RTC Under-18 World Cup XVIII [rosters/RPs/results]

by **Obrela** » Mon Feb 06, 2023 12:41 am

A Second Win in the Cup!

Obrela's Young'uns really do look promising as they have just won their tough second game against Hopal to top the group! They are the only team in Group 4 to have won both games, and it seems like a trip into the playoffs is almost within reach. This would be the farthest any Obrelan side has gone on the international stage, as the main side went out of the Baptism of Fire on a tiebreaker game earlier this year. Could this young side have the potential to go all the way? We shall have to find out.

Match report and interviews to follow after the break.

After an onslaught of attempts by Obrela in the first half an hour, Justin Thomas of Hopal gained a yellow card for foul play and after that it was all Obrela, before a 40th minute goal from young newcomer Ietero Faresa that gave Obrela the lead at halftime. The second half didn't start any better for Hopal, with yellow cards coming for young starter Will Fortescue of Hopal and one of the Summerfield siblings, Freda Summerfield. Eventually, the final whistle blew and it finished Obrela 1 - 0 Hopal.

Interviews to follow after the break.

by **Chromatika** » Mon Feb 06, 2023 7:57 pm

Rating the Potential of the Young Anomalies' Starting XI - 18th U-18 WC - Attacking Midfielder and Forwards
As compiled by Back of the Net, with input from professional scouts

OOC Note: Back of the Net is a Tumbran parallel to Football Manager, while the Potential Ability was first introduced (adapted from FM but different) to NS by Farfadillis and Banija. All the credit goes to these three for the origination of the idea behind this RP.

AM - Igerne Félix
Age: 18
Next Season: Mt. Baker High School
Role: Attacking Midfielder (Attack), Club Team - Attacking Midfielder (Attack)
Potential: 150-160 (Good top flight player to possible NTer, very much depends on competition)
Summary: This team's sniper. Igerne Félix's right foot is dangerous from almost any range. He's not the best in quickness nor movement, but when he sizes up, he can really shoot the ball. His stamina has been getting better and better - to add another dimension to his game - but there aren't many better teenagers at set pieces.

ST - Kaytlyn Jean-Baptiste
Age: 16
Next Season: Egren Elite Academy
Role: National Team - Target Forward (Attack), Club Team - Target Forward (Attack)
Potential: 140-170 (Top flight player to probable NTer, could be a starter but depends on competition)
Summary: The speedster on the team, Jean-Baptiste can run circles around any opponent. She's decent at getting the ball from the opposition, and then trying to make something of it. Doesn't do much except tap the ball in, but do you really need to do anything else when you can just outpace veryone?

ST Harriet Baïe-Verte
Age: 15
Next Season: Urrheddiao U-18s
Role: Target Forward (Attack), Club Team - Complete Forward (Attack)
Potential: 150-175 (Good top flight player to probable NTer, could be a starter but depends on competition)
Summary: The pure shooter of the duo, Harriet lacks the pace but has that killer instinct.

World Cup 81/82/83/84

BP, Banija to face off on MD 3
by Fiona Devlin, BPNT Correspondent
for The Times

Reporting from Sonrevica, Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland:

(Editor's note: we are happy to announce Fiona joining the Sports staff covering the National Team**)

The Commonwealth of Baker Park National Team have put themselves into position to advance from the group stage at the RTC Under 18 World Cup ahead of the final matchday against Banija, which sit atop the table in Group 5 with full points from their first two fixtures.

The BPNT drew 3-3 against Cassadaigua before defeating Qasden 2-1 in the most recent match, putting them in a solid second place; with 24 nations competing across six groups, there will be an additional four 3rd placed sides that will advance to the knockout round in addition to the top 2 finishers in the group.

Manager Danielle Harper has been satisfied by the performance of her squad, but warns that improvement will be needed against youngsters of the reigning World Cup runners-up.
"We've had two good results--good energy, good spirit from the team, a lot of commitment--against opponents we know. It's always exciting to faceoff against the Pinks (Cassadaigua) because you know it's going to be a tough 90 minutes, a test of where you stand athletically and technically, and the same with the Vans, who have a lot of talent that they are developing in their academy structure. We'll take another step up in class against Banija, who have so much athleticism--we have our share as well, don't get me wrong--and hope to get a result that allows us to move on. At least we won't have to face (Banija) in the knockouts right off the bat if we get that far."

Harper praises Scott
Harper is another longtime FAC staffer that counts Banijan NT boss Pam Scott as a major influence on her career.
"All of us that go back far enough to have worked when Pam was TD (Technical Director) before she became manager--I hope it's understood I'm talking about the women when I say 'us'--owe a substantial debt to her for where we've ended up today. It's important to emphasize that before her, the Women's NT was kind of a fly by night operation. There's no way that it's even a serious conversation about mixed gender squads before she got control of everything."
Harper had earned 2 caps under Doug Childers, Scott's predecessor as WNT boss, and by the time she joined the FAC Development coaching staff, there was no trace of the way the things had been done when she played.

"I started doing my (coaching) badges while the (FAC Development Center) was being built, so I didn't have a lot of day to day interaction with Pam and Kate; Deana Halsey (who had been Scott's coach at University of Osheana, then managed two WNL clubs) was the first coordinator for coaching development for women and we did a lot of the courses at Caledonian Ladies or Forest Park. When I finally got hired and had a chance to be part of the women's setup, it just blew my mind completely."

_________________________________________________________________________________________
Football Association of the Commonwealth of Baker Park
Player Training and Sports Science Division
Information Bulletin 14

The FAC are committed to the safety of all players participating in the sport, devoting substantial resources to ensure that programs of training at all age cohorts are appropriate for the physical and mental development stages for those between the ages of 8-18.

The research & testing doesn't stop with pre-teen and teenage development, as professionals at clubs across the Commonwealth are monitored & analyzed using double blind techniques to measure changes in physiological variables, along with objectively defined technical performance.

The Training and Sport Science Lab at the FAC Development Charter Center in Birkenfeld, Baker Park State, conducts trials across a broad spectrum of areas within the sport that could be improved.

Nutrition and dietary considerations have been studied at varying levels of depth over the last 50 years by the FAC, pre-dating the Development Charter and even widely recommended changes based upon academic research.
One of the most important breakthroughs in determining a healthy, practical nutrition plan for soccer players at all levels was the examination of a variety of foods consumed regularly by inhabitants of the nation:

As an activity that requires a significant caloric intake, carbohydrates are the key to providing enough stored energy that can be utilized over a period of time without need for replenishment; they need to be metabolized well in advance in order to be effective so a generous portion of dishes such as egg noodles in chicken broth, potato pancakes, bread, wheat or rye berries, or dumplings--all of which are ubiquitous across the Commonwealth--are the centerpiece of pre-match meals.

Proteins from sources other than red meat are another staple of the dietary intake across all levels of the Player Development Scheme; most people in Baker Park are accustomed to whole milk rather than lower milkfat alternatives, and nearly 80% of the sugar consumed is from beets (less than 1% of all beets grown in Baker Park are sold for consumption).

In terms of measuring playing performance statistically, the NT has always focused on P4, which is the measure of “tempo” that the national team plays at during a match; it is the number of Passes Per minute of Possession in Play—understood to be passes attempted—with an average baseline around 30-32. Higher means faster, lower is slower.
_______________________________________________________________________________________

** junk info

by **Juvencus** » Tue Feb 07, 2023 8:05 am

The Languages of Juvencus and the Juven(Part 2)

Juvencus has a variety of languages or dialects owing to its sheer size and variety of living enviroments that made the creation of a uniform standard quite difficult.

While more RLStates terms have been used in the presentation of these languages or dialects, the people in Juvencus mention them all in all sorts of names. But the most major of those is the Juven Language, which could be better presented as the family name of a language continuum that stretches all across Juvencus and beyond all the way down to south Oscioru. It is creatively called.. the Juvencano Continuum.

The Sant Mateu Dialect or Santmat: Santmat is, in fact, the 3rd most spoken dialect of the Juven language in the entire nation. It is more mutually intelligible with the Pomenienze Dialect although it has some similarities and big influence from Scudellois as well. The closest RLstates equivalent of Santmat is the language is Catalan.

Santmat was developed sometime during the Papi Orientali period, much like Poi. It followed the trend of state distancing due to the horrible nature of the religious conflict and what it had done to populations all around Juvencus. Phonetically it has kept quite a few of the element from the original Pomenienze Dialect, although due to the proximity of most Santmat speaking areas to the areas of Scudellois influence, the latter had its entry in the language's enviroment and has changed it quite a bit as well. This has resulted in a very unique sound, admired in every single corner of Juvencus for its beauty.

Santmat however is the one accent most negatively affected by the first measures of the Juven government regarding language and way before that due to its large geographic spread and easy assimilation of the Santmat speakers into other linguistic areas for a long while. This has led to resentment that has led to big immigration especially towards areas like Al Qurija on which they constitute the majority linguistic group of the Juven population living there.

In this day and age, Santmat speakers live primarily in Scudelli and villages to its southeast, or in places like the city of Capuletta and Verone. In all these areas they have a strong presence and their language is protected by the local governments and it is promoted in education and media, leading to a surge of native speakers following the dramatic decrease of the 20th century.

The Sudjuven Dialect or Sudjuven: The Sudjuven dialect is spoken in areas of big significance in the nation and as such it is considered the language of the borderlands. It is spoken in specific big cities but nowhere in rural areas. It is somewhat similar to the Santmat and Poi dialects, however and has high intelligibility with them while also maintaining a high intelligibility to the Pomenienze dialect. The closest RLstates equivalent is the language of Spanish.

Sudjuven, much like the Poi or Santmat dialects, was also developed during the Papi Orientali period as a means to distance the states of Aguajú and the greater La Savanne, then under Osci occupation from the rest of the happenings of Juvencus. While most of the Osci returned to the Pomenienze dialect for the most part over time, Aguajú and the surrounding areas of greater La Savanne maintained the Sudjuven dialect and developed it while creating the distinct culture of the Sud. It is a dialect known for its speed and passionate aggression.

Sudjuven was the only dialect that did not get subjected to much change even when the measures and officialisation of the Pomenienze dialect came into effect. The Sud was given a special status and managed to maintain itself, albeit side to side with the Pomenienze dialect.

The innovative nature of the inhabitants of the Sud have given the Sudjuven dialect much-needed multiversal media attention, better educational opportunities and the fastest surge in native speakers out of all the dialects in the nation. Coupled with the excessive Juven patriotism of its native speakers, this surge provides a save haven and borderline devoid of any irredentism from the Osci side. For that major reason, Sudjuven could possibly be well on its way to be declared the 3rd official language of the nation.

The Arragoetara Language: This is a special case of an actual distinct language unrelated to all the ones surrounding it. The Arragoetara is a case of a proto-language developed by native Juven before the domination of the Pomen. Oddly enough it is mostly spoken in areas surrounding the capital of Pomena and there is a quartier named Arragoeta from which the language is named after. The closest RLstates equivalent is Basque.

As previously stated, the Arragoetara langauge is a proto-language developed by native Juven before the domination of the ancient empire of Pomen and its distribution of the Pomen language all across Juvencus. It is considered one of the oldest, if not the oldest language spoken in the nation and its speakers are fierce defenders of it and use it excessively.

Being headfirst in Pomena, harsh measures were given to them when Pomenienze was declared the only national language after the unification. However, due to the aggressive nature of its speakers, the language survived and even thrived as time went on to the point the Holy Emperor had to concede at some point.

In modern-day all Arragoetara speakers are fluent in the language and are also fluent in Pomenienze which has given a very special blend of loanwords in their language. However, with several media and educational facilities in place, the language and its survival are safe and sound. It is the only recognised regional language of Pomena.

by **Cassadaigua** » Tue Feb 07, 2023 10:46 am

Fillies outplayed by Banija,
by Caitlyn Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

After a decent outing against Baker Park that saw the teams play to a 3-3 draw, the next opponent on the agenda would be Banija. In this tough group, that's certainly a tough way for these young players to have the start but it also gives them the opportunity to play against some of the best in the world right now. After all, while we always say that you need to expect the unexpected in these tournaments for teenagers, we can anticipate that several of the youngsters suiting up for these sides will one day play a major role on the senior teams of successful World Cup nations. That's what is so exciting about these tournaments and why I always say that when watching the RTC Cup, take a step back from wanting results and simply enjoy the games.

Banija is led by Madu Okparra. He played on their World Cup 86 title team, and is getting his first managerial assignment here in the RTC Cup. That is impressive pedigree, and if he can prove to be successful here and as he gets going internationally, we can expect to see the 41-year old have a major assignment with either the senior team of his homeland or someone else. He plans on employing an offensive system and we saw their intentions early in this match to get the first goal of the game. I like the way that our defense was up to the challenge, however, with Callie Houghton standing out to me in particular. Jônn Wérséô seemed to be the one that the Kadongo Kamu were looking to generate the early offense and Houghton did exceptionally well to stand up to him, and it may have led to Okparra making adjustments. After about fifteen minutes or so, we began to see the Fillies take control of the game, with Lauren Engle beginning to win more battles in the middle of the field and getting some great chances for Connor Elliott and Veronica Wheaton. But in the back for the Lions, they had the answers, and I was especially impressed with Otem Ssema back there. More minutes ticked away without a goal as each side really played well. In the 39th minute, we'd get that first strike, but it would be the Lions and Musisi Nnyika, but the play was really made by Nasiche Kusu.

Trailing by one at the break, Cassadaigua made some great adjustments and were flying in the early moments. Banija held serve until the 59th, with Lauren Engle's stunning behind the back pass to Connor Elliott getting Hadim Jan to freeze for a second, and that's all the time Elliott needed to get a step and score the equalizer. After the goal, play became more back and forth with each team getting chances. Booa Kusama will go down as a hero for his homeland, though, with the 77th minute game winner.

Despite the loss, I thought the Fillies played well, and if you were a neutral watching this game you had to have liked what you saw. It doesn't help us much in the standings, though, and it will mean our game against Qasden is a must win. There are a few third place teams that will make it to the knockouts, so we still have a shot to move on with a win.

by **Srednjaci** » Tue Feb 07, 2023 10:53 am

DEFEAT DESPITE A GREAT PLAY!!!!

by IVAN BOŽIĆ

Srednjaci 2-3 Independent Athletes from Quebec
36' Hongbo Deng 1-0, assist Sanjin Mavrović
58' Valery Rublev 2-1, assist Imelda Katić

we experienced an incredible shock in the match against Independent Athletes from Quebec! In a match in which we dominated in the game, created more opportunities, were in a superior position, we managed to blow everything in the last 15 minutes of the match. It is incredible that our head coach let the main players play at a high pace without refreshing our team with substitutions in time and thus tried to save the advantage of 2-1.
After constant high pressure on the opponent's defense, our players started shooting physically. Fatigue caught up with them and their pressing decreased as well as the intensity of the game. This of course led to a complete turnaround in the game and the players of Independent Athletes from Quebec started a counter-offensive, dominated the game and managed to turn the match in their favor with two goals.

What happened at the match? Is it up to the equipment? Are the football boots of our players made of real light material? Do we use the right materials for jerseys? Or simply the physical fitness of our players is low.
These are the questions we ask ourselves, and they are definitely not for us, but for the leadership of the football association and experts. Maybe the problem is in nutrition. In any case, this is a topic that we need to seriously address in the future. After 75 minutes of the game, our players could literally barely move on the football field, and some even fell from pain and cramps. This must not be repeated.

In any case, our next opponent is Juvencus. It will be difficult for us, but maybe we will be okay because they speak a lot of languages and dialects, they might not understand each other.

by **Elmyia** » Tue Feb 07, 2023 11:17 am

The Overlap
Weak Right-Side Lets Elmyia Down

Sometimes you're caught out by the unexpected. But today was not one of those days. Elmyia's right-back options of Fekir or Papadimitrou were underwhelming coming into the tournament, with even a shift put in by Livvy Jennings to protect them failing to bail them out. Elmyia find themselves fighting for a place in the Round of 16, relieved that four 3^rd placed sides will make the cut.

Kidd was clearly aware that HUElavia might find some joy down the right-hand side, the mercurial Abbatangelo was deemed unlikely to track back and was hooked for the hard-working Livvy Jennings. Neves and Gounelle were clear threats coming down the right-hand side, so the need to reinforce was clear. Despite this, Fekir still found himself toiling. The pressure told eventually, in the 23^rd minute he was skinned, the cutback was put across and Rebecca Dupont finished neatly to take the lead. Fekir was eventually hooked at half-time, but Papadimitrou was equally suspect. At 1-1 he sat back too far and didn't engage the onrushing Gounelle, leaving them far too much room to play a curling, outside of boot pass into the path of substitute Fazon, who put HUElavia 2-1 up.

Despite the issues down the right-side, there were promising signs that Kidd can address the issues that beset her team in the first match. De Angelis kept his place in the lineup, but dropped much deeper to receive the ball from Kuhl and Purcell. This allowed them to have much better structure in possession, although he then struggled to play passes quite as dangerous as he might do in more advanced positions. Regardless, it seemed to work for the side, and he played a key role in the first goal, 32 minutes in. Picking the ball up off of Honiton on the halfway line, he then sprayed the ball out to Ioannidis, who ran inward to the channel, playing across to Jennings, who's one-two with Benoit allowed her to score her first international goal.

The second goal came after halftime changes, Papadimitriou coming on to be hapless at right-back, but crucially Purcell was dropped to the bench for Yianna Moss. Moss is less of an outright defensive midfielder, being more of a general ball winner and adding some much needed aggression. She was to play a part in goals at both ends. She firstly helped Elmyia pull ahead, an aggressive challenge on de Assunção winning the ball back in the opposition half, allowing a cross to be worked onto the head of Mia Benoit. Her more aggressive position might also have helped undo Elmyia, whilst Papadimitriou was more immediately at fault, she did little to cover the space in front.

Overall Elmyia have had a mixed start, although this performance was a significant improvement on the thrashing by Hopal. Going into the last day they have it all to do, with a win needed over Oberla, the side that currently lead the pack having put HUElavia and Hopal to the sword. Their 4-2-3-1 can shift towards more of an asymmetric 4-3-3, with one of the number 8s pushed further forward, Kidd will need to be wary of the potential for overloads on either side of the back 4, and Kidd and Purcell will need to step up on where they've been so far.

Expected Lineup:
Garavakos; Papadimitrou, Pozzo, Nanni, Honiton; Kuhl, Purcell, Moss; Jennings, Benoit, Ioannidis

by **Tumbra** » Tue Feb 07, 2023 11:39 am

cw: none. mostly exposition. though with what's gone on in the previous part,

Lakewood

Bloomfield — or The Field, as inhabitants called it — was never one of the nicer parts of Lakewood. Locate on the outskirts of the city, the district had never seen affluence; when Lakewood was rapidly growing, in the 19th century, most of the labourers who had moved southeast seeking a modest living in the rapidly-changing world of industrial capitalism had set up shop here. It grew, slowly but surely; the neighbourhood quickly became a bastion of the working class. It was never rich; but at least it was comfortable. Only expressways built during the construction boom of the 1950s put a stop to the growth of Bloomfield; even eighty years later, those with long memories grumbled that it was the federal government's explicit plan to always build those ugly concrete plinths that spliced the place into two. What was left remained as Bloomfield; on the other side of the expressway, the neighbourhood eventually gentrified, welcoming the middle class; it soon adopted the name Cherrybrook, in a bid to drop as much of the old associations it had with the dirty, grimy, smelly working-class people that lived five streets away.

Then came the 60s, and things were still comfortable; a short-lived television series based on Bloomfield named Centenary Street, ostensibly named after the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Republic, began airing in 1964; it lasted three years. Then came the 70s, and the economic tides turned; for the first time, life wasn't so comfortable anymore. The 80s had only made the problem worse; Lakewood's formerly booming industries fled the city for cheaper shores in Yolcan and New Tamarind; and Bloomfield had now properly fallen on hard times. Joblessness skyrocketed; the streets, which used to be kept fairly clean, began to become dirtier. It wasn't a problem limited to Lakewood, mind; the metropolises of Tumbra were pretty much all suffering from the same problem. Shiny new skyscrapers, metal plinths in the sky, a signifier of the limitless economic growth to come, began rising; meanwhile, those who couldn't shape up were left out. The World's Not Waiting For Tumbra proved to be a brutally effective election slogan in the high-flying 80s, when all everyone seemed to care about was things getting bigger, flashier, richer; all while forgetting places like Bloomfield.

The sons and daughters of those who had spent their lives labouring had long moved out, some to Cherrybrook; and Bloomfield became known as a place where the not-so-rich lived. A sizable Mytanar diaspora had formed in the northeastern part of the neighbourhood; but then again, Mytanars were basically everywhere in Tumbra. The same went for the Juven, and the Græntfjaller emigres still fleeing the Communist country even as it heaved under the size of its own bureaucracy. In short, it had become a melting pot. An ethnic enclave that wasn't Tumbran.

And that was Bloomfield. The not-so-rich and the not-so-Tumbrans found their homes here; but as with almost every less well-off neighbourhood within the city, there was always sport. Sport had become a genetic lottery ticket of sorts; and the clubs were always scouting out players to turn into the next great star. The dream was to be signed by Lakewood United, of course; but their next-door sky-blue neighbours Lakewood City had become more attractive as well. The local street football court had become a proving ground of sorts; through the grey of the concrete, the stifling summer heat, and slightly faded green paint, local legends were made.

It was here that Georgina Byrne's tale started. She'd had seen snippets of women footballers entering, and then almost immediately becoming equal to, men in a sport traditionally regarded as locked to them; and got instantly hooked. After school, much to the disapproval of her brother Benjamin, she'd head over to the court in Bloomfield — five streets down from the relatively more middle-class neighbourhood of Cherrybrook, where she lived and went to school — and watched the boys play. She'd join in herself soon after; even at the age of twelve, she picked the sport up fast. Boys who talked shit about her soon found themselves on the receiving end of an ankle-biting tackle; they shut up soon after, accepting the new interloper into their ranks. Benjamin followed soon after, an act of petty teenage rebellion after being scolded by their parents one day when he'd come home with a scrape on his knee and hadn't thought of a convincing enough lie to fob them off. They'd told him to stop playing football and focus on maths; he decided to double down on the football just because.

It was also here that Georgina Byrne and James Conroy had met. But they were kids, then. Georgina — who'd almost immediately been nicknamed Georgie by James, much to the feisty twelve year-old's chagrin — had taken a natural shine to the thirteen year-old, who seemed much older than he actually was. Long, unkempt hair; a natural smile that put everyone at ease; intense yet calm in goal, where he'd staked his claim day one and never let go. He was a natural leader; Georgina, who'd begun to play deeper, would never have admitted that a bit of it was so that she could play closer to him. It was, though; playing with him always made her feel calmer.

James had always been reluctant to tell Georgina more about himself. All she knew was that he came from the school in the middle of Bloomfield — a much poorer school with much less resources — and that football was his method of letting off stress. She'd caught him frantically in the middle of a call to what seemed to be a sibling, promising he'd be home to cook dinner for them; but she'd wisely pretended not to notice. That day, she observed a different side of James; the boy — he was only thirteen! — who was absolutely nothing like the James she knew on the pitch. But after that, she noticed patterns of behaviour that matched up to this different side of James that she thought she didn't know. Constant glances at the phone. Leaving almost immediately after their games ended and they'd had a drink of soda or two. The calm, confident goalkeeping James and the thirteen year-old James who had more of a weight on his shoulders than anyone reasonably should have had at that age were one and the same.

It was only a matter of time before their parents found out about James, of course; and, unsurprisingly, they disapproved of the entire enterprise. Never mind the football — that was something that was now acceptable, because they'd only found out that their daughter had been playing football when Lakewood United had offered a contract to both siblings — James, who was from Bloomfield — was not the sort of person their darling children should be interacting with. He was of "the wrong sort", who'd introduce them to drugs and the like, and eventually start them on the path to financial ruin that would see them also move to Bloomfield. Never mind the fact that James had also been offered a contract by United; the fact that he lived in Bloomfield was reason enough to disapprove.

Of course, none of them cared; James had begun to move off the poverty cycle with his big break, while Georgina and Ben were perfectly content with keeping James as a friend. It was only after the three of them had joined United that James offered Georgina a further glimpse into his life; yet he still treated Georgina like a younger sister, keeping her at arms-l although she'd always tried her best to resist that. She didn't really want to admit it, but she'd begun thinking of James as slightly more than a friend; and as they'd both grown older, James began to realise that he felt the same way. She asked him out first, when she was sixteen and him seventeen; he gently let her down, saying that they were team-mates and shouldn't be doing it; and subsequently had to deal with Ben glowering at him for the next two weeks. For him, it was just as uncomfortable; he liked her, too, but his career came first. She would never know how close he was to telling her he liked her back; or that every time Ben had looked at him with that look on his face, he was reminded of what could have been. But was it meant to be? They were from two utterly different universes, even if they were ten streets apart; she was well-off, at least compared to him; he was dirt poor with two younger siblings to support on eighty dollars a week. He couldn't bear to share his burdens with her, even if she wanted to take a load off his shoulders.

He was disappointed, of course, when it felt like she'd moved on quickly; and from then on, there was always a lingering sense of awkwardness whenever they talked. When he'd heard that Georgina had broken up with her first actual boyfriend, he first felt a tinge of sadness, then a pang of satisfaction, then a drip of guilt about that satisfaction all within two minutes; but he never let anyone know. The world expected more of him than to show those silly feelings.

When the three found out that they were being sent to Schutzenphalia for the Under-18 World Cup — a hallowed tournament, given the team's history and the legends born there — he knew he had one last chance before it was too late. He had to right the mistake he'd made when he'd turned Georgina down one year ago; he had to tell her that he did actually like her, and that he was stupid for telling her that he wanted to put their careers first.

He didn't know how he would approach it, but he needed something.

by **Independent Athletes from Quebec** » Tue Feb 07, 2023 3:41 pm

Into the Academies - Montreal Koreana (3)

At Montreal Koreana, significant mentions of 'club values' and 'model behaviour' are mentioned to the players. Mathinna Bouck, the team's captain after Chromatik international Giles Ken's retirement, is more than aware what this means. With The Mathletes, the 25-year-old midfielder knows what it means to feel the weight of the organisation:

'From the young age, we are instilled with values essential to club, such as the commitment to training, respect to the opponents and of course, the value of community service, because the players aren't just footballers. They represent more than that because it's Montreal Koreana, directly under the Koreana Society of Shingoryeo, and so the level of expectations are higher for those who come from the Koreana academy, as opposed to their peers.

'The Yates specifically a lot of attention to how the players behave outside of the pitch, and how each player continues into their phases after their time at the club. We, as seniors, talk a lot how we should behave to fans and those on our community, and also our behaviour abroad,' Bouck said. 'We also talk a lot about the life outside of football, especially as only a very few out of hundreds will be playing for the senior team, and consistently so. You always have to think about school, finances and of course, interpersonal relationships because it's just as important to maintain good relations with your peers and others as you would be to yourself or those closest to you.'

A particular emphasis is given to the life after sports career, for those familiar with Montreal Koreana as a multi-sports organisation. For all the history of success that the club carries, one that involves comprehensive success in most sports over past hundred and fifty years, not every player will make it to the senior side, and in some cases, will be departing after a couple of years with them.

There are various factors behind a player's decision to depart, such as playing time, positional depth, and adjusting to the life in the nation's economic capital where ten million people live, contemporary culture is at its peak point, and temptations galore. Media here is more spread out and one could argue, brutal, than their Joongyeongite counterparts, though one could argue otherwise with the sole exception of FASTECA, a national daily sports newspaper that has traditionally favoured the CSKA.

So it is made clear for all those who enter that most academicians, who are signed to a scholarship contract until the end of their time with the club, whether through earning a senior contract, transfer to another club, or just leaving for other pastures of life, that there are options.

'I always tell the kids at the club, especially the youngest players, to not be limited under a certain mantle,' says Hwang Joon-Ho, the former Port Sebastian legend who's most recently elected as the President of the club. He has been part of two historic clubs in Quebec, that being Koreana and St. John's Arsenal, and his experience managing abroad, most notably on a forgettable, half-decade stint in Savojarna, adds much to his philosophy about development. 'And that there's nothing wrong being like their peers, to enjoy the life alongside them. The players may be the ambassadors to the Koreana Society, sure, but you can't just let the club take everything from you.'

Coaches and staff members generally agree to what is said by Bouck. They spend no less time emphasising the value of the opportunity and how their pathway to success, whether in football or in life, or even another sport, comes down to how one views the opportunity. With this in mind, the club does not set a particular window of releases outside of the usual period - after Under-12s by choice, and then before Under-16s, and usually offer prospects who would like to seek an opportunity abroad due to strong club depth a chance to do so.

'Not everybody will be able to play for the first team, and often there are guys who do take the opportunity and go,' says a club staff member working in the financials department who did not disclose his name at the time of their interview. 'There are a good number of players who have made it big outside of our academy and the team, but actually the best example's Frederic Yabusele. Yabu was an outstanding prospect, a lifelong Songakien who grew up on the north end of the city. But we had Lee Connaughton and SIGURBERGUR Geirröðursson on the rightback, and Abi Lavaud's the class, as usual on leftback. In those cases it is always better to see someone like Yabu go abroad, because he's not going for free either and a year later, you are proven right because he's made the national team. Right now he may be one of top three rightbacks in the country, Donovan Kim-Lumanyika including, so there you go.'

Not often do the players return in those cases, especially with a consistent flux of domestic and foreign talent coming over from transfer windows, but there have been exceptions in past where the player, after a short stint abroad, would manage to find their way back to the club and end up starters.

The most notable example of this is none other than Seung-Myeon Kravitz-Hyeon, as the Blue Devils' starting goalkeeper was able to return to The Samseongoloondongjang after seeing backup duties to Padraig McGibbon. Then-17-year old left Koreana for 1912 Stelburg, an IFCF-challenging side in a top 12 association, and after backing up solidly behind Kai Poirier, then-starting goalkeeper of the Kelssekian national team, he was able to come back on a buyback for an undisclosed amount that also coincided with McGibbon joining the 1912 Stelburg side as Poirier's replacement.

Almost a decade later, Kravitz-Hyeon remains the team's starting goalkeeper, playing a major part in the Blue Devils' magical run to the Champions' League semifinals just the previous season.

'It's a privilege to be back after all this time,' said Kravitz-Hyeon over phone call. 'I have to admit I didn't expect to be called back to play for the Blue Devils, but when Pierre (McCarthy) my agent called me and said that Montreal Koreana's going to execute the buyback option...I just smiled and celebrated. Then I packed for my flight back to Songak, because an opportunity like this doesn't come often. Almost a decade on, I'm still here playing. Making history. How cool is that?'

by **Cardenao** » Tue Feb 07, 2023 4:53 pm

After the referee blew the final whistle in the matchup against Mertagne, Folami Castell called his team to the center circle and sat them all down.

He was proud of the lads, incredibly proud of them. They had entered the history books with their 9-2, Folami had heard of the term RAWRCRUSH! In passing and decided it was the perfect description for the Cardenao Under–18’s victory against Eastfield Lodge. They had just followed it up with a strong performance against the youth ranks of Mertagne, a storied nation within Anaia and champions of U18WC’s 14 and 16. Sure, the players had changed but it was still Mertagne. Amusingly enough, on the day of the match, the World Cup Draw made clear that the senior teams of these nations would be meeting in the World Cup proper, so there was certainly a desire to get one over the other team.

Both teams showed their desire to win right from the starting kickoff, and it was clear the fans in attendance were going to be treated to a good display of football. And they were! Great passages of play, an exceptional bicycle kick goal from one of the Mertagnian players in the 27th minute followed by a provocative celebration that got himself and two Cardenao players yellow cards, it was chaos and it was brilliant. Both sides were playing wide open attacking play, and the chances were fast and plentiful, but the score was still 1-0 going into halftime. Quite the shock after the 9-2 win, but Folami had focused their minds and sent them out there with a positive game plan. Much more controlled and refined play followed, with the Cardenaoan’s patiently working the ball around the box, probing for any opening, and they were rewarded in the 57th minute.

The connection between Arrivo DeCerci and Montral LeBlanc was already looking top quality and the pair showed that throughout the game. Intricate passing play, creatively using each other’s movement to get themselves free, and seeming to know where the other is at all time, it was truly friendship channeled through football! And it came to a beautiful end product when Arrivo received a pass from Cesc Tanega and pulled off a smooth elastico with his right foot to advance beyond his defender, before hitting a chipped ball that curled smoothly towards the goal box. Who else but Montral LeBlanc would be there, cushioning the ball before smashing it into the net to level the score at 1-1. Which…is how it stayed until the end of the game, despite both sides coming close several times, and Ferran Viteri having a goal disallowed due to offsides.

“Through all of that, you boys played your hearts out and left it all on the pitch. I’m proud of how you rallied after going down, I’m proud of how you fought back and put yourselves in a smart position. Now take a moment, close your eyes, relive the good moments of the game today, think about the ten goals we’ve scored, we’ll focus on mistakes later, but feel the good in your body.”

Montral did what Coach Folami asked and closed his eyes. He relieved the goal he scored and the two nutmegs, he was happy with how he had moved off the ball and had made some great runs in between the fullback and centerback that had caused a lot of confusion, he’d have to start doing that more.

“Keep your eyes closed, hear the cheers from the fans. They respect you, that’s why they yell your name so carry yourself tall, with pride, let’s get out of here and go home. Go be with family and friends and we’ll take on Chromatika!”

Montral opened his eyes and glanced over to see Arrivo staring at him, they made eye contact and Arrivo hurriedly looked away. Montral smiled and stood up with the rest of the team before walking over to the rapidly blushing Arrivo, and started to say something before their coach started speaking again.

“Alright bring it in lads, let’s have a cheer and give the fans a wave as we walk off!”

“1-2-3………CARDENAOOOOOOO!!!!”

by **Ceni** » Tue Feb 07, 2023 4:55 pm

Oftmont Arena, Klostertetten
Abanhfleft 0-2 Ceni
 Kiarha-Spring ('3), Koriden ('46)

Callisto in Cardenao

New Cardonia appeared slowly over the horizon as Xori and their driver slowly but surely progressed over the rutty Cardonian roads.

It expanded horizontally, not vertically, with a mélange of tin-roofed shacks, modernist but still run-down corporate buildings, and a few buildings that actually looked like someone had maintained them within the last seven years. "If this is New Cardonia," Xori thought to themself, "what does the old Cardonia look like?"

Instead of entering the grimy main city, though, the driver turned onto a side road that led them on a side road towards the sea. A relatively modern footballing facility with views of the ocean greeted them. At least the Cardonians spent money on football; Xori wouldn't have to worry about a leaky roof or malarial mosquitoes. (Or would they? Looks could still be deceiving.)

(And as another annoying parenthetical side note: the Cardonians would not view the sea views with the awe and splendor that Xori saw them with; for Cardenians, sea views reminded them of the Echani invasion that had flooded the nation and quite literally split it in two.)

Anyway. Back to the main story.

Two kids in blue and orange tracksuits greeted the car as it pulled up in Cardonia FC's driveway. "I'm Andre, and this is Ulysses," said the bulkier player. "Welcome to Cardenao."

"Is he a man or a woman?" wondered Ulysses under his breath, perhaps a little less under his breath than he had imagined. "And didn't he know that the blue hair is supposed to scare potential mates away? Ew."

Andre elbowed his teammate in the gut. "Stop it," he hissed.

Xori felt a knot forming in their stomach. So much for a warm welcome from the locals. "I go by they/them pronouns," said Xori, quite loudly. "And if it's scaring predators away, I'd say its working." The twig-like Ulysses' face suddenly turned red, and he could not mount a response. Ulysses then muttered something about going to fetch something or other, and he scampered away for a moment.

"Sorry for my teammate," said Andre. "I don't think anyone realized he was such a transphobe."

"I'm not actually trans," said Xori. "Just non-binary. I'm not male or female. Just... in the middle."

"Cool," said Andre. "Anyway, this is our facility. I'm sure it's not as modern or substantial as something you might have at home in Ceni, but it passes for state of the art in Cardenao." He paused. "Which, as I'm sure you've seen, is a real shithole."

Xori only could utter a small grunt, not really wanting to inadvertently offend his host. (Even though one of their hosts had already done his best to advertently offend them.)

"The dormitories are through here," Andre continued. "We really have a lot of freedom here —I like to stay up late to read, but a lot of the other kids like to goof around as much as they can."

Xori's ears perked at the mention of books. "What do you like to read?"

"A lot of the newer stuff that's come out recently," said Andre. "Mbembe and some of the other philosophers who talk about Blackness."

"I wouldn't know anything about that," said Xori. "Narrative history is more my cup of tea."

"Don't worry," smiled Andre. "We can trade insights and influences. That is, if we have enough time."

Xori smiled back. "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

by **Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland** » Tue Feb 07, 2023 5:09 pm

MD3 cutoff

Graphic made by Qasden

RP prompts

Each MD there will be an optional prompt, designed to give a few extra things to think about if you're struggling for ideas or just want a different challenge. Full RP bonus is possible without responding to the prompts.

Ro16: Music

The theme of today's prompt is music. Does your team have a team song? Is your national anthem something they're proud of, or embarrassed by? Do your fans sing particular songs aimed at cheering on their favourite players, or denigrated their hated opponents? You could also consider what kind of music is popular or distinctive in your country beyond the football pitch!

Group 1
Mertagne 7–4 Eastfield Lodge
Chromatika 3–4 Cardenao

  Group 1                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Cardenao                           3   2  1  0   14   6  +8    7
2 Mertagne                           3   1  2  0   10   7  +3    5
3 Chromatika                         3   1  1  1   10   7  +3    4
4 Eastfield Lodge                    3   0  0  3    7  21 −14    0

Group 2
Poafmersia 6–4 Abanhfleft
Ceni 0–1 Tumbra

  Group 2                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Tumbra                             3   3  0  0    8   0  +8    9
2 Ceni                               3   2  0  1    5   2  +3    6
3 Poafmersia                         3   1  0  2    7   9  −2    3
4 Abanhfleft                         3   0  0  3    4  13  −9    0

Group 3
Juvencus 3–2 Srednjaci
Independent Athletes from Quebec 1–2 Darmen

  Group 3                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Independent Athletes from Quebec   3   2  0  1    9   5  +4    6
2 Juvencus                           3   2  0  1    8   9  −1    6
3 Srednjaci                          3   1  0  2    7   7   0    3
4 Darmen                             3   1  0  2    5   8  −3    3

Group 4
Obrela 0–0 Elmyia
HUElavia 3–2 Hopal

  Group 4                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Obrela                             3   2  1  0    5   1  +4    7
2 HUElavia                           3   1  1  1    6   8  −2    4
3 Hopal                              3   1  0  2    7   6  +1    3
4 Elmyia                             3   0  2  1    4   7  −3    2

Group 5
Banija 1–0 Commonwealth of Baker Park
Qasden 2–5 Cassadaigua

  Group 5                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Banija                             3   3  0  0    4   1  +3    9
2 Cassadaigua                        3   1  1  1    9   7  +2    4
3 Commonwealth of Baker Park         3   1  1  1    5   5   0    4
4 Qasden                             3   0  0  3    3   8  −5    0

Group 6
Lisander 1–0 Melbergia
Khantari 2–1 Katterimunk

  Group 6                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Khantari                           3   3  0  0    7   1  +6    9
2 Katterimunk                        3   1  1  1    4   4   0    4
3 Lisander                           3   1  0  2    1   3  −2    3
4 Melbergia                          3   0  1  2    2   6  −4    1

Seeding

                                   Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Tumbra                             3   3  0  0    8   0  +8    9
1 Khantari                           3   3  0  0    7   1  +6    9
1 Banija                             3   3  0  0    4   1  +3    9
1 Cardenao                           3   2  1  0   14   6  +8    7
1 Obrela                             3   2  1  0    5   1  +4    7
1 Independent Athletes from Quebec   3   2  0  1    9   5  +4    6
-------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Ceni                               3   2  0  1    5   2  +3    6
2 Juvencus                           3   2  0  1    8   9  −1    6
2 Mertagne                           3   1  2  0   10   7  +3    5
2 Cassadaigua                        3   1  1  1    9   7  +2    4
2 Katterimunk                        3   1  1  1    4   4   0    4
2 HUElavia                           3   1  1  1    6   8  −2    4
-------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Chromatika                         3   1  1  1   10   7  +3    4
3 Commonwealth of Baker Park         3   1  1  1    5   5   0    4
3 Hopal                              3   1  0  2    7   6  +1    3
3 Srednjaci                          3   1  0  2    7   7   0    3
-------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Lisander                           3   1  0  2    1   3  −2    3
3 Poafmersia                         3   1  0  2    7   9  −2    3

Round of 16

(1) Tumbra v Srednjaci (16)
@ Fußball Arena Obernbrück
Cap. 70,000. Home arena of 1. Ligen champions Obernbrück, in the conservative Catholic heartland of the country.

(2) Khantari v Hopal (15)
@ Olimpienschutziputzimeerschweinchenkartoffelnplatz Arena
Cap. 85,000. Main arena in the capital city of Uberwienerschnitzelstadt am Ruhntuhnkuhn.

(3) Banija v Chromatika (13)*
@ Heiner Pfitzner Arena

(4) Cardenao v Commonwealth of Baker Park (14)*
@ Hartsteinstadion

(5) Obrela v Katterimunk (11)†
@ Schwanthaler-Arena

(6) Independent Athletes from Quebec v HUElavia (12)†
@ Olympienstadion Arkangelsplatz

(7) Ceni v Cassadaigua (10)
@ BVL Stadion Schmalbüren

(8) Juvencus v Mertagne (9)
@ Innstrenkstadion

* Swapped to avoid group stage repeat.
† Swapped to avoid group stage repeat.

Apologies for the delay in results. Please let me know of any errors or if the ongoing schedule is at all unclear.

I was a bit concerned about the high scoring but I have triple checked and there is nothing wrong with the scorination file: it's just that every nation bar one has chosen positive style mods, which has led to the high scoring. For a youth tournament, not totally unrealistic.

by **Khantari** » Tue Feb 07, 2023 11:30 pm

Stalking the light behind the dust...

by Monica L. Fairways

If it was five years ago, let alone going to the Round of 16, sending a team to this tournament would not necessarily be possible. Understandably, Khantari is still struggling with a turbulent political climate, although it once had a strong Football Association structure, due to fierce political disputes, everything was destroyed. Almost all professional players including clubs and leagues are suspended. Once hosted the prestigious Malay World Cup 2nd Edition tournament, but political disputes have caused the Khantari Football Council (KFC) to collapse and become non-functional for some time. After all, the last time the Hurix Khantari Super League took place was five years ago, and it was quiet, and only this year after the wave of political disputes subsided, it was revived.

In fact, the players who used to be great have grown old, and the young players are quite barren, fortunately, thanks to patience, some academies and universities agreed to restart the Khantari Youth League which was stopped for about five years as well. Excited by the news of the Chairman of Khantari Football Council (KFC), Dr. Andres Shawcross, 71, who has been released from prison and accused of conspiring to overthrow the government, the football clubs in Khantari agreed to restart the era of football in this country. In order for Khantari's name not to be lost in the international football arena, KFC decided to send the U-18 squad to the RTC Under-18 World Cup XVIII tournament, before that their brothers from the U-21 squad were sent to participate in the Di Bradini Cup 54/U21WC75 even though they did not make it to the Round of 16. The plan to send the main squad to the World Cup has not been successful due to financial constraints and also some of the players are still banned from leaving the country due to various political charges. It will hopefully be over, and the Iron-Khan football glory will shine again

RTC Under-18 World Cup XVIII::: Match

Venues ::: BVL Stadion Schmalbüren (32,067) & Blomzach-Stadion (12,345)

Group 6:: MD1 - Lisander vs. Khantari 0-2 - Victus Kappelmann 72 & 88
Group 6:: MD2 - Khantari vs. Melbergia 3-0 - Romeo Choatingham 21, Victus Kappelmann 43 & Cruxian Thomisclaus 66
Group 6:: MD3 - Khantari 2-1 Katterimunk - Romeo Choatingham 13 & 69 -- Unknown 79

by **Cassadaigua** » Wed Feb 08, 2023 1:48 pm

Fillies rout Qasden and advance,
by Caitlyn Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

If you watched the first ten to twelve minutes of the Fillies game against the Blue-Reds, you wouldn't have thought that Pink and Black were going to win this game the way that they did. The team was sloppy, and Qasden took advantage, leading ultimately to a twelfth minute strike by Victor Spirodon to put his team up by a goal. Goalkeeper Becca Goldstein, who is usually soft spoken and mild mattered began screaming at her defense in front of her, not in a rude way but in a way to try and wake them up. This is not something that they were probably used to seeing, and the message was clearly delivered. Cassadaigua would dictate the flow of play from that point, and what started out badly became positive real quick. "My mother told me to pick your spots," Goldstein said after the game about lashing out to her defense, "right there, I was so frustrated because I know they are a lot better than how they were playing and it was hanging me out to try that they were not doing a better job." Manager Brittany Byers also applauded Goldstein after the match, "it was a fiery side of her that I was glad to see. Becca is a talented keeper, but that was a good leadership trait. She didn't curse them out or anything, but delivered a jolt of energy to them that sometimes only a teammate, and not a coach, can deliver."

It didn't only spark the defense, as the midfield also got the message and simply made better plays. As talented as we believe that they are and will become, they also showed that they were still teenagers in the opening minutes, perhaps with over confidence leading to mistakes. Now, they were settled down, focused on the little things, and that is all that mattered to begin gaining control of the game. It would take a little bit for this to result in a goal, but in the 26th minute, a great play by Rachel Wyman set up Veronica Wheaton for the equalizer. Nine minutes later, the Engle twins showed amazing passing precision between them, probably the way they had done in the backyard for years, and it would be Chrissy making it 2-1. The dagger to the Vans though may have been in injury time of the first half, as four minutes were given, and in the fourth said minute, Rachel Wyman again made a great play to set up Wheaton to make it 3-1. In some respects, the actual play was not a lot different than how the first goal of the game was scored.

There was no let up in this team in the second half, taking just five minutes to make it 4-1. This was also a result of a lot of crisp and accurate passing, with Lauren Engle setting up Connor Elliott for the eventual goal. Some substitutes began to get made around the hour mark, including allowing the Engle's to get the rest of the game off as Brittany Byers chose to take an extended look at Adriana Delprete and Samantha Confair, as well as 16-year old Danielle Carter up front. In the 71st, Carter would get her first goal of the tournament, off a great feed from Rachel Wyman. (Qasden scored a meaningless goal in the 86th for the 5-2 final). Wyman was simply all over the place, putting fans on notice that it is not only the Engle twins to be watching in the midfield. Rachel is also heading overseas to play professionally, and will be on a rival of Lauren Engle's in Quebec: Montreal City. Brittany Byers said of Wyman's effort after the game, "Rachel is definitely another great weapon that this team has right now and that we will see more of, internationally in the future if she continues to work hard at her skill set. I believe that she will do that, and Montreal City picked themselves up a great player." When asked of a potential rivalry in Quebec with Lauren Engle (who went to Montreal Koreana), Wyman told me, "It hasn't really started yet, but we will remain close, I hope. We will both do what we need to do on the field, but we're too young right now to be centerpieces of any rivalry there. In five years or so, that could be a lot different. It will be fun!"

With this win, Cassadaigua advanced to the Round of 16 and will get a glimpse of the young talent that Ceni has to offer. Led by Andrew Arrowsword, Ceni finished second in group 2 with a 2-0-1 record. They often look to employ a highly offensive system, but they have not gotten results that one expect with that style in terms of goals scored. They have only managed five, and were shut out by Tumbra (who shut everyone out) in the final group stage game. The game takes place tomorrow at BVL Stadion Schmalbüren, and I encourage all fans to watch!

by **Hopal** » Wed Feb 08, 2023 8:01 pm

Team Hopal suffers tough loss to Obrela 1-0

Welcome to The Recap with Helen Hernandez! You might have read my previous column, Helen's Thoughts, and you might be wondering what I'm doing now with this new column. Well don't worry, because this is just a little rebrand, it's still the same column, just with a different name. You'll still be getting the same analysis, thoughts, and rundowns of Team Hopal's most important games and tournaments as you got with Helen's Thoughts just under a different name. And if you haven't read Helen's Thoughts and don't know who I am, well then here's a little introduction. I'm Helen Hernandez, I'm a former professional soccer player who was a member of the Hopalian National Program and played at a few tournaments across the multiverse with the Hopalian National Team. I wrote a column for the Hopal Herald under the name Helen's Thoughts for a time, giving my thoughts and a rundown of Team Hopal's performances at various tournaments across the multiverse. Now I'm writing under a different column, called The Recap, where I'll be giving the same analysis and recap of Team Hopal's games. I'm covering the 18th RTC Under-18 World Cup in Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland, the host nation who's name has and continues to baffle many across the multiverse. Team Hopal has never gotten past the first knockout round of a U-18 World Cup, and after the 19th birthdays of some of the key players of what was widely considered Hopal's best U-18 team at the last tournament, including Uma Frey, many aren't pining their hopes on or even watching this tournament. But after the creation of the Hopalian U-18 National after the last tournament, Manager John Ashcroft tells us that this team will surprise us. So will it? Join me as we watch Team Hopal's future compete on the world stage. Today we look at Team Hopal's excruciatingly close loss to Obrela.

Immediate Thoughts:
It was a tough loss for Team Hopal as they narrowly fell to Obrela in their second game of the U-18 World Cup. Team Hopal seemed to struggle to gain momentum in this match against Obrela. They certainly had their moments at points in the match, and did have their fair share of opportunities. But Obrela maintained a real dominance over the Hopalian team, and this was a dynamic that Team Hopal struggled to overcome. But the Hopalian team showed a real united front and defensive posture, that I hadn't yet seen or expected from this U-18 team. The team had real chemistry, which you wouldn't necessarily expect from a group of teenagers coming together from across the country, and it was clear that the creating of the National Program, and further opportunities for these teenagers to work together resulting from it, really benefiting this team working together as a group. The team moved as one block, and were able somewhat blunt the Obrelan onslaught. When the shots from Obrela did get through, Goalkeeper Nina Tudols, making her debut in net at international tournament, held strong and was really the star of the night for Team Hopal. That understanding and chemistry that the team had with each other really was what helped for the team to create fast turnovers, rushes, and opportunities on the other side of the field, when Hopal did take possession of the ball, and it did make for good entertainment. This team showed in this game that it really is a team, and can work together even as it faces hardship, it showed the determination and perseverance that these young players had, and it showed that this team really is a senior team in waiting, and there is still much potential in this team that is yet to be untapped.

Player Analysis:
Nina Tudols - Nina Tudols was given her first opportunity to start in net at an international tournament in this game, and she certainly made the most of it. As Obrela held possession of the ball, and pummeled the Hopalian defence and net with shot after shot, she held strong and she held firm, staving off all but one shot. She has seemingly cemented herself in the Hopalian Goalkeeper line of succession behind Travis Durant, Helen Oburhabel, and possibly Joilee Parik and Nemi Niemi. She's been the go ahead to start in net against HUElavia.
Mark Summerfield - Mark Summerfield looks to be in line for a future Assistant Captain or maybe even Captain role on this team at a future tournament. There is no defender Captain or Assistant Captain on this tournament's team, but it's seems that Mark Summerfield is fitting into that role. The 17-year-old looked every bit of a leader out on the pitch, shouting requests and commands, working all over the pitch, doing all in this power prevent shots from the Obrela team. He directed players, and helped them when they were in peril, and he talked to every defender during breaks, rallying the troops. As a former player, I cannot stress enough how important this kind of leader is in a game, especially at an international tournament when the stakes and pressure are high. Mark Summerfield seems to be developing into that type of leader.
Will Fortescue - The 14-year-old seemed to be struggling out there on the pitch. The young player seemed to be overwhelmed at times by the Obrelan onslaught, and struggled to tackle Obrelan players. Fortescue seemed to be struggling with inexperience, and will need to continue to learn, but he has plenty of opportunity ahead of him.
Kelly Marius - The first non-binary person on this team was subbed in for Will Fortescue halfway through the second half of the game. He seemed a little rusty, a little out of practice at first, but seamlessly fit into the team, and the team dynamic. He had great chemistry with most of the team, and worked hard in the last bit of the game as the team tried to rally for a goal. John Ashcroft announced that they would be on the Starting 11 for the next game.
Justin Thomas - The Captain was really engaged in this match and seemed to at times overextend himself in trying to tackle Obrelans and gain possession of the ball. He was focused on one task and seemed to overdo in at times, gaining a yellow card early on in the game. But he was a good leader and directed the midfield, doing everything in his power to win the game for Team Hopal.
Josh Davys - Josh Davys didn't quite have as a great of a game as he did against Elmyia, but he worked hard, and while the defensive side of his game wasn't the best, he definitely showed that he could play defence if necessary. He's developing into a really solid all-around player with a good goal-scoring ability, and had the most success out of the team turning over the ball and creating opportunities for Team Hopal, but he couldn't capitalize on any of them.

Important Moments:
'8 - Obrela gains possessive dominance over Team Hopal
'16 - Nina Tudols makes a high-jumping save of an Obrelan shot
'21 - Nina Tudols makes another big save
'30 - Justin Thomas gets a yellow card for foul play
'40 - Faresa gets a quick goal through Nina Tudols
'48 - Will Fortescue gets a yellow card
'49 - Mark Summerfield blocks a free kick shot
'53 - Freda Summerfield gets a yellow card
'54 - Nina Tudols makes a save off of an Obrelan penalty shot
'68 - Kelly Marius subs in for Will Fortescue
'78 - Josh Davys leads a rush for Team Hopal down the pitch
'83 - Josh Davys misses a shot on the Obrelan net
'87 - Hopalians swarm the Obrelan net for shots

World Cup 81/82/83/84

Bees look for fourth straight QF versus new boys
by Fiona Devlin, BPNT Correspondent
for The Times

Reporting from Adelshafen, Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland:

The Baker Park Under 18 National Team have advanced to the knockout stage of the RTC U18 World Cup in spite of a 1-0 loss on the final day to Banija by being one of the four best third place sides.
Seeded 14th, they should be paired against the 3rd seeds in the Round of 16, but that would've put them into a re-match against the Kadongo Kamu, so they and Chromatika were switched, as the Anomalies were in the same predicament in regards to their opponent, Group 1 winners Cardenao.

The Junior Bees will take on the newcomers, the highest scoring team in the group stage with 14 tallies, a circumstance that is familiar to BP in this tournament that could be an omen for either participant.

Five previous times in the elimination rounds, Baker Park have faced off against the nation that went on to win the title after sending the Gold & Black home; Banija were in only their third U18WC when they defeated BP in the quarterfinal of SWC 8, followed by the Commonwealth's second crown won in Siovanija & Teusland in the next edition; SWC 10 was captured by Imperial Joseon which eliminated BP in the Round of 16 in their debut, while Vdara also made their first appearance at the same event in Taeshan before winning the title in the Commonwealth by defeating the hosts in the octofinals of SWC 11; Hispinas completed the hat trick of Round of 16 win over Park before taking the trophy—also on the first attempt—in Chromatika in the first RTC sponsored edition.

Finally, one need only to look back one tournament ago to find the most recent winner that counted the Bees as a victim on their way to an Under 18 championship, as Ceni needed only two more victories after their quarterfinal triumph in their return to the competition following their only previous appearance in SWC 4.

The Banija contest marked the 75th Under 18 fixture in FAC history, second only to Abanhfleft all time in the U18WC, while Cardenao will be playing their fourth ever match, but it would be hard to overlook the newcomers as favorites on the day, having come out on top of the only group where teams scored in double digits while BP could only muster a win, draw and loss while scoring & conceding five goals apiece.

It has been a good tournament to date for newcomers as Khantari and Obrela join the Blue & Golds as table toppers with another debutant, Katterimunk also reaching the last 16.

by **Chromatika** » Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:24 pm

Despite Heroic Effort, Young Anoamlies Drop to Cardenao

Three times, Cardenao scored to take the lead. Three times, the Young Anomalies answered back - Kaytlyn and Harriet, along with Igerne - but the fourth one ended up being the backbreaker as the Young Anomalies fell, 3-4, to finish with 4 points, good for third in a group that had the aforementioned Cardenao, an offensive juggernaut.

The 4 points that Chromatika gathered is good for the best record among third placed finishers, though, and as the Young Anomalies sport a +3 Goal Differential, they get to enter the Round of Sixteen as the thirteenth seed. Their opponent? Banija, who swept their three games by only allowing a single goal in three games while scoring four.

"We've the flow down," explained Saskia Druppelamandel about how the team is playing, "Just need to get better at returning to form when we give up the ball, and we'll be fine."

For a team that had to replace so much of the stacked squad a cycle ago, the Young Anomalies have once again proved that Chromatika is a nation with blossoming youth talent.

by **Cardenao** » Thu Feb 09, 2023 11:59 am

The journal of Ruby LeCerci

Wow. Talk about a dear diary moment. Today I saw something I never quite expected to see, a dinosaur! That’s right, honest to the Gods, a dinosaur, like the old Cardenaoan wive’s tales. I didn’t even know they were still alive. So I suppose…Dear Diary, today is the day I saw a dinosaur for the first time. I was back in Banija, though this time not fulfilling the duties of my diplomatic role to the country, no, today was family time with my husband and my son. It’s rare I get these days anymore, it’s all hands on deck within Mihaly’s government as we try to bring all of his projects and ideas to fruition.

It’s all going to pay off though, it has to. It took me a while to understand the brilliance of what Mihaly is trying to accomplish, but now that I see the truth, I know I must do everything I can to help Cardenao ascend to the next level of development. I must say I do worry if we are pushing too hard, too quick. Our people have been pressed from the same lazy mold for over a century now with nothing but marijuana and football to motivate them. We're placing a lot of faith in the people being receptive to this plan and I’m not sure what Mihaly would do if the people pushed back against him. His dedication to his particular brand of Cardenao exceptionalism is what’s allowed us to build so much so quickly and long may that continue. I’ve been thrilled to play a role in bringing Banija and Cardenao closer than ever and I hope my son will understand what I’ve accomplished and will be proud of what his mother did for the world.

Speaking of Arrivo my diamond, the kid is acting all excited about dinosaurs when he’s around Montral but momma can sense her little bird is fidgety. I don’t think it has to do with the dinos themselves, they’re just big lizards and Arrivo has never been nervous around any sort of animal, aside from that nasty Speckled Charlefrunt that battered our catamaran in the mangroves of La Salabe, that was one mean…fish? Eel? I guess I don’t know much about them. Sorta like these triceratops, but that’s why we got the scientists. ‘There’s signs dinosaurs might’ve roamed Cardenao way back when’ is what they tell me but…where did they go then? It’s not like an asteroid smashed into the planet and wiped them all out of anything like that, come on now. I must admit though, I can see it in my mind’s eye, these feathery and scaly creatures roaming through the jungle and highlands of Cardenao.

I might be crazy but I feel like this is my chance to really cement my legacy and do something that will bring lasting good to my people. Alliances can come and go, friendships aren’t necessarily forever, and I’m sure in due time this relationship I’ve helped forge with Banija will be lost to time and my name won’t even warrant a footnote in the history of existence.

But if I bring dinosaurs to Cardenao…

The journal of Montral LeBlanc

Holy. Shit.

I saw dinosaurs again!!!! They were just as beautiful as the last time, maybe even more so! The way the sun was shining out on the safari, all the grass and the beautiful Banijan landscape, seeing these ‘apex herbivores’ shit it was incredible! Plus getting to drink in Missy LeCrown’s UNREAL figure and all of that, PHEW! It was a hot day out there that’s for sure!

Oh oh, the craziest thing, these dudes that chill with three horns? They don’t eat meat, not grass either, just trees and pines and all that sorta stuff! Thing looks like it was made to run up on something and spear it with its big ole horns then devour it, but I guess not. I asked…I think he was a professor? I asked whoever he was if there were any meat eating dinos that lived out here and he said no, which is a real sad face moment. Not that I want to see one up close in the wild, hell no! It would just be cool!

Speaking of being cool, coolest shit ever! I’M IN THE ROUND OF 16 FOR THE UNDER 18 WORLD CUP! I can’t believe it, well I mean I can, Cardenao’s got me on the team, but it’s just the craziest thing. Elanor Albano has already hit me up showing herrr…most intimate support for me but that’s a dime a dozen it feels like these days, the ladies can’t get enough of Montral and Montral can’t get enough of them! Man, imagine if I win this World Cup, I’ll never sleep alone for the rest of my life like Arrivo will! Nahhh I kid I kid he’s my homie, even if he can be a little awkward sometimes when we hang out. Like, we’ve been friends literally forever and we’re both basically football superstars now so why’s he gotta be so goofy? We’re cooler than a cucumber, we’re running the show getting it done! We’ve assisted each other, what, five or six times this World Cup? I can’t remember it being like this before, seems like he’s trying to hangout less and when we do, my man seems so nervous all blushing up a storm like he’s seeing a girl he’s got a crush on, like don’t worry about it man just cause I’m getting all the cameras and attention doesn’t mean we’re not still bros, that we’re not best friends, ain’t no need to be jealous of Montral LeBlanc!

Man, when I was pointing out all these hot and good looking Banijan ladies, he couldn’t find a single fuck to give! And when I totally jokingly mentioned how sexy these fit Banijan men were, my homie got all flustered and told me to fuck off LOL! Too easy to tease, like it’s a joke man! Though I gotta say, those Banijan guys were pretty fit and strong looking, one of them looked like he could do 100 pushups on command but couldn’t even look me in the eye, that was a rush of…power I guess, my heart’s beating like a drum just thinking back on it. Can’t be doing that, I need to keep this prime heart in perfect shape for our next World Cup match!

I don’t even know who I’m playing next, I think it’s Paker Park? Paker Bark? Baker Park? Something like that, I dunno. I love the park, not a huge fan of just lying around in the sun but I love playing football and running around with my shirt off unless it's raining, fuck all of that! And fuck all of Silver Beach! I’m feeling great, scored twice against the Chromdomes, scored the equalizer against Merties, and got a hat trick against the Lodge folk, that’s how you get it done, and I’m gonna do it to Baker Park next! I’m Montral LeBlanc!!!!

The Journal of Arrivo DeCerci

Hello Jay, it’s me again. Have you ever felt the feeling of being ignored when you’re being looked right at? I’ve been feeling that way for 92 hours, 46 minutes, and 57 seconds now, ever since my family met with the LeBlanc family. Montral’s family.

As you well know Jay, we’re all in Banija, in the Bugunda Region to see the famous dinosaurs that roam the forests and grasslands of the storied Atlantian Oceania powerbroker. Montral wants to see them so here we are, that’s life around him and I enjoy it so much. There’s never telling what will come next, he’s always so certain and decisive and comfortable in any situation, anywhere with any and every sort of person that could possibly exist. He’s a natural charmer who never turns it off even when he’s talking to me. Have you ever felt the feeling of being ignored when you’re being looked right at?

Not that he ignores me or doesn’t value what I have to say or anything like that. On the contrary, he always listens, always considers my advice, always tries to help me with whatever issue I have save for this one particular issue, the biggest of them all! How can he listen to every word I say and still not hear what I’m trying to say. I’m sighing to myself right now Jay, I really am. My heart beats so loud in my ears when I’m around Montral, it’s like a drum pounding deep within me. So you can see why the last 92 hours, 58 minutes, and 24 seconds have been particularly painful. I’m certain there’s more pain to come, but not of the Montral variety, though that is bound to continue forever it feels like. No Jay, I’m talking about the upcoming Under18 World Cup knockout round.

There’s so much pressure now, so much pressure to be the best, to be perfect, to make zero mistakes at all, in anything, ever. It’s just so much, I feel like the world is looking at my every move, seeing weaknesses I don’t even know about, judging me and hoping I fail. When I’m on the pitch, things are fine. I can breathe, I can see, I can chase a ball for ninety minutes and try to put it in the net, that’s all I need. But the moment after that, once the final whistle pierces through my skull and the cameras start flashing in my face, that’s when I find myself feeling particularly…flightly, like I have to get out of that situation. My therapist says it’s anxiety and I’m inclined to agree with him, which makes me even more anxious. I’m supposed to be confident and commanding, I’m a professional footballer afterall, but I can’t even deal with showing my face in public, I have to hide behind Montral, which I must confess to you Jay is a lovely place to be.

I don’t know what will come next, a whole hour has passed since I sat down to write this journal entry. 93 hours, 54 minutes and 51 seconds. I don’t even know what I want for myself, I don’t know how to help me, if there is even a way to help my heart. The only thing I do know for certain is that I want to beat Silver Beach, I want to be on the pitch where I can play football and ignore everyone, ignore my own mind. I’m trying to center myself around that, only think about the game and try to focus on putting myself in the best position to help my team win.

That much I can do.

by **Mertagne** » Thu Feb 09, 2023 12:16 pm

FRONTMAN OF SHATTERED TEMPLE DISCUSSES ROCKY START IN ROCK

Mertagnian rock band Shattered Temple have announced their new Pan-Anaian tour, which will kick off in two months time. The three-month tour sees the sellout rock act travel from Strayaroos to Gortolekua, with a month-long stint performing on some of the Calanian continent's largest music locales. The band, a five-piece act that is the brainchild of vocalist Tomothy Krantz, has released their fifth studio album recently within the last six months to glowing success, going gold in Anaia and beyond, receiving strong critical acclaim from the music industry.

Krantz sat down to talk to Inkblot Magazine about his start in the music industry during a time where international success was a pipe dream for anything coming out of Mertagne.

'Living like a rockstar' is a common idiom in the languages discussed around the Bekkside. This rock star, One of Shattered Temple's key pillars, does in fact live like a rockstar in a mansion on the coast of Lake Bekk, a tranquil neighbourhood in the eastern suburbs of Neorudo known as Century Fields. The low-lying land, in ancient times a river floodplain, is now home to a series of mansions that often house the nation's rich and famous. It's even rumoured to house the rich and famous of other nations, with Jeremy Jaffacake having a supposed residence here - although that's likely just as a tax write off.

Krantz himself responds to me buzzing the intercom at the gate, a crackily his that does well to guise his unique voice, which is known in spoken terms as well as when he's lording it up on stage. I'm invited in, and take a small walk around the central topiary, a rather charming piece in the shape of a guitar with a neck that looks like some ancient pillar - a not so subtle reference to the band he fronts.

"This isn't actually my house, you know, I just fancied being here for the interview", he responds, almost pre-empting any questions I had about his living situation as he answers the door. "This house actually belongs to the whole band. We bought it after our second album took off, on the advice of some stuffy bank manager. Mertagne's Insulation was ending and they claimed that real estate would be the next great money maker - we were never able to shift it so it's become something of a den for the band."

As I walk through the entrance room and down the corridor to the open plan kitchen-dining room where we'll be interviewing, I spy several photographs on the walls of the journey that Shattered Temple has undertaken over the years. Just 20 years ago, this band was a five-piece that were looking to cut their teeth on Dannin's underground rock scene - a place where the frustrations of living in an unfettered capitalistic society with no government guidance were relieved somewhat every night through the thrashing of guitars and the moshing of pits.

Shattered Temple, as I've mentioned, are a five-piece outfit, and Krantz is quick to tell me that the other four minds involved in the project pull their weight. "I wouldn't be half the successful musician I am now without the rest of the band. I'd have failed had I gone solo. There's just such a magic when we're all in the studio - or in the bedsit, as we were when we wrote our first EP - that I would find impossible to recreate with anyone else or on my own."

Shattered Temple released their first EP, We'll Never Be Politicians, to a rock scene that was looking for an outlet and an excuse to channel a harder sound. Shattered Temple's hard rock and heavy metal inspirations proved to be a hit in Dannin, and the EP's closer, For All That It'd Be Worth, shows a softer side to the band's edge and a yearning for something greater.

"For all that it'd be worth, I want to find my way,
To livin' life that's true, and not just pass the day,
I want to feel alive, and make marks on this Earth,
For all that it'd be worth, for all that it'd be worth"
- Shattered Temple, For All That It'd Be Worth

"It was hard in those early days - we had no representation, and the corporate music scene wasn't actually willing to give home-grown talent of our genre much of a look in. They'd much rather have tried to sell us some half-baked studio-sleek electro pop from Starblaydia, or some jazzy mod rock from Krytenia. None of it was truly Mertagnian, none of it had any edge, and while we weren't the first band by halves to break into that scene, people in Dannin certainly looked to us as a bit of a 'how to'." says Krantz.

Shattered Temple began to rise into prominence through the concert scene, taking on bigger and bigger gigs until they were eventually picked up by a Mertagnian label for a two-album contract. "I remember when Kayleigh [Shattered Temple's drummer] told me that Jillian Sparkes had given us a look in." Krantz muses, as he makes us both a sandwich each. "I was dazzled, almost a bit scared. I was worried that they wouldn't take us at face value, and just see the talent to bring about their own sound. I was adamant that we had full creative control on what we released. Kayleigh sat me down and said 'That's exactly what they're looking for'. She put my mind at ease that day and to date it's the best decision I've ever made."

When asked if people initially thought he was selling out, Krantz laughs. "Of course we were f**king selling out! It's what you had to do back in the day. How you survived. You grew up selling out, you sold out when you were an adult, and then you made enough money to stop selling out and complain about what a bad time it was while you were selling out. Only for us, the country got it's act together and I never had a bad time selling out. I also haven't made enough money yet." He sticks his tongue out to me.

Of course, Mertagne exited the Insulation as Shattered Temple released their breakout second album, and a rush to find Mertagnian diamonds in the rough catapulted them to stardom. The album, Lingerback, showcased a heavy rock sound that tied into the emerging grunge scene at the time, acting as an amuse bouche for Mertagnian music of the period that was just about digestible enough to the remainder of the multiverse. This success abroad promoted a strong following at home, and before long Shattered Temple were in a regular touring cycle across Calania.

But it wasn't as easy as it appeared for the band. For one, they nearly broke up before securing their record deal, as Krantz explains, "We just got sick to the back teeth of each other. That's what happens when you work together and then go and spend all of your free time working together too. We worked in a factory that made telephones as kids, on the production line. Anyway, we'd written about three songs together when James [the band's bassist] was just like 'I've had enough of this' and walked off. Turns out he actually had a chip on his shoulder because he thought I'd been having it off with his girlfriend, but it turns out the person who'd told that had mistaken me for someone else. Not hard, I suppose - I looked like any old faccie* shunting around Dannin back in the day. We got in a fight about it, but we quickly realised it wasn't the music that was driving a wedge. We wrote about it, too, and that went on to become Mistaken Identity."

"He thought he had it all figured out
Prince of the realm, high horse about
But then he heard about her with his best friend
And all his fears began to round the bend"
- Shattered Temple, Mistaken Identity

Over a five-album run, many have claimed that Shattered Temple have moved from strength to strength. "The key is keeping it fresh. We're definitely a bit outlandish, always have been from the start, and that's why we're always up to stupid s**t on stage. Costumes, weird moves, strange licks with the guitar - oh, and a healthy amount of audience participation. Some of our first gigs were to six people in a back room, and I guess we've never really been able to move on from that."

Some of Shattered Temple's costumes have gotten them into trouble in the past. Their controversial fourth album, A Moshpit for Jesus, explores religious themes, and the cover depicting Krantz and his band-mates at the biblical Last Supper recieved backlash from Anglican interest groups for being sacrilegious, especially as Krantz sat in the seat of Judas. When asked about this, he brushed it off. "Edgy isn't hard to do, but what is hard to do is to push the boundaries. Mertagne isn't really a religious country, and as a band we had a lot of fun playing with themes surrounding the Bible, good vs evil, all that sort of stuff. It tied in with the musical inspirations we were looking to at that time, really trying to push the boat out. Gospel music definitely shines through in patches in that album, a bit of Gregorian chant - we love music and we wanted to make a record that got people talking".

Speaking of loving music, what does Tomothy Krantz think of the current Mertagnian music scene? "I love it. I'm so proud of all the good s**t that's coming out of Mertagne at the moment. I'll listen to anything as long as it's good, that's my motto. There's also so much great stuff from abroad that's seeping it's way into the scene at the moment. Slapped on a bit of Colton Boyd-Church the other day, jammed out along to it. I've been listening to Naixese hip-hop while out on my morning run. Can't understand a f**king word of it, but it's got good rhythm."

Shattered Temple are now regular regional tourers, and will be performing their biggest Anaian tour yet in the coming months. Krantz isn't too worried, though. "I don't think I've ever had a gig where I haven't had a good time. I've been mighty grumpy at a good couple, a bit out of my mind on several more, but the band looks after each other and we know how to keep the crowd entertained. We'll be doing a lot of that on the Calania tour." I also asked Tomothy where he was most excited to perform this time around. "Those folks in Cathair know how to have a good time. I'll enjoy going back there again."

The band signed a two-album contract with their original label, Sousaphone Records, before moving over to top Mertagnian outlet Man-at-arms Music, who have overseen the remaining three albums. With one album to go before their contract with Man-at-arms is fufilled, where does Krantz see the band going next?

"We really want to be a mentor to these up and coming artists - there are a lot of kids growing up now that don't know Insulation life and have been able to enjoy Mertagne. They've got new viewpoints, new ways of thinking about the world - not just music - that we want to cherish and nurture into becoming the next great thing in music. There's something great out there that nobody's ever discovered, even in a multiverse as old as this - and that's something we're really interested in looking for. That could be in the form of taking a more proactive role at Man-at-arms, or going our own way, that remains to be seen. All we know is we'll be flash as f**k while doing it."

*faccie - Mertagnian term for a generic factory worker. A grunt.
Shattered Temple's fifth studio album This One's For all the Jellybeans, is out now. Tickets for their cross-Calanian tour can be purchased wherever you get tickets for that sort of thing.

With thanks to Tikariot for the logo.

by **Ceni** » Thu Feb 09, 2023 12:39 pm

Oftmont Arena, Klostertetten
Ceni 0-1 Tumbra
 nobody

Lineup vs. Cassadaigua
Callisto; Kiarha-Spring, del Arco, Kyexar, Xunel; Finnall, Foyner-Devatee, Koromin; Ellex-Mar, Daneraj, Sunsaber

Arrowsword's Young Tir Snakes to face Cassadaigua test after losing rematch to Tumbra

In a rematch of last year's semifinals, Tumbra defeated Ceni 1-0 to win Group 2 of the RTC U-18 World Cup and establish itself as first seed heading into the knockout rounds.

From the Cenian perspective, the game was characterized by offensive fizzling. Despite having at least two current NT players (Sebastian Ellex-Mar and Aidan Koromin) leading the offense, the offensive pairing never really could quite connect. Perhaps the problems have come from putting Koromin and his partner in the attacking midfield, the similarly named Kyn Koriden.

But switching the two to play in the center would create problems with Ceni's offense in the wings, something that it struggled with somewhat in its winning campaign two years ago in Gortolekua.

(Then again, perhaps the problem in the wings is overstated: After all, Ceni did win the title in Gortolekua with Koromin in the attacking midfielder setup, with a whole lot more goals scored throughout the competition than Ceni has scored so far in this competition.)

Unfortunately, that problem was nothing new, with Ceni failing to match Tumbra's margin against both Poafmersia and Abanhfleft despite nominally having a lot more attacking mentality than Tumbra. Nonetheless, Ceni's victory over those two national teams in the previous two rounds had guaranteed its placement in the Round of 16; perhaps those two victories had disguised some of the issues that Ceni is having with the striking team that emerged more forcefully in the game against Tumbra.

Ceni will play Cassadaigua in the Round of 16, with everything on the line.

The stakes are high, both for the defending champions but especially for Arrowsword himself. As Arrowsword's name is frequently floated to replace Luke Longstar as manager given Ceni's recent dry spell, another victory here in the U-18 contest could propel him straight into the NT manager's job. But a loss here could force the Cenian FA to look elsewhere, especially at foreign lands, as Arrowsword's glimmer as manager of Cenian youth sides has diminished somewhat.

Indeed, Arrowsword followed up his initial success last year at this very tournament in Gortolekua with mediocrity, both at the Rushmori level and at the international level with his first Di Bradini Cup. There, the team crashed out in the octofinals with a 1-0 loss to Huayramarca, deeply disappointing given that Arrowsword has attempted to inculcate an attacking mindset in his Young Tir Snakes.

"I feel that speculation over my managerial prospects are misplaced," said Arrowsword in a press conference ahead of the matchup against Cassadaigua. "My focus will be on the here and now, trying to defeat Cassadaigua and progress on to the quarterfinals. Hopefully we will be able to defend our title."

For the Round of 16, Arrowsword will adopt a more attacking-minded 4-3-3 formation — perhaps producing some worries, since he has never tried this lineup before.

"I would say that tournaments like the Under-18 Cup are great places for experimentation," said Arrowsword to defend his choices, noting that the current lineup had not been doing wonders for Ceni, anyway. "We definitely needed a change to face a very dangerous team in an all-or-nothing round."

With the Dagan players Lauren Engle and Rachel Wyman look to be threats to Ceni's system in the midfield, Arrowsword wanted to put more chips into the defensive basket, so to speak, while also emphasizing Ceni's deep striking talent in this tournament.

"To be frank, I think we're going to lose the midfield battle," said Arrowsword. "So I think we need to make sure that we win the defensive battle, but also make sure that we advance the ball to our strikers so that they can create chances on goal."

"I'm really confident in Sebastian, Nova, and Xek to do what they did in Gortolekua," added Arrowsword.

The team's strategy will be simple: Find the moments where the Dagan team gets "sloppy," as the Concord Heights Times described the opening to the Fillies' game against Qasden in the group stage. "And then we will try to take full advantage," said Arrowsword.

But Ceni will have to avoid sloppy moments of its own if it wants to defeat a Dagan team with momentum on its side.

And it will have to put in much, much more work if it wants to repeat its title.

by **Juvencus** » Thu Feb 09, 2023 1:05 pm

The Languages of Juvencus and the Juven(Part 3)

While communication in Juvencus had been a monumental task to uphold in the past, the more uniform language laws of today have brought together a large variety of people of common ancestry, only linguistically split by the passage of time.

While more RLStates terms have been used in the presentation of these languages or dialects, the people in Juvencus mention them all in all sorts of names. But the most major of those is the Juven Language, which could be better presented as the family name of a language continuum that stretches all across Juvencus and beyond all the way down to south Oscioru. It is creatively called.. the Juvencano Continuum.

The Remeniotti Dialect or Remu: While mostly considered a subdialect of the Pomenienze dialect, it has several distinct differences that have arisen from the fact that Remeno was distant enough to Pomena at some point in time that in the past when Remeniotti had different aspirations more eastword, they got more dialectal idioms and vocabulary from their easterly neighbors. The closest RLstates language to that idiom is the Sicilian language.

Originally it formed from the same dialect as the Pomenienze but advanced overtime with slightly different sounds and idioms due to the trading done more eastward by Remeniotti sailors in places in eastern Juvencus and Al Qurija later on. This formed a specialised form known by locals as Remu and by more official texts as the Remeniotti dialect. It is not really spread much further than the now-Pomenienze suburb Remeno and smaller settlements to its east.

With language measures imposed by Pomena itself, Remu only maintain its status as a spoken language almost entirely dying out in its written form. Through constant usage and eventual loosening of the measures, Remu got some of its importance back.

Remu is still not recognised as a distinct dialect but as an idiom, as such there are not many opportunities to learn to write the language and it is only passed down verbally generation to generation. It is well on its path to complete disappearance as many Remeniotti opt to switch to the Pomenienze dialect.

The Râu Dialect: One of the most distant dialects developed from the original Pomen language, the Râu dialect has a special place in modern-day society as the dialect used by more migratory Juven subgroups and in small villages close to riverbeds. The closest RLstates equivalent is the language of Romanian.

And it is indeed that the language is adequately called river that developed all around river areas in the nation at various moments in time by the subgroup of Juven people of the same name. The Râu people are known to be nomadic, although in more recent memory they have settled in various areas all around Juvencus, most particularly river-side hubs like Scudelli or Vilan.

Râu had the particular luck of being maintained verbatim for most of its time and whatever written records could easily be stored and transported from place to place as the Râu moved all across Juvencus.

However on this day and age several Râu organisations have been established for the dialect's maintenance, many of which are supported -although discreetly- directly by the government. As such, it is in no particular fear of disappearance.

The Illirështja Language or Illirhi: Yet another distinct proto-language of Juvencus that has pre-dated the ancient Pomen language and its successors. Illirhi is spoken by a subgroup called Illirëshe. The closest RLstates equivalent is Albanian.

The Illirhi has its earliest records from really early in antiquity and developed overtime in a distinct manner from all others. To the Iliirëshe, Illirhi is the most ancient language in the nation. The Illirëshe are known as desert-settlers and are mostly concetrated in the east side of the nation in sparse numbers. It is a spectacularly well-kept language.

Illirhi was yet another language that had the luck of being well-maintained throught the Pomenienze-only period but unlike Râu, what served in Illirhi's side was its location in the depths of the eastern Crescent desert, known as the hottest place in the country and a place not many people could regulate. As such all literary records survived.

Illirështja is a recognised regional language in modern-day and the several towns and villages with its speakers have all the educational facilities and necessary media to maintain and develop the language. Claudio Bozha is a well-known Illirëshe politician and advocate of the language's maintenance in the parlamento reale.

by **Tumbra** » Thu Feb 09, 2023 1:06 pm

cw: again, surprisingly none?

Obernbrück

They didn't often get time off like this; but then again, Under-18 coach Toby Barton knew what he was doing. These people were barely 18; they needed time off now and again. It was often a bit surreal for them, realising that they were on a football team representing the entire country. After the team made it through to the round of sixteen — scoring eight goals, avenging their loss against the current world champions in the last group stage match, and conceding none — they were given a day off before their game against Srednjaci.

Since arriving in Schutzenphalia, James hadn't exactly made moves on his plan to tell Georgina what he'd hadn't a year prior. There simply hadn't been time; tournaments did tend to end up like this. Training, meal, shuttling around; at least there wasn't as much of the never-ending publicity, because the tournament was a more low-key affair than others (really, who would willingly turn up to see under-18s play when senior football was there?), but there wasn't much too much off-time.

That he needed to pull double duty — backup goalkeeper Thomas Faulkner, who he shared a room with, was out with stomach flu for the crucial game against Ceni — only further ate into his time. Sure, Georgina and him trained together, but so did the rest of the defensive unit; there was little chance for one-on-one time. When Barton told them that they would have the day off before the game against Srednjaci, then, there was his chance. He'd done a bit of research on the city they were in; apparently Obernbrück was home to the Physik Garden, which looked suitable enough for him to talk to her. In the morning, then, he resolved to do it that day; after all, in a tournament where every match could go either way, he didn't really know if there would be any time after this if they got eliminated.

It would be casual; he hoped, at least, it came off as a casual invite; but that didn't stop his heart from threatening to tear itself out of his chest when he walked towards her. She gave him a quizzical look as he started speaking; after a few botched attempts at making sounds that vaguely sounded like words, he managed to ask her out to dinner and a walk around the city after she said she hadn't had any plans for the day.

Dinner ended up being a rather low-key affair; but there was something in the air as the two walked down the cobblestone-lined streets that led to the Gardens. It wasn't romance. No, it was the opposite of romance, but it wasn't awkwardness, either. The feeling struck James as something that was foreboding; he didn't exactly feel like there was going to be a good ending coming from this. The chatter was light, but it wasn't exactly earthshattering — it was more light talk about how they'd been, and their families. Georgina at one point commented that this was all stuff James would know, considering they played for the exact same team; but James countered, gently, by suggesting that they hadn't had time together like this for quite a while.

Eventually, they soon found themselves at a relatively calm part of the park, next to a pond. They sat and chatted for a while, but soon found themselves sitting in silence. It wasn't a calm silence; James desperately felt like he needed to say something, to relieve what felt like mounting tension between the two of them, but Georgina seemed content to let things be, soaking in the sounds and smells of the various medicinal herbs present in the garden. This was his moment, he felt; it had to be.

"Y'know, it's been a while since we sat together like this. Don't think we've had time since, uh, well. Forever," he began.

"Yeah, well. You were always busy when we were younger. Didn't have much time to hang out after games. Or in general. There were moments, like when we snuck out with Ben to go to Galaxy Studios when he turned fifteen, but that was about it, I think."

"Well. Uhm. It's nice. Like this."

"You've been acting strangely ever since we've touched down in the country, James. Which is weird, considering we see each other nearly every day. Almost as if..."

James' heart leapt. "...As if?"

Georgina turned towards James. "As if you've got something to say."

"Well, uh..." James decided it wasn't worth keeping up the charade much longer. "Yeah, I guess..."

"Well, then, what is it? You're not moving to City, are you?" She made a playful raspberry as she mentioned them. "No, but seriously, don't move to City. Vicky J's got that first-team slot nailed down for them for like, the next decade."

"It's not like Richard Russell's got the United goalie slot secure for that amount of time, either..."

"You're much better than him. You'll probably start challenging for him once you hit the senior squad. Even leap over David Knight or Gary Shepard. Heard the club are leaning towards not renewing Gary's contract...I wonder if it's just because you're on the up and up," she said, leaning towards him.

"Even then," he murmured hesitantly. "Even then, I dunno whether I'd make it that far."

"You! Doubting yourself! Ha!" She rolled her head back, laughing. "James, I've known you since we were kids. There's been no goalkeeper I've played with that's been better than you. Nobody has your leadership skills, nobody knows how to make defenders move like you. Nobody."

His heart jumped again, hearing that praise. A solitary "Thanks." was all he could muster.

"So is that it, then? Just football? You were always focused on that, above everything else..." Georgina's voice trailed off. It was evident what she meant.

"No, notreallyno, uh...uhm, no." Ah well. No better time than the present. "So, uh, you know how, a year ago —"

"Yep."

"And then, I, uh —"

"Yep."

"And then, you started going out with, uh, uhm —"

"— Jack, yeah, but he ended up being an arse who just wanted to get into my pants, so I got rid..."

"And, uh, I've been thinking a lot about it — not Jack, ah, but, uh, us, and what I, uh, said last year, and, uh, I figure, uh, uhm, that, I may have made a huge mistake in that —"

Silence. Was it an invitation to continue speaking, or was it an invitation to keep digging his own grave?

"— and I was, uh, yeah. I've been keeping this with me for the past year, but, uh, I actually really wanted to tell you this. I really wanted to tell you that, uh, I wanted to say yes...but I wanted to focus on my career. And I wanted you to focus on yours, too," he hurriedly added.

"I didn't think that a relationship would be good for either of us at the time, but I've, uh, since realised that it was a mistake. I don't know what your feelings toward me are right now, but, uh, I wanted to ask you this..." James' voice trailed off, as if asking for consent to continue.

"Go on," she said, quietly.

"I wanted to ask, uh. I mean. I do see you as more than a friend, Georgie...and I, uh, messed up last year. I really did. But yeah. I guess this is it. The last chance I'll ever get before we really grow up and have to deal with everything footballers have to, uh, well, do. So...uh, um. Will you go out with me? For real, this time?"

by **Banija** » Thu Feb 09, 2023 1:09 pm

Safari tour, north of Kapto, Buganda

Josiah Akombo had put together this tour. A wildlife tour- a safari tour probably was a stretch, since this was technically closed to tourists. But, as was tradition in Banija, Premiers were at their discretion to let people onto this land- and that's exactly what was happening here. It was a big group of people, on one of those miniature tour busses. Josiah Akombo was the ringleader here- he was the one who had put this all together.

Although technically, that was the regional Premier, Janoah Omolo. Josiah, obviously, had brought his former supermodel wife, and their son, Amzi Akombo- who was at the center of this trip happening in the first place. He was proud- the son had just spent all this time participating in the RTC U18 World Cup. He had brought his friends from Cardenao's U18 National team- Montral LeBlanc and Arrivo LeCerci, who of course had extremely well connected parents who were here on business. Benoit LeBlanc, and Ruby LeCerci, the latter of whom was Cardenao's Ambassador to Banija. And lastly, but certainly not least, they were joined by Jessy Courtois, whose drive set this meeting up in the first place.

They had their tour guide- Chief Officer of Buganda Wildlife, Dr. Bazin Hezekiah. They hadn't gotten to the triceratops yet, the primary reason why everyone was on this tour, but he spoke about some of the big game. "Ok, here's where you'll see the lions!" People were out, taking pictures- Missy LeCrown, the PR person from Cardenao, was taking film and taking into a camera. This wasn't live, of course- but she'd surely put out a number of press releases and what not about the event. "We're proud about our conservation record, we've got the biggest lion population in Atlantian Oceania. Of course, as you know, Banijans consider lions...." And he drifted on.

Finally, they got close to a triceratops herd. "And here you guys go- the triceratops!" The beauty of triceratops were that they were diurnal animals, like humans. And going to one of the more private places, rather than the public safaris- well, the dinos were a lot more active here. Everyone was thoroughly enjoying film, as cameras were rolling and pictures were being taken. "There aren't any populations, to our knowledge, that exist of this creature outside of the Kingdom. So enjoy- and don't be too loud."

One person asked a question about how the triceratops eat. "Well, as many of you know, these are herbivores- they don't hunt for their food. So they are not apex predators, although they sure look like them. Lions are the only animals that can realistically try to hunt an adult- they're too big for lone leopards or cheetahs to try and bring down. A pack of wild dogs or hyenas will sure pick off a young one, however. The horns, obviously, serve as predator repellant. Interestingly for herbivores, however, they do not eat grass. All sorts of trees and pines. See all these trees?" He gestured around him. They were on the edge, of where forest turned into grasslands. "That forest was not naturally there. They often come out to the grasslands, because those woods are small, but they munch on the flowers and bushes and leaves from trees and what not. Of course, Banija is not a country known for its dense forests, so the triceratops here probably eat less than they did way back in the day."

"So what if they lived in Cardenao?" Ruby LeCerci, the Ambassador, asked. "What kind of habitat would they want?"

"You'd probably just want to introduce them to forested habitats, by freshwater." The scientist replied. "They'll be an apex herbivore, for sure- as much as something like that exists, anyways. They can co-exist along other animals, particularly because they don't eat meat. I'd imagine there would be a reduction in population for animals like dear, as there is only so much plant food(and the aggressiveness of triceratops means they'd get that food), but they could absolutely survive in that climate. Even predators in their habitat could help control population numbers- like lions do here."

They asked more questions as the Wildlife expert answered. What a tour it was- probably a good 5 hours spent out, exploring mostly the triceratops, but a bunch of other large animals as well. At the end of the day, they came back to Kapto, and everyone split off. The limousines came. The Cardenao delegation, outside of the Ambassador and her son, all got into the same stretch limo, and drove off- they would drive north, to the airport in Jinja City. Their flight destination was home, back to Cardenao. The LeCercis, on the other hand, were flying to Busukuma- so they went to a closer, regional airport, before they flew off to the Banijan capitol.

Vijana Kadongo Kamu take 9 points from 9 possible, reach the knockout stages of the U18 World Cup

SONREVICA- "It's not easy to earn points at a tournament like this, it is never is- so three wins from three played is absolutely a fantastic start to this tournament." Said the U18 NT's manager, Madu Okparra, after the Baker Park match. All three Banijan wins have been by the skin of their teeth, yes- but those are three wins. There was some heavy squad rotation, as Okparra opted to flip out the entire starting XI, to give Pam Scott a look at a different part of the roster. "These U18 tournaments are about playing well and winning, yes, but evaluation is also an important part of it. We want to give Pam Scott a look at a number of different players on the roster, as she scouts from the press box."

With the third goalkeeper subbing in at halftime, that means each and every player on the roster has played at the tournament. The lineup, surprisingly, sat back for a Banijan team, as they simply invited pressure from the Baker Parkers on this Matchday. They would look to hit on the counter, as Banija's defenders impressed. The defenders, across the board, have impressed so far at this tournament- all three opponents were known globally for developing excellent attacking talent. Qasden, Cassadaigua, and Baker Park formed what was maybe the group of death going into this tournament(or group of life because it was a 24 team tourney), and the Banijans only conceded once across 180 minutes.

"We've probably wanted to show more going forward throughout the tournament." Okparra told reporters. "But look, defenders want to showcase themselves as well- this was a great opportunity for many to do so." You've got BSL starters like Okot Oboyo making a positive impression at centerback, and even players like Otem Ssema making a name for themselves. Showcasing their talents, even if not at their current clubs, but elsewhere in the S-FPL. The starting wingbacks are both backups at Jinja City FC- could playing time here allow them to become starters somewhere else next season?

Beyond that, we can look in the central midfield. Long gone are the days where Mzukisi Nzo was one of the first names on the team sheet- and in sharpie, at that. It's been a carousel of players at the CM spots for quite a few cycles now. Kizza Lumansi is trying to fill in the gap. He'll start for the Hawabark Boulders in the S-FPL at just age 16, as they are trying desperately to avoid going straight back down, when they just came up. Getting back, defending, not making dumb decisions, etc.. He's played well.

"There hasn't been a standout superstar that's scored so many goals- this ain't DBC 42." A reporter told TV analysts. That DBC was where a bunch of high-scoring members of the WC winning generation made their name for the NT, including the Boy Wonder, Gitonga Kahara. "But we've seen a lot of talented, astute players- plenty of them with high upside. Just... Maybe not going forward, at least so far?" But the attackers will have a chance to showcase themselves going forward as the tourney goes on. The knockout stages are here.

"The tensions will rise, the pressure will build- but you need pressure to make diamonds." Okparra told reporters. "Everything changes from here- four and won, or one and done. Winning our group did not do us any favors opponent wise- the Young Anomalies are as much of a threat to win this tournament as anybody. They had a huge 5-1 win to reach this point during group play, and scored 10 goals across four group games. We're gonna have to score some goals if we want to bury them, so if anyone thinks we aren't up to the task- this is the time to prove that we are."

by **Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland** » Thu Feb 09, 2023 5:00 pm

Ro16 cutoff

Graphic made by Qasden

RP prompts

Each MD there will be an optional prompt, designed to give a few extra things to think about if you're struggling for ideas or just want a different challenge. Full RP bonus is possible without responding to the prompts.

QFs: Arithmetic

The theme of today's prompt is arithmetic. Football is a game where numbers matter a lot. Does your team use a conventional numbering system, or an unusual one (e.g. lower numbers for defenders, 9 for a striker)? Are any numbers particularly associated with great players (e.g. Maradona 10, Cruyff 14)? Does your football culture "retire" numbers? Or, the numbers could be in scorelines: are there any particularly auspicious or inauspicious scorelines in your culture, associated with memorable or infamous matches?

As a reminder: these games will not feature extra time. Any game tied after 90 minutes will go straight to penalties.

Round of 16
Tumbra 2–0 Srednjaci
Khantari 3–0 Hopal
Banija 1–0 Chromatika
Cardenao 3–3 Commonwealth of Baker Park (4–3 pen.)
Obrela 0–0 Katterimunk (4–2 pen.)
Independent Athletes from Quebec 6–2 HUElavia
Ceni 2–3 Cassadaigua
Juvencus 0–0 Mertagne (5–6 pen.)

Quarterfinals

(1) Tumbra v Mertagne (9)
@ Olympienstadion Arkangelsplatz

(2) Khantari v Cassadaigua (10)
@ Hartsteinstadion

(3) Banija v Independent Athletes from Quebec (6)
@ Schwanthaler-Arena

(4) Cardenao v Obrela (5)
@ Olimpienschutziputzimeerschweinchenkartoffelnplatz Arena

by **Khantari** » Thu Feb 09, 2023 6:04 pm

Three Key Positions in the Development of Sports Organizations: From Thanh Beldon's Viewpoint

by Farlan du Gassingthorpe

This time we are very fortunate to be able to interview the Technical Director of Khantari Football Council (KFC), Thanh Beldon about his views and vision to establish a football organization or club in the country or abroad.

Shepington Herald (SH): In general, every organization needs some important positions to make the organization or club more competitive and viable.
Thanh Beldon (TB): In my opinion, an organization or club needs or needs to create three main roles to make the team perform highly and steady for a sport or tournament

SH: What are the three main roles?
TB: First, the position of Sports Director. This is a key full-time strategic leadership position within the organization and ultimately responsible for all performance matters. The Sports Director needs to think bigger than just winning next Sunday; he must draw up a plan, together with the other key members of the club, that states where they are now, where they want to be, and how to get there. This person is responsible for operational effectiveness across all sports departments, including first team, player recruitment, medical/sports science and Academy.

SH: Interesting, holding the position of Sports Director requires a clear objective, doesn't it?
TB: Yes, as a Sporting Director, an individual has to think about, How do we guide the club to a world-class performance structure? What is our philosophy to build a winning team?, What is our identity and DNA, and what makes us special?, and, How do we create standards to achieve our vision?

SH: Will the role of the Sports Director cause the Head Coach to appear less dominant?
TB: No, I see it the other way around: it's a recognition for the Head Coach because coaching and managing the players from week to week is a full-time job that requires a huge amount of support from the senior leadership. The Head Coach, on the other hand, provides a detailed football strategy on how to win and creates an environment and culture for the team to reach its collective potential.

SH: The Sports Director has a big role to connect the board of directors and the technical line of the team.
TB: Right, I believe it makes sense to have someone who acts as a bridge between the board and the performance side of the club. Because he can ensure there is a detailed Football Vision & Strategy, ensure the board of directors constantly reviews how the Football Strategy is delivered and find ways to help those working to deliver it, convene a Football Advisory Committee to meet monthly with the Head Coach to discuss issues team and 'on-the-ground' performance. Their purpose is to support the coach in navigating the season, not to put pressure on him. And finally, put a good structure in place for mid-season and post-season reviews of the Strategy

SH: After detailing the position of Sports Director, let's move on to the second position, what is it?
TB: The second position which is no less important is the Director of Strategy and analysis. This is someone who sits behind the scenes, helping the CEO and senior leaders make more informed decisions. There is a lot of data available in sports now and it can definitely help make better decisions. Managing data and creating insights requires specialist skills and many clubs would benefit from having people with these skill sets. I see these people working with the most senior leaders of clubs - owners, chairmen, and CEOs - because successful data and analytics start at the top. This role requires courage, as you have to make decisions that may seem counter-intuitive and unpopular.

SH: A very dense presentation, I think our readers will not fall asleep reading it because it is very interesting. Then what is the third position?
TB: The third role, was my former position at the old club, which was Director of High Performance. This role is about aligning all the wheels of performance from a scientific and medical perspective, so there is integration with coaching and continuity in how players are developed. That's why I and the world of sports science are hard to separate.

SH: What is the difference between the coaching staff and the High-Performance Director?
TB: Good question, the coach develops the technical training while the High-Performance Director coordinates the process. This means the coach gets the tactical and technical training he wants, while factors such as training load, nutrition, and recovery are optimized by the High-Performance Director.

SH: An example?
TB: Training will remain driven by the Head Coach, with the High-Performance Manager supporting in service to the athletes. This person is hands-on, manages integrated performance systems, creates cross-functional alignment, and achieves an interdisciplinary approach, ensuring performance KPIs are managed in all areas.

SH: Very clear and thorough explanation you provided, on behalf of the Shepington Herald Sports Desk I would like to thank you very much for the opportunity and time you have given us
TB: On behalf of the Khantari Football Council (KFC) I would also like to thank the media for their cooperation in promoting the sports arena in our country.

RTC Under-18 World Cup XVIII::: Match

Venues ::: BVL Stadion Schmalbüren (32,067) & Blomzach-Stadion (12,345)

Group 6:: MD1 - Lisander vs. Khantari 0-2 - Victus Kappelmann 72 & 88
Group 6:: MD2 - Khantari vs. Melbergia 3-0 - Romeo Choatingham 21, Victus Kappelmann 43 & Cruxian Thomisclaus 66
Group 6:: MD3 - Khantari 2-1 Katterimunk - Romeo Choatingham 13 & 69 -- Unknown 79

Venues ::: Olimpienschutziputzimeerschweinchenkartoffelnplatz Arena

Round of 16:: - Khantari 3–0 Hopal - Justin Lakeworth 27 (pen.), Bob Lancermort 58 & Royall Beldon 88

RTC Under-18 World Cup XVIII [rosters/RPs/results]

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