Copa Rushmori XL - Everything Thread

by **Bollonich** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 9:10 am

The Bollonischian National Football Team

The Bollonischian Football Federation

Football is by far the most popular sport in Bollonich and it’s that sport which along with a die hard fanbase also has a good number of casual fans. The attention football on a whole gets in Bollonich is simply unreal as the TPL pulls some of the largest viewership for any TV programme on a whole. Football has not always had this status of high regard in Bollonich. During the medieval ages, the Empire in fact was very critical of football viewing it as an insult to bourgeoisie, pushing for more ‘civilised’ sports such as cricket and tennis. The Empirical rule managed to largely suppress football as a sport, by introducing bans on professional teams and disbanding local leagues. This led to the majority of the working class to partake in other time passes, and sportsmen and women moved onto to other well funded sports.
After the founding of the Republic and inevitable overthrowing of the ruling class, the sporting hierarchy was at its most polarising. Football was largely at the bottom with being a professional footballer being a pipe dream. This however was to change over the decades as foreign motivation in a largely football dominated area meant that Bollonischian slowly started integrating football back into their lives as an essential part. This process despite being slow has resulted in the current following for football which is the largest in the history of the sport in the country.

The Bollonischian National Football Team represents the nation of Bollonich at international footballing events such as the World Cup, Cup of Harmony and Copa Rushmori. The Bollonischian National Team made their official debut at World Cup Qualifying 88 against Al Qurija. The National Team had a very successful campaign in WCQ 88 finishing 5th in Group 6 ahead of teams like Sannyamathland, Rangers FC and North Japan. We also defeated the pot 1 seed in our group, Zwangzug 1-0 away and held them to a 0-0 draw at home. After a very successful World Cup Qualifying our side travelled to Græntfjall to participate in the Even Frostier Cup where we were paired into Group P with Baggieland, Barunia and hosts Græntfjall. In our first game we defeated Baggieland 2-1 however two consecutive defeats in the next matches sent us straight out of the Even Frostier Cup. After taking part in the 80th Cup of Harmony the Bollonischian footballers made their way to Mytanija to participate in the Copa Rushmori. Starting the tournament in style with a 4-4 draw against Darmen the rest of the tournament went downhill we suffered defeats to both San Ortelio and Sargossa failing to qualify for the Round of 16. The National Football Team returned to international foray with the 89th World Cup Qualifiers aiming to repeat our heroics from the 88th edition. And repeat our heroics we did, as we had a fabulous World Cup Qualifying campaign which was of a very crazy nature. We not only improved on our performance two year ago, we also caused major upsets defeating group winners on the last matchday. The team showed its metal in our meteoric rise in international football finishing fourth in our qualification group making important improvements. Heading into the end of the WC cycle, we travelled to Sylestone to take part in the 81st Cup of Harmony. Having been drawn into a rather difficult group with WC88 participants Jeruselem, WC22 winners Sarzonia, Trolleborg who would go on to win this Cup of Harmony and Hapilopper. We had our work very much cut out in this group, however we failed to deliver on the expectations of the fans and board. It was a catastrophic display for a nation eager to be battling at the front. Losses to Jeruselem, Sarzonia and Trolleborg weren’t exactly the best results too. The impact of this set of bad results and very slow progress would be very deep in the team. Bollonischians are an impatient bunch and this is clearly visible in the Football Federation, which embodies a very pragmatic approach to the managerial staff of the National Team. Opting to replace the entire the managerial staff would’ve come as a surprise for most fans however the appointment of a more experienced manager could definitely massively benefit the team. Or those were the expectations going into Moteudi’s very first tournament the Copa Rushmori to be held in Hispinas. Expectations were fairly high for the national team going into this Copa Rushmori, we knew we had the quality to reach deep into the tournament and with the guidance of new manager Moteudi fan’s were excited to see what was to come. The bad luck for us, possibly begun at the point we were drawn with heavyweights in the form of the hosts Hispinas and also Astograth. The group was rounded up by Isle Noire a team many fans considered to be a punching bag for the rest of us. These cocky Bollonischian fans however were soon to be proven wrong. We suffered from an absolutely humiliating group stage losing all of our matches. The most embarrassing game was our 6-3 defeat against Isle Noire, which once again raised eyebrows over the managerial choice. The Football Federation however were quick to dismiss any rumours regarding the future of Moteudi claiming that the Copa Rushmori is only a start to the journey of the national team and that the players will require time to get settled into this new unit. Moteudi's efforts to rejuvenate the team mainly failed in the Qualifying campaign despite some bright sparks and therefore will be important to see whether the team can bounce back in the Copa Rushmori.

General Facts

Rank : 85
Best Rank : 75
Longest Unbeaten Streak : 6 (3 wins, 3 draws)
Debut : vs Al Qurija @ Petro Mohammed Stadium, WCQ 88
Biggest win: 5 - 0 vs Ardelark; WCQ 89
Biggest Loss : 7 - 2 vs Vdara; Friendly

Squad

Goalkeepers
#1 Sean Halliday (35) SC Lagos
Halliday is the outright starter for the national team, receiving tough competition from the younger keepers however the coaching and technical staff is always ready to back him with his hunger for victory and impressive skill. Halliday’s debut competition for Bollonich in the Copa Rushmori didn’t go as he would’ve hoped, however still being new to the outfit with a completely new technical staff, time needed to settled down is well earned.

#33 Sirigu (25) Vreton United
Sirigu is a talented young goalkeeper who’s often referred to as the future great keeper from the nation, this used to be a present however with Halliday’s decision to represent Bollonich this situation quickly turned around. With a top tier keeper like Halliday still very much in his prime, game time has gotten difficult to get for Sirigu. However such a natural beast between the poles combined with his will to win and succeed there’s no doubt that he’ll be getting a good chunk of game time.

#41 Frederico Valvi (23) Pythora Mariners FC
Valvi is a young prospect for the future for the Bollonischian national team who’s been closely matched with Sirigu in terms of qualitative skill, however the earlier technical staff seemed to prefer Sirigu. That has not appeared to be the case with Moteudi’s team however he will need to consistently put up top notch performances when given the opportunity. He’s also made headlines with his move from Avondale to Pythora Mariners FC in Tikariot a nation very closely situated to Bollonich, where he could maybe get more support.

#99 Tamni Aubrey Earl (24) Vreton City FC
Dawning the famous 99 shirt will be Vreton City’s Tamni Aubrey Earl who’s position in the national team remains one of question, however he’ll be eager to assert himself. Earl is a successful young goalkeeper with his childhood club Vreton City having lead them to a TPL title. Aubrey however has tough competition on the national level having to contend with quality young keepers such as Sirigu and Valvi.

Defenders
#18 Bobby Burns LB (27) SC Lagos
Burns is a rather aggressive minded fullback ready to put his skills towards the front of the field to test as well. He might not be the most solid defensively however that’s easily balanced with his capabilities and contributions to attacking play. Bobby has been an important part of SC Lagos’s outfit who’ll be as focused as ever to have the best qualifying season possible.

#24 Hadden Goodman LB (25) Vreton United
Goodman is the more reliable player than Bobby by some distance, he’s solid defensively and does what he needs to going forward. This variety of styles between the two players allows the management to switch them around based on the opposition to see what works. Goodman has always been a reliable member of the national team squad despite not possessing that sharpness in his game that Burns possesses.

#17 Winnifred Dallas LB (23) Blich
Dallas is a young, promising player who’s already shown glimpses of his talent at Blich. Despite his promise, his inclusion in the shortlist for Qualifying is quite risky given he didn’t make the cut for any youth tournaments in his time. Moteudi’s technical staff along with Bollonischian scouts however trust him and this young prospect shall be very eager to prove his skill in whatever opportunity is given to him.

#2 Gerard Ingit (C) CB (35) Vreton City FC
The 33 year old captain Ingit is a solid centre back who despite his lack of pace makes it up with his experience due to which he knows exactly where to be when. The current management not only believes in Ingit and also trusts him to lead this team of more young players than experienced one. Ingit still has the desire to win which will definitely keep him going to do his best for the national team.

#3 Mitchell Stevenson CB (27) Fermont United
Stevenson despite being a relatively new member of the national team has managed to find a home in Bollonich. He’s a tall, capable defender who’s very solid at the back and rarely makes mistakes. His transfer to Fermont United could be seen as a move building up a very wrong and capable Fermont side to compete in the TPL. Despite a disastrous Copa Rushmori, he and his teammates will be hoping for a better Qualifying season.

#19 Jeremy Ploy CB (31) Vreton United
Ploy is a driven, stoic character often described as a man of few words who does his talking on the pitch. Being a player at his peak, he will not be enjoying the place outside the usual starting XI. He’ll be even more determined to regain that top spot to make the most of his time at the top of his game. The coaching staff will be looking to switch around the defensive structure to not only keep players fit but also give others and more importantly some of the younger players some opportunities where we could see Ploy shine.

#37 Pierce Patrick CB (24) Vreton City FC
Patrick was first introduced to the national team setup with his surprising inclusion in the Copa Rushmori squad as a backup centre back. He is young, and good with the ball at his feet however lacking in physicality and game awareness which should be something he makes up over the years. Being a player straight from Bollonich’s youth teams as well, it’s no surprise that he’s made such quick progress and could be competing for major game time.

#55 Stephen Powell CB (23) Maihar United
Powell is one year younger than Patrick with both of them being very good friends. Powell has not had the spotlight on his that Patrick has however he’s managed to create a name for himself with his performance in the TPL which seems to be especially noteworthy. Powell is a solid centre back, who unlike Patrick excels most in difficult situations as he can bring out his inner defensive mindset to do whatever to prevent the opposition from scoring a goal.

#63 Klingto CB (32) Fermont United
The inclusion of Klingto could be seen as a step backwards by the management however it could be rightfully argued that this is in fact a good step backwards. Klingto doesn’t only bring a calm and experienced head to the table but also provides necessary depth in the situation a leader or experienced defender is required. Klingto is a very capable centre back who’s experience and physical style of play is by far his biggest assets.

#4 Sylvester Lindsey RB (32) East Akusha CF
Lindsey serves a crucial role in the team, he doesn’t shy away from opportunities to go forward however he’ll also rarely overextend the defense or make an error. He’s a very reliable player in most positions and his experience makes him one of the most important players in the team. He has also displayed this skill in the TPL with East Akusha bringing them lots of success.

#22 Lexie Rimmer RB (23) Real Pablo FC
Rimmer is a player produced by Real Pablo FC’s competitive academy, which is trying to maintain footing with some of the better funded academies such as City’s. Rimmer has shown good promise in the Di Bradini Cup and the Copa Rushmori. She’ll be given a much more important role for the Qualifying season and she’ll be hoping to make full use of it.

#47 Wade Moreno RB (34) Fermont United
Similarly to the decision made in terms of bringing back Klingto, the same has taken place for Wade Moreno who has found a place once again in the national team shortlist. He is past his peak however is still a very capable right back who can have a very good impact on the side. He’s an experienced right back who’s defensively very solid.

Midfielders
#5 Domenic Law CDM (24) FC Maihar
Law is a young, agile midfielder who likes to focus on his defensive duties and provides the side with a much needed anchor in midfield to hold it together. His presence in the team is often seen as a breath of fresh air as he is very capable in making things happen. Despite his position in the team not under much competition, players like Fleming and Burns will be looking to get some game time too.

#12 Alexis Fleming CDM (24) Fermont United
Fleming retains her position in the national team following her call up to the squad for the Copa Rushmori. She is a talented, defensive midfielder who is capable of bringing some very new, interesting ideas to the table. She however needs to improve on her solidity in defense, if she is to challenge Law’s position in the team. Her position in Fermont United does not necessarily assist in her development as in a challenging squad as Fermont she lacks in game time.

#29 Ted Burns CDM (21) West Akusha CF
Burns is a youth prospect straight out of the squad for Bollonich’s U18 team, who’s shown great promise in his displays for West Akusha CF and the national team. Being a player cultivated by West Akusha’s academy he follows a fixed style of play being very solid defensively and focusing on possession and accurate passing. He’s a very disciplined player who could be the next top tier player in the position for the Bollonischian national team.

#37 Naoki Kondo CM (30) Haligonian
Kondo’s rise to the level of a national team level player seems to have solely taken place after he left Bollonich for Haligonian. Having travelled to Quebec and Shingoryeo the previous management basically forgot about him. With the current management in place, his success in Quebec and Shingoryeo was quickly picked up and his inclusion in the national team was basically a no brainer. Despite having not been involved with the national team for as long as the others, he hopes to have a good impact on the team.

#8 Ed Douglas CM (23) SC Lagos
Douglas’s position in the side has quickly risen in stature, from being a young prospect he’s gone to a confirmed starter and shown great growth. He’s a dominant midfielder who can absolutely control the game on a good day. He also possesses a very agile stature making him a very important piece in Moteudi’s puzzle. His contributions with Lagos also makes him particularly noteworthy as a player.

#6 Miles Hum CM (25) Vreton City FC
Hum can be best described as resourceful having a brilliant understanding of the game who can make the best of the place at which the game stands. His position in the team however seems to be under threat with the introduction of a much experienced player in Hondo. Hum will need to fight hard to show the management that he deserves to have Hondo’s place and he’ll be determined to put up his best performances when given the opportunity.

#20 Archer Wheelock CM (21) Alnio
Wheelock has been a member developing under the reins of East Akusha and the national team for some time having been with the team for one cycle now. Wheelock however recently made an important career decision deciding to head to Chromatik club Alnio to continue his journey in football and only time will tell if he will have the success he desires. He’s a young midfielder who can at times be slightly overeager in terms of shooting.

#36 Luana Derricks CM (21) West Akusha CF
Luana Derricks is another talented 19 year old in this team filled with talented youth players. She’s a more defensive player than Wheelock however manages to make a good impact on the team when brought on. Being of the West Akushan style she too has been brought up in a very possession focused system and tries to find the perfect passes instead of going for outlandish ones.

#29 Kelly Johnson CM (22) Maihar United
The 20 year old player from Maihar’s inclusion in the shortlist has come as a surprise to many. She’s a capable midfielder however the question of whether she would be national team quality has struck many critics and casual fans of the team. The management however has decided to take a gamble by taking her own and they’ll certainly be hoping that this gamble pays off.

#10 Bryant Marshall CAM (24) Hagejoki
The 22 year old star decided to make a surprising move from San Ortelio, moving to Hagejoki a Græntfjaller club closer to home. After announcing his decision to leave he was rendered without a contract for some time before finally signing for the Græntfjaller club. Marshall is a very skilled attacking midfielder who has very good contributions going forward having the capabilities to orchestrate entire attacking sequences. He is also very good and accurate in terms of shooting and is not shy of making long ranged efforts.

#26 Tad Rios CAM (31) Vreton City FC
Rios is an experienced midfielder crucial and known for his cameos and small displays of immense skill. Rios has been the backup for Marshall for some time now and he has always been able to fill the role very well. Rios is a more possession based and does not tend to shoot or attempt shots as much as Marshall.

#82 Lynda Botterill CAM (21) Vreton United
Lynda is an immensely talented attacking midfielder with good ball control and fair overall play. Her inclusion in the team is no surprise as it was clear from ever since she took part in the U18 World Cup proving her massive talent. The management will be looking keenly at her growth over this Qualifying campaign.

Forwards
#9 Dennis Perry (VC) ST (33) Fermont United
Perry is a skilful and ruthless striker in front of goal who barely lets an opportunity slip through his fingers. He has been a huge reason for the national team’s recent success in international competitions. Perry has successfully become one of the leaders of the side dawning the role of vice captain and with rising young forwards, he will surely have a huge hand in guiding them.

#21 Linden Hayes ST (23) Signal Danin
Hayes is a young Bollonischian striker who has the ability to make it big like his mentor Perry. Playing under the new setup and system he’s not only found himself getting more game time but his performances have also taken an uptick. He has grown to be more composed in front of goal and can handle the pressure of big matches. The management will have high hopes for this young promising player over the period of Qualifying.

#13 Gia Knott ST (30) FC Maihar
Former Grearish and FC Maihar striker, Gia Knott’s place in the team is once she’ll be happy to retain. Her performances with FC Maihar have not only kept her side in the TPL but also taken them to the mulitversal level by qualifying for the Challengers Cup. She’s a resourceful striker who can be used as a good backup in case of the absence of a player.

#41 Linnie Huxley ST (31) Macarthur City
Linnie Huxley as a player’s success on a club level is solely in the Tumbran League as her signing for Macarthur City from Fermonto allowed her to make a mark on the national team. With her very competitive and promising displays for Macarthur the management were absolutely sure that they wanted to call her up for the national team to serve as a super substitute of sorts. She is very versatile in relation to her role and can play the roles of the finisher as well as a provider.

#73 Hazel Andrews ST (23) Vreton United
Hazel is a fresh face to the national team having gotten called up like a lot of other Maihar United’s players. Hazel Andrews is a young, 21 year old, striker who has really good knowledge on where to be in which positions however needs some refinement in the shooting department. The management similarly to other young players will be closing monitoring her development over Qualifying.

#7 Stuart Schmit LW (25) Vreton City FC
Schmit is an experienced player of the squad despite having a number of years in front of him. He however has struggled somewhat under Moteudi’s new system which utilises two strikers instead of one and two wingers. Despite this alternative setup from the new management, Schmit is still a very capable player who is very skilled in terms of crossing and passing and can do fairly well in terms of shooting.

#32 Luvenia Brandon LW (28) Chenoworth Rovers
Luvenia Brandon is a player who has spent time overseas developing her game and the results are stunning. Her time in Chenoworth Rovers has not only helped her move further in her career but she’s also developed her game a lot. She will be required to adapt to a more aggressive position of Left wing at the national team level though which she should be able to achieve quite easily. She’s an agile, and skilled left winger very capable with the ball at her feet.

#11 Buck Moreno RW (21) Fermont United
Buck Moreno is a fast, rapid winger who’s dribbling skills are pretty much incomparable to anyone else in the team. He’s very often shown how rapidly he can make his way around defenders with little to no effort. His role on the right hand side of the field has been huge as he now finds himself in a tough spot with a requirement to adapt is he’s to stay relevant. He is more than capable of adapting given his still very young age to make it into the first team.

#38 Zeph Doctor RW (22) East Akusha CF
Doctor is a young, talented right winger who has a very similar game to that of Moreno. Being an East Akushan player he is a strict disciple of the playing style where he’s required to take every opportunity to put a ball into the box. Being a young player, Zeph will have major opportunity to grow into a better player which is certainly what the management is hoping for.

#	Names	            Age	  Pos.	  Club
1	Sean Halliday	    35	  GK	  SC Lagos
33	Sirigu	            25	  GK	  Vreton United
41	Frederico Valvi	    23	  GK	  Pythora Mariners FC
99	Tamni Aubrey Earl   24	  GK	  Vreton City FC
				
18	Bobby Burns	    27	  LB	  SC Lagos
24	Hadden Goodman	    25	  LB	  Vreton United
17	Winnifred Dallas    23	  LB	  Blich
2	Gerard Ingit	    35	  CB	  Vreton City FC
3	Mitchell Stevenson  27	  CB	  Fermont United
19	Jeremy Ploy	    31	  CB	  Vreton United
37	Pierce Patrick	    24	  CB	  Vreton City FC
55	Stephen Powell	    23	  CB	  Maihar United
63	Klingto	            32	  CB	  Fermont United
4	Sylvester Lindsey   32	  RB	  East Akusha CF
22	Lexie Rimmer	    23	  RB	  Real Pablo FC
47	Wade Moreno	    34	  RB	  Fermont United
				
5	Domenic Law	    24	  CDM	  FC Maihar
12	Alexis Fleming	    24	  CDM	  Fermont United
29	Ted Burns	    21	  CDM	  West Akusha CF
37	Naoki Hondo	    30	  CM	  Haligonian
8	Ed Douglas	    23	  CM	  SC Lagos
6	Miles Hum	    25	  CM	  Vreton City FC
20	Archer Wheelock	    21	  CM	  Alnio
36	Luana Derricks	    21	  CM	  West Akusha CF
29	Kelly Johnson	    22	  CM	  Maihar United
10	Bryant Marshall	    24	  CAM	  Hagejoki
26	Tad Rios	    31	  CAM	  Vreton City FC
82	Lynda Botterill	    21	  CAM	  Vreton United
				
9	Dennis Perry	    33	  ST	  Fermont Unites
21	Linden Hayes	    23	  ST	  Signal Danin
13	Gia Knott	    30	  ST	  FC Maihar
41	Linnie Huxley	    31	  ST	  Macarthur City
73	Hazel Andrews	    23   ST	  Vreton United
7	Stuart Schmit	    25	  LW	  Vreton City FC
32	Luvenia Brandon	    28	  LW	  Chenoworth Rovers
11	Buck Moreno	    21	  RW	  Fermont United
38	Zeph Doctor	    21	  RW	  East Akusha CF

Playing Style
The team has evolved massively from Likhijo’s balanced style of offensive play. With sweeping changes in the formation and the roles of individual players, strategy has taken a huge turn. Moteudi the new manager hasn’t hesitated in completely resetting the team’s ethos. He’s modified the formation into a suitable 4-1-2-1-2 narrow formation. This works on the idea and basis of greater midfield control which he prides in his team having. Moteudi has also made significant changes to the attack up front, shifting to two strikers replacing the wingers used by Likhijo. This lack of players up front on the wings brings the abilities of Burns and Lindsey to the forefront in moving the ball forward and putting in some crosses. This also is the main justification for picking Burns over Goodman as we’ve seen how both are very similarly matched in terms of performance. The defensive structure has also hence seen some change as Doenic Law the player in the defensive midfielder position will have to play a more important role at the back of the field to provide the solidity needed. In the midfield, Douglas and Kondo’s main and basically only task is to give us the strong hold in midfield so as to control possession and outplay our opponents. Marshall will act as the link between the midfield and attack looking to feed some balls into the strong forward line. Marshall will also see his roles changed as he will take upon the role of the provider than the second hand man of Perry in front. The role of this second hand man has now been taken up by Hayes who’ll be eager to have a good start in the team, cementing his position.

Coaching Staff

Name                  Age      Position
Joseph Moteudi        55       Manager
Maple Gibb            51       Head Coach
Goeffrey Parks        35       Fitness Coach
Bart Foster           63       Attacking Coach
Robert McLelland      53       Midfield Coach
Doreen Dexter         38       Defensive Coach
Zoe Green             56       Goalkeeping Coach

Medical Team

Name                     Age     Position             Speciality
Dr. Rajob Falser         36      Head Physio          Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) Physician
Dr. Hwang Jeong-Nam      32      Physio               Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) Physician
Dr. Nikogohi Machuni     51      Team Surgeon         Orthopaedic Surgeon and Consultant
Timothy Risuro           40      Assistant Physio     Sports Medicine Nurse

RP Permissions
Choose my scorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Run it by me
RP injuries to my players: Yes, nothing career ending
Godmod Injuries to my players: No, if interesting TG me
Godmod injuries to my players: No, but if interesting contact me
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Maximum 3
Hand out red cards to my players: No more than yours
Godmod other events: No, if interesting run it by me

Style Modifier - +1.5

by **Oberour Ar Moro** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 9:32 am

Dominion of Oberour Ar Moro
National Football Team

Copa Rushmori XL Roster

Staff

Manager: Ethan Stevenson, age 45 (Poafmersia) (former Mancodas City (Poafmersia) Manager)
Assistant Manager: Loizig de Charni, age 37 (former de la Charite Assistant)
Assistant Manager: Lohann Trencheeur, age 37 (retired Patrons Midfielder)

Players
Starts in Bold
Number Position Name, age (Domestic Club (Nation if not Oberour Ar Moro))

Goalkeepers

1 GK Olliuier le Duc, age 32 (Port Tacassam FC (Tikariot))
12 GK Sanson de Dreux, age 34 (Cyrene Bay)
24 GK Guillo au Feure, age 29 (Myrrh-Streamer)

Defenders

2 LB Ivon Bone-Vive, age 26 (Tihon United (Chromatika))
3 RB Claudes Filion, age 28 (Hibernus)
14 LB Ewen de Marle, age 26 (SC Montfort (The Licentian Isles))
15 RB Christophe du Mesnil, age 29 (Maihar United (Bollonich))

Sweepers

10 SW Sebastian Chapuisseur, age 26 (Meridian)
11 SW Peire de Baingneus, age 24 (Regium Immortal)
22 SW Mathieux Helleu, age 31 (Cyrene Bay)
23 SW Noel l’Aulogier, age 31 (Pescium)

Midfielders

5 LM Iudicael Breut, age 24 (Hibernus)
6 RM Laou le Boutonnier, age 28 (Cyrene Bay)
4 CM Seguinus Tesserant de Linge, age 25 (Carathyr Emeralds FC (Tikariot))
17 LM Joncis Pataiere, age 29 (Hamiltonian Cambria (Kelssek))
18 RM Peterne de Courbueil, age 26 (Tikariot City FC (Tikariot))
16 CM Kaour le Blanc, age 22 (Meteor)

Forwards

7 LW Ronan Vrely, age 25 (Pescium)
8 RW Renald Gayrard, age 24 (Hibernus)
9 ST Nycollas Mauranghas, age 30 (Carathyr Emeralds FC (Tikariot))
19 LW Eneour Pique-Pain, age 32 (Patrons)
20 RW Gaspar Ataus, age 22 (EC Kan Roue)
21 ST Arsène de Saintyon, age 29 (Club sportif de Saint-Rémy (Kelssek))

Formation

First and Second-Choice Shirts

RP Permissions

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my scorers: Yes
Choose my scoring events: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes
Godmod Injuries to my players: Yes (Serious or career injuries please ask)
Give Yellow Cards to my players: Yes
Give Red Cards to my players: Yes (please ask if more than one)
Godmod other events: Yes (please ask before hand)

Style Modifier: +5

by **Graintfjall** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 10:35 am

Kit credit (IC: Ferideia; OOC: Tikariot)

Team name: Græntfjall
Trigram: GRÆ [GRF when not available]
Demonym/adjective: Græntfjaller
Team nickname: Snow Wolves

Coach:

Igrene Cantor
Assistant coach:

Alexander Leonardsson

Igrene Cantor took Græntfjall to the World Cup, twice, but the Snow Wolves’ luck hasn’t improved at the Copa, and in fact trended downwards: after four successive Round of 16 exits, they failed to even make the knockouts in Hispinas. After the awful showing in the World Cup finals, Cantor has a (rather unjustified) case of the “what have you done for me lately” going on, and will need a good performance here to retain the reins for WC91 qualifying (if she even wants them). Bríana Sigurbjarnsdóttir proved a pretty disastrous appointment so she’s gone, replaced by a first major coaching appointment for former NT goalkeeper Alexander Leonardsson. At this stage fairly inexperienced, he’s looking to gain some watching Cantor work, but his appointment does mean that the idea of replacing her with a native manager is probably off the table for now.

Squad: A 23-person squad has been named for the tournament. Generally those numbered 1-11 will be starters, except that Tinni will start instead of Jade.

Names. -son names are men, -dóttir names women, -bur names gender-neutral (they/them/their). Players without a patronymic surname are Kamdyr, members of a minority nomadic community; all such players are, at the moment, female. Græntfjallers are comfortable having their first name used instead of their surnames, though there’s no consistent standard on this.
Gender. The Græntfjaller Premier League is gender-mixed and it is seen as uncontroversial for men and women to play alongside each other. If you find female players immersion breaking, you have my permission to choose an all-male side from the squad but I ask that you do not include Ari in any such team.
Transfers. The financial status of football in Græntfjall is improving, and million+ NS$ contracts are increasingly common. But because the GPL isn’t especially strong, most NT players and hopefuls ply their trade abroad. I normally conduct transfers through the Transfer Window but if you have a desire to sign a player I may be open to arranging a transfer outside that; send a TG/DM. I am particularly open to such deals when linked to an ongoing RP story.
Style of play. In general, Græntfjaller players are athletic and have excellent whole-match fitness, disciplined, and not prone to violence or emotional outbursts. They are, however, not tremendously skilled. A particular type of footballer, nicknamed “BFG” (Big Fucking Græntfjaller), is associated with the country, normally playing in roles such as center back, defensive midfielder, or center forward. The new crop of, predominantly though not exclusively, female central midfielders somewhat eschew this stereotype and there have been growing attempts to get more skilful players into the lineup, most notably Sara Kristoffersdóttir.
Captaincy. Græntfjall did not traditionally appoint a designated captain, and instead had the starting XI elect a captain before each captain, but this tradition has largely been abandoned, Hjörleifur Reynarsson being named as the new captain and Emeli Vilbertsdóttir reverting to vice-captain. Should both be injured, suspended, or otherwise absent, they will default to an elective model, and if I have not specified a captain, you may pick should you wish.
Timing. In my timeline this occurs 2 years after the last CR and 1 year after the WC. It occurs after the GPL season is over but before TW35; any players on foreign teams will be assumed to be given leave.

Goalkeepers

Goalkeepers
Cantor has demanded her goalkeepers develop skills to play it out from the back, and that – more than pure shot-stopping ability – has seemed to determine the #1 jersey.

1. Björnólfur Ernestisson (27)

Yeaddin Owls (caps: 68, goals: 1)
Appearance: Six and a half feet of lanky excellence. Shorn head. Slightly craggy features, might have a bit of troll in him.
Personality: Enthusiastic, innocent, and ever so stupid.
Profile: Long groomed as the goalkeeper of the future, Björnólfur has become the regular #1. There’s no doubting his physical attibutes, but his communication with his back line isn’t always the best and there are occasional stinkers. Massive boot on clearances. Only Græntfjaller goalkeeper to have scored in international play, but his use as an extra BFG target at corners should be strictly limited to last minute elimination stakes scenarios. The most expensive goalkepeer in national history.

12. Gabríella Hárlaugsdóttir (28)

Southrons-Errant (caps: 27)
Appearance: Tall for a Græntfjaller woman at 6’, with a strong lower body. Very pale skin and gray-blue eyes; very long black hair, usually worn behind a colored headband.
Personality: Dedicated to her training regime, and takes no shit from anyone. Not the easiest to get along with.
Profile: As a pure shot-stopper, Gabríella has proven herself the #1 option, but she’s missing Björnólfur’s physical presence in goal, and doesn’t seem as comfortable playing it out from the back.

23. Emmely Aaronsdóttir (26)

Folte uncapped
Appearance: Tall and lanky. Red hair, heavily freckled pale skin, cold blue eyes. Usually wears pigtails. A bit of an overbite.
Personality: Hard working and determined, Emmely has been bouncing around the domestic leagues for a long time, but only recently come into NT contention. She’s a bit humorless and a stickler for discipline.
Profile: A fan favorite for her acrobatic saves and rugged determination, and her emotional distress at every goal scored against her. For all that she’s very much in the old-fashioned mold, more comfortable hoofing the ball upfield or unleashing a discus-like throw than playing the ball at her feet.

Defenders
Center back is traditionally the team’s strongest position; the full backs have been the key players in Igrene’s system, asked to fill defensive duties and bring the ball up as attacking wing-backs, with a defensive midfielder playing in front who can drop back to provide cover.

2. Elektra Lúthersdóttir (30)

Yeaddin Owls (75, 1)
Appearance: Short (5’2”) and slim. Pixie-cut reddish-brown hair and dark brown eyes. Light freckles that come out in the sun.
Personality: Easy-going on off-days. A bundle of neuroses on match-days, culminating in what is now a well established tradition of vomiting moments before kick-off.
Profile: When fit, Elektra has been the undisputed best player at a position where Græntfjall has seen more turnover than most; unfortunately, she’s been beset by recurrent injury worries. They don’t seem to have robbed her of her pace, through she’s not quite as sturdy a tackler as she used to be. Occasionally chips in with a good corner kick as she is little threat in the air; for a full back, she is surprisingly poor at throw-ins. Married to Tom Ernestisson and back after a maternity leave absence, regaining her place immediately from the disappointing Michelle Matteosdóttir.

3. Emeli Vilbertsdóttir (32)

Altendalur (134, 5)
Appearance: 5’3” with a wiry build. The moment she starts running around her pale complexion turns ruddy. Dark green eyes; naturally wavy brown hair that she straightens and wears in a tight ponytail.
Personality: Intelligent and compassionate. Hated her brief stint as captain and generally shirks the limelight. Enjoys playing chess and board games.
Profile: Emeli was been the most improved player under Cantor, where her increasing transformation into a genuine left wing-back has repeatedly opened up attacking options and allowed the midfielders to cheat infield. The team’s most rounded defender, good in all phases of the game. Indiscretions from CoH78 continue to haunt her and fans can occasionally be seen waving [non-sentient] kettles or irons. Don’t ask.

4. Hjörleifur Reynarsson (34)

Steinaux (103, 12)
Appearance: 6’7” and built like a brick shithouse that has survived multiple kraken attacks. Short dark hair and a short beard. Not a handsome man but people tend not to point this out within range of his overlarge ears.
Personality: He is a true leader of men; he is an indefatigable warrior; he is a supreme athlete and a genuine offensive threat. He is also dumb as an especially dumb rock.
Profile: In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king and in Græntfjall, the land of BFGs, the center back with even passable footballing skills enjoys similar renown. Hjörleifur is not the best footballer in the world, but his above-average passing and confidence on the ball married to his outstanding size, fitness, leadership, and game knowledge, have led him to MVP honors in the GPL and the captain’s armband. Arguably past his best and showed signs of losing a step during the last WC. Could this be his last tournament?

5. Grímúlfur Gunnþórsson (27)

Steinaux (18)
Appearance: A true BFG: tall, muscle bound, and with a physiognomy suggesting he can count the Ice Giants among his immediate ancestors. Short dark blonde hair.
Personality: A serious lad who works hard. Fairly conservative in his cultural and political outlook.
Profile: Having groomed as the (literal) next big thing, Grímúlfur has leapfrogged Mathias Kristersson and Fredrik Thorleifsson to the front of a very long queue of center backs. Yet to fully link up his physicality to footballing excellence (i.e. about as likely to head into his own goal as the opposition man, but wherever it’s aimed it’ll be an absolute bullet).

13. Jasmijn Spiderlair (24)

Korsbach (12)
Appearance: Typical Kamdyr features: darker than Græntfjallers with dark, slightly slanted eyes, and long dark hair worn in a complex plait. Medium height, wiry build.
Personality: Intelligent, reserved, likes to speak second so she can get someone’s measure.
Profile: The first Kamdyr to ever represent Græntfjall in international football. She has played on loan with AC Olarria in Astograth. She’s an attacking left wing-back, prone to the odd defensive error, but with good skills on the ball and a powerful throw.

16. Alyssia Noahsdóttir (22)

GT Molding (3)
Appearance: Strikingly snow-blonde, heavily freckled, wides purple-blue eyes. Medium height and slimmer build. Short sleeves reveal tattooed forearms.
Personality: As wide-eyed as she looks. Excitable and still trying to take it all in.
Profile: Alyssia returns to the squad after Michelle Matteosdóttir failed to impress. An attacking right-back who was one of the brighter spots of the Under-18 World Cup we don’t talk about, and a key component of the Di Bradini Cup that we very much do talk about.

17. Tom Ernestisson (29)

Inland Peaks (70, 4)
Appearance: 6’3” and solidly built. Handsome in a windswept, square-jawed, Viking warrior sort of way. Shaggy brown hair and brown eyes. Thankfully, the moustache is gone!
Personality: Genial team player who gets on with everyone. He can almost write in joined up letters, which makes the rest of the BFG corps regard him as something of a dangerous intellectual.
Profile: Tom has been in and out of the side, somehow accumulating 50 caps and a goal in the Cup of Harmony final without ever nailing down a starting role; such is the life of that most ill-fated of players, the third best center-back in Græntfjall. Played right-back covering for his injured wife during the World Cup 89 finals and has also played defensive midfield. Good for an occasional monster free-kick. Married to Elektra Lúthersdóttir.

Midfielders
Cantor has largely eschewed the hack-and-slash defensive midfielders of old, and similarly specialist wingers have gone out of style: instead, the team has been at its best under her playing a fairly narrow midfield diamond of four central midfielders, with one in a holding role.

6. Jade Miansdóttir (30)

Porter City (44, 4)
Appearance: Tall, angular, strong. Dark hair worn in a ponytail and streaked with premature gray that she embraces. With her cold gray-blue eyes, she’s a severe, though not unattractive, looking woman.
Personality: Calm, chill, and fond of a drink, Jade is pretty easy-going, but works hard in training.
Profile: Now the wrong side of 29, Jade will probably never be a regular first-team starter, but her career has had its moments. Happier playing in a deep-lying role which Igrene’s system doesn’t cater for, she’s a hard-working trier with a bit more skill than the average BFG holding midfielder, but as a tweener has never managed to leap ahead of the more physical players or compete with the quicker forward players.

7. Sara Kristoffersdóttir (26)

Wirr Tsi (65, 10)
Appearance: 5’3” with a fairly stocky build. Long blonde hair, worn in a ponytail. Blue-eyed. Sleeve tattoo on her left arm.
Personality: Loud, boisterous, impossible, crude, trouble-making. If she weren’t good at football…
Profile: …but, she is. The debate about whether she’s worth the trouble she brings with her is over: she’s just too good to leave out of the team. One of the few national products to marry speed, skill and vision to aggression and determination. While she prefers a more solo attacking midfield role, she’s developed into a fine left-winger. Her maverick playmaking touch can get away from her at times, but she’ll run the field relentlessly wherever she’s deployed.

10. Kæja Finnvarðsdóttir (22)

Altendalur (17, 3)
Appearance: Quite short and slender. Pixie-cut blonde hair and blue eyes; very pale. Cute as a button.
Personality: Kæja lacks the big personality she’ll need if she is to one day command the midfield; though a creative footballer, she’s a bit shy.
Profile: Generally regarded as the most promising youth prospect to have come through the ranks, Kæja is a creative central midfielder in Amanda’s style, with an excellent set-piece but concerns about her lack of size and confidence. Nonetheless, after leading the Snow Pups to a Di Bradini Cup title, she has emerged as the attacking lynchpin of the future.

11. Johanna Álvgeirsdóttir (28)

Megabrantid (63, 15)
Appearance: 5’8”, somewhat slender. Blonde hair in a ponytail, blue eyes. Has developed a bit of a tan. Her left arm is heavily tattooed but she almost always wears long sleeves.
Personality: Introspective and self-doubting, Johanna might be the most complex woman in the squad. She pushes herself hard and sometimes she’s not the easiest to get along with; at other times, she celebrates as hard as anyone and cries her heart on a teammate’s shoulder.
Profile: Johanna has been a mercurial figure who divides opinion. When she’s in the starting lineup, there’s criticism that she’s not as creative as Sara or as physical as a typical BFG; when she’s not, everyone’s calling for her to get her place back (only then to repeat the same criticisms). With improved fitness and conditioning she became a regular starter but has not always held onto the job, despite outstanding domestic form. Fast and with a good free-kick; a bit injury-prone.

14. Lana Mensdóttir (29)

Dí Maozöxê (54, 4)
Appearance: Short, slim, quick, mousey. Naturally dark hair she bleaches; perpetual eye shadow. Striking cheekbones. Occult tattoos on her lower back and wrist.
Personality: Cynical alt-girl who’s full of withering bitterness about capitalism, shortly before cashing her huge paycheck. A lot of fun when she’s drunk, which is often.
Profile: Lana was once a NT fixture but spent a few years in the wilderness as the team moved away from specialist wings. She’s back in the mix, but probably still more likely to see the field off the bench as an impact sub to provide a burst of pace than as a regular starter.

15. Kjárr Þorfinnsson (23)

Korsbach (13)
Appearance: Tall, with shaggy dark blonde hair and a short beard. Soft brown eyes. Ruddy faced in hot and cold alike. Vaguely handsome, vaguely threatening. Knotted with muscle. Big dragon tattoos on chest, and runic tattoos down his back.
Personality: A bit dopey. Kjárr isn’t exactly a tactical mastermind but he’s very loyal, and also doubles up as a useful coat-stand as he doesn’t tend to notice people hanging coats, hats, small suitcases, etc. on him.
Profile: A fucking warhorse who’d run through a glass door for his teammates. No, Kjárr, stop, it’s a glass door! Sigh, someone get the bandages… A BFG-style box-to-box guy who’ll run himself ragged all game, putting in big defensive and attacking shifts alike. Which isn’t to say he’s totally unskilled on the ball, and he rips an absolute snorter of a goal every 10 games or so. But definitely better suited to a holding role behind someone more creative.

18. Tinni Grímólfursson (26)

Avenida Leal (40, 2)
Appearance: Lumbering 6’2” who’s added muscle in recent seasons. Short dark blonde hair. Pretty severe ice-blue eyes.
Personality: The exotic places he calls home are total contrasts to his steady, stoic disposition. A courageous battler and a teammate who’d rather die than let someone down, even though Amanda told him it was just a vending machine and to let it go.
Profile: Tinni is increasingly emerging as the next big (fucking) thing, although his performances in blue-and-white have to date not matched his club showings. He offers a strong physical presence, but he’s not just a defensive bruiser: his huge right boot (he has no left whatsoever) made him a feared free-kick specialist in Tequilo. He’s now moved to Farfadillis. Has played in central and wide roles, but appears to be setting in replacing Álfar Ásvaldursson in a holding role.

19. Ari Hlynursbur (26)

Ituraitz FC (20, 1)
Appearance: 5’4”, slim, with pale skin, short blonde hair, blue eyes. Generally dresses in neutral clothing when not playing.
Personality: Quiet and shy, though not unfriendly once they get to know people well. A bit more intelligent than the average footballer and enjoys spending their free time reading and listening to indie music.
Profile: Ari began their career as a central midfielder but lacked the physical size for it; their speed and accurate crossing made them a better fit for a wide role. Two-footed, they like to work cutting moves inside, but aren’t very comfortable shooting from range and tend to always look for one pass too many.

21. Amanda Guttisdóttir (30)

Holdenberg City (140, 33)
Appearance: Short and fairly slight. Dark hair in a long ponytail. Keen dark eyes. Has a runic tattoo on her wrist.
Personality: Outgoing and friendly, intelligent and capable, one of the more balanced members of the squad. Has dealt with off-field issues with admirable aplomb.
Profile: Amanda started young, and has become the most capped player in national history. Yet her career has had its ups and downs: she struggled in a deep-lying role for which she wasn’t physically suited, seemed to thrive under Kang Guilin as an attacking midfielder, and has now had a more mixed time of it under Igrene, whom she likes personally, but whose approach doesn’t always suit her. She’s clearly being eclipsed by Sara as the team’s most talented playmaker. Always regarded as a system player, she’s still a good one, and has developed into a very dangerous free-kick specialist. She lost her starting role at the World Cup and now comes off the bench as an impact sub.

Forwards
Under Kang, the team tended to play a lone striker or a clear 9–10 division; Igrene has favored 2 out-and-out center forwards leading the way. Of those two, one has usually been Eiríka Jonathansdóttir, but she’s away on maternity leave.

8. Röskvi Tyrfingsson (23)

Folte (on loan from

Esna) (6, 5)
Appearance: One of the most strikingly ugly players ever to have graced a football field, Röskvi has an extremely badly broken nose that resembles nothing less than a squashed strawberry. With an untidy mop of shaggy red hair and a misshapen brow, he bears a more than passing resemblance to a ‘Chucky’ doll. Except he’s six and a half feet tall.
Personality: A selfish player who demands service and gets frustrated when the cross isn’t perfectly delivered onto his forehead. But off the field he’s happy to be one of the lads. He tends to read as a little camp. Enjoys fishing.
Profile: Röskvi is the next big thing in BFG forwards. His heading is a lethal weapon, he has a nose for goal that inspires many obvious puns given his less than model-like appearance, and he’s fearsomely strong. Poor disciplinary record and tends to give up when the game goes against him. Looking for a move for a big club, but will need to prove his worth on the field.

9. Jason Þórhallursson (30)

Herzegovina City (125, 83)
Appearance: 6’4”, muscular. Short dark blonde hair. Blue eyes. Clean-shaven during qualifiers, will grow a tournament beard if they qualify for the finals. Irritatingly handsome.
Personality: Usually gregarious and friendly, when not weighed down by the pressure of expectations. Built like a BFG but more intelligent, sometimes to his own detriment.
Profile: Jason is the all-time leading national goalscorer, but his poor performance in World Cup 89 finals and terrible CR record cost him his starting place for a time, before something of a renaissance in the most recent World Cup. A barrel-chested striker who has the odd touch of skill but mostly relies on sheer physical presence to get his goals, on his day he’s unstoppable, but those days seem more common for his club than his country.

20. Lara Auðunsdóttir (28)

St Thomas (20, 8)
Appearance: Tall, lithe, with red hair worn in a ponytail. With a billion freckles, green eyes, and skin so pale she doesn’t show up in photographs, she sticks out a bit from the mostly blonde squad!
Personality: Warm and friendly, but doesn’t let that get in the way of a cutting, competitive determination on the pitch.
Profile: Lara has had a career renaissance since leaving the Audioslavian league where she was struggling for the smaller pond of The Licentian Isles, where she’s become a whacking big fish. Her performance struggled a bit during the last World Cup, but Cantor still has faith in her. A talented goal scorer, sometimes doesn’t have the strength to hold up the defense on her own.

22. Ásvarður Bergmundursson (29)

St Astons City FC (42, 10)
Appearance: 6’3”, and his shoulders are about as wide. With his angular features he can be a bit scary in dark lighting; when he steps into the light he’s much, much scarier, not helped by an unfortunately monk-like bald patch amid his blonde hair and severe blue eyes.
Personality: Stoical trundler in the uncomplicated BFG model: so long as he gets his beer, and his goals, hopefully not in that order, he’s content. A bit more intelligent than the defensive guys he hangs around with, but not to the level of Jason and Justiina, which can leave him a lonely figure at times.
Profile: A traditional Græntfjaller striker, Ásvarður has carved out a solid international career as Jason’s back-up. As a big head and a powerful energy surge, he remains a good choice for a late game super-sub.

Style modifier: -1

A 4–1–3–2 that relies on Elektra and Emeli pushing up for width while Sara and Johanna drift inside. Both strikers are ‘9’ players, so how they will share roles remains to be seen.

RP permissions:

Choose My Scorers: Y
Godmod Scoring Events: N
Hand Out Yellow/Red Cards: Y, but be sensible; I use a self-enforced rule of a 1 match suspension for 1 red card or 2 yellow cards, but I won’t apply this to your players without your permission.
Injure My Players: Y, you can say they are injured but let me decide the severity and consequences.
Godmod Other Events: N, but if you ask first I’m open to any roleplay angles you have in mind.
Additional permissions:

Please don’t have my players, staff, or fans engaging in violence without my permission.
If you use non-photoshopped photographs, please don’t say they’re my players without asking.
In general I’m open to most things so long as you ask.

My main RP arc this tournament will be the royal wedding, which you are welcome to send someone to here.

by **Bollonich** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 2:41 pm

Massive Protests break out over Komodo Channel mishap as opponents cash in

The last few weeks have been destabilising to a dangerous point for Bollonich as we have seen military mishaps unlike any other in the Komodo Channel with small scale tensions having taken fruit in the form of a dangerous multi-national conflict. The people are not happy over this, especially given that this is in the aftermath of Nyowani Kitaran civil war which resulted in an influx of refugees something the more conservative parts of society are not very happy about. That followed by further upheaval has seen massive drops in Spence’s approval ratings with a re-election looking like a massive task for the Liberal Party in any capacity. This has resulted in protests all across the nation calling for peace and a withdrawal of forces, with this being the main campaigning point for the Socialists in the upcoming Fredonian elections. These protests are so widespread that even the most conservative corners of Bollonischian society have not seen a rest from them. While these protests mainly originate among Left wing actors, the principle of pacifism appeals to a wider range of the apolitical population too. The effects of upheaval and conflict in the Komodo Channel could also potentially bolster the secessionist politics of certain Maribayan political parties. It could also lead to increased rebel activities in the region which has been quite an issue to suppress as pro-secession views have seen an uptick.

These events will naturally have a much wider impact on the upcoming General elections and the structure of Bollonischian politics however the immediate effect will be felt naturally in the upcoming Fredonian elections with polling starting next month. Fredonia has generally been a Liberal stronghold with them having quite some good control over the region, however that seems to be slipping this time as their approval has nearly plummeted with the Socialists, Greens and People’s Front looking much stronger. Now what will be interesting is to actually see the share of votes in Fredonia with quite a number of parties up for contention with environmental politics perhaps becoming central talking points in the upcoming years or months. What gives the Greens an edge over the others in this regard is the current situation of geo-politics and their strong belief for pacifism. This could particularly appeal to voters now pertaining to the situation in the Komodo Channel. The Greens candidate Allie Hopson is also a notable womens’ right activist and a popular figure in Fredonia having made multiple media appearances. Her popularity could give her an upper hand over the Socialists and Kimberly Vann representing them in the race for Governor which they will certainly hope they can pull off. This competition however at this point spells very bad news for the Liberals as retaining Fredonia at this point seems to be an almost impossible task.

These political developments essentially stem from the conflict surrounding the Northern Exclave Territory of Bollonich which could very well be quite sour for the Liberal Party’s ambitions in the nation as survival would the prime priority for them at this point. Having been the top dog for more than three decades whether they still it have them in them to fight is something we will find out.

by **Darmen** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 2:48 pm

National Football Team of Darmen
presented by the
Darmeni Football Association

Record (Modern-era only, since Copa Rushmori 24): 419 matches, 200 wins, 75 draws, 144 losses, 878 GF, 722 GA, .537 Win %

Caps
 1 Silver Abbey         267
 2 Hyman Campo          249
 3 Craig Blackwood      235
 4 Riley Mac Pharlain   212
 5 Alberich Goldschmidt 204
 6 Víedharr Svendsen    167
 7 Juanito Stafford     165
 8 Cyrus Spalding       151
 9 Aurelio Di Stefano   149
   Mordecai Ó Cuilinn   149

Goals
 1 Craig Blackwood      163
 2 Felix Lucanus         80
 3 Skylar Hurst          49
 4 Víedharr Svendsen     44
 5 Daniel Norton         38
 6 Riley Mac Pharlain    33
 7 Brian Firmin          30
 8 Darnell Halle         29
 9 Juanito Stafford      27
10 Abraham Cardoso       23

Coaching Staff

Position          Name                 Age
Manager           Alexander Straub     61
Assistant Manager Garry Teagan         57
Offensive Coach   Filip Mac Shuibhne   49
Defensive Coach   Johnathan Varnham    50
Goalkeeping Coach Gordon Enns          52
Psychologist      Waldemar Patterson   57

23 Player Roster

#  Pos Name                   Age Club                       Caps Goals
 1 GK  Hyman Campo            34  Scott City FC              249   0
 2 LB  Pablo Candelaria       27  Brham United                 0   0
 3 LCB Sadiq Lucas            27  Atlético Augusta             7   0
 4 RCB Ferdinand Kruse        24  MTK Kingsville               9   0
 5 RB  Erskine Tittensor      28  Chippewa Valley United FC    2   0
 6 LM  Kerr Park              26  Johnho United                3   1
 7 LCM Parthalán Wolfe        28  Scott City FC               23   5
 8 RCM Lennart van der Vennen 27  MTK Kingsville               0   0
 9 RM  Bill St. John          30  MTK Kingsville             108  19
10 LF  Lennox Travers         28  Sterling City United         8   3
11 RF  Kennard Hale           27  Scott City FC               17   8

12 GK  Simon Toro             28  MTK Kingsville              11   0
13 LB  Philip O'Hara          23  Olympique Chuckio            0   0
14 LCB Kerr Snyder            28  IFK Liverpool United         0   0
15 RCB Cináed Böhm            28  Scott City FC               13   0
16 RB  Demétrio Belrose       28  Chuckio FC                   0   0
17 LM  Inigo Hernandez        27  Olympique Chuckio            0   0
18 LCM Diederik Lloyd         25  IFK Liverpool United         0   0
19 RCM Neil McCormick         28  Rogerton Whitecaps           6   1
20 RM  Anraí Duffy            29  Austin FC                    3   1
21 LF  Dorian Kinnaird        24  MTK Kingsville               7   3
22 RF  Sa'id Carl             28  Royal PFC                    2   0
23 GK  Beau Carver            28  Tempala United Saints        0   0

Tactics
Formation: 4-4-2
Style Mod: +1.5

Team Roles
Captain: Hyman Campo
Vice-Captain: Bill St. John
Left Corner: Parthalán Wolfe
Right Corner: Ferdinand Kruse
Penalties: Kennard Hale
Free-kicks: Parthalán Wolfe

Team Personality
The Darmeni team will never argue with the referee. Indeed, if anything needs to be brought to the attention of the referee it will be done by either the Captain or Vice-Captain in a respectful manner (or to the fourth-official by the Manager). With regards to foul/dirty play, the Darmeni team will not provoke, or retaliate against any opposition player. Darmeni's expect each team to keep to itself and deal with its own trouble makers; any opposition player who attempts to prevent a conflict by pushing or pulling a Darmeni away from the scene will be promptly told off, as that is the duty of the Darmeni Captain.

Nonetheless, Darmen will play in a relatively aggressive manner. Tackles will be conducted in a way which ensures the opponent ends up on the ground, but causing injury will be avoided as much as possible. On set pieces, Darmenis will stand their ground and will not be easily pushed around, they will not however engage in hugging. In fact, if any opposing player tries to push past them, it is not uncommon for the Darmeni player to feign resistance before simply stepping aside and watching as the opposing player stumbles past on their way to ground. This occasionally backfires however, as the referee may mistake the incidence as having been a foul in the box.

RP Permissions
Choose my scorers: YES PLEASE! If you name your goal scorers, please also name mine.
Choose my scoring events: YES
Godmod scoring events: YES. If you have anything major planned, give me a heads up.
RP injuries to my players: YES, no more than one per match. If you have anything major planned, give me a heads up.
Godmod Injuries to my players: NO
Give Yellow Cards to my players: YES, no more than two per match. If you have anything major planned, give me a heads up.
Give Red Cards to my players: YES, no more than one per match. If you have anything major planned, give me a heads up.
Godmod other events: MAYBE. If you have anything major planned, give me a heads up.
Style Modifier: +1.5

If you need to contact me, TG's are preferred over Discord DM's.

by **Mytanija** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 4:05 pm

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: MYTANAR SQUAD FOR COPA RUSHMORI 40

##  Pos.    Name                  Age  Caps/Goals  Club                         
01  GK      Semir Besak           23   42/0        Mipojoseon [QUE]
02  DL      Ermin Urankar         28   23/0        Anomalies [CMT]
03  DC      Grigorij Savicevic    29   77/5        AC Izotz Zubia [AUD]
04  DC      Bigger Mbala-Ekakia   24   35/4        Wirr Tsi [CMT]
05  DC      Amar Kovacevic        24   20/2        Ituraitz FC [ASG]
06  DR/L    Patrik Odonelec       26   71/2        CA Paulinthal [PAS]
07  MC      Mersudin Smajic       27   42/3        Stahlburg City [NPH]
08  MC      Alen Hrdaljko         29   94/7        CA Paulinthal [PAS]
09  ST      Jezdimir Ocokoljic    30   136/85      Energija Chernovets [STL]
10  MC      Gavril Atsev          24   16/4        Atletik Thessia
11  ST      Damien Gannot         25   44/23       Sabrefell Athletic [NPH]
12  GK      Pedja Kasun           35   97/0        Ararat Severyan
13  DL      Damir Milcic          28   43/0        Anomalies [CMT]
14  DC      Mahir Kapetanovic     22   5/0         Liria Prizren
15  DC      Kamil Jernejec        32   61/0        Chromatik [CMT]
16  DC      Adnan Sulejmanovic    22   7/0         Atletik Thessia
17  DR      Slobodan Vujovic      24   14/2        Royal Rumiatzi [ASG]
18  MC      Dordo Urbanc          22   17/2        Spartangard [EUR]
19  MC      Dusko Ocokoljic       25   14/2        St. Thomas [TLI]
20  MC/AMC  Jasno Odonelec        33   126/47      Atletik Thessia
21  AMC     Omer Kuhar-Arh        25   16/9        Atletik Thessia
22  ST      Zlatan Andrijasevic   31   41/18       Z’ai’ai [CMT]
23  ST      Fran Prpic-Bosanac    22   5/4         Workers Union [EUR]
24  GK      Dragisa Lazarevic     26   3/0         Litala ’93
25  DMC     Zijad Kurtcehajic     27   23/0        Crossroads [CMT]

Stats updated to pre-CR 40 MD1

PLAYER INFORMATION

ST: Jezdimir Ocokoljic, 30, Energija Chernovets [STL]
136 caps, 85 goals
What more is there to say about Jezdimir Ocokoljic? The man himself will have been disappointed he couldn’t get his side over the line in Energija Chernovets’ Presidents Cup final defeat, but he has done so much in his time in Siovanija and Teusland. He’s scored 77 league goals in three seasons, helped them to a league title and two AO Champions’ Leagues; and he’s now got the record for the most goals for Mytanija too, surpassing Robin Hjik’s long-standing record. He’s Mytanija’s best striker ever and an international trophy of some description would put him into contention with Hjik in the best player conversation. A ruthlessly intelligent striker who drags the opposition out of shape with his movement, his finishing is clinical, and he is happy to embarrass opponents with his dribbling ability even when he’s on the receiving end of some rough treatment.

ST: Damien Gannot, 25, Sabrefell Athletic [NPH]
44 caps, 23 goals
Sabrefell Athletic might not have been quite as good as a team on their way to 5th this season but Damien Gannot offered an answer to what Mytanija might do after Ocokoljic as he showed exceptional form to win the Emerald Boot for the top goal scorer in the Nepharan Zenith. His 26 goals also put him in the Team of the Year, he seems firmly acclimatised now. An integral cog in the rotating pair of false nines Lev Repin uses in his 3-5-2 formation, Gannot plays in a similar way to Ocokoljic, dropping in between the lines to get involved in the build-up play. He’s added truly clinical finishing to his repertoire now too, something his father – Atletik and Sicoutimont legend Alex Gannot – was also very good at.

ST: Zlatan Andrijasevic, 31, Z’ai’ai [CMT]
41 caps, 18 goals
An Atletik Thessia icon who is chancing his arm at a higher level with Chromatik side Z’ai’ai in the latter years of his career, he has an impressive scoring record both at club level (129 goals in 292 Top League games); and for Mytanija (18 in 41), which disputes the idea that he has mostly been an assistant to more prolific forwards. His link-up play is fantastic, which is perhaps the reason for the misconception, with his 196cm frame allowing him to hold the ball up and win aerial balls. His underrated dribbling ability makes him a real all-around threat, though he is lacking a bit of speed. Never frightened of moments of ingenuity, Andrijasevic has scored some brilliant improvised and acrobatic goals for club and country.

ST: Fran Prpic-Bosanac, 22, Workers Union [EUR]
5 caps, 4 goals
A slightly surprising pick but one which has been coming given Prpic-Bosanac’s reputation. Mytanars watch a lot of Euraleague football given that country’s influence on the modern configuration of Mytanija and Prpic-Bosanac – part of the Mytanar immigrant community in Eura – has impressed with Workers Union, scoring 8 goals last season at the tender age of 21. He has played in a DBC and Mytanar scouts have rated his movement and creativity for a very long time. His finishing perhaps needs a bit of work still but his composure in front of goal should grow with experience.

TEAM ROLES
Captaincy: Jasno Odonelec is the national team captain, he'll always wear the armband whilst on the pitch. The vice-captain is Alen Hrdaljko and in the absence of both Jasno Odonelec and Alen Hrdaljko the armband would be passed onto Jezdimir Ocokoljic or Grigorij Savicevic. In the event that none of these players are on the pitch then the captaincy will fall to Pedja Kasun (if he is on the pitch) or failing that whoever has the most international appearances.
Penalties: Alen Hrdaljko or Jezdimir Ocokoljic will take these when on the pitch. If they are not on the pitch then Gannot or Patrik Odonelec are likely to take over. Jasno Odonelec will take over if he has come off the bench. In the event of a penalty shoot-out those four will be first-choice takers, Grigorij Savicevic and Mersudin Smajic being next in the pecking order. From the substitutes the most likely to be taking them are Dordo Urbanc, Dusko Ocokoljic, Omer Kuhar-Arh and Zlatan Andrijasevic.
Corners: It's mostly going to be Gavril Atsev taking these. If he isn't on the pitch then Mersudin Smajic or Ermin Urankar might take them, off the bench the likes of Jasno Odonelec, Omer Kuhar-Arh or Dusko Ocokoljic might be likely takers. Some might go short too, but having such a tall team will usually mean that the ball will be crossed in.
Short free kicks: Ocokoljic basically. Gavril Atsev would be second choice after him and Mersudin Smajic may occasionally eye one up with a view to hitting it very hard and hoping for the best. Jasno Odonelec, Ermin Urankar or Omer Kuhar-Arh would be other options.
Long free kicks: Usually whoever's playing at left-back or right-back will take our long free kicks and try and punt it into the box and take advantage of having quite a tall team.

NOTES:
• Lev Repin (aged 57), is the Mytanar national team manager and has been in the role for three World Cup cycles, World Cup 90 was the end of his contract but the FSM have given him a one cycle extension to try to get over the hill in an international tournament. Repin is a Mytanar footballing legend and played for the national side 177 times, scoring 14 goals from full back, winning Copa Rushmori XVII and Cup of Harmony 56 and 59 along the way. He managed the under-21 squad at the Di Bradini Cup and took them to a runners-up finish. Repin is known as a bit of a schemer tactically and this was evidenced during qualification for World Cup 82; he also led the team to a 3rd placed finish at the 32nd Copa Rushmori in Qusmo and a 4th placed finish at the 36th Copa Rushmori held in Græntfjall and Tikariot. In qualifying for World Cup 87 he led Mytanija to an unexpected 4th place, only narrowly missing out on qualification despite being unranked heading into the cycle. World Cup 88 qualifying was similar, with Mytanija finishing 4th once again, following that up with a 3rd place in Cup of Harmony 80. Mytanija qualified to World Cup 89 and finished third in the group with one win over Farfadillis allowing them to move ahead of Zwangzug on goal difference. During World Cup 90 qualifying Mytanija finished 2nd to The Holy Empire (the eventual World Cup winners!) and then reached the tournament proper coming through the play-offs. The Hoops made it out of the group and were eventually knocked out by Tumbra in the Round of 16.

• Mytanija has qualified to 13 World Cups, reaching the quarter finals in World Cup 68. Mytanija has won the Copa Rushmori once (XVII), to go with two victories in the Cup of Harmony (56 and 59); and a Di Bradini Cup win (DBC40). Some of these achievements were made under the names Mytannion/the Mytanar Region, Mytanija is ICly the exact same place.

• Mytanars are renowned for being passionate and therefore will not be afraid of confrontation if they feel they're on the end of a particularly rough tackle. At the same time Mytanars are not afraid of gamesmanship and may perform some questionable tackles of their own, along with tactical fouls to prevent the opponent from gaining momentum. Furthermore, diving, crowding referees and even intentional handballs (OOC: so Maradona's Hand of God and Suarez for Uruguay versus Ghana, that sort of stuff), to influence the game are not beyond Mytanar players. They will argue that winning is the most important thing and will do anything they can to achieve victory. Some might call it dirty, Mytanars don't, that won't stop them complaining when things go against them naturally.

• Mytanar fans are well-known for being hooligans, causing problems wherever they go and being prone to violence. They also make outstanding choreographies for their domestic sides and occasionally the national team (if they aren't fighting each other), so pyrotechnics, flags and lots of noise and alcohol are common place. Corteos (organised marches from a specific place to the stadium), are also common, these can lead to areas being shutdown as the sheer numbers of fans walking along roads block traffic and can lead to issues as police attempt to marshal supporters too. Given the ongoing political situation in Mytanija, whether ultra groups are able to put aside differences regarding politics, ethnicity etc for the national side is a pertinent question and the answer to it may change even from game to game.

RP PERMISSIONS
If my opponent role-plays first they may:
Choose my goalscorers: Y (I have no preferred goalscorers, just please choose from the squad I will post with my RP for each MD)
Godmod scoring events: Y
RP injuries to my players: Y, you may comment on severity although I shall have final say
Godmod injuries to my players: N
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Y, Mytanars are notoriously passionate and prone to gamesmanship so may accumulate these at an extremely high rate
Hand out red cards to my players: Y, see above, although no more than two in one game please
Godmod other events: Y

Style modifier: +0.25

by **Cassadaigua** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 5:07 pm

Copa Rushmori 40: What to Expect,
By Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

The 40th edition of the Copa Rushmori will kick off tonight, marking 20 years (or ten editions) from the last time that it was hosted in Cassadaigua. Prior to that point, Cassadigua did not seem to put much effort into the competition and even did not sign up to it on a consistent basis. Copa Rushmori 30 was the tournament that really saw a pendulum swing with the Matriarchy having much more interest in it. Gradually, the results improved and the Fillies have been knocking on the door of a title in recent editions. They would be credited with finishing third in Copa Rushmori 36, and were then the runner up in 37 and 38. In the last tournament, they were knocked out in the round of sixteen.

The 40th edition sees the competition return to Pasarga, a nation which has hosted it a handful of times, and always can be counted on to do a good job with it. After all, it would not keep coming back if that were not the case. They last hosted it in #33 and that is also the last time that they won the title. Cassadaigua is ranked #2 for the tournament, and will have a matchup with Pasarga during the group stage in what will actually be the home nation’s first game since they have a bye day on the first day of the group stage.

Brittany Byers will be back to manage the team, and she has not always been the leader of the Copa Rushmori squads. However, this will be her second straight Copa as the manager of the squad. Her assistant will be different, however, as Hannah Shanley is not going to be in that role this time. Don’t worry about Hannah, though, as this is likely a case of her being given a role for one of the junior teams. We have not heard specifically yet, but Shanley has seemed to be talking about young players a lot lately, especially ones that are under the age of 18. Read into that what you will. I think we can probably guess what that means. Gina Mendoza, the manager of New Lakeland SC will get her first ever opportunity with a national team as Byers’ assistant. There is a lot of excitement with New Lakeland this year, so for Gina it can be a very memorable season.

Looking at the roster, the big omission is Jenna Frontiera, who chose to opt out of the tournament. Team Cassadaigua was used to this with Rachel Schanke, but were a little surprised when Jenna declared that she wants to stay at home and focus on her own training as well as the Brats of Brattleboro FC. Some suspect that there is more behind the scenes with that, as Frontiera fired her agent a month ago. Jenna cited a “lack of trust” between them when speaking of that. On the World Cup 90 roster, Frontiera played up front with Bayley Stanton, and the two 20-year olds, Chloe Anderson and Rachel Boldin served as substitutes. Each of them got plenty of playing time, and each scored several important goals during qualifying, especially. It was a little surprising, then, to hear that Stanton would not be starting, but it seems as though Byers wants Anderson and Boldin to get playing time together, and is using the Copa to achieve that. Byers did say that Stanton will “be in every game at some point”. That would be a good to give the Fillies a great option to come in with fresh legs, and it is suspected that she could be brought in for a midfielder, as opposed to one of the young forwards.

The team will see mainstays like Morgan Rosenblatt and Caitlyn Kaleta be back, but also has new, or less used, faces on this team. They are certainly capable. Gatchingerrak Union is up first.

by **Astograth** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 5:08 pm

The Astograthian National Football Team

All white away, all olive green home, all blue third

Style: 0
Formation: 4–3–3, see below for potential variations
Nickname: Olibondeka (The Olives)
Captain: Marko Martel
Vicecaptain: Domiku Bergara
Free Kick Taker: Tomofumi Ishimoda
Penalty Kick Taker: Aire Epherra

No - P. - A. - Name                  - Club

      M - 47 -  Piarres Erke
     AM - 38 -  Aberri Buruchaga

Starting XI
 1 - GK - 28 - Echepare Rospide      -  KT Itzalovalle (AUD)
 5 - LB - 30 - Marko Martel (C)      -  Lajuno (EUR)
 6 - CB - 24 - Irakusne Hecharri     -  Sporting Iturributa
 3 - CB - 29 - Alarabi Labeaga       -  Mâ Âlâmëómë (FFD)
 2 - RB - 26 - Oxarra Peira          -  Lajuno (EUR)
15 - DM - 33 - Domiku Bergara (V)    -  AC Izotz Zubia (AUD)
 8 - CM - 29 - Baraxil Muhaburu      -  Rülândéá Kôstä (FFD)
17 - CM - 30 - Artizar Bailo         -  KT Itzalovalle (AUD)
 7 - LW - 30 - Olentzaro Karazatorre -  KT Moreazerua (AUD)
10 - RW - 29 - Tomofumi Ishimoda     -  Gortz United
 9 - CF - 37 - Aire Epherra          -  Rülândéá Kôstä (FFD)

Substitutes
13 - GK - 22 - Unax Goyenola         -  Gortz United
23 - GK - 24 - Azubeli Arana         -  Royal Ibarbe
12 - LB - 21 - Tipi Izotzubia        -  Rülândéá Kôstä (FFD)
 4 - CB - 31 - Altzibar Sarrible     -  Northern Union (BRE)
19 - CB - 24 - Hurko Germain         -  Liria Prizren (MYT)
16 - RB - 27 - Ageio Osinde          -  Urbizania Wanderers
21 - DM - 24 - Inoki Legisamon       -  Blue Mountain Range
14 - CM - 21 - Yaunzuria Urgoiti     -  Rülândéá Kôstä (FFD)
11 - LM - 27 - Eskuin Nekol          -  AC Izotz Zubia (AUD)
20 - RM - 29 - Zilar Galharretborde  -  Langlois Océanic (KSK)
22 - CF - 26 - Yokin Erdokiain       -  AC Izotz Zubia (AUD)
18 - CF - 30 - Mogel Galdiano        -  Sporting Arkamo

Manager –

Piarres Erke – Age 47

Piarres Erke. As a player, a virtual nobody: left-back who plied his trade in the dark years without a national league and then, in his 30s, served as a bench player for Gortz United in the relaunched First Division. As a manager, however, Erke came to be hailed as a young prodigy. Aged 38, he took charge of a Gortz United in crisis and guided them to one of the most impressive turnarounds yet seen in the Astograthian top flight, climbing from rock bottom to a comfortable finish in the mid-table. Next season he’d place them 8th, which would set them on a league-winning course in later years. Erke was then hired by Athletic Club Olarria and qualified them their first international competition in three decades. The following few seasons would prove less fruitful, as Olarria slipped down the table, and a 10th-place campaign drew the curtain on Erke’s tenure.

As manager of the Astograthian national team, Erke achieved an impressive 4th-place finish at Copa Rushmori 38, followed by a less-impressive 4th-place finish in Group 12 of qualifying for World Cup 89. Though the team was strong at home, poor away form – including a 5-1 thrashing at Twicetagria – doomed the campaign. Another strong showing at Copa Rushmori 39, again finishing in 4th place, reaffirmed the trust of the Futbol Astograthiko Federazioa. Erke chose World Cup 90 qualifying to be a changing of the guard, with 6 out of 23 players being replaced between the Copa and the opening qualifier. The captaincy has passed to the unruly Marko Martel, one of the team’s longest-tenured. This new period has been marked by a dressing room schism: a Ruland-Urbizania Wanderers clique has formed, made up of heavyweights Aire Epherra, Baraxil Muhaburu, Alarabi Labeaga, and former starting goalkeeper Gentza Bedigax, who for this Copa has been finally dropped. The atmosphere is dismal, and allegedly played a key role in Olibondeka’s Round of 32 exit from Cup of Harmony 82.

Erke has swapped out his former 4-2-2-2 for a 4-3-3, in a bid to take advantage of Astograth’s wealth of centre midfielders. If necessary, Erke’s Olibondeka is also able to shift into their former 4-2-2-2, a 4-4-2 or a 4–2–3–1, but the manager maintains his priority is to play the possession game with 3 midfielders down the middle. Baraxil Muhaburu remains the team’s playmaking pivot, though pushed up from defensive into central midfield; his ball-winning partner Domiku Bergara remains at back, while Muhaburu is now partnered with Audioslavian champion Artizar Bailo in the middle. Olentzaro Karazatorre and Tomofumi Ishimoda will be deployed as inside forwards, while Aire Epherra remains the team’s battering ram despite his advanced age.

Assistant Manager –

Aberri Buruchaga – Age 38
Buruchaga was an old-school starting right-back for Astograth University and Iturributa United before wrapping up his career at Athletic Olarria and becoming Erke’s right-hand man. Not a tactician, but certainly a loud and vigorous motivator.

Starting XI:
#1 – GK – Echepare Rospide – Age 28 –

KT Itzalovalle (Audioslavia) – 27 caps, 7 clean sheets
A low–profile product of Garitzeta Racing Club’s academy, Rospide was snapped up at 21 by the eagle–eyed scouts of Audioslavia’s KT Itzalovalle. They evidently saw something that local coaches did not, because Rospide, in a few short years, took over as the club’s starter. Promoted to the national team’s starting lineup after winning an Audioslavian National League title, Rospide has maintained a strong form with the Olives. His main rival, Gentza Bedigax, is out of the team, and Rospide can now breathe easier knowing his place is safe – if he doesn’t become complacent.

#5 – LB – Marko Martel (C) – Age 30 –

Lajuno (Eura) – 124 caps, 8 goals
Martel is one of Astograth's most exciting players. Bursting onto the scene at just 18 years old, he was part of Sporting Ibarguren's Royal Cup–winning team, beating Urbizania Wanderers in the final despite being a second–tier side. Swiftly transferred to giants Sporting Iturributa, he was part of a league–winning squad but, frustrated at the lack of playing time, forced his move to Athletic Club Olarria, where more strong performances earned him a place on the national team and on the famous Galácticos longlist. Nothing if not ambitious, he further secured a move to the Euraleague and displaced Remondegi as starter for Olibondeka. As an established fixture of the national team, he has now inherited the captain’s armband in a move unpopular with a certain clique formed at Urbizania Wanderers and in Ruland – namely Epherra, Muhaburu, and Labeaga. Despite this, Martel is a popular choice with the public and most of the squad, who see him as a tireless, combative, unrelenting figure.

#6 – CB – Irakusne Hecharri – Age 24 –

Sporting Iturributa – 32 caps
Not long ago, Hecharri was a complete unknown: a young centre-back signed from Sporting Iturributa’s women’s team to play for Royal Ibarbe in the First Division. Ibarbe manager Ilazki Altzibararechuluaga entrusted her with starting in one of the Astograthian league’s strongest defences and she responded immediately, becoming a reassuring and highly rated fan favourite. Quick, agile, and a very clean tackler, she likewise adapted admirably to the rigours of World Cup qualifying and began to start regularly at the Copa Rushmori. The controversy over selecting women to the national team has largely died down owing to her and Urtzumu Ganzarain earning the public’s admiration. After helping Royal Ibarbe to their first-ever Royal Cup, Hecharri has returned to Sporting Iturributa – but the senior, mixed squad, and her ambition is one to keep an eye on.

#3 – CB – Alarabi Labeaga – Age 29 –

Mâ Âlâmëómë (Farfadillis) – 83 caps, 3 goals
An impetuous talent, Labeaga came through the youth ranks of Urbizania Wanderers, rapidly making his way to the first team at age 18 and featuring in their title–winning run of 680. Louis Vaudrail, then manager of Royal Rumiatzi, arranged their purchase of Labeaga but was unable to control the centre–back's ego and demands for a starting spot. Forcing a move abroad, he was able to land at the renowned Mâ Âlâmëómë of Farfadillis and immediately won a league title. Labeaga considers himself a god of defending, which tends to rub staff and teammates the wrong way, and his raucous friendship with Muhaburu has led to some headline-catching outings and gossip. Can also act as defensive midfielder – emphasis on defensive – if necessary.

#2 – RB – Oxarra Peira – Age 26 –

Lajuno (Eura) – 19 caps
Trained at the youth setup of Athletic Club Olarria, Peira was lured to Eura’s Lajuno at 19 years old. There he has matured into a capable right-back and regular starter in the Euraleague, which has not escaped Erke’s attention. A strong successor to the retired Ixaka Echeberz, Peira is well versed in high-pressure, physically strenuous tactics. His club partnership opposite Martel can lead to some interesting cross-wing play, which is particularly vital in Erke’s demanding system.

#15 – DM – Domiku Bergara (VC) – Age 33 –

AC Izotz Zubia (Audioslavia) – 88 caps, 5 goals
Hardworking Bergara was spotted as a sharp talent at a young age, and Urbizania Wanderers shelled out a big wad of cash to sign him from Iturributa United at age 21. With Wanderers, Bergara got his hands on a league title and a Royal Cup before striking out to join Audioslavia's AC Izotz Zubia, where he has enjoyed great success and earned a place on the national team. An elegant, patient player skilled in both defence and with the ball, he’ll have the pressure of being the main ball–winner in a formation that tends to leave the midfield open. Bergara was selected as the team’s vice-captain in a bid to placate the Wanderers-Ruland clique, as he is known for being an amiable bridge between them and the rest of the team, though the ongoing friction has worn that link thin.

#8 – CM – Baraxil Muhaburu – Age 29 –

Rülândéá Kôstä (Farfadillis) – 88 caps, 6 goals
A youth product of Garitzeta Racing Club, Muhaburu was set to break into the first team when Racing took a deep dive into the Second DIvision. Setting his sights elsewhere, Muhaburu landed in Farfadillis, signing for Rülândéá Kôstä and later marching to league glory. Despite his reputation for a poor attitude and off–pitch antics, including a fondness for drink, managers have been eager to take advantage of Muhaburu’s excellent vision, passing technique, and ability to threaten goal or take set pieces. From midfield, Muhaburu will be Olibondeka’s main creative outlet. Although capable at defending, it is far from his specialty – a weakness opponents may exploit.

#17 – CM – Artizar Bailo – Age 30 –

KT Itzalovalle (AUD) – 32 caps, 3 goals
When Erke arrived at the national team, Bailo was his first big surprise. With so many central and defensive midfielders to choose from, Bailo was most people’s fourth or fifth or even sixth option – he did not have high-level international experience, had never played abroad, and was not particularly young. However, his dogged determination and Erke’s knowledge of how to get the most out of him – having worked together at AC Olarria – made him a standout performer at CR 38 and secured him a major transfer to KT Itzalovalle, with whom he won the Audioslavian National League. Bailo is the first player from the tiny island region of Bakartirla to reach the national team, so there is also a great deal of regional pride involved.

#7 – LW – Olentzaro Karazatorre – Age 30 –

KT Moreazerua (Audioslavia) – 105 caps, 37 goals
Karazatorre, one–time winner of the First Division's Young Player award, became known to the Astograthian public at age 20 with aplomb. He banged in 13 goals in a season for the modest Antiguoko FC as they finished in 10th place, then 15 as they climbed to 8th, then 19 goals, before signing with Ituraitz FC, Pyathora Mariners of Tikariot and finally Audioslavia’s Moreazerua. Karazatorre has finally found his stride with Mozi and the national team. His pace, height, and dribbling ability have led Erke to put him on the wing as a inside forward, a role he has never consistently performed with the national team – but, at least in theory, he has the skills to make it work. Has already climbed to being the national team’s 6th all-time top scorer.

#10 – RW – Tomofumi Ishimoda – Age 29 –

Gortz United – 31 caps, 4 goals
A native of the Hinodejin Empire, Ishimoda was originally signed by Ituraitz FC after graduating from that country’s Asakawa College. Though touted as a highly versatile attacker who could be used as a centre-forward, a false 9, a playmaker, or a winger on either flank, Ishimoda’s first few seasons were troubled by injury, lacklustre performances as a substitute, and the coaching team scratching their heads wondering how he fit into their plans. A loan spell at Bakartirla Buccaneers finally allowed him the time and space to shine, and when transferred to Gortz he completed his revelation of himself as a virtuoso. Guiding Gortz to an incredible, unprecedented title challenge and eventual runner-up finish, Ishimoda combines speed, tremendous dribbling skill, precise passing, and an acute positional awareness, allowing him to drop deep into the midfield yet always be in the box when required. Always irreverent, Ishimoda’s antics have ruffled some feathers with the old guard of the squad.

#9 – CF – Aire Epherra – Age 37 –

Rülândéá Kôstä (Farfadillis) – 117 caps, 64 goals
A regular in the Astograthian First Divisions' top scorer charts, Epherra is a physically massive, clinical target man skilled at spearheading counter–attacks and holding up the ball to play in his teammate. Despite getting quite up there in years, he seems the person least concerned. With an impressive record of 64 goals in 117 caps (baby), Epherra is the nation’s 2nd all–time top scorer. Epherra is obsessed with breaking Soter Sarlange’s record of 89 goals, and will not let injuries, the toll of time, or tactical considerations get in the way of his single-minded drive forward.

Substitutes:
#13 – Unax Goyenola – Age 23 –

Gortz United – 2 caps, 1 clean sheet
Unax Goyenola became the first player from minnow club Dockyard Oaks to be selected for the national team, off the back of some impressive individual performances which were not, unfortunately, enough to save his club from relegation. Former captain of the Astograthian U-20s, Goyenola is outspoken and confident beyond his years, a commanding presence at the back. Erke hopes his presence on the national team will help him develop into an experienced goalkeeper who can take up the mantle when necessary.

#23 – GK – Azubeli Arana – Age 24 –

Royal Ibarbe – Uncapped
A product of Ituraitz FC’s academy, Arana stays true to the port city’s tradition of great goalkeepers. Arana never debuted for the Reds, however, instead finding his way to the humble Antiguoko FC. There he became a regular starter at just 20, turning into a reassuring presence for the team’s frequently troubled defence. Arana has since transferred to Royal Ibarbe, who are noted for excellent defending, and cemented himself as one of the brightest young keepers in the Astograthian First Division. Though Erke hasn’t been transparent about it, the speculation in the media is that he plans on having Arana and Goyenola battle it out for Rospide’s position.

#12 – LB – Tipi Izotzubia – Age 21 –

Rülândéá Kôstä (Farfadillis) – 7 caps, 2 goals
Tipi Izotzubia appeared as if from nowhere to sign for top Farf team Rülândéá Kôstä, who are on a crusade to sign seemingly every Astograthian player in existence. Izotzubia quickly displaced the rest of the competition and has risen to become Kôstä’s starting left-back, making him a prime target for a national team call-up. Despite his sudden fame, his past remains mysterious and the defender himself rarely speaks, preferring to rely on his (Rulandese) agent. Given his apparent lack of a footballing past in Astograth – or any sort of past in the country – and his poor command of the Astograthian language, most people assume he is Farf-born of Astograthian descent. His papers, at least, all seem to be in order.

#4 – CB – Altzibar Sarrible – Age 31 –

Northern Union (Brenecia) – 13 caps, 1 goal
Sarrible is a workhorse of a stopper, rushing forward to take attackers head-on before they reach the back-line. In this capacity he excelled for Erke’s Athletic Olarria before being signed by Iturributa United. Following spells at Royal Ibarbe and Ituraitz FC, he signed for Brenecia’s Northern Union and has been in excellent form for them, coming away with the A-League title in his first season. He previously featured for the national team at Copa Rushmori 38, and the only thing keeping him from starting in front of Irakusne Hecharri is the generational change Erke wants to encourage. A very strong rotation option; Erke’s first reaction to defensive troubles is to try and have Sarrible sort it out.

#19 – CB – Hurko Germain – Age 24 –

Liria Prizren (MYT) – 3 caps
A bright product of East Railway’s academy, Germain was lured away to Ituraitz FC while still a teenager, made a good impression in the First Division and, following his agent’s advice, made a big-money transfer to Mytanija’s Liria Prizren. Now matured into one of Liria’s top players, Germain is strong and smart where he isn’t imposing, an expert in unsettling attackers and folding them into his back pocket.

#16 – RB – Ageio Osinde – Age 27 –

Urbizania Wanderers – 8 caps
Erke is not exactly spoiled for choice when it comes to right-backs at the moment, so he has fallen back on a familiar face. Osinde was a reliable, unspectacular squad player for Ituraitz Victory and Royal Rumiatzi before finding his way to Piarres Erke’s Athletic Olarria. There, his potential finally bore fruit: a pacey wing-back who can deliver a mean cross is exactly the sort of service that Erke needed and which he has gone on to provide at top team Urbizania Wanderers. Now it is also what is required of him, if called upon: make himself an attacking threat. The right flank’s defence may suffer, but Erke hopes he can make up for it by shifting to a backline of 5 – or simply some additional grit from his centre-backs.

#21 – DM – Inoki Legisamon – Age 24 –

Blue Mountain Range – Uncapped
Royal Rumiatzi boast the single largest academy system in Astograth, their envoys scouring the country for youngsters. They churn out scores of players a year, most of whom trickle down to lower-ranked teams or lower tiers, if they don’t disappear entirely. One such player was Inoki Legisamon, born in Olarria province. A small but combative defensive midfielder, Legisamon was promoted to the first team aged 20 and performed adequately as a rotation player during the title-winning 687 season. He was decent, but not impressive; the definition of the kind of player who lasts a couple of seasons at Knights’ Stadium and moves on. So when Blue Mountain Range offered to pay a good fee, Royal Rumiatzi didn’t think it twice. Under Xander McDrew at BMR, however, Legisamon has flourished within the team’s double pivot system. If his talent for precise tackles and deep playmaking can translate into the national team, he’ll be a valuable tool for Erke.

#14 – CM – Yaunzuria Urgoiti – Age 21 –

Rülândéá Kôstä (Farfadillis) – 6 caps
Hailing from Ituraitz province, Urgoiti’s career with her hometown club Nabarrieta FC in the Astograthian Second Division, before signing for Iturributa Racing Club of the same tier. At Racing, she immediately consolidated herself as the team’s key player, propelling them to the Second Division title and a long-awaited promotion to the top flight; once there, she was essential to avoiding what seemed like almost-certain relegation. Named the 3rd best Young Player of the Season, Iturributa Racing would have liked to keep Urgoiti, but when the powerful Rülândéá Kôstä came calling there was only one possible answer. She is a box-to-box powerhouse, a tireless engine skilled in defence and attack; last season, aged only 19, she had the most minutes played for Iturributa Racing, featuring in every single league match. Her nickname – Makinaxoa, ‘the Little Machine’ – is well earned.

#11 – LM – Eskuin Nekol – Age 27 –

AC Izotz Zubia (Audioslavia) – 59 caps, 7 goals
Nekol is perhaps one of the most shocking comeback stories in Astograthian football. A product of Royal Association’s academy, he transferred to Sporting Iturributa while still a teenager and quickly found himself in the first team of a club that was a on a roll, winning three league titles in a row. The following season was disastrous for Sporting, dropping down to 7th, but Nekol’s career was on the rise as a clever winger that could shoot from range, catching the eye of international scouts. Then, in the cup final that could save the season, Nekol was subbed on and stupidly punched the opposition captain in extra–time; Sporting would lose on penalties to the lowly Gesterlake. This effectively ended his career at Iturributa, allowing AC Izotz Zubia to swoop in for cheap. The rest is history – a National League title and an incredible, 45–yard goal to his name, in just his first season.

#20 – RM – Zilar Galharretborde – Age 29 –

Langlois Océanic (Kelssek) – 50 caps, 2 goals
Galharretborde came through the youth ranks of Royal Arexa, and thanks to a wily agent and a leap of faith, he managed to land a move to Kelssek's Langlois Océanic. In his first season he impressed, earning the league's Young Player award and catching the eye of the national team in the process. He may not be the fastest or most technical player, but he is very good at stretching the field of play by building up moves from the wing, playing fluid football with his full–back and centre midfield. Galharretborde is the one least amused by Erke’s change to 4-3-3, since he was set to finally replace Ihazintu Malkorra in right midfield. He’ll be one to watch when given the chance to play, but his frustration is at boiling point.

#22 – CF – Yokin Erdokiain – Age 26 –

AC Izotz Zubia (AUD) – 19 caps, 4 goals
Erdokiain became known to the Astograthian public as a timid youth product of minnows Urizaharra FC, contributing 21 goals across two First Division seasons – a major contribution to Urizaharra shockingly not being relegated, twice. Singled out as one of the top young players in the league, he was snapped up by Urbizania Wanderers, earned himself a call-up to the national team for World Cup 88 qualifying – and flopped. Massively. Though he performed correctly for Olibondeka and even scored a goal, he struggled to get minutes; at club level, he was blamed for Wanderers’ poor season and tossed aside, first to the bench and then on a loan spell to East Railway. There he steadily regained his form, won back his place on the national team, and earned a second loan spell – this time to Audioslavian powerhouses AC Izotz Zubia, with an option to buy. Not a particularly large player, but devilishly fast and a flashy dribbler, traits that Astograth is currently short on.

#18 – CF – Mogel Galdiano – Age 30 –

Sporting Arkamo – 10 caps, 1 goal
An unassuming striker, Galdiano was publicly shocked by his call-up to the national team. The first half of his twenties were spent on the bench for Royal Rumiatzi, whiling away the seasons waiting for a chance that never came. It was manager Hanni Andikola of Sporting Arkamo who finally trusted Galdiano to start, and was rewarded with a reliable, technical centre-forward who learned from mentors Martin Blessed and Yasone Urdanibia at Royal Rumiatzi. Physically unremarkable but with a keen eye for goal, Galdiano is known for trying to place his shots from outside the box. There is speculation that Rülândéá Kôstä mistakenly signed his brother, also-striker Tzeme Galdiano, when they meant to sign the in-form Mogel.

Team records
Year founded: 636 (pre–World Cup 55)
All–time record: 640 matches played: 301 wins, 151 draws, 188 losses
All–time goal difference: +245
Most caps: Soter Sarlange (200)
Most goals: Soter Sarlange (89)
Most clean sheets: Zernin Aira (39)
First international: Astograth 1–2 Eastfield Lodge (pre–World Cup 55)
Largest win: Astograth 10–1 Melbergia (World Cup 58 qualifying)
Worst loss: Eura 7–0 Astograth (pre–World Cup 85)
World Cup finals appearances: 7 (first at World Cup 57)
World Cup best result: 4th place, World Cup 61
Highest KPB ranking: 9th, post–World Cup 61
Tournaments won: Cup of Harmony 50, Copa Rushmori XII

RP Permissions are yes to everything that isn't career–ending. I encourage TGs for questions or collaborative RP.

by **Tikariot** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 5:13 pm

-- The Tikariot Premier League is covered by Simon Nighthorse and Sakari Pernfors --

When looking at the history of Tikariotian football and the Tikariotian Premier League in particular, one will notice one name in the early decades of the league that has become a mix between myth and legend: Viathyn Park AFC. One of the founding members of the TPL, they are one of the most decorated clubs in league history and with their six championships they sit behind only Oriannor Mountaineers, Carathyr Emeralds, Morannon Athletic, Parakleion Firebirds, Eivora Athletic and Baraldhur AFC, yet they have not been part of the nation's top tier for almost 50 years. Reason enough to dive in and have a look at this much historied club that many have forgotten or, depending on their age, have never even known.

Founded in the Tikariot City borough of the same name, Viathyn Park AFC, as mentioned before, had been one of the founding members of the Tikariot Premier League 103 years ago and the big local rival of Tikariot City FC who had only recently won their first two TPL championships. Viathyn Park quickly turned into one of the most dominant clubs of the time, celebrating their first TPL title in season 4 and finishing within the top 10 of the league for the first 40 years of its existence, while the Tikariot City FC managed one meagre to 3 finish (second in the very first season of the league) during the same time frame, spending most of their time in the middle of the pack, with 13 of these years outside of the top 10 altogether.

In the 14 years after this tremendous run, which to this date sees Viathyn Park on top of the ppg (points per game) rankings, something broke, however, seeing the club drop into the midfield before plummeting like a stone from 11th to 23rd from season 53 to 54, seeing the team's first ever relegation. They returned after one season just to face immediate relegation again, never to be seen again in the TPL.

A look into their past involves taking a look at the club's foundation. In many cities with two main clubs, the fan bases are distinctly different, be it social layers, immigrants' groups or political and religious beliefs. In the case of Tikariot City FC and Viathyn Park AFC, it is the first, but whereas in most cases it is the workers' team that sees a decline in fortunes and successes, in this case it was the opposite. Tikariot City FC had close ties to the Tikariotian independence movement as it was one of the hotbeds for the freedom fighters, who were able to meet under the pretense of playing football. On the other hand Viathyn Park has its origins with the bourgeoisie from even before the communist rule, which, for obvious reasons, became irrelevant during that time, but still kept the fan bases distinctly different, with it becoming the choice team to support for anyone disliking Tikariot City FC.

When trying to look for the reasons of their sudden demise, things are a lot less obvious than they may seem in many similar cases. Sports historian Adrian Barbosa has been following the TPL in depth for many years, analysing mostly their early years and he is as much at a loss as many others.

In many cases if a team disappears from a top-tier league, at least one that can boast the level of success and strong following as Viathyn Park, can be attributed to bad management, financial backing breaking away, some sort of disaster or political upheaval, but none of these usual root factors are in play with the club. If after communism took over the club would have been disbanded or forcibly relegated due to their roots, it would have been a logical consequence that it might have had trouble getting back on their feet, but compared to a lot of other nations, where communist rulers seized clubs to promote sports excellence as part of their propaganda, Tikariotian football remained mostly untouched.

I also could not find any records that would indicate mismanagement or any financial troubles that could be linked to the club losing traction this suddenly and unexpectedly, so the true reasons behind Viathyn Park's disappearance are shrouded in the mists of time.

As other clubs rose and fell in the decades to come, many of which did pop up in the Tikariot Premier League at least from time to time, such as Saevaroy Town, Crimsonhawke FC or the Vilharady Owls, Viathyn Park did not even steadily remain in contention in the Tikariot Second League, but disappeared into the third tier without as much of a sound or trail, which then in turn did lead to some of the factors Barbosa had mentioned, such as financial backing breaking away and with that the fan base also taking a hit. In recent years, though, there had been some grassroots efforts, mostly led by dedicated fans, to resurrect Viathyn Park AFC and restore the club to at least some of its former glories through fundraising and an eventual takeover by the fans, which had shown some first successes last season when the club won promotion back into the Tikariot Second League for the first time in almost two decades. Due to the contraction of the TPL from 24 to 20 teams, however, it will remain to be seen, if this success is only momentary or can be sustained or even expanded, but it is good to see a much storied club taking steps towards gaining relevance once more.

by **Eura** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 6:58 pm

The Euran Football Association’s Copa Rushmori 40 Squad

Manager: Skorji Oslograd (62, Eura)

As unlikely as it might have seemed not so long ago, Skorji Oslograd was been appointed the eighth permanent manager of the Euran national team in the modern era. The former Bastion, Hornchurch (season loan), FC Axel Heiburg and Revolutionaries centre forward is an icon of Euran football, starring in Eura’s World Cup 66 winning side at the height of an international career that saw him make 168 appearances for Eura, scoring 103 goals. Oslograd then went into coaching and management, where he had a low-key career until taking over as manager of The Askari Union. He improved them significantly and got them playing perhaps their best ever football at the Copa Rushmori, before moving to take over the national team job for the newly formed Euran Oceania Territories, who had only recently started competing in WCC competition.

Although Oslograd was unsuccessful in achieving the dream of getting the Expats into the World Cup, even with a surprisingly talented generation of players (but little squad depth), he can claim to have transformed the Euran dominion’s fortunes for the better and claimed some memorable shock victories with the side. It nearly all came apart during World Cup 85 qualifying when the Expats went on a horrific run of form and Oslograd, plagued also by off the pitch controversies, came close to getting the sack. He was saved by a remarkable return to form during World Cup 86 qualifying and recently has had the Expats securing the best results of their history, raising his profile on the international radar once more.

The blow dealt to Euran footballing pride by failing to qualify for World Cup 87 has been severe and has created something of an inquisition in the national game as to the causes. As part of this the EFA needed a replacement for Lee Sharp following his resignation. Although the FA approached several top tier candidates, it was felt that a truly radical departure from the normal practices of the EFA and its teams was required, leading to this shock wildcard appointment. Oslograd’s appointment has already proven hugely controversial, and it is likely his tenure will be no different. Not much of that will matter if he gets the results the EFA desire, and although patience will be on offer for the overhaul that is required, failure to meet expectations could result in Oslograd’s other contradictions becoming his downfall. He is under immense pressure to prove the doubters wrong, but then again, he’s done it in the past and could do it again.

A decent start in some friendlies and at the Cup of Harmony was somewhat soured by defeat in the final to Mriin, a recurring nightmare of a defeat to Darmen long ago that followed Eura steamrolling all prior opposition in the tournament. Nevertheless, Eura's mostly faultless performance - and a tournament unusually free of antics for an initially sober minded Oslograd - relieved pressure on the new coach. Unfortunately, a promising start to a home Copa Rushmori that followed was brought to a saddening end by penalty heartbreak in the quarterfinal; Eura recovered to gain good form in World Cup 88 qualifying, but stuttered toward the end, then crashed out in the group stages (though at least this time they qualified) and flattered to deceive at the most recent Copa.

Oslograd continues to revamp the squad and attempt the much more difficult task of overcoming the hang ups of the past. In recent tournaments the team has adopted a combative, cynical and defensive (but with ruthless counterattacking) 5-3-2, sometimes switching to a more ambitious 3-5-2. But results have been mixed to say the least; Eura marginally improved at the last World Cup but suffered another gloomy group stage exit, another dampener on the era of optimism Oslograd promises will eventually dawn, before a more spirited run in the Copa Rushmori ended in the semi-finals, followed by another group stage exit (albeit in a tough group) at World Cup 90.

Assistant Manager: Rhea Fianchetto (47, The Askari Union)

Oslograd’s wife and long term assistant manager from his days in charge of The Askari Union, Fianchetto is little known the public eye but has become a respected coach in her own right among those in the know. Many speculate that she may provide sense to the chaos of what has been dubbed “Skorjiball”; when Oslograd has been in a pit, Fianchetto has been there to bail him out, time and time again.

Styles and Permission

Style Modifier: 0

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

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

Squad

Shirt number – name – position – age – international caps – international goals - club
Stats up to date to post-WC90 qualifying and friendlies

Goalkeepers

1 - Elliot Palmer – GK – 29 – 13 caps – Mountainside
13 – Clarence Webb – GK – 28 – 5 caps – Energija Chernovets (Siovanija & Teusland)
30 – Tom Hammond - GK - 23 - 0 caps - Directus

Defenders

2 – Ana Mason (F) - RWB - 24 - 8 caps - 0 goals - Spartangrad
3 – Lucy Almwood (F) - LB - 28 – 79 caps – 9 goals - Brinemouth (Nephara)
4 – Jack Menard - CB – 26 – 105 caps – 7 goals - 1830 Cathair (Audioslavia)
5 – Tanya Green (F) – CB – 29 – 53 caps – 0 goals – Revolutionaries
15 – Jamie Byrd - CB - 26 - 31 caps - 0 goals - Bastion
19 – Kevin Sherwood - CB - 24 - 43 caps - 0 goals - FC Felsenkirchen 1879 (Siovanija & Teusland)
21 – Harry Wheeler – RB – 29 – 40 caps – 2 goals – Oakstone
23 – Eve Reeve (F) – LB – 28 – 12 caps – 0 goals – Ulsa
25 – Quentin Phillips - CB - 23 - 2 caps - 0 goals - Holdenberg
27 – Alex Coles - CB - 27 - 53 caps - 1 goal - Oakstone

Midfielders

6 – Sharon Erskine (F) – CDM – 29 – 40 caps – 1 goals – Northern Union (Brenecia)
7 – Moira Woakes (F) – AM – 33 – 193 caps – 71 goals – Crisisbless (Nephara)
8 – Vincent Robshaw - CM - 33 - 119 caps - 27 goals - AFC Treason (Nephara)
11 – Bobby Malone – RW – 27 - 60 caps – 19 goals – AFC Treason (Nephara)
12 - Adam Woodman – LW – 27 – 54 caps – 22 goals – Directus
16 – Oscar Vincent - CM - 24 - 27 caps - 4 goals - Tihon (Chromatika)
18 – Damion Bowman – LW – 32 – 124 caps – 47 goals – Crisisbless (Nephara)
20 – Robert Marshall - AM - 24 - 1 cap - 0 goals - Oakstone
22 – Owen James - RW/LW - 22 - 1 cap - 0 goals - Chromatik (Chromatika)
24 - Jermaine Gates - CDM/CM - 23 - 4 caps - 0 goals - Directus
28 – Flora Brown - CM - 24 - 0 caps - 0 goals - Goodfeather FC (Nephara)
29 – Travis Coffey - RM - 26 - 17 caps - 3 goals - Ma Alameome (Farfadillis)

Forwards

9 – Stewart Robson – ST – 28 – 46 caps – 22 goals – Directus
10 – Tommy Sutton - ST - 31 - 44 caps - 16 goals - Hellinic Rouge (Pasarga)
14 – Christine Atkinson (F) - ST - 25 - 23 caps - 8 goals – Lajuno
17 – Sophie Singh (F) - AM/ST - 22 - 2 caps - 2 goals - Mountainside
26 – Alex Sharp - ST - 22 - 0 caps - 0 goals - 1830 Cathair (Audioslavia)

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

GK - 1. E Palmer
RWB - 2. A Mason
RCB - 4. J Menard
CB – 15. J Byrd
LCB - 5. T Green
LWB - 3. L Almwood
RCM - 6. S Erskine
LCM - 8. V Robshaw
CAM – 7. M Woakes
RS – 10. T Sutton
LS – 9. S Robson

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

GK - 1. E Palmer
RCB - 4. J Menard
CB – 19. K Sherwood
LCB - 5. T Green
RCM - 6. S Erskine
LCM - 8. V Robshaw
RW - 11. B Malone
CAM – 7. M Woakes
LW - 12. A Woodman
RS – 10. T Sutton
LS – 9. S Robson

Player Roles

Squad Captain: Jack Menard
Vice-Captain: Moira Woakes
Direct free kicks: Lucy Almwood (Left footed), Moira Woakes (Right footed)
Indirect free kicks: Lucy Almwood (Left footed), Moira Woakes (Right footed)
Right corner: Moira Woakes (Right footed), Lucy Almwood (Left footed)
Left corner: Moira Woakes (Right footed), Lucy Almwood (Left footed)
Penalties: 1. Moira Woakes 2. Stewart Robson 3. Lucy Almwood 4. Vincent Robshaw 5. Tommy Sutton

Stadium

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

Kits

by **Falkyr** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 7:03 pm

Translator's Note: (FAC) designates a player of Falconian descent, of the nation (Falcus) that previously occupied the land Falkyr currently rests upon. That was a very contrived plot about a dimensional rift switching the nations that had existed in parallel universes, but a large portion of the Falconian population was left behind and stranded in a land that was familiar but distinctly not their home.

The Queen's Wings

Manager: Sjurd Stendahl (FAC)
Assistant Manager: Sohvi Venäläinen
Formation: 5-4-1
Style: -1.5
Colors: Blue and red diagonal stripes; yellow accents.

Starting XI:
Pos - Age - Name - # <Note>
ST - 23 - Birgitta Nørup       - #10 <PEN>
LM - 33 - Juha Jankovič        - #11 <CPT> (FAC)
CM - 27 - Natalia Fortuin      - #9
CM - 30 - Kimmo Björk          - #8  <SET>
RM - 28 - Ellen Akkerman       - #7
LB - 25 - Miriam Alderliesten  - #3
CB - 25 - Edvard Losnedahl     - #5
SW - 31 - Jaakoppi Zuzia       - #2
CB - 28 - Renée De With        - #4  (FAC)
RB - 26 - Viktor Koppel        - #3
GK - 33 - Katrine Berg         - #1

Substitutes:
F  - 21 - Neske Jeleń          - #9  (FAC)
M  - 20 - Håkan Sörensen       - #17 
M  - 20 - Storm Østberg        - #18
M  - 22 - Kyllikki Mårdh       - #19
D  - 29 - Marta Bengtsson      - #16
D  - 21 - Sofia Grześkiewicz   - #15 (FAC)
D  - 21 - Yngvar Falk          - #14
D  - 20 - Katja Lindquist      - #13
GK - 29 - Katarina Ljung       - #21
GK - 22 - Wawrzyniec Verhoeven - #20 (FAC)

RP Permissions:
Choose my goalscorers: Y
Godmod scoring events: Y
RP injuries to my players: Y
Godmod injuries to my players: N
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Y
Hand out red cards to my players: Y
Godmod other events: Y

by **Eura** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 8:52 pm

emplor.eur/main/euranews
ELECTION EURA: STATE OF THE PARTIES
With the election campaign into its final weeks, who are the main contenders for power?
Chief political correspondent Amos Mitchell reports from Bastion

Liberal Party
Leader: Ian Smith (61, Directus Metro East)
Ideology: Centrism, social liberalism, pan-Rushmori, liberal interventionism
Key figures: Carl Rutherford (Foreign Secretary, highest approval ratings of anyone in government), Anthony Pollard (Chancellor and architect of flagship fiscal tightening policy), Sterling Thorpe (Secretary of State for Defence and leadership rival to PM), Angela Green (Minister for Rushmore and lead on CRC expansion agenda), Amy Yarley (former Prime Minister, now a key backbencher), Elena Ford-Jones (Minister for the Euran Oceania Territories, widely credited with smooth EOT transition to Anaia)
Current seats in parliament: 1,570 (majority of 71)
Flagship policies:
1. Normalisation of former Sameba within federal structures, but with little to no military drawdown
2. Cross-party electoral reform by the end of the term
3. Fiscal tightening in public sector to control national debt, including reductions in public spending and moving post-war reconstruction responsibilities into the private sector, with aim of getting federal budget “in the black” within a decade
4. Expansion of the Common Rushmori Community and further strengthening of Euran role within the organisation

Social Party
Leader: Harry Barnham (52, Old Ham [Brigham])
Ideology: Social democratic centre/soft left, pan-Rushmori, social liberalism, big state
Key figures: Donovan Sterling (Shadow Chancellor and close ally of Barnham), Eloise Chadwick (Shadow Foreign Secretary, key figure on the left of the party), Bruno Pelle (Shadow Minister for Sameban Integration, the first Social Party MP in former Sameba and head of the Aspel Group of Sameban Social MPs and proponent of “The Federal Deal”), Peter Lake (Shadow Minister for Sport and a key figure on the soft left/centre of the party), Richard Skinner (Shadow Defence Secretary, key figure on the right of the party and main driver of armed forces overhaul)
Current seats in parliament: 990
Flagship policies:
1. Similarly to the liberals normalisation of former Sameba and cross-party electoral reform, but electoral reform a lower priority, and both bound up as one package dubbed “The Federal Deal”, with explicit legalisation of Sameban-centric parties (but statutory ban on separatism to placate right of the party) and a target of bringing poverty and unemployment in former Sameba down to levels similar to the rest of Eura
2. Substantial investment in health and welfare services after decline in spending during post-war period, including the employment of a million new staff in the health service
3. Overhaul of the Euran armed forces to streamline and modernise towards a future-proofed military, and secure a “peace dividend” from the defeat of Sameba
4. CRC expansionism and renewed focus on Eura’s diplomatic reputation and resources, re-conciliation with some rivals and alienated countries

Capital Party
Leader: Tom Paldrey (59, Blackfields Market)
Ideology: Centre-right, libertarian, small state, Rushmori-skeptic
Key figures: Lucy Clarke (Spokesperson for Economic Affairs, powerbroker on left of the party and influential with Paldrey), Julia Osprey (Spokesperson for Business, chair of hard right Sovereignty Group of MPs), Miles O’Neill (Backbencher of One Nation group who previously led damaging pro-Liberal split), Stephen Wise (Spokesperson for Rushmori Affairs, outspoken CRC critic)
Current seats in parliament: 345
Flagship policies:
1. Immediately cut the top rate of tax by 5% and conduct a wide-ranging review of the tax system
2. Scrap plans for electoral reform and develop a renewed deal for former Sameba after “premature” closure of Provisional Government
3. Abolish all remaining industrial regulation measures from the war era to give businesses less red tape
4. Halt further integration into the CRC and discontinue support for member state expansion

Civil Federalist Party
Leader: Oscar Adamson (49, Pandbury)
Ideology: Democratic socialist hard left, nationalisation, authoritarian, Rushmori-skeptic
Key figures: Alf Russell (Veteran former head of the hugely powerful Euran Steelworkers Union), Warren Shearer (Spokesperson for Economic Affairs and Workers Rights, conciliatory figure liked by Social Party left), Kenneth Pinewood (Internationalist anti-war campaigner with controversial record), Rod Halberry (Spokesperson for Health, inexperienced firebrand and one of youngest MPs with a “shadow” role)
Current seats in parliament: 39
Flagship policies:
1. Nationalise the energy industry, any remaining private parts of transport, and the aerospace/defence industry
2. Raising the minimum wage to £16 an hour, and the Federal Stipend to comparable levels
3. CRC reform to limit market access
4. Re-prioritisation of foreign policy towards left-leaning countries, e.g. Savojarna, Darmen, Mytanija, Nyowani Kitara

Unionist Party
Leader: Tom Bannister (45, Wheat Borders)
Ideology: Economic statist centrism, social conservatism, Euran nationalism, pan-Rushmori
Key figures: Samantha Walton (Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, defected Liberal MP dubbed “acceptable face of Euran nationalism”), Oliver Duffy (Spokesperson for Home Affairs, prominent “law and order” social conservative), Jasmine Dean (Spokesperson for Education, former chief political editor of The Federalist newspaper turned MP via by-election), Colonel Dexter Douglas (Former Euran army officer and Spokesperson for Defence)
Current seats in parliament: 38
Flagship policies:
1. Modernisation and expansion of the armed forces to pre-war levels and reintroduction of national service
2. Complete ban on region-specific parties in former Sameba, imposition of special security laws
3. Expansion of CRC as an immediate priority and push for CRC institutions to be relocated to Eura, cap on representation in CRC parliament to be raised
4. National Demographic Strategy to further increase size of Euran diaspora abroad, cementing “overseas loyalty” to Eura

EURAN POLITICS - HEADLINE VOTING INTENTION
Data was last collected yesterday, and is published fortnightly, courtesy of Viewpoint Ltd. Bracketed are changes since the last poll from the same company. Incomplete data in former Sameba (c. 250 seats of 3,000 available) may skew results.

Federal parliamentary voting intention (%)
SCL – 37.3 (-2.1)
LIB – 31.8 (+1.3)
CAP – 14.0 (+0.6)
UNI – 10.0 (-0.1)
CIF – 4.8 (+0.5)

Best PM (%)
Barnham (SCL) – 42.1 (-1.5)
Smith (LIB) – 27.3 (+2.2)
Bannister (UNI) – 12.6 (-0.3)
Paldrey (CAP) – 9.8% (+1.2)
Adamson (CIF) – 5.5% (+0.9)

Approval (Approve %/Disapprove %)
Barnham (SCL) - 43/34 (+10)
Smith (LIB) - 28/49 (-21)
Bannister (UNI) - 20/29 (-9)
Paldrey (CAP) - 23/35 (-12)
Adamson (CIF) - 19/31 (-12)

by **Falkyr** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 9:09 pm

Eight long years had passed since the Falkyr had last made waves in Rushmore's international waters. If you can call a dreadful nil-all draw that Mytanija won on penalties a wave. Watching that game, a tepid eighthfinal exit with a grand total of two shots on goal... it was another feather in the cap of the Queensguard's isolationist sect. "What are we doing out on these foreign grounds embarrassing ourselves?"

Their complaints in those years were numerous and difficult for Queen Alyssiana to ignore. The typically martial and aggressive countenance of the Falkyr state was rendered impotent when transported into a reality surrounded by nations with military technology several decades more advanced than their own. Modernization efforts with the aid of monarchist Quebecois agents brought the military into line in a defensive capacity, but aggression? With a powerful regional bloc headquartered just over the border in Liventia? Out of the question, for the near future. And if you can't impose your will on your neighbors, what's the point of interacting with them?

Internally, the fallout from the refugee situation still hung over the nation. Ev-en with greatly improved conditions for the displaced Falconians, the two peoples still largely kept to their own cities and cross-pollination was a rare event. Add into that the government's failure—in the eyes of many a nationalist Falkyrie—to resist foreign pressures on the treatment of this foreign populace that had been thrust upon them? It was the weakest the Queen's seat had looked in centuries.

So when the call came to sit tight on the diplomatic channels, to wind down coverage on events abroad, and to reinvest resources that had been going to the national team to domestic sporting events, it came as a surprise to very few in the know. It was time to focus on Falkyr first and Falkyr alone. To look inwards such that we may look upwards. Other pieces of redundant rhetoric.

That time wasn’t spent terribly, all told. Significant infrastructure upgrades swept the plains to better connect disparate sections of the nation in a way many had not imagined possible before the rift. The Falconian cities were retrofitted into efficient pieces of the industrial base; their socialist-softened hands finally becoming calloused into respectability. The quality of play in the football… well, that didn’t get any better, but it still kept the citizenry entertained.

But times change and priorities shift. A handful of the prominent detractors had died off naturally, a few more unnaturally, and Alyssiana had polished her image enough to force the doors open once more. As tradition for a sporting region like Rushmore, this would be announced through a reformation of the national team and entrance to the Copa Rushmori. It will be important to research the geopolitical shenanigans that took place during Falkyr’s exile, take stances as needed and make plots as desired… but first, it will be time to enjoy the grand ol’ game.

So it came down to Sjurd Stendahl, now in his late 60s—several lifetimes past his days playing for the Falconian squad of eld—trudging his way up the many flights of stairs to Skysreach. A meeting with the Queen and her top advisors to brief on the mission. Go over the threats, the risks, the opportunities—a good ruler does not simply delegate without being properly informed. Discussion drifted back and forth from old players still in working condition, who could take the armband, which young kids show real promise, did you know Sergey Grześkiewicz's kid showed up and is pretty good?, before settling on the opposition the Queen's Wings would be sparring with. Eastfield Lodge, an old name, a storied name, a mediocre team. Yuezhou, a team that rocketed into relevance shortly after Falkyr's exit—watching their fantastical qualification run was one of the last things fans of international football got to watch before the stations shifted focus. South Jeolerina, a composite nation of that confusing Gothanita Isles entity that lost out on their omega-regional hosting bid. And...

by **Pasarga** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 9:41 pm

Matchday 1

Group A
Gatchingerrak Union 1-5 Cassadaigua
Gnejs 1-1 Kalosia

Group B
Xinhau 1-0 Southwest Eastnorth
Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland 0-1 Darmen

Group C
Falkyr 2-2 Yuezhou
South Jeolerina 1-4 Nyowani Kitara

Group D
Astograth 1-1 Bollonich
Raspotochje 0-2 República Guanacasteca

Group E
Isle Noire 4-1 Norrhem
Cabo Azure 2-0 Three Golden Kingdoms

Group F
Oberour Ar Moro 0-7 Græntfjall
Savojarna 7-1 Dai Ban

Group G
Eura 4-1 San Isidro Labrador
The Askari Union 0-1 Valladares

Group H
Space Elephants 0-3 Pridnestrovia
Mytanija 4-0 Brookstation

Optional RP Prompt: Pasarga is made of two distinct regions, Pargis and Peynol. What distinct regions does your nation have and how would national teams from those regions look?

by **Captina Island** » Wed Mar 09, 2022 11:53 pm

National Information of Captina Island

Captina Island thrives in all aspects of life thanks to the rigorous discipline of “The Plan” (officially known as The Captina Island National Community Operation Master Plan [CINCOMP]) which organizes the priorities, agenda, and the day to day running of proper society within the Armed Republic.

All economic affairs are controlled by the five major privately owned businesses that operate under the provisions of The Plan, holding exclusive license to conduct the nationwide administration of the following areas:

Captina National Organization (CNO)--Defense/Health & Medical/Education
State Economic Corporation (SEC)--Retail/Banking/Transportation/Technology
Industrial & Manufacturing Alliance (IMA)--Production/Raw Materials/Wholesale
The Captina Company (TCC)--Social/Entertainment/Utilities
Brandstadter Corporation Authority (BCA)--Food/Agriculture/Construction

Any remaining areas that would be under the control of a constituted government are handled by The Burkett Group, which is owned in equal shares by the five main corporations and a public ownership scheme funded by a 50 crown (about NS$10) per week deduction from the wages of all citizens. TBG functions as a bureaucratic administrative body, coordinating inter-company affairs in addition to providing the personnel for things like police/fire protection, vital statistics record keeping, public spaces maintenance, and other public services.

TBG operates from the National Capital District of Big Flint which has a population of 84,000, while the other corporations each have their own headquarters city, although they have national operations; within each major city, the 'affiliated' companies have satellite offices to handle the daily business.

The Captina Company is headquartered in Geneva City, in the southwestern part of the nation. Over 1.4 million people live in the metropolitan area and it is the site of TCCFA's venue for the national football team, The Captina Company Sport Ground, which seats 24,400 spectators.

The Plan is designed to ensure the needs of the citizens are met in every possible way, and that in return the people contribute equally to the requirements of the Corporations for the operation of the nation's interests.

by **Gnejs** » Thu Mar 10, 2022 2:17 am

Ventilating

…and I said no, obviously, because who the hell would do such a thing. I don’t know what he expected but he’s clearly struggling with some kind of delusion if he thought I was gonna be up for that right from the get-go, and it soured the whole thing of course, I mean, how could it not. And you know what he did? He tried to do a quick turnaround and change the subject entirely and started talking about football. Yeah, I know right, football? For being so twisted he’s so fucking pedestrian. And I mean I’m into football, but it’s still such an unsuave move and I definitely can’t be with someone operating like that. If he’d done a cool workaround I could almost, like not really but in theory or whatever, let that whole thing slide and just let it pass over in silence. But playing a sonata with a sledgehammer like that just ruins everything for me and just made me want to punch something. So then I was just about to leave and he starts talking about ‘southron football’ and then I just felt ok I need to hear this expounding. Because you know you’re in for a ride when somebody starts talking like that. And he’s from Stordal so you wouldn’t expect a western boy like that to be stuck in that whole thing but he was. He crammed it into this whole hypothetical right, like what if the four regions had their own teams and what if they all geared up and played, who would win? The entire thing was just a way of arguing for attacking football of course and just like you’d expect he started explaining why Vika would dominate the whole thing and apparently just glide their way through any defense like a pack of fucking monkeys on roller-skates. It’s always like that with those people, all about fancy quick pretty boys and no goddamn respect for a solid defense which is just insane right. He went on and on about how the ‘beautiful game’ is its own justification and that you should strive to play beautiful or not play at all. But you know what an ‘All-Vika’ team would look like right? 11 headstrong princesses with god-complexes trying to dribble their way to the moon, I mean even the keeper would be gunning for the goal and it’ll all fall flat in 5 minutes and all those headband-boys would just give up and blame everyone else. Then he started praising Menexenus Nilsen and Göran Drake and sure I’ve seen them do some good stuff in the league, but that’s just because they have a sliver of backing from the team. Lokomotiv Esaias? They’d be completely lost without that defensive line, I mean they’re already pretty lost but they’d be right down the tier without someone like Simon Naess bringing some goddamn structure. A northern boy, and it’s no fucking coincidence he’s the only Lokomotiv player on the field down in Pasarga. If they did Vika vs. Berg Naess would play for Berg and that about says it all, right. Imagine an entire team of Göran Drake? The horror. It such an ‘edgy-teen’ thing this hangup with attacking football and ‘beautiful game’ and you would really expect someone his age to have outgrown that shit but no. And I don’t get the people that complain about the Dandelions playing too defensively, because it always ends up being about that with these people. That’s the Union way. It’s not about scoring goals it’s about scoring points and if you defend yourself properly you only need the one and if you know what you’re doing you only need the one opportunity as well. That’s what a regional tournament would look like, it’d be Berg coming out on top with a full score and a clean 3-0 goal difference. The Wall of the North wouldn’t budge and there’d be a tossup between Ängby and Birka for second, but you know Vika would be there with a broken back at the very bottom. That’s the only problem with the Dandelions really, that there’s not enough northern players on the field. I mean it’s a decent group and a sound formation, but they’ve got too many FC Kejm tricksters that’ll be prone to go off on some sort of individual shenanigans. That’s what’s gonna get them I just know it. Somebody’s gonna wanna play ‘beautifully’ and they’ll be up against players from countries where that sort of game is the norm and you obviously can’t trick a superior trickster. Yeah, so he pretty much soured after I set him straight and we split the bill even though I felt like he should’ve picked it up as a sort of compensation for all the bullshit, but I didn’t have the energy for going there. Anyways I need to go because my boss needed me to do this thing and you’re not going to believe what he said to me, I was just doing my own thing and the he came and was all like you have to do this and I was like…

Context - the regions of PUG:
The Prosaic Union is divided into four large regions – Berg (north), Birka (east), Ängby (west) and Vika (south) – which in turn are divided into counties and municipalities. The regions are not administrative units, but rather cultural ones. The Interior compromises an immense area of more or less untouched wilderness at the heart of the country's inland and covers parts of all four regions. Map in spoiler:

by **Savojarna** » Thu Mar 10, 2022 3:45 am

Savojar Roster for the Cycle 88 Cup of Harmony

RP PERMISSIONS

STYLE: +1.5

Choose Goalscorers: Y
Godmod Scoring: N
Injure Players: Y (no longer than the rest of the tournament)
Godmod Injuries: N
Yellow Cards: Y
Red Cards: Y - not more than one
Godmod other events: N

I am open to discussing all RP permissions via TG or Discord, if you have a specific plan.

TEAM

STAFF
Coach: Dmitri Lijushkin
Age: 48 // Coach since: WCQ 90 MD10
Lijushkin was something of a young hotshot at Torpedo and SVV before disappearing from the public eye as a season marred with injury, internal strife, and terrible luck at SVV resulted in Virkaja’s relegation as the league got reduced from 20 to 18 teams. Following this time, he has worked as an assistant in the team of Rjurik Smolderhove at Lok Jarnstad, where he won an SFS title, and as general manager at AFK Savojagrad. Now returning to active coaching following the terrible record of Gylfi Haukason, Lijushkin is bringing new offensive wind to the squad, as well as a larger team and what many consider to be more professional structures.

Coaching Team: Ljubov Misarin, Roman Antonov, Valtteri Andersson, Mikael Södergren, Lasse Tjoer
Ages: 45, 50, 56, 44, 47 // Special functions: Defence and mental coaching, scouting and preparation, goalkeeper coach, technical coach, physical trainer

Misarin is a sort of all-purpose assistant for Lijushkin, but most notably, she is a former defender to complement the former winger and offence specialist Lijushkin and will focus on giving some input to this team. As she has played before the professionalisation of women’s football, she has studied sports psychology alongside her career, and will also serve as an important element to ensure cohesion and morale within the team.
Roman Antonov was Lijushkin’s second in command and chief scout at AFK Savojagrad. While he will stay on at AFK as a consulting scout, his main role will be to assist Lijushkin in scouting and selection; during matches, he is expected to primarily work in the background and help preparing for opposition, as well as assist with video analysis (although this is already a strong area of Lijushkin himself).
Andersson was a long-term goalkeeper for Energie Thorsborg and got directly transferred into the club's youth department when he retired at age 33. Following some good work with the club's youth department, he got trained as a GK coach and worked with the first team and the U21 of Energie for a while before being brought onto the squad of the NT early on. He still works with Energie on the side and is reputed to be very good at developing a goalkeeper's weaknesses.
Mikael Södergren has a history of a technical assistant coach at various SFS A teams, including the surprising Rotor Värstjö side of SFS Season 8 and being on the staff of the double-winning Partisan side of SFS Season 10. His job is to run day to day practice and give technical advice to players; besides his work with the national team, he currently is a trainer at the National Football Academy at Högvald, where he coaches and develops Savojarna’s biggest youth talents.
Lasse Tjoer is the physical coach and condition trainer, and has previously worked for multiple SFS A teams. He places a lot of emphasis on discipline, but gives the players a large amount of freedom to tune their practice regime to their own tastes as long as they stick to the targets. He is quite popular in the team, and a good motivator.

Doctor: Dr. Christer Ljungberg
Age: 61
Christer is the head of the medical team of the Savojar NT and generally has a reputation of being the team’s good soul. Many players have come to him over the years to discuss their insecurities or physical problems, to the point that many consider Ljungberg to essentially be a second mental coach.

SQUAD

TEAM

Goal

1	GK	Iiro Pakanen		ASK Landsmark		M	34
12	GK	Sergey Sharin		FK Torpedo Pawlograd	M	27
20	GK	Aleksandra Virulainen	Partisan Sjoedrhavn	F	30

Aleksandra Virulainen will take the helm between the posts. She is an SFS A veteran who has won titles with Partisan, and shines through her space control and spatial awareness. On the downside, she is relatively short, putting her at a disadvantage on the line. Behind her, Sergey Sharin has been a long-term third string goalkeeper at the Northlights and has been promoted to second at the tail end of WCQ 90 during Iiro Pakanen’s temporary retirement, a spectacular and somewhat form-dependent player with strong physical attributes, especially an uncanny jumping ability. Iiro Pakanen, long-time starting Northlights keeper, has returned from his hiatus following a poor qualifying campaign thanks to a superb performance in the SFS with ASK Landsmark. However, chances are that he will remain second in command behind Virulainen.

Defence

2	LB	Ansgar Klaey		CASK Thorsborg		M	25
5	LB/RB	Milla Viipuri		AFC Corvistone (NPH)	F	27
3	CB	Polina Zirkova		Ulsa (EUR)		F	31
4	CB	Vidkun Nymark		Dynamo Sjoedrhavn	M	27
19	CB	Sven Vikarby		Partisan Sjoedrhavn	M	23
22	CB	Dmitri Dmitriev		Admiral Storevik	M	28
15	RB	Alvin Strid		Libertas Bergheim	M	23

On the left side, Ansgar Klaey and Milla Viipuri are similar types of players, both of them being well-balanced, somewhat conservative fullbacks who will have the ability to drive forward, but usually wait with doing so until an attack is solidly established. Both are also enduring players that can keep up with the pace of an international game for 90 minutes; Viipuri has the ability to play on both sides, adding a lot of versatility to the squad. Polina Zirkova is the undisputed organiser of the central backs, with good skills with the ball on her feet and good eyes to spot buildup opportunities. She will likely be complimented by either the tall, strong header Dmitriev or the more defensive and calm Vidkun Nymark, depending on the needs of the game. All three are veterans of the game and solid options to secure the back for Savojarna; the fourth man in the team, Sven Vikarby, is a younger option that stands out through his uncompromising attitude and skill to deliver accurate tackles.Viipuri is likely to see significant playtime on the right side against more offensive teams, whereas Alvin Strid is the only true wingback in the squad. The 23 year old is fast and technically adept, having played as a right midfielder in a 3-4-3 early in his career, and has a well-developed cross; however, he is prone to getting caught out when faced with fast, counter-attacking opposition.

Central midfield

6	DM	Markko Niskanen		Newrook City (NPH)	M	27
16	DM	Adrian Klaebo		Lokomotive Jarnstad	M	26
8	CM	Vladimir Orakhin	Goodfeather FC (NPH)	M	23
18	CM	Lovisa Tedenby		Galatica (PAS)		F	27
10	OM	Morten Poulsen		Partisan Sjoedrhavn	M	32
14	OM	Rika Lundell		North Laithland (NPH)	F	30

Lijushkin typically plays a staggered centre midfield of a deep-lying midfielder, a central shuttler, and a classic 10. In the former position, there is a paradigm choice between Markko Niskanen, a destructive holding midfielder honed in the Zenith that provides stability and structure, and the creative genius Adrian Klaebo. Klaebo, the centrepiece of Lok Jarnstad, is a deep playmaker who has great positional play and spreads balls wide to his offence. He is expected to start against teams where Savojarna have to create play, whereas Niskanen is a more likely starter against strong, offensive opponents that require extra defence. The shuttling role is shared between Lovisa Tedenby of Galatica, a somewhat limited player that makes up with tremendous work ethic and great morale, and the young shooting star Vladimir Orakhin. Orakhin transferred from Torpedo to Nephara in the last off-season, and forms a restless point of action, driving play forward relentlessly and working a lot to support his offensive front three at Torpedo. The playmaker role was traditionally a strong point of Savojarna with the duality of Poulsen and Lundell. The latter has been playing a strong Cup of Harmony, where Poulsen was absent due to injury. She is a classic ten, technically skilled but physically limited and somewhat short, with a brilliant creative eye and the technique to pose a danger from range. Alternatively, Poulsen provides a more physical and athletic approach to the position, more willing to drift or make late runs into the box, and equipped with a strong shot that poses a threat through strength. He is also known for work ethic and loyalty to his teammates, emphasised by his one-club-career for Partisan

Wingers and Forwards

17	LM	Finn Östberg		Lokomotive Jarnstad	M	27
23	LF	Kimi Hartikainen	CASK Thorsborg		M	26
7	RM	Mikhail Jashkin		Directus (EUR)		M	32
21	RM	Kaisa Gyldenström	AFC Corvistone (NPH)	F	25
9	ST	Lars Alvesen		Partisan Sjoedrhavn	M	21
11	ST	Sven Ehlers		Falourr (EUR)		M	26
13	ST	Victor Hedenberg	Ibini FC (VAL)		M	25

Kimi Hartikainen is the more offensive option on the left flank, driving to the goal more, and the expected starter in a three-man offence. If Lijushkin opts for a 4-4-2, Östberg is more likely to begin with his two-way approach to the game and better crossing ability, but limited offensive danger on his own. The right side remains the domain of Mikhail Jashkin, who has further established himself as a brilliant winger, accurate passer and crosser, and extremely conscientious player who will put himself at the team’s service at any time. Kaisa Gyldenström can be a strong backup with her speed and technique, and is expected to be used situationally to provide more direct threats from the side.
Up front, keeping his options for the 4-4-2 open, Lijushkin nominated three players despite his association with single-striker formations. Sven Ehlers has grown into a star player of this side and is the likely starter, a smart player who will try to create danger from between the lines as a hanging striker. Ehlers is rather short but quick, mobile, and a good linker as well as a good finisher. Besides him, Lars Alvesen is the future option, only 20 years old and a physical poacher that has established himself at Partisan. The third option this time is Victor Hedenberg, a sly striker with SFS A experience who has transferred to Valanora’s Ibini FC in the off-season. He is less of a goal scorer and more of a player that tends to bring in his partner, winger, or offensive midfielder by playing balls backwards or sideways when there is an option. He also has a good sense of pressing and is likely to play defensive roles as well. Hedenberg is most likely to come on either for his impressive height or as a supporting striker in a 4-4-2.

STARTING XI:

TACTICS

ROLES
Captain: Jashkin - Poulsen - Zirkova - Lundell - Viipuri
Free Kicks (direct): Ehlers (left, centre), Jashkin (right)
Free Kicks (long): Klaebo, Lundell
Corners: Klaebo, Östberg (left), Jashkin (right)
Penalty Kick: Alvesen, Ehlers, Poulsen, Lundell, Hartikainen, Jashkin, Zirkova, Klaebo [also progression for shooutouts]

KITS

Designed and manufactured by NDCS

by **Xin-hua** » Thu Mar 10, 2022 4:27 am

Xinhua 1-0 Southwest Eastnorth

XHA (5-3-2): 1 - Sun ZM; 2 - Wang QS, 4 - Soong ZJ, 5 - Tang DH (20 - He JW, 84'), 14 - Yang SX, 3 - Kwek SP (19 - Koh KJ, 75'); 6 - Zhang WL; 8 - Lee YY (16 - Jiang GS, 84'), 10 - Tao YJ; 7 - Ng XY, 9 - Chen YR

Scorers: Chen Yongrui (16')

Player of the Match: Chen Yongrui (XHA)

XINHUA PRIMER • 新华简介
With A Legacy Secured, President Ma Looks Towards Keeping It Going

阅读简体月语版 • 閱讀繁體月語版

JINYU: In a conference room deep in the middle of the towers of Jinyu, two foreign ministers shake hands and pose for a picture. On one side, the Xinhua flag, and Foreign Minister Teo Bingzu; on the other, the Bollonischian Secretary of State, Audie Ecclestone. It is a meeting that, a few decades ago, would have been unthinkable; but now, under President Ma Huaqi and his Rushmore First policy, such meetings are becoming more and more common-place, as Xinhua looks to assert its place on the regional stage. Other overtures made to the region at large include sending a team to the latest edition of the Copa Rushmori, and diplomatic meetings like these that look to re-focus Xinhuanese economic power from the world to the region.

It was not always like this. The Third Republic — that short-lived spring of democracy after the end of the first military regime — saw an attempt to integrate with the region at large, though that was short-lived. The Fourth Republic chose to look at the wider world when it embarked on its strategy of export-oriented industrialisation, keen to avoid its Rushmori neighbours peering into its affairs while enriching the country's populace through producing electronics cheaply. It worked — in the three decades of the Fourth Republic, the economy grew on average by 8% year-on-year, with products like electronics, semiconductors and plastics spreading far and wide in the known world. It, along with Sokoku and Jegug, became known as the Three Economic Tigers; the Rushmori country, and the two Tamarindian nations, became renowned for their economic growth. The Tumbran credit rating agency, Hearst & Randolph, named them one of a growing number of "newly industrialised economies" in the 1990s, after Xinhua adamantly refused to be classified as a "developed economy", pointing to its still eye-watering 6% growth in its economy in the middle of the decade.

This strategy of prioritising the world over their neighbours, did, however, come at the cost of establishing good relations with them. When the Fourth Republic eventually dissolved under popular pressure in 1985, and the Fifth Republic came into being, its overtures toward Rushmore were largely ignored. Its products that had taken the wider world by storm were beset by steep import duties; and eventually, under the Presidency of Chiam Sui-Seng (1992-98), Xinhua decided to return to the foreign policy of the Fourth Republic; to create better relations with nations further abroad, while maintaining the bare minimum of diplomatic friendliness with Rushmori nations. This became known as the Look Beyond policy, and gradually became accepted as Liberal Democratic foreign policy orthodoxy; successive Presidents kept the trend going, unwilling to deviate from a policy that had served them relatively well.

The election of President Ma Huaqi in 2022 changed all that. A political outsider — he had never served in the National Assembly, and at the time of his election was the Mayor of Beihai, a relatively small city far-removed from the country's economic heartlands — he revitalised flagging support for a ruling party that, at the time, seemed to be out of ideas and suffering from several corruption scandals. He promised major changes, and to tackle a long-held but long-silenced complaint of regional inequality, but also a shift in foreign policy ideology. While he had his doubters — his 2022 election campaign was, at best, half-heartedly supported by the Liberal Democratic establishment — his stunning victory in the first round meant that he had popular support for his programme. And thus, the Rushmore First policy was born, this time being markedly more successful than the country's previous attempt to integrate itself into the region. While his domestic agenda has been slightly less successful — his programs to extend investment into other regions have been bogged down in the National Assembly — it is probably his foreign policy that he will be remembered for when his term ends in a year's time.

The President himself holds high hopes for the future of Xinhua-Rushmore relations; in his 2027 National Address, he expressed hope that one day Xinhua would ascend to the Common Rushmori Community. That sparked off a flurry of discussion over the future of Xinhua's relationship with Rushmore, and the statement had its detractors as well as its supporters, even within the party itself. The Liberal Democratic Party's nomination process for the 2028 presidential election will be a litmus test of whether President Ma's appeal can last beyond his presidential term, as candidates attempting to claim his legacy go up against candidates who wish just as equally to repudiate it. Officially, President Ma has declared that he will not support any candidate in the primary election. Privately, however, it is thought that he has been trying to get either Foreign Minister Teo or Prime Minister Li Senyu, both of whom are ardent supporters of President Ma's foreign policy, to run for the nomination. Should they both decline, the future of the Ma foreign policy — and his legacy — might be very short-lived.

by **Cabo Azure** » Thu Mar 10, 2022 5:28 am

Cabo Azure 2-0 Three Golden Kingdoms
Starters: Antunes | de Lima, Medeiro, Moniz, K. Brandão, Branco | Ferreira (off 61'), Maciel, Serra (goal 44') | Dantas (goal 33'), Silveira
Substitutes: Alves (on 61')

A good win in the first match of the Copa Rushmori, and an excellent indication of what the Maçaricas are capable of when on their day. Goals from Dantas and Serra in the first half combined with a robust defensive effort against the Imperial Guard's reinvigorated attack in the second half gave the Azureans control of the match almost from start to finish.

The first thirty minutes of the match were the kind of probing, risk-averse football you expect at the start of a tournament between two relatively inexperienced sides. Golden Kingdoms striker Yan Shui tested Antunes's mettle with a powerful header off a corner kick that the keeper was barely able to get a glove on. In return, the Maçaricas managed a couple of shots-on-target in progression which, though they failed to score, succeeded in opening up the match.

Dantas would open the Maçaricas' account at just past the half-hour mark with a well-placed shot to the near corner. The second goal was Serra's and came on a counterattack when Branco threaded the needle between two Imperial Guard defenders. The Imperial Guard would step out their attack in the second half, but the back three of Medeiro, Moniz, and Brandao finally played as intended and rebuffed every attack the Three Golden Kingdoms sent.

Shooting Stars, pt 1
Sao Simone
This is a giant waste of time, thought Isabelle as she scanned the other members of her party over the rim of a vodka cranberry. She’d come to Cabo Azure to close a deal, so she thought, but two days into a five-day trip, all they’d done was exchange pleasantries and go over the basics. The acquisition of Air Cometa, Cabo Azure’s beleaguered flag carrier, by Spiritair from Quebec was one of the largest business deals in Azurean history, completely without precedent in the sleepy archipelago. It came complete with an obscenely complex tax deal which had not yet been agreed to, but the Azurean government officials were here, drinking alongside their industry counterparts as if it were a fait accompli. In Quebec, she thought, this would be an ethics violation.

At least Ivo was happy. She supposed if the trip were a wash, she could still go back to her office in Vaugania satisfied that she’d given her husband a week in his homeland on the company’s dime. Ivo was a good man, and he’d never once complained about staying in Vaugania with her, but she could always sense his homesickness beneath the surface of their conversations like the drone of an air conditioner. Seeing him here, drinking like old friends with men he’d met an hour ago, she knew this was his element. Setting up this deal wasn’t about Ivo, exactly–it was a necessary and prudent step for Spiritair to remain relevant in Rushmore and compete with Air Terranea–but he’d provided her with a consistent source of personal motivation.

“You must be the woman in charge,” came a voice in heavily-accented English. A blond woman in her early twenties approached Isabelle’s otherwise empty table and took a seat. She wore the steel-blue shirt and navy slacks of the Azurean military, and her epaulets bore the two stars and solid line of a tenente. Isabelle remembered the afternoon she’d spent learning their rank insignia “just in case” and almost laughed out loud at the futility.

"Not exactly," Isabelle protested, not wanting it said that she'd misrepresented herself. "Adult supervision" seemed like a more appropriate title at the moment. The woman had a shadow, a man in black who tried to remain discreet even as he hovered close enough to listen to their conversation. "Boyfriend?" she asked the woman sourly.

"He wishes," snorted the Azurean. "What are you drinking?" Isabelle told her. "Felix, go get us two vodka cranberries, please and thank you."

Felix disappeared with a quick bow, which might have been sarcastic, leaving the women alone. Silence fell over them as Isabelle searched for a conversational topic. She didn't think a lieutenant in the Coast Guard could have much influence, she wasn’t about to spurn her interest.

“What do you do?” the woman finally asked, breaking the silence.

“Isabelle Karbago, director Rushmori Operations for Spiritair. This is my project, but as you can see, I’m largely overshadowed.”

“Veronica Fonseca, Azurean merchant marine.”

“What’s your stake in this?” Isabelle asked bluntly. Vodka and impatience had taken away some of her professional veneer.

“We own airport security,” answered Veronica. “As well as border security. When this deal goes through, there’s going to have to be some customs agreements to ensure it isn’t too much hassle for Anaians to use Cabo Azure as a pivot into Rushmore. I’m here to provide operational expertise, or so they say. In reality, I think the higher-ups want to sell this as a part of some grand strategy.”

“If this deal goes through,” Isabelle mused miserably. “We’re two days in, and this” She waved her hands vaguely at the room. “Is all we’ve done.”

“What were you hoping for?” Now the younger woman seemed concerned; a crease appeared in her brow. Isabelle almost laughed at the baby lieutenant thinking she could do something to help the deal through. She remembered being in her early twenties, working for the transportation ministry and thinking she was big and bad. Then again this woman had been more receptive than anyone else she’d met in Cabo Azure thus far.

“Answers to the questions we sent ahead of time. Proposals and counterproposals. Any of the normal things that go into a business negotiation.”

“Dom Joaquin!” Veronica raised her voice so quickly and so naturally that it took Isobelle by surprise. One of the well-dressed men huddled around a cocktail table broke off, holding up a finger to his compatriots, and approached their table. He acknowledged Veronica first, then Isabelle, each with a nod of his head.

“How may I be of service?” Joaquin asked. Isobelle could detect no irony in his voice. In the dossiers she’d read prior to coming, she’d gotten the impression that his presence was a token, similar to Lieutenant Veronica’s, but in the meetings, the Azureans had deferred to him as though he were the man in charge. She gathered from subsequent research that he’d been a major player in the Azurean corporate scene, such as it was, had gotten out to make a run at Prime Minister, lost the election, and was now seeking a new challenge.

“My friend here has a question,” Veronica told him. Both of them deferred to Isobelle, looking at her with bright, expectant eyes.

“I, ah,” she stammered, grasping for an easy question. “Will the tax breaks currently extended to Air Cometa also apply to Spiritair aircraft?”

“For regularly-scheduled passenger and cargo service, yes,” Joaquin answered confidently, “At least as the proposal currently stands, but there is room for negotiation. Chartered flights fall under a different set of rules and are taxed differently.”

I should write that down, Isobelle thought, but all she had in hand was her vodka cranberry. Both Dom Joaquin and Veronica looked at her expectantly, as though she ought to have more questions. She knew she did, but she was also two drinks deeper than she’d intended and couldn’t come up with anything on the spot.

“If you have anything else, let me know, okay?” Joaquin said kindly. “If you ladies will excuse me, I need to embarrass some young bucks in snooker.” He looked to Veronica, who dismissed him with a wave, then left, bowing.

“See?” said Veronica, as though she’d had a point to prove, “Our side is serious. Tomorrow’s negotiations will be better, you’ll see.”

The two women stayed at their table for most of the rest of the night, talking about their respective careers and families. Veronica seemed interested in Isobelle and Ivo’s married life: how they’d met overseas in Vaugania and still lived there; how they’d never been interested in having children; and how this was her first time visiting Ivo’s homeland. Emboldened by the vodka, Isobelle shared the details of her life frankly, with Veronica nodding along and only occasionally interjecting with an opinion or an anecdote of her own.

Through some arcane method, it was determined that Ivo and Dom Joaquin were the best snooker players among the men, and they were made to duel it out as a sort of finale to the night before everyone started saying their goodbyes. Ivo won handily, but handicapped himself enough to give Joaquin a chance. Almost everyone left without saying goodbye, but this Isobelle had been expecting, having been briefed on the “Azurean exit” by Ivo before they’d left.

“The assumption is you’ll see everyone again, even if you won’t,” Ivo had told her. “Deliberately telling someone ‘goodbye’ in Cabo is tantamount to saying you’ll never see them again. Best saved for sea voyages and ex-girlfriends.”

Now they sat side-by-side in the back of the rideshare, each glowing in the light of a successful evening. Isobelle was sure she hadn’t made much progress toward her professional goal, but it had been enlivening to talk to a younger woman who looked to her with as much admiration as Veronica did. As for Ivo, he would have been happy with any evening spent among his countrymen, speaking their dialectical Portuguese, but to play snooker and be crowned the best was more than he could have hoped for.

“How was the princess?” Ivo asked.

“What princess?”

by **San Isidro Labrador** » Thu Mar 10, 2022 8:29 am

Regions of San Isidro Labrador

San Isidro Labrador is an island nation with a population of approximately four million souls. Despite its relatively isolated nature from the rest of Rushmore, it boasts a surprising amount of diversity. The nation has three distinct geographic regions: the coastal ring, the inland plains, and the mountainous area that rises above the plains. Each region has its certain amount of economic, cultural/linguistic, and sporting diversity.

Coastal Ring

The coastal ring encompasses the outer region of the nation, the coastal area that surrounds all other territory of San Isidro Labrador. This is the land of white sandy beaches, clear blue waters, swaying palm trees, and succulent seafood. It's also the land of poor fishermen trying to eke out an existence while being squeezed by seafood processing companies, service workers desperate to cater to foreign tourists who are drawn by the favorable exchange rate, and environmental NGOs and government workers trying to clean up said beaches to either protect the natural environment or protect the tourism industry, as the case may be.

Here the principal language is, of course, San Isidrano Spanish, but the Catalan minority has a significant presence and expats and retirees from other Rushmori nations contribute to the linguistic and cultural milieu. Both the Catalans and expats have a disproportionate stake in business compared to their proportion of the population. The biggest sport is baseball, bar none. Kids growing up on the coast, from small fishing villages to major ports, typically start out dreaming of becoming professional baseball players. Baseball was introduced to the country in the late nineteenth century by Cuban immigrants and San Isidrano sailors who'd picked up the game from Cuba. It quickly displaced football in the coastal regions due to its novelty and coastal resentment of the plains communities who dominated in the football world. However, football and even basketball have their holds, just not nearly as popular as baseball.

The major cities of the coastal ring are La Cartaya, San Erasmo, and Martemplado. La Cartaya (The City), is the second-largest city in the nation at 210,000 people, and boasts two professional baseball teams as well as the nation's largest shipping terminal, as it is the closest port to most of Rushmore. San Erasmo is the old colonial capital and the principal western port, population 175,000. It also boasts two professional baseball teams as well as wonderful colonial-style buildings and churches. Martemplado (Temperate Sea) is in the north of the country, the nation's fourth-largest city at 145,000 inhabitants. It has somewhat more of a Catalan influence than other ports and is an excellent take-off point for deep-sea fishing and other tourist attractions.

Inland Plains

The inland plains, according to the government and the people who live there, are the heart of the nation, much to the disagreement of those who live on the periphery of the nation. In colonial times, this was a land of great haciendas, of semi-feudal lords ruling over the Spanish peasants who came here hoping to find something other than what they found. It was also a land of missionaries, of Church officials converting the Wigu-speaking indigenous peoples and founding their missions. In some ways, the inland plains have not changed; it is still an agricultural land where one finds more jornaleros (day laborers) than small landowners and where the vestiges of indigenous culture may still be seen. In others, it has seen great change; the capital of the nation, Valleverde, is here, and it is the seat of political power, of economic power in the form of industry and banking, and the population has grown, a landscape dotted by small towns that radiate outward from the capital.

Here, more than any other region, the culture, language, and people remain Spanish. Although some powerful Catalans make their home here and foreigners, especially those who oversee businesses, live here, the region is almost monolingual, almost entirely Catholic, and incredibly nationalistic. The powerbrokers here wield incredible authority and the peasants, poor though they be, believe strongly in their nation and in the established order of things. The other regions chafe under the dominance of the plains, but with a strong military and police force that are intensely loyal, there isn't much they can do. The principal crops of the inland plains are sugar and tobacco, though rice and to a much smaller extent wheat are the staple crops that provide sustenance to the people. The biggest sport in the plains is football, by far. The national team is drawn almost entirely from the plains region, which makes some sense, given that there are many wide open spaces on which to play football. Basketball has some purchase and baseball even less.

The nation's capital and the only city of real note in the plains region is Valleverde (Green Valley). One out of every eight San Isidranos/Labradorenses, 455,000 people, live in the capital. They are drawn there for the same reasons everyone is drawn to a capital: political power, economic capital, the promise of jobs when your small town seems to have run out, such art and culture and education as is accessible to those of a more liberal bent. The National University, which educates the elite and those lucky and intelligent who gain places from the middle or lower classes, is located in the capital.

Mountains

The mountainous region, located principally in the northeast of the nation, borders both other regions. It is the land of Donnaconans and their apple trees, of deep Catalans and their traditions, and of those hardy communities of mixed race that fled to the mountains to find some sort of opportunity. The mountains have always been a distinct region and an odd place for those who consider themselves "true" San Isidranos/Labradorenses. Settlers from Donnacona were the first non-Wigu people to settle the island and encountered the Spanish settlers as they gradually moved across San Isidro Labrador. Later, when Spain abolished slavery in 1811, newly freed people of color settled across the island. But they found it difficult to get ahead in a society that still judged them by the color of their skin. They found the mountains a welcome refuge from the persecution they and their mixed-race families faced in San Isidrano society. Finally, a wave of Catalan immigration swept in. Finding themselves in danger of losing their distinct identity, some Catalans moved to the more isolated mountains, where they would not be under the hegemonic cultural thumb of San Isidrano Spanish.

Culturally and linguistically, the mountains are diverse. They are a mix of Donnaconan, Catalan, San Isidrano Spanish, and some indigenous Wigu language and culture. Spanish continues to be the lingua franca, but it is far from uncommon to hear conversations conducted entirely in Donnaconan or Catalan. Here, amid the heights of the mountains, is the one place where the Donnaconans' beloved apples are able to grow, and they are considered a delicacy by the rest of the island and indeed in some parts of Rushmore. A popular folk song in San Isidrano Labrador is "La Manzanera" (The Apple-Woman), which tells of a Donnaconan woman and apple seller who has a whirlwind romance with the singer before leaving once again. "La Manzanera" is quite popular at all sporting events. Other than apples, the mountains are home to potato farms, weaving, sheepherding, and some limited mining and steelworking. Many sports are popular here that are not popular elsewhere. Yes, there is the ever-present football and some basketball, and even a baseball team, but sports like tennis, field hockey, cricket, badminton, and cesta punta are the principal entertainments of the region's villages. A few national team players come from here, such as the Catalan Masimiliano Moret, or the Donnaconan-San Isidrano Clotaire Guignol.

The mountains are the most sparsely populated region, with the old Donnaconan settlement of Mont Pomme (Montaña Manzana, Apple Mountain) being the largest town. Yet, at 60,000 residents, it is much smaller than the principal cities of the other regions. It has wonderful architecture and a quaint feel that one does not get in bustling ports like La Cartaya or grand metropoles like Valleverde.

Eura 4-1 San Isidro Labrador

SIL Goalscorers: Xavi Hidalgo 47'

by **Tikariot** » Thu Mar 10, 2022 12:15 pm

Having qualified for the past three World Cups, including one Ro16 appearance, Tikariot had established itself as one of the multiverse's top footballing nations, even though the latest edition of World Cup 89, hosted in Tikariot and South Newlandia to boot, had been a major disappointment with only one point and the Copa Rushmori was another desastrous performance. After a lot of discussions about the future direction of the team and with it the future of coach Stuart Ekstrom, the TFF had decided to put things behind them and look ahead instead with an unchanged management side of things moving into the qualifying campaign for WC90 and unfortunately Tikariot fell short by one point, missing out on the playoffs. Now, with former assistant coach Brian McAllister returning from a very successful tenure in Sargossa, where he won two Copa Rushmori, Tikariot's football faithful are looking towards a turnaround of their fortunes, which took a first step by surviving the group stages of the Cup of Harmony 82 and now will hopefully continue its upwards trajectory with the Copa Rushmori XL, trying to build on McAllister's successes in this particular tournament.

The same the fans of the senior team, the fans of the Owlets also deserve particular mentioning. Not only are they renowned for their chants, but they are also bringing the Thunder Clap (Click here for example) to the stadium, something that the players join in as a pre-game ritual that has left an impression on the opponents and opposing fans more than once (OOC: similar to the Haka of the New Zealand All Blacks). The players will form a triangle near the kick off circle and lift their arms, which the fans do as well. Then a lone drum will start to signal the rhythm and both players and fans alike will move in unison, each clap accompanied with a loud cry, the claps (and cries) speeding up, creating an overwhelming sense of impending doom.

Brian McAllister - 48

After having been assistant to now former coach Stuart Ekstrom, Brian McAllister made the move to Sargossa and enjoyed a lot more success than his former mentor, having two Copa Rushmori victories under his belt, so with the expiration of his contract in Sargossa and Ekstrom's dismissal after the disappointing string of results aligning, the timing was perfect for McAllister to return to his native country in the driver's seat. He had been a proponent of the same flexible 4-3-3 setup that Ekstrom had almost perfected to a point and that has not changed during his Sargossan employment, which should make the transition for McAllister easier.The 4-3-3 is still the established system, but flexibility and fluidity play an important role, allowing for the full backs to push forward or the wingers to fall back to create a numeric advantage and either quell opponents' advances or overwhelm them in the play forward. Tactically well educated players are very important in his system as he allows his players a certain degree of freedom on the pitch as well, such as the wingers switching sides or the full backs overlapping the wingers in order to remain unpredictable for opponents and create holes other players can dive into and pull apart the opposing defense.

GOALKEEPER

GK | Elliot CARDUCCI | Age: 26 | Team: Avanaroch White Wings | Caps: 0 | Clean sheets: 0

DEFENDERS

LB | Anthony WALLACE | Age: 22 | Team: Carathyr Emeralds | Caps: 0 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0

CB | Walter THOMAS | Age: 23 | Team: FC Rotmunde 1932 | Caps: 52 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 6

CB | Dominic EOVALDI | Age: 21 | Team: Port Rhovanyon AFC | Caps: 0 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0

RB | Armon HERRERA | Age: 25 | Team: Guillarim Blades | Caps: 0 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0

MIDFIELDERS

LM | Bjarnólfur AÐALSTEINSSON | Age: 26 | Team: Carathyr Emeralds FC | Caps: 0 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0

CM | Liam DAWSON | Age: 21 | Team: Avanaroch White Wings | Caps: 0 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0

RM | Callum BAINES | Age: 25 | Team: Cyrene Bay | Caps: 5 | Goals: 1 | Assists: 1

FORWARDS

LW | Alan CASTANHEIRA | Age: 26 | Team: Avanaroch White Wings | Caps: 2 | Goals: 2 | Assists: 1

CF | Angus GUINNESS | Age: 26 | Team: Eivora Athletic | Caps: 1 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0

LW | Annika NURMSALU | Age: 18 | Team: Bul Khungur Miners | Caps: 0 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0

GOALKEEPERS

GK | Nathan KLINGBEIL | Age: 21 | Team: Guillarim Blades | Caps: 0 | Clean sheets: 0
GK | Steve MORROW | Age: 19 | Team: Baraldhur AFC | Caps: 0 | Clean sheets: 0

DEFENDERS

LB | Bryan HARRISON | Age: 20 | Team: Xanark City | Caps: 0 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0
CB | Isak LIVERSTAM | Age: 21 | Team: Deprí Lanar | Caps: 3 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0
CB | Morgan STEPHENSON | Age: 26 | Team: Zenit Attapawiskat | Caps: 7 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0
RB | Stephen MHOR | Age: 30 | Team: Avanaroch White Wings | Caps: 16 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0

MIDFIELDERS

LM | Israel CONRAD | Age: 23 | Team: Oriannor Mountaineers | Caps: 4 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0
CM | Þorgríma ÁSTÞÓRSDÓTTIR | Age: 19 | Team: Ysgrann Bay Eagles | Caps: 0 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0
CM | Colton WYNTER | Age: 25 | Team: Avanaroch White Wings | Caps: 0 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0
CM | Callum USHER | Age: 29 | Team: Hibernus | Caps: 24 | Goals: 1 | Assists: 2
RM | Corey SEDAR | Age: 19 | Team: Guillarim Blades | Caps: 0 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0

FORWARDS

LW | Jesse LILJESTRAND | Age: 23 | Team: Port Rhovanyon AFC | Caps: 9 | Goals: 1 | Assists: 3
CF | Kieran BEAUMONT | Age: 25 | Team: Emerald Coast | Caps: 0 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0
RW | Kevin SPITERI | Age: 20 | Team: Xanark City | Caps: 0 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0

+4

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes-ish (TG me and I can give you the names for scorers, assists and more, but we'll figure this out one way or another)
Godmod scoring events: No
RP injuries to my players: Yes (just please be reasonable)
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes (again please be reasonable)
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes (same deal)
Godmod other events: Likely not? (Please TG in this case)

by **Trans-Dniesters** » Fri Mar 11, 2022 12:08 pm

(OOC: Once again, I am continuing the story of the Pridnestrovian intervention in Ceroat, a story which began in NSSCRA but has now spilled over to the Copa Rushmori. Relevant parts can be found here (1), here (2), here (3), and here (4).)

"Is that it, sir? Is that all?"

"Pardon?" Miroslav Riley, Commander of the Movement for a United Ceroat and de facto leader of the new internationally recognized Ceroatian government, asked back.

"Is that the only reason why you invited me here, Commander?" asked Riley's guest, former stock car driver Taras Lakrov. "To show me the devastation the aliens have brought down upon Ragusapolis?"

"Not quite, I'm afraid, Taras," Riley shook his head. "Yes, I did want you to see what Ragusapolis looks like now, but the main reason I invited you to come here was because I believe we had found something in the outskirts of the capital. Do you by any chance remember the name Nicholas Mladenovic?"

"Of course, sir," Taras nodded. "Mr. Mladenovic was the head of the Ceroatian Automobile Federation. It was his idea to form Motorsports Ceroat and send us to NSSCRA to promote our country to the rest of the automobile racing universe. Why are you asking me this, Commander? Have you found him amidst the Chaos?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Riley affirmed. "Our troops had come across his dacha during our advance towards Ragusapolis. The soldiers entered the dacha looking to clear it of enemy combatants, but instead all they found was Mr. Mladenovic at his desk, dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The rate of decomposition suggested that Mr. Mladenovic had committed suicide many months ago, perhaps even during the early days of the Chaos."

"But why would he commit suicide, Commander?" Taras asked. "I don't understand. Something must have happened during the first days of the Chaos to push him to such despair."

"That was what I thought as well," Riley said. "We didn't find any trace of Mr. Mladenovic's family inside the dacha. No sign of his wife or his two daughters. Given what we now know about the alien invaders, it wasn't too farfetched to imagine that Mladenovic's family had fallen victim to those infernal heat rays, as the Pridnestrovians call them, and that witnessing such an event would have broken Mladenovic to the point of suicide."

"I am sensing that there is a but to this story," Taras thought aloud.

"And you would be right," Riley nodded. "Our soldiers searched Mladenovic's dacha for anything more that could tell us about what happened during the early days of the Chaos, and why our government fell so quickly."

"And did they find something?" Taras asked.

"Oh, yes," Riley nodded. "They found something in the basement. And that's what I really wanted to show you. Come with me, Taras," the Commander said as he laid a hand on Lakrov's shoulder. "We're going for a ride."

Riley and Taras walked out of the mansion that the Commander had been using as his personal quarters during his stay at the Ragusapolis frontline. Riley noticed the two officers that had brought Taras here, and he called out to them. "Captain Kirilenko! Lieutenant Lambert! Come with me and Captain Lakrov. You both have earned the right to see what I am about to show the captain."

"I wonder what this is all about," Eduard Vladislavovich Lambert said as he turned to follow the Commander.

"I have no idea," Rachel Kirilenko admitted. "But it must be something important to the cause if the Commander is this excited about it."

"Would you mind getting behind the wheel for us once again, Lieutenant?" Riley asked as their group approached the UAZ-3162 jeep that Lakrov, Kirilenko, and Lambert had driven to the outskirts of Ragusapolis.

"Yes, sir. Of course, Commander," Lambert nodded as they got into the UAZ. He backed the UAZ out of the place where he had parked it, and then they approached the third checkpoint, which was now the first checkpoint for those who wanted to go out of the mansion. "The Commander wishes to visit the Mladenovic dacha," Riley told the guard on duty. "Don't call them about us though. I wish to conduct a surprise inspection during my visit."

"As you wish, Commander," the guard nodded. Lambert drove the UAZ through the rest of the checkpoints before finally getting on to a state road. Riley gave the lieutenant directions to the Mladenovic dacha, and the drive there took around fifteen to twenty minutes as they navigated back roads and military convoys. Eventually, they arrived at a location that looked similar to the mansion where Riley had been staying; the only difference being that it looked more dilapidated than the one Riley had taken over. There was a small military presence around the dacha composed mainly of Ceroatian MPs, but Taras was surprised to see soldiers in NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical) warfare gear also milling around the dacha. "Soon, you will all understand why," Riley replied cryptically when Taras asked him about it.

The Ceroatian MP guarding the entrance of the driveway leading to the dacha saluted and stood at attention when he recognized the Commander in the backseat of the UAZ. "My friends and I would like to see the dacha," Riley said.

"Yes, sir. Go right in, sir," the MP said, and then he nodded at the other MP in the guard booth, who pressed a button that raised the metal barrier blocking the driveway from the rest of the road network. Lambert drove the UAZ in before he was met by yet another MP who led him to the right place to park, which was beside a couple of KamAZ trucks. As they got out of the vehicle, Taras noticed a priest in black robes standing over a grave near the dacha with a group of four or five soldiers. "Who's buried there?" Taras asked.

"That's Mladenovic's grave," Riley replied. "We couldn't just leave him where he is in his office, you know. The man deserves a proper burial. It's the least that we can do for him."

"Of course," Taras nodded. And then he made the sign of the cross and said a short prayer for the late Nicholas Mladenovic, even though Taras didn't consider himself a very religious person. The four of them then continued on their way to the dacha, but before they could get to the doors, they were stopped by a Pridnestrovian soldier wearing a full-face gas mask. "Only authorized personnel are allowed inside," he said.

"I am Commander Miroslav Riley, leader of the Movement for a United Ceroat," Riley said. "My companions and I wish to see the vault."

"I recognize that, sir, and I recognize you too," the soldier replied. “But like I said, only authorized personnel are allowed to go down to the vault now because of the potential biohazard risk.”

“Then how come I was allowed to go down into the vault yesterday?” Riley asked.

“That was also the first time the vault was opened, Commander,” the Pridnestrovian soldier said. “We didn’t know what was in that vault until later on. Now access has been restricted until we can conclusively prove if the substance inside the vault is dangerous to us or not. If you would really like to see the inside of the vault again, you can proceed to the truck over there and talk to the scientists.”

“Very well then,” Riley nodded. “Come on, then!” he told the others with him. “He said we should go to the truck, then we shall go to the truck!”

Riley led his little group to the truck at the other end of the field that the soldiers had turned into a parking lot. This one looked more field a field command center than a transport vehicle with all of the tents and tables around it. There appeared to be two people near the truck, a soldier and a scientist. The soldier held up his hand when he saw the group of Ceroatians approaching him, the universal sign to stop. "State your name and reason why you're here," the soldier said.

"I am Commander Miroslav Riley of the Movement for a United Ceroat, and I would like to look at the photographs of what we found in the vault underneath the dacha yesterday and show them to my associates," the Commander said.

"Let them through, Oleg Dmitriyevich," the scientist said. "I'm sure that neither the Commander nor his companions are alien impostors."

 SPACE ELEPHANTS 0 - 3 PRIDNESTROVIA   
                       KAPRIYANOV (3')
                       ANGELOV (10')
                       FOKIN (17')

by **Isle Noire** » Fri Mar 11, 2022 2:42 pm

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod Scoring Events: No
RP injuries to my players: Yes
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Hand out Yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out Red cards to my players: No
Godmod Other Events: No

Isle Noire National Football Team

The Sentinels

Manager: Lars Merrington (52)
Formation: 4-4-2
Style Mod: +0.5

Starters
GK Kenzi Issington (25), FC Masaka
RB Lyra Penn (29), Masaka City
CB Rea Gomm (26), Pennington Gyora
CB Atwater Lynne (24), Masaka City
LB Typhon Gadsby (32), Cyda Mountain
RM Ysba Magari (25), FC Masaka
CM Banjai Ansott (28), Pennington Gyora CAPTAIN
CM Kerri Piloscyk (31), Century Boita
LM Mynt Toscek (23), Cyda Mountain
ST Doyru Larsta (26), Parrington Casta
ST Jett Dotsara (30), Century Boita

Bench
GK Ellara Boheim (24), Masaka City
GK Rhia Lott (23), Century Boita
RB Pyntha Gresharian (28), Rhada Gyora
CB Yanta Plott (21), Cyda Mountain
CB Jara King (34), Ankara Boita
LB Taria Moss (20), Pennington Gyora
RM Arla Pixel (26), Cyda Mountain
CM Annette Goer (24), FC Masaka
CM Baia Kane (23), Katahari
LM Imogen Kilimanjaro (25), Masaka Dyta
ST Lumoski Penthaven (29), FC Masaka
ST Malda Jusovin (24), Katahari

by **Mytanija** » Fri Mar 11, 2022 3:08 pm

GOALS GALORE FOR GANNOT AND CO.
PROFESSIONAL HOOPS PUT WORLD CUP LAST SIXTEEN IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR

by Nevenka Planinc

MYTANIJA 4-0 BROOKSTATION
MYT: Gannot 14’, 26’; Atsev 47’, Kuhar-Arh 76’
BRO: none

MYT: 1. Besak; 3. Savicevic, 4. Mbala-Ekakia, 5. Kovacevic; 2. Urankar, 10. Atsev (sub. Kuhar-Arh 60’), 7. Smajic (sub. D. Ocokoljic 71’), 8. Hrdaljko (c) (sub. Urbanc 71’), 6. P. Odonelec; 9. J. Ocokoljic, 11. Gannot

BRO: 1. Latibeaudiere; 2. Harlow, 5. Angeles, 6. Caceres (sub. Donaldson 55’), 3. Gigore; 6. Polnareff, 7. Jacks (sub. de la Vega 55’), 8. Veum; 10. Johnson, 9. Robes (c), 11. Cust (sub. Wague 62’)

A rejuvenated Mytanar team roared out of the starting blocks and had pretty much outstripped their opponents by half-time, if this match had been a 100 metre sprint the athlete in the hooped kit would have had time to look back at their rival before reaching the finish line. Damien Gannot was in fine form – something he hadn’t managed to display too much at the World Cup proper as Mytanija relied on Jezdimir Ocokoljic for goals – helping himself to a first-half brace before winning the free-kick which Omer Kuhar-Arh would score from later on. It was a good example of the sort of performance Gannot has shown in recent years, less false nine and more complete striker who can do a bit of everything. You have to imagine that Lev Repin will feel vindicated in giving it one more go with these players, there’s still potential to be eked out of the squad and they demonstrated it in this battering of a game Brookstation.

Gannot’s opener was laid on by the excellent Gavril Atsev, the Atletik Thessia playmaker seems to be taking the national team’s creative responsibilities on single-handedly at times, with a deft one-two between Atsev and Jezdimir Ocokoljic opening Brookstation up. Atsev was then able to get away from Laron Veum before playing a reverse pass in between the Brookstation centre-halves for Gannot to run onto. The Sabrefell Athletic forward did what he does best, confidently finishing low past Joel Latibeaudiere. The Dursten Easterners goalkeeper didn’t have too bad a performance, making seven saves over the 90 minutes, but his defence didn’t help him out and Mytanija would breach his goal three more times despite his best efforts.

Less than ten minutes later it would be Gannot again, this time heading past Latibeaudiere after a lovely piece of play down the left flank. Ermin Urankar has made the left wing-back spot his own, something which might worry his club colleague Damir Milcic who was first choice in that position for so long. Anomalies have the best of both worlds, being able to select both and playing Urankar as a left-sided midfielder, but Lev Repin cannot do the same thing given his move towards using wing-backs and it means one of the two has to miss out. It was Urankar who was at the heart of the move leading to Gannot’s second, receiving the ball from Mersudin Smajic and jinking past a defender before curling a devilish cross into the penalty area. Gannot was brave to meet it with his head under a firm challenge from Angeles, angling the ball beyond Latibeaudiere for the second time.

Brookstation managed to get through to half-time at only 2-0 down but the Mytanar pressure would begin again as soon as the second-half kicked off and when a Hoops’ corner wasn’t properly cleared with the ball looping up dangerously all that was needed was a player to run onto it and volley it home. Thankfully Gavril Atsev was on hand to steam onto it and lash the ball into the net, connecting sweetly with his left boot and directing the ball high into the Brookstation goal. Poor Latibeaudiere was left slumped against his post, unable to do anything to prevent the goal. The initial clearing header had let him down and then the lack of urgency to close the potential shot down made it easy for Atsev to make it three.

The game lost a bit of tempo following the third with both teams resigned to the end result. Repin withdrew Atsev on the hour mark, allowing the midfielder to receive a rapturous ovation from the travelling fans. Omer Kuhar-Arh entered the fray and the Hoops shifted to the 3-4-1-2 which they had used for a long time until Repin chose to go for a three-man central midfield unit. With the game comfortably won the manager later decided to withdraw both Mersudin Smajic and the stand-in captain Alen Hrdaljko. An all-action midfield pairing of Dusko Ocokoljic and Dordo Urbanc came on in their stead. That could prove a shrewd move by the gaffer given that there is an extra group game at this tournament and players will get through a lot of extra yards as a result, every bit of rest could prove invaluable in the long run.

Damien Gannot managed to hold off a challenge from the substitute Donaldson, eventually drawing a foul against the physical defender. Omer Kuhar-Arh stepped up to take the resulting free-kick, bravely telling Jezdimir Ocokoljic that he fancied the opportunity. The Atletik number ten was justified in his decision mere seconds later as he got the ball up and over the wall and then back down underneath the crossbar to make it 4-0. If there were a textbook example of how to take a free-kick then this might well have been the illustration used for it and the goal added the gloss on what was a fantastic team performance and one which bodes well for the remainder of the group stage.

Elsewhere Pridnestrovia won their group opener against Space Elephants 3-0. Mytanija and Pridnestrovia came into the tournament close in the Rushmori rankings, the latter being the group’s top seeded team and already it appears the match between the two teams could be crucial in deciding who ends up with a potentially easier tie in the knockout rounds. Mytanar representatives for post-game interviews were sheepish about that idea, as you might expect, but there has to be an understanding that the match day 3 showdown between the teams is the key fixture. Brookstation are the next closest ranked side in the group and the Hoops dealt with that challenge very well and Lev Repin will hope that the next game against Space Elephants follows the exact same pattern.

by **Pasarga** » Fri Mar 11, 2022 3:54 pm

The dual islands welcomed the whole of the region to itself for the hosting of the Copa Rushmori 40, aka Copa Rushmori XL, as forty teams from across all of Rushmore come to Pasarga to determine the regional championship. With it being a monumental edition of the tournament, the PFA decided that it would bid to bring the tournament back to where it was first conceived as an idea, in the dual islands and Torgos specifically. Nearly a century ago representatives from Pasarga, Nethertopia, and Candelaria And Marquez met inside the PFA headquarters in Torgos and set down to discuss the idea of a regional tournament. Ideas were bandied about between the three different parties before a consensus was made and a decision to found the Copa Rushmori was made, representatives from Sargossa would also lend there support towards the tail end of the initial deliberations. Plans were drawn up for the first edition and how the eventual rankings were to be handled for the regional tournament, although it would take several editions before the Rushmori rankings would officially come into existence.

A century on, it is a bit sad to know that the Wanderers are the lone still competing representative from the three founding members of the tournament, although a team representing Nethertopia has played in a tournament within the last decade but their entry was an apparent one off rather than a signal of returning full international activity and representation from the Nethertopia lot. It is because of the founding of the tournament that the area in which the dual islands, Nethertopia, Sargossa, as well as Candelaria And Marquez reside in are sometimes referred to by fellow Rushmori nations as the "home nations", in addition to also being a bit away from other more busy parts of the region. While it has not always been the case, such as when Pasarga shared a domestic league with Queer Poco el Mono Ara, but the northwest of the region is a bit of a desolate place with governments that have risen and fallen like the coming of the tides. Despite that, the four home nations remain standing tall, even if Nethertopia and Candelaria And Marquez have more or less cut themselves off from the international community.

The Wanderers are set to begin their entry into the tournament, after the draw put them as the first team in Group A and thusly were awarded a bye on the first day of group play in the group. While traditionally the first match of the tournament is played by the host country, due to the schedule of this edition of the tournament, instead the Wanderers were in the stands watching the opening game playout rather than be part of the ceremony that the first game is often associated with. Instead the first match of the tournament saw one of the tournament favorites in Cassadaigua take on the Gatchingerrak Union in the Stade de Torgos. The Dagans were more than willing to oblige the capacity crowd of ninety thousand with a display of good football, besting the Union team by five goals to one, setting out a very intense tone that they are indeed looking to try and add the elusive regional title to their already very impressive trophy cabinet that includes a World Cup trophy. Cassadaigua is a very well known team in the footballing world and unfortunately for the Gatchingerrak Union, they got to experience that quality first hand and a fine display of it.

The Wanderers are next for the Dagans as they set their sights on trying to find a way to get the monkey of the regional title off their backs, as it has only been within the last few decades that the Dagans have really put an emphasis on the regional tournament. Before that, they were almost entirely focused on the World Cup itself, a noble endeavor to be sure, but as of late they have found more interest in the regional game and have slowly been building up good performances in the regional tournament in order to try and grab the regional crown. Meanwhile the Wanderers despite their intense focus on the tournament have been seeing their fortunes slide off and not be nearly as good as they would have desired, being upset twice in the group stage of the last edition of the tournament and eliminated from the group stage despite having come into that tournament as one of the favorites. Without a permanent assigned manager and having come off a very disappointing exit from the group stage of the World Cup, despite being the highest ranked second seeded team in that tournament, there is not much hope that the Wanderers can contend with the Dagans. Yet playing in front of their home crowd in a monumental edition, there might just be a bit of magic in the air for them to grasp and pull off the unexpected result.

Copa Rushmori XL - Everything Thread

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