World Cup 76 - RP Thread

by **Schottia** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 8:28 am

The Sale

"Rolled in Glitter"

Part one

Like the rest of the brand-spanking-new Ocean Shores Stadium, the corridors were at the cutting edge of artistic elegance. A clean, post-modern design, with a traditional twist, which spoke of good taste and affluence. Even in heels, the tall blonde receptionist kept a brisk pace, forcing Corinne Martel-Burns to break into a jog at points to keep up. Her long legs, protruding out from under her formal looking grey skirt, seemed long enough to take two steps for every one of Connie's. To their left, the wall which slanted away from them was a colourful mosaic of tiny highly polished tiles, transitioning from blue to white to gold and back again, shimmering in the early afternoon sun. To their right was a continuous wall of glass, which stretched from the floor to the ceiling, giving spectacular views over the San Marco Bay, as the waves broke gently against the white sandy beach below. The angle of the glass, and the way it was tinted, had the effect of making everything outside look like a scene from a postcard.

Amidst the gaudy hotel buildings, crazy-golf courses, and souvenir shops of San Marco; everything about the stadium seemed utterly out of place. Proof that you couldn't polish a turd, but you could roll it in glitter.

'Just a little further, Miss Burns.' Said the immaculately dressed young woman, who was perhaps ten years Connie's senior. While it was only the first time she had spoken since they had left the reception area, she didn't bother to turn around, nor did she adjust her gait. She carried herself with an air of uptight professionalism, and Connie could imagine her using catchphrases like: "Sleep is for the week" and 'Time is money." The young footballer watched as her blonde ponytail swished from side to side as she walked, with almost metronomic regularity. She was left almost hypnotised by the steady rhythm, which seemed to keep in time with her steps.

Everything in Port Christopher revolved around the heat, whether you were trying to escape it, or just going about your daily life, it was the first consideration for most people. The stadium was fitted with an expensive air-conditioning system, and despite the sun almost melting its way through the tinted glass, Connie actually felt goose-bumps running up her arms. Especially having come from St Johns in Quebec, trying to survive in this heat was something of an ordeal. Short-sleeved t-shirt, slip-on trainers, and the shortest pair of shorts she could find did nothing to make her feel any better, and the short journey from the airport had taken more out of her than last season in the Q-League. The sudden drop in temperature had also drawn her attention to how much she had been sweating, and she lifted the back of her top trying to wipe away a little of the cold perspiration from the small of her back.

'Here we are.' Without realising it, they had clearly been on a gentle incline, encircling the entire stadium, because now they were looking out over the front car park once more, and they were some thirty metres higher up. 'This is the manager's office.' The woman said with a processional smile. 'I've paged Mr Gorman to say that you were on your way. Now if there is nothing else: On behalf of Blue Coast 1981, and the Ocean Shores Investment Group, I would like to wish you a pleasant visit.'

The woman turned in the same officious manner, and headed off back the way they had come. Connie was left facing three expensive looking oak doors, with shinny brass handles and nameplates. The one directly in front of her read; Barry James Gorman, Team Manager. She took a deep breath, pushed her chest out, and pulled herself up to her full height, before knocking firmly on the door.

'Come In! Come-in-come-in, do come in..' Came the busy answer, prompting Connie open the door and step inside. The room had a distinct aroma, the smell of espresso coffee mingled with the distant scent of long extinguished cigarettes. The room looked modern, but it was sparsely decorated, and had the feel of impermanence. In one corner the window had been left wide open, and after coming from the climatised hallway, the strong breeze coming in off the car park made it feel like standing next to an open oven door. Gorman was currently hunched over his desk, busying himself with the contents of some cardboard box, which seemed to be causing him grief. He was slim with a receding hairline and a thin moustache, his pale blue shirt was open two buttons at the neck, and his badly knotted club tie hung somewhere between the two. His belt was tight around his waist, making him look even slimmer, and two large sweat patches descended from under each armpit. This final detail made Connie feel much better about her own predicament.

'I must apologise Madam, because if you were seeking employment then I'm afraid you have come to the wrong man.' He looked up at her with a broad, but forced smile. 'I have, as of this moment, been made unemployed.' He laughed, and not without genuine humour. 'So if your enquiry is Blue Coast related, then you will need to direct your questions to my successor, whoever the poor sod is.'

Connie was quite taken aback by the whole situation; Gorman clearly presented himself very differently on camera than he did in person. Whenever her nerves got the better of her, she could feel anger bubble up inside. As she began to ball up her fists, feeling her fingernails cutting unto her palms, she made a conscious effort not to lose her cool. There was something crooked about Gorman, that much was obvious just from looking at him. Not in a cruel sort of way, more like a kind of dodgy salesman - the kind of guy who could sell you the dirt from your own garden. The battered old leather briefcase which sat on his desk looked like one tap of walking cane would cause it morph into a market stall, selling things which had fallen off the back of a lorry. All of this reassured her that she was in the right place.

'My name's Corinne...'

'I know who are my dear.' Gorman cut across her smiling. 'Your shining reputation has even touched our remote shores.'

'Ah, okay... I was actually wondering if I could...' She stopped, trying to lighten her tone. It was hard trying to bridge a sensitive topic while he wasn't even looking in her direction. 'I need your help.' She added at last.

Gorman paused as if frozen solid, he was clearly thinking hard yet still he did not make eye contact. Eventually the spell was somehow broken, and after giving a small drum roll on the desk top, he opened the briefcase and produced a business card.

'Wait till you get back to Quebec and phone this number. I'll be a bit tied up for the next week I imagine, but after that I'll get onto it.' He looked her up and down. 'I'm pretty sure we can get you a move to a better league, probably a top seven UICA association. Might need to work on the image a bit though, time our press releases just right... I have an associate who will get you trending on social media.' Gorman raised his index finger. 'Oh and - in case it needs saying - I'm not a registered agent, so, if anyone says anything, you didn't get that thing from me.'

Connie looked down at the cheaply produced business card which read Gary Borman, Second-hand Car and Van sales complete with a clipart picture of a car.

'Oh, and my fee is 20% of the transfer.'

Connie shook her head violently, making to hand the card back. 'Goodness, no... That wasn't what I was getting at!' Gorman looked like a rabbit caught in the headlight, wondering how much damage had been done by his presumptuousness. 'I mean, I'm really happy at Arsenal. I wanted to know how to go about buying a football club...' She braced for impact. As yet she didn't know how he would respond. '...but like, without anyone knowing I did.'

Gorman looked thoughtful for a second longer. 'Which club might I ask?' His curiosity had certainly been aroused, and the former Schottia manager had the look of someone who couldn't help himself in these situations.

'Erm, Kirk Preston United.' Connie replied tentatively.

'You'd better take a seat.' Said Gorman pointing to a chair in the corner of the office. 'Just place the carrier-bag on the floor, quickly, we don't have very long at all.' He added as he began rearranging his desk, glancing anxiously at the clock on the wall, before removing it and placing it awkwardly on top of the cardboard box. 'I'm frightfully sorry, but I'm unable to offer coffee. The cafetiere is already packed.' Gorman nervously scratched at the back of his neck, then flattened his trousers with his palms before sitting himself down behind his desk. 'So Kirk Preston United...'

At that his mobile phone began to ring. Gorman fussed around, having to half stand up to retrieve it from his pocket, while using his other hand to signal an apology. Upon locating it, the sight of the caller-ID seemed to vex him even more, as he looked genuinely panicked. 'Here.' She said thrusting the phone in Connie's direction. 'Quickly! Pretend that you're my secretary, tell them I'll call them back.'

Connie juggled the device in a moment of confusion before franticly swiping the screen open and placing it to her ear. 'Hello..?' She said, looking to Gorman for affirmation, who in turn waved wildly, encouraging her to say more. 'Gar... I mean, Barry Gorman's office how can I help you..?'

'How can you help me indeed?' Came a sniping, voice from the other end of the line. 'And why would Mr Gorman's secretary be answering his mobile phone at this time in the morning?' Connie pulled the phone a few centimetres from her ear as the volume rose. 'Don't think I don't know what you're up to young lady. And I'll tell you this for free; he may have promised you the world, be he is a liar, a pathological li...'

Gorman reached across and snatched the phone back, hanging up the call. 'My ex-wife.' He said apologetically. 'That's actually not good... Especially not if she calls the office next...' Gorman bit hard on his finger ends.

'Okay, in second thoughts, why don't we take this conversation somewhere else?' Gorman remained standing, looking round to retrieve his suit jacket and trilby hat. I happen to know somewhere quiet near by where we can have drink, and we shan't be disturbed.' Gorman went across and closed the window; it was like someone had turned off a hairdryer.

'Here take this.' Gorman thrust a large box into her arms; inside it contained a few self-help books, a battered looking football trophy, some pens, and a packet of cigarettes. 'And this!' He added, placing a Super-League winners' medal round her neck. 'And this, open your mouth...' He put the handle of a carrier-back full of paper between her teeth. '...aaand close.'

Gorman proceeded to pick up the other box, his briefcase, and a bag, which clinked with beer bottles he had clearly pilfered from the office's mini-bar. He was doing a last minute role call, obviously deciding whether anything he had left was important. He gave off a vibe, which told Connie that this would be the last time he would set foot in this office. Moreover, he seemed to be in something of a rush all of a sudden.

Gorman sighed, dropped his shoulders then headed smartly in the direction of the door. 'Okay first door on our right - down the fire escape - and out through the exit.' He paused, looking concerned. 'Oh, and if anyone speaks to us it's probably best we don't stop... y'know, emotional goodbyes and all that jazz.' Gorman considered this for a second. 'In actual fact, should anyone talk to us, it might be better that we run... quickly.' He smiled nervously, adjusting his hat. 'Okay Mademoiselle Martel-Burns, lets roll!'

by **Bonesea** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 9:44 am

by **Mercedini** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 9:59 am

Review: Mercedinian Friendlies

While some nations were focusing on the Baptism of Fire, Mercedini played a series of 8 friendlies against different nations for their tour in preparation for the World Cup. Nations big and small took on Mercedini as manager David Bjarnasson perfected his team's tactics before their crucial qualifying campaign. They came close last time before fading away and eventually finishing in 5th place in their group. In this cycle, the Mercedinian U21 had a disappointing campaign in the Di Bradini Cup where Mercedini bowed out at the group stage, only recording one point and finishing bottom of their group. Mercedini hope for better, so let's see how they did in their series of friendlies around the globe!

Mercedini vs. Tumbra

Mercedini kicked off their tour of friendlies with a tightly fought 1-1 draw against Tumbra in Zoloroni. A half-filled Sports City Stadium was the stage as Tumbrans and Mercedinians watched a thrilling game on a mild night. Both managers were hoping to find their best side before going into their World Cup Qualifiers and David Bjarnasson picked a team that wouldn't usually be seen as it was missing key players in the midfield and attack. A quick start from Mercedini were capped off with well worked goal just before the 20-minute mark. Ross Presic worked his through multiple Tumbran players before a fizzing cross was sent into the six-yard box. A simple tap-in from Chillotov gave Mercedini the lead, much to the delight of the home crowd.
Tumbra are a relatively active team in the community but have a surprisingly low world ranking compared with other teams. They showed what they were made off eight minutes later as Krajewski let off a shot that came from nowhere and brilliantly found the top corner. The Tumbrans were out in full force in Mercedini, and you could hear them. Tumbra's amazing equaliser gave them a grip into the game that they needed and they pressured the Mercedinian defence until half time, but Mercedini stood firm and held Tumbra at a goal a piece going into the interval.
After half-time, it was much of the same as the young guns of each nation took each other on with fire and tenacity. A supposed friendly became a hotly fought contest as each team tried to find the winner to please their supporters and their respective managers. Chances flew in far and wide but none of them could be converted as the game ended in a 1-1 draw, both teams were pleased with the result and it did help both nations out with who had potential and who needed to be dropped. At the end of the match it finished in a stalemate, Mercedini 1, Tumbra 1.

FINAL SCORE: Mercedini 1 - 1 Tumbra
Chillotov 19' | Krajewski 27'

Anglatia vs. Mercedini

Mercedini headed to Anglatia for their second game but it was abandoned after 67 minutes due to an suspected assassination attempt on one of Anglatia's government officials . The match was called off midway through the second half when the score was 2-2, thanks to goals from Nymark and a goal for Billic on his return to the national team.
The match was slow to start of with. With both teams getting a feel for each others' play style and all of the players attempting to show why they should be included on the roster for Qualifying. Nymark opened the scoring with a simple header from a corner which gave Mercedini the lead late in the half, the match experienced no further goals in the half and Mercedini went into the half a goal to the good. Substitutions occurred into the second half which gave both teams a new lease of life in the second half. chances were aplenty with a plethora of shots and well worked chances being created in the opposition half. Anglatia got their equaliser from Diasakos after a great dribbling move was finished off with a scuffed shot which evaded the grasp of Hosset and nestled in the net to make it 1-1. The match continued and moments later, Mercedini found themselves 2-1 ahead after a dreadful back-pass gave Billic a 1-on-1 with the Anglatian goalkeeper, Billic slotted home for his first goal of the friendly campaign. the match was 2-1 in the 52nd minute.
The match continued with relative tranquillity with plenty of passing play going round the pitch from both teams. A long through ball from the defensive found its way to Cress who was on the edge of the box and quick one-two gave Cress the space they needed before Cress sent the ball into the corner to equalise the game for the second time.
That's when it all kicked off, gunshots were heard ringing around the stadium at members of the Anglatian government. The match was brought to an abrupt end as the referee took all of the players off the field and called of the match due to security reasons. The match ended at the 67th minute with the score at Anglatia 2, Mercedini 2.

FINAL SCORE: Anglatia 2 A 2 Mercedini
Diasakos 48', Cress 66' | Nymark 40', Billic 52'
MATCH ABANDONED AFTER 67 MINUTES DUE TO SECURITY THREAT

Revolutionary Nordskania vs. Mercedini

Mercedini then travelled to one of the up and coming nations of this cycle, Revolutionary Nordskania. The debutant nations got all the way to the Baptism of Fire final and could be a force in this year's World Cup Qualifiers. Mercedini went with high hopes and eventually came out comfortable 2-0 winners against the new side. The match started off very well for Nordskania, with the young team stretching the Mercedinian defence with pace and calculated passing ability. Unfortunately, it was a defensive lapse from Nordskania which gave Mercedini the early lead with one of their first chances of the game. A corner was whipped in from Presic, the ball was headed down into the six-yard box but Nordskania couldn't clear the ball, a goal-mouth scramble ensued and ended when Tim Crasic blasted the ball into the net from close range. Nordskania continued to apply pressure from the midfield for the rest of the half but they couldn't find the net. The closest they came was from a lofted pass which was headed onto the crossbar and over. Half-time came and Mercedini were a goal to the good.
The second half came around and Mercedini went to capitalise on their lead from the get-go. Holding possession well, which frustrated the Nordskanian fans to no end. Bjarnasson elected to play much more defensively for the second half which proved to be very effective against the debutant side. Chances came and went for Nordskania but Mercedini's defence stood strong. As the game entered stoppage time, Nordskania earned a corner...
The cross was whipped in with pace but Hosset caught the ball and sent substitute Daniel Dostalok speeding up the pitch with all of the Nordskanian defence committed to the corner. Dostalok found himself in acres of space before he rounded the approaching goalkeeper and slotted the ball into the net for his first national goal and Mercedini's second, securing the victory. At the end of the match it finished Revolutionary Nordskania 0, Mercedini 2.

FINAL SCORE: Revolutionary Nordskania 0 - 2 Mercedini
Crasic 23', Dostalok 90+4'

Mercedini vs. Great Palkia

Mercedini travelled back to the Sports City Stadium in Zoloroni and produced a record-breaking performance in front of their home crowd. Everything was set for great game as reduced ticket prices meant the home and away ends were packed for the match between the two nations and it wasn't long for the match to spring into life.
Sgt. Sam Billic was back in action for the national team after being rested by Bjarnasson for the previous friendly and it didn't take him long to make an impression on the game, the first goal came three minutes in thanks to a tremendous assist from Nymark, a dribbling move and a simple pass back bamboozled the Palkian defence and Billic slotted the ball into the empty net to open the scoring. Billic was let in again after a terrible defensive pass gave Billic the ball, he tried to round the goalkeeper but a late tackle took Billic down and the referee gave Mercedini a penalty and the Palkian goalkeeper a red card, sending them down to ten men before the ten minute mark. Billic rolled the ball into the centre of the net for his and Mercedini's second. Great Palkia never really got a sight at goal in the first half. A third goal supplied by Ossun from a corner capped of a devastating first half for Mercedini, three goals to the good after 45 minutes.
The goal fest didn't end there, Mercedini continued to press and attack the vulnerable Palkian defence to put the game to bed early. Ben Chillotov found a fourth from nowhere with a curled shot from 25 yards out and nestled in the top corner. It was the goal of the game from the young talent who has taken his national team position by storm.
More was yet to come from the Mercedinians. The two members of the armed forces combined for Mercedini's fifth. Crp. Tim Crasic sent an early cross into the box and Sgt. Sam Billic rose highest to head the ball towards the goal. The Palkian goalkeeper initially parried the ball onto the post but the ball came back out, Billic reacted quickest to the loose ball and slotted home to complete his hat trick and put Mercedini five goals to the good.
The final act of the game was for Tim Crasic to grab a goal of his own in added time, a finish from a narrow angle completed the demolition of the team who debuted in this cycle's Baptism of Fire. The Mercedinian crowd went home happy and the team recorded their largest ever victory. At the end of the match, it finished Mercedini 6, Great Palkia 0

FINAL SCORE: Mercedini 6 - 0 Great Palkia
Billic 3', 9' (P), 77', Ossun 30', Chillotov 53', Crasic 82'

United States of Antarctica vs. Mercedini

Mercedini played another team unranked team away from home as they travelled to the frozen landscape of Antarctica to play yet another friendly. It was safe to say the match was damp squib from the start. Chances were difficult to come by throughout the match, apart from one from the home side which couldn't have given them a famous victory.
A free kick for the Antarcticans was looped in, Hosset was frozen on his line but the ball clipped the post on its way wide, a golden opportunity squandered for the hosts, and there wasn't much more that came from the game apart from that chance.
The near empty stadium was given a rather crap game to watch, too bad that Mercedini had to take it with them on their flight home. Not really that much worth of mention. It finished United States of Antarctica 0, Mercedini 0.

FINAL SCORE: United States of Antarctica 0 - 0 Mercedini

Mercedini vs. Nagapairenahkerey

Mercedini returned back to their home stadium to welcome newbies Nagapairenahkerey, and they were as difficult to play against as it is to spell their nation's name. The new team showed no respect to the World Cup non-qualifiers as they immediately went for the jugular to try and snatch a goal. Passing moves from the team set up chance after chance, but hey couldn't get past the safe hands of Hosset, the best of the chances stung the palms after a fierce shot outside of the box.
Mercedini broke the deadlock at the very end of added time with a headed goal from Tranev, who committed from him normal defensive position to head home from close range to take his team into the break with a goal lead.
After the break, things were much of the same but with the roles reversed from the first half. David Bjarnasson sent his team out with one goal, to score another goal and put the match out of grasp for Nagawhatever. Mercedini got the goal they wanted with a quite frankly shocking goal from Nymark, a comedy of errors from Mercedini's attack and Naga's defence meant the ball was bobbling around the box for a while, before Nymark's scuffed shot wrong footed the goalkeeper and trickled into the net to give Mercedini a two-goal cushion.
Things were made interesting towards the end of the second half as Nagadingdong got a goal back through well taken goal for Sennahokya, and pressured Mercedini for the rest of the match, going very close multiple times and even having the ball in the net (but the goal was chalked off for offside). Deep into stoppage time Naga had a corner, but the flick on hit the side netting which was the last action of the match. A spirited comeback from Naga's players was cut short by the final whistle. At the end of the match, it was Mercedini 2, Nagapairenahkerey 1.

FINAL SCORE: Mercedini 2 - 1 Nagapairenahkerey
Tranev 45+3', Nymark 50' | Sennahokya 73'

by **New Gazi** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 12:51 pm

The New Gazi National FC Cannoneers will be looking to make a splash in their second edition of the World Cup. In World Cup 75, they failed to advance from the group stage. The team's head coach, Oliver Hausta spoke on his team's chances to a reporter from Vangaziland, who was doing a story on the Gazilian team.

"we've seen a lot of other teams have success within their first two seasons", Hausta said. "We haven't made many changes from last year. But our players have a little more international experience. It's going to come down to effort. How bad will our players want it? That's the question."

The Cannoneers added two new players for World Cup 76. Olan Jahi is the team's new center back. He brings a lot of accuracy on his long range passing and is quick to boot off a clearance. New Gazi will look for Jahi to help sweep up around goal.

"I'm glad to be a part of the team", Jahi said. "I'm glad to represent New Gazi. I like our chances this year. We can advance if a few things fall our way. But it's a long season."

The second addition was Martin Starr. He's known for having a fast accurate shot. He should fit in with the one touch style New Gazi has become known for. Starr acquired dual citizenship with New Gazi, being a Vangaziland native. Imari Lefisse was the first Vangazi to play for New Gazi FC. Last season, Lefisse pledged to help recruit Vannish players.

"I'm glad to be here with Imari", said Martin Starr. "New Gazi is a beautiful place. Much warmer than Vangaziland though. But it's a good climate to train in. I think I should be able to add something to the offense, even if I have a limited role."

Both Starr and Jahi would be coming off the bench, at least at the start of the season. They would both be near the top of the substitution rotation and would most likely garner playing time.

In addition to acquiring new players, New Gazi sent several players off to foreign clubs. Managers from the Cannoneers helped shop and negotiate contracts for their players.

Mosi Okoye, Imari Lefisse, Ayotunde Ibori, Galahad Sekibo, and Jac Biobaku played on teams in Abanhfleft.

"I enjoyed my first season with Admiral Porcusces", said Imari Lefisse. "I picked up a few things. We have a great coach and a solid group of guys. I think I learned a little bit, well... Added to my game."

Uffe Diya and Ilom Akili played in Abaja.

"Abaja is a nice place. Competitive soccer too", Diya told the interviewer. "It was tough for me. I hope that comes through in the World Cup. I think we picked up a lot more experience than we would have staying in New Gazi. Let's see if it makes a difference."

Meanwhile, the Gazilian youth soccer program was renovated. International coaches and trainers were brought in. It's still a little early to see a payout from the new program. But it is bound to impact the future talent pool that the Cannoneers can scout.

"I'm glad to see such investments in the youth programs", said Coach Hausta. "I look forward to the next generation of players. But we didn't make a lot of changes for a reason. I want to give this group another chance. We showed some bright streaks last year. Let's see if we can push a little farther. The goal is to gain as many points as we can to boost our ranking. We need to advance from the group stage. It's a tall order, but it's not impossible."

The New Gazi Cannoneers would look to start things off well in game one by establishing a tempo. This was a team that looked to win the battle of possession. New Gazi was known as a nation of freestyle footballers. After exposing some of their players to the international game, the hope was to play a more organized style of football.

New Gazi's games would be covered by one of the nation's national broadcasting networks. A Vannish cable network would also carry the games. Once again, Vangaziland did not enter a team in the World Cup. The funding just wasn't there. Futsal was bigger in Vangaziland, as was the street game. Soccer was informal there and more of a recreational sport.

Lefisse had done well for New Gazi. If Starr could make an impact, they could both open the door for more Vangazi players. Their success would also make New Gazi look more appealing to Vangaziland's players. Right now New Gazi was the only chance for a Vangazi to play in the World Cup.

Many thought Imari Lefisse was Vangaziland's best soccer player. Starr wasn't too far off. Both players would do all they could to help their team advance.

by **Kalumba** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 4:14 pm

On the Lash With The Lads

Football! Catch the fever!1

Yes it's that time again, and with peace in the land, we will actually be participating in the preliminary stages of the 76th World Cup, but like usual will not be entering the tournament proper thanks to the machinations of the powers that be which for some deluded reason to not award an automatic place in the finals for winners of official tournaments and instead decided that entry should be on a quality based qualifying system. Not our course that my view is chequered by Kalumba's record in qualifying matches or anything, but merely a desire to see the great teams of international football compete nit unknown nobodies who just happen to be good and whipping the minnows.

But enough vitriol for now (Yeah right - Ed.) lets have a look at the group we're in, Group 15 an unlucky number if I ever heard one:

Kirisaki
Tomikosan
Royal Kingdom of Quebec
Flardania
Tumbra
Hydraic Empire
Kalumba

Who you ask? Exactly a bunch of young upstart nobody nations with no rightful place in world events, but apparently we have better them in some pointless qualifiers to attend the World Cup. So here goes another year of disappointment, heartbreak and general misery. But we are nothing if not a nation of masochists so let's get it over with.

In an attempt to get an understanding of the future of this group we spoke with the communer with the spirits, one litre bottles or more, Pisstake Peg the Mystic Sleg, read that in a Kalumban accent to get the joke, see what she said in the next article but that's all for now.

Yours

Mr Spleen

Note: You know the drill; he's a tit, a racist and a drunk. He's expressing his opinion which isn't the opinion of this magazine, and is also his lawful right. So pretty please stop throwing cups of piss at our street selling monkeys when you happen to disagree with him. Come on, let's just be the better people for once. Editor.

1As a note to our idiotic readers, and not the drunken hooligan type idiots who make up 90% of our readership but the sort of idiots who take things far to seriously, this is not an invitation to catch dengue, yellow or any other form of fever and then sue this magazine. This is simply an attention grabbing headline which attempts to help our readers get in the mood for the up coming World Cup Qualifiers. Alright, so go and drink a pint of bleach and relax.2
2(Note from Editor) Mr Spleen is being himself here, and also joking. Do not drink a pint of bleach and try and sue Mr Spleen. For one you'll be dead, and secondly we don't actually know who he is, honestly, so you'd be hard pressed to get a hold of him.

Pisstake Peg

Welcome ye mortals to the realm of the future and the past, where it is long in the short places and short in the long places, but also nearly closing time so let's get this over and done with.

Kirisaki- The land of evil itself, home of the democracy hating imperialists. Ahead lies a dark future, the great unwashed masses like yours truly will rise up mid qualifiers and retake their land. The team will all be shot as agents of the hated government and will collapse from a promising early position to end fourth in the group.

Tomikosan- No I wasn't entirely sure either. So let's just take a gamble on them finishing third. Go on, put a shilling on that and the bookies will bite you arm off, but only in Ba'Tsongaland. (Note from editor, apologies to all Ba'Tsongans it is of course a well established fact you are not habitual cannibals)

Royal Kingdom of Quebec- Another nation running the risk of revolution, but I do not see blood in their future. All I can see, sort of in a fish eye kind of view like when you stare at the bottom of an empty pint jar, is corruption and bribery of officials. They will finish first in the group and potentially go on to win the entire tournament thanks to the endemic corruption which plagues the hosts of this edition.

Flardania- Solid footballing team, decent democratic structure back home, I think. Stick a few shillings on them finishing second or send them my way for a clearer predicition.

Tumbra- The only team other than us to have a "u" in their name. Is this a good sign? Is this a sign at all or just coincidence? Who am I to say, why are you asking me all these questions eh, you facking want some?

Hydraic Empire- Why are there so many empires in the supposedly enlightened age we live in? Simple, people are stupid and like to look at pretty pictures and be told what to do. This lot will probably finish above Kalumba so honestly who gives a toss.

Kalumba- Prices of even Umboqthwane are to high for me to get close enough to the spirits to see a Kalumban success in this tournament, come back next time when we've got rid of that bastard Chimpota and the land is free or at least when the alcohol duty is lowered again.

Long live Kalumba, and the proposed 24 hour licensing act
Peg

Note from Editor- Boy I'm earning my salary this edition. If you have any complaints about Peg please address them to Kahali Alcoholic Anonymous, they always manage to get hold of Peg. don't ask me how but I'm pretty sure it's something to do with the smell.

by **Veldgouwen** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 4:25 pm

“Ok, gentlemen, we have seen enough of Korizland at the Baptism of Fire to know what we’re up to. It is a side for whom the best defence is the attack, with wealth in abundance when it comes to finding the net, not in the least through captain Greg Eason. According to our intel, they’ve done some efforts to salvage the holes in front of Shelton based on the advice of some Gadyrian. Van Maar seems willing to stage a 3-3-4 despite the moderate success it brought them in the knock-outs of the Baptism of Fire. That system should allow us to tear apart the wings and...”

As the monotonous voice of Valkeniers continued to drone throughout the dressing room, Gert Stalhof nodded. Years on end at the highest level had trained him at indicating his approval when the manager slightly paused in his monologue whilst Stalhof didn’t have to catch a single word anymore. Initially, as a novice, it had been intriguing to see how an elderly man tried to influence the game with a useless bundle of words but these days, it just bored him to get another round of the same pantomime.

He could not say that that had been the part he had missed. Actually, there wasn’t too much which had felt as an actual loss when he had to recover. The inevitable infighting, the cut-throat mentality, ... Gert Stalhof had seen too much of the backside of the football medal to really hurry when his knee refused service – although with a little help of a Piershaven Club defender who decided to plant his studs in the exact middle of his leg. Experts said that he could grace the grass again in four to six months. More exact mathematicians eventually clocked on a little less than two years.

He had no hurry. Live was good, actually and there were plenty of more entertaining ways to fill your days then by doing the same power exercises over and over. As those only took up a few hours, Stalhof had a lot of night to amuse himself. Too much. Apparently, that life philosophy was not exactly what Koninklijke Pellegem had in mind to throw a lot of cash towards him. Actually, the midfielder never had understood why they were willing to live up to their name by spending a royal wage, nearly twice as much as his previous club had given, on a player who had visibly grown tired of the game.

For a long time, they had been naïve as little kids. ‘It seems there is an extra complication’. ‘I’m working hard but I must have overdone myself a little’. ‘My return is really getting closer’. The golden faucet eventually had run dry after a minor incident of which Stalhof actually recalled very little – apparently one of the side effects from a drinking problem.

“... so that should leave all the necessary space for Gert to offer Piet a one-on-one situation.”

It took an expert on peptalk-reactions to remark the small difference between the thorough yes from Piet Masschelin, the powerful striker always eager to dominate in the box, and the mechanical confirmation from Stalhof. Unfortunately for the latter, dressing rooms seem to be filled to the rim with that kind of connoisseurs and even if his thoughts were wandering in other nations that Korizland, other continents even, he could sense the disapproval from the group whose glances pierced him like needles.

He’s just a little friend of the manager. That was the bottomline for many a follower and Gert couldn’t even debate with that. In fact, it was madness that he had been dropped into the starting side despite hardly having seen a pitch from up close in the last few years. Six games. That was the full tally he had with Eendracht Rankelsven. Larded with three goals and five assisting passes, nonetheless, but despite an obvious form one couldn’t say that he had returned as a consistent force in the competition.

Rankelsven? Indeed, a mediocre side from a sub-par village that was already glad to stay away from the relegation zone apparently was the only side mad enough to put a bunch of papers below his nose with the word ‘contract’ printed all over. No club but Eendracht had been available, an evidence that the rumours had spread well in the Veldgouwer world of football – very annoying, especially if that gossip was true. But their tendency to end far away from the title battle was not really an issue for Stalhof as they were willing to pay hard cash for his services and idiotic enough to make it dependable on his statistics. And money was, all romanticism aside, what had brought Gert Stalhof back to his green habitat.

Technically, the national side didn’t bring any seed in the bowl but it was crucial to confirm his aura as the most valuable player from Veldgouwen. And, as Stalhof could count, he knew that such does bring home a lot of cash in the long run. By now, Johan Valkeniers had halted his speech and just walked around the room as many of the guys were performing their little rituals before lining up in the hall that lead to the pitch. Crosses were made, socks folded double and triple and boots were kissed whilst the manager walked past Stalhof.

“Keep your head into the game, Gert, and remember what I said.”

A bit difficult if you haven’t heard anything but to hell with that. In all honesty, Gert Stalhof had no clue why Valkeniers had such confidence in him, knowing his background so well. But he was as eager as the audience to walk out against Korizland and to discover the answer to that question.

by **Super-Llamaland** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 6:00 pm

A SAVAGE WAR OF PEACE: HOW THE UNION WAS MADE

I. Origins

For fifteen years, William Granveir seized complete control of Super-Llamaland by assassinating his lifelong friend, president James Morrison. The former vice-president became a military dictator who slowly consolidated control over the nation and enforced a totalitarian regime with the sole aim of conquering the entirety of Greater Llamanea, from Hicaña to Hakifao. After fifteen years of brutal dictatorship highlighted by the Dinschria Massacre, in which military officials gunned down thousands of peaceful protesters, including women and children, Granveir was finally overthrown and killed by Brian Collins, one of Llamanea's greatest presidents, after assassinating another innocent, politician Ryan Johnston. It's what every Llamanean is told in primary school.

But it glosses over a more important detail - a majority of Super-Llamaland supported Granveir until late in his reign as president, when he began curtailing individual freedoms and attempting to legitimize his position as military dictator by making attempts to grab power within Congress. And most of the atrocities committed were not in Super-Llamaland (where the "forced conscription" many are taught in fact only lasted two months before Granveir himself scrapped the plan), but abroad.

When Granveir took power, a majority of Congress considered themselves center-right nationalists - not exactly the most Llamanean view, but the Andeck presidencies, although authoritarian and extremely conservative, coincided with an economic bubble that popped once Morrison took office - leading many to believe that rightist policies, which had been phased out in the 1930s, were more economically stable. Additionally, the quick technological and economic advancement of Arondesheim to the north and Eirelia to the east made many Llamaneans jealous of their neighbors, and nervous that they would be overtaken.

Granveir himself had been a minor military official in the Andeck regime, and generally sided with the "Renaissance Right" movement despite Morrison's center-left policies, and when he took office, he made sure to publicize that he was going to boost the national military. Although this was met with consternation from dwindling liberal factions, the majority of Super-Llamaland supported an initiative that would make their nation more competitive on a regional level. And so militarization began.
***
By 1976, Morrison's Super-Llamaland wasn't exactly weak itself - in fact, by then, they had nearly, with the support of Arondesheim and Vjaalsbürg, established complete control over The Hakifao Isles as Morrison shifted more and more to the right's hawkish policies. Still, the rest of the north would prove a harder nut to crack.

Arondesheim had enjoyed great economic, social, and scientific advancement in the 1970s, effectively surpassing Super-Llamaland. While their southern neighbors' perceived inadequacy led to militarization and a movement to the right, however, Arondesheim naturally went the opposite direction. In 1968, president Johan Sorenson, the first president from the Radical Party, was elected and immediately began reducing the size of their own miitary. This did not go without opposition - the Southern Democratic Party and Conservative Party aligned and made attempts to reduce Sorenson's power - but the liberal movement in Arondesheim was too strong.

Vjaalsbürg had also been moving in the same direction, with a huge difference - as their southern neighbors, Vjaal-Hakifao trade had bloomed in the late 1960s, but Super-Llamaland had enforced harsh trade restrictions on their new territory that crippled the Vjaal economy. As a reaction to this, the 1976 election saw the incumbent president, Magnus Herlekson of the Vjaal Socialist Party, replaced by ex-military general Isak Strauss, a notorious hawk also known for liberal domestic policies. Still, Herlekson had reduced his military so much that Strauss struggled to rally enough support within Congress to grant him adequate military funds in their next budget. Granveir's rise to power saw Vjaalsbürg, despite their president's best efforts, unprepared.

Meanwhile, within Super-Llamaland, the nation's military continued to grow, and Granveir confirmed that mobilization was imminent. The only question was, which country would face the Llamaneans' wrath? Despite the obvious threat, solutions refused to present themselves - relations between Hicaña, Eirelia, and the northern states remained unreliable. Still, only Strauss and his supporters in the north seemed to recognize this threat...

LINEUP TO PLAY VALLADARES: Bernholm; Lindberg, Ynoa, Reichart, Rodrigues; Velasquez, Candelario, Vesely, Vorobyov; Penbrooke, Mandelbrot

After a bye, the Tigers' first match could set the tone for the rest of their campaign as Valladares, one of the best nations in the world, visit The C - while a loss wouldn't be crippling, a win would establish the Tigers as legitimate contenders to win the group. As such, Reichart has thrown on his best possible lineup.

Lukas Bernholm, finally the established starter, is in goal. He'll be backed up by the solid pairing of Ynoa and Kurt Reichart (no relation), while Real Azuris' Adrian Lindberg will play left-back. At right-back, usual starter Michael Sorenson has been rotated for the young but promising Georgia Rodrigues, whose playmaking skills from fullback could prove invaluable. Still, the teenager is a huge gamble - despite a decent season at Pûr, she still could have issues with maintaining her positioning, and if she drifts too far forward, Valladares will be able to exploit the gap.

The four-man midfield (or is it two?), though, is definitely the strongest the nation can offer. Eva Velasquez, finally breaking into the Starting XI, will prove useful enough on both ends of the field. The same can't be said for Miro Vorobyov, who, coupled with Rodrigues on the right, could gift Valladares' left attack the game of their lives. Still, if anyone's up for the challenge of keeping things tight, it'll be the established pairing of Ethan Candelario, recently restored to the Nepharim top flight, and Nemanja Vesely.

Up front, Ansel Penbrooke (of course) will get the start. Backing him up will be SuperLleague star Francis Mandelbrot, who is nonetheless unproven at such a high level.

by **Tomikosan** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 7:28 pm

OOC: I tried my best to look good, but this is what I can do. Still a good one.
Here is a Music to Fit in There

TOMIKOSAN

~IMMUNE TO WILDFIRE!!~

Group 15

Kirisaki
Tomikosan
Royal Kingdom of Quebec
Flardania
Tumbra
Hydraic Empire
Kalumba

MD 1: Tomikosan VS Kalumba
MD 2: Kirisaki VS Tomikosan
MD 3: ---------------------------
MD 4: Tomikosan VS Royal Kingdom of Quebec
MD 5: Tomikosan VS Flardania
MD 6: Tomikosan VS Hydraic Empire
MD 7: Tumbra VS Tomikosan
MD 8-14: Reverse order

by **Gadirya** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 10:38 pm

An Ignoramus's Guide to Gadiryan Politics

Author's Note: Thank you for purchasing this book! I hope that in the following chapters you will begin to understand the complex political climate in Gadirya and be able to discuss politics with anyone with ease. Enjoy!

Signed,

A.C

|||

Chapters

Chapter 1: I'm Lost
Chapter 2: Constitutional Monarchy?
Chapter 3: Election 238
Chapter 4: Election 238 Part Deux
Chapter 5: Gadirya and the World
Chapter 6: "Fun" Facts

|||

Chapter One: I'm Lost

Don't be! The world of Gadirya politics, while complex, will become easier to navigate as you continue to read this book. But before we go on about the meat and bones of politics lets talk about the skin, er, history of Gadirya. We are gonna skip Gadirya's previous "Eras" and focus on the 5th one, the latest era in Gadirya's history. If you didn't know Gadirya's history is divided in 5 eras, the first era being the oldest and the fifth being the most recent. It is pretty arbitrary on how the eras are divided but Gadiryan historians agree that what separates one era from another is a major event. For example, when Muhammed the Great united Gadirya under one banner in the 4th era it ended a period of warfare and division. That would considered to be a major event worthy of ending one era and beginning a new one. Now that we got that out of the way lets talk about the 5th Era.

As you already know the 5th Era started when Muhammed the Great united the clans and various city states and formed the Kingdom of Gadirya the first unified country on the islands in over 200 years. Under Muhammed's rule the country was run his way and no other; which, if you lived in Muhammed's time made perfect sense since Gadirya was just established and a tight fisted rule was needed after decades and decades of civil conflict. This type of rule leads to the first political issue of Gadirya; Turkish clans and city states strongly opposed the creation of the kingdom and resisted both peacefully and violently. This resistance to Muhammed's rule was met with harsh retribution and the Turks were crushed; Gadirya's armies laid siege to every Turkish town and city that did not submit to his rule and attacked Turkish clans in the desertside. It is said that his armies killed men, women, and children, regardless if they were soldiers or not if the city or town did not surrender to his rule. These events created numerous issues that lasts today: the treatment of Turkish Gadiryans in society, Turkish Gadiryan independence movements, the question of whether the Turkish persecution would considered genocide, and if the Gadiryan government will ever apologize for the events in the beginning of the 5th Era.

As we move further along in the 5th Era a peculiar event began to occur; Omar I the third king to rule Gadirya is at the height of his powers: the economy is on the up and up, relations with Turkish peoples were solid, and there was peace. These three factors made Gadirya an attractive country to migrate too and so the first wave of foreign immigrants came by the droves as soon as Gadirya relaxed their policies on migration. Who were these immigrants? About 95% of those newcomers were Felixian French. The others? Mostly Guayabalese and other various Esportivans. The French immigrants had a profound impact in Gadirya as they introduced new concepts to Gadiryan society, once isolated to the world, and even changed the city name of Port Tanta to Casablanca (Port Tanta was the center of Felixian French migration to Gadirya). They of course didn't change the name Tanta to Casablanca overnight but years of French Felixians outnumbering native Arab Gadiryans resulted in a shift of power. Which leads us to our second societal problem; the French question. Arab Gadiryans feel a deep resentment for the "loss" of Port Tanta and to this day advocate a radical policy of Gadiryan nationalism that strives to kick "the migrants" out despite the fact that at this point the Felixian French have evolved into Gadiryan French. These calls to keep them out in certain parts of the country was compounded once Felixian refugees began to migrate to Gadirya during the Corvidae War and the subsequent collapse of the nation following World Cup 72. Along with migration it is the fact that the Gadiryan Frenchman is more likely to be middle or upper class than the average Gadiryan Arab or Turk adding fuel to the fire. This topic of economics perfectly segways to our next part, social class in Gadirya.

Gadirya's economy over the centuries has ebbed and flowed and with that certain people get ignored. In the booming cities of Charmat, Altintop, El Main, and Casablanca the lower classes lived in horrible conditions. This created an environment where new ideas could easily seep through people's minds and seek change. While the reforms made by various kings in the past 200 years have made significant progress certain parts of Gadiryan society demand more changes. Issues such of wealth gaps, lack of government assistance for the poor, the price of colleges in Gadirya, and the state of Gadirya's National Health Service are hot button topics in Gadiryan politics. All of Gadirya's parties have different methods in solving these social woes and all compete for precious seats, 100 to be exact, so they can enact these solutions. Which leads us to our final subject, how did we get here? How did in the last 200 years go from an absolute monarch to a somewhat constitutional democracy?

The answer is simple, Anwar I. For those of you that are rusty in your Gadiryan affairs and now current events here's the gist of it. For more than 200 years Gadiryan kings were both the head of the state and the head of the government; the king had total power of the country. Sure there were ministers and advisors but at the end of the day the king made the final decisions and anyone that disagreed with him could get sacked, or worse. That all changed when Anwar Maalouf was crowned as King of Gadirya in the 5E 221. This king wanted radical reform by implementing democracy in Gadirya. Ironically enough there were ministers that were opposed to his and Anwar, like his forefathers before him, fired them on the spot and hired men that would agree with him. One of the first Royal Decrees he implemented was the one that decriminalized the creation and maintaining of political parties. This ushered a new age in Gadirya one that featured open political thought. And yet Anwar the Reformist had to take his time liberalizing the nation, if he went too fast the population might not handle it, too slow and the country might resort to violence for political expression For example, in the first incarnation of the newly established Gadiryan House of Commons only 37 seats were up for grabs, the rest assigned by the king. This figured slowly began to go down until reaching the current number of available seats: 100.

In this first chapter I gave a condensed version of Gadiryan history in the 5th era. Hopefully that cleared up any questions on the political climate in Gadirya. If you really are an ignoramus then here is a recap of what we talked about in the chapter. First things up is the foundation of Gadirya by Muhammed the Great. Yay. Next up is how the same Muhammed created Turkish and Arab relations to be shaky even today with the Turks demanding a variety of stuff in concession of the harsh rule of Muhammed. Next up is the French question. Basically, Felixian French migrants stayed in Gadirya and have influenced the nation tremendously with some conservatives up in arms about that. Again, this issue is still an election issue today with many questions being casted on whether we should still allow the French to stay, despite the fact generations have lived in Gadirya, and why are they better off than the rest of Gadiryan society. Another issue that is mentioned in the general elections of 238 is class itself; poorer Gadiryans are resentful by the fact reforms for the poor have been slow, better off Gadiryans want less regulations in the economy, etc. And lastly how Gadirya got into this democratic mess. Thank Anwar I for reforming the government and allowing universal suffrage for Gadiryan citizens 18 and up. Without him I probably wouldn't have made this book, or even be a writer. Anyways back to the point, Anwar creates an environment for democracy now we have elections, specifically the election of 238. Which leads us up to Chapter 2 in which I will discuss the Gadirya's form of government.

---

Starting XI against Eastfield Lodge @ King Anwar I National Stadium (Capacity: 48,000)
GK: #1 Aziz Karim
RB: #12 Lütfü Burakgazi
RCB: #27 Güvenç Uzun
LCB: #4 [C] Gérard Calvet
LB: #2 Umair Ammar
CDM: #8 Said El-Amin
RCM: #14 Jean-Christophe Prudhomme
LCM: #17 Farouk Benita
CAM: #10 Hikmet Kundakçı
RS: #18 Darwishi Tannous
LS: #9 Michel Héroux
Substitutes
GK: #30 Maximilien Jauffret
CB: #3 Hanbal Tuma
LB: #16 Fabien Patenaude
CAM: #23 Simon Cartier
ST: #19 Selâhattin Teke

Manager: Ali Tahan
Asst Managers: Süleyman Değirmenci and Ishikawa Haruka
Formation: 4-4-2
Style: -3

by **Chromatika** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 12:07 am

A Non-Political Preview of Chromatika's Group

Of course, the biggest thing going on with Chromatika is the current issues concerning the Chromatik Party, the exile of the Chromatik National Team, and and the forced departure of all the players that were in the League Chromatiks. However, you can't take away the fact that the Chromatik National Team is now the twenty-third ranked team in the world. This has given them a #1 seed, and although all their home matches will be played in Montréal, Royal Kingdom of Québec, the team is still expected to perform well and continue to be the symbol of defiance and hope. Here are the opponents that Chromatika will be facing in Group 18:

44. Starblaydia
The once-proud multiple world championship holders have been making a comeback as of late, and clock in as the second seed in Group 18. The Chromatiks must not be stymied by the history that is part of the Starblaydi squad, as the Atlantian Oceanian neighbors will provide the biggest challenge in the group. The Chromatiks start off the group by facing them in Matchday 1 at home and the return leg on Matchday 8, so the team will be able to see where they stack up immediately. Against the Starblaydi squad, the midfield, especially Carrol Liam's teamwork with Meagan Kelly, will be tested to get the ball up to the forwards as fast as possible. If the squad can handle Starblaydia, they're in good shape to make it to the Worlds Proper.

73. Kaboomlandia
Kaboomlandia is a strange team as they employ a 1-8-1 strategy that drives most teams nuts with a heavy dose of possession in the midfield. As the representative of the third pot, they will be the ones trying to sneak in, just as the Chromatiks did behind Flardania and Anglatia in the last cycle. The Chromatiks host them in Matchday 3 and play away in Matchday 10. A team to definitely watch out for, and the long range passing skills between defenders and forwards will help out the outmanned midfield.

110. HUElavia
The fourth seed is HUElavia, a squad that, at #110, is trying to get into the top 100. As long as the Chromatik forwards can hold up the scoring prowess they had in the latter half of last cycle, Matchday 4 away and 11 at home should be easy fixtures.

179. The New Telengana Rajj
The New Telegana Rajj are a new team from this Baptism of Fire. The Chromatiks play them Matchday 6 away and 13 at home, and should also be an easy six points, as long as Thorben continues to be the brick wall he has been.

235. Hirvania
At Matchday 2, home Matchday 9. Honestly, should be easy pickings.

UR. The Tidal Wake
An unranked squad? Disastrous if the Chromatiks can't pick up six points. Matchday 5 home, 12 away.

The Chromatiks will be favored to make it out of the group with Starblaydia being one of the weaker Pot 2 seeds and Kaboomlandia being one of the weaker Pot 3 seeds. As long as they don't get too caught up with what's going on at home, that is.

by **Qasden** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 12:31 am

Qasden Athletic News
Live

WC76 Qualifiers- Preview

- Greetings, everyone! My name is Jerman Faultz, and I'm here with Dravin Starks and Ulysses Kleski to discuss the event of the year, the World Cup!

- Not so fast, Faultz. It ain't as easy as it was for my boys in the IBC. This time around, the Vans are forced to endure high-ranked teams and must clinch one of the top 2 spots in the group just to even be considered for the main tournament! I must say, in all my years in basketball, I am glad I don't have to deal with that kind of pressure. How about you, Kleski?

- Well, Dravin, my time in Kasin didn't go too well as I finished 25th, but yes, it seems the qualifiers are the most intense part of the entire tournament! Each time, over 100 nations from across the multiverse must face each other in 14 games before advancing to the big tournament held this year in Electrum and Ceni. I must say, I'm quite curious on whom we're playing. Dravin, do you know?

- I don't, actually. Shocking, isn't it? How about you, Jerman?

- As a matter of fact, I do know it! The other day, Prince Franz-Pierre himself announced the placement of Qasden. We will be competing in Group 5 against Turori, Schottia, Eshan, New Gazi, Dumnunoiia, and Mazurska for the top 2 spots.

- Holy crap! Seriously? So, if we want a chance to make it, we're gonna have to slip past the Eels and Schottians? Man....well, let's look into those shall we?

- Ok then. First up for the Qads' journey is New Gazi, a charming team who weren't lucky enough to finish well in their group last time.

- I gotta say, the Cannoneers seem pretty threatining to me, I don't know about you. The trick is to stay on top of them. In fact, that's basically the trick against every team!

- Right.....anyways.....the Vans will need to fight hard to get those 3 special starter points. Ok, 2nd is Schottia, the group member from Pot 2. Like New Gazi, they missed out on the finals, but boy were they close!

- Too close, if I must say! The Schottians have always been a fun tennis rival of the Qads and now the relationship may extend into Futbol. I hope to see a tight match, here.

- I wouldn't hope too much though, now, as Schottia does happen to be one of the projected teams to enter the World Cup. A draw would be great in are hands, but a Qad win? That'll be the day.

- Alright, onto match #3, Mazurska. Now, unlike New Gazi and Schottia, it seems Mazurska hasn't been around as long, as they're found in Pot 7. Shoot, I don't know almost anything about their team!

- That seems like a problem, though. We don't know what to expect from Mazurska. I'm gonna go out on a leg and say we will win our two clashes with them, but a draw or defeat isn't entirely out of the equation.

- That was fast. Now to the dreaded team....Turori.

- *spits coffee all over Ulysses* Turori?! They won the last Cup of Harmony, and they expect us to beat them?!

- Well, I wouldn't say beat. Keep in mind that they didn't reach the 2nd place playoffs, as they finished the WC75 qualifiers in 3rd. The Eels are a top-50 team, but I'm just glad we didn't get a really good team like USI or Audioslavia! But, we can assume this series to end in favor of Turori.

- Ok, next is a bye, so nothing really needed to be talked about there. After that, it's Dumnoniia, a familiarly-unfamiliar face from the Baptism of Fire, where they narrowly missed out on the knockout stages.

- I'd say there's a pretty good shot here for Qasden. Dumnoniia, we can't deny the fact they're skilled, but Qasden has gone further. It only feels right to me if the games ended either in favor of Qasden or tied.

- Lastly, we've got Eshan, another team who barely missed out on World Cup 75. I do have to admit though, they're really good.

- Of course they are, look at their flag for petesake! *silently chuckles* Eshan's probably the biggest threat to finishing in the top 3, followed by Schottia for the top 2. If I remembered anything from their performance in Group 1 last time, they can take down basically any team. Hopefully, we can get them to pony up some points.

- And that's all we have time for, folks. Can Qasden make its mark in Group 5? Or will the Vans be scarred by the 6 adversaries. There's only one true way to find out, so stay tuned, stay updated, and stay alert for our Day 1 report, live from New Qad Field in Qad City!

by **Red Blackiland** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 5:55 am

Red Blackiland Sports and Off-topic Chronicles

A good action

Red Blackiland fans in Sargossa

Author : Mathias Gërdorffen

I had to lie again to Judith lady. I made such a hammer nailing silently to justify that could not have been me the guy who spoiled the domingueiro silence this happy condominium. Thus I repaired the previous lie - and my silly excuse for something that did not and I regret not having done.
Yes, because they want to know, I got a damn angry all: Judith lady who thought I would be able to, in full sun, hammering nails in the apartment, the neighbor - I do not know which - did not understand that at sometimes people do things without malice, perhaps only out of necessity, and was complaining of noise, I'm sure, nothing disturbing for a lady, she did, it disrupts daily for several and higher motives and finally me even, I lost, let me see, two days with this story, just as step for a moment of the most difficult of my life - must, I repeat do not know how many times a day, urgently, change jobs.
Made this consideration bitter about my existence - a simple gap in this journey into the unknown - I'm sure of that, or am I hallucinating, which I consider unlikely given to my painful experience in the non-saborismo day to day, or happened to me today when I entered the building, something really unbelievable: Benedikt, that porter caladão morning, weird half, I was waiting for me, wanting to talk to me.
And spoke. He almost never gives good day, only greets me by sheer obligation, came around awkwardly, talk to me:
- Sorry, your Hermann, but I wanted to see if you help me. I know you work in a large firm and might see if arrange something to Neusa, you know, my daughter. She entered college now and I think it would be good to start working, to go learning. She's very smart.
I was surprised. I did not know almost nothing of the private life of quiet and dry subject.
- I did not know that her daughter was already in college. Congratulations, Benedikt.
- It is your Hermann, she spent at the University of Redinxson, entered the University of Cruce Estrella, high note. It was always very studious, the first class.
He said those ceremonial things to Benedikt: "You can leave, I can not guarantee anything, I will do with the staff, talk to my boss, get me one of her resume ..."
Then it was that came to me one thing in mind: Benedikt should have made a huge sacrifice to create the daughter practically alone - and come to ask a favor of an almost unknown.
Would I do it for my Nora? Or at Volkhardt?
Does Joe is a father better than me?
I do not know. Anyway, it costs nothing to ask the class if anyone knows of something to the girl.
It will be my good deed for the day.
Or month.
Or year.
Or all my life, who knows?

Montreal Noire Box - Buy your game now!

Case/Mission #25 - Final Mission - Another type of conflict (Arson Department)

If you reached here, this is the final mission and the end of storyline in Montreal Noire. Another type of conflict is an Arson/fire department case in L.A. Noire. This is the last case Ko-han takes on the Fire Police Department, as well as the last case in the game. In the first part of the case, you play as Hae Kyun Kia. Hae is shown outside the Montreal National Speedway. Hae figures out that the arsonist must have worked at one of three pest control agencies in the city, due to the use of mosquito coils in the arson fires. Go to Ra In Ho Fast Exterminators, you can get the Newspaper on the counter inside the store, this will start a cutscene, where you'll discover the dead body of Gae Kyung, Ko-han asks to the policeman near from the scene, what he got there, then he says that looks like a drug overdose, Hirohito appears and tells Ko-han to get away from the body because this is his case, then Ko-han says to Hirohito shut up his fucking mouth and asks since when does a bag man work a case, then Hirohito says that knows the creep (referring to Gae Kyung) was in on the morphine theft, says that he was a victim of his own product, then Ko-han points his gun to Hirohito, calling the attention of the policeman in the scene, he was tranquilized by Kil Young Nam, then Ko-han says that Gae Kyung was a military in the Royal Quebecois Navy Corps, he served his country, went out with a medical kit and an RQNC .34 into places that made the Valley of Death looks like a child's play, he was either naive enough or dumb enough to get involved in the Group of Suburban Infrastructure Development along with the Chief of Surete de Montreal, the state attorney, Oh Jong Yeol (the boss of P'aeng Si U Constructions) and a certain crooked cop (referring to Hirohito), that he was involved in the morphine theft but he has a puncture wound in his jugular, which makes this a murder case, that he was a better man than Hirohito will ever know, and tells Hirohito if he says one more word about Gae Kyung he'll blow his fucking brain off, then Hirohito says that Ko-han finally lost it, Ko-han says that have a pretty good idea why Gae Kyung is dead and knows about Oh Jong, that Hirohito's vast corrupt future is drawing away as they speak, then Hirohito says that got better things to do than to argue the rub with you, then Ko-han says to the policeman to be with Hirohito, watching him until the coroner reaches the crime scene and to make sure that the Scientific Services grab the evidence, and if he lets the creep (Hirohito) anywhere near it he'll come looking for him, then Kil says that Ko-han isn't the worst asshole going around.
You can choose travel to Nuclear Pest Exterminators, but there are no clues to be found there. Talk to the guy behind the counter to cross the location off your list. Travel to the third agency now, which is the King Petrus Pest Control Office, and talk to the employee behind the counter. The employee tells Hae Kyun that a large cowboy works there and lives at an abandoned bunkhouse at the old abandoned Pae Jeong's Ranch, north of Motreal, in the hills. This will lead into the next section through a cutscene, where you'll play as Ko-han again, the next section of the case takes you back to the previous day. Ko-han and Kil Young Nam are called in by Subaru to investigate the murder of Dr. T'ak Shi Won at his office/house by one of his patients, as well as the kidnapping of Helena Platermann. Ko-han must examine the crime scene for evidence and clues. The list of clues and locations below is what you need to examine in order to continue on in the case, on the desk, get the Newspaper which leads you a cutscene between Oh Jong and T'ak Shi Won talking about Hae Kyun and a certain god-damned pet lunatic of T'ak Shi Won, that he's burning down all of Oh Jong's houses, probably talking about the arsonist, then head out of the room, in the hallway near the office the PC just exited, view the medical cabinet, and examine the Morphine inside, next, in front of the file cabinets, there is a crystal ball with blood on it, examine the body, look at the neck for marks and his left hand for a lighter with the initials S.K, look at the glass door behind the table to see that this is broken, now head to the doorway you came in and to the left is a small table.

Dr. T'ak Shi Won's neck

Examine the file and tap the small yellow Note. Next flip over the small yellow note and tap on the name "Sun Koko" for the next clue, next to the Newspaper is blank piece of paper. Shade the paper, then place the ripped newspaper page over the shaded paper to get a freeway route map. Ko-han quickly comes to the decision that this isn't about insurance, but it's about eminent domain, government-built highways/ freeways were going to be built on the exact spots as the new housing developments for navy militaries built by Oh Jong Yeol. The houses would be built for next to nothing, and a false, higher value would be declared by Montreal's Life Company, explaining that Hae Kyun's boss is the key on that because he carries the insurance. As soon as the the federal government reclaims the land legally to approve the highway's construction in order of Montreal's governor Pi Ho Sung, and this improved value is to be paid to Oh Jong and associates. Eventually, the militaries that invested and or bought a house would get their money back that they originally paid for the house, but the group picks millions in it. Ko-han then comes to the conclusion that T'ak Shi Won had forced his patient to burn down the houses under the orders of Oh Jong, the same patient who killed him due to the fact that he unknowingly killed two families in the process. So, Ko-han says if they get the arsonist, they will get Helena and all of the others.

Freeway map

Now you return to play as Hae Kyun Kia. Hae checks out the bunkhouse at the old Pae Jeong's Ranch. It is located in the hills, north of Montreal. Approach the house and kick the door in as nobody is at home. You'll find a Flame Thrower to the right on the workbench, a Daewoon K2 to the right in the main bedroom on the floor, in the bedroom filled with orgami cranes, find the origami crane on the workbench and the blueprint plan of the tunnels which is on the wall to the left of the crane and examine the Photograph on the wall of Ko-han's former Royal Quebecois Navy Corps Unit (in the same room as the origami's). Hae soon realizes that the arsonist and occupant of the bunkhouse is his and Ko-han's fomer fellow partner at the RQNC, Sung Kwan, responsible for burning out a cave of innocent civilians during the war under Ko-han's orders, then Hae soon realized that he's the guy. He had since lost his mind and had gone to Dr. T'ak Shi Won for help. The doctor, however, working with Oh Jong Yeol had Sung Kwan burn out the homes in the fire police/arson department cases, killing a family of four in the process. When Dr. T'ak Shi Won knocked out Helena Platermann in his office, Sung Kwan burst in and strangled the doctor, the former patient who Kil Young Nam told to Hae Kyun had killed Dr. T'ak Shi Won. Hae also finds a map of the Montreal's Water Tunnels, coming to the conclusion that that's where Sung Kwan is, with Helena as his hostage. Then, Hae phones the state attorney assistant Gun Kyun Ruan and Ko-han and tells them to meet him at the water tunnels entrance, near the TGOD 1st Street in an industrial district of Montreal.
After Hae tells the state attorney assistant Gun Kyun Ruan and Ko-han to meet him at the tunnels, Ko-han and Kil Young receive the message broadcasted over Surete's radio in the Central Montreal Police Station from Hae. Then, a second broadcast is made about a police pursuit, in which corrupt Patrol and detective units are chasing Hae's car. At the end of the cutscene, Ko-han and Kil Young are shown on Petrus Boulevard St. in Central Montreal's zone, Hae and the corrupt officers speed by Ko-han.
The final section of the case and of the game is as Hae Kyun. Hae, Ko-han and Kil Young reach the river tunnels in the pouring rain. Gun Kyun Ruan meets the trio there. As Ko-han and Hae enter the tunnel in a cutscene, the Surete's Chief and detectives pull up to the scene, proceeding to arrest everyone there. Gun Kyun Ruan quickly explains the situation and blackmails the chief with the information he has, explaining that everything that's going on goes as high up as City Hall and implies that the chief might be involved. The chief complies and accepts Gun Kyun's terms. Next comes the final and largest shootout of the game. Take out all of the men in the tunnel system in pursuit of Sung Kwan, who is armed with a Flame Thrower in his RQNC uniform. This includes wading through rising water to get between walkways. Hae will eventually get to an ammunition storage room in the tunnel and be able to pick up the Flame Thrower as well as a couple of other assult rifles. Once Hae descends to the lower tunnel, the water will rise. There will be two catwalks (can be seen before Hae descends) in which the handrails are still visible. You should walk on these two in order to get to the other side; otherwise, you will drown. It is better to walk on the right one; you will be easier to avoid enemies' gunfire. After you climb up to the other side of the tunnel, the last six enemies will be waiting for you. In another cutscene, Hae leaves behind the flame thrower and finds Helena and Sung Kwan. Sung clearly insane, doesn't want to hurt Helena and realizes that it's his former RQNC first-sargeant Hae Kyun Kia, who has been after him. Ko-han quickly joins the three and Sung Kwan tells Ko-han that he was the reason that he went insane, claiming that Ko-han's orders for him to burn out the caves in the war - which, unbeknownst to Ko-han turned out to contain innocent people - caused him to lose his mind. Going to Dr. T'ak Shi Won only made things worse. Ko-han helps Helena through the rising water out of the area, claiming that he needs Sung Kwan for his case. Hae, explaining that Sung Kwan had been through enough already, shoots and kills Sung Kwan to put him out of his misery.
Finally, Ko-han and Helena reach a street grate about the rising water in the tunnel, with Hae close behind. As the water rises and becomes more violent, Kil Young opens the grate above and hauls Helena and Hae Kyun up, with the help of Ko-han. However, before Ko-han can jump to safety, an explosive and powerful surge of water comes upon him and sweeps him away, killing him, just as he manages to say ''Thanks for all.''
The surging water explodes out of the street grates, throwing Hae, Kil Young and Helena onto the ground. Hae stands in the mud, looking up at the rain in despair while Helena breaks down crying. Later, Ko-han's funeral takes place at Tiger Church in a cutscene. All are in attendance, including Ko-han's wife and two daughters. Hirohito gives a eulogy at a closed, Quebecois flag-draped casket, with Ko-han's picture near to it. Earlier, upon arrival at the tunnels, the player should notice that after being successfully blackmailed by Gun Kyun Ruan, the Surete's chief states that he's willing to listen to listen Gun Kyun Ruan's ''terms'' Here at the funeral, it is implied that the state attorney assistant insisted that Ko-han be exonorated upon his death of all previous accusations of wrongdoing in return for leaving the senior leadership (including Hirohito) of the Surete and Montreal unscathed. This is further substantiated by Hirohito's mention of Oh Jong Yeol and Dr. T'ak Shi Won as the primary culprits of wrongdoing, as well as a subtle handshake between Gun Kyun Ruan and Hirohito after he has completed his eulogy remarks. When Hirohito denounces the accusations made against Ko-han for his affair with Helena, she leaves the church, angry, calling Hirohito a swine and saying that he belittle Ko-han's memory, Hae tells Kil Young to go to her, Kil Young tells Hae that he was never Ko-han's friend, then Hae replies that never was his enemy then, Kil Young responds that he feels that Ko-han knew that.
After the credits, there is a final flashback cutscene showing the events just prior to theft of the ship, containing government-issued morphine shortly after the war, when Ko-han was just starting out in the Surete de Montreal. Gae tells the rest of Ko-han's old unit present that they could make a lot of money in selling morphine on the street. The members of the unit are jealous of Ko-han's success as a policeman and are bitter at not being recognized as heroes. Hae Kyun eventually says that every one of the guys there are heroes to him, and even though Ko-han became famous from a fluke, they are all famous to him and should recognize that themselves. He finally says that if they take part in the robbery, they will no longer be heroes to him. However, the robbery still takes place, laying the foundation for the entire plot.

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 7:31 am

Lex Talionis, Part One

Riuwiee, Abanhfleft

When authorities discovered the dead body of Guillermo Huesca, the leader of the notorious Huesca Cartel and one of the most wanted men in Abanhfleft, inside an abandoned car in General’s View in Releinthi, they thought that one of the biggest and most dangerous organized crime syndicates in the country was about to implode into infighting as the cartel’s lower bosses competed against each other to become the cartel’s new top dog. But that didn’t happen. In fact, no infighting in the scale that the authorities had predicted happened within the Huesca Cartel, and that was because Huesca had left behind a clear plan of succession in the event of his death. The person whom he chose to inherit his vast empire of legitimate and criminal enterprises was none other than his niece, Amelia Dulce Pena.

Amy Pena was 24 years old when she became the head of the second-largest organized crime syndicate in Abanhfleft, but before she became the head of one of Abanhfleft’s most notorious gangs, she had once been just an ordinary girl. Like all Fleftics aged 18, she served her mandatory four years in the Fleftic Armed Forces. She was part of the 16th Colonial Expeditionary Force when that force, under Major General Nadejda Palomarska, invaded what was now known as Haritzaga County and forcibly incorporated it into the Fhulghamous Peninsula Colony. During the Battle of Labor Camp One, an enemy grenade had landed in the middle of Amy’s squad. In an incredible display of bravery and heroism, Amy had made to kick the grenade away from the rest of her squad, but the grenade exploded just as her left foot connected with it. The blast lacerated her face and shredded her left leg to such an extent that it eventually had to be amputated from below the knee, but her actions did end up saving the lives of her squadmates. Amy’s heroic actions earned her both a Purple Heart and the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest ever award that could be given by the Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft to one of its citizens, be they civilian or military.

Now, eight years after the Fhulghamous Crisis, the war hero was now the head of the Huesca Cartel, and there was nothing that the authorities could do to bring her to justice. Amelia Pena was an almost omnipotent presence around her late uncle’s legitimate businesses, like Huesca Imports & Exports, the company that had started it all for Guillermo Huesca. More recently, Amy helped finance the founding of FC United of Riuwiee, a mixed-gender football club that was inspired by the success of All-Inclusive Haranguer in the Fleftic Premier League.

But authorities suspected that Amy, much like her uncle before her, was very much involved in the dealings of the criminal side of Huesca’s enterprises. She may not be directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the Huesca Cartel like Guillermo Huesca was, but she certainly knew about the dirty side of her inherited empire and was even giving orders and making decisions for them.

It was a quiet Saturday night in Riuwiee, and Amy Pena was just getting ready to sleep. Wherever she appeared, she never gave any indication that she was an amputee, but in private, although she would never admit to it, the stump always hurt like hell for her, and that was on the good days. On the bad days, the pain was so awful and unbearable that Amy was always on the verge of tears. Only intensive discipline made her keep a steady face and carry on.

Today was a very good day, Amy judged as she sat down on her bed and worked on the straps securing her artificial leg to her thigh. She could only feel a quaint tingling sensation from her stump, which was a vast improvement over the mind-numbingly excruciating pain that she normally felt. It was this mild tingling sensation that had allowed Amy to celebrate wildly with the 3,000 other fans in Highgate Park as United of Riuwiee were promoted to the Capital Islands Premier Division, part of the seventh tier of Fleftic football. United of Riuwiee’s rise through the ranks, while not as meteoric as that of All-Inclusive Haranguer, was still fast and noteworthy enough for some people to consider the possibility of seeing United of Riuwiee playing in the Premier League sometime in the next decade or two and becoming the second mixed-gender side to play in Abanhfleft’s top tier.

Amy finished unstrapping her artificial leg and popped the vacuum seal securing the leg to her stump. She laid the leg beside her bedside table before slipping under the covers. Thinking about the potential success of the team that she had helped found had shaken off some of the cobwebs of sleep creeping into her mind, and she lay in bed imagining what could be. Amy had always wanted to play football ever since she was a kid, but losing her leg in the Fhulghamous Crisis had put an end to that. It was one of the reasons why she had readily agreed to become one of the founding members of United of Riuwiee, so she could help the young people of Riuwiee play the sport that she loved the most.

Amy was just about to drift off when she was stirred awake by the ringing of her cellphone. Amy cursed whoever was at the other end of the call before picking up her phone, and when she happened to look at the number of the person calling her, all vestiges of sleep vanished from her mind. It was the number of an old friend whom she had last seen a few years ago, when that friend left Abanhfleft for Pridnestrovia.

“Hello?” Amy asked.

“Amy, it’s Bisera. I need your help.”

“Sure thing, Bisera,” Amy replied. “What kind of help do you need? Do you need some money? Do you need a ride? What is it?”

“No, Amy, nothing like that,” Bisera Haralampieva said. “I need protection. And I need some protection for some friends of mine.”

“Ooh, I’m not sure about that, B,” Amy said. “I’m not sure about what you really mean by that.”

“Cut the crap, Amy,” Bisera said. “I know that you know what I’m talking about. If you keep stalling like that, me and my friends could literally end up dead in the next few days!”

That made Amy sit up straight in her bed. She had met Bisera when Amy had trialed for Rosenpfelblatz City. She hadn’t made the cut for the Sky Blues, but Amy had struck up a friendship with Bisera, and Bisera was, as far as Amy was concerned, the only person outside of the cartel whom she had trusted with the knowledge that she was now the Huesca Cartel’s new leader.

“Are you secure?” Amy asked Bisera.

“What do you think? Of course not! But I’m sure that no one’s wire-tapping the two of us! I’m a football player and you’re a Medal of Honor recipient! Imagine the scenes if people found out that the government was wire-tapping our phones. They still haven’t recovered from the scandal with Rutgers and Incognito.”

“Fine. What exactly do you need from me, Bisera?”

“I need some of your guys to watch my back, Amy. I’m in Hunsen in Valeria in Anglatia right now, but I’m planning on going to Otavice sometime soon because I’m keeping an eye on some of my friends. I’m asking this favor from you because Otavice is the home base of people who are in the same line of work as you are, and because I have a feeling that my friends are going to get killed by these people unless I do something about it.”

“I don’t like the way that this is going, B.”

“Then you’re going to hate what’s coming next. My friends have gotten on the wrong side of the people who are in the same line of work as you are, and the Crows won’t ever stop chasing after my friends until they’re dead.”

“The Crows? Your friends are going up against the Crows?” Amy sighed and shook her head. “Do you have any idea what you’ve gotten yourself into, Bisera?”

“Apparently not.”

“The Crows and I have not been the best of friends,” Amy said. “This happened ever since my uncle tried to set up a branch of his legit business there in Anglatia, and the Crows tried to squeeze some protection money out of him. I’m basically at war with the Crows, and you and your friends have just found yourselves in the middle of our war, Bisera. If this was happening here in Abanhfleft, Rako Novoire would tear his hair out in anger with all the battles between our two gangs.”

“Okay, Amy, here’s the deal. I need some of your goons to keep an eye on me, and I also need some more of your goons to keep an eye on Erin and Britt, and if it has to come to that, I want your goons to kidnap them. Oh, and if you can kidnap Erin and Britt and make the Crows think that they’re dead, that’s even better.”

“Well, I can certainly help you with the first two things you just mentioned, but what makes you think that I can make the Crows think that your friends are dead if I have to have them kidnapped?”

“Remember that story you told me about that girl from YKI who wanted to get away from it all and asked for your uncle’s help? Didn’t your uncle find some girl who looked like that girl from YKI and made it look like the girl from YKI died in a drive-by shooting when in fact she’s alive and well and out of YKI’s shadow?”

“God, Bisera, how can you still remember that after all these years? Never mind. What makes you think that I can find two dead girls who look like your friends in such a short amount of time? And we’re not even talking about what your friends look like in the first place.”

“I’m sure you’ll find a way,” Bisera said. “I think I’ve still got about a week or two at most before shit really goes down, but I’m going to keep in contact in case something bad or unexpected happens and we all have to pick up the pace.”

It felt strange to be ordered around by someone who wasn’t even part of the second-largest criminal organization in Abanhfleft, but Bisera Haralampieva was Amelia Pena’s friend, and friends always helped out each other the best way that they could. “Fine,” Amy finally said after a moment’s thought. “Give me your friends’ names and vital stats.”

“Their names are Britt Hanokssen and Erin Jensdottir.” Bisera then rattled off a series of numbers which were actually Erin and Britt’s heights and weights. “You can look them up in my tweets and FB posts if you want to know what they look like,” she added. “I tagged them a lot. Please, Amy, make it quick. I don’t how long they have in that place.”

“I’m a gangster, Bisera, not a miracle worker,” Amy said in a rare admission of her true line of work. “But I’ll do my best. I won’t let these goddamned Crows touch your or your friends. That much I promise you.”

“Thank you, Amy, really,” Bisera said. She sounded like a great weight had been finally lifted from her shoulders. “See you soon, I guess.”

“See you soon, B.” Amy then ended the call. So Bisera needed her help to save her friends from the Crows. Whatever they did to piss off the Crows must have been very bad for the Crows to make them suffer this long. And then Amelia Pena came to see the possibilities, and she leaned back on her bed as she thought about it. It would be nice to pull a big one over the goddamned Crows, and it would be very nice to know whatever it was they were planning to do, not that this Erin and Britt could possibly know everything about the Crows’ future plans. Still, it was nice to imagine….

Amy Pena fell asleep thinking about how she and her uncle’s cartel could screw over the Crows big time.

by **Great Palkia** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 7:38 am

Interview with Captain Dalton Churilla

"Hey, my name is Breckyn Allison and I am here with Dalton Churilla the team captain of the Great Palkian national team, how are you feeling right now Dalton?" "I am feeling great! The team and I have been looking forward to the world cup for multiple years now and are looking forward to getting to play other teams from around the world. Our team has worked very hard and think we have a shot at the title of champion of the world cup." "I have noticed that your team is one of the youngest teams in the world cup. Why is that and do you think it will affect how you play against the older teams?" "Our national team is very young because we have only been together for two years and coach Marc Rogers said he saw great potential in each and everyone of the players. I believe in this team one hundred percent and do not think the age of the team will effect the outcome of the score." "Thank you for your time, I wish you good luck in your games!" "Thank you." Dalton Churilla then jogged back to the field where his team was warming up.

by **Port Christopher** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 10:20 am

Jim Reid had the familiar sinking feeling as he watched his side struggle - for a third year running - in the Two Harbours Cup. What was meant to be something of a mini derby, somehow always ended up with his side going into the World Cup on the receiving end of a resounding defeat. Schottia's pre-qualifier form hadn’t even been that impressive, as Lionel Mah tried to find the right kind of shape ahead of the opening match. Reid thought they might have caught them on the hop, might have even snuck a win, but 2-0 down at Harbour Hill Stadium with twenty minutes to go, and didn’t bode well.

Reid slapped his thigh in frustration; hitting it so hard he could feel it throb with pain. Tomas Nazario-Silva, whom he'd pushed into the midfield, was normally a force to be reckoned with for the Pirates. He was a big tall player, who bullied and intimidated the opposition, and he had a bit of quality to go with it. Out there however, he was proving to be a total liability, as he took the legs from Chloe Rudden with the Spiders winger going nowhere at the time.

'Jesus Christ, man!' Reid turned towards his assistant Nori Bouden, as the referee ran towards Nazario-Silva brandishing a yellow card. 'Get the wee asshole out of there before he gets himself sent off.' Bouden was still shaking he head, as he slapped Miller Icacic on the shoulder to tell him he was on.

Meanwhile on the pitch, the mêlée caused by the player's actions had drawn in Jenny McDonald, a young woman who was never one to miss out on a scrap. Reid suspected that the Pirates captain was much of the reason for the bad blood on the pitch just now, and he knew that her transfer request had upset a few of her Christopheran teammates. What was making matters worse was the fact that the Schottian had ran rings round Nazario-Silva all evening. The Super-League players had something of an inferiority complex, probably resulting from the way many viewed their league. Despite the fact that clubs like the Pirates had a good Globe Cup pedigree, they were constantly spurned by the top players, who wouldn't be seen dead in the league. McDonald's leaving had a 'last horse heading out of town' feel to it. The whole association was in dire trouble. The Super-League had been restructured, to try and prop up dwindling support; and Reid could swear the national team were getting worse rather than better. Add to this, the fact that the best young player they had ever produced had exploited a loophole to represent Schottia, and it felt like the tiny territory's days were numbered.

'Cheer up Jimmy, only twenty minutes to go.' Reid, already puce with frustration, spun a couple of times before working out where the words came from. Eventually his eyes fixed upon one of the Schottia striker, Corrine Martel-Burns, who was standing on the touchline next to the fourth official. She gave him a mocking smirk, as the official entered her number into the board, ready to herald her arrival in the match.

He felt an urge to strangle her, as Lionel Mah, whom she had been careful not to let overhear, stepped forward to give her some last minute instructions. 'This is fuckin' stupid!' He shouted at Bouden through bared teeth. 'Fuckin' laughing at us.' He added shaking his head.

'Excuse me Sir, I've asked you five times now to watch your language.' The fourth official said turning to Reid angrily. 'If you don't calm down, you'll be asked to sit in the stands.' With both the official and Mah now looking his direction, Martel-Burns took the opportunity shoot him another smile.

'Look!' Reid pointed in her direction, but they remained focused on him. They're just making a fool of us! You lot, you and her...' He pointed at the referee now. '...you're doing nothing punish them. Start doing you're f-f-f... you're effing job right!'

As soon as this came out of his mouth he knew it was a mistake. The referee had actually been pretty fair, objectively speaking, and was by no means picking on his players, or him. It was just a case of frustrations boiling over as his players seemed unable string two passes together. Forty-one percent possession, two shots on goal, none on target, and sixteen fouls committed.

The referee, a young Shalumite woman with long brown hair and chestnut eyes came running over to the touchline, beckoned by her fourth official. 'What's the problem David?' She asked looking stern.

'Sorry Anne.' He said, a finger already pointed in Reid's direction. The Port Christopher manager knew what was coming. 'I've asked Mr Reid six times to refrain from swearing, and now he is refusing to simmer down.' It was like being back at school.

'Okay Mr Reid, I'm afraid I'm going to need you to go to the stands.' She said pointing in that direction. 'And I won't restart play until you've left the technical area.'

So as at was, Jim Reid was forced to trudge from the pitch to a chorus of cheers from the Schottia fans immediately behind him, Martel-Burns' protruding tongue last image etched on his mind. As he sat there, watching his side concede a third goal, courtesy of the aforementioned young striker, he had plenty of time to reflect. If they continued to play like this, it was going to be a long twelve matches indeed.

The last twenty minutes felt a lot longer, as large group of Schottia fans first treated him to a rendition of:

"Jimmy Reid, give us a wave, Jimmy Reid Jimmy Reid..."

Followed by five minutes of uninterrupted:

"He's fat, he's round, he's the biggest joke in town... Jimmy Reid...'

Then, with added relish:

"Who's that fat bastard in row B"

He wasn't even fat. At least not particularly overweight. It capped of another scintillating night in international football - the papers were going to love this one. The same papers who had branded them Schottia-B two years ago. The only thing you could say was, at least it couldn't get any worse...

by **Eshan** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 11:49 am

What's Up with the World Cup

So What's Up with the World Cup? Well we're in group five, we've got the most talented squad in Echani history, we've got a new manager who is a legend from his playing days in Alexio del Nieran, anything less than our first qualification would be deemed a total failure. We've got a lot of variety in our team, from experienced veterans of the national scene to emerging stars and the next generation of Echani legends. But it's not going to be easy, we face a big challenge to qualify from a group boasting the 22nd and 39th ranked teams in the world. Don't count out the team, we're certainly in it with a good chance, let's see what's up with the World Cup!

Our team is absolutely centered around Marco van Ciavatinni, the 21 year old wonderkid who has been turning out for Sebio City since he was 17, and just celebrated a threepeat of Seria-A titles. He's got a magical control of the ball, a great ability to assist and score, and is both the team's chief playmaker and goalscoring threat. Of course, the spear of the attack is in Anthony Baudelio, the powerful and clinical striker while the midfield is lit up by the creative brilliance of Jean-Marie Bentacur. The Rosaria United based midfielder boasts smooth dribbling ability and eye for the killer pass, while also holding strong defensively as he tracks back. Always moving, always looking for the assist. Our strong defensive line is back and looking strong, and we've got a good group of players. Of course, more of the talk is on our new manager.

Everyone knew it was inevitable that national team manager Miralem Marjanovic would depart to manage Sebio City, the team he turned out for all of his playing career, and when opportunity came knocking before the start of the 2018-2019 Seria-A season, he couldn't resist and dropped the national team to manage Sebio City, leading them to their third consecutive title in the process. The question of who would succeed them was one of the major topics of the off-season, with all signs pointing to Dídac Panagiotis from Gracemeria to succeed, but the 38 year old manager signed a three year extension which delighted fans of the miracle club Gracemeria all around the country, but set off questions of 'now who?' FOr a while, Alexandria United boss Lois Pachis looked likely to be the man, with his brand of high octane counter-attacking football winning plenty of admirers. However, in recent weeks a surprise and nearly forgotten name came roaring into the spotlight.

Alexio del Nieran. Former Erathore legend, Alexio del Nieran started his career for EMI FC before heading to FC Mildrid, dominating Erathi football on a team that included Virabi legend Johnny America and the world's greatest, Starblaydi Simeone Di Bradini, before winning titles in Cafundéu and Polar Islandstates. Known as Del Aimbot by some, he scored 81 goals in 143 appearances for La Furria Azzule during a brilliant career as one of the best of his time. Now 58 years old, his name began as an outlandish rumor mostly because of his long connection to Eshan through his summer vacation house in Gracemeria, but his name stuck around as the weeks went on so when he was announced as manager of the national team, not many people were too surprised. He's coming from FC Mildrid after managing his men to six titles, after claiming two earlier ones with EMI FC. A classic Erathi footballer, del Nieran's teams rely on possession and quickly moving the ball around, but with a distinct attacking style that reflects him as a player. Alexio del Nieran likes his teams to aggressively drive forward with their possession, shunting the ball out wide before concentrating on sliding a pass into a goal scoring position in the center. This emphasis on wing play will lead to more touches for Marco van Ciavatinni, who can only benefit from more usage and personal instruction from del Nieran. Defensively, we can expect to see a high defensive line and players rapidly closing down the ball. We're excited to see the ideas and hopeful success under the Copa Rushmore winning Alexio del Nieran, and we'll need him and the team to be at their best as we try to qualify for the first ever time. Let's take a look at our opposition in group 5!

Mazurska, Qasden, and Dumnoniia all come into this World Cup unranked and we need to claim wins against all of them if we want to have a chance at progressing out of a fairly balanced group 5. Mazurska is a big question mark, with little scouting information available about their team, it's going to be hard for Alexio del Nieran and the national team to gameplan to deal with specific threats and an opposing play style. A decent showing by Qasden in the Baptism of FIre means that they certainly won't be a walkover, they've a strong core midfield of Chariot Hero and the very talented Icarus Darsten supporting a real goalscoring threat in Onyx Foster. If we can starve the midfield of touches while also keeping close to Foster, we really should have a pretty straightforward path to victory and six points.

New Gazi, the 110th ranked team in the world is sure to be a bit of a matchup for us, although we really should be taking 4 out of the 6 possible points in our two games against them. From a tactical standpoint, it's really hard to look past Eshan for this one. New Gazi plays a very adventurous 3-4-3, with the Thao Yeboah playing as sort of a sweeper/libero, and a flat midfield 4 means that there's going to be a lot of space available for the highly technical and creative Echani players to occupy. Look especially to Marco van Ciavatinni and Jean-Marie Bentacur to dominate this game. The two playmakers thrive when given free space to roam and make themselves a threat.

39th ranked Schottia is certainly going to be a bit of a challenge. After imploding spectacularly during WC75 qualifying, Schottia have the task of restoring their honor and national team aspirations, and will be coming out with fire in their belly. New manager Lionel Tah is without a doubt going to be a good tactical matchup for Alexio del Nieran, but our task is made somewhat easier by the changes in personal Lionel Tah has brought about. Anthony Baudelio and Marco van Ciavatinni will be happy to see a Schottian team sheet missing D'Araby in goal for the first time in a decade, and his absence alone should help our goal scoring prospects. Add in a new defensive pairing in Gareth Souter and starlet Stephen Paul, and the creative, rapid style of Echani play might be enough to pull them out of position to deadly effect. Of course, none of this will matter if the todocampista Johannas Ünterhausen isn't contained. Tall and powerful in midfield, the bright light of Schottian football is both world-class ball at holding down the midfield, while also being a top-notch playmaker and presenting a goal scoring threat on a trademark run from deep. Of course, he's lethal in the air and corners will set our fans on edge as the #8 ambles into the area.

And of course, Turori, the 22nd ranked team in the world. Without a doubt our hardest match, it'll be interesting to see how Alexio del Neiran adapts to being the underdog and facing a superior team. Very little scouting data exists for their current World Cup team, but it's safe to say that we'll be in for a quick moving game of attacking football, with chances being created left and right. Wouldn't be surprised to maybe see Xavi Arisilde benched in favor of the far more defensive minded Iñaki Marton in the midfield, while Marshawn Mercury might make way for the goal scoring threat of Antonio Mulcair. Of course, the pace of Mercury would be nice to have hassling the defensive line and midfield, but on the other hand we need someone who can convert the one or two opportunities we'll have against such a strong team, and who better than Mulcair, the record goalscorer for the national team.

We're going to face a lot of challenges, and qualification is not going to be an easy task. But now more so than ever do we have a realistic path to qualification, and under Alexio del Nieran's guidance, it's hard not to feel optimistic.

by **San Jose Guayabal** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 12:28 pm

Let The World Cup Qualifiers Begin!

“Our dear national team ’La Selecta’ will be back in action in a few hours and expectations are quite big this time, after having a disappointing World Cup 75, the team is now expected to do what they did in that glorious nights back in World Cup 73, though they are not believing to be favorites, they are aware that effort and precision will be needed to get into World Cup Group Stage and return back to the level they have shown in the last three cycles.”

By: Julián Pereira, another fan like you.
From: The Holy Empire - World Cup 76 Qualifiers Coverage.
Posted: March 30th, 2210 - 19:30 (Guayabalense Eastern Time - User's local time)

The time that it is awaited by many people, especially those who love the good football, the game that may turn into an art sometimes is over, the last preparatives are being made all over 140 nations especially in the two host nations of Ceni and Electrum for the World Cup 76. It’s matter of hours to see once again the ball running up in the “holy” grass of 70 stadiums all across the multiverse to see how the greatest spectacle of football begins, 140 nations, 1540 players on the field, 70 stadiums hosting the first matchday of the World Cup Qualifiers, the road to determine the thirty-two nations that might take part of the World Cup Group Stage in Electrumite and Cenian soil and the road to determine a monarch or see how Unified Sunrise Islands, the current winner, defends the title. There might be a quite significant number of questions for this but we in Elemental Collapse care more about our national team “La Selecta” and their group for the 76th edition of the World Cup: We will have it easy to make it to the finals? We will struggle? We will fail once again and be eliminated in Group Stage? Or we will back into knockouts and aim for it? Those are the basic questions that one might have as a Guayabalense fan. Hence that, we will explain you all what you need to know about the group that “La Selecta” will have.

First of all, let’s start with a previous recapitulation on what we had on the previous cycle, starting with a somewhat dominant version of game, scoring fifteen goals in three games, and receiving five, three of them came in a quite unexpected result at Estadio Cuscatlán, where “La Selecta” received Schiavonia in what every pundit expected a good result for La Selecta but things didn’t started fine and being back 1-2 at halftime was not what somebody would have expected but Zelaya put things equal but Schiavones got 2-3 two minutes later, Zelaya scored two and Faña another to put the final 5-3 at the last ten minutes, despite the wins, things weren’t looking so good for some fans, to the point that some part of the Estadio Cuscatlán booed after the game due to the poor defensive performance. After that, a quasi-impeccable performance in HUElavia with Tenorio scoring a poker was enough to have a 1-6 win at the road and put things back in normality, things got even better when Boring Paradise was defeated 4-1 at home after some controversial issues including intended misspelling and “hatred stereotipation” against San José Guayabal, that lead to some incidents against Paradisian fans at the end of the game but this start was stopped suddenly when La Selecta visited Omerica, a thrilling game that La Selecta had controlled for a while with a 0-2 lead on halftime, but blowed it up on the second half and it was 3-2 on the 80th minute, Zelaya and Faña appeared and put things 3-4 but Omerica had a miraculous revival on the last two minutes of the game and sealed an important victory of 5-4.

After that shocking defeat in Omerica, concerns were raised about the performance of the defense, were they focused on game or they were being overconfident? Due to that, Oliveira decided to substitute Matías Passarelli with Herbert Sosa on defense to see what was happening, Passarelli meet the decision with some unconformity but accepted when he said “It’s the manager the one who decides, despite I do not like this, I can’t complain” but things were worse than expected after “La Selecta” was defeated at home by The Urain, their first defeat at home in an official match since five years of being unbeaten. Some sort of crisis emerged about what was happened with the players or what was happening with the manager, media speculated about overconfidence of the players, others said that it was a mere “fluke” but the certain thing is that being defeated for the first time at home in a span of five and a half years didn’t made any grace on the fans, and some people was asking for the managers to renounce to “La Selecta”, despite those results, the FGF supported them based on not so far away success that it was made by Oliveira and Herrera in their eight years of being managers of “La Selecta”, they accepted the situation but things didn’t got better on the next game, a 1-1 at Migli was not expected by fans and things started to get a bit worse but suddenly, it calmed.

Things were forgotten in the second half, “La Selecta” managed to recover fully and things started to work differently since the beginning, an unbeaten second half including solid games and the game with the most goals scored by “La Selecta” happened in that span of time but first, the revenge against Omerica after that shocking 5-4 match, La Selecta received the Omericans in Ramírez and since the beginning, they controlled the game with relative pleasure, constant options while attacking by Zelaya or Corrientes but it was Faña the first to score at the 40th minute with a counterattack, Zelaya scored two minutes later the 2-0 with a solid shot at the bottom left side of the goal, then Zelaya scored again the 3-0 with a header and Corrientes put the cherry in the cake and with a splendid shot put the 4-0. After that game it came the biggest win for “La Selecta” in their history, it was a visit to The Urain and the revenge tasted so sweet despite there was no signs of being a goal fest at the half time, being a 2-2 tie for La Selecta, it was Zelaya’s showtime at the second half, Tenorio scored the 2-3 at the 57th minute but the show of Zelaya started at minute 70th with a strong shot right on the left of the goalkeeper, two minutes later he scored again with a header, one minute after a penalty kick, three minutes later with a strong shot on the crossbar which entered into the goal and at the 79th minute another header for him, five goals in eight minutes but that was not enough for Zelaya in the game, scored another at the 84th minute and that was all, 2-9 victory, Zelaya stablishing a national record on amount of goals scored in one game, 6 by Zelaya and the fastest span of scoring five goals, only in “8 minutes of magic”. After that, La Selecta pulled off a decent 9-1-2 record which was enough to qualify for the World Cup and the rest of what happened is well known for us… 0-1-2... Our worst WC performance ever.

After that horrible performance, preparations have been made with the national team, which was taken back for “La Selecta World Tour”, after a short period of absence of the tour and some specialized camping in Valanora and Unified Sunrise Islands with games against both nations, resulting in a 1-0 defeat against Valanora and a 2-2 tie with the World Champions, the Unified Sunrise Islands. Those games were enough to have a parameter on how the national team was going to be. After a solid performance both in the “La Selecta World Tour” and the “Escudo Fraternal” series against Barunia, including a 5-3 win against “the Suns” at the home and keeping them 2-2 at the road, 3-1 victory against Flardania, a rather disappointing 2-2 tie at Tumbra, 4-0 win against Ethane and a couple of 1-0’s vs Bonesea and Schottia were enough to test “La Selecta” before the games that they have to do in the World Cup Qualifiers, and as matter of overall diagnostic, defense is running OK while offense needs to improve a bit more, apart from it, they are in optimal conditions to perform as we know they can do when they are on qualifiers. But the real challenge is coming down the corner and it will be a quite big one to start the World Cup Qualifiers, a hard visit and then an OK group for “La Selecta” interests.

Now, into the concerning information about World Cup Qualifiers, we have been placed into Group 20, with some strong national teams into it and starting with the hardest game, on the road against the second seed, now let’s know about the teams in our group and what we predict for the “La Selecta” in this World Cup 76 Qualifiers, the road for Electrum and Ceni:

2nd seed - The Holy Empire - Matchday 1 (A) and 8 (H)

Ugh, to be fair, this is one of those really uncomfortable second seeds, an historic team that has had some bad moments in the last cycles but that might want to come back this cycle to the World Cup, let’s not doubt about that fact since they will do whatever they can in order to qualify once again and going to visit them to their Realm in the first match day is not something that you would want to do or a manager would prefer. In resume it’s a hard visit to a multiple World Cup winner and one of the historical teams into the competition, we are talking about the third best team in World Cup history, an honor that shares with Aguazul which won three World Cups in a row, a nation that has a legend commanding it, it’s manager it’s only a random guy called Simeone Di Bradini… Yes, you read it right, the legendary Starblaydian player which is known to be one of the best (if not the best) footballer in the history, thus, a difficult added to the game since we don’t know what this mastermind can prepare us for the game of tomorrow in the Realm but there’s a main issue with this team, who will play for them? This is rather like a million-corona question in a quiz TV show: Will they field beans? Will they field ghosts? Monks? Priests? Drunk people? Robots? Well, they are unpredictable, and I’d not be surprised if they field anything on their reach, they are capable to do anything, especially when they fielded beans, an old lady, nightmares, cavemen, heroes, gods, myths AND EVEN THE OLD FOG-THING FROM ANTIQUITY?! In a World Cup Qualifier… In resume, they are utterly crazy and I guess that nothing can be done to cure them in this, I mean, a pony or a sentient animal is passable but fog, nightmares, cavemen, myths??? What the f (*CENSORED*) do they smoke? Weed? Cannabis? Québécois marijuana? Or another weird drug, they are crazier than Farves…Well, that’s up to their, I’m not against their picks to the NT but it amuses me and surely amuses more than only a person… Oh! Did I mention the fact that if you want to go there, you MUST be at Estadio Cuscatlán at certain time and meet “La Selecta” and then enter into a portal to another dimension which is called the “Realm”? Yes, you must be in that portal in order to go to that parallel reality.

Football speaking, this team composed by whatever object, entity, phenomena or another weird thing is really offensive, their tactic includes overly offensive football with high pressure, to the point of leaving our “somewhat high pressure” into something made by amateurs, they try to hunt every ball and force any team to park the bus, no matter how offensive could be the team, the thing is as they are so overly offensive, their defense leaves too many things to be desired from them, their defense is pretty irregular since they have pretty good games and other handful of disastrous games that led them to miss the World Cup Finals, something that has happened since two cycles ago. But let’s not underestimate this weird team, weird in the whole sense of the word, they have won four WCs, three in the last fifteen cycles and the last one being in the (*CENSORED*) World Cup sixty ni(*CENSORED*), well known for being a (*CENSORED*) gigantic bull (*CENSORED* - OOC: No offense intended to the WC 69 nor the hosts of it) and a team which is fond of counterattacking with a 3-3-4 and then they use a normal 3-5-2 (Source: CoH 67 roster), still, something that we need to take care is of their mastermind and it will be enough to get a decent result away, Simeone Di Bradini is so smart to the point that he can prepare anything in order to get the game in his favor, any move and any antic that it’s into the rules to take advantage and score some goals against us and THEir rivals, so, beware of Mr. Di Bradini and his antics.

The Prediction: Well, it will be magnificent to get a tie against this team at their home on the opening, we don’t know what we will face, which kind of antics or another “sort of magical” stuff coming for us, apart from being transported the fans and the team in a portal opened at Estadio Cuscatlán today at 23:00 for those interested to make the trip to the Realm. Other will be the situation when they visit Spesdorf, Rossana, at the 8th match day of the Qualifiers, not sure about the timing of the game but Rossana might be quite hot at that part of the year, something that “La Selecta” might take in consideration and also as an advantage, but not enough, hence I predict two ties against THEm but those ties will have a decent if not high amount of goals due to the offensive characteristics of both teams while attacking..

3rd seed – Acronius - Matchday 4 (A) and 11 (H)

Though we have never faced them, I guess that more than one person would be able to predict how this team plays. In Rossana the fans might be saying that it was a shame to not face them there since they hate Acronians over there – Guayabalense History 101: Acronius gave Rossana as a Guayabalense colony, since the tensions between them were growing in brutality – Acronius is a nation that has dome some steady grow on the last few World Cup Qualifiers, being near to get into playoffs but not getting enough points for it, mostly by letting games that were “secured” slip from their hands in a ridiculous fashion, or maybe in a quite heart-breaking way for their fans, they have potential to do some threat against us and I would not be surprised of that, I expect some complication and maybe a difficult visit to Acronian lands, maybe some Rossanans will be useful to calm their tension (hahahaha), and they are another team that has not presented a roster but they are not as crazy as The Holy Empire while picking up players, they pick up humans instead of anything on their reach. I’m not sure but I guess that they will be in contention for the playoffs this time, if they take advantage of THE’s bad moments and their home game against us. Seriously speaking, according to some reports from Acronian media, their NT in this moment might be one of the best in their history due to the amount of quality players that they have exported abroad and their participation on their teams, which has been rescuable or if not, successful in the whole sense of the word.

If I have to pick a respectable place to play football, that’d be Acronius, they have an intense atmosphere and a perfect pitch to play, that pitch is like something on heaven, just look at the grass, even better than ours to be honest. Player-wise, Massali (GK) and Blackbourne (CB) are the bastions of the team in the defense (Data according to WC 73 roster), they are fast and balanced to defend, they have enough physical readiness to do a proper game, including a bit more than the adequate strength while playing, not that they are violent but they play a bit aggressive in defense. Midfield is the key for them with Courtemanche and Everard as organizers and brains of the team, blocking their actions is needed to guarantee a good performance of the opposite team and have more chances to attack them, on the offense we have Juste Leroux, a fast and technically gifted player, the talisman of the Acronians, doing good pressure and marking against him will be fundamental for preventing the Acronians to score a goal and put us into certain threat, but let’s not forget Meunier and Blackett, two wingers with great capability to do crosses to the area, though not so good technically, they have speed and they are a cornerstone in the offensive zone of the Acronian team, without them, what would be of Acronius?

The Prediction: Getting a point at least in Acronius will be enough for “La Selecta”, the Acronians have a nice record on their home field and that’d be an extra difficulty for “La Selecta”, not sure if they will be a deadlock and park the bus on the game but that’s unlikely and pretty much suicide while playing at home, since it’s your chance to get a good score, so I expect Acronius to attack and then getting a 1-1 or more; at El Roblar, on match day 11th, the altitude will be important for La Selecta, hence I say that we will win 2-0 at least in El Roblar, not doing it would be something to fix urgently into the national team, not that I underestimate Acronius but El Roblar’s 3650 meters above sea level are a silent assassin of teams.

4th seed – -Anthor- - Matchday 3 (H) and 10 (A)

This is Anthor second World Cup Qualifiers participation and let’s be honest, they have demonstrated that they can beat top seeded teams at the road, as it happened against Valladares in the first match day of the last cycle, when they won 3-5 on Valladar soil and then surprising the Blackilandians with a 3-4 win on their own soil is quite surprising too, maybe their most important victory that they have got in their history, apart from it, having twelve points in their first qualifying attempt is respectable, they were twelve points away from clinching a play-off spot and summarizing what they did, their defeats weren’t hard at all, a couple of one or two goal difference defeats and a 2-5 defeat at home against Eastfield Lodge. A noteworthy curious information about them is the fact that all their wins in the last World Cup Qualifier were in away games, being a signal that this team should not be underestimated while playing away but if we go to check home games, they were defeated in every single game, not so strong at home but a decent opponent while visiting teams in the road. Their BoF record wasn’t one of the best, despite that, the Anthorese team has some potential that could start appearing with more frequency in this cycle, so don’t be surprised if play-off matters become a struggle of three or even four, including us into the pack.

What can be said of the Anthorese team? They play with a 4-4-2, that relies especially on wingers and one or even the two wingers can turn into offensive men when needed, a team that has some key variants that can offer some trouble to the rivals, especially away. On defense Zieke Paget and Malcom Rier are the two main defenders, they are known for being slow but really harsh to play, that’s why they earned some red cards in the last qualifier that ended costing to their team important points that could have put them into the fight for a bit more of time, emphasis on being slow because this is something that can be taken as an advantage by “La Selecta” while doing a transition from the midfield to the offensive zone with a 30-40 meters cross; midfield is not essentially their best area, they have a lot to improve there and I’m sure that they have done that for this cycle, Geoffrey Bissete and Frank Cartwright as options that can give some order to the Anthorese team, while on the offensive zone we have the two players responsible of scoring the goals for Anthor, Jason Rigsby © and Jennifer McKenzie, the idol of Anthorese football, Rigsby is well known for being a player that fights until the last breathe, fast and physically prepared to fight for the ball at the front, while McKenzie is that footballer that enjoys to dribble and get into the area and score, she tends to be irreverent and attacks without giving up, no matter the circumstance. In resume “La Selecta” has to do some struggle to stop them, since they won’t give up easily.

The Prediction: On our first game at home, at Estadio Cuscatlán (Tradition), Anthor can be a threat on what we have saw about their last World Cup Qualifiers, a team that plays even better away than in their home, they will pose a threat but not a big one since Estadio Cuscatlán hostility might be helpful here, since Jeruselem victory in WC 73, there has not been a team able to pose a real threat, Anthor might be the exception but they won’t win. We know that this is a completely new qualifier and now Anthor could not be so permissive at home this time, I expect a double win for La Selecta but not by a big margin or whatsoever, narrow margin will be enough against Anthor.

5th seed – Ouadai - Matchday 5 (H) and 12 (A)

Ouadai is a debutant in this World Cup Qualifiers, specifically one the three we have in this group, along with the other two nations that I’ll mention after this nation. Ouadai only precedent and the most recent one in NSWC-Sanctioned football is the Baptism of Fire 63 played in Red Blackiland and Flardania, “The Lions of the Desert” were uncontested dominants of Group A in the BoF, only Qasden and BoF winners Gadirya were better than them in the group stage, it can be said that they steamrolled the group with fashion, displaying an offensive football and a solid defense, scoring eleven goals and only receiving one coming from 95X in their first game ever, that is a great display of gunpowder for a little span of time if you ask me. That pace didn’t stopped there and continued in the Round of 16, they didn’t thrashed Nouvel Acadie but a 2-0 win was enough to catapult them to the Quarterfinals with enough credentials to consider them as potential winners of the competition along with Qasden and Gadirya but the inevitable came, that pace had to finish and it was Gadirya who defeated them 0-2 in the Quarterfinals, at the end, the defeat wasn’t painful as they were defeated by the team who lifted the BoF after winning it, that’s what Ouadai has done until today.

“The Lions of the Desert” are a team that can be offensive when they try to seek a good result, a solid defense that doesn’t allows too many goals and a solid midfield, characteristics of a pretty compact team and well trained by Julien Marechal, who was born in a certain nation called France that doesn’t features in my multiversal maps, I don’t know why but the Royal Association of Geography must respond for this outrage since it’s ridiculous to don’t have a nation that apparently exists in the multiverse in our maps, call me crazy but Marechal can testify for it or even the Ouadais, since they apparently are an ex-colony of France. The origins of this team are quite weird but not as weird as THE Holy Empire, a team created by Ali ibin Umar Al-Karim, creator of the national team and also of Kolak-Abéché FC, which appeared as a pet project by this member of the Royal Family, a project which started as a mere hobby but has been turning into a more serious affair. Yousef Deby is the goalkeeper of “The Lions of the Desert” and has a respectable record so far, only six goals conceived on his entire NT career, granted that there was only eleven games but that’s still a substantially low, he’s tall and good to stop the ball when going low with his legs, an essential condition that not too many goalkeepers have nowadays while Boipelo Tuadéra is the classic brutal defender that might do anything to stop the attack from the rival. Sadiq Al-Mahdi is the main bulwark on the midfield for Ouadai, a brain and organizer that controls the tempo really well, distributes the ball with security and has a great sense of confidence to play, hence a valuable player while in the offensive “The Lions of the Desert” have Abderamane Djasnabaille, their jewel into the attack and main goal scorer in the last BoF, being the tip of the spear that the Ouadais team is while attacking, the tip of a 3-4-3 in a diamond variation that has taken some victims in the last BoF.

The Prediction: Ouadai is a team that if you don’t take care of them, they can complicate things from the beginning, hence it will be needed to control them since the beginning and nullify their bulwarks in the midfield and cut any circuit between the defense and midfield, that will let them unable to react. In match day 5 game in Yuzhno Sakhalinsk I expect at least a 3-1 for La Selecta, control will be needed and they can take it from the beginning with the best way to do it, to surprise them with some early goals and cause them some surprise, then attack with another goal and nullify them fast, the faster, the better. In Ouadai, specifically in Abéché, the capital, we might try the same idea and a 0-1 win is what I expect, I don’t know the environment at their home but I guess it could be as hostile as ours, hence taking care will be needed.

6th seed –Merni - Matchday 7 (H) and 14 (A)

Well, Merni is another of those new nations in this World Cup Qualifiers cycle, they are in fact debutants that haven’t uploaded any information about their league, roster or something relevant in the database of MovilFút, which is regarded as the best football application for now and neither the NSWC Archives have information about their players, nor UICA about their league, they are an intriguing bunch since nobody knows where they will play, where the rivals will lodge for the game, the capital city name, the weather, goodness… Going to BoF related issues, Merni had a somewhat average presentation, they didn’t get past Group Stage and they got a victory against Bendición, which casually is the last seed in our group, Merni has had some issues in the BoF in terms of defense, though not so serious ones but I doubt that they can endure to a 12 games qualifier, not that I underestimate them but it’s true, their offense is not bad and they scored 1.2 goals per game in the average, decent amount. Though I do wonder why they don’t publish the information regarding their team and another important information that might be helpful for logistics of the visiting teams… They are weirdos? Are they obsessed with privacy? Or ghosts are their players? “¡Vaya usted a saber!”

The Prediction: I don’t know if we are going to play with a ghostly entity or an after death entity, or ponies, or magicians or babies but I have something that I can guess that it will happen “La Selecta” sweeping them, first game on Concepción Batres, probably a 4-0 or more but after that, having some issues while visiting them in Merni, with logistics and everything, we will have it hard to adapt to their environment and what they have but a 2-3 win is my guess, and that’d be enough for us to close the Qualifiers.

7th seed –Bendición - Matchday 6 (A) and 13 (H)

I don’t want to see them as really bad or mediocre but it’s a serious question: Will they be the punching bag of the group 20? All the odds are against them in this group, starting from a horrible if not mediocre participation in BoF, with four defeats, four goals for and nine against, it’s not the best BoF for sure, I know that we had a similar situation and that’s why I don’t underestimate this team on what they can do despite theoretically they have all the odds to be the Group 20 punching bag. Another team without information released by their Football Association, nor the NSWC nor UICA, another people who loves remaining as anonymous or they simply have another thing under their sleeves, not sure but logistics will be again an issue, so we will have to get used to listening things like “Guayabalense NT doesn’t adapts to the host nation” or something like that, that is life and we have to get used to it…

The Prediction: Another sweep-able series for “La Selecta”, first game at the road in an unknown destination and then a game in Paymina for La Select, both games will be victories for La Selecta I guess, the difference of goals is something that I can’t predict because I don’t know how Bendición behaves tactically, they won’t be a threat, I guess but let’s better be ready for anything.

In resume, I can say that the group will likely finish like this:

1: San José Guayabal/The Holy Empire
2: The Holy Empire/San José Guayabal
3: Acronius/Anthor
4: Anthor/Acronius
5: Ouadai
6: Merni
7: Bendición.

by **95X** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 12:34 pm

"Y'know," Bo said to Xi Foureleven, "we haven't had much personal time together in a long time."

Xi knew what he meant, and he was right. With Bo playing abroad in the Sunrisian League and Xi being an active, hands-on owner of SC Oceanside, the two of them decided to take a break shortly after the 63rd Baptism of Fire ended. They ask Jason Ninetyfivex to book a room for them in a luxury hotel in Cascadia, as they also wished to stay close to home.

As they arrived unannounced at the hotel, a friendly yet unfamiliar voice greeted them from the direction of the restaurant.

"Mr. and Mrs. Foureleven!" the older, well-dressed, man said. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance!"

This hotel was well-guarded, so this was not a run-of-the-mill encounter. He was someone.

"You appear to be someone who knows who we are," Xi states the obvious while trying to give him the cold shoulder, while Bo gives that 'where have I seen this person before' extended look.

"Jeff Toliver," the man replied in a genuine, confident manner.

"Channel 23!" Bo blurted out, realizing he just met the lead anchor of the highest-rated newscast on Cascade Island.

"No comment!" Xi snips as she tries to hurry herself and Bo away to the front desk, not realizing Toliver wasn't actually working that night.

After they check in and get settled into their room, Bo entered the restaurant to apologize to Toliver for his wife.

"Oh, no apology is needed," Toliver responded. "I first met her years ago as a reporter with another organization, where she responded much in the same way. And, as you may notice, I've no notepad, no recorders, no cameraperson, I've the night off."

"Off the record," Bo said, "she's really unhappy about 95X entering the World Cup. She really thinks its unnecessary."

"Well it is the largest stage for your sport in the multiverse," Toliver editorialized, "winning is everything to her."

The two finish their conversation and Bo headed back upstairs to his room, where he explains to Xi that it was a member of the media as a person, not a media encounter.

Later on, the two of them are sitting next to each other on the bed, their faces drawing nearer to each other, when only centimeters from each other the room phone shattered the atmosphere. Xi leaped up to answer, unhappy that the only person who could get past the front desk switchboard was calling.

"How dare you call here!" she chastised the assumed caller.

"It's bad," said Ninetyfivex himself, not missing a beat. "Turn on the Cascadia/Utensils game."

Instead of trying to figure out the TV remote, she Bo turned on the TV, where after a commercial, the cameras zoomed in on an injured player, and the TV announcer laid out the scene:

"The clock is stopped at 15:37 here at Cascadia Bank Stadium, where Logan Roork went down hard minutes ago. Here's the replay from another angle."

"Yeah," the color commentator replied for the sake of doing their job. "He went down hard, you can see his right leg twist and turn while landing over Marquez of the Utensils."

"Not a sellout by any means," the announcer said, "but the thousands who are on hand for this huge rivalry game are dead silent."

A feeling of fear was conveyed as an ambulance arrived and Roork was carried away on a stretcher. An inexperienced backup was substituted in for SC Cascadia, and played the remainder of the eventual 1-0 Spatula City Utensils win.

Bo got out his personal phone to make some phone calls, as this was a national team teammate. Xi simply stared at the screen, as Roork was considered the only 95Xer capable of playing her old position at an NT starter level.

The Fourelevens left the game on. There was no chance for quality time at this point.

"We've an update on Logan Roork," the announcer sighed in the second half of the game, "the hospital has confirmed he has a compound fracture in his right leg, his kicking leg, he will miss the rest of the season and it's doubtful he'll be able to play for 95X in the upcoming World Cup."

"Y'know," the commentator added, even though he was looking ahead and stating the obvious instead of talking about the game, "this is probably the largest loss the national team can take. A while back, Eleven retires, then Third is banned for life, the opening tournament had an early exit with Roork in the lineup, this leaves really only Elyssa Scholls. And what happens if something happens to her?"

Xi then unplugged the TV to turn it off.

After the season, Xi received a preliminary copy of the 95X National Team roster for the upcoming World Cup at her Oceanside office. It recommended a young, inexperienced lineup that would take years, if not a decade, to develop. It outlined how the 95X NT would handle "certainly disappointing results," loss of revenues from pulled sponsorships and decreased gate sales, and how the NT hoped to "remain visible in a crowded marketplace."

Xi opened a drawer, filed the thick report away, and grabbed a thicker medical report explaining there was no difference between herself and someone in their early twenties, despite the fact she'd be an old woman if she aged at the same rate as other 95Xers.

She picked up the phone and called Bo, regions away playing in the Sunrise League, to ask for the reporters' phone number.

"NTSC 23," the after-hours receptionist greeted, "how may I direct your call?"

"Jeff Toliver," Xi stated.

"I'm sorry," the receptionist replied, "Mr. Toliver is on the air and does not personally respond to calls from the public."

"This is Xi Foureleven," Xi replied, along with a secret credential that identified herself and the call as genuine.

The receptionist patched the call through to the control room, where they tried to explain that Toliver was on the air.

"A slum fire has claimed the lives of at least a thousand illegal immigrants," Toliver smoothly read from the teleprompter, "NTSC 23's Kathy Filbert has a story to remind you that 95X is for 95Xers."

They patch Xi through to Toliver as the reporter's footage rolls.

"Hello, Xi," Toliver questionably greeted.

"I'm returning to the NT lineup for the World Cup." Xi says before quickly disconnecting.

"Cue 'breaking'!" Toliver asks the control room.

"The fire started here—" the report is cut off.

"LIVE! NTSC 23 BREAKING NEWS!" screams across the screen as the pre-produced voice reads it. The active camera returns to Toliver, while the rest of the set staff wondered what the jubilence is about.

"NTSC 23 has just learned Xi Foureleven will return to the 95X National Soccer Team lineup in time for the World Cup." Toliver says while someone is feeding him what to say through the earpiece. "This comes as 95X faces many injuries and an inexperienced lineup. We'll have more on this story as it develops."

by **Bonesea** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 3:10 pm

by **Valanora** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 5:24 pm

Valanora Times
New Blood

The Marauders will be looking different in the managerial department for the upcoming World Cup cycle, despite the team lifting the AOCAF in their Polarian's final chapter at the helm of the team. The success of the team lifting that trophy for the third time was simply not enough to overcome the disappointing runs that the Marauders had in the World Cup under the previous regime. Struggling through qualifying and then being quite inconsistent in the Finals themselves for three cycles was not going to cut it for VSC, nor was the fact that the assistant manager was well past the sixty year old mark and about to retire from the game as it was. Thus, the VFA and VSC relieved the brain trust of their duties and instead handed them to a pair of graduates from the recent coaching courses, both whom showed great promise at managing the game. It is an unconventional move to say the least, but one that the fans and the VSC will no doubt hoping to pay off.

The initial results however do have the fans concerned, as the two international weekends before the Qualifiers were set to begin, the team had a pair of friendlies in each of them with one at home and one away for both the weekends as well. Côfcarthor Undorina's managerial debut at the helm of the Marauders was good enough, as the team was able to defeat San Jose Guayabal at the Hatire Memorial in Capri, with Galasgoldas Tathtauré netting the only goal in the thirty-third minute. It was a tough affair but one that showed that the Marauders can still contend with the best teams in the world and come out victorious, given the right push by the manager to do so. That enthusiasm was tampered three days later in Cosumar though, as the Marauders had to fight to scrape a three all draw with their regional competitors in the north, as Fresco grabbed a brace and Caeltimyonan Haerear also got on the score sheet.

A month later the Marauders once again were in Capri taking on one of the best teams from the world, another Esportiva nation at that, and the reigning world champions in the Unified Sunrise Islands. It was billed as the biggest match up for the Marauders leading into Qualifying, which is set to start this weekend, and a true test of the mettle of the team. If it was a test, it was one in which they failed, as the Sunrisians escaped form Capri as two to one winners, with the team on the backfoot for most of the first half before a second half charge put any real threat into the visitors. A trip to Nephara to try and bleed some of the reserves went decently, as the Nepharim were held to a draw, but it left a bitter taste for the Marauders as they only managed a single victory in the build up, though facing three top ten nations in friendlies definitely is a stern test regardless of the quality of the team.

Knowing the depth and strength of the team now, one will hope that Undorina is ready for the challenge that the Qualifiers will provide not only for him but for the squad as a whole. When managing minutes and egos of players who are used to success, with numerous domestic titles as well as the regional championship and the World Cups won on their resume, it is a difficult challenge for any manager, much less one that is fresh from their coaching qualifications. Hawk will be Undorina's best friend if the Marauders are to hit the ground running in what looks to be quite the competitive qualifying group for the Marauders, though the captain is quite apt to the task of getting the team ready in spirit. If he can do that and keep the channel lines open with Undorina, then the challenge is that much lesser, and you expect someone with the professional demeanor like Hawk to provide exactly that to the managerial team.

On the field, the Marauders find themselves in Group Four of the Qualifiers, with Kandorith, Port Christopher, and Nuevo Caracas all looking as potential dangers for the squad either through their skill or the environment that the Marauders expect to encounter in their travels. Kandorith is obviously the biggest threat to the group title that the Marauders will be looking to secure and the automatic qualification that comes with it, as they are a highly skilled and motivated side that has seen their fair share of upsets in the past. While the Marauders are getting back to the same sort of form and stature such as they had during the Qualifying Cycles of 34-70, there is still a small amount of doubt that lingers from that failed qualification. Kandorith will be wanting to pounce on that doubt and exploit it, should the team start to wobble, while the others are good but probably not quite up to the task of taking down the team over the long haul, leaving the two nations battling out for the top spot throughout and their pair of clashes more than likely to decide who advances automatically and who has to brave the Playoff.

by **Pasarga** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 5:46 pm

Torgos Tribune ~ Dawn of A New Day

When van Stetten was replaced by Tobias Möller going into the Copa Rushmori, many people were not sure the former Wanderer legend had had enough experience as a manager to get the job. However, as the Wanderers plowed through the Copa Rushmori, taking names as they went all the way to earning their second regional title, it became clear that Möller's success as Hellinic Rouge had been no slight of hand and the former player was quite capable at the managerial aspects of the game as well. That success in the Copa however was still seen as something of a fluke by a handful of supporters in the nation, saying that most of the teams sent to the Copa Rushmori had been weakened squads and only the Wanderers and Valladares had had true intentions of trying to capture the regional title. Couple that with the after effects of the Eura-Sameba incidents, that the Copa was a false ground to stand upon for the young man.

Not one to back down from a challenge, Möller was quick to schedule a handful of friendlies, as he looked to turn over quite a bit of the roster before the Qualifiers, giving the team he had in mind a few games to get used to one another before the matches counted. Traveling to Atlantian Oceania and the Royal Kingdom of Quebec, the Wanderers maintained their dominance over the hockey crazed nation, though they are among the top ten in the WCC rankings as well. A trip back home to take on Damukuni was something of a show at the embarrassment of riches that the Wanderers currently have at the striker position, as all four strikers that Tobias played in the match grabbed a goal and the Marauders trounced their foes seven to three, concluding the first international weekend of the season.

However the second international weekend was one of true testing, with the World Cup champions coming to Torgos as the two locked together in quite the epic battle. The new midfield duo of Ruel and Lebrun did quite a good job in containing the Sunrisian attack and forming the counter for the Wanderers, though the woodwork would be kissed thrice by the strikers and the net ruffled none by our side, with the Sunrisians grabbing a later winner. It was a disappointment to come so close to getting a result off the World Cup champions but it showed that the Wanderers victory in the Copa was no fluke and that they should not be discounted going into this World Cup as a potential contender. A final tune up game in Eastfield Lodge saw Ingþór Auðbjörnsson start up front and the young striker grabbed a brace as the Wanderers eased their way to victory. The young Zozi forward has shown great promise and looks to be the next star in the making.

However his starts are like to be few and far between in the Qualifiers, with the Wanderers given a difficult draw as they have Taeshan and Abanhfleft as major contenders for winning the group, while Banija is also quite the difficult draw, though they are better in other sports. Everyone in Rushmore knows just how hard it is to break down the defense of Taeshan, with the Purple Knights infamous for using a form of the System Karela made famous by Rejistania several decades ago. A strong midfield and patience is needed to overcome that stern wall that they look to employ and deny their opposition the clear cut chances on goal one needs to find victories. Abanhfleft is an up and coming footballing power who on their day can look as good as a top ten nation and has a good youth program as well, defeating them at home and getting at least a draw away is a necessity as they are like to run rampant through the group as well.

Despite the difficult draw, hope is high in the Wanderers' camp, as they have legend in his own playing days leading the helm and giving a certain amount of optimism and allure to the team. The players want to play for Möller, to try and live up to the same standard that he had while donning the Wanderers kit, though he never was able to lift the World Cup or Copa Rushmori as a player. The team has already deliverred the latter to him as a manager, which no doubt has to give the former striker quite a bit of joy, but now can they pull it all together for the Qualifiers and the Finals if/when they get there? The road before them is difficult but it is the one they have been given, and if they are to live up to the Wanderers' all time leading goalscorer, then they have to test themselves often and overcome those tests.

by **The Great Pi** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 6:50 pm

Growing Up a Rebel (Part Four)

Part One | Part Two | Part Three

It was about a quarter-past nine at night. The sun had set long ago, the only light outside now from the moon and the few street lights dotted around, which illuminated everywhere with an orange tinge. Beef and his mother were sat in their lounge, the television flickering away in the corner of the room. Not much attention was being paid to the programme, which was a propagandist piece of history about the Pie Republic.

They were both watching out the window, not looking at anything in particular, just watching and waiting. Waiting for someone to come. The hospital had phoned them up around an hour before this moment, to inform them that a visitor was coming to see them from the hospital, about Apple. They had been sat in those exact spots since that phone call. There was no time put on when the person from the hospital would visit, just that it would be soon. It isn't like there was anything else for them to do. It was late in the evening, past the curfew, so they couldn't go out somewhere, but there was nothing for them to do in their own home either, since it got raided all that time ago, and they had no money to replace the stolen and broken items with. Some of the only things that remained were like the tv, and often showed or was just propaganda, and not in any way a form of entertainment for them.

While they had been sitting there, it had started to rain. To start of with, the rain was slow, and light, pitter-pattering on the roof, but the intensity of the rain gradually picked up until the rain was torrential, the orange streetlights refracting through the raindrops into the rooms of their house. Outside the window, on the street below came a man, dressed in the uniform from the hospital, with a small umbrella over his head, barely keeping him dry. He ran up to the door and knocked three times.

Beef stood up and walked out to the door, opening it to welcome the man from the hospital. He allowed him to enter, which he did to his pleasure, shaking off the excess rainwater, and placed his coat and umbrella in a cupboard which contained Beef and his mother's coats, untouched for weeks. ''I'm sorry to bother you at this late hour, but the matter is of the highest urgency.'' he said as he sat down on one of the wooden seats in the lounge.

''I'm sorry we don't have anything more comfortable for you to sit on...'' Beef apologised to the visitor from the hospital, reading off his badge his name. ''Mr. Ham.'' Beef sat down on a chair opposite him. ''No worries. I completely understand your situation.'' Mr. Ham said, looking up at Beef and his mother sympathetically. ''I know you are from The Great Pi-Lands, and are being persecuted here after The Pie Republic took the lands.'' Beef looked down at the floor, pondering over how this man who they barely knew, who was a major part of The Pie Republic, knew their background, when many many people didn't know. They had managed to keep it secret from most people, which had maintained them some respect, but much of the local community had still found out recently.

''I think it's time we talked about the business I came here to discuss.'' Mr. Ham spoke with a commanding authority, which drew all attention from elsewhere to him. ''I am sure you know the reason I came here, Beef.'' Beef looked at him, hesitated, and then nodded. ''I must inform you that your wife is deteriorating fast.'' Mr. Ham said solemnly. A tear fell from Beef's eye. His mother reached out and grasped his hand, pecking Beef on the cheek with a small kiss. ''As you know, your wife cannot get full medical help, even though we want her to.'' the visitor sighed. ''So she will die.''

Beef began to cry, shortly joined by his mother, who embraced each other. ''Okay. Okay. It's alright.'' Mr. Ham tried to console them. to no avail, so he continued to talk: ''But there is something else, which we can save. We are being commanded not to, but we will.'' Beef looked up at the pie in surprise, tears still streaming down his face, his eyes beginning to go red from the crying. ''Your wife... is pregnant.''

''WHAT?!'' Beef shouted out, surprised and horrified, his face clearly not registering the fact, plastered with shock. ''H-how? We didn't...'' Mr. Ham placed down a pad of paper in his hands, before reaching out and patting Beef on the pie rim. ''In the street...'' he said, trailing off as realisation fell on Beef. ''No.. No... It can't be...'' Beef cried out. ''No No No.''

''We can save him.'' Mr. Ham said, startled at the reaction of Beef being so aggressive about it. ''NO! That would bring back horrible memories.'' he cried out, feeling the pain of knowing he was going to lose his wife, and the only memory being a baby which didn't even come from him, but from the attackers in the street that dreadful day. His mother touched him on the shoulder and pulled him on the shoulder, whispering something into her son's ear that made his face light up that little bit. They were the words that changed his mind. ''Please save him. Please save him. Please save him.'' Beef embraced Mr. Ham in a large hug, which the visitor tried to shake off, before just standing there allowing it to happen, waiting for him to finish the hug.

''You'll visit the hospital secretly in a few days. Apple may yet see daylight again one last time while the baby is born for your final goodbyes.'' the visitor said.

''Promise you'll save the baby.''

''I'll do my best.''

''Promise?!''

''I will do everything I can.'' Mr. Ham confirmed, before leaving out the back door, into the dark night and rain.

Lineup @ Dainer

Goalkeeper: Beef N' Veggie
Centre-Back: Fish N' Herb
Centre-Back: Peach N' Pineapple
Centre-Back: Chicken Tikka
Left-Midfielder: HoneyPie
Centre-Midfielder: Lamb N' Mint
Centre-Midfielder: Blue Berry
Right-Midfielder: Pork N' Tomato
Left-Forward: Green Grape
Centre-Forward: Shepherd's Pie
Right-Forward: Strawberry Rhubarb

by **Todd McCloud** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 7:02 pm

There's Always a Time for Firsts in Vekaiyu
Reporting for V3 News Services, Rin Slakori

Considering the Vekaiyun National Football Club, which is comprised of individuals from various football clubs across the nations of Vekaiyu and Listonia, has a bye for the first round, it may be prudent to explain the various ins and outs when it comes to traveling to Vekaiyu and visiting sporting venues in general. Vekaiyu was chosen as a nation to host qualifying events for water polo venues in the Eleventh Summer Games earlier this year. While there were some close calls when it came to ensuring all aquatic arenas were friendly to common-speaking individuals (most of Vekaiyu is billingual, but in general most Vekaiyuns are familiar with the native language of Unonian), and while there were a few scuffles with some fanatical fans during the final game hosted on Vekaiyun soil, international pundits and fans agreed that the hosting event was a success in Vekaiyu.

In addition, it would seem that the vulpine population in Vekaiyu did not seem like a sticking point for most nations either. Vekaiyu is a nation dominated by vulpines, which are shorter and more limber than most humans, and therefore may have posed a problem for incoming human fans. Even Premier Ikrisia Levinile warned that some human fans may find seating uncomfortable in Vekaiyu as they are designed with the vulpine spectators in mind. Regardless, the nation was ready to accomodate larger fans with last-minute temporary alterations to some seats at these arenas, but the fear that many would complain at the level of comfort was subsided by the time the first round of qualifiers finished.

Such success was integral in Vekaiyu spreading its wings so to speak and attempt more international competition in other disciplines. While it is generally believed that Vekaiyu would likely lead an international competition in underwater hockey, the national sport of Vekaiyu with dozens of aquatic arenas salivating at the opportunity to gain more revenue and accolades at home and abroad, perhaps it's better to instead participate in several international events first before jumping in and allowing for potential mistakes that could have been avoided with experience.

Will the football matches hosted in Vekaiyu be a success or a point of concern among the Vekaiyun faithful? It remains to be seen, but it may be difficult to discern this competition to something like water polo which has a stronger following. Regardless, we will be cheering on the home team and look forward to perhaps taking a win or two during the group stage round.

by **Ethane** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 7:04 pm

Explosive News: Sports
World Baseball Classic 37

[Home] [Cricket] [Rugby] [Hockey] [Tennis] [Baseball] [Basketball] [Gaelic Football] [Other Sports]

Welcome to the World Cup

It's that time again, and this time its harder than ever.

This World Cup, Ethane are in with a shot of qualifying for the World Cup through the playoffs, finishing second place. I say that, because first place in the group is practically already taken by the strong Eura football team, who currently sit 4th in the world rankings, which makes them incredibly difficult to beat.

The team are going to have to battle in out with Ficiscia, which is manageable, to get into the playoff places, and then avoid a scenario like last World Cup, where they were knocked out in the playoffs, due to either losing, or due to away aggregate goals. I suppose, the National Team could count themselves lucky, as they know there will be no facing Banguela this World Cup, as they have not entered their National team in this cycle, but this does not make the team's job any easier - they will be in for a challenge this cycle, and this time there are expectations that they have to meet.

Coming into the World Cup, the team are in an alright position though. A set of five friendlies have been played in the run up to this World Cup. While games such as the draw against The Great Pi, and the losses against Cosumar and Bonesea don't exactly instill hope for the World Cup, the key victory in this is the draw against Abanhfleft, and the win against the Unified Sunrise Islands, showing the team do have in in them.

While the challenge for the team won't necessarily come on the first day, they are going to have to be performing at their best to pick up every possible point they can, in what the board is expecting to be a closely fought campaign for second in the group.

Curtis Steeling said of the teams chances: ''I think we are in for a good cycle, and possibly qualification. We have a great team here, who are up to the job, and are more experienced than the team who made it to the qualification playoffs last World Cup, so I think we can push it all the way this time.''

Third time lucky?

Starting Lineup vs Alinghi Federal-Democratic Republic

Goalkeeper: Joe Henderson
Left-Back: Bruce Washington
Centre-Back: Darien Fear
Centre-Back: John Campbell
Right-Back: Archie Holmes
Central-Defensive Midfielder: Merlin Midgley
Left Midfielder: Kevyn Stidolph
Right Midfielder: Edward Williamson
Striker: Dewayne Boivin
Striker: Samuel Mitchell
Striker: Julian Harrington

by **Ceni** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 7:13 pm

After the Winds, who will have a win on the first day of qualifying? This is your first RP cutoff.

World Cup 76 - RP Thread

WC76-Q1: Beginningmeet

The KICKTV Crash Course for Tomikosan

95X WC 76 MD 0 RP

WC76-Q2: Tour of Esportonkin

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