The World Cup Discussion Thread (OOC, Version IV)

[NSWC Signups]

CoH voting results are in.

[Cassadaigua]

Good luck with the CoH, guys.

[Drawkland]

Hi everyone. Since the ranks were updated last night promptly (thanks ESF!), I have conducted the draw. However, I will not post the groups until later tonight.

If you're interested, feel free to join the IRC channel #nssport on esper.net today at around 9 or 10 pm EST. I'll post another message here when it comes closer to the time. If necessary we may move to a separate channel just for the draw but it may not end up shaking out like that.

If you can't make it, don't worry, the groups will be posted ASAP once the live draw announcement finishes.

Ceni and I will make sure to post our IC info ASAP as well, although you all will have plenty of time to RP. We're currently aiming for a December 28th start date for the World Cup MD1, with cutoffs every 48 hours as per the norm. We wanted to avoid interfering with everyone's holidays as well as not interfering with our own family commitments, while getting the group stage finished before most people start school and work again.

Thanks everyone, and good luck in the World Cup (or the Cup of Harmony, if that's where you're heading)!

[Savojarna]

Since the ranks were updated last night

Woohoo!

Was sure I would lose quite a bit of ground, actually gained two places o.O Sometimes NSWC is weird... Thanks to the hosts for your wonderful hosting, even if you didn't bring me too much luck!

[Drawkland]

If you're interested, feel free to join the IRC channel #nssport on esper.net today at around 9 or 10 pm EST. I'll post another message here when it comes closer to the time. If necessary we may move to a separate channel just for the draw but it may not end up shaking out like that.

It looks like it'll be closer to 10 EST, everyone, about an hour from the time I posted this. Feel free to show up early to join in the festivities!

[Drawkland]

If you're interested, feel free to join the IRC channel #nssport on esper.net today at around 9 or 10 pm EST. I'll post another message here when it comes closer to the time. If necessary we may move to a separate channel just for the draw but it may not end up shaking out like that.

It looks like it'll be closer to 10 EST, everyone, about an hour from the time I posted this. Feel free to show up early to join in the festivities!

And now the RP thread OP has been updated to include information for World Cup proper! Me and Ceni will be putting up our IC info and rosters up ASAP. Enjoy your nearly two weeks off, World Cup competitors!

[Qasden]

Huzzah!

Thank you so much to all for selecting Ethane and I to be your 71st hosts of the CoH! We will start sending invitations out next week and get the tournament up and at it around the time of the proper's MD1. Enjoy your lil sojourn and remember to keep your eyes peeled for any peculiar telegrams from either Ethane or I

[Savojarna]

I decided to finally establish rosters and a transfer system for the Savojar Football Series. This means that if any of you want to send players or coaches of yours to Savojarna, please write me a TG because I would love to see a more international league. At this point, we can take pretty much everyone as the system is only being built up now OOC. I will soon post a short summary of what kinds of football my clubs are known for and what players they might like, once I get round to write it, and will put it into my newswire or factbooks (I'll let you guys know). If you wanna know before that, just TG me and ask what clubs would be a good fit for for a specific style/player!

[Port Christopher]

As per this post, I will no longer be entering Port Christopher in World Cup competitions. It makes sense to wrap it up in terms of the story, and OOCly, I've just not really been able to post as much with them as I would have liked recently. Port Christopher's players will now be eligible to play for Schottia, as it's an overseas territory. For those of you who have their players in your domestic leagues, feel free to refer to them as coming from either Port Christopher or Schottia - both are accurate. Port Christopher's domestic league will continue as normal however.

As a result of these events, their former manager Jim Reid will now be looking for another job. So if any club/NT is interested in a manager with a proven track record in getting a smaller nation to the World Cup finals, then just send me a TG.

[Bostopia]

Does anyone have a view, IC'ly, when the CoH runs in regard to the World Cup? Is it at the same time or just before or..? I am inagining it takes place at the same time. If there's a decision that's been made in the past as to when it takes place, I'd love to know about it.

[Audioslavia]

I don't think there's an official IC date. Some people imagine them running concurrently, but I always imagine the CoH lasting three weeks from mid-May to mid-June, with the World Cup going from early June to early July. The semis and final would probably cross over a little with the World Cup's first round. This takes into account the fact that most RL domestic seasons could possibly be done by mid May in a World Cup year.

If you keep to a one year per domestic season, two years per cycle routine, as most do on NS, then you have to suspend your disbelief a little with regards to how hard a top player has to work. A good player from a middling nation might take part in 6 Copa Rushmori games in July, a 45 game season from September to May including appearances in the domestic cup, Rushmori CdC, UICA Champions Cup and maybe the Cygnus Cup too, all while playing 12-18 World Cup qualifiers and two World Cup playoffs, followed by six or seven appearances in the Cup of Harmony in May/June/July.

You're looking at a 90 game season for one or two unlucky blighters. Maybe just 20 for an average player at an average team.

Basically, don't think about it too much and RP it however you like. Having the CoH happen in January would totally work.

[Ceni]

HOST ANNOUNCEMENT
My family has decided to spring a quick trip out of town on me and I will not have access to a laptop to scorinate, thus Drawkland and I have decided to push the start of the World Cup back to December 30. We apologize for the inconvenience this may caused.

[Drawkland]

Alright, me and Ceni have posted our IC info. Ceni's is complete, while I still have to fill in specific city info (I decided to post at least the venue schedule and basic nation info to help with preview RPs). The rest should be filled in later today.

[South Covello]

Since SJG CTEd, what will happen to his place in the tournament?

[Drawkland]

Since SJG CTEd, what will happen to his place in the tournament?

We will continue to keep him in the group since removing him would be a massive issue concerning redrawing (people have already RP'd previews of groups, adjusting files, and the fact that there's no clear nation to replace them). If SJG manages to qualify for the playoffs without returning from CTE, we will look at our options from there.

[Free Republics]

CoH voting results are in.

What's going on with regard to the CoH? I don't see a thread anywhere and can't find an announcement from either host regarding it.

[Northwest Kalactin]

CoH voting results are in.

What's going on with regard to the CoH? I don't see a thread anywhere and can't find an announcement from either host regarding it.

Well I got a invitation so is that what you meant

[Qasden]

What's going on with regard to the CoH? I don't see a thread anywhere and can't find an announcement from either host regarding it.

We apologize for our latency.

As invitées know, invitations have been sent out earlier this week. As we speak, a CoH everything thread is under construction and set to have the draws up tomorrow and the first match on the 29th, allowing the alternating of WC and CoH match days before the ultimate endings of both tourneys.

Don’t worry, everything is under smooth control

[Ethane]

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=432468&p=33159740#p33159737

Here's the thread, it'll be fleshed out and neatened up tomorrow. I just want to apologise for the delay in the posting of this thread. I returned home from University to find my internet at home wasn't working which prevented me from preparing for this. That led into Christmas, so I just havent been able to get on here as much as I would have liked. Im dreadfully sorry about the delay, and I hope we can make it up to you with what we hope to be stellar hosting of the rest of the tournament.

We will be delaying the start of the Cup of Harmony to the 29th of December to give you an extra day to post rosters and RPS. The group draw will occur tomorrow - we'll keep you posted as to when it is up.

[Qasden]

HOST ANNOUNCEMENT

After discussing with my co-host, the FIREQATS’ draw is temporarily on hold due to the strange amount of CoH invitation acceptances. We do intend to have the tournament cap at 40 considering the number of acceptances has surpassed the previous format and do plan on having the draw scheduled tomorrow.

Thanks for your co-operation!

[Starblaydia]

I'd just like to take a moment to be a little sappy at this time of year, as since the last gameside update Starblaydia just crossed 30 billion citizens. It wouldn't have got above 250 million if it wasn't for the community of NS Sports. So to all the players, past and present, who have made this such a great and long-lived game, I'd like to say thankyou.

[Eastfield Lodge]

I'd just like to take a moment to be a little sappy at this time of year, as since the last gameside update Starblaydia just crossed 30 billion citizens. It wouldn't have got above 250 million if it wasn't for the community of NS Sports. So to all the players, past and present, who have made this such a great and long-lived game, I'd like to say thankyou.

Does this mean we can go onto your lawn to celebrate?

[United States of Devonta]

Devonta's long time manager Tajo Mendez has been fired by the Devontan Soccer Federation. The Devontan National Team is looking for a new manager from a highly ranked soccer nation. Feel free to TG me with offers.

[Kita-Hinode]

Since SJG CTEd, what will happen to his place in the tournament?

We will continue to keep him in the group since removing him would be a massive issue concerning redrawing (people have already RP'd previews of groups, adjusting files, and the fact that there's no clear nation to replace them). If SJG manages to qualify for the playoffs without returning from CTE, we will look at our options from there.

Wasn't there some punishment for CTEing during the World Cup group rounds or was it only for CTEing during the qualifiers?

Unrelated to that, I'm travelling to Vassouras for a couple of days. I'll be back on the 2nd of January. Don't really think I'll be able to type anything up there (or even if the wi-fi connection the place we're staying at is even good enough for anything besides bloody Whatsapp), so I made sure to leave my roster and everything set.

Happy New Year!
And if I don't return, it's all Apox's fault.

[Ethane]

Cup of Harmony

The CoH draw should have occured by tomorrow evening, and we will begin a day after that. Group stage will be 1 match per day. There will (unless we get other acceptances soon) be 2 groups of 4 and 6 groups of 5. The 5th team in any group will be of a lower rank. This is the best way we have found to work with our current number of 38. We will work to ensure that the CoH is completed before the WC.

We apologise for the delays in the Cup of Harmony, and will try to ensure the rest of the tournament is as seamless as possible. Any criticism is welcome. We are all learning still after all. Thanks for letting us host this by the way. It's an honour.