Spartak announced the departure of Quincy Promes. At the same time, the club noted that they still hope for a successful resolution of the footballer’s scandalous situation and possible continuation of cooperation in the future. Should we continue to wait for Quincy's return?
The main failure of Spartak managementThe arrest of Promes became one of the biggest news during the winter break. This is a huge mistake for both Promes and the club. The Dutchman's problems with the law in his homeland have been known for several years, and the winter before last the Spartak management even deliberately left him in Moscow to avoid detention.
But for some reason the decision was made to take him at the last training camp. It is still unclear whether there was an unfortunate accident, because of which Promes ended up behind bars, or not, but now this is no longer so important. The Dutchman went to prison, the team was left without a leader, and the club received a powerful blow to its reputation.
“I don’t change my opinion regarding the criminal cases that have been opened: when a court decision appears, it will be possible to evaluate. But now Quincy’s behavior is unacceptable. If I were in the club, I would do everything to prevent Promes from relaxing and not “forgetting” about the interests of Spartak “If I hadn’t heard, I raised the question of terminating the contract with him. There is no other way out. All the lines of what is permitted are already behind us,” former Spartak general director Evgeny Melezhikov said in an interview with Sport Express.
Promes may get stuck in the UAE for a long timeThe capital club has chosen a wait-and-see attitude from the very beginning. Apparently, the issue of release from prison was handled by Promes's lawyers, not his employer's. Although it is possible that Spartak's management, which has connections in the UAE, also got involved in resolving the situation behind the scenes. As lawyer Andrei Rozum said, in this country such delicate situations are often considered outside the courts.
But time passed, and Promes still did not return. The team gradually got used to playing without him, and journalists stopped trying to find out new details every day. All that the Dutchman’s lawyers managed to achieve was to be released from prison on bail without the right to leave the country until the end of the extradition proceedings to his homeland. Considering how slowly the wheels of justice turn in the UAE, the process could drag on for months, or even years.
We also note that Spartak, according to media reports, did not pay the footballer’s salary from the moment Promes was taken into custody until the end of the contract. As a result, the club managed, so to speak, to “save” approximately 1.7 million euros. In addition, there was information that the contract with the striker had a clause for early termination if his criminal cases somehow interfered with the fulfillment of the contract. Apparently, they decided not to use it, but it was reported that upon returning to Russia, the “red-whites” could collect a round sum from the Dutchman in the form of a fine.
But in the end the story ended as quietly and peacefully as possible. The day after the expiration of the current agreement, Spartak announced that Promes had become a free agent. The rather dry press release noted that “due to personal circumstances, it is currently not possible to talk about the Dutchman resuming his performances for the club.” The striker also reacted succinctly on his social networks, limiting himself to the wording “my family” in relation to Spartak.
Perhaps it would have been worth doing this in early spring, when it was clear that the team might not be waiting for Promes at the end of the season. There was no point in keeping hopes alive for the legend's return a couple of months before his contract expired. On the other hand, the club did not abruptly cut ties with the Dutchman, especially since he did not incur any expenses. In addition to reputational ones, which have already happened.
It's time to let Antokha go and look to the future. Now formally nothing connects Promes with Spartak. But there is a feeling that the end to this story has not yet been set. This is partly hinted at by the message from the club's press service about the end of the contract with the footballer: «Spartak» hopes that in the future the parties will be able to return to the issue of resuming cooperation.» Does this mean that the «red-whites» have real reasons to expect the footballer's return? Or is this a tribute to the legend and a reluctance to finally turn the page?
Be that as it may, it is far from a fact that in Russia, in the event of a successful outcome, Promes will be greeted with open arms. Many Spartak fans were disappointed in their favorite, even if they did not believe the accusations brought against him. After all, he let down the team, which in the spring part of the season clearly lacked his skill and leadership qualities. And some experts even believe that the football player has completely discredited himself, and he has no place not only in Spartak, but also in Russia.
It is also a big question how useful Promes can be to the team in football terms. Shortly before his arrest, the Dutchman celebrated his 32nd birthday, so he can safely be called a veteran. In addition, he spent almost six months without football, which at such a respectable age does not pass without consequences. Only after being released on bail did the striker begin to slowly regain his form, and then on an individual basis. Finally, it would not be very fair to the current Spartak players if Promes returned to the starting lineup.
It is always difficult to let go of a loved one, and the Dutchman was exactly like that. Antokha is definitely the best foreign player in the history of the club. Perhaps the entire RPL. It’s clear why it’s so difficult to get used to the fact that he’s not on the team. It’s one thing to let him go to Sevilla at the peak of his career and for good money, and another thing because of such unpleasant circumstances. But you need to let go, the time has come.
Psychologists advise that when breaking up, you should try to preserve all the best memories of the person. It is impossible to erase from memory the numerous goals, the signature celebration, the titles that would not have been possible without Promes. Despite the blurry ending of the relationship, we must thank Antokha for the bright emotions and turn this page. Then everyone is on their own.