Tyran Cup 2015 [Tyran only]

by **Schottia** » Thu Aug 20, 2015 6:48 am

This is the thread for the Tyran Cup 2015. Here you can post your rosters and RPs during the tournament. The results will also be posted here at the times listed in the schedule bellow.

The Participants -

Schottia
Syara
Cacerta
Shalum
Gylias
Acrea

Fixtures -

MD1

Schottia v Syara
Harbour Hill Stadium, Handon

Acrea v Shalum
Lochend Stadium, South Schottia

Cacerta v Gylias
Gannon Park, Soessch

MD2

Shalum v Schottia
City of Port James Stadium, Port James

Gylias v Syara
Lammerton City Ground, Lammerton

Cacerta v Acrea
Ashley Road, New Belfast

MD3

Schottia v Gylias
Danu Parc, La Gorla

Shalum v Cacerta
Lammeton City Ground, Lammerton

Syara v Acrea
Gannon Park, Soessch

MD4

Cacerta v Schottia
Lochend Stadium, South Schottia

Acrea v Gylias
City of Port James Stadium, Port James

Syara v Shalum
Ashley Road, New Belfast

MD5

Schottia v Acrea
Lammerton City Ground, Lammerton

Cacerta v Syara
Danu Parc, La Gorla

Gylias v Shalum
Harbour Hill Stadium, Handon

Format -

As mentioned on the regional forum, we failed to reach eight sign-ups so the format will now be one group of six, with the top two sides playing off for the championship.

Schedule -

The cut-offs for RPs will be between 20:00 and 21:00 UTC. Any alterations to this will be announced on the regional notice board.

Friday 21st August: Draw will be made, fixture list announced.
Sunday 23rd August: Matchday one
Tuesday 25th August: Matchday two
Thursday 27th August: Matchday three
Saturday 29th August: Matchday four
Monday 31st August: Matchday five
Wednesday 2nd September: Final

RP Permissions -

Please include this box, filled out with the relevant information when you post your roster. This will let all your opponents know exactly what they are free to mention should they chose to write a match report.

Code: Select all: [pre]I Give To My Opponent The Permission To: Choose My Goalscorers: Yes or No Godmod Goalscoring Events: Yes or No Injure Players: Yes or No Godmod Injury Events: Yes or No Red Card Players: Yes or No Yellow Card Players: Yes or No Godmod Other Events: Yes or No[/pre]

by **Schottia** » Thu Aug 20, 2015 6:53 am

Situated in the north east of the region, Schottia is a small diverse country of 6.6 million people. Schottia is best known for its progressive social policies, and far left politics. Due to tight restrictions on advertising and sponsorship, the Schottic sports council have funded the Tyran Cup through their own council budget, free of any external funding sources.

Travel-

Getting to Schottia is reasonably straight forward, if not a little time consuming. Despite the fact that the country consists of five islands, it is unlikely that many visitors will arrive via ferry, due to the distances involved. Almost everyone arriving for the tournament, either fans, or players, will fly into Handon International Airport. H.I.A handles almost all of the nations incoming flights, as well as being a stop off northwest out of the region.

Travel within Schottia is remarkably easy. Public transport it well funded, and free bus and tram services make getting around the cities cheap, and stress free. For longer distances, all major towns and cities are connected by high-speed rail.

Languages -

The official languages of Schottia are Scots, English, and German; however, English is the one most likely to be heard in the large towns and cities. Most people living in Schottia are multilingual, speaking English and either Scots or German depending on the area they were born. In addition to this, languages are taught in schools from the age of five, meaning that it is not unusual for Scots to speak four or five languages with a degree of fluency.

Weather -

Most of Schottia has a temperate maritime climate, with warm summers typically around 25 degrees, and cold snowy winters ranging from -5 to +8 degrees. At the time of the Tyran Cup it will be end of the Schottic summer so visitors should expect temperature towards the upper end of the scale. The exception to this will be those matches scheduled in the city of La Gorla, where the altitude will make things feel a lot colder

Currency and Shopping -

The currency in Schottia is the Pound. The current exchange rate is two NS dollars to the pound, meaning that certain luxury goods might seem expensive. On the flip side of this food in the supermarkets is available at cost price, as is clothing in government stores.

Stadia -

With this being a small tournament, care has been taken to ensure that the match take place across the length and breadth of the country. The aim of this is to showcase all of the nation's major cities and cultures, as apposed a narrower view, sticking to the larger stadia in and around Handon.

Harbour Hill Stadium
Capacity: 55,000
City: Handon, South Schottia
Home to: Handon United (National Stadium)

Handon
The most international of all Schottia's cities is the capital of Handon. The diverse population of 1.1 million includes over 200,000 students who attend the city's four universities and five technical colleges. The harbour city is a unique blend of the old and the new, with modern buildings slotted into gap sites around 17th and 18th century architecture. Of all Schottia's towns and cities Handon is by far the most vibrant, with award winning restaurants, clubs, and bars; as well as no shortage of excellent hotels and apartments.
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Lochend Stadium
Capacity: 80,000
City: Lochend, South Schottia
Home to: Cornellians FC (MPL)

There aren't too many good reasons to visit the town of Lochend, unless it is football related. Last year an abandoned industrial site on the outskirts of the town was chosen as the home to Schottia's MPL side Cornellians. The site has its own hotels and bars, as well as a train station, so that visitors don't have to endure the town itself.
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Gannon Park
Capacity: 38,000
City: Soessch, North Island
Home to: FC Soessch

Soessch
Soessch is the second city of Schottia and principle town of The North Islands. Like Handon, it has top quality facilities and services, however with a population of 600,000, just on a smaller scale. The city sits at the foot of a huge mountain range, and occupies a long narrow stretch of land between the cliffs and the sea. Soessch is split down the middle by a wide river, which is crossed by twenty-seven bridges. The architecture differs slightly from that of Handon, as the predominately German-speaking population made their mark in the 1700s.
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City of Port James Stadium
Capacity: 32,000
City: Port James, South Schottia
Home to: Port James Athletic

Port James
Perched on a narrow shelf of rock at the most southwesterly point of Schottia, Port James' 230,000 inhabitants are afforded stunning views of the northern seas. Although the city is eleven kilometres long, the natural geography of the landscape means that the city is just over one kilometre wide. For centuries the city's deep-sea port has served as the base of the nations navy. Port James is also located deep in the heart of the wine-producing region and is one of the oldest cities in Schottia.
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Lammerton City Ground
Capacity: 30,000
City: Lammerton, South Schottia
Home to: Lammerton, Lammerton City

Lammerton
A small city of 190,000, Lammerton is positioned right in the heart of South Schottia, making it an excellent base for exploring the country. The city is famous for its huge 17th century fort, which sits on a rock in the centre of Lammerton, as well as its winding streets and traditional buildings. In a recent study Lammerton named the most liveable city in Schottia. The city has a long tradition of football, its two professional sides, Lammerton and Lammerton City participate in the longest running derby in Schottia.
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Ashley Road
Capacity: 22,000
City: New Belfast, South Schottia
Home to: New Belfast Warriors

New Belfast
New Belfast is a former whaling town, and owes much of its prominence to when the trade was one of the nations main industries. This maritime tradition has contributed much to the architecture and traditions of the city, which boasts a population of 240,000. After going through a period of decline in the 60s and 70s, New Belfast has recently seen an up turn in fortune, largely due to its arts and culture.
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Danu Parc
Capacity: 16,000
City: La Gorla, North Island
Home to: La Gorlions

La Gorla is a spectacular city, situated high in the North Island Mountains. The city is the largest town in the traditionally French speaking area of Schottia. The high altitude of Danu Parc makes it notoriously hard play at, hence the infamous home record of city's club, La Gorlions.
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by **Gylias** » Thu Aug 20, 2015 12:00 pm

Gylian national football team

National information: Available on iiwiki.

Background

The national football team of the Republic of Gylias has historically had a rather limited international sports presence due to its gender-neutral roster, as the team absolutely insists that it will either be allowed to play as is or it will not participate in an event at all, which has led to it boycotting several international tournaments. Its experience consists mainly of frequently scoreless friendly matches, though it has participated in the Tyran Cup since independence, winning in 2000 and coming second in 2014. It also participated in this year's Baptism of Fire 57, coming in last in its group, and in the 70th World Cup, coming fifth in its group.

Gylians are known for culturally regarding sport as an opportunity for enjoyment above all else, and refusing to acknowledge the competitive aspects. The national football team is no different, as its players are drawn from local football teams which never play in tournaments, but instead only play friendly matches, completely ignoring winning, losing and even scores in order to focus on having fun. Gylian players are known for a near-perfect record of good sportsmanship, having only very rarely received yellow cards due to accidents, and for frequently interacting and engaging in friendly conversation with their teammates and the other team's players on the pitch while playing.

As a secondary effect, the Gylian team's carefree playing style has given it a highly erratic record in international tournaments and a reputation for quirkiness that has often enchanted audiences due to its contrast with the regular competitive approach of other teams. This was famously expressed by Shalumite commentator Antoon Heijman's remark, "The Gylian team seems to be either amazing or awful, and nothing else in between."

The standard Gylian playing style is mainly inspired by the total football practiced by the Dutch national team in the 1970s and the tactical innovations of the Hungarian national football team in the 1950s. As such, the Gylian national football team has no fixed formation, and instead uses a fluid lineup whereby every player on the field except for the goalkeeper freely switches between multiple roles and positions, emphasising flexibility and cooperation over specialisation.

During matches, the team is also known for frequently playing at a slower pace, engaging in friendly banter with each other and casual conversation with the opposite side, and are known for indulging in eccentric actions for their own amusement, such as spontaneously turning a match into a moment of volleyball through headers and high passes, or attempting to kick the ball at the end of a roll simply because "it looked cool". In reference to this, former team manager Lausidh Zynlae remarked, "The most important thing is that our matches are never boring."

The team's shirts are white with a golden line running through the middle, regardless of whether they are the home or away team. If it would be necessary, they request that the Gylian national anthem not be played before a match in order to avoid depressing the audience.

Kits: White T-shirts with a golden line running through the middle, whenever they feel like wearing them. Their kits do not have numbers on the back, just the players' full names in large type.

Style: 0 (balanced)
Formation: Total football - no fixed formation

Players

1. Bhaksa Terneshyk
2. Kalse Ramned
3. Hurik Davidyan
4. Navan Dzíorny
5. Adna Acsir
6. Panagiotakis Xanthopoulos
7. Hana Matsuri
8. Dietmar Enns
9. Mared Terneshyk
10. Xadje Korxal
11. Naomi Mizushima
12. Nar Enylesh
13. Tzane Leuthej
14. Nels Langenberg
15. Zardáy Thashnæn
16. Arda Shanrek
17. Arevik Moushian
18. Rubinho Rodrigues

The position of goalkeeper rotates among all members for each match, and the roster is also changed for each match. Every half-time, the Gylian team will make two substitutions to rest players and give backups a turn on the field, ensuring that all members play as equally as possible throughout a match or tournament.

Manager: Amrana Eytak

Coach: Sarna Dyrvedz

Team doctor: Eva Sarney

I Give To My Opponent Permission To:
=================================
Choose My Goalscorers:        Y 
Godmod Goalscoring Events:    Y 
Injure Players:               N
Godmod Injury Events:         N
Red Card Players:             N
Yellow Card Players:          N
Godmod Other Events:          N
=================================

(Thanks to Schottia for the strip!)

by **Schottia** » Fri Aug 21, 2015 4:01 am

National Football Team of Schottia

Tyran Cup 2015

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Manager: Grant Nean 66 (Caretaker)
Assistant: Andy Rydel 67 (Caretaker)
First Team Coach: David Chettwell 63
First Team Coach: Max Linellan 42
Gk Coach: Norman Davis 40
Physio: Jimmy Anderson 50
------------------------------

Style Modifier: +0

Team info
Schottia come into this tournament amidst huge controversy following the resignation of manager Barry Gorman. Under the stewardship of the 47-year-old, Schottia climbed steadily though the world rankings, and most recently reached the last-16 of the Cup of Harmony. However, after a relatively poor qualifying campaign, where Schottia never looked like making the play-offs, Gorman handed in his notice. Despite a number of candidates being interviewed, The Schottic Football Association still seem no closer to appointing a replacement, and as a result, they go into this tournament without a permanent manager.

SFA youth coach and former Kings Park assistant Grant Nean, has been handed the role of Caretaker, but it will do nothing to dampen the rage from the fans. With Schottia hosting the tournament, many have seen this as a wasted opportunity to add a title to the Harbour Hill Trophy Cabinet.

Regarding the current squad, the problems have been doubly conflated by injuries to star players such as Gaston Avelion, Jon Fotan, and Bruno Schwartz. All this means that the current squad will have something of an unfamiliar feel to it, with no fewer than four players in for their first competitive call up. Nean's style of play is vastly different from that of Gorman's, so don't be surprised to see the personnel switch about over the course of the tournament. With his preference for possession football, sharp passing, and patient build up, Nean may look to reshuffle at some point. He has already brought in 18-year-old midfielder Boris Hunt, who served him well en route to the quarter finals of the Sporting World Cup, and the Laketown Rangers man may feature.

----------------------------

Home - Away

The kits for this cycle have been designed by AER Sportswear of Gloriax, replacing the previous strip worn in World Cups 69 and 70. This new design has got replica shirt sales rocketing, featuring a predominantly black away strip for the first time.

Squad
The starting line up displayed here is probably the most likely eleven to play, however, if you are PRing feel free to read the player descriptions and make a few changes. Also you can check my most recent post in the RP tread to get some more up to date information.

1. GK Lucas D'Araby, 32

Handon United Height:190cm Weight:84kg (c)
One of Schottia's problems in past tournaments has been defensive lapses, however, none of this could be blamed on team captain D'Araby. Since joining Handon United as a youngster, he has become one of the country's most decorated players. Big, Strong, and dependable between the sticks, he is one of the players in this side who is a certainty to start. There is no one on the team for whom qualification would mean more to than the experienced keeper.

2. RB Larry Watt, 22,

1860 Azoth, Height: 180cm. Weight: 75kg
Now firmly established as Schottia's first choice right back, Watt has won great reviews while playing for his country. The former Di Bradini Cup winner started his career at Marionville, where the first team experience he gained helped him win a move to Buyanese side Blau-Weiss Pallstadt. After fighting his way into the first team there, Watt was recently snapped up by Cenian side 1860 Azoth for a sum of $9 million. Larry Watt is a tall powerful runner, who has a strong emphasis on defence. His reluctance to get forward and support the attack has been criticised on occasion, however he is a solid player, who rarely makes mistakes.

3. LB Darren O'Brian, 24,

King's Park Height:178cm Weight:71kg
Following a highly disappointing season at Kings Park, where the club failed to finish in the top six of the SPL for the first time in eight years, O'Brian will be desperate to prove himself. He has been in the senior set-up in Schottia for five years now, and despite being a left winger, he has made the left-back position his own. There have been a few well documented cases, where he has slipped up defensively, however he makes up for it with his attacking skill. His pace and ability to support the forward players, is crucial to how Schottia play.

4. CB Darren Hanlon, 23,

FC Matovallanen Height:188cm Weight:84kg
Hanlon is another player who has been on the move recently, joining up with Semarland side FC Matovallanen. The player who started his career with Kings Park, captained Schottia in the Olympics and has represented his country at all levels. Hanlon is a very professional player, who has a great technical ability, and top class positioning. Still young for a centre-back, there is a lot of excitement around this player, with regards to the future of the national team.

5. CB Chris Okywä, 28,

Soessch Height:183cm Weight:84kg
Fast becoming one of the elder statesmen of a squad increasingly swelling with young talent, Okywä was an important player for Barry Gorman. Second now only behind D'Araby in the starting line up in terms of caps, he brings valuable knowledge to the side. Although occasionally a bit of a bomb-scare at the back Okywä's strength and athleticism are not to be messed with. He is often regarded as the joker of the team, and is very popular in the dressing room.

6. CM Gary Corsie, 23,

Chatswood Height:190cm Weight:80kg
On a good day Corsie is a box to box midfielder who combines stamina and graft, with subtlety, composure and a keen eye for goal. On a bad day he is disinterested, lazy and a bomb scare in possession. Which Gary Corsie it is that turns up can be anyone’s guess. This inconsistency has meant periods out of the starting line-up for the big midfielder, however, for those mangers able to get the best out of him, he has been a powerful asset. Corsie recently completed an eight million move to Chatswood in Nephara after impressing during a loan period at his home town club of Marionville.

8. CM Alfred Seggerson, 25,

Handon United Height:181cm Weight:79kg
Seggerson joined current club Handon United aged sixteen from Kloithian club Amothsborg Fishermen for a fee of £250,000. Since then he has grown into one of their most important first team players, making his debut two years later. His nation of birth, Kloith, has since undergone a brutal revolution and his passport was declared not valid. Seggerson has now been granted Schottic citizenship winning his first cap in a friendly in Flardania. Seggerson is a quick and agile midfielder, with over 250 appearances in the Schottic Premier League. He is a solid playmaker who can chip in a few goals from the midfield.

11. LM/F Chloe Rudden, 18,

North Laithland Height:172cm Weight:60kg
The jet-healed winger is one of the nation’s top prospects, and no doubt has a big future in the senior team. The teenager has played most of her career in the Women's Super-League, where she had a near 1 to 1 goal to game ratio in her last season with Handon Eagles. Rudden's recent move to North Laithland has been a big step in her career, but one that she has taken in her stride. As well as helping her side to fourth in the league, she picked up the young player of the year gong in the process. This, coupled with some fantastic performances for the U-21s and during the Cup of Harmony, as seen the youngster thrown into the first team.

10. A/CM FC Kim Coultan, 20,

Crawford City Height:160cm Weight:52kg
From the fringes of a side in the second tier of Schottic football to one of the stars of the side, which finished third in the Buyanese Top League. Coultan's journey over the last two years of her life has been a rags to riches story. The 20-year-old DBC winner became the first woman to play for the senior team when she was capped in the Cup of Harmony two years ago, and has since gone on to establish herself in the first team. Small in stature even in terms of the other female players, Coultan relies on speed and agility to out-fox the opposition. Good on either foot, she is best known for her crop, one touch passing and her goal scoring abilities. She as just completed a $14 million move to Cosumarite club Crawford City, making her the most expensive Schottic player in terms of transfer fees.

7. AMRLC Eoin Killanen, 21,

Kingsgrove Height:176cm Weight:70kg
Now really coming of age, Schottia's DBC winning captain is one of the out and out stars of this Tyran Cup squad. The FC Zurich man was outstanding as his side lifted the title in Starblaydia, and has since replicated that form for the national team. The former Lammerton wonderkid has in the past been accused of being to selfish, however, this is something he has worked had to rectify. Killanen is similar to Coultan, in that he can play anywhere in the midfield. That said, he is perhaps more comfortable just behind the striker, where he can get more opportunities on goal. During the transfer window Killanen made the switch to Brenecian side Kingsgrove, where he will be hoping to make a quick impact.

9. FC Mark Allen, 25,

FC Hill Valley Height:191cm Weight: 81kg
It has been a hard battle for the Hill Valley man to establish himself as the number one choice in the coveted loan-striker role. The former Port Sebastian man was the Schottic League's top scorer before he departed for the Adiran club. If he is sometimes accused of being lazy and reluctant to chase back, he makes up for it with his strike capability, and vision in front of goal. He has been the preferred man up-front for three seasons now, but with a new manager coming in, this could all be subject to change.

Substitutes

12. GK Chris Gonzaö, 24,

Port Sebastian Height:202cm Weight:85kg
The Port Sebastian 24-year-old has been forced to bide his time, in his long stint as understudy to D'Araby. Despite performing will in the occasional friendly match, it has been impossible of him to force his way into the first team reckonings. More that capable when called upon, there is little doubt that he will be a suitable longterm replacement when the time comes. In the meantime at least he gets a good view of the matches from the bench.

13. CB. Gareth Souter, 19

Sporting Cenial Height: 188cm. Weight: 79kg
Since making his debut for Handon United aged 18, there has been a feeling that Souter could be a special player. After leaving the club to join up with Cenian side Sporting Cenial, he impressed former manager Barry Gorman with a string of good performances. He helped his club to fourth in the league last season, and was named fourth best defender in the league in the process. Souter is a strong player, who takes the game very seriously. Souter has a good footballing ability and is comfortable on the ball, meaning he can play in midfield if called upon.

14. CB John McCann, 31,

Handon United Height:191cm Weight:82kg
While first choice centre-back of the previous administration, McCann has had to settle for a spot on the bench in Barry Gorman's side. That said, he is a more than capable player, with bags of experience, and will no doubt feature heavily during the qualifiers. He is vice-captain for his club Handon United and had proven himself to be a sting and solid defender, if not a bit of a blunt instrument.

15. R/L/CB Jack Gordon, 31,

Handon United Height:181cm Weight:73kg
A versatile and highly adaptable defender, Jack Gordon has been an important player for Schottia in their rise up the world rankings. The Handon United full-back can play either side of defence and can fill in at centre-back if required. He is a good solid option at the back, and has the pace to get forward and support the attack. Gordon has found himself behind the likes of Larry Watt and Hollin's Chris Jack in some recent tournaments, however, his ability to play anywhere in defence makes him a valuable player.

16. R/LB Jenna Koemann, 24,

Ludogorets Markovsky Ladies, Height: 170cm. Weight: 68kg
Koemann became the third female player to win a cap for Schottia in the last set of qualifiers. The 24-year-old, who plays in the Fleftic League is no stranger to international set-up. She featured for the Schottic Woman's side, which reached the quarter finals of the last Olympic games, and has been called up to the DBC squad. Koemann left MPL side Cornellians to join Ludogorets Markovsky two seasons ago, in a bid to get regular first team football.

17. CM Jenny McDonald,

Willox Street Pirates, 20 Height: 173cm. Weight: 64kg
The aggressive little midfielder has been a big hit with Port Christopher champions Willox Street Pirates. Leaving Handon Ladies for a fee of 150,000 two seasons ago she has since gone on to score in the group stages of the Globe Cup, and pick up two league titles with her new club. McDonald, who has been capped at U-21 level, is an all action, combative style player, who throws all caution to the wind when she plays.

18. RM Craig O'Maramy, 22,

New Belfast Warriors Height:177cm Weight: 62kg
O'Maramy is easily one of the best wide men in the Schottic league right now. A stand out player during his side's march to lifting Di Bradini Cup, he has also made five sub appearances for the senior team scoring two goals in the process. Even at 22, he is already a key player for his club New Belfast Warriors, who currently sit top of the SPL. O'Maramy is blessed with huge amounts of pace, skill and stamina. He is a good crosser of the ball, but also likes to cut in and shoot, as his goal tally at club level would suggest.

19. ACM Boris Hunt,

Laketown Rangers, 18 Height:193cm Weight:82kg
One of the rising stars of the Schottic game, even at eighteen Hunt already has the pace and power to match anyone in this current Schottic squad. Hunt is one of the big success stories in terms of youth development on the islands. Coming through the regional development programme at a young age, Hunt as scored goals at U-15, U-18, and U-21 level. He eventually got his big move to Laketown Rangers in Taeshan, where he has worked had to make an impact. One thing for certain, Boris Hunt will be a name, which the fans will be seeing on a Schottia strip for many years to come.

20. AMR Jonathan Bia, 18,

Port Sebastian Height:170cm Weight:72kg
As a Schottic footballer, when your manager calls you the next Gaston Avelione, you know you're doing something right. The Dahamy born winger only received international clearance to play last year. Since then Joey (as he likes to be called) has put in some top class performances, in both the World Cup and Cup of Harmony. Bia worked was part of Gorman's SPL winning side in 2014, when they were both at Port Sebastian, and the teenager has that direct attacking style of play which is so important to the manager's tactics. Bia is a player who normally gets amongst the goals, and often attempts audacious shots.

21. CM Thio Crillin, 23

Myrmidon Height: 188cm. Weight: 88kg
No one really expected the former Hollin midfielder to feature much in the World Cup 72 qualifiers, however Crilin went on to make a valuable contribution. Another DBC winner, he has won accolades for his performances with Cenian side Myrmidon, helping them to a Globe Cup spot. Thio Crillin is a big powerful, broad shouldered player, who can hold his own with almost anyone in the midfield.

22. CM Kris Scott, 27,

New Belfast Warriors Height:180cm Weight:74kg
Scott is a very underrated player, who has been a valuable member of former club Lammerton for a number of seasons. Last season he Jane Gullie took him to her SPL winning side, where he made the step up. A good all-round passer of the ball Scott won his first cap last year in a freidly match against Flardania.

23. FC Paul Coine, 27,

Port Sebastian Height:183cm Weight:81kg
Paul Coine is one of the SPL's top strikers, and was instrumental in Port Sebastian's 2014 title win. Despite his performances for his club, his international career has largely been confined to the bench. That said, he has often come on and made an impact, and has scored in the last three World Cup cycles. A fast and cut-throat attacker, Coine can play upfront or just behind the striker.

24. FC John Cooper, 26,

Lammerton Height:179cm Weight:70kg
Cooper's would have been a name which shocked everyone when it was announced in this squad, however injuries have forced the manager's hand. That said, Cooper has performed well for a number of seasons at club level, and knows what it takes to score goals at SPL level. He is a hardworking, back to the goal style player, with a good strike from set pieces.

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Formation and tactics

Most likely too...
The following categories operate a depth chart system, taking into account the probability that the player will be on the pitch

Permissions
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Choose my goalscorers Y 
Godmod scoring events Y
Roleplay injuries to my players Y (I will decide how long.)
Godmod injuries to my players N
Hand out yellow cards to my players Y 
Hand out red cards to my players N (Y with TG)
Godmod other events Y
---
I'm very open to any interesting ideas on or of the pitch, so feel free to send me a TG. 
All I ask is that you don't kill anyone or end their career
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by **Shalum** » Fri Aug 21, 2015 2:49 pm

Shalumite National Football Team

Coach: Arthur Cross
Assistant: Mara Felder
Goalkeeping Coach: Aria Lier
Manager: Markus Dehnert

In Shalum, football is easily the most popular sport, thanks to a mix of international popularity and the fact that it is a rather easy game to learn and play. Across the country, many people learn the sport at an early age, and continue to play it late into their adulthood, eventually passing down the experience to the next generation. It is not uncommon for a primary and secondary school to have a football team or two. Every year, college teams play against one another during the summer and fall seasons, ending with a tournament to decide who is the best team in the nation. In recent years, the Aragon Wildcats have been the most successful college team, followed closely by the Dresden FC Industrial and FC Frankfurt Arsenal. Of course, there is the Shalumite Football League (SFL), which is the group of professional teams within the country.

The team representing Shalum this year is full of new faces when compared to the team that represented Shalum in the last cup. In the last year, the national team has seen a number of changes, with Arthur Cross (the coach of the Aragon Wildcats) being appointed the new coach of the national team. During his short tenure as coach thus far, he has done a good job lighting a fire under the team, one that has not been seen since the late nineties. In recent press conferences, he has stated his confidence in achieving victories this year during the cup.

There is plenty of talent among the team's ranks this year, partly thanks to coach Cross' work, and due to the fact that most Shalumite footballers would jump at the opportunity to represent their nation. There are older faces, like the experienced Samuel Lange, but for the most part, the team is full of young guns straight from college pitches. With this, there has been some controversy about possible nepotism, as there are five players from the Aragon Wildcats that are starters, but those rumors have been at most that, simply rumors. In Shalum, teams of all levels are gender-neutral, thus you will be seeing both men and women representing the Empire this year.

Kits: Blue and white uniforms and shorts, with matching socks and cleats.
Style: -2 (The Shalumite team emphasizes a strong defense)
Formation: 4-3-3

Players

Offense

Forward: Samuel Lange #9
Right Wing: Sophia Pichler #10
Left Wing: Anthony Winchester #17
Substitutes: Matthias Danvers #23, Beatrix Heldt #19, Jeremy Digby #14

Midfield

Center Midfield: Sarah Walker #31
Left Half: Elijah Malcomson #8
Right Half: Emma Van Der Beek #5
Substitutes: Hector Forrest #12 and Terence Winthrope #15

Defense

Center Back: Baastian Hester #21
Sweeper: Sabine Kocher #25
Right Back: Thomas Carmichael #23
Left Back: Jennifer Goldfeld #31
Substitutes: Samuel Belleville #32 and Alastair Rafferty #33

Goalkeeper: David Benning #1
Substitute: Richard Neilson #2

I Give To My Opponent The Permission To:

Choose My Goalscorers: Yes 
Godmod Goalscoring Events: Yes 
Injure Players: Yes 
Godmod Injury Events: Yes
Red Card Players: Yes
Yellow Card Players: Yes 
Godmod Other Events: Yes

by **Syara** » Fri Aug 21, 2015 6:30 pm

Syaran Association Football National Men's Team

The Syaran National Mens Team is the Commonalty's premier association football team responsible for representing Syara on the international stage. Formed in 1931, the team (Known affectionately back home as the "Boys in Green") has found itself once more representing the Commonality in this regional tournament. Based on an aggressive playing style that emphasizes continuous attacking to wear down the endurance of the opposing teams.

Coach: Boško Majstorović
Assistant Coach: Zrinko Jukić
Manager: Roko Ponoš

Kits: Green shirts with Black shorts and socks with grey cleats
Style: +3 (The Syaran Team focuses on attacking heavily)
Formation: 3-4-3

Players

Forwards:

#23 J. Kotromanović
#12 M. Čulo
#19 C. Lukačević
#18 A. Nikolić #14 Roksandić (Substitutes)

Midfielders:

#29 U. Štimac
#30 Z. Vlak
#26 A. Šakota
#22 L. Andrić
#25 P. Bebić #27 G. Toperić (Substitutes)

Defenders:

#34 R. Iveković
#31 K. Bulić
#28 S. Grgić
#32 E. Kalinić #35 O. Majstorović (Substitutes)

I Give To My Opponent The Permission To:

Choose My Goalscorers: Yes 
Godmod Goalscoring Events: Yes 
Injure Players: Yes 
Godmod Injury Events: Yes
Red Card Players: Yes 
Yellow Card Players: Yes 
Godmod Other Events: Yes

by **Acrea** » Sat Aug 22, 2015 7:34 am

Acrean National Football Team
Natsionálnaya Sbórnaya Akaskii po futbólu
Национа́льная сбо́рная Акаски по футбо́лу

Acrea has a long, proud, and very successful history in Football. With 6 titles and 4 runners-up, it is one of the top two footballing nations in the UTFA alongside Schottia, a nation with which it also shares a long and cordial relationship with.

Football in Acrea is a sport with tradition, and a sport for the fans created and shaped by the fans. AFS games boast cheap ticket prices and extremely high fan turnouts, even in midweek matches in the middle of winter. This is a part of why Acrea is so successful internationally, along with simply how it is played in Acrea.

Acrean football culture is fair, and competitive (in a fair way). A majority of traditional players will not violate the tradition and the honour of the sport for their own game, especially if it means their own reputation going down. The way Acrean play football is moulded around Acrean culture, and founded in the principle of maximum efficiency.

The Team

Manager: Dominik Koulikov 45
Assistant: Markus Kasamov 38
First Team Coach: Marcel Katin 41
First Team Coach: Eric Simonov 39
Gk Coach: Luca Chernyy 44
Physio: Stefan Ryabin 36

Style Modifier: -2

This will be the first year that the Acrean National Team will enter the tournament with a multisex team, the introduction of top-rated striker Aleksandrya Volkova and centre-back Lena Savrakov eliminating the team's status as an all-male team. It sees some new faces, and some returning ones.

Among the returning faces are top striker Danil Kalashnikov, attacking midfielder Alexey Kovalenko, and right wing Vasily Nikolayev. A triple threat, these three are the backbone of the Acrean offence and the replacements for each of these players, while not up to the same standard, have been meticulously trained to try and be as best they could. However, these three also mean that the Acrean team, while extremely deadly on attacking on the right field, lack on the other side with Jäger unable to match Neustädter's pure speed. The iron triangle of Kalashnikov, Kovalenko, and Nikolayev work in cooperation. Nikolayev's speed and extreme passing accuracy, Kovalenko's playmaking skill, and Kalashnikov's shot power, accuracy, and ball handling combine to make a deadly trio when they work together, especially with the attack strategy of the Soviet 4-3-2-1 formation. Kovalenko has also been known, occasionally, to advance to something more of a forward when the time is especially right to back up Kalashnikov. Matviyenko and Volikov, when on the attack, also move up closer to the middle of the field to back up the attacking midfielders and the striker.

On the defensive, the four attacking players will hover around the middle of the field to catch a pass or stray kick, leaving the six-man defence (not counting the goalkeeper) to do their work. On the defensive, young right back Stefan Severov is a rising star. His pure athleticism and aggressiveness, while it has resulted in a yellow card more than once, also greatly helps in pressuring opponents with the ball towards the centre of the defensive formation, where the steel trap of Matviyenko, Volikov, Barsukov, and Leshev are at their best. All four players were chosen with two main attributes in mind- their ability to pressure the offence, and their ability to spot openings. Along with Kuznetsov, Barsukov is one of the most athletic and aggressive defenders on the team. He is as close to a striker's nightmare as the Acrean team could find. His build, athleticism, speed, aggressiveness, composure, and anticipation are central in the speed that the Acrean team is known for in moving the ball up the field to the attackers. Most frequently, depending on who is open, he will knock a straight, fast pass to Matviyenko or Volikov who will then, without missing a beat, quickly pass it off to (usually) Nikolayev to begin the attacking cycle.

The 4-2-3-1 formation of the Acrean team provides them flexibility in both the attack and in the defence. To make up for lacking as many players dedicated to the attack, the Acrean staff selects players who are able to work with superb teamwork and coordination, as well as with speed and the ability to anticipate the movements of defenders. The two defending midfielders cover the gaps in the center of the field left by the right, left, and attacking midfielders when they go on the attack to support the lone striker, who is of himself the tip of the spear of the attack. It also focuses greatly on the positioning of the players, relying a lot on fast and direct passing to move the ball into optimal position around opposing defenders. The two defending midfielders, who hover around the halfway area of the field when the team is attacking, act as reinforcements for the attackers. On the defence, the six man defensive wall with the four dedicated backs and two defending midfielders provide a formidable wall to breach, with key experienced talents like Barsukov and Kuznetsov and upcoming talents like Severov creating an attacker's nightmare if having to face six defenders wasn't enough of an obstacle.

While the strengths of the formation are evident, the weaknesses depend a lot on the players on the field and how the manager plays them. The first is that the formation is inherently defensive in nature, and it is clear that it is not a formation meant to achieve a high scoring game, but rather to prevent the other team from scoring. It consolidated the midfield into two separate parts, which has led to the team being extremely good at tight and tidy possession and superb defensive security but compromises wide expanses of space in between. The two wing midfielders generally act more like wing forwards and compromise a lot of space behind them, especially when compensating for the lack of a second striker. There is also the potential dangers of the use of a lone striker. While the Iron Triangle attackers of the team have, over the years, performed excellently, there is always the threat of the lone striker being overcrowded by a usually numerically superior defence, resulting in him having to pull back and engage in a passing pattern with the other attackers to attempt to find an opening and make a chance.

A more emerging variation of this tried and tested strategy is the use of a False 9. In this strategy, the more traditionally-oriented Kalashnikov is often replaced by the younger Volkova, and her, together with the other three attackers, form something of an Iron Diamond instead. The goal of this, in Koulikov's strategy, is to make the full use of the athleticism and skill of the front four. The main strengths of this formation are the variety and unpredicatbility, with the players each serving in less rigid roles and breaking out of more direct attack patterns and passing patterns. It serves, primarily, to unsettle usually more rigid defences and make full use of the capabilities of Acrea's players. The main weakness here is the lack of the traditional striker. There is still a reason that the vast majority of teams utilise it, and rightfully so, as (in her own words) Volkova will most likely never be as skilled a traditional striker as the famed Tsar Kalashnikov.

These are the most common two formations/strategies. Other formations used and practiced with are:

4-1-4-1
3-4-2-1

Starting Eleven

GK 1. Aleksandr Dyatlov

RB 4. Stefan Severov
CB 3. Nikita Leshev
CB 2. Viktor Kuznetsov
LB 5. Nikolas Barsukov

DM 8. Dominik Volikov
DM 6. Krystyan Matviyenko

AM 7. Alexey Kovalenko
LW 11. André Sokolov
RW 10. Vasily Nikolayev

CF 9. Danil Kalashnikov

Some Player Information:

CF 9. Danil 'Tsar' Kalashnikov- Age 36
A traditional No. 9, Kalashnikov is the one of the most successful strikers the Acrean team has had for decades, first making his debut for the National Team at the age of 17 in 2002. Between his appearances in 2002 and 2006 in the Tyran Cup, he had scored a cumulative 18 goals in the 2002, 2004, and 2006 Tyran Cups. Currently, he has 102 goals to his name in international games, one of the most successful strikers ever fielded. His combination of ball handling, anticipation, shot power and accuracy, and composure no doubt contribute to this. He is extremely close with his friend and replacement Aleksandrya Volkova, who he has extensively trained in preparation for the 2015 Cup. He has a personal reputation for being fiercely loyal to his team and his nation, as well as for being an extremely respectful and honourable player.

CF 19. Aleksandrya 'False 9' Volkova- Age 22
This young, 22-year old gifted striker from the small town of Spartanovka near the banks of the Volga is just as well known for her attractiveness as she is for her skill on the pitch. Making her club debut in 2010, she quickly gained more fame and attention for her playstyle, which encompasses a less rigid and more free style of play than the traditional No. 9 used in most clubs. While many originally saw this as a potential liability, Koulikov selected her for the National Team in 2014 as both a substitute for Kalashnikov and as a False 9. Since then, she has formed a close relationship with her striker partner, and the two generally train together exclusively with the others considered a part of the Iron Triangle offence.

RW 10. Vasily Nikolayev- Age 25
A determined and young midfielder from the city of Prague, Nikolayev's speed and passing accuracy and power are the attributes that Koulikov signed him for. He is an integral part of the Iron Triangle of Kalashnikov/Volkova, Kovalenko, and himself. Despite his faults in personality of often pretending to be cocky and always joking around, he is serious on the pitch and his speed is unmatched.

AM 7. Alexey Kovalenko- Age 24
The third and final component of the Iron Triangle offence is Alexey Kovalenko, a younger player out of Vladivostok who's playmaking abilities impress many. He is an always calm and collected player, and his composure greatly plays into his ability to spot openings in an opposing defence and direct the offence into position to score.

CB 2. Nikolas Barsukov- Age 31
A star defender and one of the older members of the team, Nikolas Barsukov still reigns strong and supreme as the main leader of the defence. He is aggressive, athletic, and composed. The towering man is accurate in tackling and extremely quick in gaining possession, owing to him being the strongest on the defence.

GK 1. Aleksandr Dyatlov- Age 29
Barsukov's best friend, and the star goalkeeper of the Acrean team, this composed, agile, and towering man is a best friend to everybody. His ability to anticipate and his coordination with the defenders are the primary reasons he is the go-to keeper for Koulikov. That, and his glorious beard.

Permissions
---------------------
Choose my goalscorers: Y
Godmod scoring events: Y
Roleplay injuries to my players: Y (I will decide how long)
Godmod injuries to my players: N
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Y
Hand out red cards to my players: N
Godmod other events: N
----------------------

by **Cacerta** » Sat Aug 22, 2015 1:15 pm

National University of Cacerta’s Women's Football Team

Caitlin and Catarina, the mascots for the NUoC's Women's Football Team

Team Background:
Although Football has had a long and storied history in the Kingdom of Cacerta, it has never been considered popular enough to establish a national association. However, this has never stopped Cacerta from representing itself internationally. Most often times, the most recent university-level championship team is selected to represent the nation.

The last decade, the Cacertian football scene has been dominated by the men of the National University of Cacerta and was only dethroned from their victory streak by their sister team during last years national competition. The women of the NUoC are considered the surprising up-and-coming football team of the Cacertian Isles.

Manager: Vera Camardo
Assistant Manager: Mina Camardo
Coach: Maria Iodice
Coach: Allegra Cinotti

Team Colours: Black, White, Light Blue

Style Mode: -2

GK: Lilliana Varrone
DR: Anna Tudisco
DL: Valeriana Schipanti
CB: Rina Paoletti
CB: Rita Paoletti
MR: Ilia Morreale
ML: Veronica Lucarelli
MC: Emilia Leggio
MC: Priscilla Scelza
FC: Amelia Cerini
FC: Daniela Luciano

I Give To My Opponent The Permission To:

Choose My Goalscorers: Yes 
Godmod Goalscoring Events: Yes 
Injure Players: Yes 
Godmod Injury Events: Yes
Red Card Players: Yes
Yellow Card Players: Yes 
Godmod Other Events: Yes

by **Schottia** » Sat Aug 22, 2015 4:12 pm

The function room above the Harpooner Bar
The Quayside, Handon

'So I need three-pluses to hit.' Said Gary Corsie caressing twenty small white dice between his palms, a glint of menace in his steely blue eyes. They were now into turn four and the tension was reaching boiling point. The last magic phase had been kind to Gary and his co-commander "Fat" Simon Kennedy, having managed to successfully cast the winds of death upon their rivals' pikemen unit. Gary was prowling back and forth at his side of the gamming table, he was like a caged tiger ready to pounce. It was a side of the big midfielder that people rarely saw. Gone were the disinterested hunched shoulders, the hang-dog expression, and a young man old before his time. Gary was alive.

'Don't forget the extra attack for the dragon blade!' Added Simon pointing at the bright green painted blade in the hand of Gary's General. The customised miniature had been modified to look suspiciously like him. The original head cut off and replaced with a hand-modelled version with a brown beard. The figurine was Gary's centrepiece, the time and cost that had went into it was immeasurable. The shining armoured figure was mounted on a rampant Manticore, a hand painted standard in one hand, and the dragon blade held aloft in the other. When not is use the model normally sat on a high shelf next to Gary's cabin bunk.
'Good shout Si!' Said Gary looking around for another die. 'Chloe can you throw me one down from the table?'

Chloe Rudden was doing her best. She loved Gary dearly, however war gaming brought out a completive side in him, which she didn't like. It was not in her nature to be anything other than supportive, so she would never criticise her partner. That said, she was starting to like being back in Schottia less and less, every time she came home. She never thought it would happen, but it had; she had moved on. Since joining the Spiders, she had found a home in Nephara, it had changed her, and she had grown up. She was resisting the temptation to check her watch, sometimes these sessions could last for hours, and Gary was already on his third pint. They were training with the rest of the team tomorrow, and she knew Gary would be hard pushed if he wanted to impress Grant Nean the Caretaker boss. Nean demanded a ridiculous level of work rate and attentiveness from his players, his brand on passing football required more application than some were able to muster. She knew that if Gary showed up for training anything other that 100% sharp, he would be out of the team before he could say, sustained fire dice.

'Sure honey.' She said putting down her pineapple juice and sliding off of the table she was sat atop. She had never been much of a pub drinker, and the smell of disinfectant, fusty beer and body odder in the function room above the Harpooner was a bit off putting. She hadn't expected Gary to give up his gaming night, not even for the first evening they had spent together in months, however it would have been nice if he had. She searched around for another die and passed it over to Gary, wondering if their fingers might linger, just for a second as they met. They did not.

'Awesome.' Said Gary quickly taking up the die, eager to put their opponents to the sword. He had been on a roll in recent weeks, him and Simon forming an unbeatable partnership. 'Chloe, I'm a bit busy, could you go down stairs to the bar and get me another drink?' He looked in Simon's direction, who nodded agreement; as did Norman and Chris who were standing by, not involved in the game, but here to cheer Gary and Simon on.

'So that's four Ossorian stouts?' Asked Chloe, with one eyebrow raided under her black-framed glasses, waiting for a response.

'No... here!' Said Norman thrusting a twenty pound note her way. Get a round of whiskies in as well. 'And get... eh, yourself a drink too!' He added almost as an after through. None of Gary's friends were particularly good at talking to women, but Chloe didn't know why this surprised her; Gary wasn't even particularly good at talking to her.

'I'm good thanks.' She said, keeping a calm smile despite resenting being reduced to a table waitress. It wasn't the fact that they asked her to get the drinks, it was something in the tone that annoyed her, she knew for a fact that they wouldn't speak to another guy that way. 'I've still got some juice left, so I'll pass for now.' She turned and headed for the staircase.

Chloe had recently had her haircut shorter, reducing the length of her trademark long dark-brown locks. Where before it had hung to just above her waist, Chloe's hair now sat in the neat little bob at her shoulders. Tonight she was wearing a peach coloured blouse with a rounded collar, loose fitted dark-green trousers turned up to just below the knee, white bobby socks, and saddle shoes.

From the gloating noise coming from above her as she descended into the bar, she could only guess that Gary had rolled a lot of threes, fours, fives, and sixes. She should try to be happy for him, he was doing what he loved. If only he managed to put as much effort into his football as he did with the gaming club he would be one of the best players in the region. He had the move to Chatswood coming up though, and that might be good for him, might be the turning point. Well... given that he originally thought that the club were called Chegwin, she doubted it. But at least he would be near by in Nephara, at least she could keep an eye on him. All his faults (which were numerous to say the least) to one side, she was very fond on him. There was something real about him, something that excited her in a way that previous boyfriends hadn't. Besides, it was at least better to be going out with a self-loathing personification of a psychiatry students textbook, than it was to be the plaything of some creepy fan boy.

At the bar there were a couple of men in their early twenties standing wearing Handon United tops discussion the Tyran Cup. Chloe looked down and pretended to fiddle with her purse, as she tentatively joined the queue behind them. She really couldn't be bothered with being recognised right now. These kind of people were the worst human beings you could find. Sexist, macho, and brainless individuals; who were quick to ridicule others and ever quicker to resort to aggression.

"Fuck me though! Ah tell ye that Rudden is a guid wee player! Ah'd hae her in fae the start like."

She smiled at this... well... slightly unorthodox endorsement of her playing ability. It probably would have been the source of a fair bit of amusement if either of them had known that she was standing right behind them. Luckily, as Chloe had noticed recently, people never expected her to look any different that she did when she was on the pitch. She wondered if people actually expected her to walk around in public with her hair tightly clipped down, wearing a North Laithland top.

'Sorry hen.' Said one of the young men as they turned round having collected their pints of lager; neither of them marking her out as anything other than some first year art student.

'Not at all.' Replied Chloe standing aside and gesturing with her hand to allow the men past. She closed her eyes for a second, there was no way she could handle their leering glances without saying something cheeky in return. In instances like this it was best that she didn't know.

'Four Ossorian stouts, my good man' Said Chloe pointing at the tap, when the barman Stan made eye contact. 'And four, well they just asked for whiskies. I assume they mean malts.' Chloe shrugged her shoulders showing that she didn't know what to order.

'The Glen Erin is on offer, two pound a nip?' Said Stan helpfully, reaching for the bottle and handing it over.

'Sounds fan-tas-tic!' Laughed Chloe, not particularly interested in reading the label. She knew that if Gary were here he would have studied the text at length. She on the other hand wasn’t a drinker by any means and none of the poetry and salesmanship would mean anything to her.

'Right ye are.' Said Stan briskly going about his business. 'And is yer man winning upstairs?' Stan was the sort of man who knew all of his customers, he was a good barman, one of a dying breed. 'Or is it no' yer sot'ae thing?' He added before she could reply.

Chloe smiled broadly. 'It sounded like he was winning when I left.' She said temporarily pulling herself up onto the bar stool while she watched Stan perform the time-consuming task of pouring four stouts. 'Although I have to confess, I don't know all the rules.'

Stan laughed warmly, as we reached up to one of the back shelves and found four whisky glasses. 'No, it's a foreign language to me anaw.' He shook his head still smiling. 'Ah once asked them tae show me some ay the rules, but a couldnae meake heid nor tail ay them. Gie them their due though, they've been coming tae this bar every Thursday night for aboot five years now. Up there from the back ay six, sometimes Ah have tae put them out when the bar closes. Now that's dedication.' He pointed up at the ceiling, nodding his head in a way that showed his respect for the gamers.

'Yeah.' Agreed Chloe, sitting back and crossing her legs, keeping her face turned away from the general public. 'It's what he loves, y'know. He spends hours and hours painting them, writing up what d'you call 'ems..? rosters?' She smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

'And that is a pure art form by the way!' Said the middle-aged barman, once again pointing to the ceiling as if to demonstrate what he was talking about. 'The painting is bloody beautiful.' Stan was of average build with stubble over both his head and his face, the latter was normally longer than the former, although they both fluctuated according to his mood. He was always smartly dressed, and on this occasion had on a gray shirt and black necktie.

'Yeah, yeah. Some of them are really impressive.' Chloe nodded, not necessarily wanting to agree that it was "pure art" whatever that meant. She looked around the large open bar while Stan had to stop to concentrate on topping up the drinks for a final time. The Harpooner, which was down on the Handon Quayside, was one of those places, which was popular with everyone. It seemed to be able to cut through the different demographics, from barely out of teens students, to elderly gentlemen. She didn't really dink much, especially not since moving to North Laithland. The only time she ever really set foot in a bar was on these Thursday nights, or that summer she and Gary had lived together, when he had sometimes needed a drink.

'I mean, did ye see that one he made to look like himself, the lad on the wee monster thing?' Said Stan finally bringing the drinks over and placing them on a tray. His comment made Chloe laugh.

'Yeah, I think I spotted than one.' She handed over the money and after some effort managed to find a way she could balance the drinks-tray in her hands; even if it was somewhat precarious. The way she was dressed, she probably looked like a posh 1950 diner waitress. 'Haha, if the football doesn't work out Stan, do you think I can get a job here?' She asked as she walked away from the bar.

'No problem at all Chloe.' He answered giving her a thumbs up. 'You can play for our pub football team too, help us win the league!'

'I'm not sure if I'd be much help on that front.' Joked Chloe as she parted, all the time her eyes were almost crossed, fixed on holding the tray upright. That had been a ridiculous joke to make, considering that she had been voted young player of the year in one of the best leagues in the world. However as a Scot, there was a strong sense of modesty built into her.

Arriving at the top of the stairs she smiled watching Gary excitedly pacing round the far side of the games table. He seemed to be peering through some five-centimetre high model trees, trying to determine if a Minotaur was in sight of his crossbow regiment. Chloe could tell by the look on their opponents’ faces (two fourteen year old boys), that the battle was going Gary and Fat Simon's way. As Gary continued to argue with the child sitting opposite him, on whether the gap in the trees constituted line of sight, Simon flicked through a think hard back book looking for a particularly potent spell to use in the next magic phase. All the time Norman and Chris were giving them pointers, in a way that hardly seemed fair given that they were up against children.

Fuck it! She was proud of him!

If this was what made the man she loved happy, then it couldn't be that bad.

by **Gylias** » Sat Aug 22, 2015 6:42 pm

Dietmar didn't often have dreams. Or if he did, they were often ephemeral, dissipating with the first rays of the sunrise and leaving behind only impossibly faint traces, blurry remnants of what had been that eluded the descriptive grasp of words. Few in number were the ones that he could recall later. It had no relation to how vivid they were or how strong of an impression the images left, but mere luck.

The one last night, for instance. Dietmar couldn't remember what it had been about, just that he had woken up from it, only to realise that he had been, in fact, sleeping underwater. The realisation took a good second or two to sink in, but once it did, it provoked an immediate reaction. Specifically, the reaction of him looking up to see a blurry bright light and then frantically propelling himself towards the surface. The swim was not made easier by the surrounding water, its pressure lumbering the limbs so that they felt like heavy weights.

Dietmar emerged at the top of a swimming pool, gasping first a great heave of relief and then slowly working down to normal breathing. The bright sunlight made him constrict his eyes as he looked around. The pool was curiously devoid of visitors on such a pleasant day - perhaps the stifling heat had something to do with it. He swam to the corner of the pool, grabbed onto the ladder and climbed out. He then shook his legs and hands. The water seemed less obedient than normal water; it felt as if it took more effort than usual to detach it from the body.

I'm thirsty., he thought after completing the shaking. Deciding to skip the rattling and rolling, he spotted a bar on the other side of the pool and headed over to see if he could treat himself to a glass of water. His mouth tasted like industrial strength mouthwash, seemingly made with corrosives and detergent as key ingredients. No more guaranteed way of keeping teeth clean than by not having any left, after all. Finding the bar similarly empty, he helped himself to a glass and poured tapwater into it, then drinking it. It's odd how drinking water after being in water can be so refreshing., he thought, chuckling mildly.

Finishing the glass, he exhaled with satisfaction and then sat on one of the seats, looking at the pool, the sky, the area. It was amazing to him, how beautiful the area was, even surrounded by palm trees just like the most tourist-magnetic areas back home, and yet how completely alone he was. Perhaps this was a secret area whose existence was concealed to prevent it from being ruined by becoming a tourist trap.

As his train of thought continued, Dietmar at one point raised an eyebrow and thought, Hold on a second... He began wondering about some things that didn't add up. How did I wake up in a swimming pool? There's no way to fall asleep there, did I pass out? Shouldn't somebody have noticed, and saved me from drowning?

He looked around. Where is everybody? What is this place?

The answer came to him in the form of a pillow flying full speed ahead and hitting him in the face. The mysterious hotel, the swimming pool, the questions evaporated. His eyes suddenly peeled open, where there had been an abandoned paradise was now just his motel room, and his teammate Naomi Mizushima. It had been her voice that earlier yelled "Oi, lazybutt!... bones!", with a hot-headed yet wryly amused tone. As Dietmar yawn-moaned (moan-yawned? yoawned?) and pulled the pillow off his face, Naomi laughed at how she'd managed to botch the phrase but had still yelled it with absolute authority. She added between the gasps, "Hahaha, oh, kuso, I screwed that one up... ahaha, lemme try again!"

As Dietmar turned his face to look at her, Naomi cleared her throat, assumed an arms akimbo pose and gave a determined smile, her eyebrows facing downwards. "Oi, lazybones!" After a brief pause and hesitation, she added, "...butt!", before again breaking into laughter. "Haha, you're not gonna beat me in the laziness tournament! You're at least a thousand years too early for that!"

Dietmar scratched his cheek and opened and closed his mouth a few times. "Why're you worried then, Naomi?", he quipped. "If I was a thousand years too late for the laziness tournament, that'd be more of an issue..."

They both shared a giggle. "Yeah, that saying doesn't travel as well in English.", Naomi said, sitting down on a chair next to her. She raised one of her hands under her head, resting her index finger on her chin, and winked mischievously. "I got you up though, so that's still a victory."

The sight of Dietmar trying to get out of bed but slipping on the glazed floor and having to grab onto the bed to avoid falling made her amend the statement with, "... of sorts."

by **Schottia** » Sun Aug 23, 2015 1:00 pm

Matchday One Results

Schottia 2–0 Syara
Acrea 0–2 Shalum
Cacerta 0–0 Gylias

.                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Schottia                1    1   0   0     2    0   +2     3
2 Shalum                  1    1   0   0     2    0   +2     3
3 Cacerta                 1    0   1   0     0    0    0     1
4 Gylias                  1    0   1   0     0    0    0     1
5 Acrea                   1    0   0   1     0    2   −2     0
6 Syara                   1    0   0   1     0    2   −2     0

by **Gylias** » Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:42 am

The Morning Post
"Every day's news, every morning"

Tyran Cup Day One: Cacerta-Gylias 0-0
By Iezen Ryca
4:02PM GST 23 Aug 2015

TEAMS

Gylias	Cacerta
Panagiotakis Xanthopoulos	Lilliana Varrone
Rubinho Rodrigues	Anna Tudisco
Zardáy Thashnæn	Valeriana Schipanti
Hurik Davidyan	Rina Paoletti
Mared Ternseshyk	Rita Paoletti
Bhaksa Terneshyk	Ilia Morreale
Nels Langenberg	Veronica Lucarelli
Nar Enylesh	Emilia Leggio
Navan Dzíorny	Priscilla Scelza
Dietmar Enns	Amelia Cerini
Hana Matsuri	Daniela Luciano

Substitutes
Hurik Davidyan → Arevik Moushian (45:00)
Nar Enylesh → Adna Acsir (45:00)

It's not often that one gets the opportunity to use the phrase "thrilling scoreless draw" outside the context of people who aren't fans of football joking about why the game is not to their tastes. Yet, hot on the heels of the flying start that was the Schottia-Syara and Acrea-Shalum matches, the most exciting to watch so far has been the goalless one. For a nation that doesn't have as fanatical a devotion to football as Acrea or Schottia, it's interesting that it's the Cacertian teams who seem to bring out the best in Gylias' own most often.

After the opening festivities on a beautiful day in Soessch's Gannon Park stadium, both teams hit the ground running, Hurik Davidyan and Nels Langenberg inaugurating the game with a triangle pass, followed by a pass to Rubinho Rodrigues that was intercepted by Valeriana Schiapanti in minute 2. From then, in quick succession, came a possession of the ball by Gylias, another possession by Cacerta, and an approach by Amelia Cerini towards the goal area in minute 7, only interrupted by a sliding tackle from Zardáy Thashnæn which resulted in the ball rolling over the touch line and a free throw for the Cacertians.

This proved to be a mild respite from the tone set early on, of energetic dashes and hit-and-miss passing. The new National University of Cacerta Women's Football Team acquitted themselves marvelously on the field, tilting the game in their favour with their defensive play and careful passing, and providing highlights like Rita Paoletti's skillful dribbling and pass to Priscilla Scelza in minutes 18-20, Ilia Morreale's near-goal as half-time ended, or Lilliana Varrone's saves throughout. Not to be outdone, the Gylians kept up with the Cacertians' skills, among their highlights being Panagiotakis Xanthopoulos' equally valuable goalkeeping, the passing between Adna Acsir, Navan Dzíorny and Mared Terneshyk in minute 54 that brought Gylias within a hair's breadth of scoring, or Dietmar Enns picking up a stray long pass as the clock ran down to full time and attempting one last shot on minute 90 that was once again defended by Lilliana Varrone.

Far be it from suggesting the match was a breath-stopping edge-of-the-seater foreign commentators seem to be all hot and bothered for, there were plenty of equally entertaining lighter moments interspersed throughout. The most memorable will likely prove to be minute 35, when the ball rolled out of possession near the Cacertian goal and Nar Enylesh and Hana Matsuri couldn't decide for a moment which of them should take it. Contrasting with the high-energy playing were the amount of imprecise or intercepted passes, providing some charming relief during the match. The best feature of the match was easily the stirring camaraderie between both teams throughout, seen in the snaches of casual chatting and joshing between each side's players during stoppages or moments the ball was out of play, or the mutual friendliness of both teams' fans in the stands.

As the full-time whistle blew after Dietmar Enns' last scoring attempt, both teams celebrated, some players hugging each other on the field, and then went to treat each other to drinks and snacks. Perhaps a modest reward, but we've already gotten the best one: a match that shows how exhilarating and sweet football can be at its best.

Statistics
Goals
None

Total Shots
Gylias - 6 (3 on target)
Cacerta - 5 (5 on target)

Corners
Gylias - 1
Cacerta - 1

Possession
Gylias - 34%
Cacerta - 66%

by **Shalum** » Mon Aug 24, 2015 9:44 am

As the Shalumite National team stood in the tunnel that would lead them out to the pitch, the air was very much alive as the players chatted nervously about the game to come. From the way it was looking, the first match of the tournament could very well end up being the most important for the Shalumites, regardless of how far they actually managed to progress in the cup. Quite frankly, whenever the Empire and Federation duked it out on the pitch, it was a very big deal, for obvious reasons. They were rivals, both in the sports world, and on the world stage, so the weight behind each game was a heavy one- that the players certainly felt.

Among the players was Thomas Carmichael, a second-year veteran of his country’s national team, that had been playing football since he had been able to walk, practically. Recently he had transferred from a amatuer leage in his homeland, to a Lammerton city, a professional team in the Free Colony. It came with a nice paycheck, and provided him with much more field experience than he could have ever asked for. He liked to think that since moving, that his skills had been refined to some extent, and he hoped to make the most of that. His team was going to need it, especially after the less than stellar performance they had put in at the last cup. They were a good bunch of lads and ladies, with talent, but they had still been unrefined that time around.

Before any of them really knew it, the calls to move on were being relayed from the field to their coaches and team staff. Lined up in a single file fashion, with the goalie and then team captain leading them, they began their march out. Many of them put on smiles, some more forced than others, Thomas included. It was nice knowing that he, at least, had some friends and family out there watching, in the stands even. He was married to a Schottian, after all, and he had a young daughter, so he had at the very least, two fans watching the match at the moment.

As it turned out, a number of Shalumite fans had come out for the cup, more so than usual. It was most likely because the tournament was in Schottia, a country that Shalum was allied with, and had close economic ties with, making it a more safe and acceptable place to travel. They were very much fired up for the match, whooping and hollering as they saw their home team on the pitch now. It was certainly a good thing that the Schottians had security for the event. Under most circumstances, Shalumites could remain self-controlled during these events, but when it was against the Federation, nothing was off the table, basically. And that was a fact that everyone knew, or at least expected.

From the moment of kickoff, it was a high-intensity game. It was quite apparent that the Acreans had a well rounded team, and were a force to be reckoned with in their own right, especially on the offensive end, where the Shalumites could have stilled used some improvement. In general, the Empire’s team had a knack for favoring the defensive end of the spectrum, and thus gave away fewer goals more often than not. They weren’t quite an immovable object, but they strove for it.

It was towards the second half that anything big happened for the Shalumites. After a long stint of back and forth, dominated more by the Soviets than the Imperials, right forward Sophia Pichler managed to break away from the pack, outpacing both her own teammates and the defenders, leaving her alone with the Acrean goalie. When she was in shooting range, she didn’t think much, just acted. Bring her left foot back, she took a shot, one of the few that her people had taken thus far in the match. The difference between this one? It didn’t go wide or right into the goalie’s hands, nay. It ended up well placed, in the upper right corner of the net, where even the best of players would have a hard time guarding. She stared for a moment, in surprise, before she found herself swarmed by her teammates, who congratulated her, while the fans roared in the stands.

The Shalumites were very luck that they didn’t get scored on after that. The Acreans came out into the second half with a vengeance, it seemed, and for the first ten minutes or so, it didn’t seem as if the Empire could control the ball for more than thirty-seconds or so at a time. Here, Thomas and his defense shined, as they managed to match the attackers every time, regardless of how tired they may have been. Center back Baastiaan Hester was substituted during this time, limping slightly, as Alastair Rafferty rushed onto the field to fill his absence.

Things settled after that, as players saved their energy for later, probably trying to play smarter on both sides. In the seventy-first minute, Hector Forest, a substitute that had replaced Samuel Lange, managed to score with assistance from midfielder Sarah Walker. That had been the proverbial nail in the coffin, that guaranteed that Shalum would be walking away from this match with their heads held high in victory.

Following the game, there was a fair amount of understandable celebration, as both footballers and fans alike embraced and cheered in victory. The scene was similar back home, in many pubs and football stadiums that had played the game on their large screens. The Empire had won, and everyone seemed very intent on relishing in that while they could. In Schottia, Thomas and his teammates ended up going out for a couple of drinks, no more than that though, in celebration afterwards. They still had other cup matches to play in the coming days, and alcohol wasn’t the best way of celebrating during that time, but they at least allowed themselves a small amount of indulgence.

by **Schottia** » Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:19 am

Gary's alarm clock went off like a distress signal, bringing him out of a sweaty, yet surprisingly comfortable sleep. It hit him like a brick wall straight away, there was no mistaking the heartbreaking realisation that this was morning. The least likable of all times, it was the Novitera of the parts of the day. He thought long and hard about not getting up, trying desperately to figure out if there was any way to avoid it. Grant Nean. Grant fucking Neeeeeeeeeeeean! Of all the men in the world they could have chosen as Caretaker Manager! The man actually demanded work ethic and discipline! It was a shame for the man really. He was genuinely a good coach, he had a truly inspirational philosophy of football. The only problem was that he rarely found a club where the players all shared that desire. Schottia were going through a period of transition, some sections of the media had even written this tournament off! Why oh why not appoint someone who didn't give a crap, that way at least Gary could have taken his foot of the peddle a little.

'GAAAA-RAAAY... I HEARD YOUR ALARM GO OFF!'

There was no escaping the drudgery of being in a relationship. He'd sold his right to through his life away, to stew in his own fat lazy juices, all for what? A distance relationship? Sex once every couple of months when she was back in the country? On occasion Gary questioned whether it was worth the bother.

'Gary, come on! I've even made you a pot of coffee.' Chloe stuck her head round the door, she was already in her training clothes, and she had a freshly showered smell which now wafted into the room. 'I promise you'll feel better when you wake up. Do you need some water or anything? You were really warm last night.' Chloe smiled down at him. 'I had to, like, cordon you off with some of the blankets because you were getting me too warm.'

'The cafetiere is broken.' He replied flatly. 'I dropped it last week, and never got round to replacing it.' This had been another problem. Gary had grown accustomed to consuming an entire cafetiere of coffee every morning before he started his day. Without it, the unlikable task of starting the day had become all the less likable.

'Wrong!' Answered Chloe hopping onto the bed and giving him a kiss. 'I noticed it broken on the bunker and I went out a bought you another one this morning at the shop round the corner.' She jumped back up, shouting as she headed through to pour said liquid. 'I'll give you the website for the partner of the year nominations...'

Well that was that. Getting up now was the only option. Gary rolled onto his side and fell onto the carpet. He groaned as his joints creaked like an old man, the vertical was a bit of a challenge this morning. He couldn't grumble though, he had to keep a stiff upper lip. The root cause of his discomfort was the six pints he had had the night before, the very same drinks that Chloe had cautioned him against consuming. He walked over to the pile of clothes on top of the chair sitting beside his bed. He picked up a few items of clothing, lifting them to his nose to check whether they were passable. It was no easy task, he should have done a washing last week, but what with Chloe getting in from Nephara it had slipped him mind.

'Darren will be here any minute Gary.' Chloe added, her head popping back through the doorframe briefly. 'He's going to give us a lift into Handon.'

Darren Hanlon was pretty much the only person in the Schottia squad with whom Gary could conduct a conversation. While it was true that he hadn't tried particularly hard with many of the other, there was something about Darren which he liked. The two of them had been part of the same under-21s side, and had moved up to the senior side at roughly the same time.

A few minutes latter Gary emerged and instantly took up the first cup of coffee he planned to consume today... there would likely be several more.

'Is that what you're wearing?' Chloe giggled at the sight of her partner standing in a beige cargo shorts coming to just bellow his knees, a red and black checked flannel shirt and some football socks, which looked like they might actually be kilt socks. Her countenance changed from one of amusement to one of concern when his furrowed brows told her that he was deadly serious.
'What.' Said Gary, studying his shirt up close. 'It's just a get together, we've not even been allocated training kits yet.' Gary was always snappy before his first coffee.

'I know, but do you not have anything a bit more... sporty?' Chloe stood in the middle of the room, face and posture looking like she was bracing for impact. Gary studied her. She was wearing a North Laithland training top and a pair of tracksuit trousers, with blue trainers. 'It's just, y'know first impression and that.'

Gary shrugged. 'Better being hung for a sheep than a lamb, that's all I say.' No point in giving the guy a false first impression, building his hopes up unnecessarily. Grant Nean should know exactly what he was getting himself in to for from the start.

SBCNEWS Online...
Sports special

Schottia 2-0 Syara

Goals: 34" E. Killanen, 63" B. Hunt

Despite being managerless and having suffered a couple of high profile call-offs, hosts Schottia got off to a winning start as they eased to a 2-0 victory over Syara. Playing in an unorthodox 4-3-3 formation, Schottia were unrecognisable from the side, which reached the last sixteen of the Cup of Harmony. Nean's tactical changes seemed to make little difference however, with a goal form Eoin Killanen, as well as a debut strike for substitute Boris Hunt sending the fans home happy.

Schottia lined up with a midfield three of Alf Sggerson, Gary Corsie and Kim Coultan, while upfront Eion Killanen that was flanked by youngsters Chloe Rudden and Joey Bia. Mark Allen dropped to the bench making way for the Dahamy born teenager Bia, making his first start since World Cup 71.

Regardless of these changes Schottia started the match brightly, making the most of home advantage. Eoin Killanen, Schottia's most advanced player, was very active early on and went close with a 15-metre drive, drifting just wide of the Syaran goal. After a quick passing exchange between Coultan and Seggerson, the home side worked the ball up the pitch, finding Bia in space. The Port Sebastian kid took advantage of Grgić being momentarily out of position to switch the ball onto his left foot and play the ball across the pitch to Kingsgrove attacker Killanen. Dropping the shoulder, the 22-year-old slipped past Šakota, before hammering his shot just wide of the post.

Boško Majstorović's side are the most attacking team in the tournament, and on the rare occasion when Schottia lost possession, it was all hands to the pump to keep the Boys in Green at bay. Schottia were sorely tested after only 17-muntes, when Čulo broke free of Gary Corsie in the midfield. The big striker proved a real handful and was only brought to a stop by a last ditch Larry Watt tackle, as he looked to play Kotromanović through on goal.

Schottia rode this early scare and went back on the offensive moments later, this time it was the Nepharim League's young player of the year Rudden, who tested the Syaran defence. The rapid winger turned Iveković this way and that, before leaving him for dead as she brought the ball into the box. Despite having Bulić all over her the North Laithland wunderkid managed to get a shot on goal, only to see it hit harmlessly into the arms of the keeper.

Schottia continues to push Syara as the half dragged on and finally got their rewards ten minutes from half time. Seggerson, who had been doing well to anchor the midfield, managed to pick out Corsie with a cross-field ball. Knocking the ball past Vlak, the Chatswood player then picked out Rudden down the left touchline. From there, the former Handon Eagles winger clipped in a neat cross, which found the run of Killanen as he peeled off towards the back post. The versatile attacker showed the fans just how deadly he is when playing in an advanced position by slamming his shot in low at the near post.

In the face of sustained Schottic pressure the Syaran defence managed to hold firm until half time much to the relief of the travelling fans. The hosts did everything they could to extend their lead before the break, but it wasn't to be, as the sides went up the tunnel with the scores 1-0.

Obviously happy with the way things were going, Nean resisted the temptation to make any changes at half time. The unchanged Schottia side wasted little time in pressing forward yet again, and had a strong claim for a penalty turned down moments after the restart. Picking up a poorly weighted Andrić pass, Coultan pounced to thread a ball through into the path of Bia. The winger then cut inside Grgić, before trying to slip the ball inside the far post. Running to meet the ball Killanen claimed her was impeded; however the referee waved away his protests as the ball ran out for a goal kick.

There were also chances for Syara early in the second half, the best of these falling to Lukačević on 57 minutes. The visitors came close to rounding off a crisp attacking move, with the striker heading the ball just wide from a Štimac cross. Had the ball gone in then it might have changed the complexion of the match, but as it was, it was Schottia who put the result beyond doubt with their second goal of the game.

Just moments before the Lukačević chance, Nean had made a double change, bringing on some fresh legs. Off went Corsie and Bia, to be replaced by debutant Boris Hunt and Schottic Premier League winner Craig O'Maramy respectively. 18-year-old Hunt had captained the manger's under-18s side en route to the quarter-finals of the Sporting World Cup, and he is obviously a player whom Nean feels he can get the best out of.

After some good hold up play from Seggerson, it was to be Hunt who scored the vital second goal for the home side. After receiving a long ball from wing back Darren O'Brian, Handon United's Seggerson shrugged off the challenge of Syaran midfielder Andrić, before lifting the ball high into the visitors' box. Hunt was fastest to react, and the Laketown Rangers star showed just why he is considered of such high potential, plucking the ball out of the air before side footing in home under the outstretched keeper.

The win was made all the more important with Acrea losing out to a decent looking Shalum side, courtesy of goals from Sophia Pichler and Hector Forest. Schottia's other main opponents Gylias, also slipped up, after being held to a 0-0 draw with Cacerta. Next up for the hosts are Shalum who are likely to be a much stiffer test that Syara, as they look to maintain their winning start on home soil.

Players Ratings: D'Araby 7, Watt 8, O'Brian 7, Hanlon 7, Okywä 6, Coultan 7, Seggerson 9, Corsie 7 (56-Hunt 7), Bia 7 (56-O'Maramy 6), Rudden 8, Killanen 9 (87-Allen 3)

Man of the match: Killanen

Gray breathed a sigh of relief as the fourth official's board displayed his number; informing him that he was about to make way for Boris Hunt. If Syara were going to pull level from one of their counter-attacks, then he sure as hell didn't want to be on the pitch when it happened. As he jogged over to the touchline he acknowledged the crowd's applause before accepting a high-five from the waiting Hunt. God almighty, the kid was massive! Six foot four at least with broad shoulders; he was nothing like Gary's podgy pear-shape. He was probably the result of some secret government genetic engineering programme. Gary wouldn't have put anything past them.

'Hu... M...' Was all that came out of Grant Nean's mouth as the wiry looking old man patted Gary on the shoulder, as he passed him. All the time the manager and his assistant Andy Rydel were shouting instructions to their players, waving their hands around like aircraft marshals on amphetamines. They were a interesting pairing actually, when you looked at them. Rydel was a hulking great man with a shining dome of a head, a pillar of masculinity, and Nean was a rather withered looking man, who somehow appeared like his body had been parched of all its moisture. His legs looked like little twigs in his tight lycra training leggings.

Gary grabbed a seat next to Mark Allen, somewhere near the top of the dugout. Allen, a one time a teammate of Gary's at Port Sebastian, was sitting looking nonplussed at having started on the bench. With his tracksuit collar turned up to his chin and the zip-pull between his teeth Gary knew he wouldn't want to make conversation. This suited him just fine.

'Alright Mark.'

'Awright Corsie.'

Perfect. All that needed to be said.

by **Schottia** » Tue Aug 25, 2015 12:59 pm

Matchday two results

Gylias 3–2 Syara
Shalum 0–2 Schottia
Cacerta 0–2 Acrea

.                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Schottia                2    2   0   0     4    0   +4     6
2 Gylias                  2    1   1   0     3    2   +1     4
3 Shalum                  2    1   0   1     2    2    0     3
4 Acrea                   2    1   0   1     2    2    0     3
5 Cacerta                 2    0   1   1     0    2   −2     1
6 Syara                   2    0   0   2     2    5   −3     0

by **Shalum** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 12:29 pm

One thing was certain in Thomas’ mind, waking up every morning next to his beautiful wife Sophie was an absolute delight, even though they had long since figured out that their life together was going to be very much a balancing act between two very different schedules. Tommy had always been a long-life early riser. Not a morning person -he personally didn’t like mornings very much per se- but when the clock clicked 7:00 in the morning, his eyes shot open, and he was absolutely useless in trying to go back to sleep most mornings.

It certainly didn’t help that a rather specific part of his anatomy generally tended to remind him that it was awake as well. It seemed that his blonde beloved, in contrast, handled nights better than he did. It was a reality that he had simply come to accept, so most mornings, he simply rolled out of bed, checked on their daughter, went for a run, came back, showered, and then woke up his wife so that they could start their morning. Today, however, he hadn't resisted the urge to nibble and kiss back of her neck for a while, which to his surprise, had led to pleasure and other things that they both very much enjoyed.

He suspected that it was because he didn’t pester her about it at this hour (Women before Sophie- women that had mumbled through their pillows “Do what you have to, just don’t wake me up”- had taught him a few lessons over the years), but at least when he did, it was a warm welcome such as today. “Sorry love, I hope you don’t mind if we take the scenic route today.” Thomas chuckled into her ear as he gripped her hips, gently rocking with her. Judging by the look on her face, he knew that she didn’t mind at all.

Some time later, he and his wife emerged from their bedroom, the later of them going off to their daughter’s room to fetch her, while Thomas found himself on breakfast duty. Unsurprisingly, he wore a little grin as he went about fixing the meal, the television on in the background, a sports channel talking about the upcoming cup games to be more exact. Schottia was sounding like the team to beat this year, and as it turned out, his team was going to be playing them in the afternoon. He was nervous about it, honestly, but not in the same way that he had been about Acrea. Playing the Soviets rarely made the Shalumite footballers feel at ease.

Thomas ended up eating a bigger breakfast than his wife or child did for obvious reasons-- he was going to need the energy. After breakfast, he spent a few minutes with his daughter on the floor playing, before he meandered back to the bedroom to swap out his night clothes for the iconic blue and white of the Shalumite team. Everything but his cleats, he pulled on, and only because he didn’t feel like tripping before he got to the stadium. Making sure that everything was in order, and that he had the proper identifications, he gave his wife a long kiss at the door, practically something you would expect in a romance movie. “Love you Soph, I’ll be back in a few hours. Wish me luck, eh?” He grinned down at her as he held her for a few long moments, before he finally turned and trekked out to the car.

He got to the stadium around the same time his team did, a couple hours before any of the fans would be arriving. They all took some time to get ready before the game, changing at the facilities inside, before they made their way out onto the field. They liked to get a warm up in before the game, of course, and get stretched out. It was going to be a big day for them, and their mettle was going to be tested, so they needed to ready to give it their best. No amount of watching videos of the Schottian could prepare them for the real thing, so all they could do was try. As game time grew closer, they held a team prayer on the pitch, before they made their way inside where they were to wait until it was time to officially get under way.

The game itself was a good one, high intensity, but clean enough. There were a couple fouls on both sides, but no cards ended up getting pulled out in the end. Sadly for the Shalumites, they were simply outmatched though, as the Schottians practically ran circles around the Imperial team. It was amazing that the first half was scoreless, though there were several of near misses. The Schottians had gotten five shots on goal, while the Shalumites had only gotten one- that was mostly out of desperation, as they tried to fire up some sort of offensive comeback.

The second half was when the Shalumites broke down, more or less, overwhelmed by the Schottia attackers. In the fiftieth minute, Kim Coultan was lucky enough to find an opening between defenders, and was able to shoot through. Her shot on goal was a good one, and goalie David Benning was capable of getting a hand on it, but he still couldn’t stop it from going in as it escaped his grasp and went into one of the side nets.

Fifteen minutes later, it became a one-on-one between Thomas and Chloe Rudden. He was much larger, but she was by all means faster. He did his best to keep up with her, but it was by no means easy. A slide tackle was used on his part as a last ditch effort, but the lass still got around it. The goalie was quick on his feet, and came out to respond, but it was already too late, as her shot soared in easily. That was the final, proverbial nail in the coffin.

After that, the Shalumites tried to mount a new offense, with substitutes coming in to relieve the forwards, and Sabine on defense. They gave it a good effort, but it was still not enough in the end. Sadly, on the Schottian side, Darren O’Brien was taken down during a play, and was slow to get up. In for him came Jenna Koemann. Minute by minute, the clock ticked down until it ran out. The game was over, and the host team had came away on top.

After the game, the coach addressed his squad in the locker room. Sure, they had lost, but he was at least proud of their efforts they had put in, and there was always next game. Against Cacerta no less, a team that they got along with well, but were confident in that they could beat. The team returned to their bus that would shuttle them to their hotel, where they would clean up before they got something to eat. That night, they would get shuttled onto the next city. Thomas, on the other hand, chose to drive on home, which didn’t take long.

It was, by all means, a pleasant night. Most with his family were, and the only times that it wasn’t was when Anika was sick, or he and Sophie ended up bickering about something, as couples did. When he arrived at his flat, he quickly greeted his wife with a kiss, knowing that he was too sweaty to greet her with a proper hug. He showered, and changed into something comfortable, allowing her to cook for them tonight, which she was often left to do after he played. As the smells of food drifted through the air, he stretched out his tired legs on the floor, while Anika crawled all over him, repeating the words. “Play papa.”

Laughing, he caught the small girl in a hug, and lifted her up, smiling at her. Giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, he shifted her in his arms to properly carry her into the kitchen, where her mother was waiting for them with food.

by **Schottia** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 5:12 pm

Matchday Three Results

Schottia 3–2 Gylias
Shalum 0–0 Cacerta
Syara 0–2 Acrea

.                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Schottia                3    3   0   0     7    2   +5     9
2 Acrea                   3    2   0   1     4    2   +2     6
3 Gylias                  3    1   1   1     5    5    0     4
4 Shalum                  3    1   1   1     2    2    0     4
5 Cacerta                 3    0   2   1     0    2   −2     2
6 Syara                   3    0   0   3     2    7   −5     0

by **Schottia** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 10:31 am

SFA Offices
Handon, Schottia

'Come in Grant, take a seat.' Head of the Schottic FA, Peter Foreman held his office down open and smiled warmly as he welcomed the Caretaker manager inside. 'I trust that you're well?' He asked gesturing again that Grant Nean should sit down.

Foreman was a tall slender man, with small round framed glassed and a charcoal suit. He had a gangly, gawkyness about him which almost made him look a little hunchbacked when he slouched.

'Yes, thank you Mr Foreman.' He replied before pulling his trousers up a little at the knees and slipping into the chair seat at the other side of the desk. 'I've been keeping very well actually, I very much enjoyed my time out in the Free Republics with the under eighteens, as I have, so far, working with the Tyran Cup squad.' He calmly smiled back. 'So I thank you for the opportunities, Sir.'

'No no no. Thank you Grant.' Foreman waved away his appreciation. 'We should be thanking you, firstly for stepping into the breach and secondly for the work you have done. There is more than just me impressed with the work you've put into the side, believe me.' Foreman settled himself down in the seat opposite, and interlocked his fingers in a comfortable pose, with his elbows set on the desk.

'They are a fantastic group of young players Mr Foreman, it's easy to make a good dish with the best of ingredients.' He watched, as his superior seemed to be nodding his head listening intently. 'You'll very well know that my own personal passion is in working with youngsters, and trying to get the best out of them. Rudden, Hunt, Bia, they are all very talented and we are a lucky team to have players like that in our ranks.' He leaned in, changing tone to a more serious one. 'And I'll tell you, Boris Hunt isn't too far off being the best midfielder in the side already. I've not started him yet, because I think its good to keep his feet on the ground a for bit longer.'

'Yes, at the SFA we are very much aware of Boris Hunt's potential.' Foreman said while pouring himself some water and offering a glass to Nean. The old man declined. 'Listen, Grant, I'll cut to the chase here. Let me tell you why I brought you in.'

Grant Nean narrowed his brow and looked in closely, like he was examining specks on Foreman's glasses. 'Okay...'

'As you'll know we are currently at the second interview stage regarding the vacant manager's position.' Foreman, stopped and pushed his glasses the bridge of his nose, it was an act he commonly performed. 'We've been through all the applicants, and spoken to a few outsiders, we are now asking some of the outstanding candidates back in.' He paused and sipped his water before continuing. 'Grant, we would like to ask you to come in and be interviewed.'

'Okay.' Said Nean once again, stalling for time a little, as he was knocked for six by Foreman's request. He hadn't applied for the job, so this was wholly unexpected. 'Well I must say...'

'Now that doesn't mean that I am offering you the job.' Foreman cut over him quickly. 'All I'm saying is that your efforts have been enough to merit us getting you in and hearing what you have to say.'

Nean nodded humbly. 'Aye, well. Well thank you Mr Foreman, that means a lot that you would include me.' His face was one of deep earnestness. 'I've made no stranger of the fact that I want to get into management, one way or another, and obviously the Schottia job would be one, which would interest me greatly.'

'I'm really glad to hear that Grant, as I say I am a really big fan of your work.' Foreman was relaxed now, leaning back in his chair smiling broadly. 'The results against Shalum and Gylias were very impressive. Neither of them are easy to beat, and the brand of football you have the boys and girls playing is good to watch.' Foreman now removed a box file form his desk and passed a few stapled sheets towards Nean. 'Now these are the interview notes, which we are giving out to all the candidates, it simply outlines what kind of things we will be asking you and how you might prepare. This was normal in Schottia, where all candidates were helped though the interview process equally, and the meeting itself is much more discursive.

Nean took the notes and had a quick glance at the first page before nodding and looking back up.

'Now, there are four other candidates on the shortlist and I will tell their names, however, I would appreciate it if you could refrain from commenting on that in media.'

'Yes, of course.' Said Nean, who was now all ears.

'There is yourself of course.' Foreman continued. 'Jane Gullie of New Belfast Warriors, Jock Sonny who you will know from the under twenty ones set up.' Nean nodded. 'Jurgen Peters there is also, and Jimmy Mitchel, who is with the Willox Street Pirates in Port Chritopher.'

Grant Nean sat for a second, taking the list in. It was an impressive roll to be associated with. Young Jane Gullie was an incredible young manager, she was an inspiration to anyone wanting to pursue a career in management. The other three were highly experienced, had all won big trophies, and were people for who Nean held the deepest admiration.

There was no way this interview was going to be easy. For Nean it seemed that the best thing he could do would be to deliver Schottia this trophy, if he wanted to be in with any chance of getting the job. Perhaps that was what it was all about, the stick and the carrot sort of thing. Maybe adding him to the short list was a clever ploy to get more out of him, get Schottia over the line.

'So Grant, thank you again.' Said Foreman finally as he got up to shake hands. 'I appreciate you coming in and I look forward to talking in the near future.'

'Thank you very much Sir.'

'And best of luck with the game against Cacerta, we will all be watching very closely. Like everyone in Schottia, we will be expecting a win.'

by **Schottia** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 1:09 pm

Matchday Four Results

Cacerta 0–1 Schottia
Acrea 0–4 Gylias
Syara 0–1 Shalum

Made the final play-off
Cannot make the final play-off

.                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Schottia                4    4   0   0     8    2   +6    12
2 Gylias                  4    2   1   1     9    5   +4     7
3 Shalum                  4    2   1   1     3    2   +1     7
4 Acrea                   4    2   0   2     4    6   −2     6
5 Cacerta                 4    0   2   2     0    3   −3     2
6 Syara                   4    0   0   4     2    8   −6     0

by **Schottia** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 1:04 pm

Matchday Five Cut off

Schottia 1–0 Acrea
Gylias 0–0 Shalum
Cacerta 2–1 Syara

.                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Schottia                5    5   0   0     9    2   +7    15
2 Gylias                  5    2   2   1     9    5   +4     8
3 Shalum                  5    2   2   1     3    2   +1     8
4 Acrea                   5    2   0   3     4    7   −3     6
5 Cacerta                 5    1   2   2     2    4   −2     5
6 Syara                   5    0   0   5     3   10   −7     0

The Final

Schottia v Gylias
Harbour Hill Stadium, Handon

by **Schottia** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 2:14 am

The Final

Tyran Cup 2015 [Tyran only]

Tyran Cup 2015 [Tyran only]

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