Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2019 12:36 pm
Draft news and University recruits
Every single year, all 12 Top League teams have the opportunity to attract new talent from the University leagues. This year, the choice was made a lot easier. The Di Bradini Cup squad consisted of the best available talent, and the 21-year olds on that team are obvious choices for the 24 available spots in the Top League. The Di Bradini Cup team was made up of anything from 18- to 21-year olds, so only a handful were actually eligible. From the eligible players, the following picks were made:
GK Gudo Neihof -> Straudum
RB Kausjasteul Rilastadhaunden -> Cirelbourne
CB Ingvar Hovestad -> Bruncester
CM Cornelious Magrath -> Miradela
In short, defensive talent was in high demand. Several defenders have left the Top League last season to continue their career overseas - after all, Ko-oren is a nation renowned for its defensive prowess. To fill the gaps left by the transfers, 55% of the picks went towards strengthening the back line.
In addition to the four that were already named, these are the other high profile picks (involving players over 21, hence why they weren't in the DBC team):
CAM Jochi Murakami -> Alara
CB Dani Ardouin -> Aminey
RB Isabela Basquez -> Branvón
RM Harold Batchelor -> Maynard
GK Barre Goossen -> Schemerdrecht
LM Bawfreon yChibwod -> Tanques
DM Cole Train -> Tanques
Basically, Tanques had the picks of a lifetime, adding to their depth with two great midfielders.
Now, the spots on the University teams are to be filled by the soon to be ex-highschoolers - and would you look at that, the biggest talents among them are now playing in the U-18 World Cup. The U-18ers just beat the Pepsi Governate of Korea (that's a roller coaster in four words) to go to the semifinals: the best ever finish for a Ko-orenite youth team already. In this round, the Green and Blue face the Purple and White (but more white than purple) of Starblaydia - the home country to Di Bradini himself, creating a nice full circle to the start of the article.
The biggest name of them all is Heiko Heijting, a goalkeeper that was also present at the DBC. He's been taken by the Technical Uni of Sterrenwolde, who've had a lackluster team until they started recruiting like no other. Heijting is a huge addition to their team, and in three to four years, a great addition to any Top League team. Possibly an even bigger name (but an unknown factor in Ko-oren) is Thaddeus Rampton, Apox-born member of the Centre for Excellence, and yet to play an official match on Ko-orenite soil. The central defender knows his heritage and defends like the best of them, but is getting an experience like no other player by combining the Dragonfly defence with an Apoxian influence. He has been called by several universities, but so far he's decided to stay in Apox and finish his youth career over there.
Valle Borggreve is also going to Sterrenwolde's Technical Uni. With him, that university is continuing to sign the larger names of the U-18 world. Two strikers are on the DBC and the U-18 team, and they are Killand and Kisjeswant. The former has signed for Sudaefjolluniversitet to prepare for a professional career in relative silence, while the latter... you guessed it, is going to Sterrenwolde Technical University. There are two such names in midfield too: Immens (16 years old!) and Odonaghue. The former has already played in the DBC and will still be eligible for that cup for the next five years! He, well, is going to Sterrenwolde too. Sterrenwolde sounds like a massive club now, but honestly they had some recruiting to do and now they're finally getting on par with the larger unis. Odonaghue is staying close to home, and he will go to the Willowbourne Institute of Humanities.
Other players will soon decide on their collegiate careers - there are three weeks left until the universities will have to announce their rosters for the season. The deadline for university graduates going to the Top League and the second division has already passed.
Every single year, all 12 Top League teams have the opportunity to attract new talent from the University leagues. This year, the choice was made a lot easier. The Di Bradini Cup squad consisted of the best available talent, and the 21-year olds on that team are obvious choices for the 24 available spots in the Top League. The Di Bradini Cup team was made up of anything from 18- to 21-year olds, so only a handful were actually eligible. From the eligible players, the following picks were made:
GK Gudo Neihof -> Straudum
RB Kausjasteul Rilastadhaunden -> Cirelbourne
CB Ingvar Hovestad -> Bruncester
CM Cornelious Magrath -> Miradela
In short, defensive talent was in high demand. Several defenders have left the Top League last season to continue their career overseas - after all, Ko-oren is a nation renowned for its defensive prowess. To fill the gaps left by the transfers, 55% of the picks went towards strengthening the back line.
In addition to the four that were already named, these are the other high profile picks (involving players over 21, hence why they weren't in the DBC team):
CAM Jochi Murakami -> Alara
CB Dani Ardouin -> Aminey
RB Isabela Basquez -> Branvón
RM Harold Batchelor -> Maynard
GK Barre Goossen -> Schemerdrecht
LM Bawfreon yChibwod -> Tanques
DM Cole Train -> Tanques
Basically, Tanques had the picks of a lifetime, adding to their depth with two great midfielders.
Now, the spots on the University teams are to be filled by the soon to be ex-highschoolers - and would you look at that, the biggest talents among them are now playing in the U-18 World Cup. The U-18ers just beat the Pepsi Governate of Korea (that's a roller coaster in four words) to go to the semifinals: the best ever finish for a Ko-orenite youth team already. In this round, the Green and Blue face the Purple and White (but more white than purple) of Starblaydia - the home country to Di Bradini himself, creating a nice full circle to the start of the article.
The biggest name of them all is Heiko Heijting, a goalkeeper that was also present at the DBC. He's been taken by the Technical Uni of Sterrenwolde, who've had a lackluster team until they started recruiting like no other. Heijting is a huge addition to their team, and in three to four years, a great addition to any Top League team. Possibly an even bigger name (but an unknown factor in Ko-oren) is Thaddeus Rampton, Apox-born member of the Centre for Excellence, and yet to play an official match on Ko-orenite soil. The central defender knows his heritage and defends like the best of them, but is getting an experience like no other player by combining the Dragonfly defence with an Apoxian influence. He has been called by several universities, but so far he's decided to stay in Apox and finish his youth career over there.
Valle Borggreve is also going to Sterrenwolde's Technical Uni. With him, that university is continuing to sign the larger names of the U-18 world. Two strikers are on the DBC and the U-18 team, and they are Killand and Kisjeswant. The former has signed for Sudaefjolluniversitet to prepare for a professional career in relative silence, while the latter... you guessed it, is going to Sterrenwolde Technical University. There are two such names in midfield too: Immens (16 years old!) and Odonaghue. The former has already played in the DBC and will still be eligible for that cup for the next five years! He, well, is going to Sterrenwolde too. Sterrenwolde sounds like a massive club now, but honestly they had some recruiting to do and now they're finally getting on par with the larger unis. Odonaghue is staying close to home, and he will go to the Willowbourne Institute of Humanities.
Other players will soon decide on their collegiate careers - there are three weeks left until the universities will have to announce their rosters for the season. The deadline for university graduates going to the Top League and the second division has already passed.