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.
0-4 to Partizan, and it was every bit as bad as the number suggests. There are defeats you argue about and defeats you apologise for; this was the second kind.
0-3 to Crvena Zvezda, and it was every bit as bad as the number suggests. There are defeats you argue about and defeats you apologise for; this was the second kind.
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.
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.
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.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The shirt still fits. Nenad Grujic is back at OFK Beograd, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
The shirt still fits. Djordje Markovic is back at OFK Beograd, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
The shirt still fits. Filip Kostic is back at OFK Beograd, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
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.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
In brief
BoardroomThe OFK Beograd production line keeps running
“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 OFK Beograd, and 3 appearances in 17 say he has earned the hearing.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Aleksa Cvetković and OFK Beograd agree another 5 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
A season average of 7.13 at an age when most of his year group are still in the youth team. OFK Beograd know what they have, and so, by now, does everybody else.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“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 OFK Beograd, and 3 appearances in 13 say he has earned the hearing.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“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 OFK Beograd, and 3 appearances in 9 say he has earned the hearing.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
The award is a small thing with a heavy meaning: for four weeks nobody in this division did his job better. OFK Beograd have the trophy on a shelf and the player in the side.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd 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 OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what OFK Beograd can pretend not to have heard.
The award is a small thing with a heavy meaning: for four weeks nobody in this division did his job better. OFK Beograd have the trophy on a shelf and the player in the side.
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.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
A player who expected to start watched it instead. The manager will call it a decision for the team; Milan Radin will call it something else in private.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what OFK Beograd can pretend not to have heard.
A season average of 7.02 at an age when most of his year group are still in the youth team. OFK Beograd know what they have, and so, by now, does everybody else.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
He found out with everybody else, an hour before kick-off, from a sheet of paper on a wall. Nobody at OFK Beograd pretended it was anything other than a decision about him.
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Marko Alčevski knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
He is the name in every column and on every phone-in, which is a heavy thing to carry at any age. Some footballers thrive on it; others are quietly finished by it.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
A defender's mistake gets tidied up by somebody else; a goalkeeper's ends up in the net. He knew before the ball crossed the line, and so did everybody in the ground.
Every 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.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Mladost Lucani defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd 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.” OFK Beograd 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.” OFK Beograd have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
0-6 to Vojvodina, and it was every bit as bad as the number suggests. There are defeats you argue about and defeats you apologise for; this was the second kind.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” OFK Beograd have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Uroš Stojanović and OFK Beograd agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. OFK Beograd have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
In brief
The terracesThe press cannot get enough of Kufre Eta
A defender's mistake gets tidied up by somebody else; a goalkeeper's ends up in the net. He knew before the ball crossed the line, and so did everybody in the ground.
Every 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.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
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.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what OFK Beograd can pretend not to have heard.
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.
0-2 against Mladost Lucani, and the road stops here. Cup exits are quick deaths — no second leg, no next week, just the league from now until May.
The terraces28 Aug 2028
The boos come down from three sides
“We pay for this every fortnight. The least we want is somebody who looks like he cares.” 7 of the 35 senior players walked off into it; the rest were not playing.
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Marko Alčevski knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. OFK Beograd have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” OFK Beograd have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. OFK Beograd know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
What was a back-page story is now a matter for the terraces, and the terraces do not do nuance. OFK Beograd would like it dealt with before it becomes the only question anybody asks.
“I will know when it is time. I am not there yet.” Saša Marković is 37, with 249 appearances behind him, and OFK Beograd will have to plan for whichever answer comes.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what OFK Beograd can pretend not to have heard.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” OFK Beograd have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
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.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what OFK Beograd can pretend not to have heard.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” OFK Beograd have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
The shirt still fits. Djordje Ivic is back at OFK Beograd, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
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.
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.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” OFK Beograd have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
The name of Vasilije Grbović has come up in conversations OFK Beograd were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
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.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
$9.8M is a serious amount of money and it does not play centre-forward. Everybody in the dressing room knows who used to be looked at when it went wrong.
A new face in his position, and Tayrell Wouter suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. OFK Beograd have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.
What was a back-page story is now a matter for the terraces, and the terraces do not do nuance. OFK Beograd would like it dealt with before it becomes the only question anybody asks.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Vasilije Grbović and OFK Beograd agree another 4 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Italo is 20, and OFK Beograd have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“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 OFK Beograd, and 13 appearances in 47 say he has earned the hearing.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” OFK Beograd have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“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 OFK Beograd, and 13 appearances in 43 say he has earned the hearing.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Carlos Galicia plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what OFK Beograd can pretend not to have heard.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” OFK Beograd have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“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 OFK Beograd, and 13 appearances in 39 say he has earned the hearing.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” OFK Beograd 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.” OFK Beograd have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what OFK Beograd can pretend not to have heard.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” OFK Beograd have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what OFK Beograd can pretend not to have heard.
He is 20, and nobody at OFK Beograd signed him for this season. Deals like this are judged in four years, by people who may not still be in the building.
Kylian Combo is 19, and OFK Beograd 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.
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.
A player who expected to start watched it instead. The manager will call it a decision for the team; Waguininho will call it something else in private.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what OFK Beograd can pretend not to have heard.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” OFK Beograd have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
A player who expected to start watched it instead. The manager will call it a decision for the team; Carlos Galicia will call it something else in private.
The name of Maksim Kličković has come up in conversations OFK Beograd 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 OFK Beograd has been clear about where Lazar Sajčić stands, which is more than many ever get.
The fee is $210.0K, the contract is signed, and the argument about whether he is worth it can begin. Cukaricki drove a hard bargain; time will say who won it.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Veljko Filipović and OFK Beograd agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at OFK Beograd has been clear about where Vladimir Bubanja stands, which is more than many ever get.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what OFK Beograd can pretend not to have heard.
“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at OFK Beograd has been clear about where Aleksej Vukičević 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 OFK Beograd, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“I did not go to Radnik Surdulica to sit and watch. I want to come back to OFK Beograd and fight for my place.” 9 appearances in 28 matches say the rest.
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.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around OFK Beograd 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.” OFK Beograd have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Cukaricki go through and OFK Beograd go home, 0-1 the scoreline that did it. The dressing room will call the league the priority now, because that is what dressing rooms say.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” OFK Beograd have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what OFK Beograd can pretend not to have heard.
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.
“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 OFK Beograd, and 8 appearances in 24 say he has earned the hearing.
Asked to play a role that is not his, or taken off before the hour once too often — Anes Rušević has let it be known that he does not like the way OFK Beograd are using him. Managers hear this long before the press does.
In brief
The terracesThe press cannot get enough of Jay Enem
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around OFK Beograd 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.” OFK Beograd 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.” OFK Beograd have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what OFK Beograd can pretend not to have heard.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what OFK Beograd can pretend not to have heard.
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Marko Alčevski knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
“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 OFK Beograd, and 6 appearances in 19 say he has earned the hearing.
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.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around OFK Beograd they have already started talking about him in the past tense.