Cup of Harmony 73 - Everything Thread

by **Beepee** » Wed Oct 03, 2018 7:35 pm

Cup of Harmony - Draw Reaction.

Group E

Tinhampton (56)
Beepee (72)
Freeport (95)
Kelssek (120)

The draw for the 73rd edition of the Cup of Harmony has been made and Beepee will be hoping to improve on their only previous showing at the competition.

Drawn in Group E, Beepee faces tough opposition against, Kelssek, Freeport and Tinhampton.

Kelssek

Whilst on paper Kelssek, currently ranked 120 in the world are the lowest ranked side in the group. They are a former top 10 team and Cup of Harmony winner.

They are making their way back into international competition, having been absent for a number of rotations.

The Kelssek team were caught in somewhat of a minor scandal during World Cup 81when nine of their team was caught licking the yoghurt lids. Apparently, this is somewhat of a taboo in Kelssek. The Beepeean squad, through sponsors Beepeean Independent Grocers, will be providing copious quantities of yoghurt to the Kelssek team prior to the match.

Freeport

The Condottieri, aka Droolius Maximus the Destroyer of World Cup Dreams as per a recent internet meme, performed well in both the Baptism of Fire and the World Cup Qualifying.

Beepee will be looking to not throw Freeport a bone and close down this dangerous sides often potent attacks.

Freeport Isles captain and first international player Kukiri will likely be a player to watch.

Beepets, Beepee's national pet supplies store chain has reported an uptick in squeaky you sales in anticipation of the match.

Tinhampton

Tinhampton may be a relatively new footballing force, but they are likely to run away with this group.

The Tinhampton International Broadcasting on six... two...five... zero kilohertz shortwave radio has become popular in Beepee due to the knoweldgeable commentaries of the likes of George Piratin and Peter Ford.

Clear favourites, Tinhampton will likely keep Beepee guessing on strategy as no team appeared to change formations more than Tinhampton in the qualifying campaign.

Likelihood of Beepee Qualifying from the group: Slim

by **Main Nation Ministry** » Wed Oct 03, 2018 8:11 pm

Tales from the Ministry of Science: Dehydrated

Several scientists were discussing one day in the Ministry of Science about Mr. Dennis Aldridge, who happened to be the creator of the Azerty comic book franchise. "It is currently odd for such a behavior change to occur for his son. He send us some of his drawings and we don't know if he's transmitting some sort of otherworldly signal or just lost his marbles." a glasses-wearing scientist said, while using a beaker to fill up a liquid that seemed to have the same properties as regular water. "Are they still checking the drawings? The boy is the son of a comic book writer and artist after all. He could be having inspiration of some kind." the other scientist asks, calling for a prisoner to test the latest experiment from the Ministry of Science.

"Can't be. There were shapes of some kind on the drawings, but they were too abstract or vague to learn the meaning."
"It's best not to get too worked up on the subject. We have to test to see if the "holy grail" in bottled water works. For the sole purpose to know, if it's necessary to keep in a vault for all eternity." the scientist said, before bringing along the prisoner who is to serve as the test subject.
"What if the drawings are supposed to be some sort of premonition. Are the drawings still pending?"
"Calm down, dearest Lukas. We have more important things to worry about than some drawings. Get the plastic recyclable bottle, ready!"

Lukas poured the water from the beaker inside the recyclable bottle, where the bottle had it's own brand design. "Alright, friend. This here will access the part of your mind that has never been accessed before. The power for your mind to know when to age. If our formula is correct, the diluted serum in the water should trick the brain and other functions of the body to cease to age." the scientist explained, as after some hesitation, the test subject drinks the water.

"This tastes like crap that you would drink straight out of the tap. It doesn't taste like-" the test subject was about to say more, until they immediately clutched their chest, as if they feel the pain from their own heart. The subject's hair became to go white as wrinkles begin to form on their body. "Oh dear..I think we added a bit too much of that serum in there." Lukas remarked, as the subject has already dead on the floor and entering the stages of decomposition. "So. What should we start testing on now?" the other scientist enthusiastically said to Lukas, as the subject was reduced to a pile of some black substance.

by **Kelssek** » Wed Oct 03, 2018 8:50 pm

THE FOOTBALL MAGAZINE ALL THE COOL KIDS ARE READING
DENYING AN OBVIOUS GOALSCORING OPPORTUNITY SINCE 2006

Kelssek internationals get with the transfer shuffle

Re-exposure to the international stage through the World Cup qualifiers is putting plenty of Kelssek players into the transfer spotlight. Clubs in Siovanija and Teusland have already snapped up two young talents while two more are heading to Taeshan in transfers confirmed over the last week.

Lapierre in bidding war
Gabriel Lapierre’s pace, dribbling, and creativity all combined to make the young Lavallois a hot commodity, with 1093 Club de Atlantea ultimately winning out in a bidding war. FC Rotmunde 1932 and TSV Marzig were both in the race for his signature, with the latter reportedly offering a contract which would have made Lapierre the club’s top earner.

Kelssek assistant coach François St-Louis, who had a distinguished career with Albrecht FC in Candelaria And Marquez, is said to have put a word into Gabriel’s ear that he ought to play in the highest-level league possible. The apparently deeper pockets of the Taeshan club did not hurt either. With sources indicating that Lapierre will be paid τ31,500 per week (all amounts calculated at 2.86 Universal Standard Dollars to the thaler), he’s hardly losing out financially. Sources familiar with the negotiation said the Atlantea club didn’t even blink in beating what TSV Marzig put on the table.

Cathal Gallagher will leave Coquitlam United for a reported τ525,000. Teenager Shaheen Taleb will be heading to Taeshan with Sleepy Hollow paying out τ1.1 million to Shearwater FC, and Bayern Phoenix have paid Kirkenes FC close to τ800,000 for Tim Bowler, apparently not put off by the tabloid controversy over the way he eats his yoghurt. CS Saint-Rémy meanwhile couldn’t convince Adrian Tremblay-Fillon to stick around in the young midfielder’s final year of his contract.

While details have been firmly undisclosed, it must have taken a very convincing offer from 1912 Stelburg to pry the budding star from the title contenders at Stade Intersat. While still a raw talent, his work-rate, passing and technical skills make him a vital addition to a club needing to fix its weaknesses in the middle of the park to mount a proper challenge for the Republikaliga title.

Football Kelssek sees development opportunities in foreign moves
Officials with the national team were clear in encouraging players to move abroad if they had offers from leagues with a higher standard of play. Director of Coaching and Player Development Joseph Macklin said this was about being exposed to demands, standards of excellence, and coping with pressures that aren’t as strong in Kelssek.

“Our clubs do a brilliant job of youth development. These transfers we’re seeing are confirmation of that, because teams in other countries are seeing the quality and talent that the KFL academies have nurtured. But it’s also true that you need to be in an environment where you compete against the world’s best week in and week out.”

“Over time the KFL will reach that level. I have no doubt about that because I engage with those clubs and their supporters all the time and I see the ambition and potential that they have. Right now though, when I say that our league is not among the world’s elite, that’s just a statement of fact and it’s not a knock on the very talented and capable officials and players.”

Macklin’s comments imply someone’s had a go at him for that idea, even if it’s something those involved in the KFL would have to be obnoxious morons to take offence at. Which is entirely possible of course. In many respects, from the group stages onwards the UICA competitions are even more demanding as matchups than most given World Cup qualifiers. KFL teams are still far away from playing in those kinds of matches. The key thing however, will be to make sure the national team and the national league are growing and advancing hand-in-hand.

Carousel in the KFL?
Fans will also be speculating on how these transfers could lead to a shuffling of players and the title race next season, Money and history didn’t mean much for Kirkenes FC’s torrid season that left the club fighting off relegation this year. But one has to believe a fistful of thalers brandished at another club can help fix that.

Looking south to Beaulac, CF Outineau got a τ1.4 million payday from the Lapierre transfer and CS Saint-Rémy were forced to let a key player leave for nothing. This might well determine which of the two are more likely to bring a trophy to Beaulac next season. Le rouge-et-blanc are already looking to reinvest the fee for upgrades to their offence, while Saint-Rémy were apparently blindsided by Stelburg’s swoop and don’t seem to have a plan for what to do next.

And of course, more players could also be packing their bags. Brayden Custworth, Kai Poirier and Blake McDonagh are all reportedly high priorities for the scouts heading to the Cup of Harmony. More million-thaler transfers aren’t out of the question.

by **Dreamplanet** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 12:08 am

DREAMPLANET MAKE CUP OF HARMONY RETURN

The Dreamplanetian squad training for their first match.

Last time Dreamplanet was in the Cup of Harmony, it was the 66th edition and Dreamplanet had a horrible performance, only getting one point, however this time the squad will be hoping to turn things around and do well in this competition as it is their reward for doing so well in the World Cup, yet not qualifying. Dreamplanet were finally given the ranking of 108th in the multiverse, which would give Dreamplanet a tough group, but as shown in the World Cup, this Dreamplanet team can play above the expectations, here are the full groups:

Group F
Eastfield Lodge (50)
South Toronto (63)
Polkopia (89)
Dreamplanet (108)

For Dreamplanet, there really is only one goal, and that is to qualify, however it won’t be easy as the worst ranked team in the group. This will also be the first match against all of those teams, but one name is known, and that is of fellow former Worldvision competitors Polkopia, ranked 89. Will Dreamplanet be able to exceed expectation and go through the group? With a domestic football revolution seeing the crowning of Coerefente and the new players gelling in the team, it can be that a Dreamplanetian golden age is on the horizon.

These are the Dreamplanetian matches for the 71st Cup of Harmony:

Saturday, October 6: MD1 - Polkopia vs Dreamplanet
Monday, October 8: MD2 - Eastfield Lodge vs Dreamplanet
Wednesday, October 10: MD3 - Dreamplanet vs South Toronto

Only 3 matches will determine the fate of Dreamplanet, and if we’re through, a Round of 16 spot awaits us, can we do it?

by **Geisenfried** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 4:35 am

Geisenfried Königlich Fußball-Verband proudly presents:
THE OFFICIAL GEISENFRIED NATIONALMANNSCHAFT CUP OF HARMONY LXXIII ROSTER

Kits courtesy of Kirola. Goalkeepers wear a gold jacket.

Manager: Henrik Büchner (49)
Style Modifier: i-squared (-1)
Formation: 4-2-3-1

GOALKEEPERS:
GK 1 Jonas WIESER (26) - Heimüller SC - [17 caps, 7 clean sheets]
GK 12 Vincent JENSEN (23) - Eintracht Rödis - [2 caps, 1 clean sheet]
GK 23 Benjamin FUCHS (19) - Königs FC - [2 caps, 1 clean sheet]

DEFENDERS:
RWB 2 Matthias SCHNEIDER (27) - VfS Königseifert - [20 caps, 0 goals]
LWB 3 Niklaus ZIEGLER (25) - Gryphons FC - [19 caps, 0 goals]
LCB 4 Oskar LINDSTRÖM (24) - Königs FC - [18 caps, 0 goals]
RCB 5 Hector OSTMARK (24) - 1.FSV Dözel - [19 caps, 1 goal]
LDF 13 Joachim SCHMIDT (22) - SV Silbern Sileväl - [8 caps, 0 goals]
CDF 15 Dmitri RESNICK (22) - 1.FSV Dözel - [10 caps, 0 goals]
RDF 22 Viktor STEINHAUER (23) - August Gründer - [8 caps, 0 goals]

MIDFIELDERS:
LDM 6 Elias METZGER (24) - Kapetägien Verein - [18 caps, 1 goal]
RWM 7 Mariusz JAEGER (21) - Kaiserstadt Altien - [19 caps, 4 goals]
RDM 8 Karl MERTENS (25) - August Gründer - [18 caps, 1 goal]
CMF 10 Stefan EICHEL [*] (29) - FC Darnesmark - [21 caps, 3 goals]
LWM 11 Rudi LÖWENTHAL (23) - Königs FC - [20 caps, 7 goals]
DMF 14 Lorenz HAHNEMANN (22) - FC Alster Alba - [6 caps, 0 goals]
CMF 16 Paul BERKHOFF (24) - Heimüller SC - [8 caps, 0 goals]
RMF 17 Alexander RIESZ (23) - VfS Königseifert - [9 caps, 1 goal]
AMF 18 Ephraim ROTHENBERG (23) - Königs FC - [10 caps, 2 goals]
LMF 21 Leopold KEMPF (21) - VfS Königseifert - [7 caps, 0 goals]

STRIKERS:
CF 9 Kieran THIESSEN (25) - Heimüller SC - [19 caps, 8 goals]
RS 19 Felix REICHENBACH (20) - Gryphons FC - [8 caps, 1 goal]
LS 20 Lukas SONDHEIM (22) - Königs FC - [8 caps, 1 goal]

Schedule:
Group D
MD1: v Darkmania - ???, Equestrian States
MD2: v Abanhfleft - ???, Equestrian States
MD3: v Omerica - ???, Equestrian States

Other Notes:

RP Permissions:

by **Oberour Ar Moro** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 7:18 am

Oberour Ar Moro Have a Mountain to Climb
By Aleire d'Anet

The announcement that Oberour Ar Moro had been invited to participate in the Cup of Harmony was met with great pride. The Cup of Harmony is for “the best of the rest” as they say, and as much as Oberour Ar Moro would not want to be “the rest”, it is still an honor.

But then it became clear what “the best of the rest” meant when the list of confirmed participants was released. There was Oberour Ar Moro at sea-level. And then you had to look up to see the next teams. Looking up to Mytanija, up to Qusmo, up to Eastfield Lodge (you’re really craning your neck now!), up to Savojarna, all the way to Abanhfleft.

The 73rd Cup of Harmony would be a mountain for Oberour Ar Moro to climb. A tough, possibly impossible mountain. In my mind, a mountain not unlike Sizailhoù.

If you travel Menezurzh (Translators Note: West, literally "Towards the Mountains"), between Lenn Kaoter and the Vaia Sea, through the Menez Highlands, into the Menezioù Dutrepas, you can find her: Sizailhoù. Colloquially, but respectfully, she is known in legend as the Ankou’s Palace.

Sizailhoù may not be the tallest mountain in Rushmore, but it surely is one of the most imposing. It is steep on all sides to its summit. Where there aren’t vertical walls, there are complex climbs and broad barriers of seracs. All the while buffeted by unpredictable weather, and a constant threat of avalanches. Only nineteen men have reached the summit, and never in the wintertime.

It towers over the other Dutrepas mountains. In the old legends, only the Ankou knows the path up the mountain, where he makes his home and keeps his ever-present watch over the land. But even without legend, Sizailhoù was considered to be almost impossible to climb. The first serious effort to reach the summit in 1547 was a disaster that cost the lives of 20 men. No further attempts would be made again for nearly thirty years.

In the first half of the 16th century, Oberour mountaineers were gaining some renown for their exploits, having summitted some of the tallest mountains in Rushmore. But while men like Drennalus des Blans-Mantiax and Guihen Lieeur de Fain completed treks on mountains across the continent, Oberour Ar Moro’s most prominent peak remained untred upon.

To demonstrate the seriousness this was taken, Chancellor Visant de Haut-Pas wrote in 1567: “It is a cruel embarrassment that an Oberour has never stepped foot on Sizailhoù’s summit. Until the banner of Oberour Ar Moro has flown upon Sizailhoù, the victory over the dominion will never be complete.”

So the regime made the summit of Sizailhoù a national imperative. And the public responded. Attempts to conquer Sizailhoù enthralled the nation through the 1580s into the 1590s.

The first serious expedition sponsored by the regime took place in 1574, and was led by Ergad de Froit-Mantel. De Froit-Mantel is considered by many to be the finest climber not just of the time, but possibly in all of Oberour Ar Moro’s history. Unable to make the summit, de Froit-Mantel and seven others died after being caught by bad weather for six days.

In early spring of 1579, Phelippe dit de Harecourt led the second expedition. He and his team attempted a different route than de Froit-Mantel, with hopes for success. The expedition was a debacle, as dit de Harecourt died from a combination of exhaustion, exposure and altitude sickness. Five others were crushed in an avalanche. One of the two survivors of the expedition described the entire experience as “sheer protracted agony”.

Despite these two grievous failures, the public and the regime were fully invested and hungrier for success than ever. All hands were brought on to make sure the third expedition would be a success. The newest equipment, the most recent studies, and the best men remaining were drafted. The expedition would be led by Milliau Mercier, who had largely retired from mountaineering years prior. His second-in-command would be Ivon de Froit-Mantel, the brother of the Ergad, the leader of the 1574 expedition.

This third expedition was no less difficult than the first two, but the results were so much different. Mercier and de Froit-Mantel were so fast on the ascent that they left their team behind, pushing on to near darkness. Ivon de Froit-Mantel said that as they reached the top of Sizailhoù, the clouds broke and the wind calmed, and they could see the moon starting to climb out of the Vaia Sea for it’s nightly crossing of Oberour Ar Moro. On July 1, 1582, the banner of Oberour Ar Moro finally stood on Sizailhoù.

The descent was possibly even more dramatic. Caught by their own ambition and the falling darkness, Milliau and Ivon were forced to bivouac standing upright on a narrow rock ledge above 8,000 meters, holding onto a small handhold with one hand each. It took 11 grueling hours for the two to complete their descent.

Mercier returned to base camp with seriously frozen hands and feet but having reached the summit. “I stood on the Ankou’s post and saw as the Ankou saw.” Perhaps he saw too much. The experience led to a severe decline in his health, and he would pass away less than four months after completing the journey.

His climbing partner, Ivon, would later become Minister for Trade and a member of the Praesidium. “I climbed Sizailhoù to find my brother. I did not find Ergad, but I know I passed him.”

Even the most terrible of mountains in Oberour Ar Moro has been claimed, though perhaps not tamed, and certainly not without difficulty. The Dragoons of Oberour Ar Moro follow the footsteps in the snow of dit de Harecourt, Mercier, and the de Froit-Mantels, and hope to conquer this new mountain. They have to hope this first ascent is more successful than the first ascents of Sizailhoù. Though they know the route they chart will be a guide to all teams going forward.

Team Previews:

_Oberour Ar Moro (139)___
WC81 Qualifying Result: 5-7-6, Seventh in Group M

Manager Daric de l’Amie has retained almost the entirety of his regular qualifying roster, with three changes. However, he has added some age, with 25-year-old Midfielder Kieran Aucagne, and 29-year old Winger Yves Tricassin. The Dragoons were a young team in qualifying, with an average age of about 24 years old. Manager de l’Amie must be hoping, like asking Milliau Mercier to lead a third expedition, some maturity and experience will be the change that is required.

In order to emerge from this group, Oberour Ar Moro will have to win some matches, and victories have been hard to come by. The team has all of two wins in their last fourteen matches (thirteen in qualifying and one friendly). On the plus side, in their last ten matches, they have only lost to Balida, Mercedini, and Vilitia, three World Cup bound teams. Draws are better than losses, but draws will not help Oberour Ar Moro achieve success. Like Mercier and de Froit-Mantel, they must go beyond what even seems possible and take greater risks to achieve greater successes.

_The Macabees (84)__
WC81 Qualifying Result: 10-4-4, Fourth in Group B

The Golden Throne found a second wind in the second half of qualifying. Their 6-1-2 record over the second half was good for 36th of all qualifying teams. Their fine form was, unfortunately for them, not enough to qualify out of an extremely competitive group.

_Main Nation Ministry (81)__
WC81 Qualifying Result: 10-5-3, Third in Group N

Their roster gives 15 first team options, along with a full complement of bench players. Clearly, this is a team prepared for multiple styles of play. But like a mountaineer, when you choose your route up the mountain you cannot deviate from it.

_Jeruselem (54)__
WC81 Qualifying Result: 11-3-4, Third in Group K

Jeruselem were a mere point from topping Abanhfleft and finishing second in their group. How will they handle that? Are they still disappointed? Will they let that affect their play? And how would that manifest itself? When climbing, if you do not remain calm and clear-eyed on the ascent, your likelihood of descending drops precipitously.

There is no way around it, Oberour Ar Moro was the last team in the last pot for the Cup of Harmony. In a group of 10 game winners in qualification, Oberour Ar Moro struggled to reach five wins. They earned their right to be a participant, but there is more to be done. From their base, every mountain seems impossible to traverse. But Oberours have conquered such great heights before, though not without difficulty. We shall see how far these Oberours can climb.

Aleire d'Anet is a writer, and a football and mountaineering enthusiast, based in Cyrene.

73rd Cup of Harmony Schedule

MD1: Oberour Ar Moro v The Macabees @ New Lakeland, Cassadaigua
MD2: Main Nation Ministry v Oberour Ar Moro @ Northbury, Cassadaigua
MD3: Oberour Ar Moro v Jeruselem @ South Granby, Cassadaigua

Excerpted from an article on NewGame, a sporting blog. 81st World Cup information compiled using official sources of the former Oberour Ar Moro Football Management Committee (FMC) stored at the FMC records depository at Melito d'Argentueill College, Auscanium. All information acquired under the Regime Records Transparency Act - 1st Post-Tumults Parliament.

Editing for ever more increasing levels of pizzaz!

by **Squornshelan Remnant States** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 8:37 am

Three Things
A Harmonious Preview
Salwan Mynhier

Two major international competitions in one cycle is simply not enough it seems. Yes, that's right, the Black-and-Reds have landed themselves an invitation to the Cup of Harmony in the Equestrian States and Cassadaigua. While we are certainly not favorites to win, or even advance past the group stage, it will certainly be fun to watch a little bonus football.

Instead of making this a list of three things on the same theme, I'm going to mix it up a little bit. Over the course of the tournament, I'll take a look at all the players who suited up for the Black-and-Reds during qualifying and where they might end up by the end of the upcoming international transfer window. I'll start today by reviewing the national team players from Traal Athletics, as well as those from Sivolvian clubs FC Yassaca and Syneca AC, but first, let's take time for a quick look at the Black-and-Reds story thus far, and a preview of our group.

How We Got Here
After an 80-year absence from international football and a civil war which saw the country split in half, the Confederacy of Squornshelan Remnant States returned, first reaching the quarterfinals of the 68th Baptism of Fire Cup, losing to eventual runners-up Shofercia. (our only other loss during the tournament was during the group stage to eventual champions Cobrio) During the ensuing qualifying campaign, the Black-and-Reds performed slightly better than would have been expected based on rank alone, placing 5th in Group 15 with 29 points. The historical significance of our two matches against Geisenfried, with whom Squornshelous played in two group stage matches and one qualifying playoff in years past were overshadowed by two incidents of poisoning, which incapacitated 20 members of the roster. The Confederate Police Bureau remains tight-lipped about their investigation, but most people believe that the poisonings were carried out by foreign agents as part of a plot by the Imperium to embarrass the Confederacy. Doubtless this display of resilience and determination inspired our gracious hosts to invite the Black-and-Reds to the Cup of Harmony.

Group C Preview
Acronius (49)
Mattijana (58)
Squornshelan Remnant States (99)
Mytanija (120)

This draw presents the Black-and-Reds with a definite challenge, as overcoming two top-60 teams to advance looks to be a tall order. Curiously, all three of the other teams in Group C competed in Group 7 of qualifying. Perhaps, since they will be so familiar with each other, the Black-and-Reds can surprise them as a less-known side.

The top team, Acronius qualified for the playoff by taking second position, but came up short against our co-hosts Cassadaigua, losing by an aggregate score of 4-2. It is perhaps fortunate then that Group C will play in the Equestrian States. The Acronians play a fairly standard looking 4-4-2, but do so in an extremely aggressive fashion. Munib, Oleb and company will need to be at their best to stand a chance of containing the likes of Fontanils and Pascale. The Black-and-Reds should have the advantage on aerial plays in their own box though, so I would expect the Acronians to keep the ball along the ground more to avoid giving free clearances to Oleb and Raktsov. If the Black-and-Reds can marshal their defensive forces, there will definitely be counterattacking opportunities. Prediction: SRS 2-3 Acronius

Mattijana finished fourth, scoring more goals than any other Group 7 team. They were let down, however, by a defense which can only be described as porous, allowing over two goals per match. While not quite the "damn the torpoedoes full speed ahead" philosophy that Acronius follow, the Mattijanan side is certainly an attacking one, employing a formation that could perhaps best be described as a 4-3-3 V. They will also likely look to keep the ball along the ground to try to negate the size advantage of the confederate center backs. Our match against them will be a crucial one, as taking no points from it would almost certainly doom us to elimination. It will also be our first match of the tournament, and will set the tone for the remainder of the group stage. Prediction: Mattijana 1-1 SRS

Finally, we come to Mytanija, who finished in sixth, playing a much more defensively responsible style. Despite their status as lowest ranked team in the group, they could certainly pose a challenge to the Black-and-Reds, as playing them will be almost like looking in a mirror. The size and physicality of the Black-and-Reds defense should pose problems for the Mytanar attack, particularly Ocokoljic. One should, however, not forget that the Mytanar have hoisted the very trophy we will be competing for on two occasions, and their management staff knows what it takes to win here. They are certainly not a side to be overlooked. Prediction Mytanija 0-1 SRS

Transfer Prospects: The Champions and Sivolvians
(OOC: Squornshelan players age 2 years per world cup cycle)

Traal Athletics
First and foremost among SCFA teams represented on the Black-and-Reds roster are the league and cup champions. No fewer than seven of their players suited up over the course of world cup qualifying, some more conspicuously than others. Traal will have some tough decisions to make about the future of their team. They may be able to keep the team together in the short term to make another run at the domestic double, but might be wiser to sell one or two players in the next transfer window, given their modest finances. Let's take a look at each of their players, and speculate wildly on where they might be playing next year:

Istaro Munib - GK - 27
At 27, Munib is right in the heart of his prime, and has been the first choice in net for Lopal Daror whenever he has been healthy. His record of 7 clean sheets in 16 appearances is impressive, and he has proven his ability to organize a defense with his cerebral play. Losing him would be a tremendous blow to Traal's hope of repeating though, as their team is definitely built from the net out.
Danin Geladi - LB/LWB - 24
At 24, Geladi is just coming into his prime, and if he works hard with the right training, should be able to overcome his current defensive shortcomings. Personally, I think he is a prime candidate for a transfer, either to a richer club in the Confederacy, or abroad. At his age, he would command a relativey high transfer fee, which would allow Traal to shore themselves up for a more sustained streak of good form.
Tervi Oleb - CB - 26
It is difficult to put a monetary value on Oleb's value to Traal. At just 26, he is already vice captain of the national team, and has at least a few prime years left ahead of him. Like Munib, he is a foundational player to Traal's tactics, and the price needed to pry him away from them would likely be quite high. I can't rule out some foreign club swooping in with a huge bid, but I'd be shocked if Oleb wore anything other than burgundy and sky blue next year.
Skumantas Nakhutin - CB - 24
Nakhutin didn't see very much time during qualifying, and doesn't seem like he would be a big target for foreign clubs. If Traal elect to keep other higher profile players, however, Nakhutin could be a candidate to move to a richer Confederate team looking to shore up their defense, such as Damogran FC or Chalesm FC. Traal will certainly be loathe to part with him just as he comes into his prime, however.
Maryl Antrobus - RB - 28
Antrobus is also less likely to have drawn international attention due to his limited playing time, but, similar to Nakhutin he could be a casualty of the salary budget if Traal hang on to all of their higher profile players. If his career follows a standard trajectory, he'll start to see some physical decline in the coming years, but has a wealth of experience that would serve any club well. The rumors coming my way are of a possible bidding war between Viltvodle City and Viltvodle United, both of whom could use a little help at the back.
Arlo Damot - CM - 29
Captain of both club and country, Damot is one of the most valuable players on the Black-and-Red's roster, despite nearing the end of his prime, Damot's experience and leadership should see him remain on the national team roster for at least one more world cup cycle. I really can't see Traal selling their captain, as the backlash from the fans would be massive.
Doron Aldra - CM - 21
At just 21, Aldra has a lot of time to grow into his role as Damot's heir apparent in midfield. He made a few appearances during qualifying, but didn't do anything to attract much attention. Traal are all but certain to keep him around.

Football Club of Yassaca
Jirar Lomidan - CM - 23
Lomidan was the only Yassaca player picked for the national team, and made a single appearance in qualifying. Yassaca will have a bit of a dilemma when considering his future. They aren't likely to get a big bid from a foreign club to finance filling out their roster, and without Lomidan, they would likely fall near the bottom of the league next year. The fact that there will be no relegations after the coming season may tip the balance in favor of selling though. I think a prime landing spot for him is with Jaglan Royals, if not abroad.

Syneca Athletic Club
Tudan Povarnin - RM - 27
Povarnin was the hero of Syneca's run to the semifinals of the Confederacy Cup. While it's likely he'd never have to buy a drink in Syneca again if he stayed, the rumor mill suggests that he's looking for an opportunity on a bigger stage to showcase his talent in hopes of passing Tambura or Zonde on the national team depth chart. He'll be 29 next world cup, which looks like his best chance for a starting role. I expect him to play outside the Confederacy next year, and if Syneca fans are smart about it, they'll be happy, since his transfer fee will go a long way toward their team's long term stability.

Until next time, I'm Salwan, you're not. Keep Reading.

Squornshelan Remnant States Cup of Harmony 73 Schedule:
MD1: Squornshelan Remnant States v Acronius (Manehattan Industrial Park, Manehattan, ES)
MD2: Squornshelan Remnant States v Mytanija (Elements Stadium, Ponyville, ES)
MD3: Mattijana v Squornshelan Remnant States (Manehattan Industrial Park, Manehattan, ES)

by **Polkopia** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 8:44 am

The Allied States of Polkopia
National Football Team

The Allied States of Polkopia, or commonly known throughout the multiverse as Polkopia, returned to the World Cup following a hiatus from international football competitions since the qualifying matches of the 78th World Cup. In their return to the World Cup, Polkopia defied many bookies' predictions and managed to finish second in their group, trailing behind Valanora whom the Polkopians had managed to beat in their home leg 4-1. Unfortunately, the Polkopians did not manage to qualify for the World Cup, as they lost to Apox with an aggregate score of 2-1. Their dreams of qualifying for the World Cup seemed almost impossible, but hardly anyone would have predicted the Polkopians to make it as far as they did. Prior to the World Cup qualifying matches, head coach Vitali Zorić said that his main goal was to bring the spirit of football back to Polkopia, and by the end of Polkopia's run, he had managed to do just that. When the Polkopian team returned home, they were greeted by over 30,000 fans waiting at the airport, many of whom showered the team with gifts including flowers, letters, and other things to show their appreciation for the team's hard work.

Due to the high football fervor present in Polkopia, Vitali Zorić decided that it would be wise to have his team participate in the Cup of Harmony, another prestigious football tournament for those who didn't quite make it to the World Cup. According to Zorić, the competition will serve to be great practice for the team, whose first time playing together was during the World Cup qualifiers, and playing in more and more football competitions can only serve to strengthen the chemistry he had worked so hard to build prior to the World Cup.

RP Permissions
I give my opponent permission to:
Choose my scorers
Choose my scoring events/godmod any scoring events
RP injuries to my players (No more than one injury per game, with a maximum of 3 injuries for the entire tournament)
Hand out red/yellow cards to Polkopian players (Within reason - please try to be realistic about any fouls that are given to my players.)
Godmod other events

Home/Away Kits

These kits were made courtesy of Red Blackiland

The Polkopian kits that are to be used for the upcoming Cup of Harmony matches are made by Meski Sports who are no longer actively supplying kits, however head coach Vitali Zorić expressed his desire to have his team wear the same kits used by the Polkopian team during the previous World Cup held in Banija and the Free Republics, as well as the 74th World Cup in San José Guayabal and Valladares. According to Zorić, his original plan was that he wanted to bring back the feeling of nostalgia within the Polkopian populace, so when they see this team play, they can remember the excitement that took place all throughout Polkopia years ago. It has managed to work so far, and Zorić himself stated that he doesn't want to 'curse' the momentum of the team by changing their kits.

Staff

____________________________________________________________Head Coach: Vitali Zorić
                                                            Assistant Coach: Zdeslav Tedesco
                                                            Assistant Coach: Luca Naumov
                                                            Goalkeeper Coach Gerardo Adamić
                                                            Team Doctor Tacito Sovolov
                                                            Team Administrator Robert Sobol
                                                            Content Producer Slavko Alessandri

Starting XI

##       POS.     NAME.                         CLUB.             NAT.
#1       GK       Danko Vilar                   Mordavia          
#17      DEF      Anargyros Konstantinov        Peeto Korol'      
#18      DEF      Christos Novak                FC Dovogo         
#27      DEF      Ilia Zupan                    Lada Kirovski     
#42      DEF      Paavo Franić                  Olympik Restnov   
#50      DEF      Boris Yakchuk                 FC Dovogo         
#7       MID      Dalibor Milanov               FC Valinkova       
#20      MID      Varfolomei Bogdanov           FC Rotislav       
#9       MID      Irakliy Živkov                Peeto Gordost'     
#15      MID      Filip Markov                  Mordavia          
#11      FWD      Rafael Korošeć                FC Valinkova

Bench

##       POS.     NAME.                         CLUB.             NAT.
#0       GK       Zdravko Marshupotsev          Avontis FC        
#64      DEF      Valter Kokinos                Lada Kirovski     
#24      DEF      Feofan Ferro                  Peeto Gordost'    
#70      DEF      Leon Goranov                  Mordavia          
#13      MID      Mate Horvatsev                FC Valinkova      
#19      MID      Yakša Adam                    Peeto Korol'      
#5       FWD      Alexandr Rabutsov             Kalinka            
#39      FWD      Vali Stavros                  Peeto Gordost'

Formation and Strategy

Formation: 5-4-1
Style Modifier: +0.5

by **Tinhampton** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 8:55 am

2nd of December 2018: edit to educate future generations:
TINHAMPTON: CUP OF HARMONY 73 CHAMPIONS
2-0 vs Beepee, 3-0 vs Kelssek, 1-0 vs Freeport, 2-0 vs South Toronto, 2-1 vs Main Nation Ministry, 0-0 (2-1 pens) vs Jeruselem, 2-1 vs Juvencus
TINSTRONK! LONG LIVE TINLAND!

OOC: Sorry, guys, but I found some time to kill in which to finish this roster before Friday. By which I mean "on Thursday."

*
the Tinhamptonian National Football Team - The Miners
under the auspices of the Tinhampton Football Association
*
Official 23-Player Roster for the 73rd Cup of Harmony,
to be hosted by Cassadaigua and Equestrian States
*
whilst producing this official roster, it came to our attention that the bottom-right segment of the TFA logo read "MMXXVI" rather than "MMXVII," the year that the TFA was officially recognised. As creative as this oversight may have proved, it is unforgiveable and we have ordered the responsible parties to produce a more accurate version of the crest.

A FEW NOTES:
All clubs are as at the commencement of the yet-to-begin second season of the Megaleague; intramunicipal transfers have already occurred.
Also, please consider that each player has a listed "virtual age" as well as a real-time age, to which 2 is added per World Cup cycle, effective post-WC82.
Atherton and Vatunska will be unavailable against Beepee, see below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LACONIC ROSTER (4-1-4-1) but don't be fooled, our two central midfielders play for Eleven Retinues
Goalkeepers:
1 -- Julia Atherton (Eleven Retinues SC, Tinhampton)
16 -- Tealeala noVenaxali (New Lions Club, Tinhampton; also a Gladom Newion)
23 -- Ryan Elliott (Eleven Retinues SC, Tinhampton)

Defenders:
2 -- Evan Morris (Refinery Hills FC, Tinhampton)
3 -- Davina Salt (Vertos United, Tinhampton)
4 -- Nathaniel George (Refinery Hills FC, Tinhampton)
5 -- Brian Small (Westpark Guns, Tinhampton)
12 -- Steve Andrews (Eleven Retinues SC, Tinhampton)
13 -- Harry Porter (Tin City Rejects, Tinhampton)
14 -- Jamie Valley (Midtown Pals, Tinhampton)
15 -- Peter Wright (Nuclear Geese FC, Tinhampton)

Midfielders:
6 -- Mohamed al-Khazr (Nuclear Geese, Tinhampton)
7 -- Jacob North (Eleven Retinues SC, Tinhampton)
8 -- Louise Whitbread (Eleven Retinues SC, Tinhampton)
9 -- Fetakela Manuta (New Lions Club, Tinhampton; also a Sochean)
17 -- Johnny Holmes (Refinery Hills FC, Tinhampton)
18 -- Chris Richard (Tin City Rejects, Tinhampton)
19 -- Aihlo Vatunska (New Lions Club, Tinhampton; also a Gladom Newion, male)
20 -- Reece Ford (Civil Engineers FC, Tinhampton, "by force")
21 -- Fred Ball (Tin City Rejects, Tinhampton)

Strikers:
10 -- Priscilla Evans (free agent)
11 -- Ian Graham (Tin City Rejects, Tinhampton)
22 -- Ben Williamson (Westpark Guns, Tinhampton)

Manager: Rachel Coltfield
Assistant Manager: Ian Jones

Mean age of players: 28.3
Median age of players: 28
Mode age of players: 27 or 28, both four players each
New players: 8 (noVenaxali, Elliott, Morris, Andrews, North, Whitbread, Holmes, Richard)
Players listed in Tinhampton's 23-player roster for its first tournament, the World Cup 77 qualifiers: 9 (Wright, Porter, Valley, al-Khazr, Ford, Ball, Evans, Graham, Williamson)
Out of contention for first match: 2 (Atherton and Vatunska)
LONG-FORM ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS
#1 - Julia Atherton --- club: Eleven Retinues SC --- when she's not a footballer, she's... a mechanic at a local garage --- virtual age: 24
"It's hard to argue with one goal conceded every 210 minutes," we were told upon Atherton's callup to the squad by Coltfield after the latter's appointment. That figure's about 160 minutes if you take everything all together, which is still not shabby for the world's only professional pub league. Is this a case of favouritism? Doubtful - the manager was previously in charge of an even worse club. Beware the backhand, the general attitude, and... well, the rest of the defence, but other than that, you may know what to expect.

#16 - Tealeala noVenaxali --- club: New Lions Club --- when he's not a footballer, he's... a grocery-shop assistant --- virtual age: 29
Although not necessarily the best choice (c.f. Atherton ) - having conceded barely more than a goal per game, as well as four in the first hour of the Tinhampton Cup final against the Tin City Rejects - he has been foisted onto the squad on the grounds of "well, he won the Megaleague" after obviously-ex-Miners goalie Josh Smith posed as a 19-year-old called Wasim Abdullah and won a place in Saranidia's army. Cheeky bastard.

#23 - Ryan Elliott --- club: Eleven Retinues SC --- when he's not a footballer, he's... a bank teller --- virtual age: 27
Wait, you thought Whitbread's callup was ill-advised? Ryan Elliott has conceded an average of eighteen goals per game in his "professional" football career, although this can be blamed on having to replace Atherton for the last five minutes of the Retinues' 3-0 loss to Polaris after her dismissal. He used to play for them when they were still a pretty decent Sunday League team, though, so that apparently counts as a factor when you're a TFA selector.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DEFENDERS
#2 - Evan Morris --- club: Refinery Hills FC --- when he's not a footballer, he's... a part-time swimming instructor ("I'm sorry, but Hannah doesn't want me constantly absconding when the kids need it the most") --- virtual age: 26
You have every right to respond to this selection with "Evan who?", unless you frequently observe park kickabouts in Tinhampton, which you almost certainly don't. Mostly because he didn't play in the first MegaLeague and was one of several zillion benchsitters during our campaign, or at least most of it. Regardless, after William Potter was kickbanned from the Miners in the wake of the Concord Heights incident, he has now been thrust front and centre... OK, he's the left-back and he didn't plan on lining up in the first place, but our only other option is a 35-year-old geezer who intends to retire soon.

#3 - Davina Salt --- club: Vertos United --- when she's not a footballer, she's... studying Sports Science at Vertos Campus, Tinhampton University --- virtual age: 19
"HUEHUEHUE," they said; "HUEHUEHUEHUEHUE." No matter what they might seem to think about how shitty the Vertosian defence might be - and this can't really be said for the rest of the back four, to be honest - Salt's hard work appears to have paid off, mostly in being recognised as its best player and partially in being recognised as a first-team-quality Tinhamptonian national team footballer. Well, we are Tinhampton, after all, so such is to be expected...

#4 - Nathaniel George --- club: Refinery Hills FC --- when he's not a footballer, he's... a PR guru-in-training --- virtual age: 29
By donating just five dollars to the Centre for Tinhamptonian Missing Children, you can also help us reinvest in child protection systems for organisations everywhere: because together, our present can be their futu---wait, that's a bit of one of his advert scripts, isn't it? How on earth did we forget what he's been up to trying to defend for Tinhampton and actually defending for what was his club for one season before the strike thingy happened? Ah, yeah, that's right, we lost it in all the other paperwork. It wasn't just shipped off to Barker and Warden Advertising, surely?

#5 - Brian Small --- club: Westpark Guns --- when he's not a footballer, he's... a binman operating in the south --- virtual age: 28
Hmmm... is "Small" really the most appropriate name? Despite having been certainly outshadowed against the likes of Brenecia and being almost invisible against certain other teams (Oscioru? At least he got booked there and then, we're talking about other teams here), the man is out to get things right this time. Which, given that the Westpark Guns are an infamously defensive team, is not too much of a tough ask, surely... whether or not he even screwed up in the first place beyond Rozelle is up for debate.

#12 - Steve Andrews --- club: Eleven Retinues SC --- when he's not a footballer, he's... seeking employment --- virtual age: 35
In lieu of... well, Tinhampton City, really (at last), we have managed to convince our resident old-timer would-be player Mr Andrews over here *points* to abandon his proposed slumber and turn out for the Miners for one last time. If at all. Well, it is his first time. He doesn't really plan on a future here anyhow, so please take your rumours of a Steve quota and shove them next to our... gold medal in whatever, to be fair.

#13 - Harry Porter --- club: Tin City Rejects --- when he's not a footballer, he's... working behind the scenes at Tinhampton's health service, please don't abuse him or you will be immediately escorted from the premises --- virtual age: 29
Yeah, or anybody else, for that matter, but the THS wants you to be aware of their rule against it, not that it's been needed very often (this is the bit where I look judgmentally at Priscilla Evans, right?). Anyhow, his fall from grace can be further underlined by noting how he has gone from a regular Tinhampton City reserve to a bureaucrat trying to be somebody, somewhere. On the other hand, he did find %DEITY% in the meanwhile, so...

#14 - Jamie Valley --- club: Midtown Pals --- when he's not a footballer, he's... on welfare --- virtual age: 27
Valley, until recently, represented the archetypical Tinhamptonian defender - play well, concede one (at least), but score one or two (which you'll probably have no involvement in) to help the Miners do something other than lose the game. Regrettably, in light of recent circumstances ~~which cannot be named for legal reasons~~ including, but not limited to, a heightened attitude to defence and... the Concord Heights scandal, poor Jamie has been condemned to the bench for the time being. Whether or not this will last is yet to be proven. Also, Oscioru.

#15 - Peter Wright --- club: Nuclear Geese --- when he's not a footballer, he's... trying to teach English at a local school --- virtual age: 32
Aaaahhh, another player who'se gone threu the ciecle of Tinhamptonian rise and fawl over the months. Inauguraly a Miner from the beginning ?, he has faced meny chalenges as of late, and now had ? a one added beneath ? his normiel shirt numbre. Witch must be pretty embrasing for the poor guy, evedently. ?
Not good enough, whoever wrote this roster. See me at Monday lunchtime with your corrections or risk detention.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MIDFIELDERS
#6 - Mohamed al-Khazr --- club: Nuclear Geese --- when he's not a footballer, he's... selling tickets for the Barrier Islands ferry --- virtual age: 27
Big Mo himself is one of "only" nine survivors from the team that started (and squatted on the benches at Centralis) for Tinhampton's debut - a 1-0 reverse to Electrum on the first day of World Cup 77 qualifying - and our first ever scorer when he came off the bench to net the only goal against Cetheque the next day. We haven't heard from him since... unless you're talking about the countless tackles, somewhat more countable goals and assists, and supposed pushes on Hannah Ranucci that you can count on one finger. Oh, yeah, that and the one he scored against Audioslavia. Wait, I think I've already mentioned that.

#7 - Peter North --- club: Eleven Retinues SC --- when he's not a footballer, he's... a north-eastern postman --- virtual age: 28
Dependable, reliable, trustworthy, vulnerable to attacks by watchdogs - words that describe North by his trade and, as it so turns out, by his part-time career that he only took up because he accidentally opened a letter that was intended for Steve Cameron's (now-since-emigrated) younger brother inviting him to join the Eleven Retinues. (No Brenecian defenders have been handed a court order to be destroyed since that fateful night at Kingsgarden, thankfully.) But is he being chosen because he plays for the same club as Whitbread? Nope, absolutely not, nothing to see here...

#8 - Louise Whitbread --- club: Eleven Retinues SC --- when she's not a footballer, she's... an office receptionist --- virtual age: 28
With "permanent" captain Michael Young having been shockingly ejected from the Tinhamptonian squad by Coltfield, who better to replace him than... I don't know, some Retinues reserve who started all of six games last season and is probably only getting a start for Tinhampton for some baffling reason probably held inside Gladom Newion President Hazanta MeKonta's personal vault? At least she set up one and scored another, which is either truly impressive or rather shitty.

#9 - Fetakela Manuta --- club: New Lions Club --- when he's not a footballer, he's... a Baron of Bargains franchiser --- virtual age: 27
That "another" was a 35-yard free-kick that should have been ruled out after one of São Perebano's defenders was thrown overboard in the build-up (Julia Atherton was sent off two games later, for the record, not ten seconds). On the other side of the River Tin, meanwhile, Manuta - captain of the former Sochean national football team, which admittedly never played a single World Cup qualifier - scored once against Farfadillis' Avenida Leal, another one against Rozelle of Brenecia, twice more in the Cup Final, and another six in the league proper. Blatant goalscoring ability, pace and agility, dodgy connections to Dave Winner... what's not to like?

#17 - Johnny Holmes --- club: Refinery Hills FC --- when he's not a footballer, he's... a freelance journalist --- virtual age: 31
"But wait a minute!" I hear you cry, "Johnny Holmes has too much of a vested interest in Tinhampton to be playing for us, and he didn't even play in the first Megaleague!" The only legitimate response I can offer is that having a highly vested interest in the city to the point of fighting and dying for it is amongst the criteria for playing for the Miners... and Ruth Ford's son is also playing for the team, so shut up, OK?

#18 - Chris Richard --- club: Tin City Rejects --- when he's not a footballer, he's... seeking employment --- virtual age: 26
This is not the "CHRIS AGE 5" who drew Fenwick Tower in Munkchester, as certain worryingly eagle-eyed observers may have noticed. We can confirm that this is, however, the same Chris who missed the penalty that denied the Rejects the opportunity to leapfrom Eleven Retinues to second place in the inaugural Megaleague. Which, apparently, also counts as Tinhampton material when you consider his "work ethic" that has been pointed out to us. Only bench material, it must be said. Rumours that Rachel Coltfield can turn flesh and bone into wood and plastic remain unsubstantiated. Rumours about transsubstantiation. How meta-substantiated.

#19 - Aihlo Vatunska --- club: New Lions Club --- when he's not a footballer, he's... literally a janitor for hire --- virtual age: 28
The sweeper experiment was not only pretty shit but also proved that a diamond by any other name is still as shit for Tinhampton, which is why Vatunska now returns to his "home" in defensive midfield, where he occasionally resides in for New Lions Club (when he's not being yellow-carded, that is). 15 Miller Road, Tinhampton, since you asked so politely... that was the last address he gave us, we're told he left a decade ago.

#20 - Reece Ford --- club: Civil Engineers FC --- when he's not a footballer, he's... also a Baron of Bargains cashier --- virtual age: 31
Also one of the last nine to survive from WCQ77 (ten if you count assistant manager Ian Jones), he has been foisted onto Civil Engineers, named as such due to who founded it a hundred years ago or so, for some reason. By which we mean "fielding a team percieved to be a bunch of absolute nobodies is not a good idea." Given how long he's been rotting on the bench for, it appears unlikely that Ford is securely in either area... or in any area beyond TBS. Ruth and Peter would be utterly ashamed, except they're not.

#21 - Fred Ball --- club: Tin City Rejects --- when he's not a footballer, he's... one of our many government interns --- virtual age: 30
Did somebody say "nobody?" Ever since debuting for Tinhampton at the arse-end of the World Cup 77 qualification cycle, Ball has not just rotted but virtually superglued himself to the bench, and as a result is famous for almost nothing beyond being a civil servant... or an intern, depending on how you look at it. He's only going on the plane to Cassadaigua (and, if we find ourselves that lucky, the Equestrian States) because nobody else felt ready, which should tell you a lot, really.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

STRIKERS
#10 - Priscilla Evans --- club: free agent --- when she's not a footballer, she's... the one who pumps beer drinkaware.co.uk for the facts </sarc> at the Rampant Lion Arms --- virtual age: 33
If not for late, late stoppage-time drama (as can be perpetually expected from Coldfield, at least), poor Priscilla would have led Tinhampton to two World Cups. Alas! the lady is now forcibly parked in Pinkle, aka Cassadaigua and Equestrian States, after Tinhampton was humilated by no less than three separate teams. Also, she's allegedly still waiting on her plane to Borealie-et-Voisine. At least she can score when it matters, apparently. Apparently. This roster has contained so much rumours and gossip that whoever wrote it is probably going to be libel-lawsuited into oblivion.

#11 - Ian Graham --- club: Tin City Rejects --- when he's not a footballer, he's... earning his coaching badges --- virtual age: 33
Graham remains a respectable figure in the Tinhamptonian squad, with a half-decent strike-rate and an all-around barely-above-average work ethic. Surely not good enough for Tinhampton, surely? Well... of course he is, owing to the fact that nobody else available was percieved to be good enough and he must remain in the squad to avoid a crisis up front. This is the official word of the TFA, and so it has been pronounced officially. Amen.

#23 - Ben Williamson --- club: Westpark Guns --- when he's not a footballer, he's... an advocate for the World Assembly --- virtual age: 24
As well as being the grandson of the late, great International Focus Party kingpin Jamie, the TFA were told that Ben was supposedly a good enough footballer to merit entrance onto our 23-man (OK, 19-man and 4-woman) squad yet again, having ironically rotted on the bench for Margaret-knows-how-many cycles after threatening to quit for rotting on the bench at Tinhampton City FC. That being said, he's been deported to the Westpark Guns, so it appears that everything's OK and little Benny will have a space reserved for him on the team for the foreseeable future. Apparently, am I right?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BACKROOM STAFF
Manager - Rachel Coltfield --- when she's not a manager, she's... somehow the only full-time member of Tinhampton's squad --- real-time age: 43
Remember her, the one with virtually zero managerial experience apart from half a season at the Nuclear Geese who took charge of Tinhampton for fifteen almost-disasterous games during WC79? Yeah, that one... she happened to return after Clive Turnbull called it quits, leading Tinhampton to two valiant reverses at Brenecia and Cassadaigua that spearheaded the Miners into their natural place in the hierarchy - the Cup of Harmony. Rumours that she will be sacked if we make it to World Cup 82 are completely and positively unfounded.

Assistant Manager - Ian Jones --- when he's not an assistant manager, he's... Tinhampton City's accountant --- real-time age: 40
It takes a lot of effort to become Tinhampton's first captain, a player-manager, a somewhat noteworthy cog in the Tinhamptonian midfield, an accountant, and do all that whilst winning more than 100 caps in a row. Regrettably, it takes slightly less work to lose almost all of that - the head of the Tinhamptonian Association of Chartered Accountants doesn't like football in general, for the record - and then get rewarded by being appointed assistant gaffer. Like so many before him (elsewhere, of course), his appointment was made on the basis of his being a star player. And, like virtually everybody else in Tinhamptonian football, not expecting success.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Style Modifier: -5 (or whatever is the most defensive style modifier allowed)
Yes, Michael Young has been kickbanned from the Tinhampton national team... although "mutual consent" means whatever its subject wants it to mean these days. And yes, this starting lineup is almost unrecognisable from the team that started against Oscioru at the Stadio Oceanus during WCQ81.
Roleplay Permissions: No deaths (in this squad or elsewhere in Tinhampton), no wholesale changes of the Tinhamptonian squad (as I will define), no firing the manager, absolutely no obliteration of Tinhampton, and no injuries longer than two games unless I TG you to the contrary. Otherwise, whatever...

* Caveat emptor: Due to incidents that occurred against Cassadaigua on the last matchday of World Cup 81 qualifying, in case it was not made obvious above: Atherton and Vatunska are out for the first game of Tinhampton's campaign against Beepee; Tinhampton will almost certainly field a flat back five with Porter in the centre of defence for our first game, as is common knowledge.

TINHAMPTONIAN KIT: Brown shirts with white socks and shorts for home, all-white for away, and all-green for whoever happens to be the goalkeeper now that we have some funds, whoop-de-doo.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 10:35 am

STELBURGER ZEITUNG

Late Edition -- Sports

Weekly Football Report: Cup of Harmony, Transfer Window

Cup of Harmony Primer

Siovanija and Teusland’s national team will be heading out to Cassadaigua to compete in Cup of Harmony 73, and we here at the Stelburger Zeitung have all the information you need to get ready for the tournament.

After a disappointing end to World Cup Qualifiers, which saw the Goldhorns winless in their final 5 games and managing only 2 points in that time, there’s an opportunity for new beginnings at the tournament. “We’re excited to get going, I think, and we’re happy to be back at the Cup of Harmony. It was a great experience for us last time, and we’re ready to compete again this time,” commented Thorsten Kramer at the press conference announcing the squad for the tournament.

Shortly after the squad announcement, the group draw for the Cup of Harmony was completed. The Goldhorns, who had been seeded in Pot 2 for the draw thanks to their rank of 70th in the world, were drawn into Group G for the tournament. Siovanija and Teusland will be playing against 3 teams it has never taken on before in international competition, those being Savojarna, Adab and Karulicja.

Savojarna, ranked 31st in the world, have to be considered one of the tournament’s favourites, and are its overall second highest seed. They will be disappointed to have missed out on the World Cup itself, finishing 3rd place in a difficult Qualifying group that included Chromatika, who of course faced off against Siovanija and Teusland in World Cup 80. Savojarna eventually finished 3rd in the group on 11 wins, 5 draws and 2 losses, which was not enough to secure a play-off position. Savojarna have to enter this group as clear favourites, and will be hoping to go all the way in this tournament.

Adab, ranked 97th in the world, proved themselves to be a strong side throughout Qualifiers. Drawn into a group that included such famous names as Starblaydia and Audioslavia, Adab outperformed all expectations and finished 3rd in the group. That was done with a record of 11 wins, 2 draws and 5 losses. Adab play an attacking style of football that appears to ensure that the opening match of the group stage between Adab and Siovanija and Teusland will be one to watch. Adab proved throughout Qualifiers that it is impossible to take them lightly, and they will certainly provide a strong challenge for the Goldhorns.

Karulicja, the 130th ranked side in the world, rounds out the teams competing in Group G. Karulicja faced an unfortunate draw during the World Cup, finding themselves in the same group as powerhouse Valanora. In the end, Karulicja would finish 5th in their group with 8 wins, 1 draw and 9 losses to their name. Siovanija and Teusland will face Karulicja to close out the group stage round of the competition.

What should the Goldhorns expect from the Cup of Harmony? The most important game of the group stage will likely be the opener against Adab. Matchday 2 will see Siovanija and Teusland take on Savojarna in what will be a very difficult match for the Goldhorns, while they will play the group’s lowest seed Karulicja on the final matchday. That could turn out to be a blessing or a curse depending on how the first two matches play out. The goal for the team has to be to reach the knockout stages, and it is a goal that is certainly achievable if the team plays up to its strengths.

Final Preparations Complete

In preparation for the Cup of Harmony, Siovanija and Teusland played two friendly matches, hosting Qusmo at the Olimpski-Stadion in Borograd, and travelling to Mytanija to face the hosts at the Novi Atletskistadion in Thessia. The squads for the matches featured several players in competition for a Cup of Harmony spot, and certainly left Alan Dzekov thinking.

The first match saw a return to the Olimpski-Stadion for the Goldhorns, who had not played in Borograd in the 2 years since Siovanija and Teusland’s 1-0 victory over Aji No Moto in World Cup 80 Qualifiers. The team was welcomed to the pitch with enthusiasm that may make the STFA reconsider its decision to hold all home qualifiers in Stelburg. Qusmo, ranked 57th in the world, were the opponents on the night, and Dzekov expected a difficult match: “They’re a really strong team, and we look forward to playing them. It’s going to be difficult for us, for sure, but that’s the point of these games.” The match saw Thorsten Kramer earn his 50th cap, the first Goldhorn to do so. The acknowledgement for him and the other players who expect to reach 50 caps during the CoH will be done at the next home match.

The 90 minutes that followed saw a hard-fought contest which ended in a 0-0 draw. The Goldhorns’ best chance came off the boot of Krasimir Kynev, but his effort was blocked by Qusmo’s keeper before it could hit the back of the net. Despite the lack of scoring, Dzekov commented he was happy with the performance: “Our defence was great tonight, and though we couldn’t get the job done up front, I think we can overall be happy with that one.”

Next up was a trip to Mytanija, another nation competing in the Cup of Harmony and ranked 120th in the world. “There’s going to be a good atmosphere for this game, I think, going into their stadium and again, we’re learning with every game we play, and so I think it should be a fun one,” commented Alan Dzekov before the match.

The game was seen by most of its players as a final audition to be included in the Cup of Harmony squad, and in the end, too often Goldhorns players would try to create something on their own to stand out. Mytanija took a first-half lead, going up 1-0 off a beautiful goal from Jezdemir Ocokoljic. Mytanija held that lead for much of the second half, but in the end Siovanija and Teusland would get back on equal terms. Leo Heiden moved the ball up the right side of the pitch before finding Ernst Schoff in the middle of the park. Schoff fired a low shot that beat Mytanar keeper Jasmin Savic to the left corner, and his first international goal ensured the result as a 1-1 draw.

Lineup v Qusmo: Zhelyaskov; L. Dimitrov, Thierse, Klopfer, Helmke (Daschner 74’); Kramer, Brotzmann (Kostov 84’), V. Dimitrov; von Bergen (Leistner 66’), Romanov, Kynev

Lineup v Mytanija: Sveteikov; Kleinmann, Thierse, Licht, Helmke; Kramer (Brotzmann 72’), Kostov, Schoff; Leistner (von Bergen 59’), Heiden, Ribbeck (Dinev 84’)

Transfer Talk

The international transfer window is set to open, and rumours surrounding clubs and players in Siovanija and Teusland are just getting started.

1912 Stelburg have already made a big splash, signing Kelssek international Adrian Tremblay-Fillon on a free transfer. This is a big move for the club, as Tremblay-Fillon has been tipped by his nation’s media as a budding star. He’s still a work in progress, but the talent is there and 1912 hope he will be a key part of a title challenge. Stelburg aren’t done yet, either, with rumours they want to bring in ‘at least 1, maybe 2’ players to add to their squad. Whether these players will be from home or abroad is yet unknown. Another Kelssek international, goalkeeper Cathar Gallagher, was bought by FK Vlaikograd 1896 for a rumoured $1.5 million tollar fee.

FC Teussen Stelburg, who as club policy refuse to buy foreign players, will also be looking to make a signing at centre forward. Manuel Horn didn’t have a terrible season up front, but it was certainly not what the club wanted. Top targets are reported to be internationals Michael Ribbeck and Ludwig Reichwein. Each player will be difficult to pry away, however, with Ribbeck declaring it’d be hard for him to every play for a team besides his hometown club Stahlberg, and Reichwein wanting to at least win something with Marzig before leaving.

The biggest saga involving Siovanija and Teusland during the transfer window will certainly be that of Ivo Romanov. The Olympia Borograd winger declared his love for the club, but has also rejected offers of a new contract from the Republikaliga title holders. It is rumoured that, having won everything he could in domestic football at home, he wants to explore his options and continue developing abroad. Already, rumours have linked him with foreign clubs, but Olympia are devoted to making one last big attempt to keep the player. Another capped international, Anatoli Sveteikov, is likely to make a move away to FK Pomorie, also possibly to a foreign league.

Other moves that have already occured include Energija Chernovets youth defender Lozen Pironev moving to Wye United of Apox. The defender, who has been tipped as a possible future national team player, is a tough loss for Chernovets who had hoped to promote him to the senior squad soon. Jurgen Stern, who had previously moved to the DKI Telecom Jets of Marianne, has left that team due to the league's apparent folding. Stern joins up with FC Brimstone of Apox with hopes of finding his way back into the national team set-up. Rumours are circulating that Energija Chernovets wish to be active in the transfer window, as do FK Metropola Borograd. Finally, SW Stahlberg's manager Gerd Hennig has commented that now is the time for the club to push on and make a run at the league. However, the club's chairman is notoriously hard to deal with, and problems could arise from that. Still, it's hard to believe that a club on the verge of winning the title, and with one of the best managers and forwards in the league, could stay inactive for an entire transfer window, right? We will soon find out.

With the transfer window on the horizon, activity is certainly expected from clubs and players in Siovanija and Teusland.

Siovanija and Teusland Makes Its Mark on the World Cup

Despite the national football team’s failure to qualify for World Cup 81, held in Banija and the Free Republics, Siovanija and Teusland has still managed to be a part of the festivities.

Architektur Erhart-Palme, one of the biggest architectural firms in this nation, won the bid to build a new version of the Stadium of the Restoration; the national stadium of Banija’s association and gridiron football teams and host of the opening match of World Cup 81. The project saw the stadium be rebuilt with a capacity of 91,835, retractable pitches to serve each purpose of the stadium, and a design intended on maximizing atmosphere. “We’re proud to see it all come together, and are thankful to the RBSA (Royal Banijan Soccer Association) and all our partners for their help with this,” commented AEP co-chair Erhart Palme Jr.

President Joachim Fleiss was also on hand at the opening match of the World Cup from Busukuma, Banija. When asked who he was supporting, Fleiss commented: “The Goldhorns at the Cup of Harmony!” Asked further about what he thought of the stadium, Fleiss added: “I think they’ve done a very good job here, and everyone involved in this should be very proud. I’m thankful to the Kabaka (Banija's King) for the invitation to be here, and am looking forward to this tournament.” In the opening match at the Stadium of the Restoration, and of World Cup 81, the hosts Banija defeated Darmen 2-1.

The work is not finished for AEP, however, and work continues on the new stadium project in St. Jakob. A replacement for the old 37,000 Draistadion is currently being built, and the new home of FC St. Jakob is expected to seat around 60,000. Fans of St. Jakob will be relying on classic Teus efficiency to see their stadium open in time for next season.

That’s all for us here at the Weekly Football Report, and we look forward to bringing you coverage of Cup of Harmony 73!

by **Mattijana** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 12:20 pm

Mattijanan Roster and Information for Cup of Harmony 73

The Story So Far

Following his integration into the Mattijanan international setup just before World Cup 79, new manager Dušan Vukoja led his side to their best ever World Cup qualifying finish with a 5th place in the group and a record 26 points, including 8 victories. Despite a early charge where qualification was far a while on the cards, the team went off the boil late in the period, but beat Platerdam 4-0 on the final day of competition to end the cycle on a high.

From there, it was on to Copper Cuprum and the Fhulgamous Peninsula for the 21st Campionato Esportiva. Hopes were high following a third place on home soil at the 20th event and having negotiated the group stage, a 3-2 win over South Covello, probably the greatest Mattijanan win of all time, and another 2-3 win against hosts Fhulgamous Peninsula got them into the semi-finals.

A 1-0 extra time loss to Filindostan would relegate them to the 3rd place playoff, but the same result in their favour against Islana Lunigo sealed a second consecutive bronze.

The next tournament was a development one in South Toronto, with a development team from Mattijana to go with it. This time the team didn't fare so well, failing to escape the group and only taking two draws home with them. That led to the first team squad ultimately being restored rather than promotions from the fringe and Under 23s being brought in.

In the end however, things didn't pan out as planned. Mattijana slipped to 7th in a highly competitive group 12 with the campaign largely described as frustrating, inconsistent and very very Mattijanan. Despite being free-scoring at one end, they ultimately failed to do the business at the other in the crucial moments, a trait that earned the team the second-highest number of draws of all 150 sides involved in world cup qualifying.

Dusan Vukoja, in desperate need of some improved results, has therefore decided to shake up the squad and starting lineup a little. The key, established players remain, especially in attacking positions, but changes have been made defensively with the experienced, but ageing Edvard Crajasovic expected to be replaced in central defence by Rikard Illicic and Kevin Krychowiak a possible swap for Dominik Illisevic.
The changes were effective for the World Cup 81 qualifying run and although Mattijana eventually failed to secure a playoff place, finishing an unfortunate 4th in their group, they looked a much more dangerous and convincing side throughout, even notching a 4-2 win away at world number 1s Eura. They'll be hoping to continue their form with a good run to the knockout stages of the Cup of Harmony.

Team Info

World Rank: 71
Style Modifier= +2.5
National Association: MattijanaFusbalBand (MFB)
Kits:

Formation

Head Coach: Dusan Vukoja
Appointed manager around a month before his first game in charge, Vukoja left Division 1 side FK Puljanka for the National team job, having recorded the club’s best finish in 10 years with 5th, behind only Burges, the two Petrovijanka clubs and FK Revinka. The south-Mattijanan had previously spent time at FK Burges both as assistant and full-time manager after a spell at lower-table side Jamas, where he succeeded in rescuing the team from almost imminent relegation. Now aged 40, Vukoja did not enjoy a lengthy playing career due to injury, but says that coaching is his real passion.
With Ljubanik’s style of play turning increasingly turgid and results also suffering, the Mattijanan FA and fans decided to seek a more exciting brand of football that had been on show at Puljanka in their 5th-place success last season. However the pressure was on the new man to deliver both results and more exciting football.

Assistant Manager: Dominik Samikov (FK Burges)

The assistant manager at Championship leaders FK Burges hails from the North-East of Mattijana and began his career at Dinamo Legisaw, another division 2 side before then moving as one of the tactical staff to FK Burges, where he has since worked his way up the pecking order to assistant manager. He has an excellent tactical mind as well as good player welfare skills and helps out Ljubanik in both management areas. He has so far proved himself to be a capable aid.

Head Scout: Marcel Kuzbacher

Marcel Kuzbacher is a seasoned scout, mainly plying his trade for the famed Puljanka Academy. He has links with numerous players in the Mattijanan squad as well as the under-21 side and makes up the 3-man selection panel alongside Samikov and Ljubanik.

Fitness Coordinator: Jelena Neumanič

Jelena Neumanič is responsible for the diet and fitness of the squad, freeing up the main management team to think about tactical matters. She has a solid variety of exercises and is well-known for getting on player's backs if they don't keep up with their expected effort levels.

Psychologist: Samira Kazmir

Samira Kazmir is an experienced sports psychologist who has done work for both the summer and winter Olympic teams, the Mattijanan ITT side and the MRT motor racing team. She is responsible for the mental welfare of players, stretching from the collective mind-set to more personal issues for each individual in the squad. It's a far-reaching and often complicated task.

The Medical Team:

Head Doctor: Dr Charlotte Smitič
Assistant Doctor: Dr Mattias Buranov
Physio: Martina Laramazič
Physio: Mika Glasnić

The Players:
GK-Lucija Handanovic-#12-Age 26-FK Revinka
Understudy to Matej Handanovic for most of Ljubanik’s tenure, Lucija is favourite to start between the sticks for Mattijana in the upcoming qualifiers. The 25 year old has impressed for club side Revinka in the recent season with both solid performances and heroic clean-sheets and will be tricky to keep out of a starting place.

LB-Helena Neumann-#2

The Burges Player is a regular in the championship leading side and will provide a good defensive option with the occasional run forward to help out the wingers. Barring any injuries or unlikely suspensions, she will play all of Mattijana's matches,

CB- Rikard Illicić-#14
The first Mattijanan player to move abroad, specifically to the top dovision in Buyan, Illicić is widely expected to replace Edvard Crajasović in the starting lineup on the retirement of the current first choice centre back. He is modelled in a similar style as his older counterpart too. He's big, he's strong and despite being slower than other defenders, he is able to stamp his authority on attackers. Expect him to start matches, particularly against lower-ranked opposition.

CB-Katija Burnisevič-#4-Captain

Another Burges Player, Burnisevič is a potential answer to Crajasović's clumsiness and is a quick, skilful and sure-footed player capable of taking the fight to those attempting to run through. She is a dedicated player, happy to chase any lost cause until the ball crosses the line. Her lack of physical strength may be her weakness however and she could be a potential target for more powerful strikers.

RB-Kevin Krychowiak-#13-Age 22-Matbirjke
Another promotion from the under 23s, Krychowiak is a typical modern full-back with his pace and attacking mindset. It is his similarity to current starter Dominik Illisević that keeps him on the bench for now, but he is in Dušan Vukoja's plans this cycle both off the bench and perhaps even to start in games against lower-ranked opponents.

CM-Jago Adrianov-#8
Adrianov is the typical midfield enforcer with a hard tackle and a driving run on him which can terrorise both attackers and other midfielders. He's also not afraid to hit one from range with varying success. He is probably the most likely player to pick up cards however, so could be a potential liability. This will most likely be the 34 year old's final world cup cycle, with retirement announced for after the tounament.

LM-Sophia Velezia-#16
A mazy winger with less raw pace, but the ability to turn any defender into a messy knot, Velezia is a constant challenge to keep quiet on her day and normally gets through at some point if she hits top form. Her mercurial nature is her biggest and arguably only weakness, but Mattijana will be well-placed if she can get it together.

CM-Marko Hojbjerg-#7

Another young midfielder at just 25, Hojbjerg is a playmaker with good awareness and passing ability and is the perfect fit for Ljubanik's technical brand of football. Useful for connecting the more attacking players ahead of him, he is also integral in providing the start or the killer pass in a counter-attack. When no forward options are available, he's not afraid to hit one and occasionally finds the back of the net from improbable ranges.

CM-Katarina Jakupovic-#15
Captain of Mattijana’s under-23 side, Jakupovic is a part of Vukoja’s turn to a more attractive style with Jago Adrianov, the midfield enforcer out and the instinctive passer promoted to a starting role. The 23 year-old Snezn player has impressed with both her technique and maturity in the early years of her career and is touted as a future Mattijanan captain after a successful run in the Under-23s.

RM-Jessika Struna-#9

A pacey winger who's preferred play is to make a run and then a cross, the 26 year old Struna is a dynamic and different part of the Mattijanan team. Tipped for a move to Petrovijanka or Burges, Struna chose to stay at Revinka, close to her family and in the town she loves.

FW-Mathilde Lekarisa-#10

Rapid Petrovijanka's 28 year old forward is a lethal finisher with a left foot that makes up for a lack of power with high precision. She enjoys running onto through balls and cutting inside to curl shots into the far corners of the goal. She is expected to play well having scored 5 goals in her last 4 games for Rapid.

The Bench:
GK-Matej Handanović-#1
The 29 year old Mattijanan number 1 plays under Matej Ljubanik at FK Petrovijanka and has been a solid, if unspectacular option between the sticks for most of his career. He has good handling skills and makes few mistakes, but could be replaced if he fails to make the spectacular stops expected of him. He may also face renewed competition from the younger and more dynamic Martin Vaskaric.

RB-Dominik Illisević-#5

Now a regular for FK Puljanka, Illisević is a punchy and pacey player with outstanding fitness and good crossing ability. His defensive technique is the biggest question mark, but if he can have a solid match at the back, he will undoubtedly be a danger coming forward.

CB-Edvard Crajasović-#3

The towering centre back is a regular for a Revinka side currently sitting fourth in the division 1 table. His height gives him a significant advantage when defending high balls and presents a threat at set-pieces. However, he can be clumsy when faced with skilful runners and does rely on a more quick-footed defensive partner in order to be successful.

LM-Sofiane Bisrali-#6
From the less familiar setting of Shalkar in the South-East, Bisrali has the pace and skill that Vukoja is looking for in his wingers. Replacing the mercurial Sophia Velezia in the starting line-up, the 22 year old has a lot to live up to early in his career, but has the chance to do it on the biggest stage.

CAM-Mattias Hoffman-#22-Age 24-Rapid Petrovijanka
Hoffman established himself as an impact player during the 79th cycle, scoring twice from the bench and making a substitute appearance in 15 of the 18 games. He offers a dynamic and direct approach when required and has cut open tired defences on a number of occasions. His consistency across longer periods has so far kept him out of the first team, but he remains a very useful and versatile player for Vukoja.

FW- Kara Lorenzič, age 22, Matbirjke

FW-Andreas Weiss-#11

The 30 year old Burges Striker has been a fixture in the Mattijanan team for a while now and has matched his performances for the national side with consistent scoring form for FK Burges. He is a poacher with the ability to be in the right place at the right time for any pull-back into the box. Also a good header of the ball, Weiss will be an intimidating target for high crosses if the Mattijanan plan-B is needed.

The Reserves:

GK-Martin Vaskaric-#19-Age 22-FK Antalja
LB-Lara Ljunavic-#20-Age 28-FK Revinka
CAM-Juliana Kjofmann-#24-Age 24-Weststrand FK
ST-Daniella Alaba-#18-Age 26-Puljanka
It is difficult to tell where Alaba's strengths really lie as she is relatively quick, but not lightening fast and despite good strength, she is no match for more bulky defenders. Where she is effective is as a goal poacher, using positioning to find space to latch onto crosses and loose balls from fairly close range.

About Mattijana!

Mattijana is a large safe nation in Esportiva with a significant, but proportionate population. It spans a fairly large range of climates with the far north a colder area, the central region temperate, the south Mediteranean and the South-East semi-desert. Petrovijanka, the setting for this competition, is located almost exactly in the centre of the country at 214-232 metres above sea level. It has summer highs of around 28°C and lows of -5°C in the winter. There is a high level of sunshine for most of the year with precipitation mostly snowfall in the winter months.

Culturally, Mattijana can also be divided into six regions. The West of the country is largely Germanic whilst the centre North is a mix of Slavic and Germanic cultures, centred around Mattijana's second city, Burges. The North and East are more Scandinavian and speak Dansk, a language similar to Danish. The Centre (where Petrovijanka is situated) and the South are Slavic (similar to the Slovenian and Croatian cultures). There is an Arabic community in the South-East.

All Mattijanans speak the official language, Mattijanan. However, due to this not being spoken anywhere else in the World, English and German are well-spoken throughout the country whilst Arabic is taken on by the most intelligent students (in addition to English and German) as well as by those in the South-East.
There is no official religion in Mattijana due to this mix of cultures. Islam is popular in the South-East and parts of the South whilst some in the East follow the Mattijanan Orthodox church. Most people hold no religious belief, but believe in the universal philosophy of being kind, welcoming and helpful to others, known nationally as Jelenara. Even in religious communities, it is these principals that are most talked of with religious figures used to preach them.
Due to the mix/match nature of Mattijanan cultures and these philosophies, religious symbols are uncommon and religious tolerance is very high.

Attitudes to drink and sex are fairly liberal whilst there is good gender, sexual and racial equality. Social mobility is also good and the rich earn only twice as much as the poorest. Cannabis and similar recreational drugs are banned by law, with cannabis also forbidden for medical use.

The government follows mildly socialist policies meaning the tax rate is fairly high, but schools, hospitals and other public services are all well-funded and either free or reasonably-priced. Taxes on large businesses are higher than on small ones. The government building is the MattiStaja, which is situated on Staja square in the centre of Petrovijanka. All six regions have their own smaller congresses however. Politicians are generally appreciated and although public decisions are limited to elections and important political decisions where the main population is the most affected, most citizens feel well represented due to the numerous meeting and discussion opportunities with their local politician.
All parties follow a similar philosophy, but mainly disagree on where to fund the most. The MattijanaLeušaBuro is the current elected party and have an emphasis on public services, but other popular parties are the ViroBuro (who generally promote the needs of the environment) and the NašinalBuro (who promote funding for employment opportunities).

National Stadia

Due to a large land mass and numerous good quality stadia, the Mattijanan FA prefers to rotate games around a few different grounds. Having said that, the Stadijo Nasinal and the Stadijo Dinamov play host to the bulk of the matches due to the central position of Burges and Petrovijanka, their size and their reputation for providing excellent hosting services.

Stadijo Dinamov

The Stadijo Dinamov in Petrovijanka is the second biggest football stadium in Mattijana and is one of the five stadiums that share the hosting honours for international matches. It is used on a weekly basis by FK Petrovijanka, Matej Ljubanik's old club, having built by them in 1940 and upgraded twice in 1972 and 2001. The capacity is 60,000.
The stadium is found to the north of the city's old town.

Stadijo Nasinal-Burges

The Stadijo Nasinal is Mattijana's largest multi-purpose sports stadium with retractable grass and astroturf surfaces to cater for cater for Cricket, Hockey, Rugby and Football matches. There is a capacity of 90,000. The Stadium was built in 1985 and heavily upgraded just 4 years ago in preparation for the Cricket T20 World Cup. It is situated on the South bank of the Juliana river, just next to the water and just East of the NordesParke.

Stadijo Snezn:

City: Snezn
Capacity: 37,000
Club residents: FK Snezn
Location: Western Snezn, not far from the old town.
Transport: 10-15 minutes walk from central Snezn, 10 minutes cycle. S3 tram or B3 Bus routes.

The Stadijo Snezn is situated in Mattijana's most northernmost city and is a more modern ground, with a generic rectangular shape and fairly modest capacity. This feature however makes it very accessible and easy to use, so a match here should be a reasonably comfortable experience, despite the cold. The stadium was built around 15 years ago, by owners FK Snezn.

Stadijo Katarina Zafarova:

City: Revinka
Capacity: 30,000
Club residents: FK Revinka
Location: Coast, Eastern Revinka
Transport: S2 Tram route, 20 minute walk/10 minute cycle from city centre.

Another modern multi-purpose stadium, Revinka's regular evening thunderstorms mean that a roof has recently been added to the stadium to make for all-weather events. The stadium is already used for Hockey, rugby, football and handball and is named after Revinka and Mattijanan national Hockey captain Katarina Zafarova.

Garijo Ales Struna:

City: Puljanka
Capacity: 40,000
Club residents: FK Puljanka
Location: Garijo Struna, north-west Puljanka
Transport: 10 minute walk/5 minute cycle from City centre. S11 Tram route.

An older, but very traditional stadium in a park just north-east of Puljanka's centre, the ground has progressed from humble beginnings as a playing field to one of the most recognisable stadiums in the country.
The ground has been upgraded in accordance with Mattijanan FA rules, but still retains much of its old history and is a beautiful place to watch a game. The most distinctive features are the arches spanning the length of the North and South stands.

WesterStadion:

City: WestStrand
Capacity: 70,000
Club Residents: Weststrand FK
Location: Northern Weststrand
Transport: 10 minutes on foot from Weststrand city centre and main train station. B1 bus route from city centre.

One of the newest stadiums in Mattijana, the Westerstadion was built to reflect its resident's consolidation of a place in the Mattijanan premier league, which gave the club enough funds to move out of a small and battered old ground into a shining new 70,000 capacity creation on part of a former park in the north of Weststrand.
The ground is used almost exclusively for football, although there is talk of rugby also being allowed to take place at the ground. The stadium's modernity means it is accessible and comfortable.

Around Weststrand:
The most Germanic of Mattijana's cities, Weststrand is situated on the west coast of the country and is part of a more rugged section of coastline extending for hundreds of kilometres. As a result, the weather is generally windier than in most locations, with rain coming off the sea regularly.
The town itself has a more colonial feel to it, with imposing buildings on the seafront giving way to narrow, but buzzing backstreets containing a number of quirky independent shops. Watersports are also popular in the area. Cuisine is largely seafood-based, with mussels a very popular choice in the region.

Long Distance Travel:

International airports are found in Burges, Revinka and Petrovijanka, with some Esportivan flights also heading to Snezn. Shuttle underground trains from airports to corresponding city centres will be subsidised for the duration of the tournament. High speed rail links extend between all cities and airports, making travel to Puljanka and Snezn also relatively painless. There are express services between Petrovijanka and Burges, Burges and Snezn, and Revinka and Puljanka.
Those from reasonably local countries looking to travel to Revinka or Snezn may wish to consider travel by sea. Both cities have good ferry ports and road and underground links to the city centres they serve.

Schedule:

I Give My Opponent Permission To:
    =================================
    Choose My Goalscorers: Yes
    Godmod Goalscoring Events: Yes
    Injure Players: Yes, but only two per game and nothing potentially life/career ending.
    Godmod Injury Events: Yes
    Red Card Players: Yes, but 2 per game maximum.
    Yellow Card Players: Yes, but a maximum of 5 per match
    Godmod Other Events: TG me first, but probably Yes
    =================================

Other RP stuff:
Most likely to (in order of likelihood)

Score-Mathilde Lekarisa, Andreas Weiss, Jessika Struna
Score from distance-Marko Hojbjerg, Sophia Velezia, Katarina Jakupovic
Score a header-Andreas Weiss, Mathilde Lekarisa, Rikard Illicic
Pick up cards-Rikard Illicic, Marko Hojbjerg, Katarina Jakupovic
Assist goals-Jessika Struna, Marko Hojbjerg, Sophia Velezia

by **Saint Emelie** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 12:38 pm

Saint Émelie Roster For Cup of Harmony 73

Saint Émelie marked their arrival on the world cup cycle scene with the 68th Baptism of Fire in Farfadillis and Semarland and the 81st World Cup. Whilst their run to the round of 32 of the Bof was ultimately a little underwhelming following a promising start, they made a good account of themselves during world cup qualifying, finishing a credible 6th in group 2 with 28 points.

Whilst escaping the group stage of the Cup of Harmony will be a tough ask, Amélie Martín's team will certainly be up for the challenge.

Team Information:

Style Mod: +2
Nickname: Les Insulaires
Team Colours: Blue and white
Captain: Florian Bastereud
Formation: 4-4-2 (diamond)

The Team:

Head Coach: Amélie Martín

45 year old Amélie Martín is the lady tasked with managing the team for their world cup debut and has a tough job on her hands. Like the majority of the squad, it will be her first time away from the island of Saint Émelie and with her only experience to call upon being in the hugely undeveloped Ligue d'Ile and 3 AOCAF games, she is still well out of her depth.
Martín played for around 15 years in that league before making the switch to management. The Saint Émelie FA believes that she is therefore the person with the most thorough understanding of football on the island and is as good a person as any to make the trip abroad.

Assistant Coach: Jacques Barre

Alongside Martín will be the experienced head of Jacques Barre. The 58 year old also once played in the Ligue d'Ile, but finished early due to injury and 'not being able to run like he used to.' Since then, he has managed 3 of the island's teams, getting to know many of Saint Émelie's best players in the process.
Despite his increased experience relative to Martín, Barre lacks the dynamic approach to management preferred by the island's footballing authorities. His tactical mind will however provide a calm word in Martín's ear when needed.

Team Doctor and Physio: Antonin Gardinier

Gardinier has little to no experience with sports injuries or fitness management, but as the island's best general doctor, was picked to make the trip to the Equestrian States as he would 'have to do.' He has a fairly hands on approach to medicine and players will probably be hoping they remain injury-free throughout the tournament due to fear of a good prodding and Gardinier's tendency to opt for surgery when possible rather than when necessary.

Goalkeepers:

#1-Hubért Joubert-age 32-Stade Barbotteau
#12-Caroline Chapelle-age 24-CA Le Goutiér
#23-Robin Patenaude-age 27-Racing Montmirail

The experienced Joubert will be Saint Émelie's number one throughout the cycle. The 32 year old has established a reputation as the best all-round goalkeeper on the island and has particularly impressive distribution with his range of kicks and throws. He is also solid with crosses, but his shot-stopping skills will recieve more of an examination against international opposition compared to at home.
Caroline Chapelle is very much the understudy in the team. The 24 year old is an excellent shot stopper, but is less experieced and ultimately deficient in the areas where Joubert is strong. This may keep her out of the starting lineup for now, but she is here to learn and will almost certainly take over the starting role one day.
Robin Patenaude is decent by island standards, but is really only in the squad as injury cover and to have a nice time. If Saint Émelie actually end up playing him, they will be desparate and will probably lose.

Wide Defenders:

#2-RB-Charléne Forestier-age 23-CA Le Goutier
#5-LB-Max Lestiénne-age 28-CF Savenay
#13-RB-Paul Gasquet-age 25-Stade Barbotteau
#16-LB-Chloé Travert-age 21-Stade de Saint Marie

Saint Émelie's selection of full-backs is also a mixed bag. Max Lestiénne is the only player over 25 of the four players chosen, but the additional domestic experience will probably count for nothing in the international arena.
Saint Émelie's teams generally try to play with quick full-backs, using them to push up the pitch and provide an additional option for attacking players. This usually requires high fitness levels and will be even more testing for the players against better-quality opposition.
This is provided by a youthful lineup that includes up-and-coming Le Goutier player Charléne Forestier as well as 21 year old Chloé Travert, who despite her young age has already become one of the talents in the Saint Émelie league to watch in the coming months and years.
Rather like Robin Patenaude, Paul Gasquet is very much just along for the ride, but will provide reasonably coherent cover if needed.

Central Defenders:

#3-Daniel Bouchard-age 32-CF Duport
#4-Mignon Laureille-age 29-Stade Barbotteau
#14-Emeli Pied-age 27-CF Soufriére
#15-Claude Leclerc-age 24-CA Le Goutier

Saint Émeli's central defenders are the polar opposites to their wide counterparts. Big, powerful and not afraid to put in a strong tackle, they are certainly up to the physical challenge posed by any opposition, even internationally.
Daniel Bouchard and Mignon Laureille, who is anything but sweet, are the epitomy of this and despite their lack of pace, sitting deep and heading stuff out of the danger zone has become a common practice.
Their slowness will almost certainly be exposed by stronger opposition, but their prescence may frustrate, for a little while at least.

Midfielders:

CDM-#6-Florian Bastereud-age 32-CF Dupont
RM-#7-Florence Caseille-age 24-CF Savenay
CAM-#8-Simon Pelletier-age 30-CF Soufriére
LM-#9-Mathilde Laurent-age 26-CF Riviera
CM-#17-Laurent Michaud-age 25-Stade de Saint Marie
RW-#18-Emeli Fontaine-age 28-Stade Barbotteau
LW-#19-Tomas Cousineau-age 20-Racing Montmirail
CAM-#20-Jadine Dupont-age 26-CF Le Goutier

The midfield diamond is probably the most experienced of the Saint Émelie setup, although everything is of course relative. Florian Bastereud is the key component, with the 32 year old both the team's captain and midfield enforcer. The wings are also important however. Play in Saint Émelie requires fast movement of the ball to negate some fairly rustic pitches and will often be fed out to the wide players. Florence Caseille is a massive talent on the right whilst Mathilde Laurent is now an established name on the island and can deliver a fantastic set piece.

Simon Pelletier is often the intermediate between defense and attack, but has a keen eye for a through ball, both over the top and through the middle of a defense. He is probably the team's best chance of scoring from distance as well. The 30 year old has scored many times in the Ligue d'Île from outside of the penalty area and will look to notch a few more in the coming international season.

Forwards:

#10-Marine Fouché-age 29-CF Savenay
#11-Dominic Trion-age 25-Stade Barbotteau
#21-Marizanne Proliné-age 23-CF Riviera
#22-Sara Katjanović-age 28-FK SavaFluss (in Mattijana)

Sara Katjanović is very much the star player in this Saint Émelie side and is also the only player operating outside of Saint Émelie. The third-choice Savafluss striker has a Mattijanan father and a mother from the island and fortunately, can handle both the Mattijanan and French languages.

As a player, she is a real poacher. Diminutive in stature, the 28 year old knows how to find the back of the net and knows where to position herself to do it, complementing the pace and crossing style from the wingers.

Dominic Trion joins Katjanović up top and brings a very different skill set. Big, tall and handy in the air, he is much clumsier than his more agile partner, but even though opponents may know his game, dealing with it could be more of a challenge.

Tactical Notes:

Saint Émelie's isolation means that the style of football has deviated rather a lot compared to the rest of the world. It is in fact rather agricultural, with a lot of physical challenges and strong aerial play.
This means that the team will inevitably pick up cards. No malice is meant, but the physicality of the team will mean that injuries may occur.

Otherwise, Saint Émelie's style of football is actually fairly easy on the eye. Quick passing from front to back as well as movement on the wings is the game-plan and when it pays off, it looks great.
When it doesn't, it looks like an incoherent mess and if fans wish to be realistic, this is probably what they will get for the most part against some high-class defenses.

Recent Results:
Saint Émelie 2-0 Tanzanique (WC81 Q)
Tasrailia 0-2 Saint Émelie (WC81 Q)
Saint Émelie 0-2 Acapais (WC81 Q)
Juvencus 3-1 Saint Émelie (WC81 Q)
Saint Emelie 2–5 The Macabees

RP Permissions:

Choose my scorers: Y
Godmod scoring events: Y
Yellow card my players: Y
Red card my players: Y
Injure my players: Y
Godmod injuries: Y
Godmod other events: Y

Starting Lineup:

Joubert
Forestier
Bouchard
Laureille
Léstienne
Bastereau
Caseille
Pelletier
Laurent
Trion
Katjanović

by **The Macabees** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 6:18 pm

The Murder, Ch. I —

Detective Jack Kline had to immediately look away from the body when he first saw it. To call it a body was misleading. It had been quartered and scattered about a disheveled room. There were three gunshots on the back wall, but this man hadn't died by gun wounds. That mercy he had not received. Obviously.

The poor guy had somehow made his way from where he was shot to where he finally died, a full ten feet. His torso did, at least. How, Detective Kline could only guess.

It was an unusual murder. Nothing of value had been taken, this wasn't a robbery. The house was a mess, with a broken table laid out on the wood flooring in pieces, much like the corpse. Drawers were all over the place, what they once contained scattered all over. The windows were shattered. In the bedrooms, the beds had been turned over. But nothing was missing. Even the food had been left in the refrigerator. A waste, anyhow. The victim had just about everything in the fridge, everything most New Imperials hadn't seen in their own for well over a decade now.

That ruled out the possibility of a break and enter gone wrong. These new rich houses were hit all the time. It was why Paquat police were working around the clock now, some of the boys hitting 16-hour shifts. Sometimes shit happens, some scumbag breaks in and someone is still home, so someone dies. Not this murder, though.

"Hey, Jack. You gotta minute?" It was Charles Rolim, the medical examiner. He wore glasses too small for his face and too rectangular for modern fashion, with hair hardly combed, and was starting to grow a belly. He was chewing on gum, mouth half-opened so that you could hear the sound of the saliva from the other side of the wall.

"Sure," said Kline.

Charles wiped his mouth, eyes acute with trouble. "The victim," he said, "he died after he was quartered. Preliminary examinations on his arteries and blood samples suggest he ultimately died from the shock, but he was definitely awake for at least part of the time they were cutting him up. Morbid."

"They?" asked Kline. "How do you know it was a group?"

"Different types of cuts, different blades. There were multiple people doing the dirty work," answered Charles.

Kline stood looking at the torso for a minute. The head had been cut off, but it was close, having rolled against the wall. The floor was uneven here, sloping down toward the baseboard, so maybe it had made its way there on its own after being severed at the base of the neck. "Why?" he asked.

"I don't know," said Charles. "That's your job."

The medical examiner walked away, probably back to his team, while Kline continued to look at the body. This was a professional job. That much was clear. The hotel staff from that day was no longer here. They had never worked for the condominium community, ever. The staff that was supposed to be here that day were all told to stay home. They had received emails, texts, and instant messages sent from human resources accounts, but nobody in human resources had sent them out. In fact, human resources had all missed the day due to a conference that community management had sent them to as part of their training. Nobody had talked to the building's owner yet.

Despite the mess, his crew had found little in the way of evidence. They hadn't even uncovered a lead yet. They'd been there six hours already. Nothing. Nada. This was professional. But who? Who would want to kill this guy? That was the question Kline wanted an answer to. But he hadn't even caught a whiff of a direction yet.

He walked over to an officer standing in the kitchen. She was on the phone so he hung around until her conversation ended. She was talking to the dead man's mother, he realized. When she put the phone away, Kline approached her and asked, "Hey Lisa. Have you talked to the building owner, by chance?"

"Not yet, Jack," she answered. "What's up?"

"Need a lead." He looked back at the body. "Track this person down, find them, and let me know when you do. I want to pay them a visit."

"You got it, boss," she said, pulling her phone out again. She turned the screen on and manipulated something using her thumb. Lisa looked at Kline. "And while I'm at it, I figured I'd check in with some of the extended family. Might see if I can figure out who his friends are. Maybe from there we can interview someone who was close to him recently."

"I like it. Keep up the good work, Officer Callahan." She smiled, then looked past him and frowned.

Kline turned to see what Lisa was looking at. A tall, trim man, perhaps in his late twenties, was holding himself against the doorframe with a shoddily placed elbow. He looked half asleep and his hair was in worse condition than Charles', the medical examiner. Mike had clearly been drinking the night before. "You're late, Detective Granjer."

"Did I miss anything?" he said, laconically. His voice sounded strained, tired. He didn't lift his head with he spoke and his eyes looked half-closed.

"Another one of those nights?" Kline asked.

"You could say that—" he started, before he lifted his head and saw the dismembered pieces of the body scattered across the room. He gagged and, for a second, Kline thought the boy was going to throw up last night's dinner. If the kid had even bothered with dinner. These days, he seemed to never eat. Not since the night at the arena.

He asked, "Who the hell is that?"

Kline looked down at the head. "That's Lakén Yori."

"The midfielder who was playing for the Imperial football team?" Mike's face spoke confusion.

"That's the one," said Kline.

Mike walked into the room, toward the torso. He bent down to one knee, wavering for a second until he caught himself. Barely. His face looked pale, dehydrated. "They sure messed him up. There's his head. His arms. No hands. No feet. And there's the rest of his legs. Interesting. If you could call a quartered human body interesting. I'm guessing this is a robbery gone bad. But dismembering the guy? Doesn't that seem a little too sadistic for your average robber?"

"Indeed," replied the older detective. "Nothing was stolen, there was no robbery."

Mike arched an eyebrow, until he retracted it probably in response to a pang from his headache. "So why would someone want to kill Lakén Yori?" he asked, his voice pained. His hangover must have been a bad one.

"That's what we're going to find out." Kline tapped on his chest with the back of his hand, saying, "C'mon, let's go. We've got work to do. And get yourself a water bottle, we have a long day ahead of us."

by **Cassadaigua** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 7:01 pm

Groups E-H: Stadium Information

So you know you are going to playing in Cassadaigua, but where exactly are you playing once you are here? Never fear, here is the listing of stadium for each match.

You can learn about each city by checking out the Cassadaigua Travel Guide

Matchday 1:
Group E
Freeport v Kelssek @ Victoriaville
Beepee v Tinhampton @ Concord Heights

Group F
South Toronto v Eastfield Lodge @ Grande Mountain
Polkopia v Dreamplanet @ Starksville

Group G
Karulicja v Savojarna @ Rutland
Adab vs Siovanija & Teusland @ Winchester

Group H
Main Nation Ministry v Jeruselem @ Brattleboro
Oberour Ar Moro v The Macabees @ New Lakeland

Matchday 2:

Group E
Kelssek v Tinhampton @ Grande Mountain
Freeport v Beepee @ New Lakeland

Group F
Eastfield Lodge v Dreamplanet @ Winchester
South Toronto v Polkopia @ Brattleboro

Group G
Savojarna v Siovanija & Teusland @ South Granby
Karulicja v Adab @ Rutland

Group H
Jeruselem v The Macabees @ Concord Heights
Main Nation Ministry v Oberour Ar Moro @ Northbury

Matchday 3:
Group E
Beepee v Kelssek @ Starksville
Tinhampton v Freeport @ New Lakeland

Group F
Polkopia v Eastfield Lodge @ Concord Heights
Dreamplanet v South Toronto @ Victoriaville

Group G
Adab v Savojarna @ Grande Mountain
Siovanija & Teusland v Karulicja @ Northbury

Group H
Oberour Ar Moro v Jeruselem @ South Granby
The Macabees v Main Nation Ministry @ Brattleboro

by **Jeruselem** » Fri Oct 05, 2018 5:49 am

Princess Chloe and Princess Cassie ...

Cassie: This is Princess Cassie for Naked News Jeruselem. I'm with my sister Princess Chloe who also happens to be coach of our Cup of Harmony 73 team who was the World Cup team coach ... you know by know. Anyway
Chloe: Still here and not out to pasture yet, for now
Cassie: We're in the Cup of Harmony 73, because we didn't exactly make the World Cup finals. Well we didn't make the playoffs either. Not we we didn't try.
Chloe: One bloody point hey
Cassie: We're looking at all the groups in qualification because we want to know who's who.
Chloe: Who's who is a perk in Call of Duty zombies as well.

Cassie: Groups A to D are in Equestrian States while Groups E and H are in Cassadaigua. We love those two nations. Yes, Cassadaigua is the feminist one.
Chloe: We'll be at home in Cassadaigua. Girl power! Well, sorta.
Cassie: Group A has Saint Émelie, New Lusitania, Blaneu and the top seed Taeshan. We don't know much about those other three.
Chloe: Err, yes. We only know Taeshan. They should make the next round anyway.
Cassie: Group B has Krytenia ... and Juvencus, East Belzaria, Qusmo. Top seed is Juvencus.
Chloe: Good luck to Krytenia there, they'll need it.

Cassie: Group C has Squornshelan Remnant States, Mytanija, Acronius and Mattijana. Top seed is Acronius.
Chloe: I think Squornshelan Remnant States we have met before but as different nation name.
Cassie: Well well Group D. Omerica, Geisenfried, Darkmania and Abanhfleft. Yes Darkmania and Abanhfleft from the World Cup! Them.
Chloe: Yes the same Abanhfleft who denied us from making the playoffs. They are ranked highest. I fully expect them to make it the next round. Really. We have played Geisenfried before as well.
Cassie: Well that's Groups A to D. Who's the biggest threat to us from them?
Chloe: Abanhfleft, they should make the finale. We'd love to see Taeshan there though.

Cassie: Now to Group E to H. Group E, Freeport, Beepee, Tinhampton and Kelssek. Kelssek is one of the older nations no idea about the other three.
Chloe: I can't offer much there. We've never met those teams in recent times. Tinhampton is the top seed though.
Cassie: Group F has South Toronto, Polkopia, Dreamplanet and Eastfield Lodge. We know about Dreamplanet. We've met Eastfield Lodge before and even Polkopia.
Chloe: Eastfield Lodge is the top seed here and I fully expect them to progress. I can't make the call for the other team to progress like other groups because I don't have much idea about those teams.
Cassie: Group G. Karulicja, Adab, Siovanija & Teusland and Savojarna. Savojarna is top seed ranked 31st.
Chloe: We might have met Siovanija & Teusland in the past, but Savojarna looks like they should make the next round. I can't pick the other team as it seems we don't know much about most of the teams in this cup.

Cassie: Group H - yes OUR GROUP. Top seed is ... US. The Macabees, we know them. As well as Oberour Ar Moro and Main Nation Ministry.
Chloe: Yes, I'm picking the obvious here. Us and the Macabees.
Cassie: we don't have the best record getting out of the qualifiers.
Chloe: We have made the quarter finals of recent times, but I just to get out of the qualifiers first.
Cassie: Who's our biggest threat in Group E to H?
Chloe: Just based on rankings, Savojarna. Being ranked 31 means you're done something right.

Cassie: It's going to quite even
Chloe: Yes, there's no super uber teams so all teams are more even. Top seeded Abanhfleft were nuked out of the World Cup by a team like Darmen who we have trouble with. It's gonna be hard.
Cassie: We see few familiar faces here.
Chloe: Yes, we have three teams from our world cup group. And the Kryties ...
Cassie: They are persistent lot
Chloe: Well, just like us. Persistent ... we try, and fail most of the time.

Cassie: We have made the finale of this cup once.
Chloe: A long time ago ... there's a lot more teams out there and it's 100 times hard now.
Cassie: What's the target for this cup?
Chloe: Eh, actually getting out the group stage first. It would be nice to win the bloody thing.
Cassie: If we don't win, who would like to see win it?
Chloe: Eastfield Lodge or Taeshan.

Cassie: The two hosts in the final of the cup, who has the better chance?
Chloe: Equestrian States for sure. We hope maybe Equestrian States and Cassadaigua can make semis.
Cassie: Just to note the leader of Cassadaigua is one Queen Cassie II. Err, and I'm Princess Cassie.
Chloe: Or just girl powa!
Cassie: Princess Cadence is the leader of Equestrian States, yes another female.
Chloe: Princess central round here too.

by **Karulicja** » Fri Oct 05, 2018 6:52 am

Whether he was slightly annoyed? With his most charming smile, Dusan Azzini tried to defuse the press conference.

“Why on earth would I be annoyed? It’s marvellous to be here.”

Ok, maybe he could be slightly miffed over the fact that the people from the FA, who had promised all would be all right, had lodged him and the team somewhere in northeastern Cassadaigua, hundreds of miles away from Rutland where the two first games would be contested. As such, he had to prepare for a horrendous commute and an already messed up preparation for that all-important first clash against Savojarna and the encounter against Adab – even if the Karulicjans started their very first WC-sanctioned tournament with little to no ambitions, a revenge against Saad Kaykali and his troops after the Independents Cup would be a cruncher.

And he could be displeased about the fact that his new starting defender, Armend Rroshi who had brought some much-looked stability, literally got three steps far in the homeland. On the fourth one, still disembarking the plane, he slipped off the stairs and sprained his ankle. The physio did all he could to bring him back for the second game, but the opener would require a return from Kaflas. A man with limitations, especially against a striker such as Perttu Kartanen. Azzini considered alternatives, but these just tore new holes elsewhere and would break the last string of moral of Kaflas.

And maybe he was a bit irked over how the training intensity had been sub-par at times. For some reason, the guys just saw this as a fun extra, a cherry on the pie called qualifiers and now they would kick back, enjoy the weather and some even indulged in some highly inappropriate joking about Cassadaigua’s gender roles. Needless to say that Azzini was fuming and when the kick in the rear finally… ehm… kicked in, it lasted five minutes until an overzealous Josip Pajic crashed into Mauro Pagliarulo and rendered him unavailable for the remainder of the tournament.

And obviously it was frustrating that this happened just a few hours before the final cut-off of the selections. He had been calling around, eventually finding the industrious Chatziaggelakis available to fly in. The poor lad had already packed his bags and driven all the way to Cadenza – the only city with an international airport and a connection to Rushmore – only to find out that some administrative minion had screwed up his timezones and filed the paperwork too late. Down one striker.

And ok, maybe he actually was bothered about the fact that this left him with two far from perfect options to complement Danijel Prigidar in attack. (Well of course he could also just throw his system out the door and try something completely new because that sounded like a brilliant idea against the powerhouse of the group.) At one hand he had Ciro Piccini, in theory a dangerous sniper and an amazing ace up the sleeve. But these days he walked across the field as if ready to retire after a long and tiring season. If he usually seemed to struggle after the hour mark, then these days he couldn’t go on much longer than thirty minutes. Or he could go with Gianni Altacci. For reasons Azzini himself started to doubt on, he had brought him along to the tournament – much against the advice of practically everybody – only to get more slices of his primadonna behaviour. No thanks, no hard work, just more nonchalance.

So ok, yes, he was annoyed. He bloody was.

Jesus Christ, how long would it take him to come to the point? With a small, but audible sigh, Gianni Altacci leaned back and felt the cool cleanness of the wall tickling his back. The locals advertised this arena in Rutland as the ‘smallest one, easily forgotten’ but everyone had been awed at its splendour as soon as they set foot within. The atmosphere had been good, with a bit of healthy nerves and some jokes about the size of the dressing rooms – quickly dubbed the ballroom by the guys.

But then Azzini had to ruin it with some dreary speech, focusing on “the importance of the nation” and how we all had to be “humble and proud”. Bloody hell, even the youngsters who had been impressed at the first time he pulled this low-budget sports film stunt should by now see through the cardboard gimmick. It just took all the fun out of it.

It wasn’t the first time, actually. When he called Gianni to inform that he would take him along - “despite some voices”, ugh – he had spoken to him as if he were a toddler. A loud voice, an overly affected accent, … And he seemed to drag the conversation till Gianni would thank him for taking him along. But the striker hadn’t given him the pleasure and after half an hour, Azzini eventually ended the call himself.

Altacci should’ve known it would not go better once they touched Cassadaiguan soil – moreover, it had been at that exact point where it had been worse. Look, most of the people were looking at that idiot of a Rroshi who had fallen off the plane like a gang of buffoons, keeping them all up. Quite sure he couldn’t contribute much there, right? So Gianni decided to take his time for some pictures with the fans and obviously, some had offered him a beer. Gianni couldn’t say no to the fans – after all, who were they playing for? He had quite enough of all the misplaced patriotism and high ideals – he just wanted to have a good time and share it with people.

Obviously, the gaffer had to show up and berate him – in public – for unprofessionalism. Damn, Azzini must have felt like such a big shot at once. And obviously, it was stronger than himself, Gianni enjoyed being the odd one out, scuffling over the field at times before kicking it in with a hint of brilliance and a nod to the coach. And now they all sat here – twenty minutes to go. He had seen the Savojar with their mouthwatering shirts, their healthy dose of confidence and their impeccable tactical plan. And here they sat, still waiting for which eleven would play. Deep down, Altacci wondered if the coach actually already knew it himself.

So ok, yes, he was annoyed. He bloody was.

by **Beepee** » Fri Oct 05, 2018 8:24 am

Match Preview

Cup of Harmony - Match Day 1
Cassadaigua, Concord Heights

Beepee vs. Tinhampton

Beepee and Tinhampton face off as the two highest ranked teams in Group E at the world famous Concord Heights Stadium later today.

The Beepeean squad have made it safely through the early morning training session with no injury worries and have a fully fit squad.

Tinhampton will be without preferred goalkeeper Julia Atherton and defensive midfielder Aihlo Vatunska, which may prove to be the difference between the two sides.

Comparison Stats:

Beepee v Tinhampton
72 World Ranking 56
0 Head to Head 0
8 Games without Losing 0
3 Games won 0
WDWWW Last 5 Games WWLWL

Beepeean Head Coach Coleen Yu have short press conference following training

How are the team going?

I think the team are going well. We are coming into this competition with fresh legs and good creativity. We are looking to improve our attacking prowess and that aspects been very pleasing in training.

What are your thoughts on Tinhampton?

Tinhampton are an excellent side and they will be tough competition and Rachel Coltfield will have her team well prepared. I hope we can keep with them. We expect them to play with a defensive back five so they will be very tricky to breakdown. We have to be wary of their counterattacks.

Are you pleased Tinhamptons first choice goalkeeper Julia Atherton will be missing from this match

Well, I think Julia Atherton will be a loss for this match. We all know that she's a boisterous character, but you can't expect to do what she did and not miss out on a game. Tinhampton will miss a player of Atherton's quality.

Expectations for the competition?

We'd like to win a match. If we can sneak second in the group we'd be very happy indeed, but that's going to be very difficult. We're ready, we're prepared to do our best

How do you like Concord Heights and Cassadaigua?

It seems very nice. We feel very fortunate to be getting to see so much of Cassadaigua in this tournament. The people of Concord Heights and Cassadaigua have been very kind to us so far with such a lovely welcome.

Beepeean Bookmakers Are also taking bets on the outcome of the fixture and a number of other picks.

Current Pre-Match odds from BeepeeBet

Tinhampton win... 2/1 (drifting)
Draw...................... Evens
Beepee win........... 11/2

First Scorer

Veera (Beepee).......... 5/1
Bannan (Beepee)....... 8/1
Evans (Tinhampton). 12/1

Beepee to Qualify from Group 4/1 (drifting)

Sponsored by:

by **Omerica** » Fri Oct 05, 2018 9:13 pm

United Republican Soccer Federation
6 Jacques la Rouge Road
Port Alexandre, AM 18-A40
UNITED REPUBLICS OF OMERICA
About Omerica
National anthem: Marche de l’Indépendance
Capital: Port-des-Saints
Largest city: Charlottesville (by city limits); Philibiscostal (by urban area)
Official languages: English, French, Dutch
Population: 67,427,652 (2009 census)
Drives on the: left

Association code: OME
Team nickname: Les Incorrigibles
KPB rating: 11.59 (68th)

A federation in the far north, Omerica is a cosmopolitan maritime nation, famed for its environmental beauty, thriving black markets and love of a good drink. Omerica is a federal directorial republic with a semi-direct democratic system of governance. An influential country in international affairs, the nation ranks as one of the most politically and socially free states in the multiverse. The nation is noted for having some of the most friendly, compassionate and brash people in the multiverse, who enjoy high rates of economic, scientific and cultural development. The nation is rated as one of the least corrupt and least authoritarian in the world, with low rates of ignorance, obesity, political apathy and preventable death.

About Les Incorrigibles
Just like the history of the nation, the history of Omerican football has been rocky. The nation was one of fifty-six to début in Baptism of Fire 56, where the team made the knockout stage with an undefeated record before bowing out to Lons after extra time in the last 32. Les Oiseaux subsequently floundered for several cycles, finishing below expectations in tournament after tournament and struggling to find their footing. But fortunes turned around during the Campionato Esportiva in the Sarian, where Omerica unexpectedly won their group and made the quarterfinals after defeating Yttribia. Despite falling to runners-up Nephara in a close match, the tournament marked a significant turn in fortunes: a bitter (and, to Osarians, infamous) third-place finish in the World Cup 73 qualifiers, two consecutive knockout stage qualifications and Round of 16 exits and—the nation’s crowning moment of glory—an upset qualification for World Cup 74, where the team scalped Flardania and nearly advanced to the knockout phase.

However, success proved short-lived. After boycotting CE XVI in Falatulu, the Omerican Football Federation found itself mired in a corruption and betting scandal. Combined with a riotous fanbase which had caused numerous bouts of destruction, the scandal dogged the team’s World Cup 75 qualifying campaign and ultimately brought the OFF to an untimely end, ordered dissolved by the Sessions Court of the Metropolitan Arrondissement and liquidated to cover the fines issued to its executives. In the aftermath of the scandal, the republican football associations, which had predated and existed parallel to the OFF, formed the United Republican Soccer Federation to take over the OFF’s functions and opted to indefinitely pull Omerica from international competition. Half a decade later, a new national team emerged to contest the Independents Cup and, after much internal debate, the World Cup with little success.
Staff
Manager: Anne-Sophie Groothuis
Former gaffer for Calaverde’s Club 28 Maart, Groothuis has led the club to local success on the regional and national stage and comfortably sealed the Calaverdean side a berth as a founding member of Ligue.A. A flexible and disciplined tactician, Anne-Sophie is known to favour a moderately attack-minded approach that has brought 28 Maart four Calaverdean and two Federal Championships in her stint at the club, but is unafraid to mix things up from time to time in order to keep opponents guessing. Becoming only the second manager after the controversial James-Alexandre Christopherson to lead Omerica into two consecutive Cups of Harmony, she will even higher expectations thanks to moderately-successful runs in the Independents Cup and World Cup qualifiers and will look at the Cup as an opportunity to firmly stamp Omerica’s name back on the international map.

Assistant Manager: Jean-Luc Nyhof
A coach at Bridgecastrian club SC Williamsburg, Nyhof proved instrumental to the club’s upset qualification to Ligue.A. A devout practitioner of traditional Omerican offensive football, Nyhof completes an all-Aurentine lineup at the top of Omerica’s managerial staff and symbolises the United Republics’s return to positive, attack-minded play. With Groothuis focusing largely on player selection and on-field decisions, Nyhof will be delegated the reins over most of the team’s off-field operations, where he is known for his well-loved, if slightly unorthodox, methods.

First-team Coach: Veronica Aquila
Goalkeeping Coach: Stéphane Rousseau
Striker Coach: John Percival
Medical Lead: Romain Luzzatto
Fitness Coach: Mats Aaltink
Physical Therapists: Mees Dreessen and Don Bloodworth
Equipment Manager: Josèphe Veerke Dufort
Players
Starting eleven
№1—GK Frédérique Acardi (F, age 26; United Philibiscostal)
№14—LD Julie Boulos (F, age 23; Corona Christiana)
№17—CD Aristide de Felice (M, age 22; Olympique Provençal)
№5—CD Jesús Cruz (M, age 24; Corona Christiana)
№6—RD Fernand Michelakakis (M, age 25; Sassari Trailblazers)
№8—DM John Soares (M, age 24; FC Kingsmouth)
№21—DM Elise Bianchi (F, age 25; Forestia Cricket)
№7—LM Clemente Affini (M, age 24; Carthaginians)
№9—AM Red Bolton (M, age 25; FC Londonderry)
№10—RM Marieke Nelissen (F, age 24; SC Williamsburg)
№11—ST Morgan Barzetti (F, age 26; Cherrygrove City [SAL])

Substitutes
№13—GK Valentine Augustin (F, age 22; Saint-Georges Uni)
№23—GK Will Rake (M, age 21; Plymouth Rock)
№2—LD Mariëtte “Jet” Sneyders (F, age 24; Andreaskruis)
№3—CD Emily Michelakis (F, age 23; AFC Georgetown)
№4—CD Charity Kayode (F, age 22; FC Nassau)
№18—RD Marine Roldan (F, age 24; AS Républicains)
№20—DM Alex Rodrigues (M, age 20; Phoenix Carlisle)
№15—DM Sean Tester (M, age 23; Willemspoort)
№19—LM George Palmeiro (M, age 20; Northport Naval)
№22—CM Robben van Tyn (M, age 25; Ever Grande)
№16—RM Martin la Rouge (M, age 22; AS Républicains)
№24—ST Éduoard Bouchard (M, age 22; Malavan Romainbourg)
№25—ST Lucky Ashworth (F, age 23; Falcon United)
Formation and tactics (4–2–3–1)
Barzetti
Affini — Bolton — Nelissen
Soares — Bianchi
Boulos — de Felice — Cruz — Michelakakis
Acardi
Kits (courtesy of No Nonsense Sportswear)
Who we are
The United Republican Soccer Federation is the national football association of the United Republics of Omerica. The URSF is organised as a federation of twenty-five republican and eight regional football associations, with special membership status for the Omerican Professional Soccer League, Omerican Amateur Football Association and Omerican University Sports Association. The URSF responsible for overseeing association football in Omerica, organising Omerican representative teams and—with the cooperation of the Federal Anti-Doping Authority and Omerican Council for Sporting Integrity—ensuring the integrity of Omerican football.
Conformément à la loi fédérale, ce document est disponible en français ou en néerlandais sur demande. — In overeenstemming met federale wet, dit document is op aanvraag beschikbaar in het Frans of het Nederlands. — In accordance with federal law, this document is available in French or Dutch upon request.

by **Qusmo** » Fri Oct 05, 2018 10:16 pm

QNT travels to Cup of Harmony with unchanged 25-player roster

Qusmo national team manager Avarn-Oxolt Ban has announced the twenty-five players they will take to the Equestrian States for Cup of Harmony 73.

“We have a fantastic player pool to choose from, & this group has worked wonders for us. We made a competitive run for a spot in a World Cup playoff, & we got a result from every match in the second half of qualification. Our friendly results were disappointing, to be sure,” admitted Avarn-Oxolt, “but we are still on a nine-match unbeaten streak in competitive fixtures. I think it is only fair that the twenty-five-player squad that got us to this point gets to be the twenty-five players who will travel with us to the final tournament.”

“We’re really happy with how our squad has been performing & how we think we will do in this tournament. Our goal has to be to advance out of our group again. If we can do that, we’ll hope to reach the quarterfinals this time around; we have to get out of the group first, though,” emphasized Avarn-Oxolt.

“& our group looks like a tough one,” the manager mused. “Juvencus, of course, is one of the favourites to win it all; they won the seventy-first edition, after all. They have a torrid attack, & they’ll be extremely difficult to stop. Krytenia, too, has a fantastic offense - & they have a fantastic history. The team this cycle hasn’t performed to the level that some teams of years past have in Krytenia, but there’s no question that they’re very dangerous. & while we’re focussing on those two, we can’t count out East Belzaria; they’ll want to scrape their way to a result any way they can, & we can’t afford to give that up if we want to play in the knockout rounds, especially given the other competition we have to deal with.”

“However, I know that Qusmo can play with any one of those teams,” Avarn-Oxolt contended. “We may not have the history or the pedigree that some others do, but we do have a wonderful, talented group of players who are willing to give their all for their country & who have more than proven themselves capable of the big stage. I’m excited - rather, we’re all excited - to get onto the pitch against East Belzaria to prove that.”

Twenty-Five-Player National Team Roster
Players assigned shirts 1-11 will start Group Stage Matchday One against East Belzaria

N° Ps Name (Age)             Club (Nat.)        Caps  Starts   Goals

 1 GK Xynat-Evela Cuf (27) - Trosoc (QUS)         33      32       0
12 GK Vanza-Jerat Gep (27) - Qastyr (QUS)         21      20       0
25 GK Pilta-Jerat Zev (32) - Koflir (QUS)          3       3       0

 2 CB Cunix-Betva Tla (28) - Niom (QUS)           53      53       1
 3 CB Zenon-Gerol Kal (24) - Koflir (QUS)         47      46       0
 4 CB Yelto-Alfan Ono (25) - Koflir (QUS)         36      31       0
13 CB Ozolx-Alfan Ixi (26) - Werzin (QUS)         33      27       1
14 CB Lynul-Savar Mal (30) - Lilnim (QUS)          5       2       0
15 LB Yoltz-Tlanx Sal (25) - Koflir (QUS)         10       4       0
16 RB Nirlo-Betva Uzo (25) - Atlant (QUS)         21       6       0

 5 CM Yamaj-Blonz Jok (21) - Werzin (QUS)         28      19       2
 6 CM Ilinx-Kepex Zev (32) - Qastyr (QUS)         56      56       5
 7 AM Gavax-Nenzi Abe (24) - Trew (QUS)           21      11       3
 8 LM Kynda-Sevet Pec (20) - Koflir (QUS)         45      44       3
 9 RM Forzu-Ralox Kal (26) - Qastyr (QUS)         43      43       1
17 DM Yunal-Julad Waz (26) - Poldanz (QUS)        38      34       1
18 AM Ilinx-Vulav Ixi (26) - Poldanz (QUS)        43      40       2
19 LM Helek-Nenzi Ono (22) - Qastyr (QUS)         15      10       0
20 RM Ilinx-Ibilx Tla (29) - Trew (QUS)           19      12       1

10 SS Paliv-Xilit Max (24) - Pascal Mashu (HIN)   32      27      16
11 ST Xilit-Zaxac Yol (24) - Poldanz (QUS)        49      47      25
21 LW Ozolx-Mazur Guv (28) - Qastyr (QUS)         25       5       4
22 RW Jralv-Nexev Pec (26) - Poldanz (QUS)        19       5       0
23 ST Prant-Pertz Gor (26) - Qastyr (QUS)         28      11       3
24 ST Rilan-Jerat Nev (19) - Trew (QUS)           31      25       9

Special Roles
Formation: 3 - 5 - 2
Manager: Avarn-Oxolt Ban (67 y.o.)
Captain: Ilinx-Kepex Zev
Corners: Ilinx-Vulav Ixi
Free Kicks: Xilit-Zaxac Yol
Penalties: Xilit-Zaxac Yol

Kit Information
From a prepared statement from Fuzpon Qusma in lieu of an actual image
"Our home kit will be in our national colours, red & gold. Emblematic of our national flag, a thick two-colour sash will run from the right shoulder down to the left hip, both front & back. The top sash colour will be gold, & the bottom sash colour will be red. Above the sash will be a red field, while below the sash will be a gold field. Our shorts will be red & our socks will be gold. On the back, we will have a large red circle outlined in gold to recall our flag, break the sash, & allow clearer kit numbers, which will be printed in gold, just like the sun on our flag. Highlights throughout the kit will be gold. Our clash kit will be white with the full, uninterrupted, two-colour sash on front & back. We will have black numbers & red highlights, complemented by the same red shorts & gold socks. Our goalkeepers' kits will be black with the sash on the front side only, with white numbers, gold highlights, black shorts, & black socks. We believe that these kits are not only striking, but will represent our country well internationally. We are proud to represent Qusmo, & we eagerly look forward to the matches ahead."

Note on Qusma Culture
All Qusma are biologically androgynous; you should refer to them in your RPs as they or them. Speaking of referring to Qusmi’y, if you plan to use names, know that the “first” name - the long, hyphenated one - is a Qusmi’s family name, & the “last” name - the short, unhyphenated one - is their given name. On the subject of proper nomenclature, when you read my RPs, you should know that Qusmo refers to the country of Qusmo, Qusma is an adjective for something that is from or of Qusmo, a Qusmi is a person who is from Qusmo, & Qusmi’y are a group of more than one Qusmi. (In other words, Qusmo is to Scotland as Qusma is to Scottish as Qusmi is to a Scot as Qusmi'y are to Scots.) I keep most of my RPs stored in my sportswire; feel free to reference these or contact me directly if you have any questions or would like to learn more.

Technical Details Box
Style Modifier: -2
I give my opponent permission to...
Choose my goalscorers; but
Please please be reasonable when...
Injuring my players; or
Showing my players cards; &
Please contact me before...
Godmodding.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or ideas.

by **South Toronto** » Sat Oct 06, 2018 1:30 am

Chapter 1: Teleportate When You Are Broke

This will help you in understanding this RP.

"Aight, we got two options of transport. We either swim to Cassadigua or we sneak on a plane there. Which one do ya'll prefer?" asked Ellayandzer Walker.

"Nigga, what the fuck? Please tell me you're joking, cause if you not, leave me at home. Swim to Rushmore? We'll die of hypothermia or some medical condition to do with the cold. If we manage to sneak on, we have no knowledge of where we're going," replied Jozy. Jamal, Jay-Jay and Bryan walked into the room after Jozy was done speaking and sat down in the empty seats next to Jozy.

"This chess thing is so fucking pointless man. We ain't got no funds anymore to even get a boat or plane to Cassadigua because of that stupid thing. Almost a third of the squad can't swim, and you're trying to tell me we have to sneak on with the fans? This is the Cup of Harmony, all eyes should be on us. And that bitch Ellen Ya-I-don't-know-what-I'm-doing gonna make us communists. I've just had enough, why can't we just be normal?" asked Jay-Jay.

"I got an idea! I know where we can get there free of cost. Jamal, remember in the World Cup Qualifiers when we were 'collected' and we got told the truth about what's been happening? We can arrange for them to take us in exchange for us doing work for him," said Bryan.

"Yeah, I remember. Praye already knows about him so it'll be easy to arrange the transportation things and just go. Wait a minute, do you even know the players you're going to pick?" inquired Jamal as the rest of the players turned to Ellayandzer, listening intently to what he was about to say.

Ellayandzer paused for a moment, thinking if he should introduce some new players or just keep the squad the same and see how things turn out. But should he go against his better judgement, and add some new players, and potentially ruin the team's chemistry on the pitch or does he keep it the same and have things turn out horribly wrong, just like the previous Cup of Harmony. Now was not the time to be adding in new players, there's always the STIC and other tournaments to get new players, Besides, it has been proven time and time again that letting fringe players play in a B team will help you to determine the best players suitable for the national side.

"Basically, it will be the exact same squad as the World Cup 81 Qualifiers. I guess that we'll see how things turn out, and then I'll think about adding new players. I've already sent the emails to the rest of the squad now, now you guys can go help us out by getting a mode of transportation," said Ellayandzer.

"Cool then, let's find Z and ask him to help us out. Bye coach," said Bryan, as he opened the door for the rest to come out. A rift opened right in front of them and out stepped Secret Agent Zeo.

"Jamal! Bryan! We meet again. I see or rather heard, that you needed help in getting to Cassadigua. I can teleport ya'll there, but there's quite a big issue..." said Zeo in a high pitched voice.

"What is it? Wait... Don't tell me the rest are in some unknown place in Cassadigua?" questioned Bryan.

"Um, yeah. That's exactly the problem, but they are at Grande Mountain, which is apparently quite a controversial place. You guys know that it's mostly the local university that causes the controversy? If you didn't you now know! Also, it's a different society to ours. A hugely different one to put it simply," explained Zeo.

"What, the males are enslaved and forced to work, and they are selected like dogs to impregnate a woman who chooses them? No thanks, I'd rather stay at home," retorted Jay-Jay. Zeo let out an exasperated sigh, and then he banged his head against the wall.

"You can't say that about other nations, that's just stereotyping. And what nation even does that, is that not an infringement of human rights? Wait nevermind, it is. Anyways, the gender roles are reversed, females tend to have more power than males there, as opposed to here where it is the direct opposite. Oh and by the way, please don't make any stupid comments about their culture, we'll be put in our places. Oh my god, Jovante is out there in Cassadigua! Get your manager here right now, I'm not risking that guy going to prison for SH," exclaimed Zeo.

"What's SH?" asked Jozy.

"What do you think? Think of the two specific words that are often correlated with those starting letters," replied Zeo. Jozy was confused for a moment, but it was evident he got what it meant when his pupils expanded.

"Yo coach! Come here!" shouted Jamal. Ellayandzer came walking out of his office and paused when he saw the rift. Jay-Jay held him and threw him in the rift, as the others walked in as well. After a minute, they were plopped down near a hotel where the rest of the squad were. As they tried to get up, all of their bags crushed them, probably from the rift, as it closed quickly. Zeo was nowhere to be seen, but at least they landed in a convenient place.

"Well squad, let's go in the hotel and hope they don't kick us out. They walked in, and the receptionist was on the phone when the squad walked in.

"Excuse me, I'll call you back," she said to the person on the phone before putting it down beside her on the desk.

"South Toronto? You guys are the last team to come here, something wrong with the transport?" asked the receptionist, as she handed Ellayandzer a box of keys for the room.

"Er, yeah, you could say that!" replied Ellayandzer.

by **Dreamplanet** » Sat Oct 06, 2018 2:20 am

DREAMPLANET PREPARE TO TAKE ON POLKOPIA

Dreamplanet will be desperate to get a starting win against Polkopia.

The Dreamplanetian team powered hopes and dreams during the 81st World Cup qualifiers, despite being unranked, they pushed on to a remarkable 5th place finish, fighting with the likes of Abahnfleft, Jeruselem and Darkmania for that one playoff spot. It wasn't to be, but now Dreamplanet will have a second chance in a competition with many teams that share their story.

Dreamplanet will need to be on the lookout for Rafael Korošeć, and Irakliy Živkov, the attacking force that nearly put Polkopia to the World Cup, but we have our own strike force in Luis Silva, Aaron Hungar and Paulo Figueiredo, it is our captain, Luis Silva, that is expected to get most of the goals for Os Tricores, as he is a menace in pretty much every way, he already has 31 goals for Dreamplanet and has already been established as the driving force of Os Tricores.

The new kids of Coerefente, as dubbed by fans, will be hoping to solidify their place in the squad and show why Coerefente shook the Liga Dreamplanet by winning the league, one thing is for sure, when Dreamplanet comes to play, club divisions are forgotten and there is only one task, to get Dreamplanet a win.

Dreamplanet's squad for the tournament:

by **South Toronto** » Sat Oct 06, 2018 2:31 am

South Toronton Official Squad For The Cup of Harmony 73

Sol Taranatoin Oficals Skoonde Fuis Losk Cupyes Ir Ilmonia Monzerrapah

Well, here we go again. Another Cup of Harmony invite, and after South Toronto's third World Cup qualifiers, we hope the squad can at least get out of the group, and not fuck it up like in the last edition. Elllayandzer Walker led the Iscantan Mereadas to a respectable 4th placed finish in a group containing the likes of Chromatika, Savojarna, and Nova Anglicana. He led the B team to the Baker Park Open Cup final, before catching a 4-2 loss to the men's team of Cassadigua, which is coincidently, where we are playing all our group games. An unchanged squad will be travelling to Grande Mountain for their first game against Eastfield Lodge

Nickname: The Phoenixes

Style Mod: +1

Manager: Elllayandzer Walker

Walker led the Phoenixes to the final of the Baker Park Open Cup and has replaced the deadwood in the squad with new, fresh players that featured in that tournament. The 43-year-old was never a player, but he coached various youth teams and made his way up the managerial ladder before being appointed as interim manager of South Toronto's B team. He massively overachieved with our B team and surprised fans when he constantly contended to be a playoff team, before finishing 4th in the group. Can he overachieve again?

Formation: 4-3-3

The wingbacks, usually Praye de Lood and Jeremías San Jose, essentially are wide midfielders when on the counter-attack, with the wingers moving into a forward position. Paul Makanjoko and Ni Ling Son are found typically at the edge of the box, allowing Germanpreet Sachadev freedom to roam the attacking third. The front three don't track back to defend, but Paul Makanjoko and Ni Ling Son become centre-backs. while Germanpreet becomes a CDM. Ellayandzer Walker likes his players to be able to play multiple positions, as his system requires players to interchange between positions.

The Squad

Starting 11:

GK: Juan Estaban de Mites (Age 25) Juan is very confident in himself, and for being 6'9", why wouldn't he be? He's surprisingly athletic for a player his size and is one of the more experienced members of this squad. Thanks to Asmeh Asamoah Ondoa and Troi Esclaves poor performances, he's been named the number 1 of the team. Their lack of ability to use their feet made Ellayandzer Walker pick the goalkeepers who are good with their feet. So he picked Juan Esteban de Mites and Timaeus because they suit his style of play better, as well as generally being better goalkeepers. Juan sometimes makes irrational decisions when 1-on-1, bringing down his man in the box in an attempt to get the ball. But, out of 14 penalties, he's only conceded 3 so he can step up when he needs to. Overall, he's an experienced guy, but he needs to improve his decision making. Still, he is only 24, so he's got another 10-15 years to improve.

RB: Jeremías San Jose (Age 21) San Jose is a versatile defender, being able to play all positions in defence, LM, LW, and CDM. Naturally, he is a quick and agile player but when he does attack, he takes too long to track back. He is a good longshot taker and passer, which helps greatly when he's whipping the ball into the 6-yard-box for somebody to head it in the goal. He sometimes even has a crack at even 45-55 yards, but he only scores one every 10- 15 games. He'll be in the wing back role hopefully getting a few good crosses and maybe even a goal, and if he is really good offensively he might be moved to a winger position.

CB: Bryan Penelope (Age 20) Bryan is very physical and uses his absurd amount of strength to retrieve the ball. At 6'5", Bryan towers above most opponents and is usually the first one in both boxes to appear for a cheeky header or to head it clear of the box. He is quite a slow defender but is lighting quick in closing down his man and winning the ball back. He hoofs the ball up the field if he has no other options near him, and occasionally pops up with a last minute goal. Bryan is often quite aggressive when pursuing the ball, giving away fouls in the worst positions possible Bryan is working on controlling his anger through many therapy sessions and will be a force to reckon with in the future when he gets his anger under control.

CB: Jamal Seruku (Age 20) Jamal is always consistent tackling and passing and is the team's penalty taker. He can also take a good freekick and has been known to bang them in outside the box, but he isn't clinical inside the box. He also is the most aggressive player on the team, and he could play in CDM or even CM if he really wanted to because of his passing and technical, which is always consistent. However, Jamal heading accuracy is disgraceful, and being 6'3", it's baffling as to why his heading is so poor. He is a very annoying defender to come up against, as he won't stop persistently marking you.

LB: Praye de Lood (20) de Lood is the smartest player on the pitch, and got the most amount of assists on the team at the Baker Park Open Cup. He is a big game player and works extremely hard to help his team in any way possible. It seems his middle name is "90th" as he has got all his 19 career goals in injury time, and is just so good offensively Walker had to put him in the team. He will chase a player with the ball everywhere on the pitch, and blocks any shot he can block. Even though he is only 19, he is a role model to those around him in the team, and definitely impacts the team positively. However, he gets burnt out as he works so hard, so he can't feature for two games after playing 90 minutes. If de Lood can improve on his stamina, he is going to be a very important player for the Phoenixes.

CM: Paul Makanjoko (Age 19) Paul has time and time again proved critics wrong ever since way back in the BoF with his composure and exceptional crossing Insane dribbling skills, leaving defenders slipping and sliding all over the place. He does a lot of early crosses, but sometimes they can be quite poor, but it's a high risk and high reward. Paul is only 5'4" and often gets pushed around easily by opponents, but he draws fouls very easily. However, Paul is so bad at headers and volleys, his teammates never play a lobbed ball to him. However, miracles do happen, so maybe one day he'll improve those skills.

CM: Ni Ling Son(Age 22) Son of legendary South Toronton player Yung Ki Son, Ni Ling has been under a lot of pressure by the media to emulate and surpass his father's success. Ni Ling Son is arguably the most talented South Toronton player ever, although he has a long way to go to become a legend. Ni Ling is the glue that holds the team together and is one of the most versatile players in South Toronto being able to play almost all positions apart from the goalkeeper, showing how balanced his skills are. Ni Ling Son is quite small, being 5'6", but he uses his lack of height as an advantage, as he can dribble through an entire team. He and Makanjoko stay back to give Germanpreet Sachadev the freedom to push higher and higher up the pitch.

CM: Germanpreet Sachadev (Age 20) Germanpreet found an opportunity in the team to become a starter ahead of the incarcerated Kevin Yahaya, and to say he took it is an understatement. Germanpreet is very tall at 6'6" and is excellent in the air. A thundering left foot can catch keepers by surprise and is arguably the best long shot taker in the team after Toro St. Jose. He is quite clinical inside the box, but that's mainly due to his shot power. Germanpreet is still, the ultimate super sub and is the most likely to come off the bench and score a late equaliser. However, he is very inconsistent as one game he could be the best player on the pitch by far, the next game he is absolutely useless.

RW: Decepti Vardez Jr. (Age 17) Decepti Vardex Jr. is one to look out for in the future. His father, Aurelio Vardez, was a skilful striker with an amazing left foot, but his career was cut short due to injuries. He is a very skilful player and is both footed, which will make him very dangerous on the wings and can put in some good crosses into the box, where someone will gladly head it home. Even when Vardez dribbles at defenders, his huge burst of pace leaves defenders in the dust and his vision is exceptional. He is not even allowed to drive yet and has to be chaperoned by an adult everywhere, but he is already starting for South Toronto's national team. Vardez cannot shoot from outside the box, and it's quite perplexing as he has a powerful shot on him. He's quite an inexperienced player, and could that inexperience will get the better of him, or can the teenager prove all his doubters wrong?

ST: Jozy Dembele(Captain) (Age 19) Proving his worth, Jozy has performed consistently at a high level. A phenomenal dribbler, he is calm on the ball and doesn't rush good opportunities. He is the complete forward and despite being 6'4" and weighing 193 lbs, he is a very pacey and explosive player on the ball. Jozy is a clinical finisher and can score from almost anywhere on the pitch, and he scores goals for fun. He is a phenomenal dribbler, able to get himself out of tricky situations and is a good distributor of the ball. He steps up and scores important goals for the team. Jozy is an actual leader and is the most humble and hardworking member of the team. However, like Praye de Lood, he can't be played too much and has to be subbed off by the 60th minute, or he'll take 3 games to be fully rested.

LW: Tyrese Townsend (Age 19) Tyrese is a very skilful player and is a brilliant finisher with an almost trademark finesse shot into the bottom corner. Tyrese can play in all attacking positions, outpaces defenders to cut inside and either take that trademark finesse shot or drill it to another teammate in the box. His off the ball movements are incredible, and he always weaves his way into little pockets of space the defenders leave for him, allowing him to have a crack on goal or set up a teammate. The curve on his left foot is magical, so magical in fact sparkles fly out of his shoes whenever he scores. However, stick a man or two on him and he's like a lost child, wandering around the pitch in search of the ball.

Bench:

CM: Rosolgi Gliscorga (Age 19) Rosolgi is a classic box-to-box midfielder and is quite a versatile player as he's able to play on either side of the wings, wing-back, and centre-back. Gliscorga is heavily defensively orientated and is the type of player who hunts down the ball and retrieves it as quickly as possible, so he can start a counter-attack. He is also is quite clinical and is a master at volleys and will bang it into the back of the net, no matter the angle. Rosolgi is not the quickest player, but is fast enough to dribble at the defenders and beat them. He seems like the perfect midfielder, yet his distribution of the ball is poor and is simply not a gifted passer. Still, being only 18, he has a lot of time to improve.

LB: Devante Marie Tiberius (Age 20) He was the son of the former leader of South Toronto Tiberius Prombase before he was executed in a military coup. Devante is the best long passer and shooter on the team, being able to lob the ball from one end of the pitch to the other. He also takes the longer freekicks from 35-40 yards, and occasionally the shorter ones. He is very fast for an LB and could almost be placed in CM for his passing and shooting. Tiberius is an excellent player, provided he doesn't trip over ~~fucking thin air~~ and injure himself. With our luck, his terrible balance will drag an attacker down, and he'd get a red card for it. He isn't good at marking and forgets his duties as soon as the ball is back in play.

CM: Delta Nekanir (Age 26) Another experienced member in the squad, Delta Nekanir is more attacking than most of the other midfielders. The way he glides past entire teams and does little fancy flicks excites everybody in the stadium. Delta is a quality player both on and off the ball and mostly plays in a number 10 role, and his hawk-eyed vision can pick out any pocket of space his teammates can run into. As is the theme of the team, Delta is agile and his pace, dribbling and flair are enough to induce nightmares in his opponents well before the matchday. Delta is quite weak physically, and so sometimes he can get away with soft fouls, but he uses that to his advantage and sometimes dives to win a penalty or dangerous free kick. Nevertheless, if the starting midfield wasn't so stacked, Delta Nekanir would most definitely be a starter for the Phoenixes.

RW: Quinque Dembele (Age 18) Jozy Dembele is his older brother, and the Dembele brothers don't just look alike, but they share similar qualities as well. A complete forward, Quinque is a winger that crosses the ball almost perfectly everytime, and usually adds some flair to the otherwise boring game with exhilarating tricks and his many solo runs. Unlike Tyrese Townsend, Quinque doesn't have to cut inside, as he's both footed, and blasts the ball into the goal, and if there is any curve it would take the absolute best goalkeeper to save his shot. He is intelligent both on and off the ball and can take on 9-10 players surrounding him and he still will find some space to pass to his teammate or shoot. He is the undisputed quickest player on the team, but amongst the other players, he is the physically weakest in the squad. Add his weakness with inadequate stamina, and that equals a player that can't play every game, but when he does play, it will be exciting.

GK: Timaeus (Age 17) The starting goalkeeper at the Baker Park Open Cup, Timaeus is an agile goalkeeper that can pull off spectacular saves, and was one of the best players for the 'B' team, although he just chose the wrong time to blow up when Juan Esteban de Mites is becoming an established goalkeeper. The 17-year-old is surprisingly quite mature for his age and is in the squad because of his ability to use his feet, while the other goalkeepers like Ashmeh Asamoah Ondoa and Troi Esclaves feet ability are subpar to Timaeus'. He isn't the tallest goalkeeper, being 6'1", but he makes up for his lack of height with his lightning quick reflexes, and his ability to launch the ball deep into the opponent's half. Timaeus is inexperienced, although he's a solid goalkeeper and has at least 15-20 years to improve.

CB: Javonte Willock (Age 20) Javonte is the classic centre-back. He lunges into tackles mercilessly and hoofs the ball up the field.
At 6'8", he's the first man in the box to slam the ball into the back of the net. If he's in a bad mood, he could very easily knock players out without actually meaning to, and is generally aggressive in nature. Don't expect him to be dribbling with the ball, as his complete lack of ball control makes his first touch look like a pass. Javonte always stays back on the attack, even if his team needs a late goal, simply because he is abysmally bad at anything to do with the offence. Somehow, he can only pass to someone within a 20-yard radius and is otherwise entirely useless going forward.

CB: Jay-Jay Rerin (Age 23) Rerin is an all-around solid CB, he can grab the game by the scruff of its neck and pushes upfield whenever he spots an open teammate. His eyes glow red whenever he steps foot on a pitch, and he might as well have laser eyes as his passes are always on point. He uses his strength to wade off any attackers off the ball, and could head the ball all the way back at the halfway line and still score. But he can make the stupidest and pointless fouls, and while the opposition's fans are cheering and laughing at Rerin's defending, the South Toronton fans will be cursing Rerin. And for some reason, whenever he shoots, his shoe flies off as well.

ST: Ligti Sabir (Age 17) Ligti Sabir is the present and future for South Toronto. His blistering speed and exceptional dribbling will wreak havoc for the defenders facing up against him, and a powerful right foot will hammer it in from all ranges of the pitch. Ligti is technically gifted and possesses great passing skills, although he's rather selfish and goes for the shot unless his teammates have a high chance of scoring. 'Freekick' is his middle name as he has magnificent curve when he shoots, curling high into the top corners or the net. His footballing intelligence for a teenager is magnificent and can light up big games if his team are losing. He's shown he can perform in big games and is a super-sub, however, Ligti Sabir is quite injury prone and picks up the occasional 1-4 week injury, but hasn't got a major injury yet.

ST: Artjorm Petrov (Age 20) Artjorm is a skilful, quick and nimble player, showcasing his wide range of skills, fancy flicks, and tricks to fool defenders, making them look like they are amateurs and bolts away from the defender to create a chance for himself or the team. Artjorm is able to play a vast variety of attacking positions, from both wings, striker, centre-forward and even CAM, and is deadly from 12 yards. He is efficient, hard-working, and most of all, ~~is a true communist who shares everything with his teammates~~ works for the team. Petrov generally thinks he can talk to the referee however he wants but is surprised when a booking comes his way but is still a very talented and entertaining player.

CM: Theon Keptezos (Age 20) Theon Keptezos is like Ni Ling Son, good at everything. He is versatile as he can play CB, CDM, CAM, on both wings and RB and LB, which is extremely useful when someone becomes injured. He works hard to get the ball and feed the ball into space for the wingers to run into. He is a natural leader and is incredibly strong on the ball, and once he has there's no taking it from him. If he wanted to, Theon could play for 2 hours and still won't be affected by fatigue. Although he isn't heavily involved with the team's attack, Keptezos always puts in solid passes and tackles and is very mature, as he rarely gets booked. Shooting is not his cup of tea, but he has popped in with a goal or two every now and again.

RB: Andre Tomanke (Age 21) A very physical wing-back, Andre will put his body on the line to block any attempts of a shot. He is also versatile as well, being able to play wingback, winger, or CM, and has some good playmaking abilities. When he makes those overlapping runs, he uses his creativity to find a good goal-scoring chance. Although Andre Tomanke is not the fastest player, his style of defending, the sweeper, makes up for it as he lunges into any tackle, and will earn the ball back for his team, wherever the ball is on the pitch. Andre will do anything to give his team an advantage, whether it is moving the ball a couple of yards forward when it's a dangerous freekick or even using a hand to block an open goal. He's the biggest cheat in South Toronton football, so don't be surprised when he commits heinous offences. Most fans outside of South Toronto will think Andre Tomanke is a dickhead, but wouldn't your players do the same in that situation?

LW: Kenza North (Age 23) To finish the squad up, Kenza North is the tiny 5'1" forward that can wiggle through the defence with ease, and half the time the defenders can't actually see him dribbling. Kenza is very quick and is extremely agile, and once he gets the ball he is going straight towards the goal to shoot. His low centre of gravity makes him one of the best dribblers on the team and is generally the most annoying player on the pitch, just because most defenders can't make such a harsh challenge and that he's too quick and nimble to even tackle properly and legally, without getting booked. What Kenza lacks in height, he is a very clinical finisher and uses just enough curl technique, and power to strike it into the goal. Of course, Kenza is a very weak player and always starts against big, clumsy defenders so he can capitalise on their mistake. He is also injury prone, however, that's expected as defenders can put too much work into a challenge and slide into him, injuring him in the process.

Staff:

Assistant Manager: Kayla O'Neil (Age 23)
Goalkeeping Coach: Rashad Karim je'Coupbre (Age 26)
Talent Scout: Gisanti Fersostu (Age 42)
Fitness Coach: Zeo Dzower Bengers

RP Permissions: Don't kill my players, and TG me about injuries. Otherwise, go nuts!

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Sat Oct 06, 2018 2:58 am

Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

The Football Fallacies
with Graham O'Doherty

I'm sorry, but I just had to get that out of my system. (Actually, no, I'm not sorry. But I had to get that out of my system anyway.) I just came across a very interesting interview from Jeruselem's Naked News Network saying that we have a chance of making it to the Cup of Harmony final. Take note, this is the very same Jeruselem team that beat us twice in the World Cup qualifiers and yet we finished above them to book a spot in the playoffs, where we lost against Darmen, but we don't talk much about that. I'm just sitting here in front of my computer laughing my ass off because Jeruselem thinks that we, the Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft, could make it all the way to the Cup of Harmony final. Granted, they said that Taeshan and Eastfield Lodge were their choices for winning the Cup of Harmony itself, but they are still on record as having said that Abanhfleft could make the final. And I find that viewpoint to be completely hilarious. It is very much obvious that they have only been following Fleftic football for a short time since they have no idea in how many ways we the Fleftics can absolutely and totally fuck up our chances of making it out of the group stage of the Cup of Harmony, let alone the final.

First off, let's take a look at our groupmates. Darkmania. We've faced them before. They beat us before. Granted, that was with an aging women's team being coached ineptly by one Heinrich Wurzmann, but Darkmania still defeated us, and there is always a chance that they will defeat us once again. Omerica. They're a force in multiverse football, or at least they used to be. But even used-to-be-football-superpowers are still very tough games for the Fleftic national team, and more times than not the Revolutionaries lose these tough games. And then Geisenfried. We've never faced this team before, but all that means is that it's a ripe moment for the Revolutionaries to lose yet again. Going by that logic, we are going to end up at the bottom of the group, having never even gotten a chance to get a single point. Therefore we cannot make it to the Cup of Harmony Final in that situation. Hence, Jeruselem's prediction is hilarious.

You might think that I'm too pessimistic, but I call it just being realistic. Besides, if you set your standards low enough, nothing can ever be too disappointing. Not that I think I can ever be disappointed again. No, my disappointment died along with my soul after we lost against Darmen twice. But why am I remembering this though? I thought I had already deleted this from my memory. Those games never happened. Trust me.

Yes, I know that this is shorter than my usual postings but I really just had to get this out of my head. Once I seen that Naked News interview, the meme you see at the top immediately popped up in my mind and I just had to make it. And then I had to think up of some words to type so I can add it to my post without it looking just like a single meme post, and I didn't want to set a bad example for everyone else by encouraging one-meme posts. But I've done all I could at this point, and it is at this point that I say to you, "Toodaloo, motherfuckers!" XOXO from Graham...

by **Savojarna** » Sat Oct 06, 2018 4:18 am

SavojarSports.sj - inside reports from all Savojarna
The Cup of Harmony Preview

Set to begin tonight with a hopefully spectacular opener, the World Cup of Those Who Tried, also known as The Ultimate Participation Medal or simply the Cup of Harmony is promising us some spectacular football and a good shot at Savojar silverwear. Some observers, such as the experts from our group opponents Siovanija and Teusland, even call the Northlights out as the big favourites to win it all based on their impressive KPB rank (31) and a good qualification campaign in which they went unbeaten for the entire first half of the qualifiers, but drew many games against lower-ranked teams which ultimately cost them qualification. Oh, and maybe giving up a late goal to Nova Anglicana in their second direct confrontation may also have played a role. Let's look into how correct the Stelburger Zeitung was and try to guess ourselves who will qualify for ultimate glory among those not good enough for actual ultimate glory!

The Savojar Group

Savojarna were drawn into Group G, playing their games in the matriarchal Cassadaigua. Don't worry, Savojar men, you will be perfectly safe there. It is still a shame that we get to play there in this edition, when it is the men's team's turn to represent Savojarna internationally, and not in a female year. Anyway, the Savojars will be gladly travelling to Atlantian Oceania for this celebration of football in a country with a long sports tradition. At first glance, they were lucky with the group draw.

Siovanija and Teusland, their probably closest competitors, are an up and coming nation but still they are one of the lowest ranked nations in Pot 2. Ranks are only numbers, but they are numbers based on past performances, and looking at the pedigree of the pot S&T will be a draw that is preferrable to the likes of Mattijana or Qusmo. They are a heavily attacking team, which hopefully we can counter when we face them on the second match-day of the group. By then, they will already have played what is their biggest match of the group stage, the opener against Adab.

Adab are again part of the lower half of their pot, and while they have shown a strong WCQ campaign that exceeded expectations, coming third behind Audioslavia and Starblaydia and rising over 150 spots in the rankings, they are not a team that we expect to be consistent enough to make the big stage. Following a ten-year suspension from international football, they have a young team that is essentially DBC-eligible in its current form. This means that they will also share the weaknesses of many youth teams, an over-enthusiastic approach that may be dangerous against tactically solid teams like Savojarna. The overall aggressive nature of Adab's team should make for great entertainment.

Karulicja, finally, are our opening match opponent and the second-lowest ranked team of the entire competition. Thus, the Savojars have actually managed to get an opponent from the lower half of each pot except their own, which gives them the nominally easiest group of the tournament. Moderately offensive, this team should generally be closest to Savojarna in terms of strategy, but is set up differently as they employ a back three and two rather defensive-minded wingers. This system could be dangerous for Savojarna as it reduces the amount of space Voynov and Jashkin are likely to get, but the centre of the field should be strictly Savojar territory in this opening match. It remains to be seen what the team can make of that, as this game is going to be crucial for the rest of the campaign.

The other Cassadagan groups

Should Savojarna qualify - which we think is highly likely - they face off against the winner or the runner-up of Group H. We believe that the Northlights win their group, in which the likely opponents will be whoever wins the clash of Main Nation Ministry and The Macabees. This is a hard-to-predict battle, as both teams are ranking neighbours, play a solid and very pragmatic game and share a general approach to football. Their match, opening the tournament for both of them, may not be expected to be a neutral highlight, but definitely one to follow if you like fighting and tension. The group winner will probably be Jeruselem. This team has somewhat of an eternal just-outside-the-top-50 feel to it, making them a classical "too good to drop, too bad for the World Cup" side. Savojarna should be at least slightly favoured against any of the three, and we do not believe that Oberour ar Moro (the lowest ranked team of all, and experiencing deep coaching trouble during WCQ) will be capable of threatening the qualifying spots.

Group E, the winner of whom we may face in a quarterfinal if we win our group, got a team from the lower half of every pot as well, this time including Pot 1 and thus lacking a clear favourite like Savojarna. Tinhampton will be very unhappy to return to Cassadaigua so shortly after they had been kicked out of World Cup contention in a dramatic face-off against the Matriarchy, and wants to show their quality. Beepee and Freeport largely flew under our radar in WCQ81, but one of them will make an impression past the group stage unless Kelssek, a nation with a massive sports pedigree but unsuccessful in recent football history, can make a surprise. Despite the rather equal distribution of skill in this group, we see Tinhampton as the favourites to win ahead of Beepee, who seem to be on their way into the circle of countries that can aim for the World Cup with a good campaign.

Group F has our WCQ81 groupmates South Toronto, whose representatives are always good for some unwanted comedy during the official events such as the draw. This time it seemed to have remained calm, but they will not be calm on the pitch. South Toronto were unlucky to have drawn a tough group and only ending fourth, and they want to improve. The key to this improvement will be a decent result in the first game against group favourites Eastfield Lodge, as Polkopia lurk just behind them. The Polkopians surprised us by leading their WCQ group at halftime ahead of Valanora, and even though they lost steam on the way, they are a threat for either South Toronto or Eastfield Lodge, whoever loses their opening clash. Dreamplanet, despite a strong campaign and climbing just outside the Top 100 from an unranked position, seem unlikely to actually qualify, but all is possible in this tough group.

The Rest of the Cup

Favourites for the cup, even if they reject those honours, will be Abanhfleft. The Fleftic are the top seed of this year's Cup of Harmony and were lucky with their draw. With returning veterans Geisenfried, Omerica and Darkmania, they were coupled with three teams who may be stumbling blocks on good days, but should fall to Abanhfleft if both teams play on their usual levels. Following then would be a face-off with Mattijana or Acronius, who are definitely tougher tests for the first KO round, but nothing insurmountable for the Revolutionaries. Group C is interesting because it has two teams that we could usually expect to at least glance at the quarterfinals in the aforementioned Acronius and Mattijana, but also another returning power with the Squornshelan Remnant States. This team started out unranked and played itself straight into the Top 100 of the world, an impressive feat that makes them a must-watch side for the Cup of Harmony.

Moving on to group A and B, we see one name shining out to us: Juvencus. Our rivals have won the Cup of Harmony before and will try to do so again, but drew a tricky group to start their journey from. Qusmo are an up-and-coming team that nearly made us stumble at the Copa Rushmori, and is very capable of upsetting this group. Krytenia are the third seed of group B, returning from an absence but willing to take back their spot, which is definitely higher up the rankings than 87. Among these three heavyweights, we feel bad for the poor East Belzaria, another team that largely flew under our radar and from whom we don't expect much contestation against the two favourites. And finally, Group A with our neighbours Taeshan. This is not the most interesting one, to be honest. Taeshan will go through, as will probably New Lusitania who surprised us with being in the fight for qualification for much longer than anyone had expected, making them one of the big surprises of WCQ81. It is unclear how much of this power New Lusitania can carry over, but Blaneu and Saint Emelie do not seem like the teams to challenge this duo.

Looking forward, we may dream of an Abanhfleft vs. Juvencus quarterfinal, pitting two of the biggest favourites against each other early on. The other quarterfinal in the Equestrian states then would probably be Taeshan vs. Mattijana, while the Savojars play Tinhampton in Cassadaigua and Polkopia continues to surprise as they are the ones to take on Jeruselem. At this point, the Fleftic may actually have their dream come true and lose, setting the stage for a Juvencus vs. Mattijana semifinal, just to make sure the Juvens can already properly get annoyed by the idea of people getting what they deserve for their labour. Savojarna will laugh all the way to the People's Bank as they get ready to fight Jeruselem. This means that I predict the Cup of Harmony to end in its best possible culmination, the first clash of Juvencus and Savojarna since WCQ77, probably causing the Juvens to first gasp collectively at the idea of socialism and then joining the revolution frantically as they see socialists are better off and better at football, all while Petteri Hytönen lifts a Cup of Harmony he has personally done surprisingly little for. Happy footballing!

by **Juvencus** » Sat Oct 06, 2018 4:26 am

At the Vinceti "Palmo Rosso" Airport, 3 days prior to reaching the Equestrian States

The team's mood could only be described as fairly relaxed, despite the heartbreak. Most players were used to seeing the team not being fairly successful after winning the Cup of Harmony 2 editions ago, some even played in that "mediocre" team by Juven standards. However, there were a couple of situations of players completely shattered, including the leader, Dudu Madeiros. He had seen it all to be fair, from going winningless last world cup, to a complete humiliation in the Independent Associations Cup 5 to losing to Audioslavia in this edition's play offs, he was tired of seeing the team come short and it had taken its toll on him.

"It's all my fault..." he told his teammates, nobody seemed to step over to help him calm down, all that his teammates could say was that it wasn't his fault, and it wasn't, it was the whole team's fault, obviously but he wouldn't listen, he was stuck in a world of his own, or whatever was left over of it. Everyone was about to embark on a 3-day journey towards the Equestrian States, business had to be done and someone really had to relax Dudu down.

And here was the future of the team's defence, Izotz Ibarra, a real leader-like figure, just like Dudu, but with his head up he approached his senior as he was concerned for his mental health, he really didn't quite look like himself. "Captain, for the last few days I've only seen you being disappointed in yourself for the team's inability to reach the world cup. Indeed, it was heartbreaking to be eliminated in such fashion but we've still got a tournament to brace ourselves for, one that we can win to boost our team's confidence and ranking and put ourselves in the multiversal map once more. I think I'm speaking on behalf of the whole team when I'm saying this but I'd like to see you being a little bit more confident in yourself, that in turn will transfer on the team and it will make you feel better, trust me."

"I'm sorry pal, but it doesn't work that way, I've seen so much bad luck strike our team that I'm just feeling weak mentally. Remember, I'm the captain of this nation's team and it's first and foremost my duty to represent the nation the best way I can, but if I don't manage to do that and we lose, I just can't help but blame myself for not boosting my team's confidence enough and for not caring enough for the team's well-being on and off the pitch. I took the hit for all of us, I think it's better that way. I'll of course try to be a bit more confident, since we'll need it in the upcoming tournament, but no promises."

"Better promise me, captain."

"Show some respect, I'm having a hard time... Ugh who am I kidding? Fine, I promise." Dudu sighed in relief as Izotz patted his back and left. He came back to reminiscing moments, but as if out of a miracle, he started remembering how the team won the Cup of Harmony last time it participated in it and that sparked his hopes for one last victory, bringing a smile on his face, however, he was not cured completely.

In the airplane, above the clouds, day 1

Pau was ready to make an announcement to the team members, him and the main coach, August had just finished watching the draw for the Cup of Harmony, which was taking place right as the team lifted off to leave for the Equestrian States. The team was put with East Belzaria, Krytenia as well as upcoming future power of the sport, Qusmo.

"Alright everyone, brace yourselves, this draw has a few surprises for us, but I think we're on a fairly easy group, but never underestimate the following opponents of ours. First, it's East Belzaria, the lowest seed of the group, this is a debuting team with a very balanced style of play, what we have to do is remove the balance as fast as we can off of them and we shall be fine. Next up, Krytenia, a team which happens to have a lot of veterans of the sport and should be equally respected, if not slightly more respected than the rest of the teams, we should stick to our game plan here as well, removing that balance so we get through them. And then we have the highest seeded team that isn't ours, Qusmo. These darn androgynous figures definitely know how to play the game, I want the defence to be as focused as it can be against them and I want the rest of you try and make the Qusmi'y defence as incompentent as possible, since they arguably have the best defence out of any team in the group. Other than that, I wish you good luck and I'm looking forward to working with you all in 2 days when we land on the Equestrian States."

The draw hadn't surprised the players, knowing they are strong candidates to win the whole thing, they thought of this groups as an easy one to pass, however everyone was willing to work well enough to pass any upcoming obstacles that come on their way.

Cup of Harmony 73 - Everything Thread

CoH 73 Pre-MD1

Who is online