WC 82 RP Thread

[Filindostan]

After matchday 4, Filindostan slumped at the bottom of the standings of Group 14, prompting the sacking of Twilight Striker. During this time, online trolls started infesting the sites about the decision to appoint Ethel Toh as the caretaker manager of the national team, and post different memes in different social channels. One of them played with the idea that Filindostan will not make it again to the World Cup finals due to the ranking they were in:

Others poked fun on their national team's inability to qualify for the World Cup finals, either ending up in the Cup of Harmony tournament or not participating at all.

Others then slammed the decision to let go of their Equestrian manager, who was well-loved in Filindostan media, and the hiring of the board member of the Filindostan Football Federation in the caretaker manager spot.

There were many other memes flying out in the sites, however, the intensity of those cannot match the other global memes which started to show at the middle of the qualifying campaign, which mocked the struggles of well-known juggernauts such as Starblaydia, Vilita, and Krytenia. By this time then, Ethel had already gave the Filindostanis hope that this year is their year - hopefully qualifying for the World Cup finals. With 7 competitive wins on the trot and 2nd place currently in hand, Fans have now stopped the memes and started the hopes, as the Pula Garudas will visit Omerica and then host the Fillies in what is going to be two very crucial matches.

Has Ethel done enough to warrant her a permanent spot in national team management?

[Krytenia]

OOC: With apologies to UrinatingTree.

This week, on Days of our Dragons...

The disciples of the Unified Church of Sampson descend on Abbey Road to preach their latest testimony. This week's congregation of heathens come from the nation of Zeniyadh, a curious bunch that look like auto-generated players from a crappy Sunrisian video game. The Great Leader and Captain Fat Bastard are hopeful of a cleansing of the heretics on home turf.

The high end talent is led by the Prodigal Son, cast to the wilderness by He Who Shall Not Be Named and restored to the Dragon fold by the Great Leader. Watch him make audacious passes to the forwards! Marvel in his dribbling! Gasp in wonder as he cheaply gives the ball awa....oh.

Caption: NOBODY SHOW THIS TO VALRAUNCION.

No matter though, the Almighty Perm is here to save the day. He steams through the striker with a tackle, and laughs as the referee is clearly from the Jeff Wilson School of Game Management.

Caption: REFBALL. NOT EVEN ONCE.

Leading the line up front is the pure soul, the one man unsullied by the Dark Elf's tyranny. His name is Selaphiel Kennedy. He's here to kick arse and take names, and he's all out of pens. A heavenly thunderbolt cracks through the sky and into the opposition net, and all is well with the world.

Caption: WHAT IS A DEFENDING?

The Unified Church, though, is nothing if not charitable. Captain Fat Bastard chooses this moment to revert to the mean. Captain Fat Bastard chooses this moment to turn into a lumbering lump of lard, and Wee Marcus more exposed than the Dallas family.

Caption: BRANNAN'S GOOD PIE GUIDE. AVAILABLE IN STORES NOW

It's OK. The high-end talent will see us through. Joe or Jake Hansen crosses beautifully, it's headed across the box by his brother Jake or Joe, and Chris Naismith never misses from this distance (SFX: Super Mario unbreakable block sound) ...why do I even say things any more? The curtain is mercifully drawn as we head to our intermission...

...and speaking of intermissions, are you watching this on your break in a coffee shop? Do you know that public wifi could be exposing all your data? Like Marcus Washington, you need protection in front of you - like SkyVPN. SkyVPN has hundreds of secure servers based in reputable nations across the multiverse...and Audioslavia, too. Use the offer code "DRAGONS11" to get your first six months for just ₳3.99 - that's six months for the price of two. You can't put a price on security - that's why SkyVPN's isn't too big for your wallet. And now back to our feature presentation.

After the opening address, and alms to the poor, it's time for the sermon to truly be delivered. The Manchild steps up to the pulpit, showing with his dazzling football why the Unified Church is the way to go and that no, Zeniyadh can have no nice things. His anointed feet take him into the opposition penalty area, and restores the lead for the Dragons.

The congregation is subdued as the game enters its final moments. The sky blue and white brigade are happy to let the game play out and collect their holy trinity of points as the Almighty Perm concedes a cheap corner ARE YOU KIDDING ME MATTHEW GRAY? YOU HAD ONE JOB!

Caption: CHOKING ON YOUR HAIR IS STILL CHOKING.

Zeniyadh throw the goalie up but it's fine, this is Krytenia! They don't concede goals from set pieces...(SFX/VFX: Flashing red screen, sirens blaring, caption: CHOKE ALERT)...HOW DO YOU NOT MARK THE STRIKER?!? BRANNAN, YOU UNRECONSTRUCTED IDIOT! LOOK WHAT YOU DID! I HOPE YOU'RE PROUD OF YOURSELF, YOU MADE SELAPHIEL CRY! GO TO THE CORNER! NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THE CUP OF HARMONY, WHERE WE'LL GET ASS-BLASTED BY THE MEN IN MAUVE AGAIN! IT'S WHAT THEY DO!

(SFX/VFX: Billy Madison "YOU BLEW IIIIIIT!" clip)

Like Chairman Hessenthaler bobbing to the surface, these are the Days of our Dragons.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Daily 2025
Richmond backtracks on post match comments
by Mindy Cartwright, National Soccer Writer

Commonwealth National Team manager Trevor Richmond offered up an apology for the remarks he made to the media in the aftermath of the 4-1 defeat to Nephara.

"I had a discussion with the squad before training today and apologized to them. Although I was in fact unhappy with the level of performance, I should not have said that we weren't good enough to qualify. If I had given a bit more thought, I would've clarified that the level of play wasn't good enough if we wanted to go through."

The loss to the Cormorants marked only the second time a team has swept both matches during a WCQ cycle. South Covello did the double against BP in the World Cup 80 qualifiers.

Richmond would not be drawn into specifics when asked about final roster selection. The Black NT squad face Tinhampton in their final match, while the Gold side prepare for the trip to Dreamplanet, after which the final 24 player roster will be finalized.

"You usually think going in that you know 16-18 automatic choices, but I don't know if that's the case this time. There is a lot of information that we review. The other senior coaches who aren't on the staff spend a lot of time watching games, grading players, looking for who is maybe not being used in the correct position for the strengths."

Richmond also spoke of the inconsistency both teams have shown, especially in organization. "We have a system, the players know the system. But sometimes the system gets stale. The parts don't mesh together properly because you've made adjustments, then made some more adjustments, then tweaked the adjusted adjustments to fit particular players. With Shane (Newman, former assistant manager) gone, we had to adjust what parts of the tactics were going to be dealt with. Shane concentrated on defense, and we always knew one another's thinking. We've made a conscious effort to sort of deconstruct the whole thing and build it up from basics this time. So that's where some of the issue lies."

He also made an important distinction that brought his explanation of his Nephara statement full circle.
"We've lost 2 matches--to the same side--out of 11 played so far. There are maybe 120 teams in this tournament who wish they were doing as well as we are, and yet here we are going around acting like everything is falling apart. We control our own destiny, and if we play to the level that the players know they can, we'll be fine."

lineup vs Tinhampton: Moyer; Arnold, McMahon, Stephens; Yeomans, Callum, Sotolongo, Fernandez; Underwood; Sandoval, LeClair

[Mytanija]

REPIN GIVEN UNEXPECTED VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
FSM BACK THE MANAGER DESPITE 4-3 LOSS TO MATTIJANA AND 6 LOSSES IN 11 GAMES DURING WC82 QUALIFICATION

by Nevenka Planinc

Lev Repin was given an unexpected vote of confidence from the FSM as they released a statement to ‘quell any speculation over the manager’s future’ following the 4-3 loss to Mattijana. The FSM said that they would allow Repin to see his contract through to the end, until after the Copa Rushmori, even if there is no sign of improvement in terms of results during this qualifying cycle. This means that the beleaguered coach will likely be in charge for both the Copa and the Cup of Harmony that will precede it.

Some have claimed that this may well be a moment that the manager has secretly dreaded, with many making much of the fact that a ‘vote of confidence’ from a club’s board in domestic football is a pretty much guaranteed death knell for any coach. Whether Repin will see it the same way is questionable, it rather depends on how truthful those involved in the decision to release the statement are being when they say Repin has their ‘full support and confidence’.

Generally speaking this Mytanar team have been much more exciting than the team was under Robin Hjik’s management, but the results have been arguably worse, particularly given the higher level of expectations this time around. Repin has introduced a level of tactical flexibility that hasn’t been seen for a long time and it may just be that the players are taking time to truly adjust to his methods – although early friendly results were positive, but also perhaps a little misleading.

The Hoops currently lie 8th in Group 11 with 11 points and the goal is arguably now to try and finish as ‘best of the rest’ in a group that was heralded as one which could produce a surprising qualifier prior to the qualification cycle starting, but has resulted in the top two coasting through their fixtures whilst those ranked below them have taken great joy in beating each other out of contention. Even finishing as ‘best of the rest’ may prove a tough task given the lead Qusmo now hold over the Hoops (6 points), and the fixture between the two teams could prove pivotal in that particular battle.

It’s no doubt that the FSM, Repin and the players will be disappointed in not at least keeping things a little closer – qualifying was always a pipe dream but there was optimism surrounding the team and there was hope that if they could stay in touch with the higher ranked sides that it could turn into a bit of a dogfight that the Mytanar team would relish and potentially benefit from. As it is, the expectations were probably a little off, we have to remember the national team is only just returning to the multiversal scene following an enforced break due to the Mytanar Conflict.

This vote of confidence, if it actually proves to be one, could be the chance for Lev Repin to really establish a team identity and take this team forward and onto actually challenging for qualification spots like the Hoops did with ease prior to the Mytanar Conflict.

Before that, they have the daunting prospect of a trip to Qusmo in a game that will provide an opportunity for Lev Repin to level the tactical battle with his opposite number Avarn-Oxolt Ban whose use of Jerat-Jonto Jan as an extra body in the defensive midfield zone crowded out the duo of false nines Repin tried to use in the 1-0 loss in Thessia. There is talk of Repin trying to use the 4-6-0 again this time, believing it the best way to beat Qusmo, but there has been some training ground footage with the 6 split into a central midfield trio and an attacking trio rather than the two central midfielders and four attackers that have been the norm when Repin has used the 4-6-0. This could potentially hand Repin’s men a numerical advantage in the middle, something which was occasionally missing in Thessia as Avarn-Oxolt’s men swamped the centre of the park.

One thing is for certain and that is that an enormous Mytanar contingent will be in Qusmo for the game, with anything up to 15,000 believed to be making the trip across Rushmore for a game between two teams that are quickly striking up a real rivalry. It is believed that a choreography displaying Otpor fighters and the tagline ‘unity makes us stronger’ will be displayed prior to the game – similar to the one displayed in an international in Snezhnaya during qualification for WC81, something that was quite controversial among Mytanar fans hailing from areas that were generally supportive of Natella Kalinina’s regime. The FSM have generally tried to discourage usage of Conflict-related images in the ultras displays, but they cannot control everything and just as they (seemingly), try to prevent controversy surrounding the managerial situation this could open up an altogether different can of worms for the governing body.

[Equestrian States]

World Cup 82 Qualifying: The story thus far...
by Steve McNotapony

The Ponies' World Cup 82 qualifying campaign has been - shall we say - interesting thus far. The Equestrians started off strong, winning their first four matches as one might expect of the multiverse's 10th-ranked side in a fairly mediocre group. Then things started to go wrong for the Ponies.

First, star fullback Brix Hamilton announced she'd be missing the remainder of qualifying on maternity leave. Not ideal, sure, but the Ponies were five points clear of third place and boasted easily the best goal differential in the group. Then, less than three hours later, starting defender Rumble broke his leg in a training ground accident. The following week, the Ponies lost at home to 134th-ranked Lisander.

A 5-1 shellacking of Krytenia restored some confidence in the Equestrian team, but it was short-lived as the Ponies suffered yet another upset in their next match against their bogey-team: Garifunya. Why exactly the Garifunyans have been such a thorn in the Equestrians' side the last two years is hard to say, when they've otherwise been a thoroughly unremarkable team while the Ponies have made deep runs in both the World Cup and AOCAF Cup.

Things only continued to get worse from there. Wasted opportunities and defensive miscues allowed 288th-ranked Ancherion to beat the Equestrians in Ponyville, albeit against a squad of mostly reserves. However, adding injury to insult, the only regular starter in Pearly White's squad that evening, striker Pristina Shine, was brought down hard from behind late in the second half with the match tied 3-3. The Ponies protested with the referee to show a red card to the Ancherion defender, to no avail. Four minutes later, the visitors took the lead against an Equestrian side reduced to ten players as Pearly White had already made her three substitutions.

The Ponies finished off the first half with a loss to Indusse, their fourth in five matches. A humiliation which even the Ponies' most pessimistic supporters couldn't have foreseen. The Equestrians are still in a good position to qualify, however, provided that they turn things around now. It's not too late to salvage the campaign, but it's not gone anything like Ponies fans were hoping for out of what many thought would be their best team ever.

[Gladom Newion]

OOC: "Tell TinMart: STOP SELLING ELUNE BOG ROLL - NOW!" is very loosely based off this petition from an American Catholic organisation; the Initiative for Public Awareness off this and its refusal for general release. The Divine Striking of 2016 remains the worst natural disaster in Gladom Newion's history and will likely be touched upon in a future RP (but almost certainly not during the WC82 cycle). This RP has been lovingly hand-crafted in its entirety.

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Forays of Folly is taking a cycle-long break. In the meanwhile, please enjoy Forays of Folly is taking a cycle-long break. In the meanwhile, please enjoy this tale of conspiracy, conspiracy theory, conspiring conspirators, and flat-out dodgy blokes who seek to manipulate the Tinhamptonian population and Football Association towards the end of 2018-ish...

Previous instalments of Air Conditioning: Prologue I, Prologue II, Episode I, Episode II, Episode III, Episode IV

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AIR CONDITIONING - episode V, Newion, Gladom Newion, the tail-end of 2018

I do hope that you remember the cheating scoundrel from the Gladom Newion side of the prologue. Should you not? You have every excuse to do so: in the thirty years inbetween that pulping and this, he had changed his beliefs, changed his focus, changed his job on at least three occasions, changed his location to various places in the sticks that nobody gave a shit about, and ultimately metamorphosed into a changed man. He was no longer Gfaan joVelsa, the somewhat impenetrable "half-breed native" that never had a hint of shock in his body: today, he had become "the Saint," an insufficiently-designed mask which managed to perfectly hide his impeccable organisation.
How did that happen? Because he sounded Gladom Newion; perhaps due to this, it was so that the President of the country had trusted him enough with a gigantic wad of equas several years ago. When he got it, it was put to use: hoisting the grandest contraption that anybody - whether in the misaligned grimscapes of outcountry or the congested squares of Newion - in that nation had ever seen. In forming the effectively reclusive and unfortunately-monikered Initiative for Public Awareness, he had broken another pledge.
Somewhere out there, somebody's wife is a bit annoyed at having to spend another week in a long-abandoned bar after being conveniently denied money to rebuild her old home after the Divine Striking of 2016 - and that somebody was getting a bit bored of riffing off the same theme. In, as a result, came funding from the Bank of Gladom Newion; in came a few technological wizards who fed his somewhat inadvanced system with a few articles from dodgy tabloids and mildly-respectable broadsheets from across the multiverse, and out came a load of rubbish. Until now.
Now, he was just sat there in a nominally "protected" coastal view, aspiring to indulge in what might to a Gladom Newion be "fine" coffee but would be deemed utterly rubbish to everybody else. From that moment, he just stopped, frozen, whilst his boiling hot mug of java was being slowly divulged upon his dress. It had not even finished by the time it had dropped onto his little table...

Saint, please consider this slightly human-edited draft. w/r, Diana.

Tell TinMart: STOP SELLING ELUNE BOG ROLL - NOW!

Stunningly, TinMart are allegedly selling toilet paper and other gross material with the likeness of the Goddess Elune upon them. This is blasphemy, you fucking bastards! Why would TinMart remove similarly sacrilegious material pertinent to Margaret when they would want to keep similar material about the goddess? Sign our petition today and we can finally get one of the city's most famous exports to take a moral stand on issues dear to all of those that care about the Vanorians!

Promoted by the Dignity and Respect Foundation, 27 Elephant Street, Tinhampton, on self-behalf.

"Now this... this is much better, lads. Wait, no, lady, you can have the day off tomorrow and so do I. Let us all hope that this does not explode, implode, whatever the frigging-plode." And with that, his work effectively done for another couple of days. Ahhhh, the perils of slacking off because you indeed have nothing better to do...

TO BE CONTINUED

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IC - Know Your Characters: Naomi Talbot, Chairwoman of the TFA - "Benny Helland," pseudonymous socialist - Jake Wilkins, sorta-bent cop - "The Saint," fake news merchant extraordinaire - A character whose speech is presented without colour is a background/walk-on character

[Mriin]

Here Be Dragons

Some problems require care and finesse to solve. For everything else, there's a sledgehammer.

MD12 Cutoff for Groups 1-7

[Vilita]

Halfway through Qualifying, World Champions Struggle to Maintain Form

Lopinka National Stadium, Lopinka, Vilita :: With two matches to go in the first half of World Cup 82 Qualifying, the Vilitan National Team was not in a qualifying position. However, they were still in a fairly good spot. Just two points off the top of the table, the defending World Cup Champions were sitting in third place having scored more goals than any other team in Group 13 and having conceded fewer goals than any other team in Group 13. Fresh off a seven goal thrashing of the groups then-fourth place team Competitive Solitaire.

After an up and down start to their qualifying campaign, the defending World Cup Champions re-gained the form that had shown out of the gate with their second seven-goal margin of victory of the qualifiers. Vilita were up 4-0 before the half hour mark with early goals from Jurzen Devmiko and Rintala Sekagaya followed up by a brace from Marine Coast United's Enzoril Alabonni.

The Jungle Cats took their foot off the gas a little from that point until fresh legs came onto the field in the second half and the goals came once again. Tenziki Kulakao, Cywrenta Vlintejni and Fishtii Blikala all found their way onto the scoresheet as the Vilitan National Team became one of just two teams to crack the 30 goal mark over the first seven matches with the other being The Holy Empire who were atop Group 3.

Vilita [7] - [0] Competitive Solitaire

:: Vilita Goalscorers :: :: 9' Jurzen Devmiko :: 16' Rintala Sekagaya :: 22' Enzoril Alabonni :: 25' Enzoril Alabonni :: 63' Tenziki Kulakao :: 82' Cywrenta Vlintejni :: 87' Fishtii Blikala

:: Vilita Statistics :: :: Possession: 58% :: Shots on Target: 12 :: Corner Kicks: 16

:: Competitive Solitaire Statistics :: :: Possession: 42% :: Shots on Target: 3 :: Corner Kicks: 5

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Vilita Jungle Cats Lineup v. Competitive Solitaire ::
[GK] Cilamara Issah, [D.] Jirijii Januaa, [D.] Rintala Sekagaya, [D.] Kwuimekii Hentetii, [ML] Polaox Torerun, [MC] Tinjus Mngomeni, [MC] Cywrenta Vlintejni, [MC] Jurzen Devmiko, [MR] Tripate Falcon, [FC] Enzoril Alabonni, [FC] Tenziki Kulakao
BENCH::
[FC] Fishtii Blikala, [FC] Berali Tzufarei, [M] Limu Katarakhna, [M] Va'a-Rio Kiwavn, [U ] Rojara Tiones, [D] Mileke Drokasorna, [GK] Mako Canopii

---

Having maintained pace with the leaders it was now up to the defending World Cup Champions to take care of busines against some of Group 13's lesser teams. They returned home to the Lopinka National Stadium to face off against the Busoga Islands, a lowly side with a short trip across Atlantian Oceania to get to Eastern Vilita. The Busoga Islands had won just won of their first seven games and came out with a defensive approach in an attempt to mitigate the damage against a Jungle Cat side that had just put seven goals past a Top 100 ranked team while on the road.

On this night, however, the stars were aligned for the Busoga Islands. The defending World Cup Champions ultimately finished the match with ten players, thwarting their ability to mount a comeback after Ousman Babaja had scored a brilliant tally to give the visitors the shocking lead.

Even after losing young utility phenom Limu Katarakhna to a second yellow card, however, the Vilitan National Team was still pressing hard to get back into the match. On any other day the Jungle Cats might have found a little bit of luck and come away with all three points. On this night however, on Cilamara Issah bobble-head night sponsored by Toys '4' All, it was the visiting goalkeeper who stole the show with Delbin Kasekende earning a star of the match performance for the Busoga Islands. It was a night to forget for the defending World Cup Champions who's fans were muted by the shock of the moment instead of leapfrogging into the top 2 the Jungle Cats slipped to fourth in the Group 13 table as the 7,400 Busoga Islanders partied in the North Grandstand as if their team had just won the World Cup.

Vilita [0] - [1] Busoga Islands

:: Vilita Goalscorers ::

:: Vilita Statistics :: :: Possession: 52% :: Shots on Target: 11 :: Corner Kicks: 9

:: Busoga Islands Statistics :: :: Possession: 48% :: Shots on Target: 3 :: Corner Kicks: 3

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Vilita Jungle Cats Lineup v. Busoga Islands ::
[GK] Cilamara Issah, [D.] Mileke Drokasorna, [D.] Lohani Riiyaaw, [D.] Inbekira Ajhabekk, [D.] Kwuimekii Hentetii, [ML] Limu Katarakhna, [MC] Cywrenta Vlintejni, [MC] Jurzen Devmiko, [MR] Polaox Torerun, [FC] Berali Tzufarei, [FC] Fishtii Blikala
BENCH::
[FC] Sipke Tarala, [FC] Tenziki Kulakao, [M] Tinjus Mngomeni, [M] Jyuola Mtalata, [U ] Cavuna Aquafek, [D] Jirak Trikala, [GK] Mako Canopii

---

While the result was certainly headline-making for all the wrong reasons for the Jungle Cats, it was still early in the qualification campaign and with one game remaining against Abahfleft and Valladares and still two to play against frigid rivals Savojarna, the Vilita National Team certainly still controlled its own destiny knowing that if they could just win their remaining matches they would still have little trouble making the World Cup Finals and having a chance to defend their World Cup 81 title.

Away from home and their confidence shaken however the Jungle Cats came out in an offensive formation that actually had the counter-effect of limiting their chances as Savojarna was able to control possession and keep the ball away from Vilitan attackers Sipke Tarala and Nii'arala Milaaso. They were without the services of Limu Katarakhna however as the midfielder was serving a suspension after being sent off against the Busoga Islands, another factor which contributed to the Jungle Cats inability to maintain their usual possession numbers. Ninety minutes later the scores were still level and the defending World Cup champions crossed the half-way mark of World Cup Qualifying with just five wins from nine matches, the worst showing over nine matches for the Jungle Cats since World Cup 74 Qualifying.

Of course, hope was not lost. There were still nine matches to go and nine wins from nine matches - the expectation for the defending World Champions were unbeaten during World Cup 81 qualifying, would still be enough to punch the Jungle Cats ticket to Valanora and Apox.

Vilita [0] - [0] Savojarna

:: Vilita Goalscorers ::

:: Vilita Statistics :: :: Possession: 45% :: Shots on Target: 3 :: Corner Kicks: 7

:: Savojarna Statistics :: :: Possession: 55% :: Shots on Target: 4 :: Corner Kicks: 5

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Vilita Jungle Cats Lineup v. Savojarna ::
[GK] Mako Canopii, [D.] Linkat Cjinder, [D.] Monner Vileai, [D.] Mileke Drokasorna, [ML] Jyuola Mtalata, [MC] Cavuna Aquafek, [MC] Polaox Torerun, [MC] Jurzen Devmiko, [MR] Va'a-Rio Kiwavn, [FC] Sipke Tarala, [FC] Nii'arala Milaaso
BENCH::
[FC] Berali Tzufarei, [FC] Enzoril Alabonni, [M] Kudii Davasarii, [M] Westii Yahaya, [U ] Nuola Brenzil, [D] Rintala Sekagaya, [GK] Upsin Ajaara

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[Tinhampton]

OOC: Don't Greenwich Mean Time and drive, kids!

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Forays of Folly is taking a cycle-long break. In the meanwhile, please enjoy Forays of Folly is taking a cycle-long break. In the meanwhile, please enjoy this tale of conspiracy, conspiracy theory, conspiring conspirators, and flat-out dodgy blokes who seek to manipulate the Tinhamptonian population and Football Association towards the end of 2018-ish...

Previous instalments of Air Conditioning: Prologue I, Prologue II, Episode I, Episode II, Episode III, Episode IV, Episode V

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AIR CONDITIONING - episode VI, Tinhampton, Tinhampton, 2nd December 2018

Except this was no fit-for-work assessment. This was the wrong side of Tinhampton: not Benny's side and it hadn't been for a good couple of decades, but the rust and rusticness did for him. It dinged with the aluminium and steel, donged with the coal and salt, and reverberated with an inerrable and ineffable quality of... something bad. Something not good. Not something good. Welcome to the New Docks.
The New Docks were built in the early 1960s, almost 60 years prior, to promote Tinhampton to the world, but they were seldom used bar for the twice-yearly ferry cruises and the drug deals and the Riverside Campus raves. After all, we had an airport and a lot more land leading to far-flung places that nobody could be bothered to research; what use were the high seas when they were so limited to us? The ingenuity you have just heard of represent its continued peak or nadir, depending on how close to the Social Democrats you dumped yourself on the city's political map. If these were Benny's thoughts, then how bad did he reckon his colleagues might have felt?
He was closer to meditation than mediation on one of the "new" wooden skeletons that dotted the southern edge of our coast when a sense of effective paranoia interrup---"Y'aren't any right to piss around this crapland, you lots! What's you doings when I said meself you'd be different persons?"
"You wanted this meeting, Mr... Helland, I suppose, and you got it. We're here to talk about Gladom Newion." Gladom Newion... the two words that struck the most fear in his heart. He detested them with a passion - no, the passion that had consumed so many of Tinhampton's anti-immigration advocates. Only a government led by myself, Lydia Anderson... We'll boot them out. We'll keep them out! And we will not allow them to arrive! "Oh 'eck, my memory's always flopped on I!"
"Naomi Talbot of the Footy Association, I'm reliably told, you're that socialist bloke, I'm PC Jake Wilkins. How that is, it's because we struck so much that nobody wanted to promote us, that's how. Yes, that was Gladom Newion terrorism, we have no proof but we're in the stages of raiding the now-evacuated embassy. Who says that what we got on camera could be anything other than unprosecutable arson - OK, the car park people could be fined but that's not my point?"
"You yourself admitted an electrical fault could be to blame and that immigration was not..."
"I stuffed up there by myself, we cannot know everything we even wish to know. In any event, measures will be taken soon - not now, but soon - against the overreach of the Gladom Newion in Tinhampton Alliance and the Respect and Decency Whatever."
"And who the bloody flibble are they?" "Respect and Decency are a new and fledgling organisation on a street that was renamed to Red Dragon Way in 1986 in your area, this one it was. Pushing for moral decency and what have you and thought linked to the Gladom Newion immigrants association. Most of them are good people but we saw their darke'ralf at Transpella."
"As you said, most. Mr Vatunska is alive and I will not contemplate his removal at all. What's your action plan for the other lot, then?" "Me, I'm an uneducationed idiot but they said a building standards plan for April-ish and booting out all the diplomats, that's done and little more needs to be done except a few insurance payouts and a proper inquiry, sommay like tha'?
"This is not a conspiracy, ma'am... but it is, sir. You are not Benny Helland. You have been living a lie. Come with me now, and Naomi can find her own way home!" He tossed her a card - whence?

ANDY'S TAXI - Call Tinhampton 510 935 - afternoons and evenings on call every day*
*exceptions apply

TO BE CONTINUED

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IC - Know Your Characters: Naomi Talbot, Chairwoman of the TFA - "Benny Helland," pseudonymous socialist - Jake Wilkins, sorta-bent cop - "The Saint," fake news merchant extraordinaire - A character whose speech is presented without colour is a background/walk-on character

[95X]

From the 95X Wire Service:
95X Impresses With 5-2 Win
PACIFIC CITY, 95X—The 95X National Soccer Team made an on-field statement in their most recent World Cup Qualifying Match against Kelssek, rising to the top of its qualifying group.

95X put itself on the scorer's sheet shortly after kickoff, as Alix Ajax fed the ball to Micah Morrison, shook off his defender, and found the near side of the goal in the eighth minute.

It would set the pace for the remainder of the game, as the two sides exchanged offense and defense quite often. Football Kelssek took two excellent shots in the twelfth and nineteenth minutes, but the first ricocheted off the top of the goal and the second found itself in Lauren Hills' gloves.

Hills ground passed to Chaya Concord-Fourteenth, which set up the next 95X scoring drive. C. Concord-Fourteenth passed to Alix Ajax, who dribbled the ball across half-field, thought about a long shot themselves, then passed to Diego Dodongo who successfully put the 95Xers up 2-0 in the twenty-fifth, as fans cheered delivery of "the bomb".

"I've never had a problem with it," Dodongo said of the phrase, which followed him from his domestic club to his 95X National Team appearances. "Yes it's very bad out of context but this is a game we're playing here."

Kelssek would avoid being shut out of the game before halftime, as team captain Ruslan Demetriev took matters into his own hands; 2-1 in the thirty-ninth. The score would hold at the half.

"I told our side this was still anybody's game," 95X Head Coach Katelynn State said she told the squad at halftime.

The second half was more physical than the first, but the 95X lead was extended to 3-1 when Alix Ajax scored on a throw-in in the fifty-first.

However Kelssek didn't go down without a fight, and 95X took to their best defensive form. And 95X would extend their lead to 4-1 on another Morrison goal in the sixty-eighth.

The defensive effort came at a cost, as Talon Claw was red-carded and sent off for grounding Brayden Custworth. Awarded a penalty kick in the seventy-fourth, it would cut into the 95X lead 4-2.

"He's eighteen, this is a teachable moment, and there's room for him to grow," State commented after the match.

Claw commented after the match, "I've already put in the appeal to the suspension, you can quote me on that."

State chose not to burn a substitution to place an extra defensive player into the game and 95X continued to play well despite being one player down.

With time winding down, another young player found her way onto the scorer's sheet, as Sydney Hardin wedged one in during the eighty-ninth minute and the final score, 5-2 in favor of 95X.

Next up for the 95Xers is the rematch with Turori, a game that ended a scoreless draw in Pacific City. A repeat away from home is unexpected.

[Valanora]

Here Be Dragons

Can you make your mark for centuries?

MD12 cutoff for Groups 8-15

[Indusse]

WC PARTICIPANTS MALAYALAM

സ്റ്റർബ്ലായ്യ്‌ഡെഇയ
ഈസ്റ്റെഫിൽഡ് ലോഡ്ജ്
സോവിയറ്റ് മൈക്രോനേഷ്യ
ഫ്രീ റിപ്പബ്ലിക്
എരമം
വാക്കോലിസിസി ഹേവന് and സെലേറിയ
കോസുമാർ
ലൈസൻഡർ
കോ -ഓരം
ഏതാണ്ട്
ദി ഷേർപ എംപിയെ
സവാങ്‌സുഗ്
New and Improved പേര് (The Sherpa Empire)
ഷവാണിജ്യ and ടെക്‌സ്‌ലൻഡ്
അബെന്ഹഫ്‌ലെഫ്റ്
ദ്രാവകലാൻഡ്
പ്രിഡ്നെസ്ട്രോവിയ (Abanhfleft)
ഭരണിൽ
ടൈൻഹാംപ്ടൺ
ഗ്ലാദോം ന്യൂൻ (Tinhampton)
സർഗോസ്സ
സ്‌കോർണശേലാണ് റെംണാണ്ട് സ്റ്റേറ്റ്സ്
മാറ്റിചന
ഖുസ്‌മോ
ദി ഹോളി Empire
സൈന്റ്റ് എംഎൽഐഎ (Mattijana)
ഉൻ ആ ബോ
സൽട്സ്റ്റഡ്
ബുസോഗ ഐസ്ലാൻഡ്‌സ് (Banija)
൯൫സ്
ഒമേരിക്ക (Saltstead)
ബനിജ
നോർത്ത് ക്വാഡാന
പോറാബസ്റ്റാ
കേസ്സാഡൈജുവും
ജുവെന്റക്യൂസ്
അപ്പോസ്
എക്‌സ്ട്രിൻ സ്റ്റേറ്റ്സ്
ഫ്രീപോർട് ഇസ്ലെസ് (Equestrian States)
വാളനൊര
പേസർഗ (Valanora)
ഖിആസ്ടെൻ
ക്രിസ്റ്റലിനെ കാവേരിൻസ് (Qasden)
ന്യൂ ലുസൈറ്റാണിത്
ധർമേന്
ബിജോർണായ റിപ്പബ്ലിക്ക്
ഒബെറൂർ ആർ മോരോ
ലിഡോനേഷ്യ
സേന്നേറിയ
മൈതാനിജ
വിലിട്ട
ട്യൂറോറി (Vilita)
നേഫറാ
ബ്രെനേഷ്യ (Nephara)
വല്ലാഡർസ്
യൂറ
യൂരം ഒസ്‌താനിയ ടെറിറ്റോറിസ് (Eura)
കേവഗരിയ
ബീപ്പീ
ഇന്ടസ്സ്
റോബോസ്റ്റണിലെ
ഓടിഒസ്ലാവിയ
ബാറൂണിയേ
ഏൽപിനെ ഉണഷൻ
കോമ്മൺവെൽത് ഓഫ് ബേക്കർ പാർക്ക്
ലിബറ പോപ്‌ലും
അപ്ല൦ണ്
ഫിലിൻഡോസ്റ്റാൻ
മെയിൻ നേഷൻ മിനിസ്ട്രി
കോംപ്റ്റിറ്റിവ് സോളിറ്ററെ
തേർഡ് അസോപ്യ
മെഴ്‌സിഡിനി
ലഹരിയോ
കവഗ്രാഡ്
ജയ്സൺഫ്രൈഡ്
ബിലാണ്
ഫെർഫെഡില്ലിസ്
റ്റേഷൻ
ഹു ഇളവിലെ
സൗത്ത് കോവെല്ലോ
അലെൻബർഗ്
മരീൻ
ബ്രിട്ടൺ
ജെറുസലേം
ജോശെനിആ
ടാർഗമാണിയ
രാകിവ്‌ലാൻഡ്
അബ്‌റിസ്ഥാൻ
ദ്രെപാംപ്ലാനിട്
വർട്ടുഗീസ് (Darkmania)
നജഫ്
അക്രോണിക്‌സ്
നോർത്ത് പ്രരിയെ
ഹോളി മാർഷ്
ഗീക്ട്ടോപ്യ
കിട -ഹിനോടെ
ബൽഖിആ
ഉനിറെദ് സ്റ്റാറ്റസ് ഓഫ് ഡെവോന്റ
ക്വാക്മയ്ബുഷ്
വാലെൻസ്റ്റെയ്ന
കോസ്‌നിയൽറ്റേ (മെഴ്‌സിഡിനി )
സ്പോക്കൺ
നോർത്‌വെസ്റ് കലക്ടറിന്
കേറണോവിയ
റ്റിയവർക്
കുടലിലെ
ബിസാന്റിയ
സ്വോജേർണ
ദി മക്കാബിസ്
നോവ ആംഗ്ലിക്കണ
ഗാരിഫുന്യ (Nova Anglicana)
Derring-ദോ
മിഗ്ലി
ഡാമുകുനി
വേലിസ്ട്രിയ
സജന്റ്.
ഡബ്
സ്‌കാർട്ടൻ
നടനിയന്സ് ആൻഡഇ . നൊസ്റ്സ്
ഫിലഡ
ലിബേർട്സ് ഒമാനിലും മാക്സിമസ്
ഓഫേസ്‌വാൾ
മോൺസൗ
കെൽസ്സക്
അക്കാപെയ്‌സ്
ഗോർ കബാബ്
നോട്ടിൻഹാപ്സ്
പെട്രോസ്ലോവേനിയ
ജിറോഡ് ഐലൻഡ് --
സുജിയുപിഎൻ --
ടൈഗേർഷർഖിസ്ഥാൻ
പോൾകോപ്പിയ
ബോഹ്റ
ആംതെബ്രാന്റാഹസ്താൻ
പ്രതാപ്ഗഢ്
അല്ളേഴ്സിലെ (ന്യൂ വെസ്റ്റ് ഗയാന )
ന്യൂ വെസ്റ്റ് ഗയാന
കോബ്രിയോ (ഒസാരിയൂസ് )
ഒസാരിയൂസ്
അഞ്ചേരിയോൻ
ആശയഇ
സാന്ത രേഗഢ്
പിന്നെഅപ്പളേ പോർച്ചുബിൻസ് (ഖുസ്‌മോ )
മെൽബർഗിലെ
അലാനിക്ക
ബൊങ്ങോ ജോൺസൻ
അസ്റ്റോറിയ
കണ്ടൊരിത്
ഏഷ്യൻ
ബ്രൂസ്സൽഡോർഫ്
സാൻ റോക്ക്യാ
സിനിയാദ്

[Starblaydia]

"Four-Four-F#@%ing-Two"
Starblaydia help everyone but themselves with Cassadaigua win

Starblaydia's impressive 5-2 victory over Cassadaigua has set Group 14 alight and with her return to the dugout, Ázëwyn Fëanáro has inflicted the first loss of the campaign on Stephanie Sweeney's team. It opens up the top of the qualifying group but, thanks to all four teams from Second to Fifth place winning, hasn't had any effect on the chase for the second automatic qualifying place. With six games to go, it's getting increasingly tight for those who want to make it to the 82nd World Cup in Valanora and Apox.

There's still six points between Starblaydia and a qualification spot, with increasingly little time left to try and grab one of the two available. Unlike other tournaments, this one won't be having any Play-offs to decide who goes and who stays, meaning every single one of the six games remaining is deathly important. Starblaydia's only issue is that they can no longer take any points from the top two, so their fate rests in the hands of other nations to help them out. Six straight wins may still not be enough to overhaul the two leading teams and, with Starblaydia's luck and results so far, no-one should seriously be expecting such a run to occur.

The only team above them that Starblaydia have left to play is Polkopia, currently sitting two points ahead in third position, for a final Matchday showdown. Five of their six remaining games come from the sides below them: The Sherpa Empire, Abristan, Tiiwark, North Quadana and Britaen. In the first half of qualifying, Starblaydia took a loss to Tiiwark and a draw with the Sherpas, but otherwise came out with three wins. A similar record here would be deadly for the men and women in white and purple, as that requires one of the top two to drop ten points or more of the eighteen still available. Six is possible, ten would be outlandish. At this point, Starblaydia finishing second would look to be the best of all outcomes for the five-times world champions,
performing a great escape of exceptional proportions. Third or below, however, appears to be the much more likely result.

It's a sad reflection for both Ázëwyn Fëanáro's management and the skills and talent of the team itself, because stats-wise this is actually a good team. They've retained the best defence in the group for most of the qualifiers, have scored the second-highest number of goals and have the second-best goal difference in the group. Yet, somehow, they're fourth. Looking closer at the individual scorelines, Starblaydia's problem has been a series of mental and defensive lapses:

MD     Opponent           Score 
01  H  Filindostan         1-1
02  @  Omerica             3-0
03  H  Cassadaigua         2-3
04  @  Abristan            2-0
05  H  North Quadana       4-1
06  @  Tiiwark             0-1
07  H  Britaen             5-1
08  @  The Sherpa Empire   1-1
09  H  Polkopia            2-2 
10  @  Filindostan         4-5
11  H  Omerica             2-2
12  @  Cassadaigua         5-2

When Starblaydia win, they have done so comfortably, registering three-goal victories three times and both two- and four-goal margins once. All three losses have been by a single goal. For basically any goal conceded in those matches, Starblaydia have cost themselves one or two points, meaning that all that is standing between Starblaydia and already topping this group is three simple goals. Three occasions when the foul was given, or the offside was spotted. Three instances of Ollarion reacting to the flight of the ball better, or of any of the defence making their positioning better and blocking or crowding out the shot. Stablaydia's defence, despite shipping six goals to Filindostan and five to Cassadaigua in their two matches, is actually a decent one, even in the grander context of the whole of Qualifying. This becomes all the more clear, when you see Starblaydia's line-up for the Cassadaigua match. Four-Four-explicitive deleted-Two, as they say on the Atlantian Oceania message boards.

At the back, in came Maria Reyes. No defender was swapped out for her, but a positional shift of a back three to a back four both solidified the team in defence and gave creative outlets to those in front. It allowed Sami Viipure and Tupu Alofa to do their jobs the way they do best. The only one even vaguely considered as out of position was young Theodore Sigismund, but he has the stamina and athleticism to make it at left Full-Back. Though he wasn't tasked with getting forward as much as the much more attack-minded Reyes, Sigismund certainly provides a bit more beef for the opposing wide players to think about. Adding another defender meant that someone from midfield had to give way, and we saw two changes in the middle of the park. The first and most obvious was the dropping to the bench of Austin Dashwood. The Montepool Waves player is the only Starblaydi to feature in every match so far in the qualifiers, so he's earned his rest for this match. Captain Viola Capodanno was moved to the true anchor position of central defensive midfield in order to become the the fulcrum for the entire team to pivot around like we know she can be. The next major change was the sacrificing of Arkady Krakowski. Starblaydia's Under-18 World Cup winning captain, and man most likely to be captain of the Under-21s in the next Di Bradini Cup, has looked out of sorts in this campaign so far, not quite able to gel with the rest of the team as expected. It's obviously a massive disappointment for the Articala Inlet player, though he shouldn't see it as a failure, but as a learning opportunity. In his place comes the real veteran of the team, Mezna Rayyen, to the left wing position. She's been ever-reliable for Ázëwyn Fëanáro in the past and it was to her that the elf turned in Starblaydia's hour of need. She may be beginning to lose that lightning pace of the past ten years, but her positioning and forethought of the game more than makes up for that. Rayyen's experience was vital in overcoming Cassadaigua and it also seemed that Sigismund's job was to support her, rather than overlap. On the opposite wing, Reyes was the overlapper and interchanger with Sterling Renshaw, giving each side of the Fillies defence something different to cope with.

Everything came together as Starblaydia hit five goals against the 22nd-ranked team in the world. A McCloud hat-trick, a Capodanno long-range stunner and even a goal from the bench for young Calindra Apelles, this was the application of youth based on the foundation of experience. Usually when Starblaydia beat the team at the top of the table it shakes up the standings to their benefit, but as we've covered, Starblaydia are very much not at the top of this table. With six games to go, however, and a switch to form like this ahead of four "easy" games in a row, both Cassadaigua and Filindostan should be looking over their shoulders at the stirring giant of Group 14 that's coming for them.

[Brusseldorf]

Excerpt from The Australialia Cataclysm

Chapter One
The Captain raised his night vision as he walked into the dimly lit Barracks. Inside, about 20 men were talking in hushed tones, inspecting their weapons and checking their magazines. They looked up as their Captain entered, offering a few quick salutes. The Captain continued further into the barracks, coming to his office.
Sitting at the Captain’s desk was the Field Marshall of the army. The Captain remembered to salute his senior, a rare occurrence this far south; the Captain had been the highest ranking in this forgotten segment of the border wall for a very long time.
“Sir, I’m sure intelligence has told you why you’re here, but with all due respect, I think you should see it for yourself”
With that, the two Officers walked back outside, to much firmer salutes from the men.
On the lookout tower, the Captain handed the Field Marshall his binoculars.
Nothing. Nothing for miles. No lights, no movement. The Sahara had not been that quiet for almost a quarter-century. The yurts of the previous inhabitants were still there, but there was no movement except the wind and the sand.
“Reports like this from all along the wall, Sir. It’s like they disappeared overnight.”
The Field Marshall lowered his binoculars.
“The public is not to know of this. It will be ~explained~ to the other Border Squads. You and your men will be the only foothold. This operation is black. Complete radio silence.”
The Captain hid his surprise. The Field Marshall finished, “You leave tonight”

[Jeruselem]

Dazza Dallas Stadium, after Jeruselem drew 0-0 with Nova Anglicana. Princess Chloe with Bianca Dallas, with coach Kaz Sallad missing from the game.

Bianca: Say, I had to ask. Where's Kaz been all week? I know you're here because she isn't
Chloe: She's getting herself checked for ovarian cancer, you don't her dropping dead in the middle of the campaign do we
Bianca: Oh, right. I see. We don't want people getting that.
Chloe: If you're a man, you won't ...
Bianca: I mean females, of course men don't get ovarian cancer.
Chloe: I just had to point that out

Bianca: I see Hamish behaving himself with his Mum in charge, I guess you've done a few world cups. You know what you're doing
Chloe: I'm very different from Kaz, I like being in charge and showing it
Bianca: The team seem to be used it as well
Chloe: Most of the team were around when I was in charge last cup
Bianca: Oh yes, I forget about that. I just joined the team this cup.
Chloe: I see you've recovered from the last game, where you let in four goals
Bianca: Hey, it wasn't my fault. The defense on both sides in that games was MIA, I mean I couldn't do much when you have fuck all support.

Chloe: Just put that game behind you, you can't do much to change the result anyway.
Bianca: Bit hard to stop anything when you're outnumber three to one in some cases, I'm not the biggest keeper around.
Chloe: Actually you're one of the shortest, well you are a Dallas girl.
Bianca: Height gives reach but it's not everything when you don't have anticipation
Chloe: It does help being taller
Bianca: Well, I'm not getting any taller now

Chloe: At we know what's on your mind at all times.
Bianca: I can come across as quite rude when if I am being honest
Chloe: I'm not bothered by that, at least you're honest unlike a lot people who are snakes and lie all the time
Bianca: Yes, which is a bit weird given my brother is fucking lawyer
Chloe: Sounds like you don't have the same father
Bianca: Yes, I suspected that but I can't do much about that now.

Chloe: You're a younger version of myself when I was actually playing football
Bianca: I read you never had a playing career, cut short by injury.
Chloe: That's why I always have these knee thingies on, I got the worst of that genetic defect
Bianca: Your son didn't get that defect
Chloe: He was lucky, got more of his Dad's genes ... well, for better or worse
Bianca: Geez, how you do put up with that ... nevermind.

Chloe: You have to love your kids, even if they can be complete ... err ... that
Bianca: I bet you'd want Katya as your daughter instead
Chloe: Oh yes, she's what I wanted. But she's not mine
Bianca: Say, where is Katya. She's normally at these World Cup games.
Chloe: Oh shes's playing in a tennis tournament, it overlapped with the game today.
Bianca: I never understood Tennis, it's crap.

Chloe: Kaz will be back soon so no more me being a pain in the ass
Bianca: You're fine, I understand why do you things
Chloe: Eh, I'm far from the best mother in the world. My sister is bit scatter brained but the kids like her better.
Bianca: Yes, she does seem very tolerant of anything out there. I guess that's why she's on TV
Chloe: You can't tell a guest to fuck off live on TV even they are a complete ... fuckwit
Bianca: I should learn from her, I will when I get older.

[Banija]

Part VII

Kabaka - King
Luguba - Queen Consort
Sarauniya - Queen Mother
Isebantu - Crown Prince
Omugabe/Omugaba - Prince/Princess
Omulangira/Kyabazinga - Duke/Duchess
Kagere/Kiweewa - Lord/Lady
Katikkiro - Prime Minister
Waziri - Foreign Minister
Lukiiko- Parliament
Kiongozi- Leader of the Opposition

The Scene is set in Entebbe, Hangaza, Banija

Chief Iota was sitting here, on the side of the street, as many of his people gathered. The protests were gonna start pretty soon. He hated the idea- a bunch of foreigners, from Eshan to Baker Park and Eura, from countries all across the multiverse, coming to destroy his land for some oil? Aided, and abetted, of course, by His Majesty, Kabaka Mwanga. It was frustrating- he was the same as his father. He suspected Kabaka Mwanga and Andrew Mavuto were going to sell him out.

Chief Iota didn't really involved himself in major Banijan political issues, preferring to be left alone, and respecting the hard earned autonomy that had been won in this part of the country. He was in Busukuma just a couple of weeks ago, to attend both the funeral of Kabaka Albert III, and the coronation of His Majesty, Kabaka Mwanga. Spending a week in the nation's capitol, of course, was something he wasn't very comfortable with doing- the Lugazi were a rural peoples, and he absolutely despised the big city. The big city was a place, for him, that was unsuitable-way too many people in a place, at once.

Too many cameras, too much television. Outside of the national team, he didn't watch much television. Just like the rest of the country, he was a big fan of the Kadongo Kamu, but for entertainment? No thank you. For going to the bars all the time? Once again, no thank you. He liked staying out here. But his visit was nice. He was able to travel to Herzegovina City to catch a Banijan home World Cup Qualifier, against Xanneria, which was nice. He was able to stay a couple of nights at a hotel generally reserved for visiting diplomats and dignitaries. A place where WCC members, foreign heads of state, and what not, had slept. That was cool. He slightly wished he could be there tomorrow- the atmosphere for a game against Brenecia would be absolutely electric.

But now, of course, he was focused on the task at hand. Because of the oil discovery, for the first time in his own lifetime, there was a constant stream of television cameras in the region. People wanting to interview people, wanting to talk to them. He was waiting, and relishing, for this opportunity- he needed to show the big shot businessmen, from Rosaria to Busukuma and wherever the heck else they came from, that they were not in charge. That they couldn't drill here, on his land, just because they wanted to. Lugazi land didn't belong to businessmen, or even His Majesty- it belonged to the Lugazi.

He looked around, and he saw a decent amount of people here. Entebbe was a decently small village, but legally unincorporated- that is, to say, no official village government. No Mayor, or whatever that would be called for a town this small. But this was the epicenter- the site that had brought people to the town in the first place, the site where Kabaka Albert III had died. It would be a perfect place to try and make a scene, make the kind of major impact that he was hoping to make. At that moment, as he was thinking about that, he was passed the bullhorn. He was ready.

He then got on top of the makeshift platform. "Lugazi people!" He bellowed into the bullhorn. There was a loud cheer. He was trying to estimate how many people were there- it was a very large crowd. Maybe four or 500? Good turnout in an area as rural as this one. He then continued. He needed to make sure he didn't alienate anybody- he wanted to find the right words. "It is in this town, where Kabaka Albert III, a great monarch, died, along with a foreign diplomat, on Lugazi land. Shot by a coward. Let us remember the deaths of Kabaka Albert III and Antonio DiMartini, with a moment of silence." The moment, only lasting abotu 20 seconds, seemed to last forever. Looking around, he looked for the TV cameras- all of them were on him. He smiled.

He then broke the silence he started, and continued on the real reason he was here. "We are making a stand here today, for our constitutional rights. This is our land! Not the land of corporate businessmen, not the land of politicians and royals down in Busukuma- this is the land of the Lugazi! They want to savage it by drilling here- we cannot let them. But the power of our people, united, visible, and loud, will stop this madness. Who agrees?"

"Huzzah!" The people yelled back at Chief Iota.

The Chief then continued. "We must keep our traditions sacred! This is the land of our fathers, and their fathers, and their forefathers. THe land of many Lugazi, who struggled on this land, who toiled on this land, to make life for themselves and their children. Not just chiefs, but people who stood together, to win our hard won recognized status as a people within Banija. We must not let them do this!" And the people cheered, loudly.

And at that point, they started to march. Numerous sorts of signs being held. Of course, it would be taboo to march directly against the Kabaka- that was asking for trouble. But they held out signs, and many people had unflattering pictures of Andrew Mavuto. The 'hey ho! hey ho! Mavuto has got to go!' chants were bellowing throughout the crowd. The march was short- it was a small town. But at the end of the march, Chief Iota got onto the stage again. He wanted to send a signal- to Aissa, to Busukuma, to the multiverse, that he would not take this sitting down.

They brought out a cardboard cutout of Andrew Mavuto, the businessman who had started this whole mess in the first place. They also brought out a picture of the logo of his company that had discovered it. A few people came onto the stage on the other side of town, and spit on the logo, and the cardboard cutout of Mavuto. And then, of course, he set a torch to the cardboard cutouts of both Mavuto and his company's logo, and they burned. A message, a powerful one, he hoped, was being sent, as his people were being whipped into a frenzy. The Lugazi may be rural, may be small, but they would not be pushed around in their own homeland. As people cheered, he wondered what was seen across the country, and if they would be able to get that message...

[Abanhfleft]

(OOC: Sorry for this very poor and lame attempt to cash in at a recent trend. My original series is not flowing out the way that I would have wanted. I really hope to get it back on track soon.)

[Baranil]

De Groqise Outclass Osarius to Pick up a 3-0 Victory


The 'Stade de UFAK' was the smallest of the stadiums in Baranil that screened the match.

In their most recent match, De Groqise went head to head with Osarius in a match that was watched by almost the entire country with the Baranillian fans being treated to a 3-0 victory against 10 man Osarius after a second yellow card was handed to Storm Galdeira for a foul on Haran's Svein Mehl inside the 18-yard box which was converted by Absjørn Vig in the 79th minute to make it 2-0 to De Groqise.

Both of the other goals in the match were scored by Haran's Nicolai Ege, after to 45 yard wonder strike put Baranil into the lead in the 31st minute and a header from 7 yards out in the 88th minute to finish off a wonderful performance by De Groqise which helped them remain in 4th place and has put them only 3 points behind second place in Group 8 after 12 matches.

The match was screened at 7 different stadiums across Baranil, with 439 people going home happy from the screening at the Stade de UFAK that our reporter, Andreass Jankovik attended and said that the crowd put on an "impressive atmosphere, which is unusual since it was a screening".

[Ko-oren]

Loro Language Schools: a success story. Ko-orenite legislation has always been a bit reluctant in allowing our companies to invest in or expand business to the rest of the Multiverse. In this decade, some of those bans have been reverted. Ko-orenite companies have slowly started to peek across our borders. One company that has been involved internationally for a very long time is Ko-oren Transit Solutions, a nationalised firm that has set up municipal public transport systems across Ko-oren. They haven't been very public, though they've had a hand in some transport planning outside the Dragonfly Archipelago. KTS is very much a national company, and they will never allow more than 50% of their income to come from foreign sources. One company that does not have such limitations, is Loro. Loro is a household name in Ko-oren, offering language courses in any of our other national languages. Recently, they have developed materials for languages spoken in other parts of the Multiverse, and in the last year they have distributed those materials to foreigners as well. In a surprise move, they have even opened campuses in other nations, hiring foreign teachers and sending Ko-orenite teachers to those foreign branches. Language education is a staple in Ko-oren, and we finally realise that our expertise is of use in other regions as well. The initial reaction to those branches is overwhelming, and the first waiting lists have popped up. Their materials have been developed alongside professors and graduates of our largest Lingustics programmes, and those universities are now paid back for the research they put in.

The original set of 10 languages is gone, and now Loro offers close to 20 languages - and that list is growing.

A language institute will always have to do its part in brand recognition, and as such Loro is working on sponsorship deals with teams, stadiums and arenas outside Ko-oren. One such opportunity has opened up in Cassadaigua, and reportedly Loro is still waiting for the right city to sponsor. As it turns out, Cassadaigua is looking for sponsors for its grounds - and maybe we will see the institution's parrot over there soon!

---

The Dragonflies are still looking for a captain as the qualification stage moves into the final third. The search will have to be ramped up as the Green and Blue are in a great position to qualify for the playoffs at the very least. Near rivals Damukuni and Bongo Johnson are not in great form and all three teams have inexplicably dropped points in matches they should have won. From all teams in Group 5, Bongo Johnson have turned their great start into a wonderful campaign in general - and they are the team to beat.

Ko-oren is more volatile than ever, and the young team have no trouble beating Ethane 1-0, but then play 0-0 at Spokane, after first drawing 0-0 at Libonesia. Most aggravating of all was probably the 0-3 home loss to Siovanija and Teusland. But in the last three rounds, those are some very, very expensive 4 points. If we want to stay in the top 3, ready to pounce on a Bongo Johnson mistake, the inexperienced group will need a leader. There is nothing wrong with the defence, but this team can't score if its life depended on it - and right now, it kind of does depend on it.

Ten goals scored, and luckily they've been distributed nicely around the string of 1-0 victories. However, when four points go lost right when it matters most, we see that this current team has a way to go to reach the maturity of World Cup 81.

The most likely candidates for captaincy are as follows:
- Dennis Lampshire. He has the age and the experience, and he has leadership qualities. His relationship with coach Juliasterinthen is rocky though, and Lampshire set up the strike that tore the Dragonflies apart last cycle - I mean, that's great leadership, but now he's shot himself in the foot when the national team did need him again. Can you give this position to a player that has already once divided the team?

- Alan Brogley. Unlike his right-back colleague Dalton, left-back Brogley has some leadership skills even if he doesn't always want to show them. In terms of age, he has the authority to show the youngsters how it's done.

- Philip Odell. The 32-year old midfielder of Advance Alara has played for half of Ko-oren's top flight teams (six out of twelve) so he knows the various systems used. Tanques incredible midfield, Bruncester's, Cirelbourne's and Straudum's defence, Maethoru and Schemerdrecht trying to dominate possession, and Alara's attacking tendencies, he's seen it all. And he's faced it all. His position (central midfield) would also make a great captain, if it weren't for the fact that Ko-orenite captains are almost always defenders. In that sense, a big task for the captain is to organise the defence - and he's too far forward for that.

- Reizo Yokota. He is the best-of-both-worlds between the three candidates above. He was never involved in a scandal unlike Lampshire, he actively tries to coach his teammates unlike Brogley, and he plays as a defensive midfielder and communicates with the defence more than Odell does. Only... Yokota lacks all kinds of tactical understanding that is a prerequesite for captaining the Dragonflies. This team doesn't rely on possession, or on physical dominance, or on scoring a lot... it's all strategical and psychological, two traits that Yokota simply doesn't have.

- Exidio Varela. He has everything you'd look for: a good history, leadership abilities, communication, tactically and strategically sound, the one thing is that he's had his peak and is slowly declining - and most of all, he's on the bench.

Basically, the search will continue and there doesn't seem to be a clear winner yet.

[Zwangzug]

(Source, for both of you who haven't seen it at some point.)

Amere Kiljer had scored the opening goal for Gor Kebab, and though a long header from Ramona Ambaile-Hund tied it, many of the fans at the Stelladome seemed disappointed. Tsereteli was sparse in her remarks after the match, not even providing any quotable material about "winnable games."

"We'll be fine," said Lucas, who was used to the home crowd. "I'm excited to visit Vakolicci Haven and Celeria, apparently their name translates pretty amazingly in some other languages."

"Easy for you to say," Tsereteli replied. "You're not the one whose job is going to get threatened in the papers to stir up an outcry."

"The papers just need something to write about," Lucas said. "There's only so much you can say about a 1-1 draw, they just want to appease their audiences."

"Don't talk to me about the papers," Tsereteli glared. "I know exactly who reads the papers. The Herald is read by the people who don't know where to find the D. The Baritone is read by the people who are scandalized by the D. The Spiegel is read by people who don't like playing D. The Guardian is read by the people who can transliterate D into Devanagari. The Scoresheet is read by the people who want the Roman alphabet to have fewer letters. And the Lipogram is read by the people who think it does!"

"Coach," said Lucas, "what about the New Courier?"

Seeing her hometown mentioned, Kendra rolled her eyes. "The people who read the New Courier don't care where you put the D, as long as you have a nice font."

[Squornshelan Remnant States]

A Grand Tour of the Confederacy

West Flania: The Edge of the Wild
Part 1: Sivolvia
Part 2: Han Dold
Part 3: Molvania
Part 4: Megabrantis
Part 5: Algolia
For the next match of qualifying, the Confederacy will meet Najaf for the second time. This match, and the next home match against Sorrentopia, will take us to the far North of the Confederacy: Flania. As this region is administratively divided between East and West, we start our tour at the western extreme of West Flania: the port city of Zarss.

Geography
Zarss is the only year-round port in all of Flania, which has led to its development as the main point of entry for both provinces, despite its vast distance from the furthest reaches of East Flania. The city is situated on a deep-water bay which serves as an excellent natural harbor. A line of high, wooded hills, somewhat short of being termed mountains stretches to the north and east of the city, affording it some shelter from the worst of the north wind. Further inland, this ridgeline rises higher into the snowcapped North Reach Mountains, which stretch west to east across all of both Flanias, making the already remote north coast of the confederacy that much more inaccessible. To the southeast of Zarss, fairly close to the border with Han Dold sits the smaller city of Hrund. Hrund is roughly on the borderline where the mixed forest that extends south into Han Dold shifts to purely coniferous taiga, along the main north-south rail and road route. The west coast's climate is moderated somewhat by the ocean, but the currents that keep those coastal waters warm do not extend around the North Cape, leaving the north coast of Flania in a subarctic climate. The temperature moderation also drops off quickly as one makes ones way inland, with Hrund usually sitting several degrees cooler than Zarss in winter, and hotter in summer. North and further inland from Hrund, West Flania is largely empty. The north coast is mostly tundra, separated from the taiga to the south by the North Reach Mountains, through which there are no passes usable by car traffic on this side of the border with East Flania. There is a scattering of small logging and mining settlements, but nothing that could be described as a city. On the coastal tundra, a few thousands of semi-nomadic caribou herders make their home during the summer, before retreating by sledge and snowmobile through what passes there are to winter south of the mountains.

History
Flania's history is not so storied as most other regions of the Confederacy. While the caribou nomads have been living their lives more or less unchanged for centuries, Zarss and Hrund took until well into the modern era to even approach their current appearance. The precursor settlement to Zarss was a fishing village on the shores of the bay with no recorded name until the high medieval period. In the modern era, with improvements in shipbuilding, commercial whaling became a major industry alongside cod fishing, and the town grew exponentially. Over time, whaling was no longer viable, and the town shrank, before booming again after the coming of the railroad made it an essential trans-shipment port for any goods entering or leaving Flania. The pipeline, completed under the Imperium in the mid-twentieth century only solidified this status, with Zarss growing to nearly a quarter million inhabitants. Hrund's development was a similar story, founded as a trading post for trappers and gradually developing other industries as well. Flania has largely been excluded from most of the conflicts in the Confederacy's history, as equipping and supplying an army in its climate is a logistical nightmare even in the present day, let alone the premodern era. The salient exception is, of course, the Imperial conquest, which took place not long after that of Han Dold. A mere pair of Imperial infantry divisions, having received special training and equipment for arctic operations, invaded from Han Wavel, taking Hrund with scarcely a shot fired. Their arrival on the outskirts of Zarss coincided with the appearance of a cruiser flotilla offshore, and and the city capitulated after a two-day standoff. As Flania was governed from Zarss in its entirety at the time, this allowed the Imperium to consolidate East Flania over the next several months with a minimum of bloodshed.

Culture
Zarss and Hrund both owe their foundations to trade in natural resources available only in cold climates, most particularly furs. With its deep harbor, Zarss became the point of origin for any furs shipped from Flania by sea. Hrund was founded as a trading post for furs, amber, gemstones, and other high-value resources along the land route south to Han Wavel. The fur trade is a thing of the past, but Hrund remains a center of jewelry-making to the present day. Zarss other major industry, apart from those who work the port, is fishing. While cod stocks have been significantly depleted, to the point that the Confederate government passed a 10-year moratorium on all cod fishing withing its exclusive economic zone, herring remain plentiful, and are an important part of Flanian cuisine and economy. The region is also home to a large shellfish industry, and visitors are strongly recommended to head down to the docksides to try the seafood pies made with the day's fresh catch. Zarss is also the terminus of a crude oil pipeline running from the East Flanian oilfields. Large portions of the docklands are given over to massive holding tanks and refineries, though most oil leaves Zarss still in crude form, due to the difficulty of setting up large-scale refining in such a harsh climate.

Getting There and Getting Around
Zarss is accessible by air, usually by a connection through Brantisvogan. One can also take the train from Han Wavel through Hrund. For getting around town, a car is useful, though the downtown area is small enough as to be easily walkable in summer months. Spending prolonged amounts of time outside in winter is not recommended. Roads into the interior of Flania are a mixed bag, and those intending to explore off the beaten path should hire local guides or stick to organized tours to avoid becoming lost and dying of exposure. The North Reach is not to be visited lightly.

[Velestria]

_{ATTENTION: Most of my rps draw inspirations from rl-articles, as does this one, use this and this as inspirations.}

---

SOUTHAMPSHIRE — Velestria’s national team arrived back home in Southampshire to utter desolation from football supporters in the nation’s capital, in the lead up to the game against Vartugia, supporters from Azurea came and distributed banners of strong anti-VFA messages and claimed responsibility for the large pyrotechnic display in which many fans chanted “Mendez Out!” during most of the match, the Velish Football Association has not released any comments over the event and during the post-game conference, national team manager and Azurea manager, Christopher Tajo Mendez did not appear fazed in any way speaking to the reporters and cameras after a nice 3-1 victory. Fans of Azurea, the club team which Tajo Mendez manages claimed responsibility for the large chants and messages of critics towards both the VFA and Azurea, the anger seemingly directed at the poor management of both the national team and also the club, calling for the VFA to require a manager to only be in one position rather than being allowed to also manage a club side. This has come after Azurea failed to win the Velish LigVezia Series A which sparked protests throughout the Azurea fan base, there were rumors for months that Tajo Mendez was to be sacked from the position at Azurea but nothing has materialized. Velestria’s FA have made no comments on the incidents but did thank the city of Southampsire for welcoming the football team, local supporters in Southampshire, mainly in support of Battlebrook United came out also with their tifos, mainly critical of the management of the national team. It seems as though Tajo Mendez has largely alienated the national team fan base as World Cup qualification continues, once welcomed and considered a manager on the rise, his time with the national team has coincided with a fall in fortunes for the national team and leaves many wondering if he truly deserves to maintain his job with the team.

Its definitely something that has come to define the characteristics of football in the world, the age-old battle between international football and domestics football — it’s the question that has created years of strife for nations and helped clubs or vice versa, it’s the question of “club or country?”, and its something that has been emphatic and has disappointed the nation while pleasing individual clubs and cities.
And it showed yesterday in Southampshire, supporters of local capital side, Battlebrook United have given a clear comment to the national team, “don’t believe international hype” read one poster siting a few feet from the southern entrance to the stadium, all through the city meanwhile, an influx of Azurea supporters have crushed the city, calling for the national team to be boycotted till the VFA can move on from and chooses to move on from Christopher Tajo Mendez. Posters of Tajo Mendez hand on billboards throughout the capital, “the menace of Velish football”, reads one, another in the poorer parts of the city reads “a filth to the nation”, it’s clear that there are mixed emotions over Tajo Mendez and what he’s done for football in Velestria. There were some politically-toned messages which for readers sake we chose to leave out of this article, transalted roughly, some continued horrific slurs against the Devontan, who’s lived in Velestria for the past three years, outside of Battlebrook’s old stadium, Eden Plaza the feeling was that the national team finally and desperately needed a new national team manager to inject a new flow of life into the team. With seven games left, Velestria’s national team sits far way back in eight place in a tourney where there was heavy expectations to quietly challenge for a spot in the top 5 of the group even though the group had been dubbed the Group of Death of World Cup qualifiers.
A private statement was given to the VFA from a coalition of Azurea supporters on vw.AzarelUltrasVyaza.vlz, “We wanted to make a statement, take a stand for our rights in football, the greedy, corrupt VFA needs to take a look at football in Velestria and realize it only further holds back progress by continually utilizing Mr. Tajo Mendez, his time with the national team must come to an end, he cannot claim to support our club while juggling and increasingly neglecting his time with the Azurea football club”, said the coalition on their open letter to the Velish Football Association, included in the letter was claimed responsibility for the banners and anti-Tajo Mendez tifo displayed at the game against Vartugia. The rest of the letter also exposed grievances and disappointment in the handling of refereeing, calling for better training of Velish referees, fan materials which have decreased greatly what ultras can bring into stadiums, the ending of early-morning kickoff games and the ending of the 50+1 rule which many say goes against the very core of football.


In continued comments to the media, head of the Azurea ultras group, the 12th Brigade, Arsa Valstrom said, “it is time for both the VFA and LigVezia to be accountable, that starts with new VFA Preisdential elections, the removal of the corrupt administration and the sacking of Christpjer Tajo Mendez as manager of the national team.”
Claims from supporters around the nation have cultimated into the iMedia tag, “#onlythebeginning’, in which club supporters from across the nation have promised to continue the protests which have swept through Velish football in recent weeks, which started in October 417 when supporters of Series B side Rasen Remus declared war on the VFA for their continued refusal to allow a pro/rel playoff and create a fourth slot for possible promotion into Series A of LigVezia. Discussions between both the Velish Association for Football Supporters and the VFA has long since broken down however, with the VFA moving cup games to weekdays, on Wednesdays, this has led to some support and has been met with praise from some supporter groups who still argue much is left to be done to mend the relationship between the VFA and the Velish supporters. There are also heavy protests over the Blue Strike Calix situation due to the ownership of the club in Birnin Calix by Mercedinian conglomerate, Blue Strike, this has led to many supporters referring to Blue Strike Calix as “bullshit calix” and referring to their spending as “money taking over football.”


What’s even bigger? The VFA has confirmed that it plans to open a formal bid for the 24th Copa Esportiva in the coming months and with it expected to be held in 421, there are heavy concerns from the VFA that the continued protests will severely undercut the expectation of possibly hosting the tournament, head of the VFA, Thomas Harbor in a letter in a leaked email read, “the risks are to great for Calix”, this is in reference to the Qusmo-Velestria friendly which has been moved from Blue Strike Arena in Birnin Calix to the outskirts of the nation to Applegate City on the Lotus Isles. “Could you imagine the scene that’ll be displayed if those Gamba diehards get into the stadium? The lead up to the game will be a terrible display to the international football world as they watch our ruckus, those Gamba ultras have no sort of class, it’ll be Vegai but tent time worse…”, read the email. Of course, there’s the looming bid in which its certain the VFA will try to win the likes of some support for the cause, they’ve promised to put games in smaller regions and expand stadiums if given the rights to the tournament, they’ve also promised to mend relationships with the supporters groups, which might’ve worked with the smaller club supporters, such as in Orleans with Avispa Orleans but that’s not going to work for big guys like Vegai who’s known for their ultras disobedience. Even historically docile Rovers ultras have recently gone off, in their “#SaveTheGamba” name and have supposedly raised N$80 million for the formation of a replacement for Gamba Calix soon, there’s a lot of disconcerting things with the VFA and the nation’s football supporter right now.

Its unlikely that the remaining Velish home fixtures for World Cup qualification will sell out, it also fizzled out any plans for a second Cup Missers Cup which the VFA toyed with as repeatedly low performances with attendance has scared the Velish Football Association from adding more fixtures to the schedule, and with the fact that there was more than 15,000 unfilled seats throughout the stadium during the game — granted it was against Vartugia, however there is a feeling with the VFA that there’s a problem with the community and they’ve promised to fix it. With comments on making tickets more accessible, ending the tradition of hosting all World Cup qualification games at home, which has been the norm since the beginning of Velestria’s football on the international stage and also promising new elections for the VFA, there’s hope, but it should be mentioned that the VFA has said it will not commit to this until at least 420, which means that there’s still two more years to deal with the current state of the VFA which will only further annoy fans and supporters. It looks as if the privileged men who stand at the front of the VFA are just as removed from the average Velish experience as a Velish politician.

(169) Velestria 3–1 Vartugia (359)
_{------------------}
Scorers: Clark 17', Goddard 59' Sa'kiera '83

(3-2-3-2) — 23 - Gregory; 2 - Borell, 3 - Avery, 15 - Woodhill; 5 - Singleson, 6 - Sa'kiera; 7 - Ingles, 8 - Thirdgray, 9 - Utamara; 10 - Goddard [c] (21 - Davis 62'), 11 - Clark

VELESTRIAN NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION - PRE-MD13
Goalkeepers: 23 - Diamond Gregory (KF Poldanz, QUS), 1 - Chris Banker (Peachtree City F.C.), 12 - Carson Mashely (Inter Arce, SRA)
Defenders: 2 - Matt Borell (Azurea), 3 - Viva Avery (Azurea), 15 - Jason Woodhill (Olympic Reading), 13 - Davis Larson (Doverhampton Wanderers), 14 - Kerry Fedbourne (Rovers F.C.), 4 - Haroni Beaver (Athletic Letson Town, ETN)
Midfielders: 5 - Carson SIngleson (Peachtree City F.C.), 6 - Na'ore Sa'kiera (Blue Strike Calix), 7 - Vronin Ingles (Rovers F.C.), 8 - Evans Thirdgray (Rovers F.C.) - 9 Furusawa Utamara (Johno United, DAR), 16 - Frank Kaiser (Peachtree City F.C.), 17 - Morgan Iyyrivia (Sporting Illyrius), 18 - Kelly Joes (Blue Strike Calix), 19 - Henderson Kelly (Rovers F.C.), 20 - Gilbert Jennifers (Vegai F.C.)
Forwards: 10 - Chris Goddard (Unattached), 11 - Augusta Clark (Olympic Reading), 21 - Brent Davis (Rovers F.C.), 22 - Hoyt Acovina (Cortana City Academy)

[95X]

(This entire RP is strictly in-character.)
In the hotel, before the game in Turori:

"Talon's suspension was confirmed," Katelynn State discussed with her sideline staff in a conference room. "We'll substitute Sophie (Riverforest) into the starting lineup for the game."

There's a knock on the door. State answered, unhappy to have been interrupted despite it's one of the players.

"This needs to wait," State anti-greeted.

"It actually can't!" Kamran Johnston replied. "Diego's very sick!"

State sent for a team medical assistant to head to Johnston and Dodongo's room.

"I dunno what happened," Johnston explained to the assistant, "he went to bed immediately after dinner, woke up early, and has been in the bathroom ever since."

The medical assistant opens the door just in time to watch Diego Dodongo stand over the toilet and "empty his stomach."

"I dunno what's wrong," Dodongo said weakly. "I ate the same food as everyone else, even that weird chocolate stuff people drink here."

"You're in no shape to play," the medical assistant replied, taking Dodongo's temperature. "And even though this country sees us as a rival they would have no reason to purposely poison any of us."

State was obviously unhappy to lose another starter for an important match and started Reynaldo Mallard, but the game had to have been played with the best lineup she could put on the field. A staffer sarcastically suggested this was similar a video game reference, but State wasn't amused.

95X later took its first loss of qualifying, which was chalked up to playing an away game against a strong opponent.

---

Another 95X Fun Fact!

95X has no laws specifically prohibiting the "meme", however most employers see them as a waste of bandwidth and space as the same information can be communicated with words, either in less printed space and/or less bytes of data. As employers are the number one supplier of food, shelter, and in some instances clothing, the "meme" isn't popular or well-known.

[Darkmania]

ÖRKENDREM PAPERS

Analzying the national team`s performance 12 matches in

Last time we did this analyzing thing, we were at 4th place. Since then, we have had bad luck and we have felt down to 6th place with more losses than wins. Something has to happen to the national team, since at 2/3 of the matches being played and it doesn't look great for Darkmania at the moment. What is the reason for the sudden losses? In this article, we will try to analyze the team`s current form.

Firstly, Darkmania focuses on attack with a good goalie. This is the norm for this cycle for Darkmania. At first, it seems to be the magic that can put Darkmania at the worldcup for the first time. But now, it's a different story. The playstyle doesn't seem to fit for them. It`s clear now.

Another factor is that moral is low. The Darkmanain Football Federation always inject the populous with high moral. "This time, we are gonna do it". "Its this time". However, it seems to bite back. Because when Darkmania losses and losses and losses, match after match after match, morale goes down quicker than a brick falls down a bridge.

The last factor we will write about is the stadiums. We currently have two stadiums who can play international matches. While DFF has announced plans to bring 3 more to the WC85 Qualifyings, we think this is kinda slow. If the matches were played all around Darkmania, this might increase moral and support for the national team. DFF will publish a shortlist of stadiums that can fit the WPC`s standards to play. But here, it seems to doent matter. Our friends Vartugia dosent even uses stadiums int their stadiums. At one point, they will use an Icehockey field for footbaal. Yes, we are not joking.

So if the spirit can be re-ignited, we could maybe get a better national team with the support from the fans from Darkmania. But is it too late for a u-turn and to qualify? Lets hope not.

[Xanneria]

Rough treading
Steve Stevenson for football.xan

It's been rough sleding for the upstart young Maroons. A tough deep slide has not only recreated our night mare from the first half of qualifying, but its gotten worse in terms of scores. Brencia and Peru crushed the Xannerians 5-0 and 3-2 respectively and HUELavia got by 2-0 on two early goals. One of the big issues with Xanneria has been their inability to clutch or close games to get draws. The attacking style of Xannerian football has always made for turnover prone football and made it harder for the Maroons to play for the tie. Huelavia exploited this on their way to a 2-0 victory last week. A score 12 minutes in by the forward for HUElavia and a goal on a PK by a defender of all people gave the Huelavians all they needed as the turnovers doomed the Maroons.

In other news, the Football Association of Xanneria (FAX) has said they will not make any coaching changes with Amos Alton or his assistants. the FAX president Thurston Figmond stated "While we wanted to finish mid table, we understand that with our unique brand of football we are being lenient and will give coach Amos time. We understand as a team that it's a unique and brand of football and most of our fans are very understanding too being that we have never attempted to qualify for the World Cup before.

In Other news, a deal has been signed between the National team and Dairyland Dave's. Dairyland Dave's is a national chain of fast food burger joints that specializes in Dairyland style "Butterburgers" and "Cheese Curds" along with "Concrete Mixer" milkshakes. Dairyland Dave's will offer a special golden yellow Banana Ice Cream with Strawberry pieces in honor of the Golden Yellow and Deep Maroon red colors of the National Team and brand it as "National Dream" flavor. Coach Amos Alton was famously photographed at a Dairyland Dave's a few years ago,just hours after winning the FLOX Omega League with East End.