Trouble flared at San Lorenzo on Tuesday, where Sebastián Saja, one of the goalkeepers on the books of the Boedo club, lost patience and demanded an explanation from the club’s heirarchy and manager Ramón Díaz as to why he’s not being allowed to train with the first time. Saja, who reached the 2007 Copa Libertadores final with Brazilian side Grêmio, rejoined Los Santos recently, but isn’t in Díaz’s first-team plans.

‘I’m not being considered by the manager,’ Saja explained to La Red radio station, ‘I accept that, but I want to train in the professional area, because I am a professional.’ Instead, it seems, Saja is being made to train with the youth team, having been told by president Rafael Savino that he’s welcome to a transfer should a team come in for him, since Díaz has made a ’sporting decision’ not to give him a chance at the club.

‘I accept the decision since there are already three goalkeepers. [Díaz] doesn’t need to include me. It’s totally reasonable because it’s all gone well for him [without Saja]. But I’m saying that it’s only fair to let me train… this is critical to my own career future… I want to make it known that the clubs can’t just do whatever they want with professional players. I’m going to look at ways to continue this, but for now, if tomorrow I’m told to train with the youth side again, I’m not going to do it.’

Brave words, especially going against such a hard-headed manager as Ramón Díaz, and Saja surely realises that a goalkeeper of his quality is unlikely to be searching for a new club for too long, but with the protests already heard at Racing in the last twelve to eighteen months, to note just one other club, it’ll be interesting to see how this one pans out… (hastaelgolsiempre)