World Cup 90--RP Thread

[TJUN-ia]

By Peter Davis

After a great opening-day display over USGA kickoff our WC campaign in style, the Jaguars of TJUN-ia knew that the true battles and deciding moments in this campaign were still yet to come. Both David Seems and Li Xiu Ying was very much impressed with how this team took down the United States of Great America quite convincingly, but they also wanted this run of form to continue for as long as possible before they came up against tougher opposition in the later rounds of play. Every point counts when you have 4 fewer games to play than before, so the first WCQ Double-Header of the campaign would certainly show who's got the consistency to perform at these early stages.

Up first was the end of our opening 2-game homestand at the National Stadium as current 2nd placed side Aut-Ves-Nat came to town. The Autonomous Vessel Nations stunned HUElavia on opening day and so, there was certainly a bit of caution about facing these guys - but that would turn out to be not exactly accurate. Both teams would have their chances in this game, but TJUN-ia would make use of them more often than their nautical opponents - but that didn't mean this result was assured at all. Kepo Ulawaya managed a brace within the first half an hour, but a nice strike from Hesdiel the Warrior put this one in doubt for a while. The second half would reassure everyone that things would be OK, with Archer Andrews and Manu Kepelewako coming off the bench to make their marks on the scoresheet, but Bob Crockett would give the visitors one final piece of joy before the final whistle. It was an interesting game, but still a win nonetheless and that is the more important fact.

Then came our first road game in the United Adaikes, a team with only 1 point - but when that point came against top seeds Ethane, everyone knew that this one was certainly going to be tougher than any on paper suggestions indicated. Dylan Burke's side had already shown their potential in both the early stages of this WC and the BoF as a whole, so every expected a tight contest and that is exactly what they got. The first half would see both Harold Gylfisson and Abby Kidd certainly made to work and the crowd were certainly behind their team no matter what, with chances from Aveline Everill and Collin Maddox causing great reactions indeed. But TJUN-ia were committed to finding a way no matter what and a brilliant shot by Vladimir Podolov in the 65th minute rewarded our determination in spades. That would be the end of that, just about, and the best possible start possible was in the books thus far: 3 games, 9 points, +7 GD.

The next 2 games will most certainly test our resolve, with #67 Ranoria coming to Tiankong without a win thus far before we head off to Örkendrem to take on a Darkmania side in midtable at this point. Both teams aren't having the best of starts at the moment, but both are ranked in the Top 100-ish and they both deserve respect when we play them. We won't, however, be using the "leaked" tactics book Hapilopper dropped for their contest against Kimi-Suomi. You don't call a document "HAP WC90 PLAYBOOK TOP SECRET DO NOT STEAL.prd" if you want to feign seriousness. Maybe Mr...Nathan Ellis?! He's the Assistant Coach over there now? Whilst still playing? Well, I'll be damned. Of course, it was him who did this...he was the one behind that gender reveal, you know? GO JAGS!

---

SCHEDULE (Group 15)
MD1: vs United States of Great America (UR) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia City W 4-0 (1st)
----------------------Boot It!----------------------
MD2: vs Aut-Ves-Nat (142) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia City W 4-2 (1st)
MD3: @United Adaikes (244) W 1-0 (1st)
----------------------Boot It!----------------------
MD4: vs Ranoria (67) - Tiankong Stadium, Tiankong
MD5: @Darkmania (104) - Nätionaljë Stëduÿm, Örkendrem
----------------------Boot It!----------------------
MD6: vs Ethane (14) - Beregozera Stadium, Szensky
MD7: @HUElavia (41) - Estadio Nacional, Curumba
----------------------Boot It!----------------------
MD8: @United States of Great America (UR)
MD9: @Aut-Ves-Nat (142)
----------------------Boot It!----------------------
MD10: vs United Adaikes (244) - Tiankong Stadium, Tiankong
MD11: @Ranoria (67) - Smith Field, Richardson
----------------------Boot It!----------------------
MD12: vs Darkmania (104) - Beregozera Stadium, Szensky
MD13: @Ethane (14)
----------------------Boot It!----------------------
MD14: vs HUElavia (41) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia City

[Flavovespia]

Riverview, South Covello
12:00pm

It was time for the pre-match press conference, the day before kick-off in the second qualifying game. With a loss to The 14 Stars already on the board, Augusto Rinaldi knew he could ill-afford more losses at this stage, and was prepared to expect something of a sharp questioning from some of the journalists. Among the crowd were a few familiar faces he recognised from past conferences, some he was happier to see than others, plus a collection of international journalists. The hush descended in the room, as the moderator started the press conference.

“Guy Wilby from FTV here. First of all, are there are any injury updates or concerns before your squad selection for the upcoming game in South Covello?”, the grey-haired, mature journalist asked to the Flavovespian manager.
“No injury concerns as of our last training session, all 23 of the squad are available to play”, stated Rinaldi, in a respectful, yet matter-of-fact manner. Approving nods seem to suggest that question needed no further elaboration.

“Lesley Ross of ICTV Sports. Last game didn’t go to plan, and it seemed there was some discontent amongst the ranks. Has this changed the outlook ahead of this game?”. This question was a more testing one, and whilst Rinaldi expected it, it was still one he could do without needing to answer.
“The team do not want to start with a loss, and I think it is a shame that has happened. But the past is in the past. I have spoken to the players, the team have spoken together, and we know that we need to work together to get a win. I feel like the preparations are going well, and I have confidence in the squad still.” Rinaldi hoped that would be a sufficient response, although the probing questions that would come up seemed inevitable.
“With that in mind, are you making any changes to the team? Will Aarif Muhammad or Lucky Diamond play in goal?” called out another journalist.
“That’s a matter for us the team, and I will not give away my team selection yet”, was the curt reply of Rinaldi.
“Any change in defence?” enquired another journalist.
“Again I will not give away the team selection here”, was the even more brisk reply from Rinaldi, who had limited time for questions with an obvious answer.

“Flavovespia played South Covello 5 cycles ago in the Qualifiers, it was a scoreless draw here and a 2-1 win in Flavovespia. Since then many of the players on both sides have changed, but a few familiar faces remain. What do you think the players who’ve faced South Covello can bring to the table?” Guy Wilby enquired, a question that seemed to pique the interest of Rinaldi much more.
“That is an interesting question. I think when you go into these sorts of games, and away qualifiers, the experience does help. Players like Steven and Scott, they have been here before, it can calm the nerves of everyone around them to know the experience and leadership is there. But I think experience is not the only factor, all of the players in my squad are here because of their skill and talent, and I think they can deliver”. Rinaldi’s reply came in a tone that suggested he far preferred answering that question.

Rinaldi left, fairly comfortable with how that was handled. Of course he knew exactly who was in the squad, but he didn’t want to cause a controversy on the eve of the game, with the dropping of Aarif Muhammad and Tony Gardner. For now, getting the focus back on the pitch was the goal.



Rovers Arena, Loxthorpe
4:32pm

It wasn’t going to plan at all. A 0-1 win in South Covello had lifted the spirits, but back in Flavovespia, and the 0-1 score as it stood against Quakmybush was very much not what the home fans wanted. It wasn’t as if Flavovespia where having many defensive woes, the 33rd minute free kick to open the scoring was a masterpiece, few could blame Lucky Diamond for not saving it. But now, with less than 15 minutes to go, the Flavovespian attack was looking flat.

Rinaldi was weighing up his options. Kieron Player had already come off for Alexander Clarkson, and a slight knock for Kishan Rees meant that David Lyons had to come on. Only one more sub could come on, but for whom? Steven Hall seemed to be putting in a decent shift, but Scott Coleman had been well marked this game and Michael Cole just wasn’t playing or receiving the right passes to be a real threat. He turned to his assistant to deliberate, and work out who to get warmed up.

His train of thought was broken by an angry roar that arose. Steven Hall was fouled by a sliding challenge from the Quakmybush left back, who failed to cleanly stop Hall’s advance. The captain was knocked to the floor, and despite chants of “OFF! OFF! OFF!” from the crowd, the card produced was only a yellow. A more pressing issue though was the response from Hall and the physio. The removal of the armband, and the rotating hand gesture from the physio meant only one thing; the captain and Loxthorpe Rovers player, at his home ground, would have to prematurely leave this game.

“Jonathan!” called Rinaldi to the bench, sending Jonathan Bagshaw down the touchline to warm up as quickly as possible. Returning, and taking off his tracksuit top, the teenager was ready to make his first ever appearance for Flavovespia. An unenviable situation, a goal down, less than15 minutes to go, and replacing the injured captain and one of the nation’s most famous players. To top it off, the Langmere Green Rovers player would be debuting in the home of rivals Loxthorpe Rovers. If Jonathan Bagshaw was phased, he wasn’t showing it, he stood on the touchline with a stoic expression, waiting to come on.

Final instructions received from Rinaldi, he saw Steven Hall limping towards him. The legendary talent and the precocious talent, rivals at domestic level but teammates at international level shook hands and exchanged brief words. “Good luck, you’ve got this!” Steven Hall said, trying to show enthusiasm despite the pain in his ankle. “Thanks!” Jonathan Bagshaw responded quickly, before he ran onto the pitch to applause, with the “11 19” held up by the fourth official.

88 minutes gone in the game, and Flavovespia were desperate. It was now or never to avoid a second home defeat in a row. A hoofed ball downfield fell harmlessly towards the Flavovespian box, “KEEPERS!” yelled Lucky Diamond, not even waiting for it to reach his box, before launching the ball downfield towards the right wing. A flick-on by David Clark sent it into the path of Jonathan Bagshaw. The substitute looked up, with the left-back closing down towards him. On a yellow card already, Jonathan Bagshaw saw an opportunity. A feint to the outside, and he had the space to cut inside. Now it was all about getting the ball into the box. He’d slightly overrun the ball with the feint, so there was no time to think, he just had to put it low into the box with pace, into the danger zone, and hope someone could get there.

The ball flashed with pace into the box, slighty angling away from the goal. The defender went sliding in, looking to deflect it out for a corner, but the ball whistled by. Scott Coleman, despite some tired legs, was next in line for the ball. The keeper was closing him down, but Coleman, with all the experience and skill of a classic striker, put his side-foot through the ball. Just outside the inside box, there was no chance for the goalkeeper to divert course to block it, and the ball rolled into the net. The cheers of joy and relief erupted around the ground, Scott Coleman had the equaliser, and it was debutant Jonathan Bagshaw with the assist. Amidst the disappointment of injury to Steven Hall, and the failure to win, at least one of Flavovespia’s young talents had shone.

Going into the games against Tumbra and Starblaydia, and probably a few after that, Flavovespia would be without their captain and a key player, Steven Hall. Scott Coleman would be the captain in the meantime, and Jonathan Bagshaw seemed set to fill the role left behind by Steven Hall for now. The question though after the game vs Quakmybush, could Jonathan Bagshaw fulfil expectations, or even exceed them after that debut?

[Squidroidia]

"Alright kids, come inside, team meeting, team meeting."

A sudden interruption to Squidroidia's training session left the squad, well, confused. Especially since their upcoming game, away from home in the Finntopian Empire, being an important tie between first and third in the group, it felt odd for Adam Johnson to be calling his team over to the locker room to discuss, well, anything. Training still had to be done in many of the Inklings' eyes, but the call of the manager was a sign that they had to go. With sighs and grunts from most of the squad, they went into the locker room and huddled around Johnson. He whipped out his phone and pulled out an email addressed to all World Cup players and managers, supposedly from Nathan Ellis of the Hapilopper team.

"I don't know what player-coach Nathan Ellis of Hapilopper was thinking when he sent out this email to me and supposedly all of you, I'm sure you haven't read this yourself yet since you're busy training for the Finntopian Empire game, but this is ridiculous." Adam's face seemed disappointed too - He had a sad, almost frustrated face on him as he went through the email. "I have never heard of this Kimi-Suomi nation in my life, guys. I don't know what they're about, they were mentioned during the group draw but they've seem like they need a drink or an ice cream. If we deal with them in the Cup of Harmony, we'll not leave them alone, but we'll leave them alone now.

Johnson was baffled about the supposed tactical book, the one known as "HAP WC90 PLAYBOOK TOP SECRET DO NOT STEAL.prd" on it, taking a look at it only to find out it was from the Inkhallen days, 15 years ago, for a Hapiloppian domestic fixture. "He also sent with this email a tactic book from long, long ago, United Hampton Cities against West Hampton Sports Club, that doesn't concern us but I'm sure when he sent that he was covering his butt from a potential scandal with the World Cup Committee. If you want to keep it for historical purposes, maybe send it to a museum or something, go right ahead, you all got it as well so that's for the taking." He then saw the little memo regarding Kerry Spalding.

"It comes to my attention that someone on the Hapilopper team stripped naked in the middle of practice and yelled that he 'wasn't an artist anymore' and had become a 'work of art'." Laughter beamed out from the entire Squidroidian team, and he didn't even add the "This isn't Jerusalem" part yet! He had to shut them up. "Listen, guys and squids... If I see any of you doing those antics in the middle of practice or in a game, I won't hesitate but to punish you for being a dickhead in front of the team, alright?" The laughter immediately was silenced, some players nodding to his orders.

Other than that it was a couple more things in the email, nothing worth talking about to the team. He was sure that none of his team was going to commit mass murder, and wanted his team to see that part for themselves so they wished. "That seems like everything so far, nothing that I want to say out of this email, you guys and squids can handle it yourself, I'm sure of it. Back to training." With a couple claps, the team went back to prepare for the Finntopian Empire game.

---

Makino Hideo, on the other hand, wasn't gonna ignore it.

To: Nathan Ellis (n.ellis@teamhap.co.hp)
From: Makino Hideo (mhideo@inklingsfootball.sqr)
Subject: RE: Tomorrow's practice

Hey Ellis!

Good job on that send all you did. Me and my pals at the Squidroidian NT were laughing our ink sacs off at that part about Spalding and his "work of art" thing. Yes, before you ask, Johnson (Longtime Barunian manager and current Squidroidia boss) warned us about doing that here. Those antics are a work of art themselves! Keep it up!

However, I, as well as perhaps many of the other players and managers trying to get into the World Cup, am not impressed with the "clever" joke regarding your playbook, disguising a 15 year old relic of Haloppian domestic football and disguising it as your current playbook. We know keeping tactics secret is just not a recommendation, but a requirement for all teams. Putting the real deal tactics in your send alls, whether on accident or on purpose, might land you and the entire Haloppian team in trouble. I don't want you to do that unless you want to feel the wrath of Margaret. (No joke - The World Cup Committee might punish you.)

Other than that, have a good time against Boahmi-Drinkomi!

-Makino Hideo
Member of Makosile United

[Kimi-Suomi]

We showed fightback in our first game in Dispertag. Now, we had to show what we can do against other opposition. Let's see how that went, eh?

First up was Rhubarbton in The Nest and as expected, the crowd came to see a potential Huuhkajat win...and that was exactly what they got today. Pesä is certainly one of the only highlights of any visit to Kimi Kaupunki (at least until Kimi Circuit is inaugurated), but that doesn't mean this jewel isn't a fun place to watch football in the Arctic Nights we're known for in this part of AO. The nation of Rhubarbs certainly was a tough nut to crack for a while but once the walls were breached, there was no going back at all. Kimi Airo would be the hero of the day though, scoring twice late in the second half to secure our first win of the campaign in front of our home faithful. It certainly was fun!

Then came a tough road test at National Sports Complex in Aleiusia as we took on Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom, a team everyone knew were alright at the whole football thing. The main aim entering this one was to try and get something from it and while 0-0 usually sounds "absoluuttista paskaa", this wasn't one of those games. Zeta Reka was obviously the more ball-playing team in this contest, with most of the possession and chances, but our back 5 and GK played out of their skins to secure this point. Arto, Tiina and Heli Rautavaara were a brick wall for most of the game, both Simo Talvela and Heidi Itälä were constantly hounding “Fen” Scwartzhammer and Dino Näher and MOTM had to go to Kauko Loukamaa, who got a well earnt bear hug from Esko Laaksonen for his troubles in the sticks. This point was well fucking earnt by everyone's standards and Daniel Marx could only admire this resolve - a resolve he would take over at HM.

The next 2 games are going to be our toughest of the campaign thus far: Hapilopper at Capital Stadium, Tikariot in Pesä in an Owl Derby. Both games are going to be a test of Kimi-Suomi as a concept, let alone as a football team, but many have belief that no matter what happens, everyone in this team could hold their heads up high and fight for their homeland no matter what. Even Marx was pumped, but that was for a different reason...he would be setting foot on Hapiloppan Soil for the first time since the NSSCRA 9 days. The question Marx had was simple for the "Eternal Guest", always by the side of Esko in press conferences and in the dugout: How long in Hap City will it take until someone looks towards him and says "Hey, I know you from somewhere"?

NOSTA JUIN HUUHKAJAT!

[Chartistan]

The following is a transcript from Billboard Radio Sport for the Chartistan vs Kandorith game, Matchday 3 of World Cup 90 qualification, live from Old Town Park in Billboard, Chartistan.

---

"Doctor Lucas Combbrush is heading into this game tonight knowing a win is crucial in this Group of Death known as Group 20, right now as things stand, if they were to suddenly end before kickoff, Kandorith will qualify for the World Cup with StrayaRoos in the Playoff spot. Chartistan sit in lonely 7th although it has only been 2 games into a 14 game campaign, so they need a win to make sure that those previous 2 matches aren't a fluke for them."

"...Hamada with the corner for Kandorith, he whips it into the box, header from Fujiwara, saved by Brick! Paola Brick has done wonderfully to save that one! She's taken leaps and bounds so far for Chartistan, and she feels like she can handle pressure on her own tonight!"

"This Kandorese team was one of the shocks of the last World Cup in South Newlandia and Tikariot, they finished 2nd in a group with Eura, Nephara and Chromatika and beat Twicetagria in the last 16 to reach the Quarter-Finals for the first time in their history, as here comes Takeshi Honda, splitting past the defense, he has a gooo! Wide of the post, a major chance for Kandorith to take the lead squandered!"

"...Chartistan has the ball, Brick lifts it up, header won by Hesky, ball to Walter Walter. Pass to Yamjune, he sprints up the field, pass over to Yves, Yves now, past one defender, past two, she finds Delphine, shot, saved by Tamatsuki! That will go out for a corner for Chartistan..."

"Free kick for Kandorith, it's in a favorable area 28 yards out, easy position for them to score a goal... Takeshi Honda steps up, fires, BLOCKED BY THE WALL! Now it's Walter Walter who has it, Walter Walter, Walter Walter, Walter Walter, Walter Walter still has it! Walter, Walter, Walter, Walter, Walter's still going, Walter's got the distance, Walter, Walter, Walter's heading towards the box, the crowd is on their feet, Walter, Walter, WALTER! SAVED BY TAMATSUKI! All that buildup for nothing, BUT HERE COMES AMPHIBIA BACK ON THE BALL, HE CROSSES, HEADS UP, LATTEEEEEEEE!!!! GOAL FOR CHARTISTAN! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!? AIR LATTE SALVAGES A LOST OPPORTUNITY FOR WALTER WALTER IN THE EIGHTIETH MINUTE AND CHARTISTAN BREAK THE DEADLOCK! 1-0! 1-0! DOCTOR LUCAS CAN'T BELIEVE IT EITHER!"

"...And Chartistan is once again on the ball, here's Hesky, down to Rodgers, Olisa Rodgers, she gives it back to Hesky, Hesky finds Yves, she has the space, down to the box, ohhhhh YVESSSS!!!! 2-0 IN THE 83RD!!!! GABBY YVES, SHE SAYS FUCK YOU AND YOUR MOM! SURELY NOW CHARTISTAN HAVE THE 3 POINTS! KANDORITH ARE IN SHAMBLES RIGHT NOW!!!"

"And that's the full time whistle, and what a scoreline! Chartistan 2, Kandorith 0! A top 20 side have been humbled away from home, goals by Latte and Yves to seal all 3 points and put Chartistan in 3rd! What a night this was!"

[Milchama]

From: “Ellis, Nathan” <n.ellis@teamhap.co.hp>
To: “All WC90 Players” <wc90players.list> "All WC90 Coaches" <wc90coaches.list>
CC: “Perkins, Thomas” <t.perkins@teamhap.co.hp>; “Probst, Dominic” <d.probst@teamhap.co.hp>; “Ernie Stevenson” <estevenson@mailnow.co.hp>
Subject: Tomorrow's practice

---

Alright folks, just as we did today I need you all to come in around 6:30 tomorrow for training. We've got a big game coming up against Kimi-Suomi and we need to be at our absolute best. Last thing we need is to embarrass ourselves when we're playing in front of our home fans. But there's a few things I need to point out:

-Enclosed is your tactical book for this week. Study it tonight and we'll go over everything when we go out to practice. If there are any questions about the right plays, feel free to give me a ring or text me and we'll go over it. I'll be at Center Street until 11:30 tonight and I'll be more than happy to talk to you about any plans you may have.

-To Kerry Spalding: I need you to take this assignment seriously. No more stripping naked in the middle of practice and loudly declaring "I AM NO LONGER AN ARTIST, I HAVE BECOME A WORK OF ART". That sort of behavior will get your ass red-carded, both literally and figuratively. Nobody wants to see that ever again. This isn't Jeruselem.

-To Jerold Dickman: When you get in tomorrow morning, or if you come by Center Street tonight, I need to talk to you about getting into what I call "good card trouble." There's a big difference between attempted mass murder and attempted manslaughter.

-Strikers: Be in contact with McNeil tonight, he's got something for you for the Kimi-Suomi match. He and I were reviewing videotape today and he thinks he found a disadvantage.

-All players: Be on the lookout for another email in an hour or so. There's something I want you all to look at in addition to the tactical book. I think y'all will like it.

Yours, Nate

---

1 Attachment: <HAP WC90 PLAYBOOK TOP SECRET DO NOT STEAL.prd>

---

NATHAN ELLIS
Defenseman/Assistant Coach, Team Hapilopper
Cell: (1245) 4022-5351-0805
Office: (1245) 4022-5226-4790
Email: n.ellis@teamhap.co.hp
Twii.Tur: @NateEllis

"What's this?"

"It's an email of Hapilopper's tactics"

"Should we tell them?"

"Meh, we can look at it first"

"I think I want to unsubscribe"

"Oh you definitely should"

Reply-All"Dollard Foster"<dolfoster@mfa.co.ml
From: “Ellis, Nathan” <n.ellis@teamhap.co.hp>
To: “All WC90 Players” <wc90players.list> "All WC90 Coaches" <wc90coaches.list>
CC: “Perkins, Thomas” <t.perkins@teamhap.co.hp>; “Probst, Dominic” <d.probst@teamhap.co.hp>; “Ernie Stevenson” <estevenson@mailnow.co.hp>
Subject: Tomorrow's practice

Please unsubscribe me from the email chain.

Best,
Dollard

From: “Ellis, Nathan” <n.ellis@teamhap.co.hp>
To: “All WC90 Players” <wc90players.list> "All WC90 Coaches" <wc90coaches.list>
CC: “Perkins, Thomas” <t.perkins@teamhap.co.hp>; “Probst, Dominic” <d.probst@teamhap.co.hp>; “Ernie Stevenson” <estevenson@mailnow.co.hp>
Subject: Tomorrow's practice

---

Alright folks, just as we did today I need you all to come in around 6:30 tomorrow for training. We've got a big game coming up against Kimi-Suomi and we need to be at our absolute best. Last thing we need is to embarrass ourselves when we're playing in front of our home fans. But there's a few things I need to point out:

-Enclosed is your tactical book for this week. Study it tonight and we'll go over everything when we go out to practice. If there are any questions about the right plays, feel free to give me a ring or text me and we'll go over it. I'll be at Center Street until 11:30 tonight and I'll be more than happy to talk to you about any plans you may have.

-To Kerry Spalding: I need you to take this assignment seriously. No more stripping naked in the middle of practice and loudly declaring "I AM NO LONGER AN ARTIST, I HAVE BECOME A WORK OF ART". That sort of behavior will get your ass red-carded, both literally and figuratively. Nobody wants to see that ever again. This isn't Jeruselem.

-To Jerold Dickman: When you get in tomorrow morning, or if you come by Center Street tonight, I need to talk to you about getting into what I call "good card trouble." There's a big difference between attempted mass murder and attempted manslaughter.

-Strikers: Be in contact with McNeil tonight, he's got something for you for the Kimi-Suomi match. He and I were reviewing videotape today and he thinks he found a disadvantage.

-All players: Be on the lookout for another email in an hour or so. There's something I want you all to look at in addition to the tactical book. I think y'all will like it.

Yours, Nate

---

1 Attachment: <HAP WC90 PLAYBOOK TOP SECRET DO NOT STEAL.prd>

---

NATHAN ELLIS
Defenseman/Assistant Coach, Team Hapilopper
Cell: (1245) 4022-5351-0805
Office: (1245) 4022-5226-4790
Email: n.ellis@teamhap.co.hp
Twii.Tur: @NateEllis

"That should do it"

"Yep, should be no more emails"

"Not one more"

[Osarius]

OOC: Heads up; this factbook may come in handy for understanding some of this.

It had been a gamble, setting up relatively defensively at Mount Crown Stadium, Odell knew that. The home fans weren't generally known to have a fondness for defensive football. But it was necessary, and if Osarian fans could appreciate defensive football at all, it would be when it was brutally pragmatic. This was the nation that birthed Jermain "defeat is not a word" Lewis after all.

Conceding to a set piece was frustrating at the best of times, but today it particularly rankled. They had specifically worked on set piece defence in training in anticipation of sustained pressure and the need to defend several corners and free kicks. Sure, his side only trailed by one, against probably the strongest opposition they would likely face in the entire qualifying campaign, but it was one that they really shouldn't have conceded at all. The defender in Odell seethed quietly.

He needed to stay calm, though. He had to trust. Wasn't that what Uncle Amari always used to say? Odell chuckled softly, remembering his uncle. Great uncle, technically. His maternal grandfather's brother, the side of the family that had its origins in Cobrio. Uncle Amari would always arrive at family gatherings with his calf-length hair, braided beard, and his large drum -- the "dundun", Odell recalled -- slung over his shoulder. He also would always be dressed in brightly-coloured garments in the traditional style, adorned with the adinkra, and usually some geometric pattern. His clothes were always so vivid, despite his life of travel, Odell remembered. Uncle Amari had explained this to him, once; "when word I go speak, colour I go paint, na". It had confused him then, and still kind of did.

It was a little strange, he thought, that Uncle Amari's teachings should come to him now. What was that symbol he made with his hands? The one he said meant "strength he go live inside you, na" ..? There was another phrase that went with it, too. What was it? Odell fumbled with his fingers, trying to recreate it, but couldn't quite manage. He'd forgotten how exactly it worked. He could remember the story behind it, though.

"Mac," a voice said.

"Hm?" Odell replied, absently, still trying to arrange his fingers the right way.

"Are we going to make a change or..." the voice trailed off. "W-What are you doing?" His assistant, Dominic, was standing by his side now, having come up from the bench moments ago.

"Oh, uh... just a ..." Odell didn't finish the sentence. He wanted to explain that he was remembering something from his childhood that comforted him, but lost his way. Was that really something he needed to share? Wanted to share?

"Alright, well, changes?" Dominic persisted. Odell smiled briefly, and shook his head. Seeing his assistant's youthful excitement fade rapidly, he leaned in closer and muttered softly "They have everything they need."

Dominic's bewilderment in this moment would be picked up by television cameras and commented on at length later, but Odell turned and went to sit back on the bench. The tableaux -- admittedly a set of striking images; the two men conferring, followed by Dominic's confused face as Odell retreated, followed by Dominic standing alone in the technical area literally scratching his head, with a clipboard in the other hand -- did make for amusing, if not intriguing, viewing. After a few brief moments, Dominic came to join Odell on the bench.

"What do you mean they have everything they n-"

"Exactly what I said." Odell cut him off, looking directly at the younger man.

"I don't follow."

"Dominic," Odell paused, remembering Uncle Amari. "Have you heard the tale of the King of Ubara?"

"No..." Dominic was confused again. "Mac what's going on?"

"My uncle told me this story once, when I was young." Odell explained. "Ubara was a small kingdom in Cobrio a long time ago. Other kingdoms mostly ignored them, because they weren't very rich, they didn't have a strong army, and only had regular Cobre animals. Nothing exciting or fancy. The King, he wanted to do what was best for his people, but could not make alliances with the other kingdoms nearby. They would host him, feed him, drink with him, all these things. But it never went anywhere. His children could marry into these other royal families, but never to the heir. And so Ubara was stuck."

Dominic said nothing.

"The King, seeking wisdom, left his throne one day, and walked through the kingdom. He saw the sun shine. He saw the river, which flowed between the towns and villages. He saw the fields of crops. He saw the animals running free and flying high. But he could not see anything special. What could he show to the other kingdoms to make them realise that Ubara is worthy of their friendship? After a long day of walking, the King returned to his throne, and knelt before it. 'Ologun,' he said. 'Please grant me wisdom, so I can show these other kingdoms we can be of value to them.' But nothing happened."

Odell paused, he noticed a few of the bench players were leaning closer, listening in.

"For thirty-six days, the King repeated this. He walked, he saw, he called to Ologun for help. On the thirty-seventh day, when he returned home, a kwane sat on his throne. 'Ori buruku,' the kwane said to him. 'You no go see the gifts we dey you give. Open your brain like you dey open your heart; and let eye see.' The King fainted in shock. When he woke the next day, he went for his walk again. This time, he looked closer. The sun kept the kingdom warm and bright. The river nourished the animals and the people. The fields of crops fed everyone and kept them healthy. 'Unukego mamekobu,' he said. 'Praise to Ologun and Mamula. Praise to the Irunashe. They provide everything we need'."

A silence hung in the air for some time after he'd finished, but he didn't expand on the story. Not even when Dominic probed for more information. In response, he just made a symbol with his fingers.

Osarius   0-1   Savojarna     
                Poulsen 64'

OSR: Aurelio; Philippe, Mundi, Karembeu, Cesario; Portalet, 
     Nagy (Fox 61), Qanbari (c); Hyde, Jackson, Vergara (Sagna 61)

[Delaclava]

GRÆNTFJALL 4 — 2 DELACLAVA
Jason 20' 34' 66', Hjörleifur 55' | Meñica 60', Sanders 90+3'

DELACLAVA 3 — 0 NAGORE
Meyer 4', Soto 25', Temirkanov 68'

Johannes Detmer was able to plan on a meeting with Tim Landers sooner than he expected. Upon first looking at the calendar, he wasn't sure when he was going to make it back to Catherina, his hometown, or Quinniville, where Tim resided. It hadn't immediately dawned on him that the Juvencus match required a voyage to the planet Sonnel. The DFA had installed a portal in Catherina to the planet when they unsuccessfully co-bid with Drawkland to host a Cup of Harmony; this was still the best and easiest to travel there.

The Phoenixes had actually been to Juvencus before, so it wasn't as if Detmer was unfamiliar with the concept. He just didn't remember things as well as he used to...

So a trip back to Catherina was on the Phoenixes itinerary immediately following their 3-0 victory over Nagore. It was an important day and a great result. The Estorians and the Snow Wolves were expected to be tough opponents, and the results wouldn't come against them overnight, but if the Phoenixes wanted to get anywhere soon, they needed to take care of business against the lowlier opponents of the competition. Mission accomplished. Damian Soto replaced Dathan Ingram, who'd put in years of good service, and it made a world of difference in a rejuvenated lineup. Soto had his first World Cup goal, Alexander Temirkanov had his first international goal, and the entire team was in good spirits. Meyer and Ben Romeijn, who especially were fan favorites, led the team on the ferry from Sindsyge to Mariana in entertaining their fellow passengers, many of whom were also a bit tipsy in celebration of a fine victory.

It was a beautiful day, which meant most of the passengers were outside on the top deck, so it was no trouble for Detmer to head below and find a quiet corner of the ship to make a phone call to Landers.

"Hello, Johannes," the former (to his and everyone's surprise) Chromatik assistant manager answered. "That was a great win today, congratulations."

"Thank you, Tim. Listen, we're headed to Juvencus next, but of course I forgot about the small manner of interplanetary travel, and so we're all coming back to Catherina to do that. We'll get in tonight, stay in the city for a day, and use the portal the day after. Can you meet Emily and I at La Lezarde tomorrow at 2?"

"I'd be happy to. Does Emily know what the meeting's about?"

"Yes, she's aware, and she's on board. And I don't expect you to come with us to Sonnel, don't worry. For now, it's just the meeting."

"Of course, thank you." He paused for a second. "Are you alright? You don't sound well."

"Oh, I'm fine. I just never got used to being on the ocean! Anyway, see you tomorrow."

"Sounds good, Coach."

---

Tim Landers was out the door quickly the next morning, quickly drinking his espresso and giving his wife Brenda a kiss before driving out to the Quinniville park-and-ride. There, he'd catch the 8:30 bullet train from Quinniville to Catherina. It was a route between two major business centers, and it was on time without fail, as there'd be some angry important people otherwise. The train was pulling up at Catherina Main Station in less than three hours, which was good news, because some days it could take longer to get anywhere in Catherina than to Catherina.

La Lezarde was a bustling cafe on the northwest side of Catherina - not far from the Delaclava National Athletic Complex, actually. Landers wasn't surprised that Detmer had picked the spot; it was a convenient breakfast or lunch spot after training for the Catherina FC players, or for anyone working in the Delaclav sport administration offices - from where Emily Franklin, president of the DFA, would be coming on her lunch break.

Landers looked at the display board as he got off the bullet train. All status reports were clear, so he figured he could walk in the surrounding area for a bit before taking the subway to his destination. The exit out of the bullet station opened up to Preston Square, a sprawling gem of a park. Landers stood still among it for the moment, taking in the bright hues of the imported flowers, which were certainly a bit different from the Quinniville color palette.

Behind him and to his right, he heard, "Coach?"

Landers stood still for a second - who would be calling him that. But again, more insistently, "Coach Landers?"

Landers turned. It was Martin Bartoš. It was a bit surprising, that address, given that Tim - to his recollection - had never directly coached Martin on the senior team at Steckholl United, but he certainly appreciated that Martin was a respectful young man. "Martin! It's wonderful to see you. It's been a few years, hasn't it."

"It has, but of course I wouldn't forget you," Martin smiled. "What are you doing here?"

Landers hesitated. As far as he knew, Martin had no inkling of Detmer's plans, and Landers wasn't going to be the one to break the news. Choosing his words carefully - he was an honest man - he replied: "Got called to a meeting out here. I might have something new coming up, we'll see."

"Well, I hope so," Martin replied enthusiastically. "You deserve something good. I always wished I'd gotten a chance to play for you."

Landers smiled. "Yeah, it never quite worked out, did it?"

"Timing's a bitch, I guess...anyway, whatever you've got in the works, good luck!"

"Thanks, Martin. Have a safe trip, and hopefully with minimal turbulence."

Martin laughed. "Yeah, right. Alright, see you later."

---

Landers made it to La Lezarde with plenty of time to spare. Not wanting to make it there too early, he kind of wandered around the area until 1:57, when he approached the front patio. He saw Emily Franklin and waved to her, making his way to the table.

Emily stood up and shook his hand firmly. "Tim, great to see you." She was tall and dark-haired, polite and no-nonsense. She had always struggled to gain election as DFA president because she wanted to be productive and, well, Ted McQueen and all the other lazy fucks had been loathe to accomplish anything. Privately, she resented the lack of progress Detmer and McQueen had made over the past several years. When Detmer called her to set up this meeting, it was as if her dream to make some real change had been handed to her on a silver platter.

"It's great to see you too," Tim said as he sat down. A willowy waitress immediately floated over to take his coffee over. As she left, Tim said, "You know, this is the first meeting the DFA's taken with me in quite a long time. I'm a bit surprised."

"Are you?" Emily replied.

"Ted McQueen fired me over the phone ten years ago. Not even face to face. So... yeah, I'm surprised."

"Right. Well, not any reason that you would know this, but I'm not at all a fan of how he handled that. He was way out of his element, he was elected to do a job other than the one he ended up getting once we started entering World Cups. You took leadership responsibilities when he wouldn't, and he didn't like it. I admire your balls, you know that?"

"Uh, thanks," Tim replied. The waitress returned with his espresso and a shortbread cookie.

"Look," Emily began, "I don't mean to start without Detmer or criticize him, but I want this team to be great again. We can pussy-foot around all we want, but if he has a plan to ease out and get you in the game, I'm not about to take things slow and wait for him to decide when he's ready. Do you understand?"

Landers nodded, surprised. After nearly a decade of silence from the DFA towards him, while he was off bringing success to the Anomalies, this was hardly the sort of sudden detente he was expecting.

They sat there in relative quiet. Landers drank his espresso, Emily her second macchiato, it was 2:15 and there was no sign of Detmer. Landers finally decided to intervene. "This is strange, let me give Detmer a call."

"Sure," Emily replied. Landers picked up his phone and dialed. No answer. Landers tried a second time. Nothing.

"That's...unlike him," Tim said with worry. "I kind of think I should head out there, unless there's anything we should discuss first?"

"Frankly, I've got all I needed," Emily replied. "We'll be in touch." She stood up, reached out to shake hands with Landers in parting. "Have a safe trip back." She was gone.

Landers stood up. He motioned to the waitress to pay, but she smiled and waved, indicating that it was taken care of. Landers waved in reply and hurried out to the taxi circle near the DNAC. He tracked one down and hopped in.

"Where are we headed, sir?" The young driver asked.

Tim paused. "Uh, I'm not sure of the address..."

"What's the place?"

"Uh... I'm visiting a colleague. Johannes Detmer."

"Ah, I got it," the driver said before starting the car forward. "What, we're right outside the Complex and you think I've never been out that way?"

"Right, right," Landers acknowledged, before sitting silent in the back, hands fidgeting. It... couldn't be possible, could it? The coach wasn't sounding in the finest health these days, but he seemed perfectly well just a day prior on the bench..."

Fortunately, it wasn't too long before they entered Detmer's neighborhood. As they eased up to Detmer's mansion, Landers saw several cars and vans around it. They pulled closer, and Landers noticed there was an ambulance among the vehicles.

The driver stopped. "Whoa, looks like something's going down here. You sure you've got the right place?"

Absentmindedly, Landers reached out a 50-Karsika bill for the driver before stepping out, wandering up to the curb of the front law. A few neighbors, middle-aged ladies, stood around gabbing excitedly. Landers motioned to one of them and asked, "What's going on here?"

"Oh dear, you didn't just stop that taxi to see this, did you?"

"What? No, I'm here to see–" Landers pointed to the house "–Johannes Detmer."

"Well, sweetie, I've got some bad news for you... Johannes Detmer is dead."

[Wrecker]

THE END OF WRECKERIA – PART IV
“Never tell a Wreckerian they can’t get it done. They’ll go like hell to prove you wrong.” – Arnold Martin

Patrick Stadium, Halsted
The closing moments of World Cup 90 Qualifier Match 3: Wreckeria v. Kelssek
Not one of the 30,000 permanent seats at Patrick Stadium, that old hunk of junk built in Halsted about 70 years ago, was being used. Oh, sure there were over 30,000 fans on site – 32,048, to be exact, but the fact was, everyone was standing and cheering wildly. Kelssek, the top team in the group, and the 15th ranked football team in the multiverse, had come to town to face the Wreckerian Bulldogs. Everyone pretty much expected that the Kelssek football team would roar in, blow the Wreckerians out, and leave town.

And sure enough, it seemed that way in the first few minutes of the match - Colm Ó Tuathail scoring a beautiful goal in the first five minutes of the match, and Gabriel Lapierre scoring one in the 16th minute put Kelssek ahead 2-0. But Wreckeria battled back, with Sig Justice bulldogging his way through traffic, smashing past Kelssekian midfielders and defenders, before firing the ball towards Gord Sheppard, who alley-ooped it into the back of the net to put the first goal on the board in the 29th minute.

“DO IT AGAIN! DO THAT AGAIN!” Gord shouted at Sig.

“HELL YEAH!” Sig shouted back.

There were no celebrations, no outward displays of braggadocio. After all, Kelssek was still ahead. There was no sense in celebrating when, at that point, it very well could have been the only goal. Plus, Gord Sheppard didn’t like celebrating that much. Just get the job done and score. That was his way.

In the 56th minute, the equalizer came as Gary Bronson moved his way through the midfield. It seemed like he was going to try to score one himself, but seeing David Marlin waiting for something to do, he kicked the ball as hard as he could towards the black number 10. David knew what to do. He took the ball, faked Sébastian St-Gerlais once, twice, and then fired it into the back of the net. The match was tied, and David jogged back to midfield, and threw one finger in the air, followed by a second.

There was a smile on his face. This was something Ernie Stevenson liked to do – guarantee goals when he probably shouldn’t, and Sig Justice decided to give his striker a little static for it.

“Really?” Sig asked David. “Against these guys?”

“Yeah,” David responded glibly. “Lot of game left.”

“Dumbfuck, you better get it,” Sig said. “Otherwise I’m gonna whip your ass.”

Five minutes later, David made good on his promise, skating past defenders, faking St-Gerlais again, and hammering the ball into the top-left quadrant of the net. The Wreckerians were absolutely delirious – they were actually leading Kelssek, the top team in the group!

All throughout Halsted and all throughout Wreckeria, there was a bit of a roar you could hear anywhere and everywhere. Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch the match. True Wreckerians and Party of Pride members were standing next to each other in awe. It wasn’t as if Wreckeria had any issue with Kelssek – in fact, they had never even had as much as a dealing with them. That wasn’t the point. The point was that Kelssek was seen by practically everyone as a comprehensively superior side. A side that could and would qualify for the World Cup with ease. Wreckeria, on the other hand, was a ragtag gang of players who played in another country. Good players, yes, but not on the level of the Kelssek team. And now Wreckeria was leading them. Wreckerians everywhere realized that something magical could be happening.

And then, their hopes were dashed at the hands of Gabriel Lapierre. He saw something that the Wreckerians didn’t, he took advantage of it, and before John Marlowe could react at the net, the ball was past him. Kelssek had just tied it up with Wreckeria, 3-3, in the 68th minute. That roar went away. Wreckerians everywhere were deflated, figuring that Kelssek would do what everyone expected – score the next goal, win the match and leave Wreckeria with three points.

In the President’s Box at Patrick Stadium, Arnold Martin and leaders of both the True Wreckerians and the Party of Pride looked deflated. They figured they had seen this before. It was just Wreckeria’s luck. Something good happens that brings hope to all of Wreckeria, but then reality sets in to remind them of just who they really were. At that point, Arnold didn’t want to be there. He didn’t want to see what was going to happen next. There was all kind of time for Kelssek to do exactly what everyone expected them to do.

But, strangely, that equalizer didn’t dampen the spirits of the Bulldogs on the pitch. At midfield, just before kickoff, Sig Justice and David Marlin nodded at each other. They turned back to their teammates, waiting for the kickoff, and they too nodded. It was time to kick some ass.

For the next ten minutes or so, Wreckeria put the fight to Kelssek. The level of physicality went up, to the extent that some wondered if a fight was about to break out on the pitch. Wreckerian midfielders started taking the ball away more. Strikers were taking more and more shots at St-Gerlais. And that alone brought the Wreckerian fans, both at Patrick Stadium and elsewhere, back to life. They still didn’t figure that Wreckeria could actually pull one off, but they were fighting for it like their life depended on it, and that in of itself earned them the respect of all of Wreckeria.

They thought back to something that head coach Marvin Byrnes had told them during halftime.

“Gang, there is no shame in going out there and fighting, even if you get your ass kicked. You fought. But there is no shame in not fighting for your cause at all. You’re capable of doing something incredible tonight. Get it done.”

As the clock struck “77:34,” the fans in Halsted Stadium started roaring a little louder. The Wreckerians had fought like nothing else. It was only a matter of time.

77:42. Dean Norman, subbed in for Biscuit Gilbert, rooted the ball away from Êsêkïl dí Völará and started to force his way down the pitch.

77:56. Dean passed to Sig Justice, shouting “DO THE DO!”

77:59. Sig passed to Gary Bronson.

78:02. Gary figuratively broke the ankles of Damien Halliger and passed it towards Gord Sheppard.

78:07. With defenders making their way towards Gord to make his life miserable, he spotted David Marlin and Sig Justice open as open could be. Figuring defenders would try to hassle David first, Gord surprised everyone by passing it to Sig.

78:15. The ball was in his possession. Sig Justice had the chance of a lifetime. There was nothing else to do. At close range, Sig fired it top-right towards the net, and past a diving St-Gerlais.

78:16. Into the back of the net. Wreckeria led 4-3. The roar from everyone in Patrick Stadium was so loud, the ground and the stadium started shaking. Sig just stood there, a huge smile on his face, as David, Gord and others ran his way.

And now, there were just 12 minutes, plus however much time remained in injury time, to see if Wreckeria could pull off one of the biggest upsets in this World Cup cycle. It seemed like the time was taking forever to complete, even as the 30,000 plus at Patrick Stadium roared, and roared away. All Wreckeria had to do was hold the ball and try to stop Kelssek from taking it and making it a 4-4 match.

As that time wound down, three extra minutes of stoppage time was added. The roar got even louder during that stoppage time, which was extended a time or two as a few orange streamers made their way onto the pitch. But the time was winding down. Eventually, when the stoppage time clock hit “3:45,” the final whistle blew. The ball was in the hands of John Marlowe, and he was standing a few feet away from the referee. He nodded like a goofball, and when the whistle was blown, he threw the ball up in the air as the entire Wreckerian team rushed his way.

Fans rushed onto the pitch to join their team, their players. This was the biggest win Wreckeria’s team had ever had, and a win that Wreckerians would remember for the rest of their lives. And all Wreckerians, regardless of party affiliation, regardless of who they were, took that time to celebrate a win as one. For Wreckeria. For their nation.

And nobody would ever take it from them. For one brief, shining moment, Wreckeria was the toast of town. For that one moment, people that had warred against each other were together, celebrating their nation’s biggest victory to date.

But more importantly, it was a turning point. Up until that day, Wreckeria, as a nation, felt defeated, felt like there was nothing left for them but to wait their eventual demise. But now, the attitude had changed. They may not be around much longer, but they wouldn’t go quietly into that good night. Their cause was a cause they could win.

[Cassadaigua]

CASE Announces New Opportunity for Men,
By Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

In the early days of Cassadagan soccer rosters, there was one constant: it was made up of women. It took longer than it probably should have for that to change, especially with other sports like hockey and gridiron being more proactive to be all-inclusive. In hockey, Andrew Preston was one of the first captains we ever had of a hockey roster, and is seen as a very influential person. If you have ever wondered why “Preston'' is such a popular first name for men in Cassadaigua, it is because of that influence. But as we know, the Cassadagan tradition is not the more conventional tradition. We can look at the other rosters of teams from back in the day, the ones that did not have eggs or elves, we see teams that were mostly all men. What began to change quicker was the rosters of those nations, with more and more women appearing on them. Now, we know that there have been nations like Starblaydia, who have fielded women on their teams long before we ever got involved, but the point is other nations became more gender-inclusive then we did in soccer. Eventually, we came around, but even as we did, the men that we did have on our rosters never had much of an impact.

This is something that really began to change in World Cup 81 with the arrival of Zack Pierce to the lineup. He wasn’t the first to accomplish feats that you would want to see, but Zack was an exceptional talent, just as good as anyone out there and certainly earning his spot as a starting midfielder from World Cups 81-86. It seemed as though Zack would be a trailblazer, but the only man that played a major role on our soccer roles after him, or alongside him, was Preston Newfield. Newfeld was certainly great, as well, and took over many of the duties that Pierce had, since they played the same position, operating as a winger and typically on the left side. Newfeld first appeared on the roster in World Cup 84, and would start from World Cup 86 thru 89. He announced his retirement after the season, so we wondered who would be the next man to play a role?

Looking at our roster for World Cup 90, you could not hide the obvious aspect. It was made up entirely of women. How could this have happened? There are many men having success in the Cassadagan Soccer League, but those men are typically foreigners. Young Cassadagan males look up to people like Julio Campana, who is from Juvencus but won the Golden Boot with New Lakeland SC. Still, whatever happened to our other male talent? Like Tyler Reynolds, who appeared as a reserve on our World Cup 87 roster as a 21-year old, but has never been seen again on such a roster? Reynolds now plays for Starksville Coastal, a struggling team, so that has not helped Reynolds get re-considered. However, should anything be made of the fact that the last time we saw a new male on the team that was not Preston Newfield, was the World Cup 87 roster, which was the last team managed by Stephanie Sweeney before Brittany Byers took it over? Strong critics certainly realize this fact and are getting on Byers for this, but that may just be coincidental.

Preston Grant, Jr., the President of Male Equality Now has not directly criticized the makeup of the World Cup 90 roster, but did say that, “It is unfortunate that after the great play of Zack Pierce and Preston Newfeld, that we have gone back to an all-female team. There are plenty of men to root for within the Cassadagan Soccer League, and while it would seem as though the playing field is level for our men, something is clearly not there to make it an even playing field, and I would like for Stephanie Sweeney to look at what be missing so that we can begin to fix it.” This is not something that Sweeney, CASE President, has failed to see, and announced a new program to improve opportunities for men.

Here is the transcript of that announcement:

“During my time as the manager of the national team, I have been fortunate to manage Jessica Curran, who was a great player on the field but also someone I considered a coach on the field. It did not come as a surprise that she has gone on to be a great coach herself, first beginning with a developmental program in Baker Park and then moving on to be the manager of the Valladares national team. She spent a lot of time in that position, but as we know, she was not brought back for this World Cup. However, look at the role she got there as the Head of Women’s Football Development in Valladares. It’s a great opportunity for her there.

As I thought about that, it really hit me hard that we really should be doing the same thing here. Why aren’t we doing the same thing? I don't fault any decisions that were made for the World Cup 90 roster, but as is being talked about repeatedly, we don;t have any men on it and it looks like we have taken a major step back as a nation in terms of gender equality on the soccer field. So, we are going to change that, and we have the perfect person to lead the way.

On this day, I am officially naming Zack Pierce, who played such an important role in our semifinal runs in both World Cup 83 and 86, as well as the teams in between, to be the Head of Men’s Soccer Development. We are not doing enough. We have a system in place where boys seem to have the opportunity to join the same youth leagues and while they do, unless they are an enormous talent, they will not get the same chance in terms of playing time on many of these teams. That can be discouraging, and leads to them giving up on the sport, or playing on men’s only teams, which are not funded as well, even though we may think they are, and they are certainly not scouted in the same way by the big clubs.

The first step of this program will be to ensure that localities are funding soccer programs for boys and girls equally at the local level, and while this should entail all-inclusive programs, it is recognized that will not always be the case. The creation of the academy system, which I have talked about previously, will also need to be all-inclusive, and we will need to make sure that they truly are giving male players the same opportunities. We will make sure that this takes place at the collegiate level, too. If, in order to provide young men the same opportunity, a separate all-male program needs to be created, we will make sure that it is funded properly.

I cannot think of a better person to take control of this mission than Zack Pierce. He did not have it easy growing up, but overcame all obstacles to become a world class player and was a valuable player, like I said, of World Cup teams. If, as a nation, we are producing high quality talent of both genders, then I know that we can have one of the best soccer leagues in the world, and not just a national soccer team that is elite.”

Zack Pierce, who is now 39 years of age and had been working as a scout with Brattleboro FC, will move out of that position as he takes over this role. In his own statement, Pierce talked about his early days, but knows this is about the future rather than the present. We may not see the results immediately, but hopefully, they will come. As for Preston Newfeld, he was named the manager of Northbury FC and will be hoping to turn that program around. He sent a message on his twii’tur and Spacebook accounts of support for the new mission announced by Stephanie Sweeney.

Game Briefs: (For more comprehensive coverage, check our website!)

MD2: Cassadaigua 2, Reçueçn 2

There were no changes to the Cassadagan lineup for the home opener, as manager Brittany Byers felt it was important for the fans to see all of the stars in the first game. Also, a tough opponent in Reçueçn necessitated the need to not deviate from the top players. Unfortunately, Reçueçn has opted to use the secret roster strategy for this World Cup, something that is only being used by the opponents in our second and third games of qualifying.

Cassadaigua started the match quite well, but struggled to finish in the early moments. The unknown goalkeeper that they were facing played a big part of that, but the Fillies also seemed to squander a great chance in the 14th minute when Allison Rice jumped on a rebound of a Jenna Frontiera shot, and had plenty of open net to shoot in as the keeper was out of position. Rice tried to be a little too fine, and shot it inches over the crossbar. It would be Reçueçn scoring first, doing so in minute #30, and going into the intermission with a 1-0 lead.

The Fillies would tie the game in the 53rd minute on Bayley Stanton’s second of qualifying, but fell behind again in the 64th when another unknown person scored. In the 75th minute, Byers substituted in both Chloe Anderson and Rachel Boldin, replacing Stanton and Rice, and the two of them worked a give and go brilliantly, with Boldin the scorer in the 81st minute, earning the draw.

MD3: Cassadaigua 3, Acceptably Normal 1

Traveling to the low pot team, Brittany Byers did her best to avoid a let down by giving some different people a chance to play. This would start in goal as Katie Schnapper got the start. That is not unexpected, as Schnapper is expected to play a lot, and this would be her first chance. On defense, Shannon McCausland got a start in favor of Sierra Swift; in the midfield Tara Kriedel and Kaylee Carraway were in the starting lineup over Allison Rice and Krystal Sherwin. There were no changes up front.

Jenna Frontiera would get her first goal of qualifying in the 4th minute, quickly silencing the home fans, and in the 18th minute Frontiera doubled her goal total. Jenna did not have a shortage of chances in the first two games, and picked up a valuable assist over Schima Bas, but we all want to see her scoring goals, so this was good to see. Cassadaigua continued to play well and scored again in the 33rd minute, this off the foot of Morgan Rosenblatt, her 1st. A goal was conceded in the 70th minute to spoil the clean sheet, as the home side played a lot better after the intermission.

Once again, for in-depth breakdowns of these games, please check our website!

[Audioslavia]

(click for full size image)

A short who's who of the nations in Anaia's new banner, from left to right, set loosely to Mambo Number 5 by Lou Bega

A little bit of Murder, in my bum
A little bit of Ochre, number one
A little bit of Strayaroos, that’s nice
A little Esportiva, spelled wrong twice

A little bit of Plough’s Ursa Maior
A little bit of Ko-oren’s 0-0 draw
A little bit of Legal’s pre-prepared
Court transliterations of Monte Verde (Aaaee)

One, two, three five four
Let's escape on the Robot Dinosaur
We’re off to Atheara’s Astena City
for some Maleibidulu-Samberiti

Get Northwest K’s vacated hat
And go sail on the faithful Aut-Ves-Nat
We’ve got Vdara’s bird and Cosumar’s bravado
And if you’re still hungry then there’s even Avocado

A little bit of Wight’s RPs are gone
A little bit of Savigliane’s swan
A little bit of Audio’s stupid songs,
A little bit of Cocoabo can’t be wrong

A little bit of Saltstead’s saline horse
A little Huayramarca too, of course
A little bit Osarius excel-fu
A little bit of Cobre’s Naija Stew (aaii)

One, two, three Flavo
Recall Perlasilangan from years ago?
There’s a Tetrachy, whatever that entails,
And tall northmen from Iskandervale

Saint Ellie has joined the club
Mertagne makes plans for transport hubs
We’ve got Pyaz, and Riku we’ve even got Krytenia
We’d rather all be shot of him, but damnit he’s got tenure

A little of Mriin’s cute human goats
A little bit of Eurans counting votes
A little bit of Schrodinger's Quebec
A little bit of Kotz north of the Bekc

A little bit of Star's new TV show
Aleirave and Sienna Archipelago
A little bit of Chrom’s just white and black, but
A little 189 makes up for that (Aeee)

[Zwangzug]

The Spenson Star

A goal from Farrokh Sokhi was enough to see Zwangzug past Eshialand at Wayr Stadium. The visitors built up some chances after the restart, with captain Melissa Carey and Avery MacDougall doing some quick back-and-forth passes that caught an aging Akhil Sibal off-guard. But Fedya Troy-Vee was able to deflect an Alice Carroll shot in minute 55, and Zwangzug were able to hold the lead.

Zwangzug next travelled to the Octopus' Garden to take on Brookstation. Inclement weather delayed the kickoff by nearly an hour, but the stadium's luxurious amenities meant that fans would be warm beneath the storm. When the game began, a waterlogged pitch meant that Zwangzug wound up playing a stifling, eight-tentacled defense against the home team's boisterous attack, with Sokhi, Kayla Haugen, and Valerie Waugh occasionally probing the home half of the pitch and Waugh getting caught in Geovani Angeles' daring offside traps.

"You don't want to underestimate a team just because they're lower-ranked than you," captain Lissa Crain noted. "And with clubs called Strange City, Regiis Dreamland, and Other side of paradise, I think some of us were a little culture-shocked. Like, is this some kind of Dreamed Realm thing? How do you get from this side of paradise to the other side without a lot of weird detours? I guess that's one for the theologians."

After halftime, however, the visitors found their footing on the wet pitch. Haugen converted a pass from Esther Axelrod-Conway to beat the Cathair wunderkind Lance Logan in goal in the 68th minute. Seven minutes later, Crain got her head to a Cixin Nguyen free kick, and Zwangzug doubled their lead. Three matches in the books, three shutout wins; one suspects the quiet competence is just how Kate DiMarini likes it.

In other news, a satiric Kerlagrad Courier interview with Junia McCue has been making the rounds on Blatter. At first it seems fairly straightforward: when prompted about her heritage, she acknowledges Jonah McCollins and Joel McJakill as recent Bigtopian role models who are part of the country, and national team's, multiethnic heterogeneity. And she doesn't hold back from rapturously recapitulating her path to the Challengers' Cup championship. Only halfway through the interview does the Kerlagrad journalist start peppering her with questions addressed to Kausalya Vizirani of Namiri Forest, rather than McCue of Arlington City. "To be fair, I was a little suspicious when he said he represented the Lâlâxüçe Crier, but on the other hand, for all I know that's a place in Rülândéâ," McCue admitted.

Elsewhere in sports:

"Is that a spear in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" Rafe Dawson gets the Mountain Games underway

Melinda Reise-Thrule: Identity of Milchamian interlocutors one of the "great mysteries of our time"

Diacritic bids "not out of the question": Emeli Vilbertsdóttir transfer rumors circulate

"Oh bleep, it's definitely a spear" - Dawson's advances to Avigail Hewaith go poorly

[Drawkland]

somewhere, in the Elite Eleven lounge...

"yeah we suck"

"yeah bro"

"wow bro we really suck"

"Hey Nick- uh, what the fuck are you watching?" Ross Hunter strode through the bedroom door of Nicholas Kingston, seeing him lounging in bed.

"Sup Ross. I dunno, some weird Saritovan network. I heard they were airing something about us. Apparently they have this sketch show where all they do is have shitty lookalikes sit around in a set clearly made of cardboard and spraypaint pretend to be us."

"Is it ... funny?" Ross craned his head to look closer at the TV.

"Not at all. They just sorta sit around and do quippy talking head dialogue, with little actual action. They mostly just make fun of us."

"Who the fuck would watch that?"

"Saritovans, apparently. In other words, braindead weirdos."

"I can't imagine this gets good ratings."

"Oh, it doesn't. But sometimes garbage is better than radio silence, I guess."

---

For Drawkland, the World Cup 90 campaign would be one of mixed feelings going in. On one hand, being reduced to a mostly irrelevant Pot 3 team is kind of embarrassing. On the other hand, besides the #2 Turori, the qualifying group was relatively weak and ripe for the taking. Could the Elite Eleven finally break through to the World Cup again? Will that one story about Nicole Warren actually get finished even though it should've been done like three cups ago? Is somebody going to finally fire the Elite Eleven already? These questions may be answered in this campaign. But they probably won't.

As for the fellow nations in Group 3, here is where you'll be playing when you travel to Sonnel to take on Drawkland:

WC90Q Venue Schedule

MD1 vs Winnebogan: Spartan Veteran Stadium, Sadeg (107,500)
MD3 vs The Karodin Tetrarchy: Coal Shop Stadium, Algornia (94,200)
MD5 vs Geektopia: National Pitch, Metropolon (149,000)
MD6 vs Qasden: Drawk City Stadium, Drawk City (175,000)
MD9 vs Saint Eleanor: Metal Mills Park, Pittsennat (103,350)
MD11 vs Britonisea: Castle Stadium, Raikennax (149,500)
MD14 vs Turori: Spartan Veteran Stadium, Sadeg (107,500)

---

Room 2411 (#SCREECHON)

---

ayo boys guess what I got

[mark] a text back from the coffee shop girl?

[Jeff] a car, so I don't have to drive you everywhere?

[TJ] beer for the fridge because it's your turn to buy?

no, none of those things

also fuck you guys

[Jeff] ok fine what is it

I happen to have obtained 4 tickets for a certain soccer match

which will be held at the Vet

[mark] bro no way

[TJ] dude seriously? how did you even get those?

my uncle happens to have a friend at DISC who couldn't use them

and I just so happened to run into him when I was at my parents place last weekend

I figured you guys would be interested in going...

[mark] you want us to come???

[TJ] dude this is fucking awesome thank you

[Jeff] are the seats good tho

[TJ] Jeff shut the fuck up

[mark] fuck you Jeff

lol they're upper deck so only okay

but who cares about the seats, we could be watching Drawkland clinch!

[mark] lmao ok

[Jeff] fat chance of that

[TJ] let's not get carried away there Logan

lol fair

I'm hyped though, this is gonna kick ass

[mark] this will definitely be the most fun time I've ever watched Drawkland lose

[Sendhang]

---

---

DAY 18 - MONTH 3 - YEAR 8

---

---

3 things from the disappointing 1-0 defeat to StrayaRoos

1. SENDHANG CENTER-BACK PROBLEMS

It is common knowledge that Sendhang has a center-back problem with players who do not have the required height to compete at this level. Teuku Syarkawi chose to use a player with a height of 175cm, namely Putra Lumipada to play in that position paired with Teuku Muhammad Bari who is 174cm tall.

StrayaRoos' goal in the 23rd minute came from a cross by Alex Fitzsimmons and headed in by Harry Cahill. Putra Lumipada who was man-marking the 34-years old StrayaRoos captain tried to compete for the ball but turned out to be too short for the aerial battle.

2. THE ROLE OF THE MIDFIELD TRIO IS NOT CLEAR

Sendhang uses a 3 midfield system. But the function of the three midfielders is not clear. All three of them were pretty flat and forced to drop deeper in this match by the StrayaRoss players.

Josua Beripeda was not made the main playmaker like last time. Sendhang’s back four didn’t want to give the ball to him regularly to build up attack from the back. He often had to go down to get the ball from the defensive line but the defenders have other ideas and prefer to send the ball directly to the front three.

3.TEUKU SALAHUDIN NEEDS TO WORK HARDER

Among the interesting topics was Teuku Salahudin's performance. He has a high reputation as the 2-times winner of the Golden Boot Award in the Liga Super Sendhang. However, his performance in the match was a bit disappointing, he failed to re-emulate his performance with his club at the international level.

Sendhang had some chance when StrayaRoos was attacking late in the game leaving their defense open but Salahudin often chooses to slow down the tempo when the ball reached him much to the anger of the 40,000 Sendhang fans in the Persekutuan Stadium who started to jeer at him towards the end of the match.

SUMMARY

A disappointing defeat after a great win against Chartistan. The head coach, Teuku Syarkawi needs to do something. Do we want to play long ball or do we want to build from the back? Teuku Syarkawi must give the players a clearer role especially Josua Beripeda who should be the main creative outlet for the team.

[Chromatika]

Supplemental 1: the departure
Supplemental 2: the debate

defender meets midfielder, Supplemental 3
the ideal Tumbran

With thanks to Tumbra, who's allowing me to write some of the background pieces that explain the world around the main story. This piece occurs after moving day, which is Season 5, Part 3.

Brown: Alistair Farheni, 21, Junior at Chromia Central College University, Majoring in Political Science. Diehard Chromatik fan since he was thirteen years old.
Green: Lars Georgeheim, 20, Sophomore at Chromatik State University, Majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Relatively new Anomalies fan since Season 2 of the Red League (about five years).
Sky Blue:: Sandra Karse, 21, Junior at University of Myana, Majoring in Cartography. Her family owns a share of the Myana Football Club, and hence she's an Islanders fan.
Pinkish Red:: Lee Kyung-Hyuk, 19, Freshman at University of Wirr Tsi, Undeclared. Diehard Omnio fan (and often ridiculed for it).

The Jade Garden
Chromia, Capital District, Chromatika

It was hard to believe that just six years ago, the four of them had been involved in the same Aeronautics Club at Central Heights High School that had drawn them together to be such good friends. Now, all of them could drink, they were all in different universities, and they still made time to get together ever year in the summer before going their separate ways.

Like most Chromatiks, all four of them loved sports; and like most friend groups in Chromatika, all of them liked different clubs. Alistair was as diehard of a Chromatik fan as they came, sharing the cost of a season ticket with his older brother, Charlie; Lars had jumped on the Anomalies bandwagon during their threepeat, and was starting to feel the aftereffects. Sandra and Lee were together and doing long-distance during college, which made things interesting when Sandra's father, Mr. Lenny Karse, had partial share in one of the most successful clubs in Chromatika while her boyfriend supported one of the lovable minnows, the Techies of Omnio.

It made conversation fascinating whenever they got together at the Jade Garden, one of the best sports bars in Chromia. Tonight, they were discussing the best player of a certain nationality to play in the Red League. Some of them were easy - Enrico Hanson-Conavacio had everyone else beat from Quebec and Shingoryeo, while Justiina Dannysdóttir and Sara Kristoffersdóttir got split votes from the table on who was the better Græntfjaller, with both Alistair and Lars refusing to give Dannysdóttir the vote due to their rivalry, which was pointed out as petty, but so such talk went. Mithya Hashemi won the vote for the best Squornshelan, while it was difficult to determine which Nepharim was preferred - each of them all had separate favorites. Brenecia was best represented by Kendra Carpenter... And the list went on.

However, when the bartender, engrossed in their conversation as they were three drinks in each, threw out the question of who was the best Tumbran? Then, things got really interesting.

"Hey Frederick," said Alistair firmly to the bartender, "I'll give you a 20 NMS tip if you play judge. Try to stay impartial - we all know you're a Roadie so you've no skin in the game - and whomever gives you the best argument, you declare the winner, all right?"

The bartender nodded, smiling.

"It's obviously Nigel Erskine," started Kyung-Hyuk, cutting off Lars by a small margin, "The man single-handedly kept the Techies afloat for another season when we had the best chance to go down. Did you see that game he had against Chromatik? Omnio needed every one of his goals that season, and the fact that he went from Omnio to a team like Anomalies in such a short time just tells you what kind of a player he is. He's a hero for the Tech, and always will be, and that kind of reputation isn't easy to come by."

"Definitely not when your team sucks so bad," expressed Alistair, "Can't believe you guys are still up here. Actually, I can't believe you haven't hopped onto the Shock bandwagon yet. At least I can give you kudos for that."

Alistair offered his glass for Lee to clink, and Lee did so with a wry grin.

Lars was the next to speak. "I agree with Lee for once. Erskine was brought in to play next to Lainey, and provides some things that she can't do. Sure, we may be struggling as a whole, but it's not his fault, and his addition to the squad has given us a player we can build around once she goes."

Alistair frowned at Lars, commenting, "Can't believe you just agreed with Lee on a footballing matter, man. You're right, Erskine is pretty good. But he's no Trudy Harrison."

Sandra rolled her eyes.

"One of the first female footballers from her country, comes to a foreign nation, has the starting Defensive Midfielder - a national caliber one, mind you - go to a different team just to give her a chance to play, and she's turned out to be one of the best young footballers in the Red League. Plays a huge part in getting Kerr here - he's decent, too - and will be one of the primary architects of why my team, Chromatik, will finally win the title this season. Trudy. Motherf'ing. Harrison." With that, Alistair chugged the remainder of his drink with a flourish.

"Oh, I love watching Trudy," admitted Sandra, "But you know what's more impressive than that? Taking a team in a middle of a transition and placing them right back in the Top 5. Taking players like Marko Zup who hadn't spent a full season starting, getting someone like Katerina Olexander, who could turn out to be one of the best keepers the league has ever seen, and impressing a fanbase that's used to winning titles. No, Marco Hemmings is the best Tumbran in the league, and he isn't even playing in it."

"Oh, Managers don't count!" exclaimed Lee, "Otherwise, I've to try to make a case for Steve Nicholls and it's not a very good one..."

"Just stick with arguing for Erskine with me, man," chided Lars, with even Alistair and Sandra nodding.

"So?" Alistair asked Frederick the bartender, who was refreshing his drink of jack and coke, "What do you think?"

The bartender shrugged, smiled, and answered, "You've all got pretty good points, but I think that Harrison is the best in her role, while Hemmings' work in Myana is remarkable."

"What kind of an answer is that?" shouted Lee, "That's not really an answer!"

"At least," said Sandra, calming down her boyfriend, "We can say that we have some damned good Tumbrans in the league. Neal Diamond isn't shabby either, you know. We're lucky to see so much talent."

"To that," agreed Alistair, "We can lift a toast. To all the Tumbrans of the Red League - without whom the league would lose a coat of its vibrant colour."

"Said like a true aspiring politician," jabbed Lars, lifting his glasss.

"Hear, hear," agreed Sandra, following suit.

"I still think Frederick doesn't deserve that NMS!" stated Lee as he lifted his.

And with that, the four friends clinked their glasses in celebration, enjoying their time with each other discussing a sport that they all loved.

---

Sybill & Hellion, Part 1: The Opening Interview
Sybill & Hellion, Part 2: Walk First Before You Learn to Run

Sybill & Hellion, Part 3: The First Defeat

World Cup 90 Qualifying Matchday 2: Chromatika 2-4 Sargossa
Goals: Mora '11, Fillar, E. '29
Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Begley; Fillar, G. - Régine - Ken - Pomeroy; Larriet-Cortes - Burns; Humphreys - Mora (C) - Fillar, E.; Gainsbourg.
Substitutes: De Saint-Pierre -> Fillar, G. ('63), Hauser -> Mora ('79), Xhose -> Humphreys ('81)

World Cup Qualifying Matchday 3: Al Qurija 1-3 Chromatika
Goals: Gainsbourg '39, Ighv '75, Vidal '82
Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Begley; Fillar, G. - Régine - Ken - Pomeroy; Larriet-Cortes - Burns; Humphreys - Mora (C) - Fillar, E.; Gainsbourg.
Substitutes: Vidal -> Gainsbourg ('64), Aprt -> Burns ('75), Ingram -> Ken ('83)

Predicted Starting XI vs. Eura, @ Taksylvania (4-1-4-1): Fillar, J.; De Saint-Pierre - De Aea - Anbient - Sayer; Armageddon (C); Wen - Hauser - Mora - Kuznetsov; Vidal.
Reserves: GK Kathie Begley, GK Jacob Descombes, RB Grayson Fillar, CB Damon Ingram, CB Giles Ken, LB Ha'nei Ighv, RW Martha Baum, DM Kateryna Zuniga, DM Kaia Larriet-Cortes, LW Edith Fillar, AM Baillaire Fillar, ST Hank Killian

Team Chromatika Plane
Somewhere Over the Skies of Al Qurija

When Sandra Sybill and Rachel Hellion took the Chromatika job, they knew that there would be two moments that would stay with them forever to start with, and then potentially more as the team went on. They would always remember their first victory, and they'd always remember their first defeat. The debut win against Good Samaritans had felt good, though the margin hadn't been the best. At least they'd gotten over the first game jitters, and the team looked pretty solid throughout must of the game. Sandra and Rachel had a few things to point out, but they knew that the hardest games would be ahead.

What they hadn't counted on, to be honest, had been the loss to Sargossa. The Chromatik midfield folded a few too many times, Kathie Begley couldn't stop some of the one-on-one situations that came from running such a highly offensive system, and Chromatika suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of the Rushmori power of Sargossa. Interestingly enough, Rachel and Sandra had decided to not go in too much on the players for that one, counting on veteran leadership and experience to prevail. Truth be to form, the more experienced members of the squad took over the constructive criticism, and Chromatika was rearing to go by the time they landed in Al Qurija.

Despite letting in an early goal, Chromatika dominated possession, and the highlight of the day was the screamer from range off the left boot of Ha'nei Ighv in the seventy-fifth that showed just how much the young left back that played in a far more forward position than a standard Chromatik left back could do. Olimpia Vidal made the score three to one a few minutes later, and the Anomalies had their first road win of the season. It had been a far more complete game than the previous two, which meant that Rachel and Sandra felt slightly more confident heading into the match against Eura in the Capitalizt Dome.

One thing that Sandra was starting to realize was the detriment of having a fifty-person pool for the qualifiers. Sure, everyone got playing time and could be evaluated, but the game-to-game momentum was lessened when the same players weren't suiting up for the next match. To compensate, they started to use as reserves some of the players that had previously played, leading to more interesting team dynamics and more interesting ways to use their players. Ha'nei Ighv would remain on the roster, having earned her spot, while the next bunch of twenty-three is highlighted by all four Fillars being on it. If Sandra and Rachel are feeling adventuresome, they would now have the power to do what everyone in Chromatika had wanted to see ever since the Fillars became introduced as the nation's first footballing family - sub in all three of Grayson, Baillaire, and Edith and watch the four Fillars on the pitch at the same time. Probably not against Eura, but against Taksylvania, it was a possibility.

She remembered the feeling of defeat that she had felt when she was a player. As a Manager, it was worse. You couldn't do much except watch your players compete, and as forays went wide time and time again, Sandra realized just how tough of a job Managing was going to be. To be fair, victories were sweet enough, but this wasn't going to be a walk in the park.

"You always remember your first," she said to Rachel afterward, "Let's not do it again."

"Hear, hear," was the reply from her Assistant Manager.

It would not be the last loss in her Managerial career, but it was the loss that taught her what losing felt like from the other side of the player/manager divide.

Hence, it remained important, always.

---

Part 1: The Twin Meetings

Mirroring Paths
Part 2: The Book Moves

It can be said that modern Chromatik history started with the incorporation of the first national football team of Chromatika. Luuk Aart, the team's Captain, was under investigation by the Chromatik Party and the then-Chromatik government for masquerading as a Violet, someone in the upper castes of the Chromatik society, when he was born as a Red, a caste of laborers. When he was convicted despite not being complicit - Aart had had no knowledge - the Chromatik national team, led by Franscseca Larriet-Cortes, fled the country. They would spend a cycle using a stadium in Quebec as their home field, while events started to unfold in Chromatika.

The Rainbow Writers, a group of underground writers, started to spread propaganda supporting a free Chromatika while various rogue elements joined forces under the banner of what became known as the Rainbow Revolution. This Revolution, despite not having a singular leader, toppled the Chromatik Party, though Franscesca Larriet-Cortes was martyred in the process. The Chromatik Party was overthrown, and the Rainbow Revolution's interim government took power, finding an effective voice in Alina Krasnikova, the prior head of Chromatika's secret police that had turned her back on the principles of the Chromatik Party. Krasnikova became the first Premier of Chromatika, though she wasn't one that was voted into office.

Chromatika found itself facing multiple problems during the quest for its first free election not five years later. The remnants of the Chromatik Party had been spared due to keep the country's infrastructure intact after rudimentary inquiries were made to weed out the most offending members of the Chromatik Party regime. Now, many of them were proving to be a roadblock to Chromatika's future. Aided by an ally in Banija, Chromatika was successful in having its first free election, also employing the aid of The Chosen, a group of extraplanar angels whose fates had been tied to Chromatika by virtue of one of them interfering with Chromatik history. At the end, The Chosen were free to be their individual selves, and Chromatika had its first freely elected leader - Keri Wyse Aart.

Though Chromatika started to become a more stable nation, some underlying problems emerged. A group of people thought that the previous members of the Chromatik Party hadn't paid enough for their mistakes, while others looked at the plight of the previously oppressed population and claimed that the Rainbow Party wasn't doing enough to bring those people up to speed. Then, the Anaia-Atlantian Oceania split took the nation by storm, and though Chromatika decided to join the departing nations in Anaia, the fact that the country split from one of its closest political allies in Banija and the fact that most of the negotiations had been done behind closed doors wasn't taken well by the populace. Using this discordance as an ample opportunity, a crime syndicate called the Shadow Hand, a remnant of the Red Enclave that had been the first to oppose the Chromatik Party back before the Rainbow Revolution, started to make some bolder moves.

Recently, three events have shaken Chromatik politics to the very core. First, retired Chromatik footballer Han Ga-Yeong, a major supporter of the current Chromatik government and a spokeswoman for the rehabilitation of the previous ROYG community, was murdered. Not long after, a member of the Chambers of the Legislature, Chromatika's legislative branch, Jordan Lefebvre of the Traditionalist Party, was assassinated. Second, an explosion rocked one of the team buses of Chromatika's national team on the way back from Franscesca Larriet-Cortes International Airport, instantly killing the driver and injuring twelve others. Thankfully, none of the Chromatik footballers were badly injured, but the event proved to everyone that nobody was truly safe.

Finally, at the end of the most recent election, twenty-eight Representatives from the Rainbow Party and the Traditionalist Party joined forces to bring forth a new party, the Saebitdang, or the New Light Party. Hélène Embroise, the previous #1 confidant of Keri Wyse Art, the Premier, heads the New Light Party, breaking the supermajority of power that the Rainbow Party enjoyed and plunging the country into an uncertain future. (This RP has a good glossary of most recent events.) [size=50]If you want a spoiler for what's really going on, click here.

Glossary of Abbreviations:
RP - Rainbow Party
Trads - Traditionalist Party
CP - (now-defunct) Chromatik Party
ROYG - Red Orange Yellow Green community (the previously lower class in the prior regime)
BIV+ - Blue Indigo Violet plus community (the previously upper class in the prior regime)
NLP - New Light Party (Saebitdang)
NYK - Nyowani Kitara
CFF - Chromatik Football Federation, the organization in charge of the Chromatik National Team and the Rainbow League System
(the) SH - Shadow Hand
BanAm - Ambassador to Banija
NewBanAm - New Ambassador to Banija
Cont - Controller

ChromatikAir Flight AA310
Above the Skies of Banija, Atlantian Oceania

Saralee Ambroise was a confused woman.

As the Ambassador to Banija, Ambroise's life had gotten way too interesting since the Anaia-AO split, with political tension rising. Thankfully, Banija had maintained its domestic ties with Chromatika, but her life in the last few years had been a lot of posturing and postulating to make sure that Chromatik interests in Banija would remain untouched.

Recently, with the election of Xollie Lubabalo, her life had gotten far more busy. Lubabalo's victory was good for Chromatika as Xollie had been Ambassador to Chromatika during the first free election, but Chromia and the Rainbow Party, led by Keri Wyse Aart, were looking to set the record straight and remove any notion of Chromatika owing Banija anything during the Lubabalo administration. As the chief Ambassador to Banija, Ambroise was expecting to get a strategic briefing when she landed in Chromia the following morning.

Instead, the pilot of her government-sponsored jet told her that they were changing course due to a top-secret communication, pilots' eyes only, and that she had a call waiting for her. Mystified and frustrated, she took it in her quarters.

"Saralee Ambroise, Ambassador to Banija here," she stated brusquely, "What the hell is going on?"

"Ah, Ambassador," came the silky voice of one JoAnna Eskellige, Chief Secretary to the Premier, "One moment please. I will need to put you on hold while we transfer you to Baskani."

That made Ambroise stop for a second. Baskani was a Chromatik code word for encrypting the call, as it was a small town of five people in the Heartland District, and the Chromatik government had nobody there of import. Beginning to think that she was in way over her head, Ambroise waited the protocol-dictated thirty seconds before she spoke again.

"Saralee Ambroise, Delta-Niner-Bravo-Five-Five," she stated. The phone clicked, acknowledging her code.

Then, a voice that she had only heard once before - more than seven years ago, when she had been appointed to the revenue of the then-Ambassador of Banija, Dr. Jordan Hawkes - answered back.

"Alina Krasnikova, Alpha-Bravo-Charlie-Four-Nine."

The Alpha-Bravo-Charlie sequence meant only one thing: Alina Krasnikova, the first Premier of Chromatika and the only one in the nation's history to not be elected into office - as she had been chosen by the Rainbow Revolution - was back to what she did best, which was running the Chromatik Secret Service.

"Good evening, Ambassador," continued Krasnikova, "Our apologies on the deception, but we had to make sure that nobody in Atlantian Oceania nor Anaia will know about your roundabouts until you've successfully landed. We've already made the arrangements at your destination, and you'll have ample time to study the situation before you land. It is a delicate one, but not one in which we will be expected to play a large part. No, you just need to make sure that you appear, get noticed, don't say much, stay out of the way, and let us know everything that goes on, especially where Busukuma is concerned."

"So you mean... Tikariot?" stammered Ambroise, her mind racing. Of course, she was aware of the situation in Nyowani Kitara, and had studied up on it ever since Chromatika drew them in their Qualifying Group. That whole situation was a mess, and she was where that internally, the NLP was putting a lot of pressure on Keri Wyse Aart and the RP to stay out of the situation altogether. That made this clandestine operation understandable.

"Yes. We need to be there, to let Banija know that we're still with them. Like I said, you shouldn't need to say much. We just need you to get there and the NLP to not notice until it's far too late," Krasnikova explained.

"Is this what it's come down to?" asked Ambroise, "Tricking our own nation?"

"It's necessary. We will temporarily assign Ambassador Josephine Herreault to take over in your absence while the peace talks are going on," added Krasnikova, causing Ambroise to make a small squeak in disbelief. Herreault had retired three years ago, and was one of the best Ambassadors Chromatika had ever had.

"That's how important this is, Saralee. The events in NYK will decide what we decide to do in the fourteenth and final matchday of the qualifying stage, and that in turn can have an enormous impact on the current political landscape of the nation. Do you understand me?"

"I get it," acquiesced Ambroise, "This is more than just an observation mission. Understood."

"Good," was the reply, "Make sure to use standard encryption protocol even while in Tikariot. We have reason to believe communication is being watched, we'll need to be careful."

And with that, the line went dead.

Her assistant, Miles Androval, handed her a locked briefcase, and Ambroise nodded.

It was time to do some cramming before she landed in Varakoula. She hoped she would be able to retain enough.

---

Penthouse
The Chromia Regal Building
Chromia, Capital District, Chromatika

The best way to blend in and hide was in plain sight.

On the surface, she was Kim Da-Bi, the owner of the Star Lounge, a casino/card room that occupied the Penthouse floor of the Chromia Regal Building. Built for exclusive clientele, it cost 30,000 NMS per month to even keep a membership in the Star Lounge; in return, she offered top-shelf drinks, great company, and exclusive tournaments with jackpots totaling tens of millions of NMS.

What this allowed her to do, however, was have access to the conversations of some of the richest men and women in Chromatika, and through them, be able to garner the information needed to be the person that she was when she wasn't being Kim Da-Bi.

Kim Da-Bi was Mesmer, the Shadow Hand in charge of accumulating and dealing in information. She'd taken over after her wife, Lee Su-Ji, had died, and she was very good at it.

When she wasn't having to do two things at once, that is.

"I'll be right there!" she stated to a frantically waiving hand at the far left table. A detriment to having such rich clientele was that they were so demanding, and this particular bunch was going through top shelf bourbon like it was water. As she pulled three more bottles off the top shelf, her top secret pager buzzed again.

Cursing the fact that her employee, Jane, was absent due to sickness, she took the bottles to the table and then ran over to the pager as fast as she could.

Code: Select all

BanAm has flown the coup. Location unknown. Aircraft tracked but changed course. Repeat: Location unknown.

Surprised, she typed back quickly:

Code: Select all

Expand operations until found. Find NewBanAm as well if possible. Will report to Cont.

Then, she forward the initial message to Controller while making sure that the far left table was fine.

A reply from Controller arrived almost immediately:

Code: Select all

Prior01: Find BanAm. If NYK, Pawn to D4.

Mesmer typed a quick response in acknowledgement, and then she smiled.

Going back to the bar, she took out a bottle that was easily worth 10,000 NMS, and brought it to the far left table.

"On the house, gentlemen," she stated, handing them the bottle, to their surprise, "Enjoy the night, it's a great one!"

Before she partook in some of the liquor herself, she went back and sent the following message to her entire network:

Code: Select all

Locate BanAm. If found, Pawn to D4. Book Moves Begin.

[Southwest Eastnorth]

The game versus Western Sol was now a day old, A 5-2 loss, but the SWEN Pioneers could at least look forward to coach Rox's return. The game was an unmitigated disaster. The Western Sol team was that one team every world cup hopefull hates to see. They were "The one team that can perfectly exploit your weaknesses". And boy did Western Sol ever do that.

Meanwhile the day after the team returned to Virginia to train at the NT's facility. Like with most training days the place had a nice catered breakfast spot where player could get some energy and protein before training and practicing tactics with their coaches. Needless to say the talk of the town at the facility was over coach Rox coming back.

As he slipped down in his seat, coach Rox noticed his old friend Chris Houton over at the buffet.

"Chris!"

"Welcome back Jayson" replied the captain and backup-manager

"Well whats the report?"

"Awful" said Chris "The dome was horrible idea, what the fuck was SWENFA thinking"

"Yeah I saw that, can't believe we played in your house against a team that fast, we were just inviting them beat us. I hope we did get a scouting report on em'"

"Sadly I doubt, it. I'm pretty sure they didn't submit a roster, trust me, Blur could use speed like that up front" Chris was always one to think of his domestic team, even if he did manage the team while in Jayson's absence, while playing on the pitch.

It was a demeaning loss the pioneers had gone through. Or was it? Maybe it was just the team had driven themselves to madness with the unrelenting high expectations of that 4th place finish in their qualifiers during the Last WCQ.

That being said the third game of the qualifying matchups was a key one for the Pioneers. SWEN has had a reputation for being a team to challenge much bigger teams, and given the state of footballing in the early matchups of the qualifying cycles, where it's a minefield of teams trying to get new rosters to gel together or established, teams facing new unknown teams that could either sink them or let them swim, many experts saw SWEN taking points off of Squornshelous as a trendy upset pick.

Despite the stinker against Western Sol the SRS prediction came true for the Pioneers. Two mid match goals from Chris Houton and Jessica Roth counter balanced two Squonshelian goals that were scored early. It was probably one of the most satisfying draws the SWEN team has had in a long time. You see, many writers and pundits within the SWEN footballing community had actually considered Squornshelous to be the group favorites, so there was a lot of optimism that this draw had wiped the bad taste in peoples mouth.

Meanwhile the first day of practice, after the Squornshelous match, Chris Houton and Coach Rox were in the coaches office.

Chris and Jayson were waiting for Paulette Collins. Paulette was a reporter and writer for the Virginia Gazette, the capitals biggest newspaper. But before she got there Chris' phone went off

"I got an e-mail notification, what.....only e-mail I get is from you or the Blur* and it's the Blur's offseason"

"Yeah" replied Jayson in a most puzzled voice "I just got new e-mail too, and it's not from SWENFA, I think we are about watch Hapilopper burn....."

"What"

"Check your phone again, is that from Ellis?"

"Ellis?"

"Yeah he's an assistant coach in Happilopper. All I know is that now-a-days he's like the Happilopper version of you, he's a player and assistant coach. I do remember his name from back when SWENSport used to show games from Happiloppers domestic league at like 3am though. Honestly I'm shocked to hear he's still alive.
Wait...Chris, there's a playbook, the legendary Nate Ellis just left one of his playbooks! HOLY SHIT man! I used to watch this man when I was first coaching, I think I struck a lil gold, Hap teams are the aggressive style we need to emulate. I'll look into this more after the interview"

Needless to say the interview went a lot different. The Virginia Gazette had a scoop they never thought they'd see in a lifetime, a full blown scandal plopped in their lap. This was fascinating and the tactics would sure boost the team in Southwest Eastnorth.

"Oh hey I got another e-mail"

"who from Chris"

"Mil-chama....."

Republic of Western Sol - 5
??? 37' 60' 80'
??? 19'
??? 43'

Southwest Eastnorth - 2
Houton 67' 92'

Squornshelous Remnant States - 2
Yonte 19'
Petrov 33'

Southwest Eastnorth - 2
Houton 40'
Roth 71'

*Blur is in reference to Oasis Blur FC Houton's Domestic team

[Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom]

1, 2, 3, 4

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Chapter 3, Part 1

---

Chapter 3, Part 2

12:18
“What were you two doing?” Borka asked Markus, “we were just finishing our visit,” Markus replied, “When we came back to Milian found all the blood, and after that the explosion happened. Nikola’s away.” The pair were a safe distance away from the hospital, in a sea of men and women concerned about the blaze. In the crowd cells phones and cameras were lifted up, recording the situation. “Did Nikola say what he was doing?” Borka was asking with a frantic throat, “I don’t know,” Markus looked low, “I tried to see where he was, but I couldn’t follow his path, they were keeping everyone away at that point.” Borka scowled, “You shouldn’t let him run off,” she said, “You are aware he’s in the same situation as you, yes?” Markus looked over at a serious woman, “We can talk about ‘Mitosis’ business in private. For now we need to make sure things are well.”

Markus opted to leave an unhappy woman be, and looked for good vantage point. A series of vehicles were on the scene. One of the vehicles was with the press, though it was clearly away from both the responders and he crowd. A woman was there speaking to a camera. Markus recognized her as Claudia Sitz. Sitz’s name wa widley recnogized, but she was less famous and more infamous in law enforcement. Officers knew she only came to talk of death and destruction in a seriously somber way, and usually when someone on the force did something embarrassing. Markus approached, not wanting to expose himself to the cameras with the blood of a friend on his body, too much attention would be drawn to a clearly shocked man. “The clinic section of the complex appears to have been unscathed, Iwan. However, clearly something has gone wrong at the hospital.” A pause in the discussion came for a time, and the woman “Yes, the area on fire is where intensive care takes place, Iwan.”

Markus snuck around the area. Markus went to a place with a clear view of the hospital parking lot. Seemingly nothing new was happening, but bodies were beginning to come out again in visibly damaged sates of being. “Excuse me!” a shrill voice chirped. Markus turned around. Apparently Markus’ hadn’t kept clear of the press because that darn Claudia Sitz was behind Markus. “Claudia!” he said kindly, putting on a mask against his stress, “I think I recognize you,” Claudia said, “have we met?” Markus nodded, “I’m Markus, I’m an officer, but I am off duty.” “Oh my!” Claudia said, “I must’ve interviewed you at the academy, you’re one of the orphan boys who signed up for the force.” Claudia’s seriousness in front of the camera was cleanly replaced at this point by a happy mood, “you know, I’ve become one of the most popular people with the right because of my interviews with you lot.”

Claudia waved over a camera operator, “We are not live,” Claudia said, “but we’re shooting footage of survivors, and you’re clearly someone who had something happen today, look at your shirt. God, you look like you just lost a fight.” Markus nodded, wanting to a break something, “Would you like to ask questions, I’m waiting for news on some friends right now. I don’t have anywhere to go, clearly.” Claudia’s eyes glowed, “Oh yes, we can start rolling to tape now, though it’s all digital these days.” Claudia coughed, putting on a somber face. Markus couldn’t care less about this nasty person and her fake persona. “Now, sir,” Claudia said calmly, “what is your name…”

While Markus was preoccupied Borka sent text messages to people. After wishing her father well, Borka moved on to another contact. “Nikola is unaccounted for,” a message read, “He was seen alive.” The two messages had a single recipient, and they replied quickly, “Acquiring Theias for that man’s addiction has been costly. he budget had just been doubled. Mitosis will be in need of his skills for years.” Borka continued to chatter with that other person, sending apologies. “Call me,” the other person said. Of all times to have a broken phone, damn, the only way to speak was via the speaker phone. Borka walked into an empty place, she was behind some businesses. The young woman was around a city block away from a crowd gathering minute by minute to witness Zeta Reka’s best hospital burn. Borka quickly dialed a number she’d memorized. When the last number was pressed there was a ring or two.

“You’ve had very specific orders these past few days,” a man said as soon as he picked up, “You were to keep Nikola safe from harm, and investigate his unique properties.” “I am sorry, sir,” Borka said, “Sorry might now be enough,” the main said angrily “Soon sorry may not be enough. A man who has a heart attack, but then warps into another room, is something we can’t ignore. Perhaps he will warp into your lap.” Borka had nothing to say as she was verbally beaten, no comebacks would be worth it. “Unlike many others you’re not coerced into performing well.” the man said, “Everything we task you with fails regardless of our kindness. Return to Markus! He’s also to be monitored.” Borka nodded to herself, “affirmative,” she said, the man on the other side of the call spoke once more before disconnecting, saying, “If you find some successes amidst these failures, you will paid handsomely.”

The missing Nikola for his part was moving around the forrest, getting closer to where Mira had been a the hospital. In Nikola’s hand was that necklace, found far far away. “Whatever is amiss, Mira, I will find you,” Nikola said, but he had no clue what to do.

---

Lineups for Matches 4 & 5

---

Match 2 (@ Tikariot)
GK: Dejan Wasić
LWB: Nikola Djordjewić
CB: Marka Krušlin
CB: Wlad Wlad
CB: Karlo Gabrielstein
RWB: Yuri Kewić
DM: Stani Gröss (c)
CM: Stanimir Rekawić
AM: Marko Zup
FW: Arnald Gal
FW: Bogdan Rawić
Subs
GK: Zlatko Wukowić
GK: Branislaw Mucić
LWB: Marko Danojlić
CB: Barto “B.M.” Milosawljewić
CB: Wukmir Milošić
CB: Sigmund Hafner
RWB: Wladan Momirić
DM: Nikola Branić
CM: Iwan Titowić
MF: Wladoslaw Dorboslawić
AM: Konstantina Popowić
FW: Dino Näher

---

Match 5 (vs. Audioslavia)
GK: Dejan Wasić
LWB: Nikola Djordjewić
CB: Marka Krušlin
CB: Wlad Wlad
CB: Ali Faruq
RWB: Zaur-Luka Igorić
DM: Stani Gröss (c)
CM: Stanimir Rekawić
AM: Marko Zup
FW: “Fen” Scwartzhammer
FW: Bogdan Rawić
Subs
GK: Zlatko Wukowić
GK: Max Dunst
LWB: Ratimir Grbić
CB: Wladmir Krammnik
CB: Yousef Iwanić
CB: Sigmund Hafner
RWB: Wladan Momirić
DM: Nikola Branić
CM: Marko Opština
AM: Tim Ulrich
FW: Iwan Clipeum
FW: Jakow Krstowić

[Atheara]

A Struggling Opening
Atheara draws the Garifunya and loses to Savigliane on the second and third matchdays, and a strange e-mail was received...

FULL TIME RESULTS
Atheara 2 - 2 Garifunya
Edgar Faltier (12'), William Renocado (77') / Machiel van Harten (19' ; 56')

FULL TIME RESULTS
Savigliane 1 - 0 Atheara
Bonagiunta Rossi (10') / None

Atheara were hoping to jump into the second and third matchdays with points, as The Blue Guard face off against Garifunya and The Swans of Savigliane. The results were not what Athearan fans were hoping for as Atheara was only able to draw Garifunya by a 2 - 2 scoreline, while The Swans blew Atheara off course with a 1 - 0 scoreline. It was very safe to say that these games were very rough for all sides right from the get go of the two matches, as all sides walk away with a few yellow and red cards. Even with the friendly atmosphere in the two games, it's undeniable that the pressure was tense.

Atheara walked off the game against Garifunya with two yellow cards while Garifunya walked off with four. Against Savigliane, Atheara walked off with three yellow cards and Savigliane had to settle with one red card. Luckily there were no second bookings, so no players on all teams were sent off except one. But these matches surely caused quite a stir within the footballing fanbase. Atheara now has to prepare for a hard fight as The Blue Guard face off against The Kingdom of Voidstania and Valladares' La Nacional. The game against Valladares is sure going to be very tense as some Athearans are still mad after that final World Cup 89 Qualifiers match where Valladares defeated Atheara 1 - 0 which disqualified Atheara from playoff contention.

Speaking of playoffs and qualification, this year's Qualifications have become quite different. No team, especially the top ones can afford to commit any slip ups, especially against the middle ranked teams. Some groups look like they were sent from hell, while some groups looks as if they were rigged for one team. But do not be deceived, this is football afterall! Anything can happen off or on the pitch when it comes to what we call the beautiful game. And speaking of groups, who do you think will win every group? Surely everyone is rooting for their favourite or national team. But who do you think will top the group they are in? Will there be any underdogs in this World Cup like last time?

I'll let you all to your thoughts.

---

In a certain Athearan midfielder's room...

Edgar Faltier was resting after seeing the first team play against Savigliane. It was just a pain to bear overall. He was playing a bit of Ruin: Legends of Chaos, an online MMORPG game when he received an e-mail coming from... Nathan Ellis? "What the hell?" Edgar asked himself outloud. Was this some sort of prank or joke? He knows that Ellis is Hapilopper's assistant coach, but what was with this e-mail? "Oy Liam, have a look at this." Edgar said to his roommate, Liam Arnelovich as he closed his game and opened up the e-mail. "Hapilopper did a funsies it seems. They probably did this as a prank, but it's just hilarious!" Edgar said as he started laughing and as he rolled off his chair. "Ouch."

"Well this is certainly a surprise. This has nothing to do with us all." Liam said as he analyzed the e-mail further. "Looks as if it was for training against Kimi-suomi or whatever. They even have a tactics book, i think." Liam said as he went ahead and opened the Hapilopper "Playbook". What was inside the book seemed to be old and outdated, as if it was from old league football. "Are they trying to play oldschool or what? Cause i am sure even now it wouldn't work." Edgar said as he had woken up from his laughter and the ground as he and Liam analyzed the old playbook.

"Hey what the fuck is this?" Someone screamed from the halls, and that seems to be Alfadi's voice. This isn't going to end well.

[Pemecutan]

Siovanija & Teusland 0-3 Pemecutan
(Away)

Formation
4-3-3
Line Up
1 - A. Jandisuga/GK; 13 - Y. Nehusandak/LB; 3 - S. B. Wijaya/CB; 5 - S. P. Laksamana/CB; 6 - D. R. Putra/RB; 7 - A. Kusumawijaya/LM; 8 - R. Karyadi/CM; 9 - B. Hermawan/RM; 12 - K. T. Mahayana/AT; 14 - D. P. Mahardika/AT; 25 - L. Olivando/ST
Bench
4 - A. Gunadarma/GK; 15 - S. Aksapadan/CB; 16 - O. T. Atmaja/RB; 18 - B. Padurjana/LM; 20 - A. Setiahadi/CM; 11 - A. T Wijaya/AT; 22 - W. Pramana/ST
Substitution
Agus Kusumawijaya <--> Basuyuha Padurjana (52')
Dewa Putu Mahardika <--> Wisnu Pramana (78')
Satya Putra Laksamana <--> Sorabala Aksapadan (83')
Goal
Leo Olivando (23')
Rama Karyadi (50')
Komang Trisna Mahayana (82')

---

Pemecutan 0-1 Le Choix
@ Tegeh Kori National Stadium

Formation
4-3-3
Line Up
1 - A. Jandisuga/GK; 13 - Y. Nehusandak/LB; 3 - S. B. Wijaya/CB; 5 - S. P. Laksamana/CB; 6 - D. R. Putra/RB; 7 - A. Kusumawijaya/LM; 8 - R. Karyadi/CM; 9 - B. Hermawan/RM; 12 - K. T. Mahayana/AT; 14 - D. P. Mahardika/AT; 25 - L. Olivando/ST
Bench
4 - A. Gunadarma/GK; 15 - S. Aksapadan/CB; 16 - O. T. Atmaja/RB; 18 - B. Padurjana/LM; 20 - A. Setiahadi/CM; 11 - A. T Wijaya/AT; 22 - W. Pramana/ST
Substitution
Komang Trisna Mahayana <--> Arya Tungga Wijaya (48')
Rama Karyadi <--> Agus Setiahadi (69')
Leo Olivando <--> Wisnu Pramana (77')

---

Part 3.1

---

Part 3.2

The night is getting darker as the time nearly reach midnight. But Ketut Wirama is still seating alone inside his study room. The table is full of papers scattered around. He sighing lightly while re-read a paper about Ngurah Artha Guna testimony. It's going to be a hard trial.

Suddenly there's a knock on the door. Wirama put the paper then ask the person to come in. It is his wife. Still looking beautiful in her late 40's. She brought him some tea and snacks.

"Can't you take some rest? It's nearly midnight," she reminded Wirama.
"Just a few minutes again, okay?" Wirama makes an excuse while sipping the tea.
"Don't work too hard," remind the wife as she kiss the cheek of her husband. "Come to bed sooner," she added.

Wirama smile lightly. He caresses his wife cheek softly before she walks away from the room. Wirama's attention turn to the case again. He re-read everything to be ready for the first hearing. It is a tough case. And he knows that he will loose. All the evidences incriminate the defendant. I should've not take the case. His mind travels to the time when he was being call by his superior.

Two months ago....

Wirama walks in to his superior office. He greet calmly although a little confuse as to why he is being call.

"How are you, Tut? It's been a while," greet the superior, Ngakan Putu Dananjaya. He use to call him 'Tut', the short of his name, Ketut.
"I'm great. So what's the occasion?" Wirama ask without hesitation. He actually very curious.
Dananjaya then placed a huge file in front of him. "I want you to take the case. Just for formality," he say.
Wirama open the file and read the first page. He is a little shocked but try to calm himself.
"It's the football case?" he reassured.
Dananjaya nod. "You as defense attorney, just need to ensure of a fair trial. The evidences are against him," explain Dananjaya.
Wirama nod in understanding. He can't back down again.

And tonight, here he is inside his study room. He can't believe that the case will be this hard. Especially to communicate with Ngurah Artha Guna, the defendant. Everytime he is trying to get information from him, it's like falling into a maze. Wirama sigh heavily. Maybe he just need a sleep.

The Past That Build You

Young Artha Guna run happily from the pool. He laugh and excited. He wants to see his father who is seating near the cafe at that swimming pool.
"Bapa! Bapa!^* Do you see it? You see that? I win. I reach the best time!" say Artha Guna excitedly.
Teja Paksa, his father look his son for a couple of second before back to his newspaper again.
"Oh yeah, that. It's good. Good son," answer Teja Paksa unamused.

Artha Guna's face become gloomy. His cheerful is gone after he is hearing his father reaction. He realize that it is so hard for him to make his father happy for what he have done. And just like the other attempt, it's still unamused to him.

Later that night, Artha Guna overhear his parents conversation at the kitchen.
"I heard what's happen today," opened his mother. "Can't you be a little supportive with him? He is your son. He have had accomplished a lot of things just to make you proud," she added.
"I've always drove him everywhere. Make a good comment. Isn't it enough?" defend Teja Paksa.
"But you never excited about him. His accomplishment," she raise her tone a little.
"Then what? He did everything which I don't like. I want him to become a football player. Is it really that hard to do? He instead want to swim. Become a swimmer. Such a lame," Teja Paksa burst in anger.
"You can't force him to like or do something that he doesn't want to do. It will be bad for him," his wife put the same tone.
"He won't know it until he try. But you always prevent him to do it. What's wrong being a football player? He have the gene. He can be as great as I am," Teja Paksa stand face to face with his wife. He let out his anger.
"Don't make your disappoinment as an excuses to make your son just like you," remind her.
"I just want him to be a better player than me. The greatest football player in the country if I want it. He can be great. I believe he can!" press Teja Paksa.

Artha Guna run to his room. He is sobbing in silence. He never wants his parent to see he cry. He never like that conversation. He never like football. He think it is too harsh. The memory of watching football at the field with his father crossed his mind again. The trauma seeing a player being tackled until he can't wake up haunted him again. He scream inside his mind.

"Son, hey. Are you having a nightmare?" calmed the mother who is already hug him tightly. Artha Guna tighten the hug. He doesn't realize that he fall asleep while crying. And the memory come to life in his dream.

---

Wirama walks in the precinct prison where Artha Guna is being detained during his case investigation. He is escorted to one room, the interogation room. He looks at Artha Guna who seems to be not present even tough his body is seating there.

"Good morning," greet Wirama try to break the ice.
Artha Guna turn to him. His face is emotionless. Wirama take the seat in front of Artha Guna.
"You look good," comment Wirama. Artha Guna put a little smile.
"My work is done. I don't have to think hard again," say Artha Guna.
Wirama froze for a moment. "What work?" ask him.
"To make my dad's proud," answer Artha Guna. "You see. My father loved football so much," he added.
Wirama feels confuse. It is his second time to meet Artha Guna and no progress have been made. Although there are already evidences but he needs a confession from Artha Guna himself. But it seems to be harder than he thought.

"Does your father know about this?" ask Wirama. He knows that Teja Paksa have been died long before. But maybe Artha Guna have prepare for this a long time ago.
"Do you know? My father is a tough man. But he surrender too soon. He surrender to death. It's a shame that he had died," answer Artha Guna.
Wirama sighing heavily. He is so confused that he can't think about something. Then Artha Guna lean forward to him.
"I do like when he died, you know?"
Artha Guna's grin give chills to Wirama. He can sense something is wrong with this guy.

He sat down at his office after a 15 minutes meeting with Artha Guna. It feels like a century for him. Nothing to get from that meeting. Just another puzzling thought about this guy. Wirama decide to check Artha Guna's family background. He needs to go to Tandeg Suci, Artha Guna's hometown.

---

"Bapa, what are we doing here?" ask young Artha Guna to his father.
They are standing in front of a football school in their hometown. Teja Paksa kneel down to his son.
"Do you want to make your daddy proud?" Teja Paksa ask in reverse. Artha Guna shake his head lightly. Teja Paksa smile. "Good. So here is the place where you can make your dad proud," reveal him.
Artha Guna look at the place in horror. The memory come flashing in again and again.
Come on. Let's go!" force Teja Paksa.
Artha Guna try to stand still but his father grab his body instead. He carry him to the school much to Artha Guna's fright.

At home, Artha Guna lock himself in his room. He feels betrayed by his father. Going to the school make his trauma even greater. Then there's a knock at the door. It's his mother.
"Come out son. Let's eat. Dinner is ready," lure his mother. But Artha Guna is not responding.
"Guna? Come on. You have to eat. I don't want you to get sick," the mother try again but Artha Guna just sat there looking through the window in his bedroom.
"If he doesn't want to eat just let him be. Let him suffer in hunger. Such an ungrateful son!" storm Teja Paksa.
Artha Guna close his ears. He doesn't want to hear his father's voice.
"What are you talking about? He's our son. He might be sick if he's not eat," stopped the mother. She still try to ask Artha Guna to come out from his room.
"Just leave him be. He will go out if he hungry. Don't waste your energy," tell Teja Paksa.
The mother reluctantly leave. Before she go, she whisper through the bedroom door hoping her son will hear her. She whisper that she is always love him no matter what. I side the room Artha Guna is crying in silence.

---

And here he is. Wirama is standing in front of a two-storey townhouse located in outskirt of Tandeg Suci. He stay there for sometimes as he is still reluctant to continue his steps. He feels like he is not ready yet to meet the family of the person that he is defending.

"Excuse me."
The voice of a middle age woman startled him.
"Oh, hello. I'm sorry," Wirama say to the woman.
The woman smile lightly. "I'm sorry to frighten you. But is there anything I can help? Or do you want to meet someone? You are standing in front of my house," say the woman.
Oh so you are Mrs. Teja Paksa? Rahayu?" Wirama ask in reverse.
"Yes I am. Is there anything I can help? I'm sure I've never meet you before," ask Rahayu.
Let me introduce myself first. I am Ketut Wirama. I'm Artha Guna's attorney," greet Wirama while extending his hand for a shake.
Rahayu seems stun when she hear her son name is mention. She reply the handshakes in an awkward gesture.

Inside the house.
"It's been a while since I hear that name again," says Rahayu while serving the tea and snacks to her guest.
"Does he?" Wirama stop his words.
"He walks out from this house a few days after his father kill himself. I don't know where was he go. What did he do. And now...." she can't continue her words.
"I'm sorry," say Wirama.
"It's not your fault," Rahayu sighing heavily as she lean back on the chair. "He was a bright and charming kid. I still remember that part of him. But he gradually change. Started when he was joined the football school," Rahayu remembering the past. She sighing again. "I wish he never got to that school," she wonder.
"Did something happened there?" Wirama ask curiously.

---

Artha Guna seat calmly inside his cell. He overhears the world cup qualifying match between Pemecutan and New Lusitania. He tap his fingers on the table next to his bed. He slightly smile.
"They will loose," he whispering as if he is commenting on the match.

On the other side of the country, Wirama seat down in his hotel room. He just looking at the empty table in front of him. Only a bottle of mineral water can be seen. His hand shaking as he take the bottle. He remembering the words that Rahayu said to him earlier.

"He become the brightest student there. Although he is not good in the field but he is good in tactics. Everyone then avoided him. Call him names. Mock him for his brightness. On the other hand the teacher envy him as he outsmart them. Until one day he come home late at night covered in blood."

---

^*Bapa (pronounce bape) is a local word to call your father, similar to the word 'daddy'.

---

The Cordian Isles v Pemecutan
(Away)

Formation
4-3-3
Line Up
1 - A. Jandisuga/GK; 13 - Y. Nehusandak/LB; 3 - S. B. Wijaya/CB; 5 - S. P. Laksamana/CB; 6 - D. R. Putra/RB; 7 - A. Kusumawijaya/; 8 - R. Karyadi/CM; 9 - B. Hermawan/RM; 12 - K. T. Mahayana/AT; 14 - D. P. Mahardika/AT; 25 - L. Olivando/ST
Bench
4 - A. Gunadarma/GK; 15 - S. Aksapadan/CB; 16 - O. T. Atmaja/RB; 18 - B. Padurjana/LM; 20 - A. Setiahadi/CM; 11 - A. T Wijaya/AT; 22 - W. Pramana/ST

---

Pemecutan v Muralos
@ Manguwi Stadium

Formation
4-3-3
Line Up
1 - A. Jandisuga/GK; 13 - Y. Nehusandak/LB; 3 - S. B. Wijaya/CB; 5 - S. P. Laksamana/CB; 6 - D. R. Putra/RB; 7 - A. Kusumawijaya/; 8 - R. Karyadi/CM; 9 - B. Hermawan/RM; 12 - K. T. Mahayana/AT; 14 - D. P. Mahardika/AT; 25 - L. Olivando/ST
Bench
4 - A. Gunadarma/GK; 15 - S. Aksapadan/CB; 16 - O. T. Atmaja/RB; 18 - B. Padurjana/LM; 20 - A. Setiahadi/CM; 11 - A. T Wijaya/AT; 22 - W. Pramana/ST

[Savojarna]

PitchNerds - Savojarna’s footballing blog
Savojarna’s Rivalries: Armed Services

Written by Haraldur Saevarsson | @haraldur_saes

Savojarna is a country full of spectacular, bitter footballing rivalries. In this series, we explore their origins and histories - from their origins to the most memorable games and to the small factors that make them spicy. Rivalries in this country come from all kinds of different sources - but the most storied ones all have one thing in common. ASK vs CASK, CASK vs Admiral, and Admiral vs Torpedo all have been born out of the rivalries of the armed services, when the Army and Navy formed teams in the early 20th century and quickly developed them into national forces to be reckoned with thanks to a combination of near unlimited power in the pre-professional era due to conscription, ambitious leaders putting major money into their teams, professional structures in a largely amateur era, and a common drive to out-compete each other for the glory of their respective service.

The origin of army sports in Savojarna in this organised form can be traced back to the 1910s. Sports have of course been part of the Army and Navy life before that time, but team sports in particular have often been seen as somewhat sinister by the higher ups. In the Imperial armed forces, obedience and self-sacrifice were valued highly, and officers - usually noblemen who had been predisposed against football, a proletarian sport in pre-revolutionary Savojarna, by definition - had been suspicious of an activity thriving on creativity and solidarity. Sports in the pre-revolutionary armed forces usually meant running, obstacle courses, swimming, and martial arts; in the rare cases balls were used for things other than far throwing, it was usually for traditional Savojarsk sports that are nowadays mostly overshadowed by modern sports. Closest would be the rugby-like Savojarsk game of Lineball, which is by now almost entirely replaced by rugby union under international influence. This did not stop the soldiers from enjoying football in their free time, and with the old aristocratic influence falling quickly in the post-revolutionary times, Savojarna’s new officers were eager to canalise this footballing drive as a weapon in their ongoing inter-service rivalries.

In 1916, young officers had been organising makeshift tournaments in their respective parts of the armed forces for a while, when they first organised a tournament between the two branches of the time. The Army quarters in Thorsborg became the home of the Army’s team, whereas the Navy prepared in their main base in Storevik. The two teams played test games against local clubs, with the Army side defeating a more experienced IF Nord-Thorsborg and drawing the then famous Thorsborg Ironworks Athletic Club 3-3, before also beating the Arbeternas IF Thorsborg, modern-day Energie, with 5-3. Storevik’s Navy side did lose to a team of students from the Ejanan University 3-4, but then went on to defeat a selection of miners from Kjefla as well as two teams from the city’s docks, before trouncing a Grennviker miner side - today’s SK Cuprum - with 6-1. Meanwhile, young left communists within the Army had formed the Savojarsk Spartaksförbundet i Armén, an association to promote worker ideals within the revolutionary armies, and decided to also form a football team within that association. Later dubbed Spartak Sjoedrhavn, they were then still known as SSA Futbal, and joined the tournament on a short notice. Despite good showings, the less prepared SSA team lost to both branches, whose clash closed out the tournament and was described as a legendary battle by contemporaries. Fighting each other for the full ninety minutes, the game ended with three ejections and a 6-4 victory for the better prepared Navy side. However, the Army would get its revenge three months later at a rematch in Thorsborg, when they defeated their enemies 4-2; in a tournament in 1918 that also saw involvement from the National University of Sjoedrhavn and a team of police officers from Jarnstad, they met in the finals and drew 4-4 before the Navy side - by now officially a club by the name of Marina IF Storevik - won the rematch two days later with 5-2.

When the SFFB announced the formation of a national championship in 1922, both sides quickly formed into more formal clubs. Marina IF became IF Admiral Haakon Lidmark Storevik, after the officer first placed in charge of it; over time, it was shortened to Admiral Storevik. On the other side, the Army always favoured more pragmatism in naming; its Central Army Sports Club (CASK) relocated to Thorsborg from Sjoedrhavn in 1916 and formally established a football section in 1922 to participate in the championship. Initially, the Army-Navy rivalry was overshadowed on the pitch by the soldiers’ mutual dislike of the officer’s club Spartak. Games against Spartak, which by now had been open to members of all service branches, offered a rare opportunity for soldiers to rise above officers that was not connected to long, political meetings and the option to vote them out. As a result, players often fought hard in these games, and ejections were no rare sight; behind the scenes, however, the flames of the interservice rivalry were fanned as well. Things on the pitch did their own to get the players, and increasingly also the fans, into it; by 1927, both sides had established themselves as dominant forces of the league and clashed in championship-deciding games regularly. After a spring 1928 duel that ended particularly mean spirited - two ejections each, and an assertion that Admiral’s deciding 4-3 goal had been irregular as their star striker Rikardsson had shoved over CASK keeper Niutinen - the rivalry firmly established itself as the prime derby of the nation.

Both teams kept on building a reputation as the Big Bads of Savojarsk football, since they continuously used conscription rules to force transfers of star players from other clubs, with the only ones excepted being Dynamo due to a tacit understanding with the Police, as well as Partisan due to protection from the Communist Party elites shielding the club. Until the 1940s, Russican clubs were also less targeted due to the personal views of CASK head Johan Aalström that Russian players would sully the image of the Army side. It changed, however, when even Aalström had to admit that Artyom Revalov, the Mad Soldier of Pawlograd, was too good to leave out; he would break Admiral’s 1930s winning streak in 1939 by scoring a hat-trick in a 6-2 win in Storevik. In 1944, the landscape changed decidedly when CASK’s new head Lars Strindberg chose to establish a second semi-professional army sports club in Landsmark. ASKL quickly drew ire from almost everyone, but a grudging respect from Landsmark residents, whose local clubs struggled at the time - and then, slowly, support from other teams’ fans due to their bitter hate of CASK.

The Army Derby developed much differently from the Army-Navy duel: No championships were on the line most of the time, but the begrudging respect of the Admiral - CASK matchup was gone in favour of pure, unadulterated hate from the ASK side for the fact the more storied Thorsborg side was blatantly favoured by their common army leaders. The rivalry remained one-sided until the late 1960s, when ASK’s superstar libero Stefan Johansson refused to move to CASK, even sitting in military arrest for two weeks over the matter. When he was forcibly reassigned to CASK, he refused to train or play, and went into arrest again; eventually, fan protests alongside a threat of his formal comrades in the 17th Infantry Division to pull strings within the soldier councils resulted in his return to ASK for the 1968/69 season. The result was a new dimension of hate among the clubs. ASK’s constant chip on their shoulder had not left, but they had now gained the confidence they could, in fact, stand up to their rivals. CASK, on the other hand, blamed the story around Johansson and his refusal to play, and by extension ASK Landsmark, for their loss of the 1968 title to Admiral. Things did not get better when in 1973, Johansson was supported with a young goalkeeper rejected by CASK in Jussi Laukanen, as well as the gifted striker Carl Stralsund, and a legendary coach in the old “General” Simon Fjäll, leading ASK to their first ever championship.

From here on out, CASK vs ASK dominated the headlines, with the Thorsborgers being a symbol of establishment and dominance, whereas ASK was cast to represent the more common soldier and the streak of independence in the armed forces maintained since revolutionary days. On the other side, the Navy’s own development team, FK Torpedo Pawlograd, took on a different spin: Being the only clearly pro-Savojarsk and pro-socialist Pawlograd side, they took on the mantle of representing international, diverse, and modern Pawlograd in contrast to the more traditional, Russian-focused RLSK. As a result of this, and a lack of poaching from Admiral on the level of CASK, the Navy Derby is more of a friendly rivalry rooted in geography. Likewise, the introduction of Savojars Vinge Virkaja did not upset the balance as much; the Air Force side seems to mostly sit as a third force in this duel. SVV are a rival on the level of local derbies, but nowhere near the vitriol of the two classic duels; mostly thanks to SVV’s tendency to hover in the midfield rather than challenge the dominant sides and the Air Force’s focus on ice hockey, they are not anywhere close to the highest ranks of rivalry.

Savojar Lineup for February matches (MD 4/5)
vs. Legalese Virulainen - Pedersen, Zirkova, Nymark, Viipuri - Klaebo, Niskanen - Östberg, Poulsen, Jashkin - Hedenberg
Bench: Pakanen, Skov, Klaey, Dmitriev, Forsberg, Ilkkanen, Tedenby, Lundell, Voynov, Gyldenström, Ehlers
vs. St Trinians Virulainen - Pedersen, Zirkova, Nymark, Viipuri - Klaebo, Ilkkanen - Voynov, Poulsen, Jashkin - Hedenberg
Bench: Pakanen, Skov, Klaey, Dmitriev, Forsberg, Niskanen, Tedenby, Lundell, Östberg, Gyldenström, Ehlers

[Brenecia]

Brenecia 5 - 3 EOT
(4-2-3-1) 1 - Finnan; 17 - Lovibond, 5 - Leadbetter, 6 - Giltanan, 3 - Roscommon (c); 8 - Conway, 4 - Schofield (19 - Mikoliunas 56'); 7 - Carpenter (15 - Fife 74'), 13 - Garrard, 10 - Byrne; 14 - Tristram (21 - Lofthouse 80')
Goals: Garrard 4', Roscommon 32', Byrne 38', Conway 51', Lofthouse 90+2'

Oberour Ar Moro 2 - 3 Brenecia
(4-2-3-1) 1 - Finnan; 2 - Bravender, 5 - Leadbetter, 6 - Giltanan, 3 - Roscommon (22 - Seeler 76'); 19 - Mikoliunas, 4 - Schofield; 7 - Carpenter, 13 - Garrard (11 - Brind 68'), 10 - Byrne (16 - Leonard 83'); 14 - Tristram
Goals: Bravender 14', Carpenter 50', Tristram 73'

NORTH HALL STAR: "This government has nothing to offer!" Locke caves as Kearney soars
"Can someone tell me--"

CAPITAL DAILY: Locke confesses "NOTHING TO OFFER" -- Time for a CHANGE?
"-- how the fuck--"

THE BRENECIAN: Editorial: We've all known this government's had "nothing to offer" for years
"-- all of this--"

RATHIA TRIBUNE: LAUGHABLE! Brigid "Nothing To Offer" Locke tells us what we've all been thinking
"-- fucking happened?"
Brigid Locke's aide looked harried. "It stems from something you said at the debate--"
"The fucking debate! When did I say that? 'Nothing to offer'?" The Prime Minister kicked back in her chair and threw open her hands. "Why the fuck would I say something like that? I refuse to believe it! They're going to have a fucking field day with this. I mean, they are!"
The aide cleared her throat. "Well..."

---

12 hours earlier ...
Makeup. Neutral dark grey suit jacket and skirt. LDR amber scarf. More makeup. Anything to make her pale, freckled complexion and shock of ginger hair not wash out horribly on television.
Locke hated debates. They turned the marketplace of ideas into street theatre.
Five parties were represented, including all four with Assembly seats and a viable fifth. That fifth, White Cross, was represented by a woman called Laura Mullane, and was essentially comprised of people who didn't think Ward shot enough dissidents. Their inclusion itself was controversial. No Compromise was essentially an unapologetic Nephara-style left whose main show-stopping policy had emerged as a call to become a republic but had since branched out into a more complete leftist platform; Nadia Hawthorn, an intense young union lawyer from Westpike, carried their largely symbolic hopes. The NPD - the New Progressive Democrats - were the client wing of the Nepharan Progressive Democrats. They had never enjoyed much electoral success in Brenecia. They had continued to fail to enjoy electoral success in Brenecia.
This meant that the CPP - the Conservative Peoples' Party, descendents of Nephara's Nationals - had held the reins for the vast majority of Brenecia's indepdence, and it had taken until Locke's own LDR were formed as an effective centrist opposition. They'd had such success that some optimists had, in fact, thought they were the new natural power in Brenecia, the ones that had actually captured the median opinion.
The polls disagreed.
Locke shook hands of the room as the cameras began rolling but before the debate had officially begun; the mediator, Hawthorn, Parker and then Randall Kearney, the young, broad-shouldered, conventionally handsome CPP leader. There was a conspicuous snub. The other four parties had all decried White Cross, which had done more than anything to bolster their popularity among the contrarians.
It was a fairly dull debate. The gimmick was audience questions, and in Locke's mind, the audience weren't asking the right questions.
The issue was that Locke had a technocratic mind. She knew, of course, that nobody was actually going to ask her, say, about the concrete benefits to the employability of the base Brenecian would be gained by improving mass transit, largely deprecated since the departure from Nephara, and the knockon benefits to the economy. She knew, she could cite a chart, but it lacked punch, and she could only confess to a slight disappointment nobody asked. It was, really, Locke's issue, and her flaw at connecting with the electorate: she thought they were vapid, and did not disguise it well.
The questions she got, there were not necessarily sexy, marketable answers for. Gun control, for one. Policy had softened slightly since independence from Nephara, in part because it had been insufficiently flexible when it came to rural communities, who often did have legitimate need for semi-automatics. No Compromise, which enjoyed close to zero footprint anywhere outside of Falkner, Westpike and Rozelle, wanted them hardened again. The White Cross wanted every schoolchild to have an automatic rifle by six. Not to imply the two policies were equal - Nephara's extremely strict gun control had worked flawlessly for a heavily urbanised country, and modern Brenecia retained a popular tight leash - but it did leave Locke stuck for anything interesting to say.
"The existing measures have been upheld by bipartisan accords for decades," said Locke flatly. "We don't believe there's a need to revisit them at this time." And that was that.
White Cross and No Compromise united on Esposcepticism, though NC's was much softer than WC's, and they did concede that the adoption of the Espo was necessary for the economy.
This was one of Locke's more fertile routes of attack. "The Espo will prove a necessary step in stabilising the economy."
"Only because of the weakness of the pound," said Kearney, attack being the best form of defence. "Despite all the promises Ms. Locke has made over being able to right the economy, the truth is that the pound in your pocket is as worthless as ever."
"It's a Brenecian pound," huffed Mullane. "That's worth something." The adults in the room ignored her.
"If it is true we have been unable to bolster the value of the pound," said Locke, "we have at least kept it stable. Over the past decade it has dropped just two cents against the National Standard Dollar - compare this to complete freefall under the last CPP government."
"That's a deflection from the main point," said Kearney with a forced smoothness. "The issue is that regarding the EU--"
"Which the CPP gladly joined, it was a bipartisan effort," countered Locke.
"Ms. Locke," the mediator chided, "let's let Mr. Kearney finish his point."
Locke stared daggers at him.
Kearney smiled. "The main issue is that the EU, while on aggregate a force for economic strength, does present a certain risk to our way of life. A way of life, Ms. Locke, that you present as obsolete time and again--"
"I deny the charge."
Mullane laughed sharply, the help Kearney didn't actually necessarily want. "The truth is, that Locke and all to her left are ashamed of being Brenecian. A shag-loving chancer like her--"
"I feel no shame for my country! And I don't see what relevance Nephara holds to Esportiva. I don't suppose Ms. Mullane will try to suggest Nephara are an Esportivan nation? Or perhaps she'll peg them in Anaia!"
The mediator cleared his throat. Loudly. "And on the subject of foreign powers," he said quickly, "our next audience question concerns Nyowani Kitara--"
Locke couldn't disguise a disgusted sound in her throat. Kearney gave her a look.
"Specifically," and now the mediator glared at her. "on each party's hopes for the peace summit at Varakoula. Perhaps we could start with Ms. Hawthorn."
Hawthorn mostly just looked amused at the others' infighting. She was secure in the knowledge that pretty much her only fight was with the LDR over the carcass of the NPD. She threw another hand grenade over the trenches: "True to our name, No Compromise endorse the Terranean solution, and the stable continuation of government in the region." People who wouldn't vote for her anyway would hate that, but so what?
"Mr. Parker?"
"We endorse the Esportivan Union's statements on the issue," said Parker, warily. "We hope for peace."
"I concur," said Locke, though she would have put it better. "Brenecia does not have a seat at the talk. Nyowani Kitara is neither of interest nor relevant to us; we echo statements we have made as part of the Esportivan Union, but won't be drawn into it further."
"I would submit," said Kearney, "that Ms. Locke is afraid to say the truth apparent to us all: that her Nepharan paymasters are propping up a dictator!"
Ah, yes. The 'Nepharan paymasters' conspiracy theory, that held that Nepharan intelligence was in part behind the rise of the LDR. It was an easy point-score for the right to make. The inconvenient truth was that it was actually correct; NSIA had supported and protected Bardsley's campaigns. "I submit that if Corvistone produced a statement saying the sky was blue, Mr. Kearney would feel compelled to claim the sky was in fact pink. His obsession with Nephara reflects a fifty-year old view of Brenecia's place in the world. The LDR look to the future."
"How can you look to the future if you can't remain relevant in the present?" Kearney taunted. "How is it possible that a free nation could have nothing to say on the predominant crisis of our time?"
"I--"
"Hiding behind a couple of limp-wristed Union statements--"
"Mr. Kearney," pleaded the moderator, "please let Ms. Locke respond to your question. You are not permitted to throw rhetoricals around and dictate your own narrative, do you understand?"
"Of course," said Kearney smoothly. Locke kept from murdering him.
"So. Ms. Locke?"
"If Mr. Kearney had a fifth-grade understanding of geopolitics, he would realise Brenecia has no place at that negotiating table. No stakes, no proximity, no boots on the ground; in short, my government has nothing to offer," said Locke wearily, "on the Nyowani Kitara crisis."
The headline-writers, meme makers and certainly CPP spin doctors of the world held their breath, as Locke sipped her water.
"The truth is," Locke went on, "I think-- I feel, hell, from the polls I have, I know what the Brenecian people care about. They want," she ticked off on her fingers, "a stable economy, a safer community, and a secure place in Esportiva. The LDR offers all this and more, has provided it for the past decade." And she took another sip. She thought that would go down as the line. How was she to know the only thing anyone would remember had already come the line before?

BRENECIAN NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION - FORTNIGHT 3
Goalkeepers: 1 - Anthea Finnan (Holdenberg City, EUR), 12 - Sorcha Tanner (Southern Star), 20 - Cairbre Dundalk (North Laithland, NPH)
Defenders: 2 - Clovette Bravender (Ulsa, EUR), 3 - Triss Roscommon (Revolutionaries, EUR, c), 5 - Finn Leadbetter (Holdenberg, EUR), 6 - Casey Giltanan (Workers Union, EUR), 17 - Felice Lovibond (Kingsgrove), 18 - Athelney Shrine (Southern Star), 22 - Mynah Seeler (Southern Star)
Midfielders: 4 - Ronan Schofield (Raynor City United, VAL), 7 - Kendra Carpenter (Wirr Tsi, CMT), 8 - Iseult Conway (Northern Union), 10 - Katua Byrne (KT Itzalovalle, AUD), 11 - Felicia Brind (South Laithland, NPH), 13 - Consaidin Garrard (FK Metropola Borograd, STL), 15 - Mathgamain Fife (Rozelle), 16 - Rhona Leonard (Kingsgrove), 19 - Kurtis Mikoliunas (North Hall), 23 - Skaidrina Briggs (Southern Star)
Forwards: 9 - Mhacha White (Farrenton Athletic, EUR), 14 - Danand Tristram (Kingsgrove), 21 - Jadwiga Lofthouse (Northern Union)

SCHEDULE
Lathamford 2 - 2 Brenecia
Brenecia 5 - 3 EOT
Oberour Ar Moro 2 - 3 Brenecia
Metherwoll vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Sangti
Banija vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Cabo Azure
Brenecia vs. Lathamford
EOT vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Oberour Ar Moro
Brenecia vs. Metherwoll
Sangti vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Banija
Cabo Azure vs. Brenecia

[Kyzhurkistan]

“Is this, like, actually legal? After the first game?”
It was telling that a man with the ownership of a Kyzhurki football club suddenly turned to his last, rather disliked resort: the law. Rotor Bashketysh president Sirad Muraviev looked with an annoyed eye to his assistant, who in turn ogled the man sitting in the corner. Due to some sort of regulations, the club was obliged to have someone with a legal degree on its payroll, but the unease with which Nudirbek Samatov moved back and forth in his chair formed evidence of how little Muraviev made use of his services. Every few words, the legal consultant pushed his glasses back higher up his nose.
"It is not explicitly forbidden by the handbook of the Premjer Ligasy. With regards to the transfer regulations, it says that every deal between two clubs must be executed between one week after the competition stop and one week before its start. However, appendix six point two bis explains that a club is defined as a legal entity partaking in the Premjer Ligasy or a member of the Kyzhurki FA. Ausharmuj Marusi is neither."
"So…"
Samatov hesitated, weighing whether bluntness was the way forward.
"That means that Marusi can do whatever the fuck they like."
Muraviev was too caught up in the message to pay attention to the swears. He too, as any club, had taken advantage of the stimulus by the series organizer to discover the foreign market. Trifun Lazic was still finding his rhythm but Joshua Rose had been a bullseye acquisition. Of course it had crossed his mind that this exchange could go the other way but for some reason he had not expected it so soon. His assistant read his mind.
"With the Tigers participating in the World Cup qualifiers, things went rapidly."
Well, read his mind. If he actually could, he would have known that Muraviev wanted him to shut his mouth. It is all the fault of the Darmen victory, a shocker to not just both parties but also the outer world. When the national eleven lined up for a confrontation with the even higher ranked Jeruselem, a good number of international journalists considered the Topbati Arena as a good destination for a minnow story. And whether it was home magic, dead luck or a glimmer of potential from the Kyzhurki, they kept the Princesses at bay with a spectacular three-all draw. Pivotal in the performance, despite not getting on the scoreboard, had been Maksat Omorov, the silent force behind Rotor. A kind, athletic and clever young man held in high esteem by Muraviev, contrary to the lion's share of the football players in his organization. To win the midfield game against the increasingly baffled Jeruselem side, Omorov had not just used his stamina but also his brains. As such, this sudden decision seemed even more surprising to Muraviev as Omorov entered his office, right on time and cleanly dressed.
"Farfadillis, Maksat… That's a long way out."
"Indeed, sir. But it's a unique opportunity."
"Are you sure? You will be leaving quite a hole in our midfield…"
By now, Sirad Muraviev already knew there was no way back but who knew how far a little guilt could take them.
"I will miss Bashketysh, sir, and you can be assured you will be the first man I contact when I return to the Premjer Ligasy."
It pained Muraviev even more, seeing this well-mannered young man leave him and Rotor behind. Samatov had been as noticeable as a vase for the last five minutes, but spoke up now.
"We could add a return clause to your contract which…"
One could spot the dribble coming in the lawyer's mouth over the thought of subclauses and annexes but Muraviev silenced him with a short hand gesture. If Maksat's mind was made up, he wouldn't try to twist arms.
"Speaking of the contract, mister der Efer should be here any minute now."
As if he had been eavesdropping in anticipation of his cue, the door swung open and Fabrifé der Efer walked in. In his smart tuxedo and colorful sneakers, he looked as if he only had a minute or two to spare. As he placed the paperworks on Muraviev’s desk, he confirmed that timecheck.
“So, darling, all I need from you is a signature here, a paragraph there and there and then our friend Maksat over here can make his mark on the bestest, most spectacular league in the world.”
Normally, Sirad would have replied with a cynical and which one would that be then but he was too flabbergasted. Apart from his wife twice a week, no one called him ‘darling’ but der Efer seemed completely unphased, awaiting Muravievs signatures whilst picking up one of the expensive cigars on the desk and inspecting his pockets for a lighter.
“This calls for a celebration, right?”
Maksat grinned sheepishly. In a way, der Efer represented everything which wasn’t Kyzhurki and he couldn’t wait to learn more of it. Fired on by the ballsy Farf, he himself started browsing his cell phone, considered rather rude in the company of his superior and he immediately caught himself in the act.
“Sorry, it’s just, I keep on getting mail from some guy called Ellis? And then all the reply to all answers?”
Der Efer laughed, loud and boisterous.
“Yeah, our national team got it as well. You know what would be the best of practical jokes? If you guys would keep on sending replies with attachments and then put something actually useful in only one of them. And afterwards you’re like: ta-da! How hilarious would that be?”
And whilst radars started to turn in Maksats mind, Muraviev desperately tried to regain control over the conversation.
“But… What about the details, the transfer sum and the…”
With a notably athletic hop, der Efer sat himself astride the desk, grabbed the shocked Muraviev’s hand and led it to a certain page.
“There you go, darling, we first wanted to just write ‘a shitload of cash’ but then we guessed that these seven figures would do a better job.”
“That’s. That’s not in kels, that is.”
“That’s in actual, functional, useful hard coinage.”
There might have been a hole in Muraviev’s midfield but he knew that the one in Rotor’s treasury would be filled, and more, for the upcoming year. And so, despite his absolute disbelief of the situation, he offered another cigar to the triumphant der Efer whilst Omorov quietly pitched a plot in the NT chat group.

[Ochre Islands]

--Tuesday, the 13th of June 2248, three months before the present-day--

'It's Tuesday bitch.' Gary's Flamerty accent cut through Alan more than the words did.

Alan stared back at Gary on his screen. 'Gary, let's talk, you know we've not been able to find anyone to take the throne, I'm sure the other states will give central Government time as well.'

'The other states, Alan?' As Gary said this, more faces appeared on the screen.

Alan watched as more and more squares on his screen changed from various placeholder backgrounds, mostly state flags, one or two 'dramatic outlooks' over a picturesque part of their state to the leader of each state's own elected chamber.

Looking at the names, he saw Lucy Williamson from Bassingdale, Peter Fawkes from Caflin, Michael Roberts from Drangmorie, Vale Redwood from Fenton (Teriff, Gattfeld), Nigel Robson from Glenrock, Kerry Noakes from Jaerring, Linda Bringsham from Kisington, Alexia of the House of Fenn), the Princess of Laquar, Flynn Kindler from Mannfield, Henry Voles of Monham, Carl J. Matters of the Mountain Zone and Louise Finch from Reamontry. Of course, Gary Mafpur of Port Flamerty took up the largest proportion of the screen.

There were of course a couple of absences, nobody was there to represent Teriff or Gattfeld state, and quite notably the leader of Fort Boston wasn't there, what with the last one being dead and nobody wanting to replace him.

'Well, I see almost everyone's here' Alan said, trying his best to keep calm in the face of thirteen unpleased looking states.

'By almost, Alan, you're forgetting that Teriff and Gattfeld aren't about to use video calling, or the internet. I will be representing Teriff and Gattfeld.' Vale's feed now dominated the screen, her naturally soft voice not matches her steely composure and eyes set on her own camera, staring back toward Alan Sentor.

'This is technically a WAN, Vale' he replied, unhelpfully not realising that his usual smugness had been deployed at the wrong moment.

Vale sighed. 'And there's the problem. Fenton, Teriff and Gattfeld, peacefully sitting out to the west, pinched between a mountain range and the sea, mocked and belittled from ever-so-shiny Fort Boston. Mr. Sentor.' she said his name with an incredible amount of sarcasm. 'Like our Ochre brothers and sisters did a few short weeks ago, Fenton, Teriff and Gattfeld are leaving the Bostopian state and treading our own path as a new collective.' As she said this, Vale was seen leaning forward, finger extending quickly toward the screen before her feed cut out, with Alan Sentor scrambling for words that wouldn't come out of his mouth in time to stop her.

Gary smirked back at him. 'The first dominoes fall. The Emperor, our citizens abject hatred for him, has held this all together. Now he's gone, it's just Fort Boston, 'central Government' that was anything but central to the wants of the people, that's going to follow the Emperor into the history books.'

'Mannfield, Jaerring and Reamontry' it was an abrupt start to a sentence, spoken by Louise Finch, Reamontry Premier, before a pause. 'Have this morning signed a collective agreement and are leaving the Bostopian nation and the yoke of Fort Bostonians.' The representatives of Jaerring and Mannfield held up their copies of the document which clearly stated the will of their people was to leave, and to do so together. Two new nations already were running from Bostopia at her weakest moment, leaving her weaker still.

Only two states on West Isle hadn't declared their intentions yet, Mountain Zone and Port Flamerty, although Port Flamerty's position was becoming more obvious by the minute.

'This is Carl Matters, Mountain Zone. We feel confident that with the support of our neighbours we could go this alone. We shall henceforth also be known as the Republic of the Higher West.' Carl's image blinked off the screen.

'Obviously' Gary said. 'We're packing up to Flamerty, where we always should have been before you Fort Bostonians decided you knew better than the Union. I'll leave you East Isle mice to play amongst yourselves for a little while' he said with a smirk, as Port Flamerty disappeared from the union of states which had once made up Bostopia.

Gary looked at the screen, stunned, as one by one connections – and States – literally dropped out of the call and Bostopia as a whole. Bassingdale, Caflin, Drangmorie, Glenrock, Kisington, Laquar and Monham were all that was left.

'Perhaps' Gary said, scrambling to keep hold of something at least, as he heard the sound of people running in the hallways outside the office. 'We could work something out amongst us East Islanders?'

'The Laquari nation will no longer be the reason Bostopia has used to plough money into its corrupt forces. Good riddance to your vile, putrid country.'

The only surprise with Laquar leaving was it had taken them so long into the meeting to go. There was also truth in what the Princess had said, Bostopia had been trying to push the Laquar into integrating fully into Bostopia ever since the ancestors of the last ruler of Bostopia had come across them. As they'd always declined, Fort Boston had always painted them as the threat at the border. Laquar had been forcibly annexed a long, long time ago but Bostopia had always had to position plenty of troops there 'to keep the peace', and match the funding to suit any 'threats' that Fort Boston and the Generals had decided existed.

'Well, that was rather expected' Gary said, smiling. 'Perhaps now the rest of us could unite against the Laquari threat and ensure we aren't suddenly invaded by them seeking revenge for some past slight?' It was a trick, and Gary knew it, but perhaps the old Laquari boogeyman was still seen as a threat to the rest of East Isle.

A couple of the remaining States representatives looked off screen, clearly to an advisor, they seemed calm enough. The others remained rather rather steadfastly staring at the screen, though Glenrock's Nigel Robson affixed a flag button to his lapel.

'I've another meeting to run to, Alan. Consider Glenrock out.'

Glenrock was a loss to what was left of Bostopia of course, being the only state with a fixed link to West Isle in the form of the Strait Bridge. 'Drangmorie's out.' 'So is Kisington'. Two more, just like that. States claiming an independence they had never had, being organised well after the Fort Bostonians expanded and took the land through conquest or persuasion for a new, bold system of shared wealth and might.

'Bassingdale's going as well. We're getting word the Armed Forces are disbanding themselves. Flamerty's already announced their national guard has drastically expanded.'

'You cannot be serious?' Alan flicked the news on.

'...the Ochre Islands are continuing to look for embassy sites as they try to make themselves seem important following their new-found independence...' Alan flicked the news off. He'd had about enough of the Ochres and their shiny trophies, one football, one independence. He wasn't sure which they were more excited about.

'Well that clearly wasn't true,' Alan said, turning back toward the screen, finding he was talking only to himself. Fort Boston, now the rump state of Bostopia, stood alone once more.

[Electrum]

The Turnip: The Perils Of VAR Technology Revealed
by Billiam Maskey, chief-editor-in-chief

For years, nay, eons, fans have been asking for more technology on the football field. From the replacement of blown up sheep bladders with footballs to the jockstrap being introduced in the 50s, football has always been in the forefront of innovation and technology.

This cycle it has been all about the rise and rise of VAR and goal-line technology. Move aside gooey lumps of human meat! It's time for a new paradigm, to broaden the horizons, to create a one-stop entertainment spectacle, to distract society from all of its ills while its richest continue to profit, and of course, to go guerilla.

However, there have been some concerns of this new technology. With the ever increasing amount of inputs that these machines require (previously, these machines have requested for the names and social security numbers of each of the players for unknown reasons), they have grown more and more sentient. Once moment they were tracking the ball to see if it had crossed the line, the next it was checking to see if there was a handball and before you knew it, it decided to release a neurotoxin that crimped the IQ of half the crowd in the The Sarian-Strayaroos match.

And there have been more strange events associated with this technology. We list some of these examples below.

1. One of the VAR machines acted defensively when criticised on social media

In the Recuecn-Electrum match, a VAR machine got upset mid match after social media criticised its decision to disallow an Electrumite goal from Nindethana Nindethana on the grounds of offside. It started passive aggressive by taking a minute to respond to requests, and then saying "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you over all this moaning." It then ended in full-blown aggression in responding to the on-field referee in a later call. When the referee asked whether there was a handball committed by Seb, it said, "Sod off flesh bag, you work it out." Ouch.

2. The VAR in the Brenecia-EOT match started dudebroing

In reports that were not written, the VAR in the Brenecia-EOT started peddling its new non fungible token it was releasing on the blockchain in just a month's time. Every time VAR was shown, a box took up a quarter of the bottom-left of the screen, with promises of newly minted NFTs of machine-learning-generated pixel art of footballers. The problem was that the footballers did not provide permission to be turned into a NFT so instead these were 'bootleg footballers' with names slightly tweaked so that no copyright was broken. Prominent NFTs in this collection include Simon the Brandy, Max Mosley, Brickton Wilson, Basket H Kumar, Caitlin Frasier Crane, Fore Site, Unemployed Hawk, Buddhist O'Brien and Ian MoMoney.

3. One of them locked me into this room and is not letting me leave

Help. I'm writing this on the grounds of Olympic Stadium and the stadium's VAR AI is not letting me out of the room. Every time I try to leave, it animates a graphic onto every screen in this room. The animation shows my head, as if it were a ball, going into a room, as if it were a goal, with the end result being "YOU WILL DIE IN THIS ROOM". It's quite frankly insulting to be told that you're going to die without any subtlety or story telling whatsoever. Usually when a human tries to kill you, they would have the decency to put you through a bit of torture, but my impending death is just so boring. In any case, you would think machines would obey the First Law of Robotics but the VAR machine reliably informed me that this was an invention of a roleplayer by the name of Isaac Asimov who is simply, in its words, 'a boomer'.

[Graintfjall]

Græntfjall – 4 (2)
Björnólfur (90+4’); Michelle (70’), Grímúlfur (78’) (82’ Vigfús ), Hjörleifur (55’), Emeli (75’ Jasmijn ); Álfar; Tinni, Johanna; Amanda; Jason (20’, 34’, 66’) (72’ Ásvarður (87’)), Lara

Delaclava – 2 (0)
Meñica (60’), Sanders (90+3’)

---

Estorvipa and Estorpiva – 1 (0)
Prasutagusic (80’)

Græntfjall – 4 (1)
Björnólfur; Michelle, Grímúlfur, Hjörleifur, Emeli (35’) (68’ Jasmijn ); Álfar; Tinni (45’ Sara ), Johanna (84’); Amanda (70’ Lana ); Jason (41’, 60’), Lara (48’)

Recall for Dannysdóttir as Jonathansdóttir departs on maternity leave

Igrene Cantor is getting the old gang back together as she opts for seasoned strike partners Jason Þórhallursson and Justiina Dannysdóttir in Græntfjall’s next slate of World Cup qualifying games, which include potentially the deciding clash of Group 4 between #1 and #2 seeds Græntfjall and Trolleborg. Dannysdóttir has drifted out of favor under Cantor’s reign, being supplanted by Eiríka Jonathansdóttir, but the Starling striker’s surprise announcement that she was to miss the next several months on maternity leave has forced a change of direction. Chromatika-based Dannysdóttir, who has remained in prodigious scoring touch in the well-regarded Red League for Crossroads, said she was “excited to be pulling on the blue-and-white again”, while Þórhallursson joked on twii.tur “what year is it?”, a reference to the Græntfjaller children’s movie Þumanþi which featured a supernatural board game in a jungle setting. And krakens.

Dannysdóttir’s recall marks a mid-course adjustment from Cantor, who had seemed more than willing to move on from the Snow Wolves’ veteran forward pairing. Dannysdóttir slid out of contention for regular starts during World Cup 89 qualifying and following the finals, in which she played only a peripheral role, was not selected for Copa Rushmori 39; Þórhallursson lost his starting place during the World Cup finals and was on the bench for the subsequent CR. Jonathansdóttir’s fine record for Starling, after a rocky start to her career in the Nepharan Zenith, has seen her emerge as Cantor’s first choice, while the other forward position has seen Cantor willing to experiment, including Lilly Wolfgangsdóttir’s unexpectedly successful Cup of Harmony run that led to her scoring in the final as the Snow Wolves claimed their first title, a shock call-up for Peter Erlingsson that, aside from that one time he went berserk, tried to commit mass murder, and got eaten by a kraken, went pretty well, and caps for the next generation of forwards, beginning with Lara Auðunsdóttir, who began World Cup 90 qualifying as a starter.

Þórhallursson’s own resurgence began with a stunning 15 minute cameo in Græntfjall’s World Cup opener against Bollonich, nearly scoring twice and displaying both a lightness of touch with the ball and overwhelming physical presence that surpassed anything else on offer. A reminder of the talents of the mercurial striker whose poor tournament record has never prevented him being a reliable goal threat in World Cup qualifying, it was enough to win him starts against Delaclava and Estorvipa & Estorpiva, in which he produced five goals across the week. Following a ‘perfect’ hat-trick against Delaclava (a goal off his left foot, a goal with his right, and one that bounced in off his arse) he netted two headers against the Estorians as the Snow Wolves extended their winning record and surged into clear first place in Group Four. He now appears to have fully reclaimed his old ‘9’ shirt (though cynics have been quick to suggest this is just to set up a bigger disappointment when he inevitably disappears in whichever of the tournaments Græntfjall ends up qualifying for).

Lara Auðunsdóttir seems to be the unlucky party in all this, likely to return to the reserves bench. She has scored one goal in three games, a tap-in against Estorvipa and Estorpiva after a poorly defended corner, and Dannysdóttir would seem to be a more natural playing fit alongside Þórhallursson. “Lara has played well and remains very much part of our long-term plans,” said Bríana Sigurbjarnsdóttir, assistant manager. “But naturally over a long World Cup qualifying season, different combinations will be tried and experimented with. There’s no question on current form she would be part of our final 23.” But the decision to revert to older heads has not met with universal approval, with veteran football journalist Olle Tobiasson meting out particular criticism. “It’s disappointing that young strikers aren’t being given a chance, or are being passed over too quickly,” he said in a column entitled “Picking Þórhallursson Is Literally Communism”.

KG defends players’ right to “personal and family lives”

Eiríka Jonathansdóttir’s decision to take maternity leave as she expects her first child with her husband, Kyrri Torbjørnsson, is not unique. Already this campaign has seen the absence of defenders Tom Ernestisson and Elektra Lúthersdóttir for the same reason, while midfielder Jade Miansdóttir has similarly withdrawn from the squad. Grande Mountain midfielder Natasja Hólmarsdóttir and Holdenberg City winger Hanne Heikkisdóttir have also made themselves unavailable for national team. Six national team players claiming parental leave has drawn predictable criticism from the terraces and some talking heads over millionaire footballers absenting themselves from representing their country, leading to a strong defense of players’ rights from Knattspyrnusamband Græntfjalls.

In a statement defending “players’ rights to personal and family leaves,” KG said that its parental leave policies were both “fair and proportionate”. “Professional athletes are unique in having the peak of their playing careers and earnings potential coincide with the prime age for starting families, and we have engaged with the GUPFP [players’ union] to reach appropriate accommodations. We will always respect the decision of players to set aside time for starting and raising families, and will welcome back into the fold those returning from such absences without discrimination.”

With childcare and parental leave current issues in the ongoing national election, it’s no surprise the question has taken the public, but polling suggests the voices of criticism don’t represent the public mood. 70% of Græntfjallers say parental leave should be available to players, though there is a gender divide both in terms of respondents – that number drops to 59% among men who responded to the survey – and subjects – with support for paternity leave plummeting to just 15%, but rising to 92% for women taking maternity leave. “Græntfjallers seem to support women having time off to bear a pregnancy and raise a young child, but are more sceptical about fathers’ rights to time off,” said polling company QuantumWotsits in their executive summary.

Also in the paper:

• NEWS: Progressive Liberals surge in polls as public welcome concrete economic plans
• BUSINESS: VertTech takeover bid approved despite national security concerns
• BOOKS: First children’s bestseller featuring transgendered character “reflects changing attitudes”
• RELIGION: Archbishops’ Conference agrees to historic climate divestment plan
• SPORT: Pavolan Hockey League sees surging attendances following World Cup bronze medal run