“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Universidad de Concepcion, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Jorge Espejo and Universidad de Concepcion agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than 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 Universidad de Concepcion, 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.” Universidad de Concepcion 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 Universidad de Concepcion, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Patricio Romero Fernández plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.
The board have answered with money instead of encouragement, which is the only answer a manager ever wants. Spending it well is now entirely his problem.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Universidad de Concepcion, and both men came out saying it was fine.
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.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Universidad de Concepcion have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Luis Rojas and Universidad de Concepcion agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
“The easiest signature of my career.” José Sanhueza and Universidad de Concepcion agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than 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 Universidad de Concepcion, and both men came out saying it was fine.
In brief
The terracesEverybody has an opinion about Antonio Díaz
“The easiest signature of my career.” Santiago Videla and Universidad de Concepcion agree another 4 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
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.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Universidad de Concepcion have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
The fee is $91.0K, the contract is signed, and the argument about whether he is worth it can begin. Iquique drove a hard bargain; time will say who won it.
A new face in his position, and Facundo Mater suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Universidad de Concepcion have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.
In brief
SquadPablo Parra unhappy with how he is being used
The fee is $140.0K, the contract is signed, and the argument about whether he is worth it can begin. Antofagasta drove a hard bargain; time will say who won it.
O'Higgins are out and Universidad de Concepcion go through, 1-0 the final word. The bracket opens up a little, and everyone allows themselves a look at it.
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.
The competition arrived without a word said to him about it. Leonel González keeps the shirt for now, at Universidad de Concepcion's convenience rather than his own.
Asked to play a role that is not his, or taken off before the hour once too often — Pablo Parra has let it be known that he does not like the way Universidad de Concepcion are using him. Managers hear this long before the press does.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Universidad de Concepcion, and both men came out saying it was fine.
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 Universidad de Concepcion, 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.” Universidad de Concepcion have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
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.
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.
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Universidad de Chile defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
Audax Italiano are out and Universidad de Concepcion go through, 1-1 the final word. The bracket opens up a little, and everyone allows themselves a look at it.
1 kept out in the shoot-out, and a stadium that will still be describing them in twenty years. A goalkeeper only needs one of these to be remembered forever.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Pablo Parra and Universidad de Concepcion agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about 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 Universidad de Concepcion can pretend not to have heard.
“I will know when it is time. I am not there yet.” Christian Soria is 34, with 5 appearances behind him, and Universidad de Concepcion will have to plan for whichever answer comes.
Asked to play a role that is not his, or taken off before the hour once too often — Pablo Parra has let it be known that he does not like the way Universidad de Concepcion are using him. Managers hear this long before the press does.
In brief
The terracesThe press have found their man in Agustín Urzi
The shirt still fits. Arturo Valencia is back at Universidad de Concepcion, 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.
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 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 Universidad de Concepcion, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Every debut is a small story about the future: Diego Sabando, 21 years old, off the academy pitches and into the first team. The parents in the stand will keep the programme.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Yerco Oyanedel plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Universidad de Concepcion, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Santiago Silva plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.
He came through the session, took part in everything and finished it smiling. Universidad de Concepcion will not rush him, and he will spend the next fortnight trying to rush them.
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Antonio Díaz has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Universidad de Concepcion 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 Universidad de Concepcion, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The competition arrived without a word said to him about it. Cecilio Waterman keeps the shirt for now, at Universidad de Concepcion's convenience rather than his own.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Universidad de Concepcion 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 Universidad de Concepcion, 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 Universidad de Concepcion can pretend not to have heard.
Bassco Soyer is 20, and Universidad de Concepcion have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.
The fee is $250.0K, the contract is signed, and the argument about whether he is worth it can begin. Universidad Catolica drove a hard bargain; time will say who won it.
The competition arrived without a word said to him about it. Leonel González keeps the shirt for now, at Universidad de Concepcion's convenience rather than his own.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Universidad de Concepcion, and both men came out saying it was fine.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Universidad de Concepcion 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 Universidad de Concepcion, and both men came out saying it was fine.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Universidad de Concepcion have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
2 months left and the two sides are nowhere near each other. Every week this drags on takes money off what Universidad de Concepcion could get for him.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Yerco Oyanedel plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Universidad de Concepcion have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Yerco Oyanedel and Universidad de Concepcion agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
3 months left and the two sides are nowhere near each other. Every week this drags on takes money off what Universidad de Concepcion could get for 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 Universidad de Concepcion, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Yerco Oyanedel plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.
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.
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Santiago Silva knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
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.
4 months left and the two sides are nowhere near each other. Every week this drags on takes money off what Universidad de Concepcion could get for him.
In brief
The terracesThe press have found their man in Harol Salgado
5 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Universidad de Concepcion has to find a result from somewhere.
4 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Universidad de Concepcion has to find a result from somewhere.
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 Universidad de Concepcion, and both men came out saying it was fine.
48 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.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Universidad de Concepcion, and both men came out saying it was fine.