- I don't know, Gonzalo, all I know is we can't afford to lose like that again. It's not good for our chances, and it's not good for our minds. I'm pretty sure half the team will play horribly for months if they lose all their games by three goals.
- Well, that's right. But I think we might need to find the gadgets to fix in the machinery, if you get what I mean.
- The thing is, I don't believe anyone's at fault. The Federation was simply better than all of our players, maybe excluding just Dandalleion, Mêndêlöíndçêl and Lisdiren, who seem to be the ones who save us when we are in bad times. I believe the only difference is that we don't have Tuzzio anymore among those players who always play well. I think I'll have to talk to him. I mean, he's been playing ok lately, but not like he should.
- I agree. But surely, a 5-2 defeat has got to have someone at fault.
- No, not really, they just were better. Sure, you could blame Mêrí and Karkka for missing a goal each, but then again they helped out a lot in the defense anyways. I think their style canceled us well. They were pretty fast and could get past Faró by outnumbering us in their counterattacks. The midfield was somewhat of a fight, with them winning just a bit. However, their win probably lies on their ability to skip the midfield and attack right away, which is a problem we've always had to face. It's like the downside to our attacking formation, counterattacks destroy us, and we need to be in very good form to outscore the opposition.
- I would've said Wii-Tzaara was at fault because of that horrible pass of his, but I guess he's ok after the goal he scored.
- Yeah, that too. Well, I've got to talk to Tuzzio, I'll see you later and tell you what I got out of the conversation.
- Good luck. - Mordáz said, hoping that something would be fixed with a simple conversation.
He knocked the door. The knock was met with a very silent and to a point depressing "who's there". Tuzzio had always been the kind of guy to sound energetic, despite what life had done to him. Even though that bedroom was Dandalleion's, as well as Mêrí's, he just knew it was Tuzzio. Mêrí and Dandalleion were that kind of players who are impossible to corrupt, they sound serious whenever they are not joking. Tuzzio, on the other hand, is the guy who sounds happy but you just know he must be hiding something. However, he wasn't really hiding anything, each and every teammate knew what he had been going through since he was 16.
- Me, Rossizzo.
Much to Rossizzo's surprise, this was met with a rather disrespectful response.
- What do you want? - it was now evident Tuzzio wasn't in a good mood, as he had never been disrespectful to him.
- I want to talk to you, Tuzzio.
Tuzzio opened the door and let him in, his eyes seemed like crystals. As soon as Rossizzo got in, he closed the door rather violently. Rossizzo sat on Mêrí's bed and started the conversation.
- Look, Tuzzio. You've been playing a lot worse than what you used to, and I'm now genuinely worried.
- Why are you so worried, you've got like four more players who can save you besides me. Friekder, Sê, Ikkon, Yurpá, Erfaon. Why me?
- You've always been among what I call our "fantastic four", ok? You, Friekder, Erfaon and Yurpá. However, as of late they've only been three. Back at World Cup 63, whenever we weren't playing well, like against Kiryu-shi, the four of you would save us from a terrible fate. However, you've now left them alone, and the effects are easy to see. Do you understand the frustration Friekder must be undergoing now that he doesn't have you as partner to turn the tables around? Or Yurpá, who now doesn't have you as a sure-fire way of passing the ball and generating danger. Or maybe Lisdiren, that has to stop a lot of goals constantly but has to face the crude reality of the entire team not scoring as much as it used to.
- I believe you're exaggerating, we've been scoring the same, if not more.
- But against what teams? New Lowerlands? Timfen? Whenever it matters, we get destroyed like yesterday. We even lost to Colland, Sicoutimont, an average team, should've qualified over us, mainly because you weren't really there in the second match. When we lost to Wight some years ago in the opening match e at least played well. Polar Islandstates tore us apart. Now don't dare tell me we don't need you. Just tell me what's going on.
- Fine... - Tuzzio said, as he sat next to him. - I'm guessing you know what has happened to me since I was 16?
- Yes, the Dandillis thing. I sometimes forget you're not really Farf.
- That doesn't really matter, I've always felt the same for this country and its shirt as any other player. The thing is, have you heard about what happened just a few weeks after I left Dandillis?
- Yes, the no-returners thing. It's one of the things that stopped me from calling up a few Dandish players for a trial.
- Well, basically, I've been taken away from my family by a very irrational decision. And I haven't seen them for more than five years now. I've always tried to endure it, and Dandalleion and Mêndêlöíndçêl always helped me do it, they've been through a lot as well, though you might not know. And, well, all those years have been a lot, I just think I won't be able to endure it anymore. To make matters worse, I sometimes feel it's all because of this sport, which I somehow both love and hate. It's made me happier than anything else, but at the same time very sad. I just decided to continue my career because there was no way back. Back at the time, I would've gone back to Dandillis no matter the price.
- I see... - Rossizzo stopped to think for a bit.
- Well, now that I've told you the problem, how do you intend to solve it? Football got me to Farfadillis, but how do I get to Dandillis, even if only for a few days?
- I've got an idea.
- What is it?
- Look, I know someone. He's a diplomat. I might get him into some trouble, but at the cost of getting to know you, and even do you a favour, he'll do it.
- Do what? And who's this someone?
- Get you into Dandillis, though only once. This someone is called Fer Grecco.
- WHAT?
- What happens?
- I don't think he'll help me.
- Why?
- I happen to know him...
- Have you fought with him or something?
- He's my uncle... and the first one to be against me leaving Farfadillis.
- So what? If anything, he's your uncle, he'll obviously help you.
- Not really, he was always the kind of guy who would do anything to make you learn your lesson. He was against me leaving, he'll just tell me to stick to my decision and mind my business or something. I know him.
- Hmm... Still worth a shot, I believe. If anything, I can just pay him money and not reveal your identity.
- I can pay for you. - said Tuzzio, visibly happy.
- There's no need. - Rossizzo said. - Just be happy and stop worrying. Sooner or later, you'll see your family, just try to play well, play as you used to, just try to play.
- I'll try my best.
- I'm glad... and well, I've got to leave. See you this afternoon.
- Goodbye.
Rossizzo got up and left the room, he had to tell Mordáz about the conversation, after all.
- So... what's gonna happen? The match against Ko-oren is in two days. - Mordáz said
- I think he's going to become his former self, gradually maybe.
- Good, what was the exact problem?
- Well, didn't you already know anyways?
- Oh, that, right.
- Anyways, we've got to plan the match against Ko-oren, who are more defensive than Polar Islandstates, but far more accessible.
- I believe our line-up right now is the best one possible for that match.
- I'm glad we think the same...
23rd of September
English Edition
Bring the heat
I mean, please bring the heat. Those cold-blooded Terns just tore us apart. Five-two, and it could've been worse. The team found itself against someone superior, but we tend to start badly and finish well anyways, so we can still trust our players, even after this disastrous performance. The Federation was filled with better players, and their style destroyed ours, with fast counterattacks and enough efficiency to make it embarrassing, even though they weren't exactly efficient.
The first twenty minutes were a very brutal torture, as the Polarians had almost as many chances as minutes, getting eleven shots on goal. Out of all of them, three went in, with Saarinen scoring a beautiful header after a corner in which the Farves outnumbered the Polarians. Just three minutes after that goal, Villeneuve scored a long shot which went directly to the upper-right corner of the goal, and that completely destroyed us. Just nine minutes into the game and the Polarians were winning by two. The third goal came in the twentieth minute after van Sorensen sent a long pass to Illich-Svitych in a fantastic counterattack. Illich-Svitych then dribbled Lisdiren and scored the third goal of the match, proving we've still got a long way to go to be at the top of the world. After that, we somehow managed to make things a bit less embarrassing. It may have been because they were merciful or something. It's actually very likely. However, they scored another goal in the forty-fourth minute, after a cross by Kungas-Vaga. There were a series of rebounds in the box and, in the middle of it, Cornelius managed to heel it out of the gigantic mess and give it to Oyen-Spekke, who was waiting outside of the box. Oyen-Spekke shot, with the ball heading towards the center. However. it hit Mî's head mid-air and changed direction, leaving Lisdiren out of the equation and going in. The goal was the final nail in the team's coffin. The referee, obviously saddened, blew the whistle as soon as he could, in the forty-fifth minute.
After half time, however, the team seemed to get back on track, as Dandalleion quickly managed to score a consolation goal in the fourth minute. Tuzzio got the ball outside the box and Karkka a through pass. Karkka got into the box thanks to it and managed to dribble a Polarian defender. He then shot to the goal as strongly as he could. The shot was met by the hands of the Polarian goalkeeper, but he couldn't keep the ball and instead gave a rebound. Dandalleion, who was running towards the box at the time, came in running and shot without stopping, giving every Farf in the world some consolation. However, the Polarians would be mean again, as Kolehmainen, who had replaced Saarinen, chipped the ball over Lisdiren when he faced them after a brilliant pass by Zeljeznicar, who had replaced van Sorensen, after Wii-Tzaara accidentally passed him the ball. The goal was only the cherry of the cake, as the game had finished already a long time ago. After that goal, the game was rather balanced, with the Polarians still playing better than us, but not that much. We'd be the ones with the last word, however, with a goal by Wii-Tzaara in the eighty-eighth minute. Tuzzio crossed the ball, Dandalleion then headed it. The ball then bounced off the crossbar and fell in Wii-Tzaara's head, who then headed it in almost accidentally. The game would finish with that scoreline, five-two.
All in all, this game is like a red alarm, if we play like this against Ko-oren, we are almost officially dead, while a tie is something we could negotiate as long as we beat The Sylvanaes Queendom. Let's all hope this doesn't become a trend.