without defeat is a foundation Guria did not have in the autumn.

Squad

Alexandr Kuchinskiy left out for the big one

A player who expected to start watched it instead. The manager will call it a decision for the team; Alexandr Kuchinskiy will call it something else in private.

Market

The clock runs on Alexandr Kuchinskiy's contract

24 months left and silence from upstairs — no offer, no talks, nothing for his people to answer. Clubs that let a calendar do their negotiating usually end up negotiating with the calendar.

Squad

Fahrul Aditia 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.

Match

Guria and Chikhura cancel each other out

Nil-nil, and few chances worth the name. Chikhura came to defend and left with exactly what they came for.

Market

Guria and Malisela Morudu are talking past each other

“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.

In brief

157 Edition

The Guria Courier

30 Jul 2029
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

José Cadenas is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Guria is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Market

Fahrul Aditia 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Luka Chaganava: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Squad

Petr Kazantsev 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.

Market

Mikheil Basheleishvili runs his contract down

1 months remain and no agreement is close. Every week without a signature costs Guria money.

Match

Guria and Zugdidi cancel each other out

Nil-nil, and few chances worth the name. Zugdidi came to defend and left with exactly what they came for.

In brief

156 Edition

The Guria Courier

23 Jul 2029
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Guria lose Frank Fuentes

158 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Market

Nika Bostoghanashvili 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Kirill Chemakin: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Squad

Shalva Burjanadze 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.

Match

Guria see off Merani

Three points for Guria, 1-0 the final word against Merani in a contest settled by the finer margins.

Squad

Yulian Iliev is off the mark for Guria

The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.

Market

Ivane Okropiridze linked with a move away

The name of Ivane Okropiridze keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

Market

Guria put Petr Kazantsev up for sale

The list is a quiet document with a loud meaning. Petr Kazantsev may talk to anybody who asks, and everybody at the club understands what that means.

Market

Still no signature from Fahrul Aditia

5 months left and the two sides are nowhere near each other. Every week this drags on takes money off what Guria could get for him.

In brief

155 Edition

The Guria Courier

16 Jul 2029
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

José Cadenas asks to leave Guria

“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.

Market

Dinamo Tbilisi come back empty-handed

The bid was some way short and Guria did not need long over it. Nobody in the game reads a first refusal as the end of anything.

Squad

Luka Makharadze: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Squad

Ilja Gorbachev 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.

Squad

Petr Kazantsev signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Petr Kazantsev commits to Guria for another 2 years.

Match

Guria share the spoils with Saburtalo

A 1-1 draw with Saburtalo leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.

In brief

154 Edition

The Guria Courier

9 Jul 2029
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Mikheil Basheleishvili is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Guria is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Squad

Malisela Morudu: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Tornike Kapanadze and Guria agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Squad

Guria lose Vladimir Nemec

14 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Squad

Sergi Abramishvili 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.

Match

Guria and Dinamo Tbilisi cancel each other out

Nil-nil, and few chances worth the name. Dinamo Tbilisi came to defend and left with exactly what they came for.

In brief

153 Edition

The Guria Courier

2 Jul 2029
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Nika Bostoghanashvili says Guria went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Tornike Kapanadze commits to Guria for another 2 years.

Match

Guria find a way past Tskhinvali

Tskhinvali made Guria work for it, but the scoreboard read 1-0 at the end and the table does not ask how.

Market

Zugdidi expected to open talks for Rezo Lomidze

Both sides expect a conversation in the coming days. Guria will name a price, and everything after that is arithmetic.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Luka Chaganava

“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.

Squad

The armband comes off Nodar Iashvili

Guria will explain it as a decision about the team, and it may well be one. A dressing room has never once read it that way.

In brief

152 Edition

The Guria Courier

25 Jun 2029
From our football correspondent Crisis

Market

Shalva Burjanadze asks to leave Guria

“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.

Squad

Levan Isiani 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.

Match

Lokomotivi take the points off Guria

Beaten 0-1, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Squad

Archil Qazaishvili makes his debut at 17

At 17 years old, Archil Qazaishvili became the latest name off the academy production line to be handed a senior shirt.

Market

Ivane Okropiridze linked with a move away

The name of Ivane Okropiridze keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

151 Edition

The Guria Courier

18 Jun 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

José Cadenas asks to leave Guria

“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.

Market

Guria turn down Zugdidi for Rezo Lomidze

The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.

Squad

Kichi Meliava 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.

Match

Guria and Sioni take a point apiece

It finished 1-1, and it somehow always looked like it would. One of those afternoons where the table moves less than the tempers.

Squad

José Cadenas is off the mark for Guria

The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.

Market

The Levan Isiani talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

150 Edition

The Guria Courier

11 Jun 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Mikheil Basheleishvili is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Guria is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Market

Ignacio Bednarek asks to leave Guria

“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.

Match

Guria find a way past Samtredia

Samtredia made Guria work for it, but the scoreboard read 1-0 at the end and the table does not ask how.

Market

Merani are about to pick up the phone

A conversation is coming this week. Guria will put a number on him, and from there it stops being football and becomes arithmetic.

Squad

Tsotne Chotalishvili 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.

Market

Shalva Burjanadze placed on the list

Guria have made Shalva Burjanadze available for transfer. A career at this club is over in all but paperwork.

In brief

149 Edition

The Guria Courier

4 Jun 2029
From our football correspondent Crisis

Match

7 matches without a win for Guria

The run now stands at 7, and the questions being asked around Guria are no longer polite ones.

Market

Nika Bostoghanashvili asks to leave Guria

“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.

Match

A bad afternoon for Guria against Sapovnela

0-1 to Sapovnela, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Sandro Bakhia

“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.

Squad

Shalva Burjanadze 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Market

Frank Fuentes linked with a move away

The name of Frank Fuentes keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

Market

Mikheil Basheleishvili runs his contract down

3 months remain and no agreement is close. Every week without a signature costs Guria money.

The terraces

Supporters make their feelings known about José Cadenas

The speculation has reached the stands, and the stands have answered. Guria would like this settled before it becomes the only thing anybody asks about.

Market

José Cadenas's agent talks up a move

“He is at an age where he has to be playing at the top level. We will listen to anybody.” The representative of José Cadenas is not being subtle.

In brief

148 Edition

The Guria Courier

28 May 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Shalva Burjanadze 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

6 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Squad

Sandro Bakhia: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze 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.

Squad

Shalva Burjanadze 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

The terraces

The spotlight tightens on Tornike Kapanadze

Every touch is being weighed now, in print and everywhere else. Some players grow into that and some are quietly ruined by it, and nobody knows which in advance.

In brief

147 Edition

The Guria Courier

21 May 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

José Cadenas 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Sergi Abramishvili says Guria went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

5 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Squad

Shalva Burjanadze 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.

Match

Guria share the spoils with Dinamo Batumi

A 2-2 draw with Dinamo Batumi leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.

Squad

Tsotne Chikovani is off the mark for Guria

The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.

In brief

146 Edition

The Guria Courier

14 May 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

4 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Tsotne Chotalishvili

“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.

Match

Guria draw a blank against Kolkheti

The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Kolkheti defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.

Market

Still no signature from José Cadenas

7 months left and the two sides are nowhere near each other. Every week this drags on takes money off what Guria could get for him.

Market

The Ivane Okropiridze talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Sergi Abramishvili 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

145 Edition

The Guria Courier

7 May 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Fahrul Aditia asks to leave Guria

“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.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Kirill Saraev

“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.

Squad

Shalva Burjanadze loses the armband

The captaincy has been taken off Shalva Burjanadze. Guria will call it a decision about the team; a dressing room reads it as a verdict on a man.

Squad

Fahrul Aditia 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.

Match

Guria draw a blank against Shukura

The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Shukura defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.

Market

The Frank Fuentes talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

144 Edition

The Guria Courier

30 Apr 2029
From our football correspondent Crisis

Market

Shalva Burjanadze 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

A one-man rearguard from Levan Isiani

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.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze 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.

In brief

143 Edition

The Guria Courier

23 Apr 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

José Cadenas 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Tornike Grigalashvili 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.

Match

No goals between Guria and Chikhura

Ninety minutes, two goalkeepers with clean gloves, and not one finish worth keeping. Chikhura will be the happier side with the point.

In brief

142 Edition

The Guria Courier

16 Apr 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Levan Isiani keeps Guria in it on his own

Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 7 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Shalva Burjanadze

“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.

Match

Guria get the job done against Zugdidi

A 1-0 win over Zugdidi, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.

Squad

Guria lose Mamuka Kiteishvili

28 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Squad

Sergi Abramishvili stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Sergi Abramishvili and Guria agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Market

The Ivane Okropiridze talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

141 Edition

The Guria Courier

9 Apr 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Match

Guria out of the cup

Torpedo Kutaisi ended it 0-0. The season narrows to the league now, and everyone in the ground knew it before the final whistle.

Match

6 matches without a win for Guria

The run now stands at 6, and the questions being asked around Guria are no longer polite ones.

Squad

Levan Isiani keeps Guria in it on his own

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.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Kichi Meliava

“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.

Match

No goals between Guria and Merani

Ninety minutes, two goalkeepers with clean gloves, and not one finish worth keeping. Merani will be the happier side with the point.

Squad

A first senior shirt for Dato Mchedlidze

Every debut is a small story about the future: Dato Mchedlidze, 17 years old, off the academy pitches and into the first team. The parents in the stand will keep the programme.

Market

The Frank Fuentes talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Market

Still no signature from Mikheil Basheleishvili

5 months left and the two sides are nowhere near each other. Every week this drags on takes money off what Guria could get for him.

Market

Fahrul Aditia placed on the list

Guria have made Fahrul Aditia available for transfer. A career at this club is over in all but paperwork.

In brief

140 Edition

The Guria Courier

2 Apr 2029
From our football correspondent Crisis

Market

Fahrul Aditia 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

4 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Match

A bad afternoon for Guria against Saburtalo

0-2 to Saburtalo, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Fahrul Aditia

“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.

Squad

The armband comes off Levan Isiani

Guria will explain it as a decision about the team, and it may well be one. A dressing room has never once read it that way.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze handed the armband

The captaincy goes to Tornike Kapanadze. It is not a job that wins matches, but a dressing room always notices who is given it.

In brief

139 Edition

The Guria Courier

26 Mar 2029
From our football correspondent Crisis

Market

José Cadenas 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Match

Dinamo Tbilisi take the points off Guria

Beaten 1-3, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.

Squad

Nodar Iashvili 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.

In brief

138 Edition

The Guria Courier

19 Mar 2029
From our football correspondent Crisis

Squad

The manager makes an example of Mikheil Basheleishvili

“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.

Match

Tskhinvali take the points off Guria

Beaten 0-1, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.

Squad

Mamuka Kiteishvili out for 57 days

The medical room confirms 57 days on the sidelines for Mamuka Kiteishvili, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

In brief

137 Edition

The Guria Courier

12 Mar 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Fahrul Aditia says Guria went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Squad

Dato Mchedlidze stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Dato Mchedlidze and Guria agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Squad

Sandro Bakhia 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.

In brief

136 Edition

The Guria Courier

5 Mar 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Fahrul Aditia 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Levan Isiani signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Levan Isiani commits to Guria for another 3 years.

Market

Mikheil Kashia comes home

The shirt still fits. Mikheil Kashia is back at Guria, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.

Market

Goga Kvaratskhelia is a Guria player again

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.

Market

Otar Kobiashvili is a Guria player again

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.

Match

Guria get the job done against Sioni

A 1-0 win over Sioni, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.

Boardroom

A promise the Guria board did not keep

There was a commitment, there was a date, and the date went past. Trust at a football club takes years to build and one afternoon to spend.

Squad

Guria lose Vladimir Nemec

21 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Squad

Kirill Saraev 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.

In brief

135 Edition

The Guria Courier

26 Feb 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Boardroom

Pressure builds in the Guria boardroom

The directors have stopped offering the manager public warmth. In football that is usually the stage before the short statement.

Market

Vakhtang Gvelesiani has one foot out of the door

Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Guria they have already started talking about him in the past tense.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Aleksandre Arveladze

“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.

In brief

134 Edition

The Guria Courier

19 Feb 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

The manager makes an example of Shalva Burjanadze

“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.

Market

The Ivane Okropiridze talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Rezo Lomidze 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.

In brief

133 Edition

The Guria Courier

12 Feb 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

The Zugdidi deal is off

Everything was agreed until it was not, and Rezo Lomidze reports back to Guria with a summer to forget. Neither club is saying who walked away from the table.

Squad

Tsotne Chotalishvili 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.

Squad

Shalva Burjanadze 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.

In brief

132 Edition

The Guria Courier

5 Feb 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Match

Guria are in real trouble now

Position 15, 25 points, and a fixture list with fewer games left in it than excuses. The arithmetic is not cruel yet, but it has stopped being kind.

Market

Nika Bostoghanashvili asks to leave Guria

“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.

Squad

Ivane Okropiridze stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Ivane Okropiridze and Guria agree another 4 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Squad

Guria lose Vladimir Nemec

49 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Market

The clock runs on Fahrul Aditia's contract

11 months left and silence from upstairs — no offer, no talks, nothing for his people to answer. Clubs that let a calendar do their negotiating usually end up negotiating with the calendar.

Market

The window shut and Mikheil Basheleishvili is still in the building

Guria spent a month trying to move him and nobody rang back. He trains with a squad that has told him where he stands, and both sides start counting down to the next one.

In brief

131 Edition

The Guria Courier

29 Jan 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Boardroom

Pressure builds in the Guria boardroom

The directors have stopped offering the manager public warmth. In football that is usually the stage before the short statement.

Market

Vakhtang Gvelesiani has one foot out of the door

Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Guria they have already started talking about him in the past tense.

Market

Zugdidi come back empty-handed

The bid was some way short and Guria did not need long over it. Nobody in the game reads a first refusal as the end of anything.

In brief

130 Edition

The Guria Courier

22 Jan 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Khvicha Kashia is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Guria is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Squad

José Cadenas out for 14 days

The medical room confirms 14 days on the sidelines for José Cadenas, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

Aleksandre Arveladze 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.

Market

The Ivane Okropiridze talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Market

Guria put Ignacio Bednarek up for sale

The list is a quiet document with a loud meaning. Ignacio Bednarek may talk to anybody who asks, and everybody at the club understands what that means.

Boardroom

Guria keep producing them

11 graduates from an academy now rated 7 out of 20. A club this size does not survive any other way, and every name on that list is known in the town.

In brief

129 Edition

The Guria Courier

15 Jan 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Zugdidi are about to pick up the phone

A conversation is coming this week. Guria will put a number on him, and from there it stops being football and becomes arithmetic.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Kirill Saraev

“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.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

128 Edition

The Guria Courier

8 Jan 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Match

Guria are in real trouble now

Position 15, 25 points, and a fixture list with fewer games left in it than excuses. The arithmetic is not cruel yet, but it has stopped being kind.

Squad

Guria lose Vladimir Nemec

77 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Market

Merani expected to open talks for Khvicha Kashia

Both sides expect a conversation in the coming days. Guria will name a price, and everything after that is arithmetic.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze 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.

Boardroom

$303.9K taken back off the Guria table

What was available in the summer has quietly gone. Upstairs nobody will call it a change of ambition; downstairs nobody will call it anything else.

Market

Fahrul Aditia joins Guria on a free

No fee and no drama: Fahrul Aditia has signed at Guria, and the wage bill is the only line that moved.

In brief

127 Edition

The Guria Courier

1 Jan 2029
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Boardroom

Pressure builds in the Guria boardroom

The directors have stopped offering the manager public warmth. In football that is usually the stage before the short statement.

Squad

Shalva Burjanadze 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.

Squad

Kirill Chemakin out for 17 days

The medical room confirms 17 days on the sidelines for Kirill Chemakin, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

In brief

126 Edition

The Guria Courier

25 Dec 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Vakhtang Gvelesiani is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Guria is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Squad

Shalva Burjanadze 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Squad

Aleksandre Arveladze 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.

In brief

125 Edition

The Guria Courier

18 Dec 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Sergi Abramishvili 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.

Market

The Frank Fuentes talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze keeps his manager's vote

The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Tornike Kapanadze plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.

In brief

124 Edition

The Guria Courier

11 Dec 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Match

Guria are in real trouble now

Position 15, 25 points, and a fixture list with fewer games left in it than excuses. The arithmetic is not cruel yet, but it has stopped being kind.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Ignacio Bednarek

“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.

Squad

Guria lose Vladimir Nemec

105 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

In brief

123 Edition

The Guria Courier

4 Dec 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Tornike Kapanadze and Guria agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Rezo Lomidze

“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.

Market

Levan Isiani linked with a move away

The name of Levan Isiani keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

122 Edition

The Guria Courier

27 Nov 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Vakhtang Gvelesiani is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Guria is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Squad

Nika Bostoghanashvili 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.

Market

The Ivane Okropiridze talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

121 Edition

The Guria Courier

20 Nov 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Dato Mchedlidze out for 38 days

The medical room confirms 38 days on the sidelines for Dato Mchedlidze, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Aleksandre Arveladze

“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.

Market

The Frank Fuentes talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

120 Edition

The Guria Courier

13 Nov 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Match

Guria are in real trouble now

Position 15, 25 points, and a fixture list with fewer games left in it than excuses. The arithmetic is not cruel yet, but it has stopped being kind.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Ignacio Bednarek

“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.

Squad

Shalva Burjanadze 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

119 Edition

The Guria Courier

6 Nov 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Aleksandre Arveladze: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Squad

Tornike Grigalashvili out for 22 days

The medical room confirms 22 days on the sidelines for Tornike Grigalashvili, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Kirill Saraev

“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.

In brief

118 Edition

The Guria Courier

30 Oct 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Vakhtang Gvelesiani is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Guria is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Market

The Ivane Okropiridze talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Sergi Abramishvili 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

117 Edition

The Guria Courier

23 Oct 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Aleksandar Buchkov 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.

Market

The Frank Fuentes talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Sergi Abramishvili 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.

In brief

116 Edition

The Guria Courier

16 Oct 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Match

Guria are in real trouble now

Position 15, 25 points, and a fixture list with fewer games left in it than excuses. The arithmetic is not cruel yet, but it has stopped being kind.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Tsotne Chotalishvili

“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.

Squad

Ivane Okropiridze 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

115 Edition

The Guria Courier

9 Oct 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Tornike Grigalashvili out for 52 days

The medical room confirms 52 days on the sidelines for Tornike Grigalashvili, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Kirill Saraev

“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.

Squad

Ivane Okropiridze 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.

In brief

114 Edition

The Guria Courier

2 Oct 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Vakhtang Gvelesiani is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Guria is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Ignacio Bednarek

“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.

Market

The Ivane Okropiridze talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

113 Edition

The Guria Courier

25 Sep 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Match

8 matches without a win for Guria

The run now stands at 8, and the questions being asked around Guria are no longer polite ones.

Squad

Shalva Burjanadze 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.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

112 Edition

The Guria Courier

18 Sep 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Match

Guria sink to position 15

24 points, and a fixture list that is running out. The mathematics are not yet cruel, but they are no longer kind.

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

7 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Match

Sapovnela take the points off Guria

Beaten 1-2, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.

Squad

Tornike Mumladze 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.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze 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.

Market

Tornike Mumladze linked with a move away

The name of Tornike Mumladze keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

111 Edition

The Guria Courier

11 Sep 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

6 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Levan Isiani

“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.

Match

Torpedo Kutaisi take the points off Guria

Beaten 0-1, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.

Market

The Levan Isiani talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Luka Chaganava 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Market

Window shut, Kirill Saraev still here

Guria spent the window trying to move Kirill Saraev 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.

In brief

110 Edition

The Guria Courier

4 Sep 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Kirill Saraev: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

5 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Market

Vakhtang Gvelesiani has one foot out of the door

Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Guria they have already started talking about him in the past tense.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Kichi Meliava

“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.

Match

Guria and Dinamo Batumi take a point apiece

It finished 1-1, and it somehow always looked like it would. One of those afternoons where the table moves less than the tempers.

Squad

Shalva Burjanadze loses the armband

The captaincy has been taken off Shalva Burjanadze. Guria will call it a decision about the team; a dressing room reads it as a verdict on a man.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze takes the armband

It is a strip of cloth and it decides nothing on a Saturday. It still tells the dressing room exactly whose opinion the manager values, which is the whole point of it.

Market

Ivane Okropiridze linked with a move away

The name of Ivane Okropiridze keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

Market

Window shut, Mikheil Basheleishvili still here

Guria spent the window trying to move Mikheil Basheleishvili 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.

In brief

109 Edition

The Guria Courier

28 Aug 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

A one-man rearguard from Levan Isiani

There were 6 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.

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

4 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Ivane Okropiridze

“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.

In brief

108 Edition

The Guria Courier

21 Aug 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Match

Guria sink to position 14

22 points, and a fixture list that is running out. The mathematics are not yet cruel, but they are no longer kind.

Market

Tsotne Chotalishvili asks to leave Guria

“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.

Match

Guria share the spoils with Shukura

A 2-2 draw with Shukura leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.

Squad

Kirill Chemakin signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Kirill Chemakin commits to Guria for another 3 years.

Squad

Tsotne Chotalishvili 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.

Squad

Frank Fuentes finally opens his account

He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Guria have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.

In brief

107 Edition

The Guria Courier

14 Aug 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Squad

Nika Bostoghanashvili says Guria went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Squad

Tornike Grigalashvili out for 17 days

The medical room confirms 17 days on the sidelines for Tornike Grigalashvili, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Match

Dila take the points off Guria

Beaten 0-2, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Nodar Iashvili

“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.

Market

The Levan Isiani talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Nodar Iashvili has company in his position

The competition arrived without a word said to him about it. Nodar Iashvili keeps the shirt for now, at Guria's convenience rather than his own.

In brief

106 Edition

The Guria Courier

7 Aug 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Market

Vakhtang Gvelesiani has one foot out of the door

Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Guria they have already started talking about him in the past tense.

Squad

Shalva Burjanadze signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Shalva Burjanadze commits to Guria for another 4 years.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Tornike Mumladze

“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.

Match

Guria come up short against Chikhura

Chikhura left with the points after a 0-1 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.

Market

Ivane Okropiridze linked with a move away

The name of Ivane Okropiridze keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

105 Edition

The Guria Courier

31 Jul 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Match

Guria run riot against Zugdidi

3-0, and the margin flattered nobody — it could have carried another goal or two without complaint. Afternoons like this are why people keep coming.

Market

Merani are about to pick up the phone

A conversation is coming this week. Guria will put a number on him, and from there it stops being football and becomes arithmetic.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Luka Chaganava

“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.

Squad

Shalva Burjanadze 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Squad

Yulian Iliev suspended

One booking too many, and Yulian Iliev sits out. Guria lose him for the sort of avoidable reason that makes a manager's week longer.

Market

Still no signature from Dmitriy Sibilev

1 months left and the two sides are nowhere near each other. Every week this drags on takes money off what Guria could get for him.

Market

Frank Fuentes linked with a move away

The name of Frank Fuentes keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

Squad

Sandro Bakhia finally opens his account

He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Guria have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.

Market

Guria put Tsotne Chotalishvili up for sale

The list is a quiet document with a loud meaning. Tsotne Chotalishvili may talk to anybody who asks, and everybody at the club understands what that means.

In brief

104 Edition

The Guria Courier

24 Jul 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

11 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Match

Guria sink to position 14

18 points, and a fixture list that is running out. The mathematics are not yet cruel, but they are no longer kind.

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev has one foot out of the door

Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Guria they have already started talking about him in the past tense.

Market

Tsotne Chotalishvili asks to leave Guria

“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.

Squad

Aleksandre Arveladze: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Dmitriy Sibilev

“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.

Match

Merani take the points off Guria

Beaten 0-1, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.

Squad

Costly mistake from Levan Isiani

An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Levan Isiani knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.

Market

The Tornike Mumladze talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

103 Edition

The Guria Courier

17 Jul 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

10 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Squad

Sergi Abramishvili: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Squad

Tornike Grigalashvili out for 45 days

The medical room confirms 45 days on the sidelines for Tornike Grigalashvili, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

Petr Kazantsev signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Petr Kazantsev commits to Guria for another 2 years.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze 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.

Match

A bad afternoon for Guria against Saburtalo

0-1 to Saburtalo, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.

In brief

102 Edition

The Guria Courier

10 Jul 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

9 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Market

Sandro Bakhia asks to leave Guria

“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.

Market

Məmməd Hüseynov moves on

Dila pay $140.0K, and the deal is done. The number reads well on a balance sheet; whether it reads well on the pitch is next season's question.

Squad

Ignacio Bednarek 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.

Market

Chikhura watching Vakhtang Gvelesiani

The interest is real enough to have reached print. Guria have said nothing, which in a transfer window is its own kind of answer.

Match

Guria share the spoils with Dinamo Tbilisi

A 1-1 draw with Dinamo Tbilisi leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.

Squad

Yulian Iliev is in the form of his life

A season average of 7.23 with 4 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Market

Ivane Okropiridze linked with a move away

The name of Ivane Okropiridze keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

101 Edition

The Guria Courier

3 Jul 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev asks to leave Guria

“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.

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

8 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Squad

Frank Fuentes out for 32 days

The medical room confirms 32 days on the sidelines for Frank Fuentes, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

Tornike Mumladze out for 16 days

The medical room confirms 16 days on the sidelines for Tornike Mumladze, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Match

Guria share the spoils with Tskhinvali

A 1-1 draw with Tskhinvali leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Sandro Bakhia

“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.

In brief

100 Edition

The Guria Courier

26 Jun 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Market

Mikheil Basheleishvili asks to leave Guria

“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.

Match

Guria sink to position 14

16 points, and a fixture list that is running out. The mathematics are not yet cruel, but they are no longer kind.

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev has one foot out of the door

Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Guria they have already started talking about him in the past tense.

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

7 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Match

Lokomotivi take the points off Guria

Beaten 0-1, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.

Squad

Ivane Okropiridze 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.

Squad

Guria lose Vladimir Nemec

32 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Squad

Costly mistake from Levan Isiani

An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Levan Isiani knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.

Market

The Tornike Mumladze talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

99 Edition

The Guria Courier

19 Jun 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

6 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Squad

Malisela Morudu says Guria went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Market

Vakhtang Gvelesiani is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Guria is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Squad

Guria lose Tornike Grigalashvili

74 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Match

A bad afternoon for Guria against Sioni

1-2 to Sioni, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Shalva Burjanadze

“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.

In brief

98 Edition

The Guria Courier

12 Jun 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

5 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Squad

Kirill Saraev: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Squad

Levan Isiani 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.

Match

Samtredia take the points off Guria

Beaten 0-1, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.

Market

Chikhura expected to open talks for Vakhtang Gvelesiani

Both sides expect a conversation in the coming days. Guria will name a price, and everything after that is arithmetic.

Market

Sandro Bakhia told to find a new club

“They were honest with me, and I would rather know.” Sandro Bakhia has been informed he is not in the manager's thinking at Guria.

Squad

Shalva Burjanadze 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.

The terraces

The stands have heard the Dmitriy Sibilev talk too

What was a back-page story is now a matter for the terraces, and the terraces do not do nuance. Guria would like it dealt with before it becomes the only question anybody asks.

Market

Levan Kakubava linked with a move away

The name of Levan Kakubava keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

97 Edition

The Guria Courier

5 Jun 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev asks to leave Guria

“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.

Squad

Frank Fuentes out for 60 days

The medical room confirms 60 days on the sidelines for Frank Fuentes, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

Guria lose Tornike Mumladze

45 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

4 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Market

Mikheil Basheleishvili is free to find somewhere else

“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at Guria has been clear about where Mikheil Basheleishvili stands, which is more than many ever get.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Ignacio Bednarek

“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.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze loses the armband

The captaincy has been taken off Tornike Kapanadze. Guria will call it a decision about the team; a dressing room reads it as a verdict on a man.

Match

Guria draw a blank against Sapovnela

The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Sapovnela defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev runs his contract down

2 months remain and no agreement is close. Every week without a signature costs Guria money.

In brief

96 Edition

The Guria Courier

29 May 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev has one foot out of the door

Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Guria they have already started talking about him in the past tense.

Match

A bad afternoon for Guria against Torpedo Kutaisi

1-2 to Torpedo Kutaisi, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Tornike Mumladze

“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.

Squad

Vladimir Nemec out for 61 days

The medical room confirms 61 days on the sidelines for Vladimir Nemec, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

Levan Kakubava 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.

Market

The Tornike Mumladze talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

95 Edition

The Guria Courier

22 May 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Squad

Tornike Grigalashvili out for 105 days

The medical room confirms 105 days on the sidelines for Tornike Grigalashvili, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Match

Guria come up short against Dinamo Batumi

Dinamo Batumi left with the points after a 1-2 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Nodar Iashvili

“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.

In brief

94 Edition

The Guria Courier

15 May 2028
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Tsotne Chotalishvili says Guria went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Squad

Levan Isiani 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.

Squad

Nikita Chevankov signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Nikita Chevankov commits to Guria for another 3 years.

In brief

93 Edition

The Guria Courier

8 May 2028
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Nodar Iashvili stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Nodar Iashvili and Guria agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Match

Guria find a way past Shukura

Shukura made Guria work for it, but the scoreboard read 1-0 at the end and the table does not ask how.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Ignacio Bednarek

“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.

Market

Still no signature from Dmitriy Sibilev

3 months left and the two sides are nowhere near each other. Every week this drags on takes money off what Guria could get for him.

Market

Frank Fuentes linked with a move away

The name of Frank Fuentes keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

Squad

The shirt belongs to Tornike Kapanadze now

At 35 he has made the position his own, and the man he took it from has to find something to say about it. Guria have a decision that made itself.

In brief

92 Edition

The Guria Courier

1 May 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

A one-man rearguard from Levan Isiani

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.

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev has one foot out of the door

Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Guria they have already started talking about him in the past tense.

Market

Sergi Abramishvili asks to leave Guria

“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.

Squad

Kirill Saraev: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Match

Guria share the spoils with Dila

A 1-1 draw with Dila leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.

Squad

Sandro Bakhia 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.

In brief

91 Edition

The Guria Courier

24 Apr 2028
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Tornike Mumladze 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.

Match

Guria draw a blank against Chikhura

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.

Market

The Levan Isiani talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

90 Edition

The Guria Courier

17 Apr 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Squad

Levan Isiani 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.

Match

Zugdidi take the points off Guria

Beaten 0-1, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.

Squad

Sergi Abramishvili signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Sergi Abramishvili commits to Guria for another 2 years.

In brief

89 Edition

The Guria Courier

10 Apr 2028
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

The cup run ends for Guria

0-1 against Saburtalo, and the road stops here. Cup exits are quick deaths — no second leg, no next week, just the league from now until May.

Match

Guria see off Merani

Three points for Guria, 2-1 the final word against Merani in a contest settled by the finer margins.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Levan Kakubava

“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.

Squad

Levan Isiani lets one through his hands

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.

Squad

Yulian Iliev finally opens his account

He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Guria have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.

Squad

Kichi Meliava 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.

In brief

88 Edition

The Guria Courier

3 Apr 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Squad

Levan Isiani keeps Guria in it on his own

Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 8 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev has one foot out of the door

Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Guria they have already started talking about him in the past tense.

Squad

Aleksandar Buchkov says Guria went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Squad

Nodar Iashvili out for 34 days

The medical room confirms 34 days on the sidelines for Nodar Iashvili, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

Tsotne Chikovani signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Tsotne Chikovani commits to Guria for another 4 years.

Match

Saburtalo take the points off Guria

Beaten 1-2, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.

In brief

87 Edition

The Guria Courier

27 Mar 2028
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

Guria get the job done against Dinamo Tbilisi

A 1-0 win over Dinamo Tbilisi, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Ignacio Bednarek

“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.

Market

The Levan Isiani talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

86 Edition

The Guria Courier

20 Mar 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Match

Guria come up short against Tskhinvali

Tskhinvali left with the points after a 1-2 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.

Squad

Nodar Iashvili 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.

Squad

Tornike Kapanadze finally opens his account

He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Guria have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.

In brief

85 Edition

The Guria Courier

13 Mar 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Ignacio Bednarek: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Match

Guria see off Lokomotivi

Three points for Guria, 2-1 the final word against Lokomotivi in a contest settled by the finer margins.

Squad

Kichi Meliava 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.

Squad

Dmitriy Sibilev is off the mark for Guria

The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.

Squad

Tornike Mumladze is off the mark for Guria

The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.

Market

Frank Fuentes linked with a move away

The name of Frank Fuentes keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

84 Edition

The Guria Courier

6 Mar 2028
From our football correspondent Crisis

Match

No end in sight to Guria's wait for a win

9 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Guria has to find a result from somewhere.

Market

Khvicha Kashia comes home

The shirt still fits. Khvicha Kashia is back at Guria, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.

Market

Irakli Kobiashvili comes home

The shirt still fits. Irakli Kobiashvili is back at Guria, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.

Market

Mikheil Lobjanidze is a Guria player again

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.

Market

Giorgi Ananidze is a Guria player again

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.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Dmitriy Sibilev

“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.

In brief

83 Edition

The Guria Courier

28 Feb 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Ivane Okropiridze 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Market

Tornike Mumladze linked with a move away

The name of Tornike Mumladze keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

Squad

The manager comes out for Dmitriy Sibilev

Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Dmitriy Sibilev has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.

In brief

82 Edition

The Guria Courier

21 Feb 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Aleksandar Buchkov 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.

Squad

Ivane Okropiridze 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.

In brief

81 Edition

The Guria Courier

14 Feb 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Frank Fuentes linked with a move away

The name of Frank Fuentes keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev runs his contract down

6 months remain and no agreement is close. Every week without a signature costs Guria money.

Market

The window shut and Aleksandar Buchkov is still in the building

Guria spent a month trying to move him and nobody rang back. He trains with a squad that has told him where he stands, and both sides start counting down to the next one.

In brief

80 Edition

The Guria Courier

7 Feb 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Levan Isiani linked with a move away

The name of Levan Isiani keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

Market

Window shut, Levan Kakubava still here

Guria spent the window trying to move Levan Kakubava 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.

Squad

The manager comes out for Levan Isiani

Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Levan Isiani has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.

In brief

79 Edition

The Guria Courier

31 Jan 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Guria turn down Dila for Nodar Iashvili

The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.

Market

Aleksandar Buchkov 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Tsotne Chikovani

“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.

In brief

78 Edition

The Guria Courier

24 Jan 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Levan Kakubava 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.

Squad

Tsotne Chikovani 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.

In brief

77 Edition

The Guria Courier

17 Jan 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

The manager makes an example of Shalva Burjanadze

“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.

Market

Frank Fuentes linked with a move away

The name of Frank Fuentes keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev placed on the list

Guria have made Dmitriy Sibilev available for transfer. A career at this club is over in all but paperwork.

In brief

76 Edition

The Guria Courier

10 Jan 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Guria turn down Zugdidi for Məmməd Hüseynov

The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.

Market

A long bet from Guria on Nikita Chevankov

He is 20, and nobody at Guria signed him for this season. Deals like this are judged in four years, by people who may not still be in the building.

Market

Levan Isiani linked with a move away

The name of Levan Isiani keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

Market

Nobody at Guria has picked up the phone to Vladimir Nemec

36 months to run and not a word offered. A club that lets the calendar negotiate for it usually ends up losing to the calendar.

Squad

Somebody is after Nodar Iashvili’s shirt

A new face in his position, and Nodar Iashvili suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Guria have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.

Squad

Ivane Okropiridze 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.

In brief

75 Edition

The Guria Courier

3 Jan 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

José Cadenas 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Market

Guria turn down Dinamo Tbilisi for José Cadenas

The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.

Market

Zugdidi watching Məmməd Hüseynov

The interest is real enough to have reached print. Guria have said nothing, which in a transfer window is its own kind of answer.

Squad

Malisela Morudu out for 55 days

The medical room confirms 55 days on the sidelines for Malisela Morudu, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Market

The Tornike Mumladze talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

The terraces

The stands have heard the José Cadenas talk too

What was a back-page story is now a matter for the terraces, and the terraces do not do nuance. Guria would like it dealt with before it becomes the only question anybody asks.

In brief

74 Edition

The Guria Courier

27 Dec 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

The manager makes an example of Tsotne Chotalishvili

“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.

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev linked with a move away

The name of Dmitriy Sibilev keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

Squad

Sandro Bakhia 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

73 Edition

The Guria Courier

20 Dec 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Aleksandar Buchkov 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.

Market

The Frank Fuentes talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Market

Vladimir Nemec joins Guria on a free

No fee and no drama: Vladimir Nemec has signed at Guria, and the wage bill is the only line that moved.

In brief

72 Edition

The Guria Courier

13 Dec 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev asks to leave Guria

“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.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Levan Kakubava

“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.

Squad

Tsotne Chikovani 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 Guria, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Market

The Levan Isiani talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Market

Guria and Sergi Abramishvili are talking past each other

“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.

Squad

Somebody is after Tornike Kapanadze’s shirt

A new face in his position, and Tornike Kapanadze suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Guria have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.

In brief

71 Edition

The Guria Courier

6 Dec 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

José Cadenas 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Nika Bostoghanashvili: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Squad

Malisela Morudu out for 83 days

The medical room confirms 83 days on the sidelines for Malisela Morudu, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

In brief

70 Edition

The Guria Courier

29 Nov 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

The manager makes an example of Məmməd Hüseynov

“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.

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev linked with a move away

The name of Dmitriy Sibilev keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev placed on the list

Guria have made Dmitriy Sibilev available for transfer. A career at this club is over in all but paperwork.

In brief

69 Edition

The Guria Courier

22 Nov 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Ivane Okropiridze says Guria went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Squad

Data Sichinava out for 73 days

The medical room confirms 73 days on the sidelines for Data Sichinava, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

Sandro Bakhia 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.

In brief

68 Edition

The Guria Courier

15 Nov 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev asks to leave Guria

“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.

Squad

Məmməd Hüseynov out for 15 days

The medical room confirms 15 days on the sidelines for Məmməd Hüseynov, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Tsotne Chotalishvili

“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.

In brief

67 Edition

The Guria Courier

8 Nov 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

José Cadenas 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Guria lose Malisela Morudu

114 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Squad

Aleksandar Buchkov 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.

In brief

66 Edition

The Guria Courier

1 Nov 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Lasha Ananidze: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Squad

Malisela Morudu 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.

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev linked with a move away

The name of Dmitriy Sibilev keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Guria say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

65 Edition

The Guria Courier

25 Oct 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Guria lose Data Sichinava

102 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Squad

Levan Kakubava 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.

Squad

Tsotne Chikovani 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.

In brief

64 Edition

The Guria Courier

18 Oct 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev asks to leave Guria

“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.

Squad

Tsotne Chikovani: 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.” Guria have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Məmməd Hüseynov

“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.

In brief

63 Edition

The Guria Courier

11 Oct 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

José Cadenas 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Məmməd Hüseynov says Guria went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Kirill Saraev

“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.

In brief

62 Edition

The Guria Courier

4 Oct 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Mikheil Basheleishvili 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 Guria can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Nodar Iashvili stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Nodar Iashvili and Guria agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Aleksandar Buchkov

“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.

In brief

61 Edition

The Guria Courier

27 Sep 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Match

8 matches without a win for Guria

The run now stands at 8, and the questions being asked around Guria are no longer polite ones.

Squad

Data Sichinava out for 131 days

The medical room confirms 131 days on the sidelines for Data Sichinava, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

Ivane Okropiridze 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.

Match

No goals between Guria and Samtredia

Ninety minutes, two goalkeepers with clean gloves, and not one finish worth keeping. Samtredia will be the happier side with the point.

Market

The Frank Fuentes talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Guria know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Market

Guria put Dmitriy Sibilev up for sale

The list is a quiet document with a loud meaning. Dmitriy Sibilev may talk to anybody who asks, and everybody at the club understands what that means.

In brief

60 Edition

The Guria Courier

20 Sep 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Dmitriy Sibilev asks to leave Guria

“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.

Match

7 matches without a win for Guria

The run now stands at 7, and the questions being asked around Guria are no longer polite ones.

Squad

Malisela Morudu says Guria went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Squad

No place for Mikheil Basheleishvili on the big day

He found out with everybody else, an hour before kick-off, from a sheet of paper on a wall. Nobody at Guria pretended it was anything other than a decision about him.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Tsotne Chotalishvili

“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.

Squad

Davit Maisashvili suspended

One booking too many, and Davit Maisashvili sits out. Guria lose him for the sort of avoidable reason that makes a manager's week longer.

In brief