Mattijanan Roster and Information for Cup of Harmony 73The Story So FarFollowing his integration into the Mattijanan international setup just before World Cup 79, new manager Dušan Vukoja led his side to their best ever World Cup qualifying finish with a 5th place in the group and a record 26 points, including 8 victories. Despite a early charge where qualification was far a while on the cards, the team went off the boil late in the period, but beat Platerdam 4-0 on the final day of competition to end the cycle on a high.
From there, it was on to Copper Cuprum and the Fhulgamous Peninsula for the 21st Campionato Esportiva. Hopes were high following a third place on home soil at the 20th event and having negotiated the group stage, a 3-2 win over South Covello, probably the greatest Mattijanan win of all time, and another 2-3 win against hosts Fhulgamous Peninsula got them into the semi-finals.
A 1-0 extra time loss to Filindostan would relegate them to the 3rd place playoff, but the same result in their favour against Islana Lunigo sealed a second consecutive bronze.
The next tournament was a development one in South Toronto, with a development team from Mattijana to go with it. This time the team didn't fare so well, failing to escape the group and only taking two draws home with them. That led to the first team squad ultimately being restored rather than promotions from the fringe and Under 23s being brought in.
In the end however, things didn't pan out as planned. Mattijana slipped to 7th in a highly competitive group 12 with the campaign largely described as frustrating, inconsistent and very very Mattijanan. Despite being free-scoring at one end, they ultimately failed to do the business at the other in the crucial moments, a trait that earned the team the second-highest number of draws of all 150 sides involved in world cup qualifying.
Dusan Vukoja, in desperate need of some improved results, has therefore decided to shake up the squad and starting lineup a little. The key, established players remain, especially in attacking positions, but changes have been made defensively with the experienced, but ageing Edvard Crajasovic expected to be replaced in central defence by Rikard Illicic and Kevin Krychowiak a possible swap for Dominik Illisevic.
The changes were effective for the World Cup 81 qualifying run and although Mattijana eventually failed to secure a playoff place, finishing an unfortunate 4th in their group, they looked a much more dangerous and convincing side throughout, even notching a 4-2 win away at world number 1s Eura. They'll be hoping to continue their form with a good run to the knockout stages of the Cup of Harmony.
Team InfoWorld Rank: 71
Style Modifier= +2.5
National Association: MattijanaFusbalBand (MFB)
Kits:
FormationHead Coach: Dusan Vukoja
Appointed manager around a month before his first game in charge, Vukoja left Division 1 side FK Puljanka for the National team job, having recorded the club’s best finish in 10 years with 5th, behind only Burges, the two Petrovijanka clubs and FK Revinka. The south-Mattijanan had previously spent time at FK Burges both as assistant and full-time manager after a spell at lower-table side Jamas, where he succeeded in rescuing the team from almost imminent relegation. Now aged 40, Vukoja did not enjoy a lengthy playing career due to injury, but says that coaching is his real passion.
With Ljubanik’s style of play turning increasingly turgid and results also suffering, the Mattijanan FA and fans decided to seek a more exciting brand of football that had been on show at Puljanka in their 5th-place success last season. However the pressure was on the new man to deliver both results and more exciting football.
Assistant Manager: Dominik Samikov (FK Burges)
The assistant manager at Championship leaders FK Burges hails from the North-East of Mattijana and began his career at Dinamo Legisaw, another division 2 side before then moving as one of the tactical staff to FK Burges, where he has since worked his way up the pecking order to assistant manager. He has an excellent tactical mind as well as good player welfare skills and helps out Ljubanik in both management areas. He has so far proved himself to be a capable aid.
Head Scout: Marcel Kuzbacher
Marcel Kuzbacher is a seasoned scout, mainly plying his trade for the famed Puljanka Academy. He has links with numerous players in the Mattijanan squad as well as the under-21 side and makes up the 3-man selection panel alongside Samikov and Ljubanik.
Fitness Coordinator: Jelena Neumanič
Jelena Neumanič is responsible for the diet and fitness of the squad, freeing up the main management team to think about tactical matters. She has a solid variety of exercises and is well-known for getting on player's backs if they don't keep up with their expected effort levels.
Psychologist: Samira Kazmir
Samira Kazmir is an experienced sports psychologist who has done work for both the summer and winter Olympic teams, the Mattijanan ITT side and the MRT motor racing team. She is responsible for the mental welfare of players, stretching from the collective mind-set to more personal issues for each individual in the squad. It's a far-reaching and often complicated task.
The Medical Team:
Head Doctor: Dr Charlotte Smitič
Assistant Doctor: Dr Mattias Buranov
Physio: Martina Laramazič
Physio: Mika Glasnić
The Players:
GK-Lucija Handanovic-#12-Age 26-FK Revinka
Understudy to Matej Handanovic for most of Ljubanik’s tenure, Lucija is favourite to start between the sticks for Mattijana in the upcoming qualifiers. The 25 year old has impressed for club side Revinka in the recent season with both solid performances and heroic clean-sheets and will be tricky to keep out of a starting place.
LB-Helena Neumann-#2
The Burges Player is a regular in the championship leading side and will provide a good defensive option with the occasional run forward to help out the wingers. Barring any injuries or unlikely suspensions, she will play all of Mattijana's matches,
CB- Rikard Illicić-#14
The first Mattijanan player to move abroad, specifically to the top dovision in Buyan, Illicić is widely expected to replace Edvard Crajasović in the starting lineup on the retirement of the current first choice centre back. He is modelled in a similar style as his older counterpart too. He's big, he's strong and despite being slower than other defenders, he is able to stamp his authority on attackers. Expect him to start matches, particularly against lower-ranked opposition.
CB-Katija Burnisevič-#4-Captain
Another Burges Player, Burnisevič is a potential answer to Crajasović's clumsiness and is a quick, skilful and sure-footed player capable of taking the fight to those attempting to run through. She is a dedicated player, happy to chase any lost cause until the ball crosses the line. Her lack of physical strength may be her weakness however and she could be a potential target for more powerful strikers.
RB-Kevin Krychowiak-#13-Age 22-Matbirjke
Another promotion from the under 23s, Krychowiak is a typical modern full-back with his pace and attacking mindset. It is his similarity to current starter Dominik Illisević that keeps him on the bench for now, but he is in Dušan Vukoja's plans this cycle both off the bench and perhaps even to start in games against lower-ranked opponents.
CM-Jago Adrianov-#8
Adrianov is the typical midfield enforcer with a hard tackle and a driving run on him which can terrorise both attackers and other midfielders. He's also not afraid to hit one from range with varying success. He is probably the most likely player to pick up cards however, so could be a potential liability. This will most likely be the 34 year old's final world cup cycle, with retirement announced for after the tounament.
LM-Sophia Velezia-#16
A mazy winger with less raw pace, but the ability to turn any defender into a messy knot, Velezia is a constant challenge to keep quiet on her day and normally gets through at some point if she hits top form. Her mercurial nature is her biggest and arguably only weakness, but Mattijana will be well-placed if she can get it together.
CM-Marko Hojbjerg-#7
Another young midfielder at just 25, Hojbjerg is a playmaker with good awareness and passing ability and is the perfect fit for Ljubanik's technical brand of football. Useful for connecting the more attacking players ahead of him, he is also integral in providing the start or the killer pass in a counter-attack. When no forward options are available, he's not afraid to hit one and occasionally finds the back of the net from improbable ranges.
CM-Katarina Jakupovic-#15
Captain of Mattijana’s under-23 side, Jakupovic is a part of Vukoja’s turn to a more attractive style with Jago Adrianov, the midfield enforcer out and the instinctive passer promoted to a starting role. The 23 year-old Snezn player has impressed with both her technique and maturity in the early years of her career and is touted as a future Mattijanan captain after a successful run in the Under-23s.
RM-Jessika Struna-#9
A pacey winger who's preferred play is to make a run and then a cross, the 26 year old Struna is a dynamic and different part of the Mattijanan team. Tipped for a move to Petrovijanka or Burges, Struna chose to stay at Revinka, close to her family and in the town she loves.
FW-Mathilde Lekarisa-#10
Rapid Petrovijanka's 28 year old forward is a lethal finisher with a left foot that makes up for a lack of power with high precision. She enjoys running onto through balls and cutting inside to curl shots into the far corners of the goal. She is expected to play well having scored 5 goals in her last 4 games for Rapid.
The Bench:
GK-Matej Handanović-#1
The 29 year old Mattijanan number 1 plays under Matej Ljubanik at FK Petrovijanka and has been a solid, if unspectacular option between the sticks for most of his career. He has good handling skills and makes few mistakes, but could be replaced if he fails to make the spectacular stops expected of him. He may also face renewed competition from the younger and more dynamic Martin Vaskaric.
RB-Dominik Illisević-#5
Now a regular for FK Puljanka, Illisević is a punchy and pacey player with outstanding fitness and good crossing ability. His defensive technique is the biggest question mark, but if he can have a solid match at the back, he will undoubtedly be a danger coming forward.
CB-Edvard Crajasović-#3
The towering centre back is a regular for a Revinka side currently sitting fourth in the division 1 table. His height gives him a significant advantage when defending high balls and presents a threat at set-pieces. However, he can be clumsy when faced with skilful runners and does rely on a more quick-footed defensive partner in order to be successful.
LM-Sofiane Bisrali-#6
From the less familiar setting of Shalkar in the South-East, Bisrali has the pace and skill that Vukoja is looking for in his wingers. Replacing the mercurial Sophia Velezia in the starting line-up, the 22 year old has a lot to live up to early in his career, but has the chance to do it on the biggest stage.
CAM-Mattias Hoffman-#22-Age 24-Rapid Petrovijanka
Hoffman established himself as an impact player during the 79th cycle, scoring twice from the bench and making a substitute appearance in 15 of the 18 games. He offers a dynamic and direct approach when required and has cut open tired defences on a number of occasions. His consistency across longer periods has so far kept him out of the first team, but he remains a very useful and versatile player for Vukoja.
FW- Kara Lorenzič, age 22, Matbirjke
FW-Andreas Weiss-#11
The 30 year old Burges Striker has been a fixture in the Mattijanan team for a while now and has matched his performances for the national side with consistent scoring form for FK Burges. He is a poacher with the ability to be in the right place at the right time for any pull-back into the box. Also a good header of the ball, Weiss will be an intimidating target for high crosses if the Mattijanan plan-B is needed.
The Reserves:
GK-Martin Vaskaric-#19-Age 22-FK Antalja
LB-Lara Ljunavic-#20-Age 28-FK Revinka
CAM-Juliana Kjofmann-#24-Age 24-Weststrand FK
ST-Daniella Alaba-#18-Age 26-Puljanka
It is difficult to tell where Alaba's strengths really lie as she is relatively quick, but not lightening fast and despite good strength, she is no match for more bulky defenders. Where she is effective is as a goal poacher, using positioning to find space to latch onto crosses and loose balls from fairly close range.
About Mattijana!Mattijana is a large safe nation in Esportiva with a significant, but proportionate population. It spans a fairly large range of climates with the far north a colder area, the central region temperate, the south Mediteranean and the South-East semi-desert. Petrovijanka, the setting for this competition, is located almost exactly in the centre of the country at 214-232 metres above sea level. It has summer highs of around 28°C and lows of -5°C in the winter. There is a high level of sunshine for most of the year with precipitation mostly snowfall in the winter months.
Culturally, Mattijana can also be divided into six regions. The West of the country is largely Germanic whilst the centre North is a mix of Slavic and Germanic cultures, centred around Mattijana's second city, Burges. The North and East are more Scandinavian and speak Dansk, a language similar to Danish. The Centre (where Petrovijanka is situated) and the South are Slavic (similar to the Slovenian and Croatian cultures). There is an Arabic community in the South-East.
All Mattijanans speak the official language, Mattijanan. However, due to this not being spoken anywhere else in the World, English and German are well-spoken throughout the country whilst Arabic is taken on by the most intelligent students (in addition to English and German) as well as by those in the South-East.
There is no official religion in Mattijana due to this mix of cultures. Islam is popular in the South-East and parts of the South whilst some in the East follow the Mattijanan Orthodox church. Most people hold no religious belief, but believe in the universal philosophy of being kind, welcoming and helpful to others, known nationally as Jelenara. Even in religious communities, it is these principals that are most talked of with religious figures used to preach them.
Due to the mix/match nature of Mattijanan cultures and these philosophies, religious symbols are uncommon and religious tolerance is very high.
Attitudes to drink and sex are fairly liberal whilst there is good gender, sexual and racial equality. Social mobility is also good and the rich earn only twice as much as the poorest. Cannabis and similar recreational drugs are banned by law, with cannabis also forbidden for medical use.
The government follows mildly socialist policies meaning the tax rate is fairly high, but schools, hospitals and other public services are all well-funded and either free or reasonably-priced. Taxes on large businesses are higher than on small ones. The government building is the MattiStaja, which is situated on Staja square in the centre of Petrovijanka. All six regions have their own smaller congresses however. Politicians are generally appreciated and although public decisions are limited to elections and important political decisions where the main population is the most affected, most citizens feel well represented due to the numerous meeting and discussion opportunities with their local politician.
All parties follow a similar philosophy, but mainly disagree on where to fund the most. The MattijanaLeušaBuro is the current elected party and have an emphasis on public services, but other popular parties are the ViroBuro (who generally promote the needs of the environment) and the NašinalBuro (who promote funding for employment opportunities).
National Stadia Due to a large land mass and numerous good quality stadia, the Mattijanan FA prefers to rotate games around a few different grounds. Having said that, the Stadijo Nasinal and the Stadijo Dinamov play host to the bulk of the matches due to the central position of Burges and Petrovijanka, their size and their reputation for providing excellent hosting services.
Stadijo DinamovThe Stadijo Dinamov in Petrovijanka is the second biggest football stadium in Mattijana and is one of the five stadiums that share the hosting honours for international matches. It is used on a weekly basis by FK Petrovijanka, Matej Ljubanik's old club, having built by them in 1940 and upgraded twice in 1972 and 2001. The capacity is 60,000.
The stadium is found to the north of the city's old town.
Stadijo Nasinal-BurgesThe Stadijo Nasinal is Mattijana's largest multi-purpose sports stadium with retractable grass and astroturf surfaces to cater for cater for Cricket, Hockey, Rugby and Football matches. There is a capacity of 90,000. The Stadium was built in 1985 and heavily upgraded just 4 years ago in preparation for the Cricket T20 World Cup. It is situated on the South bank of the Juliana river, just next to the water and just East of the NordesParke.
Stadijo Snezn:City: Snezn
Capacity: 37,000
Club residents: FK Snezn
Location: Western Snezn, not far from the old town.
Transport: 10-15 minutes walk from central Snezn, 10 minutes cycle. S3 tram or B3 Bus routes.
The Stadijo Snezn is situated in Mattijana's most northernmost city and is a more modern ground, with a generic rectangular shape and fairly modest capacity. This feature however makes it very accessible and easy to use, so a match here should be a reasonably comfortable experience, despite the cold. The stadium was built around 15 years ago, by owners FK Snezn.
Stadijo Katarina Zafarova: City: Revinka
Capacity: 30,000
Club residents: FK Revinka
Location: Coast, Eastern Revinka
Transport: S2 Tram route, 20 minute walk/10 minute cycle from city centre.
Another modern multi-purpose stadium, Revinka's regular evening thunderstorms mean that a roof has recently been added to the stadium to make for all-weather events. The stadium is already used for Hockey, rugby, football and handball and is named after Revinka and Mattijanan national Hockey captain Katarina Zafarova.
Garijo Ales Struna:City: Puljanka
Capacity: 40,000
Club residents: FK Puljanka
Location: Garijo Struna, north-west Puljanka
Transport: 10 minute walk/5 minute cycle from City centre. S11 Tram route.
An older, but very traditional stadium in a park just north-east of Puljanka's centre, the ground has progressed from humble beginnings as a playing field to one of the most recognisable stadiums in the country.
The ground has been upgraded in accordance with Mattijanan FA rules, but still retains much of its old history and is a beautiful place to watch a game. The most distinctive features are the arches spanning the length of the North and South stands.
WesterStadion:City: WestStrand
Capacity: 70,000
Club Residents: Weststrand FK
Location: Northern Weststrand
Transport: 10 minutes on foot from Weststrand city centre and main train station. B1 bus route from city centre.
One of the newest stadiums in Mattijana, the Westerstadion was built to reflect its resident's consolidation of a place in the Mattijanan premier league, which gave the club enough funds to move out of a small and battered old ground into a shining new 70,000 capacity creation on part of a former park in the north of Weststrand.
The ground is used almost exclusively for football, although there is talk of rugby also being allowed to take place at the ground. The stadium's modernity means it is accessible and comfortable.
Around Weststrand: The most Germanic of Mattijana's cities, Weststrand is situated on the west coast of the country and is part of a more rugged section of coastline extending for hundreds of kilometres. As a result, the weather is generally windier than in most locations, with rain coming off the sea regularly.
The town itself has a more colonial feel to it, with imposing buildings on the seafront giving way to narrow, but buzzing backstreets containing a number of quirky independent shops. Watersports are also popular in the area. Cuisine is largely seafood-based, with mussels a very popular choice in the region.
Long Distance Travel:International airports are found in Burges, Revinka and Petrovijanka, with some Esportivan flights also heading to Snezn. Shuttle underground trains from airports to corresponding city centres will be subsidised for the duration of the tournament. High speed rail links extend between all cities and airports, making travel to Puljanka and Snezn also relatively painless. There are express services between Petrovijanka and Burges, Burges and Snezn, and Revinka and Puljanka.
Those from reasonably local countries looking to travel to Revinka or Snezn may wish to consider travel by sea. Both cities have good ferry ports and road and underground links to the city centres they serve.
Schedule:I Give My Opponent Permission To:
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Choose My Goalscorers: Yes
Godmod Goalscoring Events: Yes
Injure Players: Yes, but only two per game and nothing potentially life/career ending.
Godmod Injury Events: Yes
Red Card Players: Yes, but 2 per game maximum.
Yellow Card Players: Yes, but a maximum of 5 per match
Godmod Other Events: TG me first, but probably Yes
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Other RP stuff:
Most likely to (in order of likelihood)
Score-Mathilde Lekarisa, Andreas Weiss, Jessika Struna
Score from distance-Marko Hojbjerg, Sophia Velezia, Katarina Jakupovic
Score a header-Andreas Weiss, Mathilde Lekarisa, Rikard Illicic
Pick up cards-Rikard Illicic, Marko Hojbjerg, Katarina Jakupovic
Assist goals-Jessika Struna, Marko Hojbjerg, Sophia Velezia