Ethane Red Kites
National Kits
All thanks to JMC Football Kit Store of Krytenia for the logo and kits.
Basic Info/Stats
Nation: Ethane
Team Nickname: Red Kites/Fire
Style Mod: -3
Trigramme: ETN
Formation: 4-1-2-1-2
Staffing
Manager: Curtis Steeling; 43Curtis Steeling will be taking charge of the Red Kites for his fourth World Cup, in which he will reach his 100 games milestone as manager of Ethane. He has been an impressive figure for Ethanian football across the four World Cups that the nation has entered, leading the team from finishing 5th in World Cup 74, where the Red Kites finished in fifth (although did put up a good fight) to finishing second in the group in the 75th World Cup after impressively beating The Holy Empire; knocked out across the two playoff rounds against Banguela on aggregate away goals. However, the team have only gone downhill from this momentous occasion and struggled in World Cup 76, where they were expected to reach the playoffs once again at least. Steeling, after the first World Cup, adopted the 'Explosive football' philosophy (which will be explained later in the roster) which is why the team did considerably well in the 75th edition. Despite struggling with it in the 76th edition, Steeling has said he will continue to use the philosophy. Curtis Steeling has managed Ethane for 95 games, winning 34, drawing 20 and losing 41. Steeling, as manager, has achieved a just over 0.9 goals-per-game ratio scored and a just under 1.2 goals-per-game ratio conceded. Steeling will have to up his game compared to the previous qualifiers and thrive in the different qualifying format, otherwise he will find himself out of a job very quickly.
Assistant Manager: Gareth Barley; 44Barley has massively improved his managing techniques and people skills. The board recognised his performance in the 74th qualifiers, and have allowed him to stay on awhile longer to work with Steeling. However, it is thought that his future is tied up with Steeling in his role, and if Steeling were to leave, it is likely Barley would also leave or be forced out.
Offensive Coach: Steven CarlstingHe has brought through the new era of 'Explosive football' in the Ethane game, with great success, and is seen as the figure guiding the style forward, evolving it to adapt to new situations. If the team were to struggle in front of the goal and in defence, then he will be under pressure to leave.
Defensive Coach: Adam HurnleyFollowing the last World Cup, Hurnley will be under pressure to make the defence work in the world cup, as the team has been going through a period of sloppy defending recently. It's his job to correct it, and if not, he will lose his job.
Goalkeeper Coach: Harry BentleyBentley has been fairly successful in his role as goalkeeper coach, with strong performances from the goalkeepers in both previous world cups instilling some hope in the team. He probably has the firmest job of all in the staffing lineup, but still knows the board wants the best he has to give to this team.
Physio: Keith LambethMedic: Kerry Hanners
The Players
Following the poor qualification campaign last World Cup cycle, which saw Ethane fail to reach the playoffs, the team are in a troubled place. However, recent games have instilled some hope that the Red Kites could put in a decent performance, and the team will be resting these hopes on the strong striker lineup the team has this cycle. The team know that qualifying automatically is almost completely out of the window, but the space through the playoffs is still open for grabs. The team are fully determined to reach that spot and finish off what they were supposed to do, but were so far off doing last cycle.
Defence
GoalKeeper: Brody Church- 30- South Saints FCCaps: 43Sub-Caps: 0Goals: 0Assists: 0Clean Sheets: 14Brody Church has come back from his injury which ruled him out of the 75th World Cup even better than he was before. After his decent performances when playing rather than Henderson, he has shown himself to have maintained his international standard of goalkeeping. These performances have also been reflected in his league performance last season, where he remains the first team goalkeeper for South Saints. His team managed to only concede 29 goals during the season - of which he had a major part to play in with some wonderous saves throughout - which has reinforced his position of international calibre. Church has shown himself to be extremely concentrated and in the game - not easily distracted - so he has the perfect mindset to be able to perform well on the international stage at a longer-than-typical qualifying stage for the World Cup. Brody Church has also shown himself to be quick in reactions, and has a strong dive to his name, making him the perfect player to protect the net for Ethane.
Goalkeeper: Joe Henderson; 35; Hullbury TownCaps: 41Sub-Caps: 0Goals: 0Assists: 0Clean Sheets: 18With good vision, Henderson rarely lapses in concentration, and is extremely focused, always paying attention to where the ball is, and what he should be doing. He does take the role of sweeper-keeper sometimes, not to the extent of some other keepers, but he will do it when there is a goal at risk, and no defenders around to help him. As a tall goalkeeper, he does have good reach over the whole of his goal. However, he is not so good at one-on-one situations, and his performance on set-pieces can sometimes let him down. However, his ability to stay calm under pressure, and perform well when any penalty is given, guessing correctly most of the time, makes him in the manager's eyes, the ideal candidate for goalkeeper. He will be looking to try to reclaim the top spot through the few games he may potentially play during the World Cup after losing it to Brody Church.
GoalKeeper: Louis Cook; 26; Blashpool CityCaps: 0Sub-Caps: 0Goals: 0Assists: 0Clean Sheets: 0After his strong performance as Blashpool City's goalkeeper for the previous season - only conceding 36 goals across the league season - Louis Cook has taken the place of reserve goalkeeper for the Ethanese national team. Slightly more sluggish in his sudden reflexes, his skill comes in on being able to read the game well and position him in preparation. He is quite a tall keeper - standing at 6' 7'' - and is a gift for his team. While it is unlikely he will get much game time these qualifiers, he will be looking in the long-term to try to steal the second spot off Joe Henderson and establish himself on the team. However, Nelson Delamora of Briston Rovers still remains a threat to his place, so he will have to be looking forward while watching his back.
Left-Back: Bruce Washington; 33; South SaintsCaps:26Sub-Caps: 0Goals: 0Assists: 1His pace on the wing makes him a key counterpart in the defence (despite it declining somewhat), closing down oncoming wingers, and preventing them from crossing the ball into the box. Not quite so good with the tackling game, sometimes a bit clumsy, and not with the best style of tackle to take the ball in style, he prefers to intercept and block, which is an ideal thing for the left-back to have. He is coming towards the end of his career, and his pace is beginning to decline as he fades away. It looks like this could be one of his last, if not his last, World Cup qualifiers.
Left-Back: Thresa Desantis; 26; Cardnid TownCaps: 0Sub-Caps: 0Goals: 0Assists: 0Thresa has been an integral part of the Cardnid Town defence, with her strength creating a domineering persona in the footballing world. Despite not being the quickest of defenders, she has very good tracking abilities, and knows when to make the right interception. She is also very good at blocking. Somewhat of a surprise entry into the national squad, it seems to mark a change in Steelings approach slightly to include a greater attempt of the Ethanian players to assert their authority on the pitch rather than play possessively, signalling a possibility of a move away from Explosive football this cycle if it fails to work for Steeling again. Thresa will be looking to stamp her authority on this position and make it her own, establishing herself as a strong player in the team, and making women proud as the first woman football player on the Ethanese national team.
Left-Back: Cliff Driscoll; 34; Bourne RiverCaps:16Sub-Caps: 2Goals: 0Assists: 0Driscoll is a very mature and intelligent player, bringing a wealth of experience to his games, and proves a useful mentor for those younger players who are not so mature and experienced. With good knowledge of the game, and experience, he knows many of the tricks in the books, and is difficult to fool on the pitch with gameplay, and is difficult to wind up and get to lash out against you. He has alright vision, and while there are players which can place themselves better for the opposition attacks, he is fine at this job, and can quickly reposition himself if he needs to, especially with his knowledge. His pace does sometimes let him down, but he has enough pace to provide a threat somewhat in attack down the wing, either supporting the left midfielder and distributing the ball to them, or whipping in crosses to the centre himself. He is not an authoritative player, and does like others to take charge, and direct the style and direction of play, not having much input in the tactics very often - not a good candidate for captain, but he is a mentor, like was said earlier, when asked, and can be someone which younger players look up to, with his calm demeanor and wealth of knowledge. He does get on well with most of the team, and tries to stay out of conflicts, and does not try to dispute the referee's calls, but when a terrible call does come up, he can sometimes get a bit infuriated. He is not the most bulky of players, and is not very intimidating, but he has an alright slide tackle, and while not the best, does get the job done. This is likely to be his last World Cup, as he has said that he is 'considering retirement from all forms of football in the near future'.
Centre-Back: Darien Fear; 25; South SaintsCaps:63Sub-Caps:4Goals: 0Assists: 0He is seen as sturdy character. He also remains a constant feature due to his pace, but also due to his demeanour, which the selectors think will bring massive reward to the developing national team. He has also been included due to his consistency and ability to surprise, even when no one thinks there are any surprises left, which has been reinforced by recent games leading up to this World Cup. Darien Fear is not afraid to put his body on the line for games and results. Sometimes, this attitude can lead to fouls though, and he has seen a few red cards in his days. He is an extremely passionate player, and puts all his emotions and energy into the game, and a result. However, while he has the best intent, and is one of the better players, he can sometimes get a little overexcitable, and make a few silly mistakes, which sometimes lead to goals which could have been prevented if he was a slightly mature player. However, with the few downsides that do sometimes create mistakes, he remains a very highly skilled player, and is a defensive masterclass, as well as an attacking aid sometimes. which leaves the back open more.
Centre-Back: Daniel Moore; 28; South SaintsCaps:16Sub-Caps: 9Goals: 0Assists: 0Seen as the more mature, older counterpart to Darien Fear at South Saints, he also proves to be the player slightly less willing to put his whole body into the tackle, and the one to prefer to stand back more, survey a scene, and position himself accordingly, intercepting and blocking, with some tackles, rather than jump into tackles, which is where Darien Fear is more experienced, making them a great partnership in defence for South Saints. Certainly more mature and more experienced that Darien Fear, he is a more of a commanding figure, who is more controlled, and looks at the overall tactics rather than individual incidents. He is more of a technical defender, and is better on the removing the ball from the back than other defenders, which suits his position as a peripheral defender. He is a very defensive defender, and does not tend to help out with attacks, rather staying back when it comes to corners, unless in the last minute or so, when the team is on full attack, and even then he stands a little way back. He has strong vision and positioning, and sees a sneaky pass coming more often than Fear, putting them as possibly the most successful partner in the league, as they compliment each other. He doesn't often close down players, and is more of an interceptor and blocker.
Centre-Back: John Campbell; 35; Cassandra City (Cosumar)Caps:41Sub-Caps: 1Goals: 1Assists: 1He is experienced and mature, and takes a great mentor role in the squad, being one of the key leading players for younger players, such as Darien Fear, to idolise. He is losing his pace as he gets older, but he still is very switched on, and is quick off the mark, as well as holding a brutal tackle to his plethora of skills. He can be intimidating in the squad, but has a good relation with everyone on the team, which is conducive towards a working environment. However, he does not have the greatest stamina, and is sometimes only used as a defender brought on to hold on to a result towards the end of the game, or substituted off towards the end of a game. He is good with headers. Some of his tackles can be dirty, which can lead to him being sent off on occasion. He is the captain of the national team. This will be his last World Cup qualifiers, and he aims to end with style by reaching at least the playoffs.
Centre-Back: Jonathan Harris; 24; Blashpool CityCaps:0Sub-Caps:0Goals: 0Assists: 0Jonathan Harris has been chosen over Alan Barnes because of Barnes' poor performance last WC, and Jonathan's strong performance as part of Blashpool City. He is an extremely dedicated character who rarely gets injured and has a long stamina - as reflected in the fact he started every single one of the 38 games in the last season of the Explosive League. He is taking the step up to the international level to prove himself as a strong defender, and the question won't be about his ability but rather whether he can cope with the pressure.
Centre-Back: Kyle Cooper; 29; Bourne RiverCaps:12Sub-Caps:1Goals: 0Assists: 1Good with the head, he tends to be referred to as an all-rounder who is good in many aspects. He doesn't get involved in attacks too much, and prefers to stay in defence on corners and the like. He is fairly pacey, but can sometimes lack on the slide tackles, but has still got some decent tackles compared to many people in the league. He is very cool-headed, and likes to work in unison with the team, in one large unit. Can sometimes try to dominate in decisions however, and no matter how cool-headed and nice he seems, he can occasionally be fairly annoying, which sometimes leads to opposition players, and teammates, to retaliate.
Right-Back: Archie Holmes; 33; Bourne RiverCaps:25Sub-Caps:6Goals: 0Assists: 2Holmes has proven to be an experienced, yet low-maintenance in training, he has over his footballing career, developed from a shy, lower league player who was average, to a top quality, top league defender. He has a very shy attitude to himself, which is why he tends to struggle somewhat with media interviews, although he does cope. However, he is certainly no longer shy on the pitch, and no longer shies away from big slide tackles. He is rather lean, and tall, but he is still good with slide tackles, although sometimes fouling in them. While he may not be the best with vision - he is not always the best when positioning himself in comparison to over national team players - his willingness to get stuck into the game, his work ethic, motivation, pace, and technical skills have made him an ideal candidate on this team when the need for him arises.
Right-Back: Joshua Cook; 22; South SaintsCaps:18Sub-Caps:1Goals: 0Assists: 1He has a sense of immaturity to the gameplay, and it has to be said that his skills and gameplay have certainly not been completely refined yet - he is still fairly raw and can be sloppy at times. However, with guiding mentors in the team that would be willing to help him become a better player, and this world cup giving him some experience, this should be, as well as a great world cup for him to come out and perform in for the team, a great learning experience for him, no matter how much he actually gets to play. He is a solid, consistent defender, and having made a mistake, tends for the most part to not repeat that mistake again. However, his inexperience does show, as he can sometimes be duped in some tricks, sometimes ones that he has not experienced used against him before in the Explosive league in Ethane. Not so good on the attacking front, he does tend to be used more when the team is on full defensive mode, but with training, he might be able to develop this attacking style of right-back skill as well. Not so good on the headers, he tends to press up against the corner kick taker, or not take a place in front of goal for them. He has got a good sized kick to him, and can sometimes be seen switching the sides of the pitch that the ball is on, to confuse the opposition, and open up gaps in the opposition defence, also helping on clearing the ball, and distributing.
Right-Back: Caleb Powell; 30; CarredingtonCaps:0Sub-Caps:0Goals: 0Assists: 0Another new player into the squad to replace George Smith, who has retired from international football, he is strong right-back and certainly has got a deep knowledge of the game and techniques, as shown in his play. He is a very technical player, and good at positioning himself, so he is a good interceptor and a good blocker. Not so good on the tackles. Good also on aiding attacks, he is seen as more of an attacking player for a time in which the team is attempting to quickly recover. Highly respected in the team, and in the nation, and doesn't retaliate easily to provocation.
Midfield
Central-Defensive Midfielder: Alex Brown; 24; Bourne RiverCaps:5Sub-Caps:6Goals: 0Assists: 0A very defensively minded player as a defensive midfielder, the position he has taken is seen more as a connecting role to the attackers from the defence, but still retaining a very defensive style of play, in order to make up for the one defensive player they have lost due to the new formation under the ''Explosive'' style of football now adopted by the team. Brown is seen as a controller of the game, sitting in the back of the midfield. He has good vision and maturity, and can get a good overview of the game, making him ideal with his decent long and short passing to play the role of a distributor. He does occasionally help attack, but this is rare, because he likes to play a lot closer to his own goal than some other players in this position may like to play. He has some good technical skills to get round players, although he is not amazingly brilliant in this department. Not quite so good on set pieces however, and tends to position himself wrong on these, or make a bad mistake. He can sometimes be brilliant, but when he is in an off-day every once in awhile, the whole team suffers, because of his important role in the team. He has an alright stamina, but sometimes cannot make it to the end of the game when he is starting, so is substituted off in the second half at some point. He has a calm demeanour, but when pestered lots, he can sometimes retaliate, due to his inexperience in dealing with the brutish nature of international football. However, it is unlikely his retaliatory behaviour would make headlines (apart from possibly in Ethane) or get him sent off the pitch. It would probably more likely get a yellow card.
Central-Defensive Midfielder: Gerald Coleman; 26; Hullbury TownCaps:8Sub-Caps:5Goals: 0Assists: 0He gets the job done well, and therefore deserves a spot on this team. He also can help out in attack sometimes, and takes a much more aggressive role in this position, often pushing forward more than other players would in this position, and therefore better for when the team is trying to level with little time to spare, when the team is on full attack.
Central-Defensive Midfielder: Merlin Midgley; 31; South SaintsCaps:47Sub-Caps:1Goals: 0Assists: 1Described by some as a 'warrior', many have said he is fully deserving of this position, but other people argue that it was just him being the coach's cousin that helped him get into the squad. Nevertheless, he does have some valuable skills that this team could use. He is a very balanced player, and does not prioritise offence or defence while in this position, preferring to play in between. He is less skilled in passing, and is more of a dribbler, meaning he can take move into the large gap in his team in the middle of the pitch, and work in that space. He can see good runs, and makes the move to aid them as well, making him an extremely beneficial, though controversial, and arguably not quite so good as other player could have been, member of this team.
Left Midfielder: Grady Stevens; 28; Loconstead UnitedCaps:12Sub-Caps:7Goals: 0Assists: 3He is seen as a fundamental threat to any team with his crosses, and certainly one that they would need to stifle. Stevens is a very fast player, one of the fastest in the league for matter of fact, which helps him with his deadly runs on the wing. Where he falls down is defence, which is something that he is certainly not quite so good at, struggling with interceptions and tackles. However, with good vision, and decent long passes, as well as short, he gets an overview of the game, and can sometimes control play from the left wing, distributing the ball across the whole range of the pitch. While he certainly won't help out much in defence, the hope with him, and his pace and possessive style of play that he likes to take, and his ability to knock in decent crosses, he proves an excellent candidate for the role of LM in the team, and is expected to live up to his name on this team as the player who has the most assists to their name in the past season.
Left Midfielder: Kevyn Stidolph; 29; MansestraCaps:67Sub-Caps:9Goals: 2Assists: 25Not the fastest of wingers, he can sometimes be caught out by faster players, but his technical skills when with the ball can help him with his attacks, and he can outdo players and trick them. He also has some defensive skills as well, providing a backup of sorts for the defenders if they do get overwhelmed in the new, less defensive system that the team now follows. He also has the skill of having great awareness and vision, which allows him to spot the perfect run and either deliver the ball to his running teammates feet to take it further, or to whip the ball into the box, and give either the perfect kick or header to his teammate, in order to increase the likelihood of a win.
Left Midfielder: Christian Ali; 23; CarredingtonCaps:0Sub-Caps:0Goals: 0Assists: 0Ali is new to the international stage, and is one of the younger members of the team so is a little more inexperienced when it comes to the style of international football. Despite all this, Ali is well prepared after his strong season for Carredington, having assisted 11 goals. He has pace, so rockets down the wing, helped by his youthfulness. Combined with his great placement, which makes him great at crosses and long passes to set someone up for a goal, he is a strong member of this team, and will likely play at least 1 game during the qualifiers.
Right Midfielder: Andrew Biley; 26; Letson TownCaps:0Sub-Caps:0Goals: 0Assists: 0A right winger with no experience on the international scene and little experience on the national scene having being overshadowed by Williamson, he will be starting as a fresh pair of eyes for the team. This doesn't say anything about his ability though, as he is a marvellous winger who gets the job done. He has a little more pace than Williamson who was rather old, and is much more inconsistent than Williamson with a lower stamina, but when he performs, he performs very well. He has a strong cross into the box and can often penetrate the defence with his sweeping passes, but isn't quite so good on the defensive side of the game. It remains to be seen whether Biley, who has never played for the national team before, will be able to perform in this team with the limited players in midfield - something he is not used to either as a member of Letson Town, and is something he has not adapted to yet.
Right Midfielder: Branden Veresoto; 24; Old SarumCaps:14Sub-Caps:23Goals: 0Assists: 6Veresoto provides a very dangerous attacking threat to anyone who tries to face him down. Not quite so adept in crossing the ball, or assisting in goals, he is definitely not one to look out for if you want a team goal, as he is not great with working with other people on the pitch. Seen as very hostile to teammates and opposition alike, quite often getting into fights on the pitch, which can often result in cards, he is easily infuriated, and refuses to work within the rules, which is something that has made his inclusion in this team extremely controversial, especially after his track record.
Right Midfielder: Carl Sanders; 33; MansestraCaps:0Sub-Caps:0Goals: 0Assists: 0Sanders is a very individualistic winger, and likes to do what he wants on the pitch; in that way he is quite rebellious. However, he is good at what he does, and it fits into the strategy of the team quite well, so he does ocassionally play. He is far more agressive than his counterparts, using his strength to barge down the wing and get in one of his powerful crosses.
Offence
Striker: Dewayne Boivin; 34; Free AgentCaps:74Sub-Caps:9Goals: 35Assists: 1Having performed astounding well in the final season of the amateur Ethanian football league, saving his team from relegation to finish 15th out of 20th, 15 points above the relegation zone, when they were predicted to finish dead last in the league, he was quickly picked up on by the national team manager, Curtis Steeling, who rapidly gave him a starting role on the national Ethanian team for the Baptism of Fire - a controversial move which proved to work out well for the team. Having had plenty of experience in the lower leagues of the football pyramid in Ethane, he has a solid experience base of which to base his attacks upon, and fulfil the role of lead Ethanian striker that he seems to have acclaimed through his performances in the Baptism of Fire and the World Cup. He has the ability to deliver the goods when needed, and perform well when the pressure was at its highest level - a difficult feat for any player of any calibre. He transferred away to Doherty at the end of the first 'official' season of Ethanian football at professional level, and became a decent member of their squad, scoring goals when needed. He now finds himself as a free agent and will likely be making his transfer to his final team in the next transfer window. With a strong final touch, he is good at connecting with crosses and finishing shots, with a good accuracy percentage and goal to shot ratio. One of his main downfalls, however, is his speed, which, with his age, means that he cannot rush around the defenders to get a clear shot on goal, and more and more now, relies on other players to deliver the ball to him and bring it up the pitch, where he tends to sit, ready for any counter attack that may materialise, rather than helping out with the defence, where he would not prove much use to the team. It remains to be seen how much he will actually get to play in this cycle, or in the future, as the manager moves towards the younger strikers as Boivin grows older.
Striker: Thomas Peone; 32; Merseyshore CityCaps:15Sub-Caps:17Goals: 9Assists: 1Thomas Peone is a talented, and experienced player, who is at the optimum of his career. Peone has proven to be a capable and deadly force in front of goal, and able to find the net many a time from his shots. He is very much like Boivin in his play style, as he is a much slower player. He does not have extreme place like some strikers do, and is more suited to a possessive style of play, and occasional counters - much like the new 'explosive style' as the media have coined it, that the team follows. While Peone may not be so good with headers, as he struggles to get enough power, or direction on the ball to pose an aerial threat, the threat he supplies with long shots, and volleys off crosses, makes him plenty a deadly enough threat to be included on the national team for this world cup.
Striker: Jose Morgan; 31; MansestraCaps:11Sub-Caps:1Goals: 1Assists: 0Not quite as prolific as his fellow striker, he has still made a somewhat strong impression on the team, with not only his ability to score, but his unselfishness. Jose Morgan could be described as more of a pace striker than an expert finisher, zipping in between defenders, and using technical skills to get a shot on goal, rather than finishing with prowess. He is one to get the job done. His heading is also a lot stronger than that of most of the other strikers in the team, providing a dangerous aerial threat on corners, crosses and the like. He is a very cooperative player, and places the glory of the team above his own glory, not hogging the ball. He is not great on long shots however, and does have some flaws when forced to play out slightly wider, sometimes driving too far to the wing, which can damage the efforts of the team. However, all in all he is a strong striker, and well deserving of his place on the national team.
Striker: Julian Harrington; 32; Birdingstone UnitedCaps:26Sub-Caps:6Goals: 7Assists: 0He is certainly a threat in front of goal, and his determination makes sure he never stops fighting for a goal, no matter how desperate or easy the situation is in a specific game. He is quite a confrontational player, and can sometimes get up in players faces, in order to put them off and intimidate them. However, when a foul is miscalled, he can be respectful, and correct the ref some of the time. He is of an average speed in terms of pace, and is not that technical in his play, so somewhat relies on the ball being delivered to him, but he is a large threat when he has the ball in front of goal.
Striker: Julian West; 27; Cardnid TownCaps:8Sub-Caps:6Goals: 1Assists: 0Talented in finishing prowess, he is an expert at the chip shot, and is often first in the line when playing to take penalties. Mostly cool-headed, he does not tend to lash out when provoked. Also with some beneficial talents that help in defence, he is an all-rounder striker that helps with determination and passion wherever on the pitch he is needed. He is fairly pacey, and can zip around the pitch relatively quickly, which makes up for his lack of technical talent.
Striker: Hayden Watts; 31; Loconstead UnitedCaps:0Sub-Caps:0Goals: 0Assists: 0Watts surprised everyone with his extremely strong season, finishing as the second highest scorer of the whole season for a team that scored the most goals in the season (at 99), behind only Kéirâ Andìsorì of Chromatika. Hayden may be starting to get old, but he has only just fully developed that top playing skill needed for the international team. He is highly technical in his play, and what he lacks in pace, he makes up for in dribbling and skill ability. He has a powerful shot, and one that is good at both short and long shots, but he is lacking in chip shots. He is average on headers, but can knock the odd one in.
Striker: Samuel Mitchell; 21; MansestraCaps:29Sub-Caps:6Goals: 12Assists: 0Mitchell is a natural star, and is great with the press. With his youth comes great pace, which brings him the ability to zip round opposition players, to get the best shot on goal. While his finesse and technical ability when with and without the ball is certainly not fully developed yet, he has the passion, determination and ability to get the job done, which speaks testaments to the great player that Mitchell is. However, this also speaks about the greatness yet to come from this player when he is trained up and reaches his optimum playing capability. However, he is a very strong player in the squad, and has fully developed into a strong contender for the starting position as the joint youngest member of the squad. He is not to be overlooked, and is one of the strongest strikers Ethane has had in the present and the future, and is the obvious replacement for Boivin, also partnering with Jaurequi well.
Striker: Wilmer Jaurequi; 21; Free AgentCaps:25Sub-Caps:24Goals: 5Assists: 0Jaurequi is a young, intelligent player who is very technical in his play for a young player like himself. He is a great partner to Mitchell, and is set to form a future partnership that could propel the Red Kites to greatness. He is a real contender for first team spots, but also a great substitute for the team as a power sub. He slightly lacks in his shooting ability, but he acts as more of a supporting striker than the main striker.
Tactics
Ethanese football has changed direction recently. No longer will the team be following the ultra-defensive style of football used by Curtis Steeling in the last cycle, but will instead be adopting a new style, still slightly tinted by a defensive formation, coined by the media as 'explosive football'. 'Explosive Football' is the culmination of an increased supply pool of strikers, and a rather poor roster of teams with defensive capabilities sufficient enough to be included in this team.
It is a policy which now includes 4 players at the back, rather than 5. A more possessive style of football is played, with a focus still on defence, but the team has more of a policy of keeping the ball than before, passing it around the back. The team will have sudden (explosive) bursts of attacks, where they will advance quickly on the opposition in phases, and get a load of shots at once, overloading the defence of the opposition team, before referring back to their original, more defensive format. Counter-attacks are also used occasionally as a viable form of attack when out of possession and when being rapidly attacked when the chance arises, but the team is a much more possessive, pass around the team, slowly work their way to a goal style of play.
However, some of the new inclusions in the squad suggest that Steeling may be looking to change to a different style if this doesn't work out well to a more assertive and less possessive style of football, focused more on agressiveness and pushing forward rather than possession and sudden rushes with the ball in hand.
Stadium
King Edward IV StadiumThe stadium is situated in New Sarum, the capital of Ethane. It can hold 60,000 people in the setup as shown above, and will be used for all home games. The stadium can be accessed for fans from shuttle buses from the airport, and locations around the city. Plenty of accommodation has been set aside for travelling fans, and will be able to be enquired about on line in the lead up to games, and at the airport upon arrival.
RP Permissions
My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Yes, but be creative.
RP injuries to my players: Yes, I decide the length of injuries
Godmod injuries to my players: No, however, if you do talk to me first through TG or on IRC, I can sometimes be lenient and agree to this.
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes, but not in excess
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes, but not in excess. I decide on length of suspension.
Godmod other events: Yes, but be creative.