“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Melbourne City, and 0 appearances in 5 say he has earned the hearing.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Melbourne City, and 0 appearances in 9 say he has earned the hearing.
What was said behind closed doors has now been said in front of a microphone. Everybody at Melbourne City can do the arithmetic, including the man it is aimed at.
The fee is $1.0M, the contract is signed, and the argument about whether he is worth it can begin. Chaika drove a hard bargain; time will say who won it.
The competition arrived without a word said to him about it. Stanislav Biblyk keeps the shirt for now, at Melbourne City's convenience rather than his own.
A season-long audition: Southern United still own him, but the shirt and the minutes are Melbourne City's to give. A loan is a bet both clubs believe they are winning.
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Aziz Behich has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Melbourne City, and 0 appearances in 5 say he has earned the hearing.
A new face in his position, and Mathias MacAllister suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Melbourne City have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Melbourne City they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
What was said behind closed doors has now been said in front of a microphone. Everybody at Melbourne City can do the arithmetic, including the man it is aimed at.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Melbourne City, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The competition arrived without a word said to him about it. Takeshi Kanamori keeps the shirt for now, at Melbourne City's convenience rather than his own.
“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at Melbourne City has been clear about where James Nieuwenhuizen stands, which is more than many ever get.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Melbourne City, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Melbourne City they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
A window away with the national side, and a shirt at Melbourne City that briefly doubles as an advertisement. A call-up flatters the player and the club that built him in the same breath.
What was said behind closed doors has now been said in front of a microphone. Everybody at Melbourne City can do the arithmetic, including the man it is aimed at.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Melbourne City they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Melbourne City have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Melbourne City they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Melbourne City they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Melbourne City, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The board have said in public what they had been saying in private. Results between now and the next meeting decide it, and everybody in the building knows the arithmetic.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Melbourne City, and 4 appearances in 12 say he has earned the hearing.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Melbourne City is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Melbourne City have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Melbourne City is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Melbourne City have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Melbourne City have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Melbourne City they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Mathew Leckie and Melbourne City agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Melbourne City know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Melbourne City have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
3 wins on the spin now, and the question has changed from whether the run ends to who ends it. Confidence like this cannot be bought; it has to be earned exactly this way.
A 2-1 win over Brisbane Roar, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.
Shifted about, taken off before the hour, asked to do somebody else's running — Elba Rashani has had enough of being useful and would like to be picked. Melbourne City know, and have known for weeks.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Melbourne City they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
He found out with everybody else, an hour before kick-off, from a sheet of paper on a wall. Nobody at Melbourne City pretended it was anything other than a decision about him.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Melbourne City, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Shifted about, taken off before the hour, asked to do somebody else's running — Ryan Kalms has had enough of being useful and would like to be picked. Melbourne City know, and have known for weeks.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Melbourne City know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Melbourne City have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Melbourne City know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Western Sydney Wanderers pay $6.0K, 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.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Melbourne City know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Melbourne City have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Melbourne City know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Melbourne City can pretend not to have heard.
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.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Melbourne City know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
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.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Melbourne City know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
In brief
SquadMedin Memeti asks for a word with the manager
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
Newcastle Jets will want this one forgotten quickly: 4-1, every duel lost, and a long ride home. Melbourne City were ruthless in the way good sides are ruthless.
Archie Turner is 16, and Melbourne City have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.
He is 17, and nobody at Melbourne City signed him for this season. Deals like this are judged in four years, by people who may not still be in the building.
He is 16, and nobody at Melbourne City signed him for this season. Deals like this are judged in four years, by people who may not still be in the building.
He is 16, and nobody at Melbourne City signed him for this season. Deals like this are judged in four years, by people who may not still be in the building.
“I did not go to Macarthur FC to sit and watch. I want to come back to Melbourne City and fight for my place.” 0 appearances in 9 matches say the rest.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Melbourne City know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Max Caputo has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Melbourne City know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Elba Rashani has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Lachie Charles and Melbourne City agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Melbourne City know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“I did not go to Macarthur FC to sit and watch. I want to come back to Melbourne City and fight for my place.” 0 appearances in 5 matches say the rest.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Melbourne City know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Melbourne City, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Melbourne City know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Melbourne City spent the window trying to move Kavian Rahmani 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.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Melbourne City can pretend not to have heard.
The deal that would have taken Lachie Charles to Auckland FC has collapsed at the last stage, and he reports back to Melbourne City with a summer to forget and a season still to play. Nobody is saying which side walked away.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
A new face in his position, and Mathew Leckie suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Melbourne City have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.
The language is coming and there is somebody to talk to in the dressing room. A footballer who feels at home plays like one, and it never shows up in a scouting report.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Melbourne City can pretend not to have heard.
The name of Medin Memeti has come up in conversations Melbourne City were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
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.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Mathew Leckie and Melbourne City agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
The name of Lawrence Wong has come up in conversations Melbourne City were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at Melbourne City has been clear about where Alessandro Lopane stands, which is more than many ever get.