85th Cup of Harmony [rosters/RPs/results]

by **Mytanija** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 2:44 pm

A NEW SEASON BRINGS A NEW TRANSFER WINDOW, BUT THINGS FEEL A LITTLE DIFFERENT FOR MYTANAR CLUBS THIS TIME

For a long time Mytanar football clubs have operated on a different financial level to many of their opponents in IFCF competitions. Mytanija is a country which has a devastating civil war in its not-so-distant past, a war which is still being reckoned with and recovered from. This means that there is not as much money for trivial things, with sport falling into that category, however important it is in the lives of supporters. Football clubs can generate vast amounts of revenue, something which is noticeable when you look at the transfer fees and wages that some foreign clubs are able to pay. For Mytanija’s top clubs this has long been regarded as a difficulty, something which makes competing in IFCF competition more challenging. Top Mytanar players invariably ply their trade elsewhere, once they have been noticed as an up-and-coming talent they go off in search of better wages overseas, but something is changing in Mytanija and this most recent transfer window has been the clearest evidence of that fact yet.

Financial success is not always easy to come by for many leagues, but the Mytanar Top League and its clubs have managed to turn their fortunes around in recent years despite historically struggling financially. This turnaround has come mainly through a strong model of youth development. Top League clubs are known for their strong focus on bringing through young talent, allowing players to play at an early age and ironing out major weaknesses quite quickly through excellent coaching. Instead of paying larger transfer fees and wages, Top League clubs have devoted larger slices of their budgets towards developing young players, and this investment is now beginning to pay off handsomely. Many of the league’s players have gone on to play for top clubs around the multiverse, generating valuable funds for the clubs which produced them.

Atletik have probably been the biggest beneficiaries of this in recent years, with national team players like Bigger Mbala-Ekakia, Adnan Sulejmanovic, Patrik Odonelec, Gavril Atsev and Omer Kuhar-Arh all coming through the ranks (although Atsev and Kuhar-Arh originally came through at Rudar Uchenik and Ararat Severyan respectively) and being sold on for tidy sums. Other clubs have similar experiences, and this has boosted the overall financial health of the league. Wages remain lower when compared to other leagues and generally clubs do not spend quite as much as their counterparts overseas, preferring to replace those sold with another youth product who might net the club in question another nice payday in a few years’ time. However, this is starting to change slightly.

In recent years, the Top League has become one of the most exciting in world football. The focus on youth development has raised the standard of play and teams have achieved impressive results in IFCF competitions when thought is given to their budgets in relation to many of their opponents. Atletik have reached the IFCF Challengers Cup final and another semi final and most recently 1923 Esca reached the finals of the IFCF Champions League and Cup Winners’ Cup in the same campaign. Unfortunately, neither of those two clubs could seal a famous trophy, although 1923’s under-18s did manage to win the IFCF Youth Cup, another feather in the cap of the club’s (and Mytanija’s) youth system. The league’s competitiveness on the international stage has helped it to attract better sponsorship deals and clubs have also reported improved investment too, which has further boosted their financial fortunes.

The FSM has done a good job of marketing the Top League, too, where once there was a reputation for hooliganism and violence (which certainly still exists, albeit at a lower level than before), there is now a focus on Mytanija’s exceptional fan culture. Supporters are especially passionate about football and ultras create exciting choreographies in stadiums up and down the country, creating a lively and engaging atmosphere at matches. This has been noted overseas, with discussions on social media messaging applications about the most intense rivalries often referencing Atletik and Liria’s Klasicni or the Eternal Derby between Atletik and Olympic as being near to the top of the list. Those matches don’t really scratch the surface for the many other intricate derbies and rivalries which exist, either. This fan culture has helped to differentiate the Top League from many other leagues around the multiverse and the FSM believe its focus on pushing this side of Mytanar football has resulted in improved television deals, as broadcasters are keen to showcase the league’s exciting product for viewers.

The combination of a strong youth development model, a commitment to raising the standard of football and active fan culture has worked together to help the Top League achieve financial stability where previously clubs like 1923 Esca, Energija-Nuklearna, Arka Snezhnaya and Dinamo Esca have all experienced financial issues. It has also made clubs better equipped to respond to selling their key players, with young players able to step up and into the shoes of those who have departed, or the club can utilise their improved finances and scouting networks to search for replacements. This has turned what was once regarded as a negative in Mytanija – namely losing our top talents to foreign clubs – into a real benefit for the league more widely.

Perhaps the most obvious example at the moment is 1923 Esca’s sale of national team starting forward Drazen Skara. Skara has been excellent for them in recent years, being 1923’s main striker and driving them towards two Mytanar Top League titles and a National Cup. His goals were also integral to their run to the finals of both the IFCF Champions League and Cup Winners’ Cup. He has done his bit to help his boyhood club achieve success and whilst Mytanija’s clubs have better financial situations, they still don’t pay wages like they do in other top leagues. Skara wants to get paid now. The club, happy with his contributions in the last few years, was happy to oblige and sold the striker to Sabrefell Athletic amidst major interest from clubs from Chromatika and Pasarga. The Nepharan club paid NSD 20 million, a significant amount of money for a league that has historically struggled financially.

Whilst losing such players might dilute the talent pool of the league, clubs are now quick to deal with such losses. 1923 Esca moved quickly, using an already prepared shortlist to target players who might be looking for a move and identifying Kelssekian international Zoe Goh-Lemaire as a possible replacement. A mere NSD 4.8 million later and Goh-Lemaire was at Radnika being unveiled, shaking hands with Sava Grgurovic and smiling whilst holding a shirt in front of the photographers’ flashbulbs. Goh-Lemaire may be a small step down in quality in the immediate future, but once she has acclimatised to life in Mytanija and spent some time under Grgurovic’s watchful eye then 1923 Esca might not even see a drop off from Skara.

Atletik Težia have had a unique approach to buying and selling top domestic talent in recent years, something which we covered on this blog quite recently. They have been able to buy up a lot of the top players in Mytanija, whilst simultaneously producing a large number of players through their own youth system. They have then sold these players for high fees, using the money to improve their squad, rinsing and repeating and winning trophies as a result. Last season Atletik won their 15th Mytanar Top League title with homegrown talent at the heart of their squad, a midfield of Jasno Skenderovic and Denis Ovsyannikov demonstrating the two ways they build – Skenderovic from the academy and Ovsyannikov spotted at Vitalia and brought to the club.

However, Atletik’s strategy has now come full circle, with the club entering the market to buy back players who once came through at the club. Bigger Mbala-Ekakia was an Atletik youth product, sold to Chromatik side Wirr Tsi and has won two Red Leagues and an IFCF Challengers Cup whilst at the club. He’s now 30 and ready for a move back home. Atletik have re-signed him for NSD 6 million, significantly less than the sum that they sold him for. There is also rumoured to be interest in bringing Gavril Atsev back to the club. These moves represent a great opportunity for Atletik as they look to seal a first ever UICA / IFCF success. They can tap into Mbala-Ekakia’s (and possibly Atsev’s) vast experience and play him alongside the club’s promising young talents and this slightly novel approach, balancing their investment in youth development and bringing in experienced winners like Mbala-Ekakia could well be a key factor in international success.

There is a worry that the clubs at the top of the league might be on the verge of forging an insurmountable gap to the rest. The likes of 1923 Esca, Atletik Težia, 1896 Ebor and Liria Prizren are able to buy up talent from clubs lower down the league, allowing them to more regularly qualify for IFCF competition and access greater financial rewards as a result. This almost becomes a self-reinforcing mechanism which keeps those clubs at the top as they take the best players from less successful sides. Questions have been posed regarding the long-term competitiveness of the league, though many would point to the fact that Atletik have 15 league titles and the next closest is Liria’s 4 to show that the league has never been that worried about notions of competition.

However, the FSM have worked hard in recent years to ensure that there is still a level playing field for clubs, particularly when it comes to youth development. Smaller clubs are encouraged to invest in their youth academies and can access FSM grants and guaranteed loans to improve facilities. They are also protected, with academy players not allowed to transfer for money until they reach the age of 16. This has stopped some of the bigger clubs buying up talented youngsters until they have at least made first team appearances for the side that has originally developed them. This has been seen with Gavril Atsev, Omer Kuhar-Arh and Denis Ovsyannikov, all of whom made senior appearances for Rudar, Ararat and Vitalia before making moves to Atletik in their later teens or early twenties.

An informal honour system has also developed, with bigger clubs expected not to encourage academy players to move clubs in a way which might circumvent the spirit of the rules if not the letter of them. Money might not change hands, something which would land a club in front of an FSM panel, but there have also been vanishingly few cases of clubs asking youngsters to ask to leave a club to move elsewhere. When this does happen, it tends to be for innocent reasons, with families moving cities being cited as the most common reason. This might raise an eyebrow in some circles, but sources at sides which aren’t at the top of the food chain have spoken of the bigger clubs ‘understanding that it is healthy for clubs to benefit from the fruits of their labour’ when developing young players and rewarding the coaching which happens at clubs lower down the league with reasonable transfer fees when the time comes.

Whether we see a continuation of the same model which has catapulted the Top League into the upper echelons of the IFCF rankings, or a move to this model which seems to have really taken off during the latest transfer window remains to be seen, but Mytanar football currently appears to be in rude health, both financially and in terms of its achievements in IFCF competition. We have to hope that it will continue for the foreseeable future.

by **Sendhang** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 3:04 pm

85TH CUP OF HARMONY
Pre-Tournament

The 85th Cup of Harmony in Graintfjall was Sendhang's sixth appearance in the Cup of Harmony after making its debut in the 80th Cup of Harmony in Graintfjall and Krytenia. A lot of time has passed since the 80th Cup of Harmony and a lot has changed since then. While the national team players remained mostly the same, most of them were already at the end of their careers at the 85th Cup of Harmony, some even knew beforehand that the tournament would be their last Cup of Harmony.

Teuku Salahudin, the youngest player in the squad was only 20 years old when Sendhang made its debut in the Cup of Harmony. He was dubbed the best of his generation and the future of Sendhang's football then. The 85th Cup of Harmony was supposed to be where Salahudin reached his peak as he reached the age of 27. But much to the disappointment of most Sendhangites, it didn't work out as planned for Salahudin who found himself playing his club football in the second tier of the Pemecutanan league.

Yes, Pemecutan, the most notable change since Sendhang debuted in the Cup of Harmony. No one expected anything from Pemecutan at that time. They were nobody, not even the best team in Mandalanusa. They crashed out of the 80th Cup of Harmony in the group stage finishing bottom of their group. Now? The sixth-best national team in the world and a World Cup silver medal. That made Salahudin stay in Pemecutan, despite having to play in the second tier.

The best team in Mandalanusa at that time was Eraman, already a regular fixture in the knockout stage of the Cup of Harmony since Sendhang's first appearance in the tournament. But by the 85th Cup of Harmony, they can't say the same anymore as Pemecutan and Sendhang overtook them. Eraman was not doing badly though, they were still a regular fixture in the knockout stage of the Cup of Harmony, but so does Sendhang who has made a lot of improvement since their debut.

The national team players were determined for another deep run in the 85th Cup of Harmony, especially the veterans who were at the end of their careers. Drawn alongside Audioslavia, Baggieland, Ziwana, Qasden, and Ile de Richelieu, they knew it was not going to be easy. The team arrived early in Graintfjall to get suited to the weather and environment as the head coach, Teuku Irfan spent most of his time preparing his team mentally for the tournament. The team spirit, the will to win, and the belief of the players were at the highest level before the tournament.

The question lingering though is, can the team deliver when the tournament starts?

by **Eura** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 3:22 pm

EURAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
Cup of Harmony 85 Squad

STAFF

Manager: Glen Merson (43,

Eura)

Well, its all gone to shit again. Glen Merson watched with horror like many Eurans as another World Cup qualifying failure unfolded. Simultaneously, his Harkdown team were getting relegated from Gold League in their first season back for many years. But Merson’s stature has been enhanced by getting them in the first place so the EFA thought he would be worth a punt as caretaker manager – they have been blocked from making a permanent appointment while the Euran government carries out a review of the EFA during the Cup of Harmony. In line with Merson’s preferences at club level, Eura are likely to play the rather old fashioned and very Euran 4-2-2-2 formation.

Assistant Manager: Roland Hopkins (47,

Eura)

Merson has kept on Rose’s assistant Roland Hopkins for the duration of the Cup of Harmony.

STYLE AND PERMISSIONS

Style Modifier: +3

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:

Choose my goalscorers – YES
Godmod scoring events – YES
RP injuries to my players – YES
Godmod injuries to my players – YES (But only how the injury happens, not the extent of the injury)
Hand out yellow cards to my players – YES
Hand out red cards to my players – YES
Godmod other events – YES, provided you keep events within the realms of realism, so no deaths etc.

SQUAD
Shirt number – name (F if female) – position – age – international caps – international goals – club
Caps and goals require updating – up to date to end of CR41

Goalkeepers

1 – Tom Hammond - GK - 27 -

Directus

13 – John Hewitt – GK – 29 -

Farrenton Athletic

30 – Sam Norman – GK – 23 -

Spartangrad

Defenders

2 – Ana Mason (F) - RWB - 28 -

Spartangrad

3 – Lucy Almwood (F) (VICE-CAPTAIN) - LB - 32 -

Brinemouth (Nephara)

4 – Jack Menard (CAPTAIN) - CB – 30 -

1830 Cathair (Audioslavia)

5 – Morgan Hart – CB – 27 -

Farrenton Athletic

15 – Kevin Sherwood - CB - 28 –

1830 Cathair (Audioslavia)

19 - Quentin Phillips - CB - 27 -

Holdenberg

21 – Kingsley Mills – RWB – 25 – Makosile United (Vilita)

23 – Molly Taylor (F) – LWB/LB – 24 - CF Outineau (Kelssek)

25 – Martin Pearce - CB - 25 -

Starling (Nephara)

27 – Jack Bedford – CB – 27 -

Revolutionaries

Midfielders

6 - Jermaine Gates - CDM/CM - 27 –

Directus

7 – Adam Woodman – LW – 30 –

Directus

8 – Oscar Vincent - CM – 28 -

Holdenberg

11 – Owen James - RW/LW – 26 -

Chromatik (Chromatika)

12 – Dean Barnes – RAM/RW – 23 -

Directus

16 – George Stewart – CM – 31 –

Raynor City United (Valanora)

18 – Ben West – AM – 26 –

Falourr

20 – Marvin Cole - CDM/CM - 23 -

Rene Skae (Farfadillis)

22 – Robert Marshall – AM – 27 -

Oakstone

24 – Ed Clarke - CM/CAM - 27 -

Unioneers

28 – Roy Champion – CM – 20 -

Holdenberg

29 – Travis Coffey – RWB/RM – 28 –

Ma Alameome (Farfadillis)

Forwards

9 – Alex Sharp - ST – 25 -

1830 Cathair (Audioslavia)

10 – Sophie Singh (F) - AM/ST - 26 -

Chromatik (Chromatika)

14 – Kate Archer (F) – ST – 26 -

Crossroads (Chromatika)

17 – Tess Miller (F) - AM/ST - 22 -

Brinemouth (Nephara)

26 – Owen Holden – ST – 23 -

Brigham

Preferred starting lineup
Note: this does not take into account suspensions, injuries or any other change.

GK - 1. T Hammond
RWB – 2. A Mason
RCB - 4. J Menard
LCB – 5. M Hart
LWB – 3. L Almwood
RCM - 6. J Gates
LCM - 8. O Vincent
RW - 11. O James
LW – 7. A Woodman
RS - 10 . S Singh
LS – 9. A Sharp

Player Roles

Squad Captain: Jack Menard
Vice-Captain: Lucy Almwood
Direct free kicks: Lucy Almwood (Left footed), Sophie Singh (Right footed)
Indirect free kicks: Lucy Almwood (Left footed), Sophie Singh (Right footed)
Right corner: Sophie Singh (Right footed), Lucy Almwood (Left footed)
Left corner: Sophie Singh (Right footed), Lucy Almwood (Left footed)
Penalties: 1. Alex Sharp 2. Lucy Almwood 3. Sophie Singh 4. Oscar Vincent 5. Owen James

Stadium

Eura play their international home games at the Bastion Arena, the 110,000 capacity all-seater stadium at the heart of Eura's capital.

Kits

by **Cardenao** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 3:58 pm

Official Name: The Kingdom of Cardenao National Football Team
Official Nation Name: The Federated Republic of the Kingdom of Cardenao
Country Code: CAD
Officiating League: The MegaPower League
Officiating Body: The Cardenao Football Association
Regional Officiating Body: CAFA LigAnaia
Records:
All-Time W/D/L: 39-20-33
All-Time Goals For/Goals Against: 187/172 +15
Under Manager Scooter McNash: 39-20-33
Titles: lol
International Rank: 51
Nickname: The Blue and Golds, La Furia Azule
Style: +3.0 out of 5.0

Primary kit:

Alternate kit:

THE ROSTER

When RP'ing, the name of my players in ITALICS are the names on their kit and the name professional commentators would primarily call out when making observations. Those in BOLD are the national team starters UNLESS otherwise stated in a preceding RP.

1- Ray Holland
Height: 6'3 - Weight: 194lbs – Age: 33 - Registry: #1 - Team: Cardonia FC

The best goalkeeper in Cardenao since his debut at 16, the sun is setting for this lion. Ray Holland will forever be in the registry as our first ever player, and he’s been immense every single match. He stands tall at 6'3 and has perfected the ability of closing the angle to make him dominant within his box, while his strength, bravery, and vertical leap help him claim crosses and corners. What more could you want from your national team's starting goalkeeper? He's also tidy with his feet to help facilitate Cardenao’s possession based play but he’s not exactly capable of pinging precise 45 yard passes. He’s done as well as you could hope for a goalkeeper for a new nation going up against the best teams in the world, running with the national team since the 78th Baptism of Fire, but how much more he can go remains to be seen.

Rating: A - Team Relationship: A - Morale: A - Form: A
Caps: 73 - Goals Conceded (Clean Sheets): 99 (10)- Tournaments Played:Baptism of Fire 78, World Cup 91/92/93, Cup of Harmony 83/84/85 - Personal Awards: MegaPower League Champion (Season 1)

12- Iñaki Pena
Height: 6'5 - Weight: 206lbs – Age: 22 - Registry: #23 - Team: Bananada CF

While still young as goalkeepers go, Iñaki Pena has been starting for Bananada CF since he was 18 years old. The lad has been totally brilliant for them, with his height, quick reflexes, and natural goalkeeping abilities making him a well-rounded player. In his early days he had some form issues with long range passing and goal kicks, but he put in the time and effort to turn those into strengths for him. Pena showed his strengths against some of the best teams in the world in the Cardenao Cup, and with Ray Holland nearing the end of his playing days, Iñaki will be giving 110% every training session to try and win the starting spot.

Rating: A - Team Relationship: B - Morale: B - Form: A
Caps: 7 - Goals Conceded: 11 - Tournaments Played:Baptism of Fire 78, World Cup 91/92/93, Cup of Harmony 83/84/85

PLAYER RESPONSIBILITIES

Captain: Diego Valenzuela
Vice-Captain: Haritz Larrainzar
Third Captain: Juanma Saez

Kick Takers (in order of ability)
Free kicks: Zoltan Keidobiko, Harritz Larrainzar,
Right corners: Zoltan Keidobiko, Giampietro Vera
Left corners: Zoltan Keidobiko, Harritz Larrainzar
Penalties: Juanma Saez, Alberto Godwine, Diego Valenzuela, Chimo Ventura

Manager: Scooter McNash

54 years old

A striking legend in his younger days, the eccentric Scooter McNash took the lead of the Cardenao national team in the build up to the 78th Baptism of Fire and he has been absolutely outstanding, leading the team to the 70th world ranking and reaching the Round of 16 in the 84th Cup of Harmony and CAFA Cup V. Can we get much higher?

Rating: A - Team Relationship: A - Morale: A - Confidence:A
Tourn. Coached: Baptism of Fire 78, World Cup 91/92/93, Cup of Harmony 83

PRIMARY FORMATION AND PLAYSTYLE

The Blue and Golds are heading into the 93rd World Cup with a slight tactical tweak. In tournaments prior, Scooter McNash had his team line-up in a 4-3-3 with Diego Valenzeula sitting deep as a defensive midfielder. This edition sees D.V. start higher up the pitch next to Giampetro Vera, while Haritz Larrainzar has been thrust forward to be a playmaking midfielder behind the attacking trio. The change has been made to make the most of Larrainzar’s attacking output after his 14 goal 15 assist season fired his club side to the league title, while also helping link-up play with the dangerous Juanma Saez. Juanma is coming off a stellar campaign of his own, where he scored 26 and assisted 11, while there’s free-firing Chímo Ventura on the right wing eager to have a shot on goal.

Beyond that, the playstyle is expected to be the same. Loosely possession based in the sense it isn’t route one football, the Cardenao national team looks to quickly fire the ball along the ground up the pitch to try and will get settled in when they have possession in the attacking half. Players aren’t shy about trying a risky pass but will generally avoid taking low quality shots. All players have a generally high level of on the ball skill and this results in plenty of flashy play over the course of a match. Due to the fluid nature of the Cardenao attack, players will often interchange positions and move around the pitch, hoping to open up the defense with their movement.

Off the ball there is a distinct ‘Huayraball’ approach, where the team is tasked with pressing hard to win the ball back in the five seconds after losing possession before falling back into a more organized defense. This has the benefit of intense pressure to maximize ball-regainment rates before establishing the well-rounded protection of a traditional defensive scheme.

Roleplay Permissions

Choose my goal scorers: Yes.
Injury to my players: TG/Discord DM.
Hand out Yellow cards to my players: TG/Discord DM.
Hand out Red cards to my players: TG/Discord DM.
Godmod Other Events: TG/Discord DM.

by **Cap Nord** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:09 pm

Rohan Williams watches the ball as it soars in the sky. He has received dozens of these kinds of crosses from Brymsaeter and seen thousands more: what they lack in power, they make up for in precision. The last training before a final tournament match is usually not the moment to showboat, but to conserve your strength and energy. The line-up has been made, the preparation is on and all you need to do is slowly warm up your muscles for what is to come later in the day. Footballing with the handbrake on. None of that now for Williams, who controls it on the chest and immediately drives the ball inside, scanning the goal for an opening. The hole in the wall pops up as reserve defender Peary hesitates and with a stilistic curve, Williams puts it away.

Top corner. The usual Rohan Williams would have something to say after such a beauty. A cheeky sneer to the goalkeeper or, if he was feeling boisterous, a meme-able victory dance with the hope that someone in the stands caught it with his phone: a guaranteed viral post. None of it today but a modest clenched fist before retaking his position ahead of the next situation. It ain't easy showing this focus if you are born to be the class clown, but Williams knows very well why he is doing it. And those who watched his little glance to the gaffer could have known it as well: a new boss offers new opportunities. New chances to a man who is sick and tired to see tabloids headline that this is 'the Carstensen team'. New shots for a top-class player, bored of observers drooling over Bjerkness, just because the Tikariotian league is easier to follow then the Nepharim one due to time zones. It is time to regain a crown.

[Ten metres away]

Pazron Finchley watches Rohan Williams as the striker lashes out on goal. Such quick thinking usually brings a curl on the lips of the Lozhoan head coach but now he just flashes to the next situation. Yet deep down, he is thrilled to see this execution, the kind of opportunity that comes from a perfectly executed 4-3-3 plan. His plan.

He has cut out the pieces, the quotes and comments from the pundits that shredded his gameplan. They were written by people, Finchley felt, that together had the footballing intelligence of a seabird, string puppets of people with lower motives than a desire for tactical conservatism. At times during his unemployment, he had wanted to shred those constant reminders of the treason that befell him at Protchen. But most of the time, they had been fuel, the gasoline to make his mind work overtime and perfect the plan. Just a few training sessions were not enough to hone this squad to his vision, but just enough to convey what he wanted. Well, what he really wanted was revenge. With a gesture, Finchley waved Williams his way.

"That was good, Rohan, technically astute. Cutting inside always works on your direct opponent. Srejzjajk talks the talk, but doesn't defend the defense, you know?"

Williams was in this business long enough to know when to simply nod. And continued to do so as Finchley shared some locker room dirt on the wing back, 'just in case you need to destabilize her'. But he did do a doubletake on Finchley's closing remark.

"And for those rushes of her… Just hack her early in the match, that will teach her."

Williams could not make out what that lesson would be.

[Ten metres further]

Captain Patrick van Hilvaren watches Pazron Finchley with lots of interest. You don't do a decade and a half of professional football without working your way through some coaches but this one stands out in a few ways. The Lozhoan seemed to approach the job as if it had been his divine destiny, flying into it with the hunger of a young lion. But there also was a whole woodworking studio worth of chip on his shoulder and in the build-up to the opener, the coach could not hide that. It sure had fired on the boys, something van Hilvaren approved in theory, but where to go from there? You can't play the game of the century every fortnight, how was he going to motivate them later? Van Hilvaren shook his head, maybe he was getting too cynical for this stuff. Too old, he almost thought. But he caught the look of assistant coach Van Nooten standing next to him and it mirrored the worries of van Hilvaren.

"That could have been you, huh."
"Just rumors, Pat. I even read an opinion piece that wanted you in the seat, I mean, there was a desperation for names."

It was in van Hilvaren's nature to taunt the assistant just a little more, but something in the tone of the reply stopped him in his tracks. The words were lighthearted but they were spoken without the usual taste for banter from Van Nooten. And in a split second, van Hilvaren knew that the assistant had really hoped on a promotion.

[Ten metres further]

Kieran Lough watches van Hilvaren and Van Nooten as the duo kill the time. And Lough does not like what he sees. In all fairness, he had never behind the appointment of the Lozhoan head coach. He had voted for a promotion of Van Nooten, as had three others. But in a commission of nine, that sees you end up as a minority. On top of that, Lough had drawn the short straw. While the other FA representatives were having a long sleep after what had been a feast on the Graintfjaller staples andcan attack on the stomach (even if the whale steak seemed a bit artificial) and head, Lough had to watch the training. His job was to represent, officially, and to observe, in practice.

And he observes it all. An overzealous Williams getting reprimanded for his beautiful action. The captain and the assistant, already plotting behind the back of the head coach. This was going to be the chaos he had predicted, Lough realizes at once. Swiftly, Lough flips open his phone to message the other FA reps, secretly hoping the resulting smartphone buzzing wakes them from their slumber.

[Ten metres further]

Irina Hagg watches Kieran Lough. Well, that is not entirely correct. She watches the smartphone of the man whom she considers as the dullest knife of the FA drawer (and that is a position which has quite some competition). You don't become a headlining journalist without a pair of eagle eyes, but it helps that Lough is of the generation that needs to put their font in triple digits to make out anything.

What has Hagg seen so far during this training? Rohan Williams trying to regain his top spot in the pecking order of the dressing room. A highly motivated Finchley attempting to make the most of his inside knowledge on the Lozhoan system, whilst stubbornly holding on to his characteristic gameplan for the clash with the Pelicans. The captain and the assistant hoping that the spark from the coach will light the hearts, rather than burning down the place. But Irina also knows that, even if the truth already has sufficient interesting angles, the version of Lough sells more copies.

by **Eraman** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:09 pm

BACK PAGE
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Agung: Still room for improvements

Daulapura: Despite successfully qualifying for the World Cup qualification playoff stage for the first time before being eliminated, Eraman's head coach from Pemecutan, Agung Suryanantha is still not satisfied with the overall performance of his squad.

According to Agung, there are still many improvements that need to be made in an effort to form a strong and formidable squad, especially regarding the performance of the Monkey Kings' first eleven to face the upcoming Cup of Harmony in Graintfjall.

"Overall, we need more improvements, especially in the aspect of player performance," he said.

For the record, Eraman lost 6-3 on aggregate to TJUN-ia in the World Cup qualifying playoffs.

Commenting on the actions of the players throughout the World Cup qualifying campaign, Agung said that all of them had given quite encouraging performances. In fact, the players were seen to be successful in giving confidence that qualifying for the World Cup is not something impossible for them.

"The players performed very well throughout the qualifying campaign but did not succeed in the final hurdle. Football is a beautiful sport that is sometimes cruel and we were not able to compete with TJUN-ia's tempo and technique," he explained.

Agung stressed that there would be a great emphasis on improving team play, physical condition, and tactical awareness.

“We can see the progress of our players as much as possible since I first took over and we will make further improvements as needed," he concluded.

by **Krytenia** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:28 pm

PERFECT HARMONY
To the tune of this song.

We started off, we were dreaming,
To reach the top thirty-two;
Then we were drawn with Turori,
Baker and Tik, we were screwed.

And so it seem we've gotta
Start again, pick up that pen,
And right this tale anew
Wanted to crash the Cup
Tear it all up
Now what we goin' to do? (To do, to do...)

Instead we sing this song
You all can sing along
We could have chased the gold
Now silverware we see.
Instead we sing this song
We know we can't go wrong
It's how it's gotta be
In perfect Harmony.
Instead we sing this song

Da-da-da-da-da-I
Da-da-da-da-da-I (Woo-woo)
Da-da-da-da-da-I
Instead we sing this song
Da-da-da-da-da-I
Da-da-da-da-da-I (Woo-woo)
Da-da-da-da-da-I
Instead we sing this song

Scott and Quinny in the middle
And Angus doing us proud
The Cyan Army behind them, shouting,
'Cause everything we do is loud

So now we gotta
Start again, pick up that pen,
And right this tale anew
Wanted to crash the Cup
Tear it all up
Now what we goin' to do? (To do, to do...)

Instead we sing this song
You all can sing along
We could have chased the gold
Now silverware we see.
Instead we sing this song
We know we can't go wrong
It's how it's gotta be
In perfect Harmony.
Instead we sing this song

Da-da-da-da-da-I
Da-da-da-da-da-I (Woo-woo)
Da-da-da-da-da-I
Instead we sing this song
Da-da-da-da-da-I
Da-da-da-da-da-I (Woo-woo)
Da-da-da-da-da-I
Instead we sing this song

Seventy-eight, do it again,
So we can break the chain....

Instead we sing this song
You all can sing along
We could have chased the gold
Now silverware we see.
Instead we sing this song
We know we can't go wrong
It's how it's gotta be
In perfect Harmony.
Instead we sing this song

by **Eura** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:44 pm

WORLD CUP 93 – QUALIFYING GROUP 8 MATCHDAY 21
New Gelderland 1-0 Eura
Scorers:
n/a
Lineup:
1. T Hammond
2. A Mason (sub Miller 90)
4. J Menard
5. K Sherwood
3. L Almwood (sub Robson 75)
6. J Gates (sub Stewart 62)
8. O Vincent
12. O James (sub Barnes 70)
10. S Singh (sub Brookfield 75)
7. A Woodman
14. A Sharp

WORLD CUP 93 – QUALIFYING GROUP 8 MATCHDAY 22
Eura 2-0 Bongo Johnson
Scorers:
Miller 17, Barnes 48
Lineup:
13. J Hewitt
2. A Mason
19. M Hart
25. M Pearce (sub Duff 55)
23. E Reeve
22. D Barnes
20. M Cole (sub Brown 72)
24. G Stewart (sub Clarke 60)
12. O James (sub Douglas 77)
26. T Miller
17. R Brookfield (sub Robson 72)

emplor.eur/main/sport/football
SHIT HITS FAN AS GOVERNMENT TAKES OVER EFA
Unprecedented response to third qualifying failure in seven as Ministry of Sport sacks EFA Board – and Sterling Rose

The face of Euran football has been transformed overnight after Eura’s failure to qualify for World Cup 93 prompted a long rumoured Euran government intervention in the national sport.

Euran national team manager Sterling Rose was unsurprisingly dismissed after a single, dismal World Cup qualifying campaign. The real shock was the news that the Minister of Sport, Peter Lake, would use powers under clause 10 of the National Football Act to ‘assert the right of Parliament to direct change within the authorities vested with managing the game of Football’ – in other words, nationalising the Euran Football Association. The final whistle in Eura’s penultimate qualifying game, a fateful second defeat against New Gelderland, was the final straw.

In a further statement this morning, Lake confirmed that he had summarily dismissed the entire executive board of the EFA and would immediately a commence a review of the state of Euran football, at both the national team and domestic league level. “The Euran people have had enough of endless failure. Both the national team and club game have mostly been a shambles for a decade. These board members and some of their most senior staff take home enormous amounts of money to achieve nothing and degrade the reputation of Euran football, and the owners of the various clubs are just harvesting profits without investing back in the game. Today is the beginning of the road to renewal.”

The scope of the review is wide ranging and is likely to bring in the expertise of all sorts of leading lights in the Euran game, as well as some foreign names familiar with football in Eura. It will be led by 70-year-old Tom Riley, the recently retired football manager and former Euran World Cup winning captain who himself had played a role in the first of Eura’s three recent qualifying failures, serving as assistant to the ill fated reign of Lee Sharp. Despite that connection with the existing generation of the game that Lake has taken aim at, Riley is thought to be open eyed about the challenges facing Euran football and willing to pursue radical solutions in response. It is very unlikely that Lake would have selected Riley unless he was on board with the government’s agenda.

As an interim measure, Riley has appointed 43-year-old Harkdown manager Glen Merson as national team manager on a caretaker basis. “Glen is a fine young coach who might give us the fresh thinking needed to perform well at the Cup of Harmony” Riley told the press, “and once the tournament is over we can think about the future.” This matches up to Lake’s deadline for the review to achieve preliminary findings – the end of the tournament that runs parallel to the World Cup. Merson abruptly took charge of the side for its last qualifying match, beating Bongo Johnson 2-0 with a rotated team, but is expected to select a new squad for the Cup of Harmony with a number of changes.

In that tournament, the Eurans will be hoping their run of bad fortune will finally be relieved at a time where public confidence in Euran football is at an all time low. Eura have reached the final on both of their recent appearances in the tournament (losing to Mriin and Audioslavia respectively), and a poll out today from EurGov has just 17% of Eurans predicting Eura will finally win the elusive junior crown to the World Cup. Merson is possibly the lowest profile appointment Eura have ever made and that will not have raised public confidence in his side. At least Euran fans will be able to drown their sorrows and smash nearby TV screens showing the World Cup without travelling too far from home; the tournament is in Graintfjall, just a hop, skip and a jump away to the middle of Rushmore.

OOC: Continued from here.

“IT’S HAPPENING! MOOOOM, GET THE CAMERA!”
“Hah! You see, my boy? These foolish Euran children have done something unusual in the video game, and the joke is they have really high voices-“
“Papa, I’ve seen this one a thousand times. How long do we have to stay here?”
“Not long at all, my son, not long at all.”
“Commander.”
Commander Hemlich looked up from his 7-year-old to see his adviser Wilhelm stood in the doorway. It must be important, he thought to himself, giving his son a brief hug before rising to his feet. “What is it?”
“It’s Pult – he’s doing a runner.”
“He what?!”

They both watched the television in amazement. After decades in power, Chancellor Pult had been seen off by a civilian blockade of the 5-Bahn highway, and had tried to slip away unnoticed. But a squad of foreign journalists – no longer under any restrictions with the regime in chaos – managed to catch his convoy sneaking into the Meyer Field military airbase with vans that had to be full of loot and other ill gotten gains. A couple of private jets were waiting for him on the tarmac.
“Should we try and stop him?”
“No – let’s not antagonise the army now. They must have leaned on him, realised momentum is against them.”
Hemlich and Wilhelm were stood alone in the expansive living room of the former’s rural home. Reliable Interior Ministry men stood outside, none the wiser to the plotting going on inside. Not all of the news they watched was good – apparently, ethnic Euran protestors were seizing buildings in Stenmark after the locals lacked the numbers to do so alone. Regime control was crumbling everywhere.

Hemlich allowed himself the luxury of a stiff Euran gin. “Well, at least that snake is finished” he declared, “just a shame he’s taken down the whole edifice with him.”
Wilhelm stood in dutiful silence. He had been at Hemlich’s side for a couple of years; he was, in many ways, to Hemlich what Hemlich had been to Minister Lipka. A trusted confidant, an ally, and the man who got the job done. It was him who had been at his side throughout in the storming of the Soldiers House, and him who had led in obtaining the intelligence of Pult’s plan to purge Lipka and the Ministry. Every powerful figure in Austroslovakia needed someone to delegate many of their schemes to – it was hard to find anyone with any influence who wasn’t over reliant on at least one vaguely competent lackey (who was in turn reliant on a sub-lackey slightly more competent than they were). For Hemlich, Wilhelm was that man.

Wilhelm had been there all the way. And he decided at this moment to not let his boss settle.
“Commander, we can’t let this stand. We were forced out of Graz at just the moment that we had almost triumphed. Now look what has happened – rioters have overrun the streets, the lights are out in the capital, there’s no order, no security. Many of our people will be hiding indoors waiting for the anarchy to end. And you? You’re the last authority figure anyone has seen being authoritative. You were magnificent in that TV-Three broadcast.”
“I was” the Commander chortled, “but then the Army started dropping bombs on Graz and look where we are now!”
“We are bruised but we are not beaten, Commander! You told the people your objective was to remove Pult and restore order. It is Pult they blame for all of this. And now he is leaving of his own accord.”

“So?”
“So, we swoop in and fulfil what we said we were going to do. Stabilise the situation across the Principality, arrest a few regime figures associated with Pult, fulfil the wishes of Minister Lipka, and clear the streets. If you can’t take over, who will? But you can’t do anything out here!” Wilhelm gestured towards the large panel windows and the snowy rural landscape outside. “You won’t be credible unless you return to Graz. We can get you on state TV again, make another broadcast – the Army and Police will happily come under your leadership in the absence of anyone else.”
“If that fails…”
“Then you go out into the streets and join the bandwagon. Become the leader of the uprising! Claim you were working from the inside all along!”

“And make myself vulnerable to the baying mobs? I think not. They would never believe me.”
“That’s just the backup plan. Plan A is the way to go.”
“Plan A? We’re on Plan F or something. This has been a disaster through and through. Maybe we should just keep our heads down and wait until things have calmed down a bit before making a move.”
“Pah! I thought more of you, Commander.” Wilhelm, knowing just how to push his principal’s buttons, shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Perhaps you lack the potential Lipka always thought you had.”
The Commander tried to ignore it. Tried to.
“Oh, really?
This regime had a real big problem with ego.

“…how do we do it?”
“I have procured a helicopter already – its on its way here now.”
“What about our men? They’re all here.”
“They can follow later. We go straight to Soldiers House. Our officers still control it. From there, we get the city under control.”
“Ok…I can see it. Right. Yes! We can do it.”
“We can!”
“I’ll get my things – wait, what about the family?”
“Leave them. They’re safer here.”
“Good, yes, you’re right. No need to take any undue risks. Stefan!” Hemlich grabbed his boy and gave him a bear hug. “I need to go again but I’ll see you again soon. In Graz. In the Chancellor’s house!”

by **Ceni** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:51 pm

NewWaveEnergyArena, Hintersfjörður
Starting Lineup vs. Mertagne
Kosokhan; Farthen, Beren, Guri-Montague (c), Casa-Alta; Renning, Kirchner, Santa Oria, As. Koromin; Cyn-Penzag, Falkenrath

Ceni comes into the Cup of Harmony in poor spirits. After allowing themselves a modicum of hope with a 1-0 victory at home against Flavovespia, the return in Waldster left everyone disappointed as Flavovespia put three goals past Joshua Kosokhan to deny Ceni's bid to return to the World Cup. Now the team heads to their Rushmori neighbors in Græntfjall for the Cup of Harmony, but there's nothing particularly harmonious about this team as player-manager Adrián del Toro must try to cobble together some results while the Cenian FA dithers on its full-time managerial selection. Ceni will play Mertagne first, but as they're a side ranked similarly to Flavovespia, del Toro is expecting to lose. They won't be okay with that, of course, but it's something they're definitely inure to at this point.

The last post lives here.

To Triumph, To Hope
Chapter Eight: Green, Green Grass (part one)

It took the better part of a day, and some whining from Allison about her cell phone, but the party had finally reached the portal at the Valsum volcano that would take them to the legendary land of TiSoFah.

They would hopefully get their immortality there, but with all quests... who knew?

As the group staggered from the portal into TiSoFah, they surveyed the landscape with some immediate distaste. They had essentially gone from a gray volcano to a different kind of gray landscape. Andrew remembered a song that had made the rounds on social media a few months back. "Green green grass, blue blue sky / You'd better throw a party on the day that I die..." Even without his phone to pump music through his headphones, he still found himself humming.

For their current circumstances, the song was both ironic and strangely on point.

Looking around the strange and unfamiliar land, Andrew saw little green grass and a sky that reminded him more of Holdenberg than Sanford. In fact, there was little vegetation to speak of. The Dust Bowl-esque landscape radiated out into the sky, giving the whole land an earthish and somewhat desolate tinge. It didn't quite seem morbid yet to Andrew, but his thoughts soon turned there. People would at least celebrate them if they didn't come back, right? Andrew was no Laborious Hawk, and Liam was no Ardil Navsal, but at least they had made a name for themselves...

Right?

After he got off his impostor syndrome thought process, his brain "Somebody will definitely die here," Andrew muttered to himself.

But he apparently spoke loud enough for Liam to hear him. "Let's just hope it's not us," his boyfriend said.

Still dazed at the sudden (and literal) change in scenery, Andrew merely gaped at the landscape that they faced in front of them. "Let's start walking, then."

Sarah came over to harass them. (Maybe harass was putting it a little strongly.) "Whatcha two shorties talking about? Intimidated by the landscape here?"

Andrew only squeaked out a small nothingburger in response to Sarah as a small settlement appeared over the horizon. "Is that where we'll be staying?" Andrew asked.

Jaxon Madison went on a long rant about being out of place, which led to Nicole declaring that the group would try to pitch camp away from the settlement. But the gridiron boys convinced Nicole and Jaxon to explore the settlement after finding it totally empty with their binoculars. But things felt a little eerie to Nicole and Jaxon overall, and if things felt eerie to Drawkians in a place that was more on their turf than his... imagine how eerie Andrew felt with everything going on around him!

After a while, they reached an abandoned tavern; Jaxon went inside to ascertain whether it was safe or whether some godforsaken monster would tear their guts out immediately upon entering.

"Come on in, guys. It's spooky in there, but not a soul to be found," he said after a few nerve-wracking minutes. Jaxon was the only person who knew how things went there in TiSoFah, and if they lost him... Andrew didn't know what they would all do. The group trooped into the tavern, and Jaxon outlined their plans for the night.

"Do you think we could go out while you guys get dinner going?" asked Jack Hoy, who played gridiron for Drawkland's national team. Leo Cross and Riley Hoyt — his teammates — nodded in agreement. After Jaxon gave the go-ahead, Andrew volunteered himself and Liam to go with Jack, Leo, and Riley — perhaps against his better judgment.

Just after the group had traversed an eerie ghost town, they would be split up all over again? It didn't seem like a good idea to Andrew. But he had volunteered anyway, so Andrew and Liam exited the tavern to start scavenging for supplies.

At least they could get to know the gridiron guys better.

by **Patriotlandia** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:56 pm

Compendium of enterprises and where to find them

Adélard Magencier
L'Étendard

L'Étendard as always been a favoured source for business news in this country but rarely as there been an effort to present Patriotlandian companies unless a specific story had to be run. This series will serve to promote local businesses, big or small, and bring into the public eye. Investors, possible clients and the genuinely curious reader should learn plenty about the many business that make up economic landscape of this nation. Many companies have recently taken to sponsor sports teams throughout the country to make their brands known but this is a luxury only available to the biggest among them.

Our first stop along this cross country tour is in the capital, Jolicoeur. They are headquartered in inconspicuous bricked building in a part of town that is not really know for its industrial complex. While the brickwork is nothing to write home about, what is behind the façade is infinitely more interesting. While mostly unbranded, a small inscription on the door let's us know exactly what it is. "Patriotlandia Cheese Association" is quite unequivocal but the PCA is much more than one would think. Formed out of a partnership between the multitudes of cheese makers from around the country to improve their bargaining power, marketing and overall improve the services available to them. In the offices above the main entrance, teams of lawyers, salespersons, consultants and accountants are all at the disposal of members to help them sort out their issues and reduce the financial strain of running a small but growing business. Members also benefit from a common marketing strategies as well as engineering help for automation and industrial planning. However, the biggest part of the work happens beyond the first few rooms. As you walk past the atrium, one enters a bustling warehouse where workers can be seen taking merchandise off and on the many different trucks parked along the side of the building. Members of the PCA benefit from the non-profit's transport network in order to get their products out of their inventories and onto store shelves. Whether by land, rail, sea or air, the PCA is responsable for the transit of the goods which reduces the pressure on the local cheesemakers and brings more diversity of products to consumers.

But great cheeses and no marketing would not sell anything. For years, the Patriotlandia Cheese Association have organised the "Red Ribbon" competition. Consumers, critics and experts are able to vote for their favourite cheeses in a head-to-head format until one remains. The winner gets the right to included the coveted red ribbon on their packaging and gets a substantial boost to marketing as Patriotlandia's best cheese. While winners cannot re-enter the competition, the PCA continues to promote the winners as part of the "Red Ribbon Collection" that can be seen in supermarkets around the world. Last year's winner "Persy-Parsley" a brick style cheese from Persy in the province of Sourterre, brought to light the small village for many cheese connaisseur. The small shop, "From-Halte" as seen quite the change from winning the competition. "We were just making for a few local shops here in town", said owner Samantha Pruneau. "Now had to make plans to expand and increase production but also we now get tourists from all over wanting to see the process". "It's been really fun for the whole village and everyone got involved in some way. It brought us together."

Today, national team manager Jean-Alexandre Carignan announced his plans for the national team lineup for the coming Cup of Harmony in Græntfjall. The manager wants to give the occasion to all players to get the international experience. He said to expect multiple starting lineups to be used throughout the tournament.

Name		 	 Position	Age	Team					Caps	G	A	CS
Lucien Graham		 ST		26	Stade Conflans		 	 	 23	13	5	
Heather Graham		 ST		24	AS Couen		 	 	 5	4	1	
Glenn Wils		 ST		21	(QUE) Wansan Noksaekjeonsa		 4	3		
Bertrand Langlais	 LW/LM		22	Union Port-la-Ville		 	 24	10	5	
Emmanuel Francoeur	 LW		25	Stade Conflans		 		 8	3		
David Rodin		 CM/RM		28	Union Port-la-Ville		 	 24	7	3	
Harlow Hopkins		 CM / W		26	AS Couen		 	 	 8	2	1	
Alexandre Desrives	 CM/CAM		27	Rapides St-Charles		 	 25	5	8	
Alexia Brant		 ST/CAM		28	CF Capitale		 	 	 7	4	1	
Evan Lachapelle 	 CM		24	Rapides St-Charles		 	 24	3	1	
Elie Manahan		 CM		20	Grand-Ours Rovers		 	 24	4	2	
Samuelle Savoie-Smith	 CM		20	(TKT) Carathyr Emeralds FC		 8	1	1	
Aya Palmer		 CDM		31	Athletique Alexandrie		 	 8			
Bruno Vaillancourt	 LB/RB		27	Stade Conflans		 		 25	3	1	
Jannie Bromont		 CB		27	Grand-Ours Rovers		 	 25	1		
William Ranger		 CB		26	Griffin Isles United		 	 25			
Jean-Philippe Nault	 CB		24	Stade Conflans		 		 7			
Catherine Singer	 CB		26	Union Port-la-Ville			 7			
Loïc Laflèche		 RB		25	Athletique Alexandrie		 	 25	1	1	
Hergé Calpier		 RB		26	CF Capitale		 	 	 7			
Paul Lataupe		 GK		29	Union Port-la-Ville		 	 24			4
Aurélien About		 GK		30	AS Couen		 	 	 8			1

by **Independent Athletes from Quebec** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:57 pm

Dr. Heo and the Portal of Madness II: Map of the Problematique

PART 2.7 (40) - The Last of Us

While the actual Dr. Heo was busy finding out that there existed other version of him, and Joon-Gweon busy travelling to figure out that he had to bring together his fellow band of travellers to prevent his world from falling apart, the Creator himself was chatting with the Dr. Heo of the Planet 88.

For those who don't know the Pal-Pal, if you directly read it with onomatopoeia, was translated in the Korean of his world, which often but did not always translate to hundreds of [Quebec] & [Shingoryeo], as 'bulging', 'fresh', or the combination of such.

Now, Maybe some of them would remember it for Pal-Pal-Olympic, which would mean the 1988 Seoul Olympics that happened when his parents were nowhere near meeting one another - his father was under hiding from the Junta's relics in those days, while his mother was still in high school just outside the hosting city, unaware of the next decade of her own life that's going to be as dramatic as that of her son's past decade [2013-23].

'You definitely don't look the way I had expected all this time,' said Dr. Heo-88, a lonely, long-bearded, grease-bellied engineer hidden away in a penthouse high above some Joongyeong-area skyscraper. With the way he looked, he was certainly not having a good day. 'The Creator, from what we have been told, is a brutal man with penchant for causing natural disasters to punish his own subjects.'

'But you have known all about the world beyond?' The Creator asked, interested to hear what the Dr. Heo-88 is claiming about. 'Please tell me about this, dear child, for I am not going to stay here for too long. There's a whole world out there to save.' He asked again, this time in a bit more authoritative tone.

Dr. Heo-88 started to explain: 'Well it's a small, but tight-knitted community.' he said, the look on his eyes still sharp as ever. 'There's about a two-hundred of us, and we keep in contact with each other via a Telegram channel, and we keep the world updated through postings of sightings and group quests, similar to how the old-worlders used to play so-called MapleStory,' he said.

What Dr. Heo-88 did not tell about the rest, however, was the eyesight issue that most carried for almost entire his life. This had meant that he, heavily reliant upon his own intuition and senses, did not exactly have the best understanding of the greater world surrounding them. 'But I would suggest that you stay away from delving deeper into this group, for they might be a lost cause of own, and that you head back home.' he said.

'You will see that the world, when broken away for the sake of ideas and boredom, will mean little. And when those who perpetrate them for frivolous purposes like, as I have said, breaking away for the sake of boredom and pretensions of something new...you will actually find that the world you will get...provides the very opposite of what you desire.'

'How so?' The Creator asked. He was somewhat surprised to hear the response. 'Get to the point.'

All of sudden, their world of Quebec and Shingoryeo was floating above the clouds, with the floor of their lounges set in thousands of floating pieces. It was almost as if the denizens in this country of madness were headed for something else, as 94 million people here were situated high above the clouds and had started to eat one another out in the Laputa-esque vision.

Or that of Bernard Werber's Le Papillion des Etoiles was happening where we would see them head aimlessly into a world, in the hopes of finding the Second Earth where the chosen people could be saved.

'Laputa,' said The Creator, amused to see that the people here, on this version of Quebec and Shingoryeo, have decided to go up, and up, instead of fixing the eroding barriers of interdimensional boundaries around the Shingoryeoite realms. 'So the world you have here is the one that chose not to care, or rather not to care enough, and have instead sought out the world where the magical folk, instead of doing the dirty work under the table, had come out forward.'

'This is absolutely true,' Dr. Heo-88 said. 'Honestly, it is funny how the things have worked out. Instead of going underwater like how our ancestors, the people of the maritime fame, would have done...we have instead moved up, to the skies...'

'But why?' he asked.

'Well, you see. The people here have tried our best to find a solution to the cirrhosis, but instead of finding the right choice of coexistence as yours may try to do, they have decided to find their way in the skies to isolate.' Dr. Heo-88 said, his eyes changing colour from dark to red. 'On surface it appeared to be the best possible option, though I would argue in hindsight that there was no winner or loser - this Laputa, while a safe haven on appearance, has little room to escape. You only have so many ways to escape and in times of instabilities this had meant deadly wars and conflicts among us. Almost as if some of our worries, regarding the facilitation of the "perfect community", had proven us so.'

A moment of silence followed. 'But then what about those who had supposedly taken over in this world?' he asked.

'Do they really matter?' Dr. Heo-88 chuckled. 'They don't, at least not to us seers. While those who had come to take over in our place...those wandering strangers, had done little. All words, no gain, the dust of time would too pass by them, like how those before had done so before our arrival.'

by **Cardenao** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:58 pm

At A Glance: A World Cup Review, A Cup of Harmony Preview

Well it's safe to say our go at qualification for the 93rd World Cup didn't go as well but you're Cardenaoan so you already knew that. Fourth place was indeed our best performance but finished six points astray despite strong performances like the two draws to The Holy Empire or the 5-1 victory against Darmen. There were some bad things too, notably not qualifying and also The Loss against Saint Eleanor. Overall though, it was a decent, if painful showing and the team will be chomping at the bit to get to the Round of 16 in the Cup of Harmony as they did last edition and to hopefully go even further and win the whole thing. Let's review the players.

Starting XI:
GK: Ray Holland: 8/10, 20 starts. Ray was great, with the veteran keeper looking every bit as strong, tall, and agile as he did in his youth. At 33 years of age, you'd expect him to show signs of slowing down but that's really not been the case, making several incredible reflex saves to help us in the first match against The Holy Empire. Bang on Ray, we'd love to see you in the team for as long as possible.

LB: Hendrix Salvadore: 6/10, 16 starts, 4 bench appearances. While it wasn't a poor World Cup from Hendrix Salvadore, it also wasn't very good either with the experienced left back only providing a single goal and pair of assists. His level of play was good, solid dribbling, good defensive tackles, combining extremely well with Chímo Ventura ahead of him, but we do need him to be more creative than he was in 93rd World Cup. With 75 caps to his name, Salvadore is an ace player but this Cup of Harmony will demand more from the 29 year old.

CB: Emmanuel Odita: 8/10, 19 starts, 1 bench appearance. It was a solid World Cup for the 25 year old, who finally broke the 50-cap threshold after three WCs with the team. Odita showed real strength and defensive ability with crunching tackles, precise positioning, and commanding the backline and moving the four of them as a unit. Did I mention he contributed a sweet headed goal in the 4-2 win against Darkmania. How could he rank higher? More clean sheets please. Seriously, I think Cardenao has only kept 17 clean sheets in 92 matches, so more of those would be very appreciated.

CB: Samuel Alcatron: 7/10, 18 starts, 2 bench appearances. Samuel was class all tournament long with one notable exception: The Result. That's all I have to say about that. To his credit, Sam was exactly the sort of ball playing centerback the team needs, proving to be calm and reliable in advancing the ball from defense and when hitting long balls from deep. It's the same gripe here, more clean sheets and please, please please please never conceded eight or more goals in a match every again.

RB: Dylan Mathers: 4/10, 14 starts, 4 bench appearances. I have to say it became increasingly painful to see Dylan Mathers line up for us. Our former captain failed to contribute a goal or an assist, he looked to have lost a half yard of pace, passes he would usually connect were going astray, things generally weren't right for Mr. Mathers in the World Cup. Hopefully he regains his form in the Cup of Harmony but at 31 years of age, I wonder if the reality is that he is simply over the hill and it's time to hand the starting role to someone more fit.

CM: Diego Valenzuela: 7/10, 19 starts, 1 bench appearance. Diego V oh Captain my Captain. Another solid string of showings for our calm and cool midfield commander who sits back and plays it safe so the rest of the team can play in the attacking, swagger filled way that has become the norm for Cardenao. Ever reliable with his long passing and ability to set the tempo of attack, Diego Valenzuela smashed home a goal against Aureumterra and provided three additional assists. More of the same would be great, though I would appreciate the 28 year old being a bit more dependable in defensive battles.

CM: Giampetro Vera: 3/10, 12 starts, 6 bench appearances. I'm honestly surprised to see Giammy V getting the starting position going into the Cup of Harmony, I thought it was clear that the 31 year old was washed up, only provided a single goal and an assist to go with it. That's not the quality we need starting in our midfield if we want to win some trophies and break into the top tier of footballing nations. Oh and the speed and high pace that made Vera so famous? Seems to be largely gone, so I don't really understand why he's playing instead of the much more dynamic Lonzo Capiatelli or the sharp knife that's Jenario Cervahir. I doubt he finishes the tournament as the starter, especially if our back is against the wall.

AM: Haritz Larrainzar: 10/10, 20 starts, 2 bench appearances. The only player on the squad to play in every single qualifying match, Haritz Larrainzar might possibly be my God. Disregarding him being named player of the season in the Tikariot Premier league and winning the league title…again sometime through the qualification period, the man was absolutely sensational for the National Team. Incredible passing, accurate shooting that either went in or bounced to a Cardenao follow-up, tracking back and making last second tackles, throwing his balls on the line to block a shot against Saint Eleanor even after we'd conceded six, the man gave it his all and he was perfect in every way. How about four goals and ten assists to go on top of that, the most goal involvements of any Cardenaoan player? That's hot.

LW: Ibai Acosta-Vargas: 8/10, 16 starts, 4 bench appearances. Another great World Cup from our record assist holder with 31 to his name now, I A-V was typically dangerous from the left wing. One goal and five assists tops off generally great play from the 31 year old, who's tricky dribbling, quick starts and stops, and ability to put the ball exactly where he wants through a cross or pass continues to make him one of our most dangerous players. That being said……he wasn't quite as sharp and all around excellent as he has been in years past, he's still amazing and is our starting left winger for sure, but you have to wonder just how many days the lion has left.

ST: Juanma Saez: 9/10, 20 starts, 4 bench appearances. Juanma is Cardenao's leading goalscorer and it was easy to see why in the World Cup. He's got a great eye for goal, the knowledge and ability to put himself in the optimal shooting position, and the sheer fckn ability to put the ball into the back of the net. Seven goals and three assists might not have been his best ever showing at the World Cup, but that's still seven goals and three assists and that's what we need from him. Maybe more goals but at the rate Chímo is banging them in, that might not be a problem. Speaking of Chímo…

RW: Chímo Ventura: 10/10, 18 starts, 3 bench appearances. Chímoooooo has now become the focus of our attack and the 21 year old repaid the trust with nine goals and three assists during the World Cup. The lad has sharp shooting and great attacking movement to put defenses to the sword. 12 goal contributions is great but you get the sense he is truly only getting started, which is scary to say. The lad is already our second highest goal scorer of all time and is only 12 behind Juanma Saez.

by **Graintfjall** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 5:04 pm

Logo made by Qasden.

RP cutoff for MD1

Group 1
Lozho 0–1 Cap Nord
Eshialand 3–0 Valentine Z
Aleirave 4–4 Saint Eleanor

  Group 1                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Eshialand                          1   1  0  0    3   0  +3    3
2 Cap Nord                           1   1  0  0    1   0  +1    3
3 Aleirave                           1   0  1  0    4   4   0    1
  Saint Eleanor                      1   0  1  0    4   4   0    1
5 Lozho                              1   0  0  1    0   1  −1    0
6 Valentine Z                        1   0  0  1    0   3  −3    0

Group 2
West Barack and East Obama 1–4 Cassadaigua
Saterun 2–2 Elmyia
HUElavia 0–0 Trolleborg

  Group 2                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Cassadaigua                        1   1  0  0    4   1  +3    3
2 Elmyia                             1   0  1  0    2   2   0    1
  HUElavia                           1   0  1  0    0   0   0    1
  Saterun                            1   0  1  0    2   2   0    1
  Trolleborg                         1   0  1  0    0   0   0    1
6 West Barack and East Obama         1   0  0  1    1   4  −3    0

Group 3
Poafmersia 0–0 Fort McKinley
Krytenia 2–1 Patriotlandia
Darmen 0–3 Mytanija

  Group 3                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Mytanija                           1   1  0  0    3   0  +3    3
2 Krytenia                           1   1  0  0    2   1  +1    3
3 Fort McKinley                      1   0  1  0    0   0   0    1
  Poafmersia                         1   0  1  0    0   0   0    1
5 Patriotlandia                      1   0  0  1    1   2  −1    0
6 Darmen                             1   0  0  1    0   3  −3    0

Group 4
Eraman 2–1 Oberour Ar Moro
Naixi 1–1 Stevencousin
Ceni 1–3 Mertagne

  Group 4                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Mertagne                           1   1  0  0    3   1  +2    3
2 Eraman                             1   1  0  0    2   1  +1    3
3 Naixi                              1   0  1  0    1   1   0    1
  Stevencousin                       1   0  1  0    1   1   0    1
5 Oberour Ar Moro                    1   0  0  1    1   2  −1    0
6 Ceni                               1   0  0  1    1   3  −2    0

Group 5
Ziwana 2–3 Ile de Richelieu
Baggieland 0–1 Sendhang
Audioslavia 0–1 Qasden

  Group 5                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Ile de Richelieu                   1   1  0  0    3   2  +1    3
  Qasden                             1   1  0  0    1   0  +1    3
  Sendhang                           1   1  0  0    1   0  +1    3
4 Audioslavia                        1   0  0  1    0   1  −1    0
  Baggieland                         1   0  0  1    0   1  −1    0
  Ziwana                             1   0  0  1    2   3  −1    0

Group 6
Aeragny 4–2 Cardenao
Xanneria 3–3 Saperetia
Independent Athletes from Quebec 4–2 Acastanha

  Group 6                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Aeragny                            1   1  0  0    4   2  +2    3
  Independent Athletes from Quebec   1   1  0  0    4   2  +2    3
3 Saperetia                          1   0  1  0    3   3   0    1
  Xanneria                           1   0  1  0    3   3   0    1
5 Acastanha                          1   0  0  1    2   4  −2    0
  Cardenao                           1   0  0  1    2   4  −2    0

Group 7
Brookstation 2–0 Kimi-suomi
Kirungabi 0–0 Estorvipa and Estorpiva
Sargossa 2–0 Eura

  Group 7                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Brookstation                       1   1  0  0    2   0  +2    3
  Sargossa                           1   1  0  0    2   0  +2    3
3 Estorvipa and Estorpiva            1   0  1  0    0   0   0    1
  Kirungabi                          1   0  1  0    0   0   0    1
5 Eura                               1   0  0  1    0   2  −2    0
  Kimi-suomi                         1   0  0  1    0   2  −2    0

Group 8
Atheara 2–0 Gnejs
Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom 2–3 Srubnaya culture
Drawkland 4–4 New Gelderland

  Group 8                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Atheara                            1   1  0  0    2   0  +2    3
2 Srubnaya culture                   1   1  0  0    3   2  +1    3
3 Drawkland                          1   0  1  0    4   4   0    1
  New Gelderland                     1   0  1  0    4   4   0    1
5 Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom          1   0  0  1    2   3  −1    0
6 Gnejs                              1   0  0  1    0   2  −2    0

by **Audioslavia** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 5:25 pm

IMPRISONING WORTHY BROADSHEET SPORTS JOURNALISM BEHIND A PAYWALL SINCE 22XX, IT'S

Grounds for Change
Glass Swan to Form Foundations of Long-Awaited New National Stadium

Cathair’s Arena Kirola has housed Audioslavian football for over a century. Debuting on Matchday Two of World Cup 66’s finals tournament, the stadium has hosted more than three times as many Audioslavia national team matches than any other ground in the country.

In recent years, the age of the stadium has started to show. With tenants 1830 Cathair playing almost every week, and the stadium seeing heavy use for rock concerts and major boxing matches as well as a handful of Bulls games per season, there were always going to be problems with the joints and skeleton as the stadium aged.

As such, plans for a change have been afoot for years. Should the Bulls move house? Most likely to the magnificent Burdina Jauregia in Ferramendiak, nearer the Herraduran heartland of Audioslavian football? Or should a new stadium be built, perhaps closer to major rail networks and airways than the current one in well-to-do Grand Forum? Or should the Arena Kirola be renovated thoroughly, perhaps even from the ground up, and replaced with a stadium befitting the Bulls of Audioslavia and the Elders of 1830 Cathair?

The answer, it appears, is a little of all three.

Audioslavia’s qualifiers for World Cup 94 will take place at Ferramendiak’s gorgeous Burdina Jauregia while the Arena Kirola, set to be sold outright to 1830 Cathair, will be thoroughly renovated, stand by stand, over the coming seasons.

The new stadium, majority funded by the FFA and partialiy funded by one Audioslavian football club, will be built in the western side of the city, closer to Cathair Crossport International Airport and major stations on the High Speed Rail Network that links Laivana and Ferramendiak. That one Audioslavian football club? Shamrock Cathair, who will be moving out of their home at Glass Bridge Stadium within a couple of seasons. Both Union Cathair and Guerrilla Cathair, two sides who have made a habit of hopping around the city earlier in their existences, are both rumoured to be interested in taking over the 31,000 seater ground.

A Greenfield site a kilometre from the end of the Green Line on the Cathair Metro, and a fifteen minute walk (albeit uphill) from Cathair Glassbridge HSR Station, has been sold to an FFA-lead consortium, with ground to be broken within the fortnight.

*
An artist’s impression of the new stadium, to be used by Shamrock Cathair and the Audioslavia National Team

And so, what about the name, and where does the Glass Swan come in?

Designers are suggesting that the swan be built into the arena, ground into sand and spread throughout the very foundations of the stadium. As close as possible to the action, it’s hoped that any magic remaining in the swan will have easy access to the Audioslavia national team. With the nation tiring of #breaktheswan and #rebuildtheswan dominating the football discourse, this decision, to make the trophy part of one much larger, squarer swan, might well appease both sides of the argument.

As for the name, that’s still up for grabs. It’s expected to have glass in its name, what with Shamrock recently moving out of the Glass Bridge Stadium and Glassbridge being the name of the district. The Crystal Palace has been mooted, but there is concern over the form of the team should that become the name. Glass Swan Stadium or simply The Swan are both possibilities, as is Grace, which must be some kind of attempt at sarcasm, given the teams who will be playing there.

One team we hope won't be playing there any time soon will be Qasden, who are now three-for-three in terms of converting fixtures against Audioslavia into one-nothing wins.

*actually an artist's impression of the new San Siro

by **Baggieland** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 7:24 pm

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 8:16 pm

Just in from the Kuodorf MSK Football Arena in Kuodorf, Háttmark - Saint Eleanor superfan Matt Jenkins from Wellington district presents his observations from...

~~World Cup 93~~ Cup of Harmony 85 - Group 1, first game
Aleirave 4 (goals - Fyodor Veshchik 3, Efineha Tesuna'e 14, Veshchik again 68, Terale Fiasala 83)
Saint Eleanor 4 (goals - Dekky weMexala 24 and 43, David Newcastle 54, the absolute madlad that is Exandra Davies 71)

BEST MOMENT: We showed proper fighting spirit when we went two down in the space of a few minutes, got back in the game and kept it competitive from the first minute to the last. If we didn't have that fighting spirit with us all the way, we'd have lost heavily and been staring a middling group finish down the barrel. Which is what's happening now, to be fair.

WORST MOMENT: Seriously? Have you ever heard of Terale Fiasala before? I hadn't but he tore us a new one for the few minutes he was on the pitch. Our defence wasn't focused enough, they let him in for a late equaliser and they were more likely to get away with three points than we were because of him. Shades of Lars fucking Anders there. How tepid were we in those last few minutes???

CoH TITLE DEFENCE HAPPENING-O-METER: All the other sides ranked above us scored four... does that help? Yes? No? We lost against Sendhang in the last CoH group stages so this is an improvement already? I don't think I can tell you if it's happening, mate. Sorry. Not to panic: Bridget Coombe will lead us to a valiant 1-1 draw against Huayramarca on the second matchday of World Cup 94. We'll lose the other two, she'll be feted as a national hero then gunned down in Latrobe high street when we don't win any of our first four qualifiers for 95. Fake-posh wanker.

The World's Most Talented Footballer
Episode I

8:21am - Monday 5th July 2004

"Oh, my goodness," uttered a relatively oblivious Esther Launceston, who had woken up at 8am these past few days purely on instinct and still hadn't had her breakfast yet. "I do at least hope The Reporter hasn't decided to hate me."

Esther looks immaculate as she steps out in white sundress in Whitehammer

"Oooooooooh. They're even on first-name terms with me now." Guess what, Esther? When you're in the living room and preparing to go about your daily business, your husband can hear you.

"They've just called you 'Esther' in the headlines for a while. It's a bit of a habit with the ladies in the national team. 'Esther,' 'Bridget,' 'Lydia,' 'Cathy,' and so on. Not the blokes, strangely enough. And not Georgia. She never gets in the papers."

"Sorry. I haven't had my breakfast yet. If you could please slap up a couple of pancakes, that would be nice."

"Not what I was thinking, but you've already had one divorce in the family. Can't risk a second over what you're going to eat. Anything on them?"

"Oooooh, yes - honey and bananas. I last had that combination a couple of weeks ago and it was lovely. Funnily enough, I also had a great day with barely any problems."

"That would be quite the turnaround. I'll get that on for you. It'll be 26 degrees outside this afternoon so obviously your water gets a few ice cubes... slice of lime?"

"Nifty. I'll have to say yes." (This was, of course, a perfectly free and informed decision.)

While she waited - and got to her senses - Esther decided she deserved a bit of thinking to herself. But about what? Aaaaaaaaaagh. Her spirits had been lifted by a beautiful aria she picked up on SESB Radio 2 the other day, but she didn't quite get the details; trying to remember it seemed like a good use of her time. Inner peace and all that.

By the time her husband came out with breakfast a few minutes later, it had clicked - fairly solidly. "Oh - oh, yes, thank you. I don't think either of us are ones for talking. Having coffee with yours?"

"Yes. It's the dividing line between you eating your breakfast and you eating my breakfast."

That's one way to get an instant pick-me-up. Certainly. It was so nice that she cleared it off in the space of about seven or eight minutes. When you're at the dining table, you don't do anything else. Not unless you stand up and start doing things. She wasn't on her feet for long before---

"Hello? Mavvy from Northern Records here, the nation's largest recording label since 1973. I'm calling to ask - is the lady of the house on the line?"

"Indeed she is."

"Hello, Esther. I'm here to ask - how much of a good job could you do as an actual recording artist?"

"It's a bit of a late birthday present, but I'll take it."

"We have been asked for you to produce the official song of the national Cup of Harmony campaign in... Grant-fee-al over this week."

"Who asked, and why did they have faith in me - of all people - to do it?"

"Eleanorian football. They thought you were the most media-friendly person."

"Oh. You should get Bridget on the line. She's in Kelssek right now but wouldn't mind the call."

"Northern Records' scouting operation targets professional and aspiring musicians, not people with other jobs. We were forwarded to you by people who know about the music industry and public relations. They and us were in agreement that you were the best person to take this project forward. You have a background in this sort of stuff; you're well-rooted in the community and a bit of a personality just about everywhere."

"Fair. She's not much of a singer, anyway."

"You've said you always listen to classical music but you were still put forward for this. How can we be sure you aren't just going to be a convenient figure who just takes the stage, performs and that's it? This is going to be more of a modern, upbeat record. Can you keep up?"

"I didn't say I always did. Only when I'm driving; calmness for calmness's sake. My musical preferences are otherwise pretty diverse."

"Good, very good. So, Esther Launceston performing the official team song. Enticing prospect."

"Very much."

"I'm not sure if I need to say any more than that, but... people are going to remember you for that and more. It could be big here. It could be big everywhere else, or some places like that. You, and Saint Eleanor, could be truly famous. It'll be a new, fun experience and you can take it if you want to do singing after you've stopped playing. You might not even have to wait - you could be remembered as the world's most talented footballer! How many other people at the Cup of Harmony are going to have a hit single under their belt?"

"I'm aware of a blog that's called me 'The World's Sexiest Footballer' - although that particular webmaster got rumbled pretending to be a diplomat posted in the Shambia."

"How did he do that?"

"He pocketed ten thousand dollars for joining Olympique de Rimouski under those pretences, shat the bed and heaven knows what he's up to now."

"We are all about authenticity at Northern Records." Some authenticity. She'd get her slightly-accented voice passed through autotune, the lyrics fed to her by some hotshot who thinks he's a football fan because he knows what an Atletico Menai is, and interviews. A lot of interviews. Although that wouldn't be an unnecessarily big problem for someone on the chattier side of introversion. She might even be able to point out that her voice doesn't dip and swerve that much in real life.

"Thanks. I never wear makeup... most Eleanorian women don't."

"See? That proves his point. When you get here, you'll be treated like a person, not an... automaton. You will be given all the help and support you need, we offer a comprehensive post-recording package, decent renumeration and backing you all the way as you continue your career, however long it might be. And I'd say it would be a little break from all this football thing, despite what it looks like!"

"Football is a lot of things, but it isn't the only thing."

"It's not. ETA to get recording started?"

"I still have to get changed and attend to your office - I'm told it's not that far from here - but I should be there in about an hour or so. Thank yooooou for your custom." And that is indeed what happened.

Eye candy alert! Glamorous Esther bares all in white top and TINY denim shorts

by **Atheara** » Mon Mar 13, 2023 12:09 am

The Beginning of the End

The Atheara-Eshialand Cup meant a lot of things for The Blue Guard. It was a proper beginning for Mugel Krygorf and Zimmerman Brusteric's send off from the national team, a chance to play against Eshialand and fellow regionmates Aleirave, and to properly learn the new changes that were included into their tactics. This time, with Pîyár Wíndýândélângó assisting the team, Atheara sharpened it's general strategy of counter attacking into a difficult blade to stop. Razor sharp even, as provided by Atheara's 3 - 2 win over Eshialand (Their first ever win against their Recentico rivals!) and 5 - 4 loss against Aleirave. All they needed to do was to just find the proper balance between striking forward too hard and holding the pressure from the enemy too long. But they didn't have much time to do so. Because the Cup of Harmony was coming, and it was coming fast.

The Prosaic Union of Gnejs was an interesting nation for The Republic of Atheara to face considering that these two sides have never met in competitive play up until now. With emotions and hopes still high after the Atheara-Eshialand Cup, along with whatever mistake ironing the management was able to make for when it comes to the team tactics, Atheara was ready to hopefully start off the Cup of Harmony in Graintfjall once again with a bang. And in the end, they were able to do so. Atheara won the opening match of their group stage against Gnejs by a score of 2 - 0, with Zack Dawnbridge opening the score with a volley on the 21st and Zakaria Nourenzi clinching the win with a simple open play goal on the 78th. A great start.

Yet despite the team's hopes and emotions being high and after a win against a first time opponent, many would be able to notice that despite everything... There was a slight somber feeling between everyone. Perhaps because they all knew this would be the final time Brusteric and the older Krygorf will be at the team, at least for a while. With Zimmerman also stating that he'd rather phase out of football completely and with Mugel perhaps possibly heading into management (At the least the fans think so), meaning that he'd take a cycle or two out of football... It would truly become an end of an era. The End of Atheara's First Generation, an end that saw nothing too glorious but nothing completely forgettable.

Perhaps it was time the team finally played their heart and soul out.

by **Brookstation** » Mon Mar 13, 2023 3:28 am

UNFORGETTABLE MATCHDAYS

I|II|III|IV|V|VI|VII

THE BEAUTY AND INSANITY OF RAYMOND LOPEZ

Yet another last minute stunner would see Essidise Titans go out of the Harrisson Shield in 2009 on penalties. Had it not been for Sebastian Reimann’s last minute thriller, Essidise would’ve long lost the game but even if the goal managed to give them a temporary, the third consecutive injury time goal would crown Rottenham the winners that day.

Essidise Titans look all set for a brilliant campaign ahead, defeating all their opponents in the group stages. On the other hand, Rottenham performed poorer than their usual level, requiring two consecutive extra time goals against Halebid United and Strange City to make it to the Quarter Finals, just behind Group winners Dreamland City. Rottenham didn’t have their usual starting line up to their disposal, without the original goalkeeper Manny Nyman, which meant that the old playful Raymond Lopez had to be called to action and at the same time, Jorge Nieroba was also injured. Essidise didn’t alter their lineup however, heading into the game with the same side that had defeated Other side of Paradise in the group stage with the likes of Deepak Swamir, Martin Marcus and Sebastian Reimann.

This combination would definitely set a high expectation on Essidise and they dominated the game from the very beginning. With only 15 minutes elapsed, Reimann passed the ball across the box with Marcus running up to knock the bar from just a few yards. The attempt was followed by Emmanuel Dukic’s header just wide of the post.

Rottenham’s poor play could be very well seen from their “efforts” in the first half, apart from a nearly 20 yards distance shot by Pieter Aerents. Reimann on the other hand busy, creating chances for the Titans with United trying to cope up with them. Swamir crossed to Marcus again in the box but fortunately enough, Lopez would come to the rescue, punching the slow ball out of sight. Peter Whitehurst took a well hit free kick, again saved by Lopez the expert with just five minutes left in play. Despite being at the seemingly disadvantageous end, Rottenham managed to take the game to an extra half hour.

Extra time really turned the pressure on Rottenham, who seemed to play with much more dedication in the additional time. But things got bad, just when Lopez, who had been the saviour till now went on with his usual irrational decision and decided to charge down Reimann but the striker had reached the spot before, smacking an easy goal to put the Titans on the lead.

Lopez was devastated as he was the only one who could be held responsible for dejecting his entire team that day inside Old Town Road. With seconds remaining, it seemed obvious that the strong Essidise side were en route another semi-final just after a year. The players in grey lined up for celebration and coach Norman Matthias waited for the referee to give his final blow.

Too late than never, they would forget that Raymond Lopez was still on the pitch. Rottenham were heavily criticized for their previous appearances in the Shield, even finishing pointless during the group stages at time and now it all fell to Lopez to prove everyone wrong. It is not an anomaly for goalkeepers to come forward during the last seconds of the game and so did Lopez. Launching a perfect free-kick, Lopez nervously anticipated the results. Four players awaited the ball. It was either now or never. John Freeman, often termed the lifesaver rises to the occasion and boldly heads past Luke Ilsić to live up to the expectations. Matthias obviously goes insane after having lost all hopes within seconds but his protests and howls couldn’t change the results. Rather, he has to now prepare a list of penalty takers.

Having been the distinct bloodline of Essidise with most of Essidise’s attempts coming through him, Reimann gained the opportunity to go up first but fate would finally deny him as he shot just a few inches higher. Freeman on the other hand would successfully put Rottenham on the lead to put the ball past Ilsić, an advantage that would buy the frail team some confidence.

Rosetti would score and so would Aerents. The order of penalty takers was all set and now it was time for teenager Swamir to take the shot. The attempt was poorly made as the ball went right into the arms of Lopez, who made almost no efforts for that save. Joao Machado would score to make it 3-1 for United, just a few inches from victory and finally with a concluding save from the 36 year old Lopez, denying Paul Robson and Essidise their win, Rottenham would reach the semi-finals along with Other side of Paradise.

MORE FROM THE BEAUTIFUL GAME :
Does playing in your neighbouring nation boost your odds of winning ?
Alexander Lopez: The fighter capable of creating madness
Brookstation cruises past Kimi-Suomi to take the lead in the table

by **Stevencousin** » Mon Mar 13, 2023 4:57 am

NATIONAL ECHO

Byron Hershel Bettinson Ready For A Action

Article by Roy Fieldgad

The Stevenian Ministry of Defense on March 2023, reported that the Stevencousin Navy Force has officially commissioned the fifth Petra class frigate SDS Byron Hershel Bettinson. The Petra class frigates are naval vessels with a displacement of 4,500 tonnes (standard) and 5,400 tonnes (fully loaded). The Petra class is 147.7 m long and 16.1 wide. The propulsion system consists of a CODAG system with 2 Payola MK IIIB gas turbines and 2 Payola MKIV-D engines, enabling speeds in excess of 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph). The ship's crew consists of 100 personnel. The vessel is equipped with a variety of sensors and processing systems, including AESN MM/SPS-768 & SPS-52C 3D radar (X-band versatile AESA radar), AMS MM/SPS-702 (surface radar), DE-1164/11675 (VDS + TASS), SMA MM/SPN-703 (navigation radar), FishCastle Mk III (Combat management system), and Moorbin 2022F ECM system. The Petra class also features electronic warfare and decoys, such as the SADOC-2 (Passive radar system + electronic attack capability integrated into the primary radar antenna) and chaff dispenser. Armament on board includes an AIC-Horen Mk X 127mm naval gun, 2 missile tubes for BT193 Mk4B VL anti-ship missiles, 1 BT900 SAM, AIC-Horen Silverfish 324 mm triple torpedo launchers, 3 × AIC-Horen V 76/62 mm Super Rapid gun. The ship can carry a 1 GH-14M SeaPelican helicopter, which can be housed in one hangar. Overall, the Petra class frigates are well-equipped and versatile naval vessels designed for various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and mine warfare. With the presence of SDS Byron Hershel Bettinson, it is hoped that the national navy becomes stronger and ready to repel all enemy attacks at any time and add value to the country's maritime projection power.

Other News
- CoH85: Stevencousin drew with Naixi in a one-sided match, fortunately, the national defense line was strong to resist the opponent's attack.
- CoH85: Gregory Gigliotti scored on his debut
- CoH85: The absence of Thanuka Jayamanna and Zubar, the midfield seems less effective

85th Cup of Harmony

MD	MATCH                                     STADIUM                            SCORER
MD1	Naixi 1-1 Stevencousin                    Sha Dadao                          Naixi: Kian Zhi Yuan '24 | Stevencousin: Gregory Gigliotti '78

by **Elmyia** » Mon Mar 13, 2023 5:46 am

Saterun 		2 - 2 		Elmyia
 Esparza (2')				 Froggatt (36')
 Sarabola (76')			 Galli (57')
										Katsouranis 	
Assists:
Coiro (2', 76')			Whittingham (36')
				Beresford (57')

1.  Butler
2.  Katsouranis 
3.  Grosso 
4.  Freschi
17. Beresford 
19. Galli    
6.  Simmons 
10. Reid  (Benedetti 80')
23. Rossi  (Beaugemont 80')
20. Whittingham 
11. Froggatt 

Bench: 
5.  Scoular
8.  Speight
9.  Benedetti  80'
12. Silver 
13. Awfield
14. Savalas 
21. Beaugemont  80'
22. Hightower

Remainder of Squad:
7.  Beluigi
15. Flewin
16. Depel
18. Chapman
23. Johnson

The Beaucester Gazette
Porras Era Underway With Exciting Draw
But are Elmyia's new frailties already visible?

Pau Porras had promised entertainment and Elmyia certainly delivered, in a draw as thrillingly open as it was error strewn. Coming off a 4-0 friendly win over Darmen, Elmyia certainly looked like they'd go in possessing confidence. Whilst the forwards certainly held up their end, it was the defence that would come under scrutiny, as Elmyia forfeited a lead in the last 20 minutes.

Elmyia lined up in their most attacking formation yet. Whilst Porras chose to largely finesse the squad from the one he inherited, with young attacking midfielder Sam Depel the only real addition in place of full-back Rossellini, the changes to the lineup were more stark. He switched from 4-4-2 to an attacking 4-3-3. Some of the choices read more like a fan's laundry list of demands than anything else. Katsouranis moved back to full-back from her usual position as a wide midfielder, the mercurial Doug Reid in a midfield three and Valentina Galli starting. It promised to be front foot, and the team continued in that manner.

The real change from the previous era was the use of the full-backs, with Rossi and Froggatt pinned up high, they bombed forward into the space, creating a degree of chaos at both ends. It was present early on, the space in behind Katsouranis was ruthlessly exposed just 2 minutes in, Coiro setting Esparza into the space, taking on an isolated Grosso before tucking the ball away. For all the risk, however, there was a clear reward. Having Katsouranis and Froggatt out on the left meant two of the best Elmyian wingers were able to torment right-back Holst, with Galli also chipping in. A move down this wing was capped off, as Froggatt played a one-two with Whittingham to bring things back level.

As the contest wore on, Elmyia continued to look thrillingly disorganised in both directions. Rampaging in attack, with a glass jaw at the back. Frequently, Grosso, Freschi and Simmons were all the cover available, frequently outnumbered on the counter. For all the questions that will be asked about the midfield, frequently vacated as the team rushed forward, no one will question Galli's contribution. Her constant driving energy forwards, particularly her dribbling through congested areas, caught the eye. Litala 93 will certainly be pleased with their latest midfield asset. He work paid off, Elmyia came flying out of the traps after half-time, and with the pressure mounting she put them ahead. Beresford provided the assist, with the box packed it was a cut back from the right-hand side to the outer edge of the box, driven home with venom.

Once they were 2-1 up, Elmyia continued to press on the attack. This later looked foolish, again leaving inadequate cover; it was a sweeping move on the counter, with left midfielder Becker putting the ball across a vacant box for Sarabola to finish. Katsouranis at full-back also had some significant teething issues, with her picking up a rare yellow card as she struggled defending 1 on 1 without cover. Doug Reid's place might also be under threat, eventually making way for Benedetti to form a 4-4-2 as they went looking for a winner, he seemed frequently absent in play. With so many players pushing up into the spaces he likes to make his own, he appeared crowded, hurried and uninspired. Sam Depel coming into the squad provides a like-for-like replacement who has a much better track record internationally.

Pressing late on for a winner, Elmyia seemed to lack a fully coherent plan, pumping the ball forward with little composure. Overall a draw feels the fairest reflection on a team that has a long way to go in transitioning to a new style of play.

Three Parties Tied Going into 'Biggest Election of Our Times'
Voters want change, but what kind?

With the election only two days away, and the traditional parties polling having gone subterranean, questions linger over who will form the next government. Following the incident with Scuba Dave, and the shameless cowardice of the ruling class, it has been clear that voters are demanding change. What kind remains a mystery.

In the latest set of polls, ANE 2015 (A New Elmyia 2015) have their noses ahead, on around 25% of the vote, but the Nonpartisan League and the Communist Party poll only slightly behind. Each grouping has promised a constituent assembly to deliver sweeping changes to how the country is run. Each has made it clear that allocating seats to the different language groups, and requiring the government to secure a majority from each, is out. Forging a unified Elmyian identity is in. What that will look like is anyone's guess, and how they will run the economy remains under wraps.

The Communist Party's pledge to progressively 'decommidify' the economy and take as much out of private ownership as possible is at least clear, even if the middle classes bury more gold in their mattresses each time their polling goes up. ANE 2015 and the Nonpartisan League have vaguer aims, throwing words like 'modernisation', the '4th sector' and 'high-knowledge' economy around like they're going out of fashion.

The key question is whether any will be able to form a government. To do so they still require a majority of seats elected from each 'language' community (Italian, English, Greek and Non-Aligned) and it's unclear whether the legacy parties will be able to hold enough seats to deny them in any of these. If they do, expect months of wrangling before a government is set.

by **Aeragny** » Mon Mar 13, 2023 7:07 am

Astigui h'Actaegui, Votte Aeráyer! // By might and by right, Forwards, Airannians!

After the overall greatly impressive World Cup Qualifying run, the Drills have gotten themselves invited to the Cup of Harmony tournament in Graentfjall. Many were impressed with the Airannians, who, by chaining together 8 wins as the qualifiers came to a close, placed in 4th in the group, and had even set their sights on a possible play-off match - though it didn't come to pass. Coming from the 9th seed, this was an incredibly impressive run, and as such, Azayo jCarvên didn't have to do much to improve his squad for the Cup of Harmony tournament. A few names have disappeared from the list, and one new player has shown up for the team trainings, but overall; the intention is to maintain smooth sailing from here.

Nation: Aerágny^native / Airannia^anglified
Trigramme: AER
Demonym: Aerá / Airannian
Colours: Dark blue primary, yellow secondary
Nickname: The Drills
Coach: Azayo jCarvên
Captain: Sam Allbhy
Formation: 4-3-3
Style mod: +2.5

All time record: 20 W / 6 D / 8 L || 70 GF / 39 GA
First game: Aerágny 0-2 Kirungabi
Biggest win: Aerágny 10-1 Murphtannia
Biggest loss: Aerágny 2-6 Squornshelan Remnant States
All time top scorer: Gary Goppré (19)
Most matches played: Gary Goppré, Khriss Garyabh, Sam Allbhy (35)

Goalkeepers

#1 - GK - Odês Victorya éys, 33, from Fort Loucas - Current team: Téselqut Ékneyer
#12 - GK - Stergauce ja Dony, 26, from Ascuny roi - Current team: QÉS

Victorya éys still maintains prime position over ja Dony on the national team. For an offensively minded squad such as this team, only conceding 30 goals over the 22 qualifying matches is quite the achievement; and so his position is not disputed. Later on in the competition, ja Dony might turn out to be a substitution though - due to his notorious strength at stopping balls from 11 meters, might be a possible substitution, should a game come to penalty kicks.

Defense

#2 - LB - Viveró Décibeq, 29, from Téselqut - Current team: Rotoro GVG
#3 - CB - Só Kezhinár, 30, from Klujo - Current team: Lydia FCCL
#4 - CB - Gérand Brassa, 26, from Catsfér - Current team: Manáno
#16 - RB - Stéven Lédn, 22, from Vorácy - Current team: QÉS
#13 - LB - Uillten Tillabois, 24, from Charilly - Current team: NV Brotoque
#14 - CB - Férex Pélie, 23, from Glyplexi - Current team: Lydia FCCL
#5 - RB - Çontre Colminge, 22, from Camádrigne - Current team: NV Brotoque

Not a large amount of difference between the qualifying roster and this list of players. Colminge, hot-headed as he is, had already been replaced with Stéven Lédn in the starting XI during the qualifiers, and Ubetzher and Veure didn't quite impress enough to make it to Graentfjall. Each of these players is already well established in the national team, as this is the exact same set of shirts that had to be packed for the Baptism of Fire in Mertagne.

Midfield

#18 - LM - Pelleç Vánu, 24, from Jourfanqi - Current team: Lydia FCCL
#7 - CDM - Sam Allbhy, 30, from Sequitya drábandey - Current team: CLFS
#9 - RM - Bardeus Fichomcéls, 23, from Brotoque - Current team: Veriasod Wolves
#19 - CDM - Renald Duponte, 28, from Eranesque - Current team: Brécelndomer FC
#20 - CAM - Galho Éram, 28, from Sanna Anna - Current team: Chestre
#21 - RM - Arton Seuny, 30, from Fortuna - Current team: Brécelndomer FC

On the midfield, Touz Budd, who practically shared a cap with Renald Duponte, has been passed from the selection - after a series of unconvincing games, he was shown a red card during the final match in World Cup Qualifying against Murphtannia, which wound up becoming a disappointing 1-1 draw. Also notably absent here is Marcell Choréls, who was denied going to the CoH by his team VVV - as the team from Veistergny deiram didn't want to miss their star player during some crucial matches of the national competition; allowing Pelleç Vánu, with only 5 appearances on the NT thus far, to step up. Duponte, unlike Budd, was not culled from the group, and is likely to be substituted during a game - not only as replacement for team captain Sam Allbhy, but also for Brassa, Kezhinár on the defensive line, or even to replace one of the strikers, should the game require a strengthened defense.

Offense

#22 - LW - Lio Trofois, 26, from Chestrivil - Current team: QÉS
#10 - CS - Gary Goppré, 26, from Folmigna - Current team: Lydia FCCL
#11 - RW - Khriss Garyabh, 22, from Brécelndomer - Current team: Pyathora Mariners
#23 - LW - Colman Umuitau, 31, from Justine - Current team: DBWB
#25 - RW - Chyp Tofile, 35, Folmigna - Current team: FC Sémdati

Returning to a triple manned offensive, Lio Trofois finds himself on the team again - the popular supportive winger, who can provide Goppré and Garyabh with deep passes, and overall, impressive team play. Being substituted almost every match during the WCQ final stretch, his inclusion in the basis is not a surprise at all. Quite unlike Chyp Tofile; a legend from Ajurton, who was granted the visit to Graentfjall by jCarvên as a favor - he's already retired from the Ajurtoni NT just last year.

A player being bolded indicates they can be expected to start on the field each match.

Code: Select all: My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following: Choose my goalscorers: Yes(, please!) Godmod scoring events: Yes; within reason RP injuries to my players: Yes Godmod injuries to my players: Yes; within reason Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes Hand out red cards to my players: Yes Godmod other events: Yes; within reason

by **Valentine Z** » Mon Mar 13, 2023 10:07 am

Part 2 – Aoutpine Yangon and Beyond – Burma, The Golden Nation, and its Wonder Capital of Valentine Z.

Aoutpine Yangon, Burma; one of the many territories of Valentine Z, as well as its capital, it is the home to the ever-famous Shwedagon Pagoda, along with various pagodas that have been rebuilt from scratch, all thanks to the efforts of the Valentians themselves – those that have preserved it in their memories, those who have saved and backed up the entire scan of the Earth, and those who have went back in time in order to study the many different cultures and civilizations. For the most of the visitors who came to Valentine Z, they might wonder to themselves as to why Aoutpine Yangon was chosen, and if it was some cognitive bias from the leader of this big and wonderful world – Valkyrie Valentijn Samantha Constantine. There is, of course, a partial truth in that. The bigger truth, however, is Project Resolute. With both sides of the Cold-turned-Hot War busy with one another and still having their trigger fingers away from their nuclear arsenal for that short span of time, Burma spent most of her time as a country enjoying the relative peace, apart from the small skirmishes along the borders due to the distrust that member nations of the Western and Eastern Hemispheres have had on each other. The history of the Pre-Valentian Era has been told many times through many lens and of people, with Gwen Tracer Allison Oxton providing neutral account of it, and thus, that was perhaps for another time. Essentially, the Burma that was in relative peace was a perfect ground for Project Resolute, to take 500,000 people and head on down into underground bunkers and living spaces – which in turn was spread around as an impenetrable dome that covers a great part of Yangon. With no sight of the dome above the city, most of the spies concluded that they have been misled and thus did not pursue further.

Decades after the founding of Valentine Z, Aoutpine Yangon, along with the whole of Burma, has enjoyed quite a generous helping of prosperity – both towards its citizens and towards everyone else who they feel might need it. After all, Valentine Z thrives on the niceness, happiness, and the compassionate nature of its people, a large step-up from the Pre-Valentian Era whereby people have been extremely distrustful of one another, and perhaps even going as far as discrimination and the like. All these, of course, have become nothing but history, with the Valentians as a whole working together for a better future, as one says as a common expression. With the development and many other things that have made Valentine Z tick, there were also a lot of emphasis on “Being yourself” – to embrace one’s culture, race, nationality, religion, and many more. Naturally, this also made Burma a country not only to have hundreds of these ethnic groups, but for these ethnic groups to feel welcome and to not end up as second citizen of the new world. Valkyrie Valentijn and The Sixty, indeed, have worked every step of the way for this. “We will swear to never let any atrocities such as this happen again,” Valkyrie Valentijn proudly shouted into the crowd, naturally not needing a megaphone, “And regardless of nationality, race, language, culture, or religion, we’ll forever consider ourselves Valentians – fellow citizens, friends, and family of one another, and above all – to never hate, to discriminate, and to spread hateful ideologies. Only we ourselves as one, can prevent a terrifying future!”

The infrastructure of Burma has also been drastically improved, with the Valentian Transcontinental Network connecting Aoutpine Yangon and Myitkyina, and in turn effectively connecting the Northern and Southern parts of the country. Other than the VTN, Burma also has a vast network of highways for those who love an occasional roadtrip here and there, along with the high-speed bullet trains for those who need to get somewhere quickly cleanly and efficiently. A few international airports are situated all over the country, while Nawpyithaw is home to a permanent wormhole that is opened up to get to the Valentian-colonized Mars should the need arise. Alternatively, efficient and worry-free space shuttles also run on a schedule regularly, offering 7/14/21 day (and more) packages for those who would either like to see space casually, or for those who wants to get to Mars slightly faster, but in style.

While most of the country has been urbanized, it is without a doubt that just like the rest of the world, greenery has been emphasised on and has been incorporated into many of its buildings and skyscrapers. Public housings and apartments and neighbourhoods have also dotted around the more private and nicer estates, but at the end of the day, it is not a matter of money and income for these, but rather those who would prefer this sort of thing. After all, it is not uncommon to see a CEO of a thriving local business staying in a modest and humble apartment all by himself, while a farmer – who also is well-respected amid his peers – hosting parties in his slightly larger mansion. The two, in particular, have been friends, naturally, and they understand the importance of one another – one provides the ample and delicious food for Burma and beyond, while the other provides garment for all sorts of clothes.

Then there are the relatively plain grounds of Burma, one in particular of Bagan, the ancient holy city of Burma. More than 2000 of these temples and pagodas survived, and even though most of them did not make it through when the nuclear weapons hit all corners of the world, they have been rebuilt by the Valentians, as they have with many of the relics, sites, and other important and culturally significant structures around them. Merchants have made camp in both the smaller and larger sizes and markets around these holy cities, perhaps not to exploit and extort the tourists, but rather to provide genuine souvenirs and refreshments, all for affordable prices. In particular, the strange denominations of Burmese Kyat – 45 Kyat, and 90 Kyat, in particular due to U Ne Win’s superstitious beliefs – were seen being sold either as relatively worn-out genuines, or faithful and new reprints, both of equal worth.

Valkyrie Valentijn looked and happily walked along the robust roadways and pavements, making sure not to hit anything along the way, as well as making sure that she does not touch or shadow the pagodas themselves as a form of respect, given her big stature. Her eyes are definitely different and unusual for a Burmese folk, for they are a brilliant and bright green. Perhaps it was from the mutation, some people thought. After all, (his) eyes used to be brown. How the green eyes exactly happened to her is still a mystery even with all of the Valentian Science and Magic going around, but one thing is for sure: “The jade,” she explained, a remarkably large piece of it in her hands, “Burma’s a jade nation, after all. I mean, of course, we definitely do mine responsibly, along with giving ample breaks, compensations, and the whole nine yards to the workers!” She then put it back into her skirt pocket, slowly making her way along the road, her big and green eyes looking down at the road in front of her, and of possible obstacles that she might have accidentally stepped on. People, naturally, have learned to avoid her large footsteps.

Valentine Z has connected the world already spiritually and emotionally. Perhaps then it was up to the Valentian Transcontinental Network to physically connect these people closer to each other, with travelling to each country a breeze. And in a way, it definitely worked. Other than the typical visitors from around the multiverse, it became extremely easy for the Valentians to visit the stadiums, courts, and race tracks whenever a football match, basketball match, or a NSSCRA race is happening. On top of that, many people of different race and nationalities have also joined in the spirit of Water Festival, celebrated in most Southeast Asian countries, as well as in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and in Yunnan, China (which technically is under Vostrov’s administration, but still under Valentine Z’s territory as an autonomous region). For Burma, the act of drive-by splashing and using ice-cold water has not lost its charm, with all the Valentians embracing it in good fun. And of course, there are a mix of garden hoses and low-power fire hoses used to spice things up a little. A Valentian garden hose typically spits out 1500 litres worth of water per minute, so combine that with effectively 1+ billion people having fun, and the result would be a large amount of need and want for water, all of it provided by Crystal Glaciers Ltd – clean, safe, general-use water for all.

The recent defeat in the hands of the Eshialand, perhaps, was cushioned by the events happening elsewhere, in particular NSSCRA, as well as the upcoming Water Festival as aforementioned. The Valentian Kittens were perhaps a little daunted regarding the opponents that they have to face – Lozho, Eshialand (which they have already had a steamrolled defeat of 3–0), Aleirave, Saint Eleanor (to which they were once again delighted to play against), and last but not least, Cap Nord. Perhaps it’s still too early to tell as to what awaits them, but at the end of the day, the Valentian Kittens know that every loss, every win, every Goal For, every Goal Against – are going to help them in eventuality. After all, as long as these organizations are going to remain in these multiverses and realms, the Kittens will always be one step (and paw) behind, as the Gwen’s Angels have showed recently in IBC, and the drivers in NSSCRA have. World Cup – as with most of the time with association football – is going to be a relatively tough one, what with them staring down against the most renowned teams in history. Time, and Fate, will be on their side.

by **Gnejs** » Mon Mar 13, 2023 10:14 am

Get knocked down and get up again

Menexenus had been getting into fights and taking beatings for as long as he could remember, not always physical ones with the fists and the kicks, but all the same, and this was also true even before all the troubles started back in Kallipolis; scuffles and brawls seemed to always find him and he also always went looking for them, even though he was never a good fighter and often ended up bloodied on the ground, but he never yielded and most people around him had to acknowledge that tenacity of that kind deserved a certain respect, however unwillingly.

He was initially completely oblivious to and uninterested in his parents political dealings, and he was just as likely to strike up a fight with them as any of the random kids in the schoolyard or the agora, but when the war came he started understanding the clear demarcations and polarization into distinct camps, and he wholeheartedly threw himself in with the insurgent Nomophulakes that his family supported and were deeply involved with. He was too young to actually take part in the war, of course, but he waged his own kind of war on the neighborhood streets, where the kids of the opposing sides taunted each other based on the latest battle reports and often came to very real blows. It increased the tension immensely and when the schools started closing down and the parents got more heavily involved it turned everything even more ominous and soon their entire neighborhood felt like a war of attrition, even though the concrete fighting and frontlines were still some ways off in the north.

The war would come to their doorstep as well, of course, and it wrecked havoc on all of them, tearing up wounds so deep they seemed impossible to heal; Menexenus lost both his uncles and other relatives, either falling on the battlefield or through collateral damage. The ancien régime - backed by their foreign allies - eventually ousted the insurgent forces and life became grueling for known Nomophulakes families.

They were mostly just and kept the peace, the soldiers, but they turned a blind eye to the daily harassments and assaults targeted at kids like Menexenus, and even though it’d often stop at words and cruel jests it sometimes didn’t and one time he got cornered by a large gang on his way home from wrestling practice, and they beat and kicked him savagely as a revenge for a oration he had recited the day before, eulogizing the fallen heroes amongst the insurgents; they left him with a broken nose and a battered body all over, but when they were about to run away Menexenus got up and spit blood in their faces, provoking yet another turn of hammering fists and he had to spend a prolonged period in the hospital and then recuperating at home.

The tides of war turned, and in the end the old regime fell, The Nocturnal Council was instituted and the tables turned. Menexenus joined the Young Auxiliaries and repaid his tormentors in kind, but one day his entire world fell apart as his father was accused and quickly judged guilty of wartime corruption, causing the disgrace of the entire family and if things were bad before it became even worse when he was now loathed by both sides.

Menexenus and his family were smuggled out by old friends and like so many Kallipolisians during these years they ended up in the cold and distant Prosaic Union, placed in a set of municipal flats in some place they couldn’t pronounce, and assigned one of those generic last names (in his family’s case, Nilsen). Starting over again is never easy and doing it in Gnejs was even harder, partly because arriving in winter the island itself seemed so frigid and unwelcoming compared to what they were used to, but also because out of the very sizable Kallipolisian diaspora only a minuscule share were families who had supported what would become The Nocturnal Council. So history repeated itself and Menexenus was once again caught up in hostilities, both in the obligatory language classes, school and in the parks and streets of his new home.

It affected him differently this time and he initially became reclusive and avoided conflict instead of seeking it. Perhaps he lacked something to fight for, or at least that’s what his parents surmised when they saw their boy withering away, and they acted on it by elevating their new home, praising the Union and instilling young Menexenus with a new purpose and something novel to feel superior about and trample others with, namely being a more patriotic Kallipolisian-Gnejsian than the other kids. It worked, and he put great effort into learning the language and history of the Union, mainly using it to elevate himself above his peers and forcefully chiding those he deemed not being loyal enough to their new home.

Seeing as wrestling, javelin and other sports he was used to had little traction on the Rock, he instead started playing tennis and football, being devastatingly average in the former and quickly realized he had a natural talent for the latter. It would become his way of life and he eventually ended up playing semi-professionally for AIK Esaias and professionally for Welmia IK.

He developed into an effective midfield playmaker with a decidedly aggressive style, frustrating his opponents with both dirty tricks and skillful plays. When Bjørnstjerne Eriksen was tasked with putting together a national team for the 91st World Cup Qualifications, Menexenus Nilsen was among the players selected and he would grow into a permanent fixture in the starting 11 for the next years, playing and distinguishing himself in both the 91st and 92nd World Cup cycles.

Fate would throw him yet another curveball, however, and knock him off his high horse, because towards the end of the 84th Cup of Harmony he started falling out of favor with Coach Eriksen, being set aside to the benefit of young Tikariot-Gnejsian Samuel Falkmar. During the 42nd Copa Rushmori he fell out with several of his fellow Dandelions due to a controversial transfer situation which would see four of them making the unprecedented move to play in a foreign league. Menexenus was vocal in his criticism, and labeled them all traitors. While the highly successful Copa Campaign smoothed over the internal strife, Menexenus remained in the cold and would see very little game time.

His misfortune continued, because first Welmia IK were relegated, and he had little luck with his new club - Norrholmia IK - who suffered the same fate the next season. With a reputation for being difficult (and some saying he was past his prime) he was not able to secure a contract with any of the Allgnejsan clubs and he went into the 93rd World Cup Qualification cycle «homeless» and with a very bruised ego. The Dandelions played well, and for the first time ever they survived the group stage and qualified for the playoffs, where they would eventually fall short against the Dragonflies of Ko-oren. Menexenus played next to nothing.

It was during the qualifications that he made a big decision. When his contract with Norrholmia expired, he advertised himself as a so-called «free agent» during the international transfer window. He had no guarantees of interest from foreign clubs, but he knew he was guaranteed domestic mocking and ridicule for acting in such a hypocritical manner. He even felt dirty himself. To his surprise - and discomfort - he was eventually approached by the Brookstation club Space Coast Rockets, the third most successful club in Brookstation, hailing from the city of Space Coast. He felt utterly conflicted and feared leaving the Union, which had become such an essential part of his identity. Even after he signed on - a man’s got to eat - he felt at odds with himself, and it all got worse when he travelled down to visit the city and make the formal introductions at the club and with the squad. Continental Rushmore? It all felt so… Foreign. And un-Union-like.

However, after having spent some time in Space Coast he felt the need to readjust his initial reluctance. The people were friendly, the club obviously professionally and well run. The city was vibrant, a Brookstation scientific and educational hub, with its own space station and a young and lively student population. A heated derby tradition with the rival club Other side of Paradise. A thought was beginning to foment in his mind. Maybe, just maybe, his venturing out in the world was not a failure or betrayal of the Union, perhaps it instead was a sign of Union greatness, and his own superiority a beacon of that greatness, a herald of inevitable Union supremacy. Yes, he thought to himself, and he said as much to anyone who tried to call him out on his «turncoat ways».

So again, Menexenus Nilsen found a way to get up and look down upon the rest of humanity. And after the Dandelions performed poorly in the opening game of the 85th Cup of Harmony, and Coach Eriksen decided his midfield needed a more aggressive touch, his views of himself - and the world - were vindicated. And as the Union national anthem played before the kickoff against New Gelderland, Menexenus Nilsen smiled and cracked his knuckles; ready to yet again be the aggressive nuisance, frustrate who ever came in his way, possibly break his nose once more, laugh about it and spit blood in the face of the enemy.

by **Kimi-Suomi** » Mon Mar 13, 2023 10:36 am

After Milchama tore us to shreds in the WCQ playoff, the Huuhkajat of Kimi-Suomi were back in the familiar grounds of the Cup of Harmony looking for a new meaning after a 2nd-straight WCQ Playoff appearance. You could certainly feel that one day, that WC appearance will come (even if those damn Dagans force expansion just because they didn't make it like the egotistical matriarchs they are - sorry, we're friends of TJUN-ia if that makes sense.) we've basically been a very consistent nearly team in both the AOCAF and WCQ, but Esko Laaksonen wants more and he knew, with the recent signings of Huuhkajat players in the ongoing transfer window, that this team can be better and hopefully that will come soon enough - but the focus now is on the now and toinen uusi seikkailu toisella tasolla.

Our first opponent in this 85th Cup of Harmony, set in beautiful Graintfjall, would be Brookstation, a team managed by Billy Browne using a +4 attacking system using an undefined formation. Nökkvi Þjóðbjörnsson Stadium in Goesberg would host this contest and while our defense held on for as long as we could, the attacking pressure that our opponents were putting on us would be too much to bare late in both halves with captain Leon Michael Robes the one who poked it past Peter Nurmi each time. It was a comfortable night for our opponents but it certainly made it feel like shit...and you could certainly feel us crashing back to earth with a thud.

Not the best start, but we still have time to try and make up some ground. Up next is...holy fuck, it's Eura?! Sure, they are under the interim leadership of Glen Merson in a 4-2-2-2 set up, but it is still fucking Eura - and that name (somehow) still means something in these parts. They will be wanting our blood...ja meidän on oltava valmiita mihinkään. NOSTA KUIN HUUHKAJAT!

by **Sendhang** » Mon Mar 13, 2023 11:18 am

85TH CUP OF HARMONY
Matchday 1

The Sendhang national team was geared up for the opening match against Baggieland in the 85th Cup of Harmony. It would be their first match of the tournament and a chance to prove themselves right from the start. They were determined to give their all and start the tournament with a bang, exerting their best in the training sessions as well as undergoing intense tactical sessions.

Unfortunately for Salahudin though, the head coach has again chosen the veteran striker Gusti Sing Nggawe to be the focal point of attack ahead of him. It was a decision that was unsurprising as Salahudin was not at his best but yet still disappointing for the Tapaklaboh-born striker who was determined to redeem himself and set the tournament alight with his individual brilliance. But he still put his frustrations aside and vowed that he would make the most out of every minute of the playing time he gets.

Sendhang started the match with a 4-3-3 formation, Teuku Irfan's favorite formation. The opening minutes were quite uneventful as both teams were just trying to get a feel of each other's game plan and that was until the 18th minute when Sendhang took the lead. It was a typical Sendhang goal that was created out of thin air against the run of play.

The quick counter-attack started at Sendhang's own half with a long diagonal through pass from the left back, Niko Kefalo to Ramon Kalbasi on the ring wing who sets up Gusti Sing Nggawe with a perfectly weighted pass. Gusti then squeezed in the shot between the defenders and into the bottom corner of the goal to make it 1-0. The score remained until the half-time whistle.

Teuku Irfan then decided to put up a defensive line after the break in an attempt to see the game through. In the end, Sendhang was able to hold on and clinch their first three points of the tournament. It was clear that Teuku Irfan got most of his tactics right as it would be an exaggeration to say that Sendhang dominated the game as there were a few moments when things could have gone downhill for them. Nonetheless, Sendhang were able to get the job done and open their account in the tournament.

A dream starts for the Rice Farmers.

85th Cup of Harmony [rosters/RPs/results]

The World's Most Talented Footballer - Episode I

Not The Best Of Starts

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