World Cup 91 [roleplays]

[Adab]

Tuesday, December 7, 2038
Adab 2-2 Tumbra
Adab scorers: Yargab (20’), Yissakar (79’)

---

Tuesday, December 14, 2038
Zwangzug 2-2 Adab
Adab scorers: Barzani (65’), Akaptaha (74’)

A Dance with Football
Snapshots of the lives of the people involved in Adabian football and those associated with them
For a full list of chapters click here. To read all the chapters in one go click here
For an (incomplete) list of major/prominent characters in this story click here and scroll down to the ‘Football’ section

Chapter 64: The Eyes, Emma, They Never Lie

Alulim Sinmuballit had faced his share of unexpected things and unforeseen challenges in life, but none of them prepared him for this. He never expected it to happen this way; maybe, he thought, he wanted this to happen, but not this way. He had never imagined it to occur in this manner, and especially not in times like these. In his mind he would be the one to take the initiative, once he felt ready and brave enough to do it. She never displayed much interest in things like this; a modern, rebellious woman was not the first one he’d expect to invite him to plunge into the traditional, age-old institution of marriage.

Yet, when he turned his head around to face Emma Arthur on one knee, extending her empty hand to him with a simultaneously unsure yet determined expression, the reality hit him quickly. His eyes caught Emma’s, and for what felt like an awfully long time they were locked in an uneasy silence, almost not moving, Alu’s eyes scanning Emma’s stance as if still not believing that she had gotten down to one knee, Emma taking in Alu’s surprised, wordless face, knowing she had done the thing she wanted to do but wondering if this was all a mistake all along.

Alu’s mouth opened just enough to reveal his teeth, rising behind his dry lips, but still nothing was said. His head lowered ever so slightly and slowly as his eyes focused on Emma’s extended hand. His own hands ached to move, maybe to reach out to hers, maybe to just simply move instead of remaining bizarrely frozen like a statue. But they did not move, and as time passed, every second feeling longer than the one before, Emma found her hand empty still, and the figure of Alu towering over her, barely reacting.

And when there was finally a reaction, it wasn’t what Emma wanted to hear. Alu spoke first, managing a short sentence in a half-whispered tone, so surprisingly cold and almost uncaring. But even colder was the darkly slow shaking of the head as he uttered those words. “What is this?”

She pulled her head back slightly, her neck tightening and eyes narrowing as she took stock of the reaction. “Wh- what do you mean ‘what is this’?”

Alu could only shake his head again, but this time he did it more rapidly. “Emma, I…” he trailed off, his tongue jutting out to quickly wipe his lips before pulling back into his mouth. “I… I don’t understand…” he trailed off again.

Emma tried to maintain a composed front, but inside, as she found her gesture greeted with little more than confusion, she almost wanted to chuckle. But chuckle she did anyway, although it came off as half-hearted and sad, one chuckle lasting barely a second before stopping, then followed by another which had more or less the same duration, never linking together to form even a perfunctory laugh. “I…” she began. “I asked you to marry me.” Her tone was flatter now, with no color in her voice. The reality had dawned on her, and she – as half-hearted as ever – began to withdraw her hand, lowering it to her side. Her eyes left Alu’s face, traveling down as her lips tightened and her teeth gritted quietly. “i…” she repeated, “…asked you to marry me.”

“You know…” Alu had now composed himself just enough to continue, but his breathing was clearly heavier. “…Emms, I love you, and, uh, I’m… honored,” he put an emphasis on that latter word, “I really am. It’s- it’s just that…”

“No,” Emma nodded. Now it was her turn to wipe her lips with her tongue. Her eyes had now reached the space between Alu’s feet and her head was bowed, “you don’t have to speak. I understand. I- maybe this isn’t the right time to do this. Huh, stupid Emma at it again. Bubblehead,” she chuckled again, her mouth opening and widening. “Sorry if I’ve taken away your precious time.”

“What? No,” Alu raised his voice, taken aback by Emma’s lingering downcast tone. “Emms, look, it’s not that-“

She raised her knee off the floor, head still bowed and avoiding directly gazing at his face. When she was fully standing, she bowed even deeper, almost to ninety degrees, like a servant to her master. “I’m sorry. I’ll- I’ll be in my room if you need me.”

“Emma- no, look, don’t go-“ He finally reached out to her, but by this time she had turned around and rapidly made her exit, disappearing into the nearby hallway.

Adab lineup for World Cup Qualifiers MD11 (December 21, 2038 vs. Montesina at home) and MD12 (December 28, 2038 vs. Legalese away)

Starting lineup: Chandrasekar, Altun, Enmerkar (VC), Akshak, al-Maliki, Arthur, Emmita, Orlev, Akaptaha, Yissakar, Yargab (C)

Substitutes: Shulgi, al-Tikriti, Issou, Thomas, al-Muntar, Samanu, Uhwan, Zambiya, al-Kufa, Barzani

[Valentine Z]

Part 5 – Kitten Claws, Kitten Paws, Kitten Mews.

“Valentine Z! Valentine Z! Valentine Z!” the crowd chanted as the Kittens went into the game. At first, it was a whirlwind of confusion with the cheer like the rest of the games, what with many of the spectators (mostly from other nations) chanting it as “Valentine Zed”. For the purpose of the nation’s name, however, the Valentians were quick to politely and nicely remind them that it is indeed “Valentine Zee”, and soon afterwards many of them cheered in unison for the Kittens. With them feeling right at home, the Valentians played against the players from Pluvia and the Saxean Isles (nicknamed the Magpies) on that faithful day. This time, the Valentians more or less made it well established that the home-field advantage was not just a buzzword, and they followed that by denying the Magpies from all of their possible goals. The likes of Austin Davies (#6), Carsten Francke (#11), and Rory Goldberg (#7) have all tried their best, to no avail of the Martian Valentian who has been doing well and better since the last season, and from the last few matches after Dawson has been out. The goals would come from one Helen Jennifier Hiroto Morishita Chiyumi, who metaphorically plowed through the competition as well as being a little too eager to nearly tackle her own teammates, to kick the ball towards the goalpost, perhaps regretting the action a little bit as she realised that that was a very risky kick. However, the kick got into the goal anyway, and there was much celebration had on the 31st minute of the match before moving on as quickly as possible. Another goal came from the midfielder Daina Allison Leela Phon Seng Sreynuon at the 76th minute, after having the ball passed onto her by Holly Annemiek Gerrieke Van De Hoogte who was unable to find a clear shot onto the goal line. Once again, the Valentians managed without injuries, but it was only a matter of time before they had to make sure that they are not going to be short-handed, not especially when things were getting crucial. Markus would have to make the call.

That night after the 9th match, Markus sat down together with Clarissa, along with the 3 new hires that they have looked into and shortlisted. “We are going to hire all 3 of them into the team, right?” Clarissa asked, hands fiddling around with the pen as she looked at their profiles, “They are very good and strong picks, I will definitely give you that! And there is no need to worry about overcapacity, at least not in the immediate timeframe. I am definitely very optimistic that they will be able to play well with the rest of the team!” Markus nodded and added in a remark, “I am glad that you can look at it very brightly, I really do. I also hope that they will be able to learn on the spot. I mean, they have the experience from the domestic events we have, but with different people outside of our country, they might need a bit of practice.” And with that, the three hires have been made, all goalkeepers. Eveline Valeria Annalise Tiêu Xuân Ngọc, Jakov Emile Janessa Mirko Varteks Modrić, and Josief A. Yandi Eko Yohanes Dharmawijaya. As for the reasoning behind them, are described by Markus’ as he explained, “She’s fast, I will give her that. I didn’t just mean like fast with her legs. She’s also quite a good thinker. May need a bit more experience on the field. Jakov – you see that guy? No one is going past him, he is going to block almost all of their goal shots, trust me. And of course, Josief. Has the most experience out of the three. I think he’s a little all-rounded, I have not seen him blocking out extraordinary shots, but he has been in the domestic leagues for quite some time, it’ll do him well.”

The three goalkeepers stepped into the lounge of the Kittens’ clubhouse, all of them welcomed with kind and warmly greetings by the rest of the team. “Congratulations, you three are now the honorary member of the Valentian Kittens,” Markus announced, with Clarissa taking down notes with Valentijn beside her as the couple also wanted to meet the new team in-person. Markus continued on, “As it was mentioned in your letters of offer, you are all going to be goalkeepers because well, let’s face it, we are a little short on the goalkeeper aspect, you know? I know a few of you may be lacking the experience a little, but hey, don’t worry about that-“ just as suddenly, Markus threw a soft practice football towards the three new faces, to which Eveline caught it first with her hands. Markus continued on, “As you can see, what better way to learn than in the field, yeah? Plus, well, *touch wood*, I think we can afford just a teeny-tiny bit of on-the-field practice.” Eveline nodded with a smile, along with Jakov and Josief whom in turn shook the hands of Clarissa and Markus respectively. Markus and Clarissa struck a little bit more conversation, one about how the former nearly missed a football match when he was called back for his re-service as part of the Valentian Reservist Forces, “Was a good close match too, but hey, duty calls!” Jakov said proudly, “Was manning the station because you know, the war got us all on edge, and so a defense drill was run. I guess they wanted us to know that an invasion can happen any time, so forget about the football match, and stuff like that.”

Fast-forward to the match against the North and South Vietnam held in Tiên Sơn Stadium (Đà Nẵng), the Valentian Kittens were finding themselves beating the first thing that they encounter – sweltering heat and humidity. “Oh my giddy aunt,” Katarzyna exclaimed, much to the amusement and the agreement of everyone else, “I thought the Valentian summers can be warm, but wow. I hope we are up for this.” Sammie added on to that with the simple yet often overlooked reminder, “We got to keep our water near us. Going to be one hot day, eh.” Most of the Valentians were accustomed to the heat since they have been living in the tropical areas. Those who have lived most of their lives in the cooler parts of Valentine Z were not very lucky. The problems would extend far beyond the pre-match complaints about the heat, as it would soon carry over to the match, and perhaps might end the Valentians.

Significant events that have happened on the match. [OOC: I have chosen some players from your roster, and I assume your formation is 4-3-3 (the most common one). 4 DF, 3 MF, 3 FW. I have taken a few liberties here-there.

NASV’s Team:
1. Võ Trúc Cam (GK)
5. Trần Long Anh (DF)
6. Văn Công Trúc (DF)
7. Võ Thuần Minh (DF)
8. Ngô Trình Nam (DF)
14. Vũ Nam Đức (MF)
15. Phạm Nam Quyền (MF)
16. Hoàng Tú Hữu (MF)
19. Trần Bích Trúc (FW)
20. Ngô Hùng Hải (FW)
21. Vũ Bích Tuân (FW)

The Valentian Kittens Team:
Goalkeeper:
# 64 - Martina Anastasia Hedvig X. Luna Bukvić
# 4 - Eveline Valeria Annalise Tiêu Xuân Ngọc

Forward:
# 3 - Holly Annemiek Gerrieke Van De Hoogte
# 6 - Štěpánka Caitlin Madeline W. Sedláčková
# 7 - Emerson Jamie Taylor Erin Scott Maddox

Midfielders:
# 14 - Katarzyna Violetta Zofia Aleks Polańska
# 20 - Sammie Arif Raihan Bin Mohamamad Andika
# 31 - Daina Allison Leela Phon Seng Sreynuon

Defenders:
# 50 - Helen Jennifier Hiroto Morishita Chiyumi
# 55 - Nathaniel Orla Hayden Johnstone McMahon
# 60 - Marlene Isabelle Lisa Roselyne Pasquier
# 70 - Vanuza Poliane Elaine Castro dos Reis

6’: The heat was a bit too much for Martina Anastasia Hedvig X. Luna Bukvić even at the beginning. Upon being asked by her teammate, she gave a thumbs up.
11’: Vũ Nam Đức #14 from NASV scored a goal against the Valentian Kittens. 1–0 for the NASV-Val Z. Martina still insisted that she can still be in the game.
15’: Holly Annemiek Gerrieke Van De Hoogte once again managed to get a score against the Vietnamese players. Score is then 1–1 at very moment of game.
20’: Martina Anastasia Hedvig X. Luna Bukvić denied a ball, but delirious from the excessive sweating (and tiredness), kicked the ball out of line and plopped.
21’: With the permission of the referee, and with the ball out of play, Martina was swapped out by Eveline Valeria Annalise Tiêu Xuân Ngọc. Ball back in play.
23’: Trần Bích Trúc (#19) scored a goal against the Valentians, with Eveline citing later that she was just getting warmed up back then. Score became 2–1.
31’: Holly Annemiek Gerrieke Van De Hoogte scored yet another goal, this time working around the NASV defensive lines. The score became 2–2 at that point.
45’: Half-time, no further incidents. Martina Anastasia Hedvig X. Luna Bukvić sat down at the bench, taking a breather. No minor injuries, just heat exhaustion.
48’: Vũ Bích Tuân (#21) scored against the Valentians, much to the ire and ticked off Eveline muttering to herself and promising to do better. Score is then 3–2.
51’: Antel Marcel Georgia Katona Vass Dániel, after getting the ball from the Forward Valentians, managed to score a striking goal. Score is now 3–3, tied again.
53’-60’: A few more goals made their way to Eveline Valeria Annalise Tiêu Xuân Ngọc, to which she managed to stop effortlessly, saying she is finally awake.
73’: Elisabetta Enzo Hannah Lodovica D'Elia got a yellow card after accidentally leaving the play field with the ball in her possession. “Whoops,” she shrugged.
75’: Daina Allison Leela Phon Seng Sreynuon kicked the ball harder than a pile driver, shooting the ball straight into the goal post and to the shock of many. 3–4.
88’: Hoàng Tú Hữu (#16) kicked the ball into the goal after passing and weaving through the Valentian defenders. Goal denied by Eveline, with a smile on her.
89:33: In a last desperate attempt to get a goal for the fun of it, Holly Annemiek Gerrieke Van De Hoogte kicked a ball towards the goalpost. She scores! 3–5.

“Valentine Z! Valentine Z! Valentine Z!” the Valentians cheered – some of them on the televisions back home in Valentine Z, the others visiting and buying 2 stadium tickets for the each of them, and many more along the way. Eveline along with rest of the Valentian Kittens players checked up on Martina, to which she indicated that she will be fine, but just like Dawson, would like to rest for a few more matches, and perhaps as a form of giving the new players a chance. They carried Martina over back to the dropship, while the other half of the team comforted Elisabetta for her issue on that day, “Ahh, don’t worry about it,” Markus patted her on the back, reassuring her, “These kind of things happen and hey, it’s not like you did that intentionally. So long as we don’t get a red card, haha.” Elisabetta smiled back with a thanks, and then took off with the rest of the Kittens to join in on the conversation:

“-… So, I was wondering why there can’t be any other cheers, like, well?” Eveline trailed off.
“Oh? Such as?” Holly asked, as she walked beside Eveline, “Oh and yeah, you did great today!”
“Thanks, you too! Oh, like.. you know – “Valentine Z, Meow!” will that be a little weird?”
“Haha, I suppose so. I don’t really hear anyone cheering like that, guess that was unusual.”

Updated Roster for MD11 and beyond (Red = Injured and out, Green = Able to be substituted if you do injure my players; green players in order of preference of substitution):

Goalkeeper:
#  4 - Eveline Valeria Annalise Tiêu Xuân Ngọc    - 435.71 cm - F - 32 - Nam Từ Liêm, Hanoi, Vietnam
#  2 - Jakov Emile Janessa Mirko Varteks Modrić   - 441.44 cm - M - 37 - Varaždin, Croatia
#  8 - Josief A. Yandi Eko Yohanes Dharmawijaya   - 438.23 cm - M - 34 - Gelora, Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, Indonesia
# 64 - Martina Anastasia Hedvig X. Luna Bukvić    - 428.50 cm - F - 33 - Martian Territories of Valentine Z
#  1 - Dawson Joshiah Davidson Brooks Marshall    - 429.80 cm - M - 32 - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Alanis Star, Valentine Z

Forward:
#  3 - Holly Annemiek Gerrieke Van De Hoogte      - 431.60 cm - F - 36 - Zaanstad, Netherlands, Victoriaans Nederlands, Valentine Z
#  6 - Štěpánka Caitlin Madeline W. Sedláčková    - 433.47 cm - F - 31 - Brno, South Moravian, Czech Republic, Valentine Z
#  5 - Elisabetta Enzo Hannah Lodovica D'Elia     - 425.41 cm - F - 28 - Florence, Tuscany, Italy, Valentine Z
#  7 - Emerson Jamie Taylor Erin Scott Maddox     - 426.14 cm - M - 33 - Mankato, Minnesota, United States of America, Voorzichtigheid, Valentine Z
# 10 - Joaquina Samanta Alonso Clara Lombardo     - 424.20 cm - F - 30 - Lanús, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Alanis Star, Valentine Z
# 11 - Kortnev Grigoriy (Grisha) Konstantinovich  - 432.16 cm - M - 37 - Saint Petersburg, Russia, Valentine Z

Midfielders:
# 20 - Sammie Arif Raihan Bin Mohamamad Andika    - 427.31 cm - M - 35 - Singapore, Singapore, Valentine Z
# 30 - Antel Marcel Georgia Katona Vass Dániel    - 432.11 cm - M - 34 - Székesfehérvár, Central Transdanubia, Hungary, Valentine Z
# 31 - Daina Allison Leela Phon Seng Sreynuon     - 419.50 cm - F - 29 - Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Valentine Z
# 14 - Katarzyna Violetta Zofia Aleks Polańska    - 438.50 cm - F - 34 - Chorzów, Poland, Valentine Z
# 88 - Clemente Kenneth Evans L. Jiang Guanyu     - 430.20 cm - M - 30 - Taiyuan, Shanxi, China, Vostrov, Valentine Z

Defenders:
# 40 - Iraj Alexander Soroosh Homayoun Hashempour - 425.00 cm - M - 32 - Ahvaz, Khuzestan, Iran, Valentine Z
# 55 - Nathaniel Orla Hayden Johnstone McMahon    - 432.00 cm - M - 36 - East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, Victoriaans Nederlands, Valentine Z
# 60 - Marlene Isabelle Lisa Roselyne Pasquier    - 420.22 cm - F - 31 - Saint-Denis, Paris, France, Victoriaans Nederlands, Valentine Z
# 70 - Vanuza Poliane Elaine Castro dos Reis      - 425.31 cm - F - 29 - Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Alanis Star, Valentine Z
# 50 - Helen Jennifier Hiroto Morishita Chiyumi   - 434.50 cm - F - 28 - Osaka, Kansai, Honshu, Japan, Vostrov, Valentine Z
# 65 - Sigfreður Gamalíel Onyx Jason Steinason    - 431.10 cm - M - 41 - Martian Territories of Valentine Z

[Pasarga]

Struggle follows the Wanderers like a specter haunting the individual who put them into the afterlife. Even when the Wanderers win, they do so in a very uncomfortable fashion that makes the fans in the stands and watching at home very nervous until that final whistle is blown at the end of the ninety. It is struggle that seems to personify what this team is and what their recent history also has been, whether for good or for ill. Struggle is all that seems to be on the cards and it is sure to keep the blood pressure of the dearly beloved fans raised high as they watch and cheer on the Wanderers in the upcoming fixtures. It is far from the ideal sort of scenario, given the alleged strength of the side as a whole and the players who make up the team, but that is the reality that we have to face.

This is perfectly exemplified in the previous international weekend when the Wanderers first played host to the second to last Schima Bas. The opponent had allowed seventeen goals through seven games and had been struggling to contain opposition attackers, while not being particularly threatening going forward themselves with twelve goals to their credit. From the opening whistle the Wanderers looked like they should have had the run of the game, looking far more polished in their passing and collective movement as a group. Yet they failed to find inroads past their guests midfield and defensive lines, being forced to settle for long range efforts that were easy for the keeper to save. Vojmil Topić, the CAP star winger, had to play hero in the eighty-second minute with a blistering shot from the top left of the box that managed to curl in beneath the elbow of the far post. A game that should have been a two or three goal victory at home instead needed a moment of individual brilliance to even be a much needed three points.

It did not get any easier when the Wanderers hit the road to travel to eighth placed Ziwana. Like Schima Bas, Ziwana had an extremely leaky defense heading into their confrontation with the Wanderers, allowing twenty-one goals. However they also had a bit more firepower behind their attacking talent, having put seventeen goals past their opponents in those same eight matches, which was the same amount of goals to the Wanderers credit heading into the match. The home crowd seemed to be giving the Ziwana side a boost and they tested Mezeineith two well crafted chances in the first twenty that he had to be alert to. At the halftime whistle, the home side had looked the more likely of the side's to grab a goal, but it was still scoreless between them. Mihály Bernát was brought on for the struggling Nagy and slowly the game started to slant in favor of the Wanderers. Ilona Kárpáty was brought on for Ubul Kuruc just past the hour marknas the Wanderers pushed hard for a winner. The two subs would then combine in the seventy-third for the opener, with Bernát getting on the end of a killer through ball and chipping the keeper. Michel Sarrazin would head home a corner in the eighty-ninth to seal the victory but once again far from comfortable for the Wanderers.

The struggle is all to real and makes every game feel like a heart attack waiting to happen and heartbreak is constantly on the cards. The inability to properly handle sides that are supposed to be finishing in the bottom half of the group is troubling, as is the consistency of being inconsistent in all phases of the game. It makes trips to midtable Cardenao seem like a dire sort of affair where the Wanderers have a better chance of dropping points than they do with walking away with a victory. If there is a bright spot it is that the defense was able to bounce back after the embarrassing performance against Tikariot and put up a pair of clean sheets against some competent attackers. It is not enough to erase all of the struggle or make up for the two abysmal showings in the two losses but they have shown that they will not allow one bad result to kill their confidence which is so often the case.

[Cassadaigua]

Queen Cassie II: I’m not stepping down,
by Ashley Fournier, Concord Heights Times- Palace Affairs Correspondent

For most of her reign, Queen Cassie II has not dealt with any scrutiny. Things have been going along pretty smoothly and other than a controversial decision in regards to international sports, it’s been a rather routine time for her. Even though the most sports obsessed fans out there might be watching World Cup qualifying right now and thinking that there is nothing more important going on in their country, there really is. Sports are merely a form of entertainment. The economy continues to flourish. Men’s rights are not much of an issue right now, even though they will say (and probably be right) that there is a lot more that we need to do in that regards. The streets are safe. Walking into a dark alley at 3:34am in the inner city but not be the wisest thing to do but I’d feel better doing that in Cassadaigua than I would in a lot of other places. The educational system continues to be functioning at a high level, and the nation is not involved in any troubling foreign affairs or conflicts. Given all of that, there should not be any reason for the Queen to have to defend herself as to why she is not stepping down. Most just think that she should because of a number, that being 75. Despite being that many years old, Queen Cassie II is in good health. However, comments from Princess Brianna and some jabs going back and forth between Brianna and Cassie III, who will be the next Queen, have people wondering if Cassie II should step down moreso because they want to see a new face rather than the old one being well, an old one. It’s not all about sports, is it?

Queen Cassie II made a statement yesterday about those questioning whether or not she should step down. It would go as follows, “This is in response to those thinking that we are planning on undergoing royal succession soon. We are not. I am confident that my daughter, Cassie III, will be a great Queen when it is time for her to do so, but that time is not right now. I have no intention right now on stepping down, or any time in the near future, quite honestly.” That’s that then, right? Well, it will have to be, but people probably would have liked to hear her address some of the bigger issues of the critics, one being the sporting decisions and the next being the record high increase in military spending. The latter, by those with closer knowledge of the Cassadagan military, feel it is an innocent increase in spending, due to recent events in the region in the world, and just to make sure that Cassadaigua would not be seen as a secure place, but to have the type of “sleeping giant” military that you do not want to wake up and annoy. Rachel LaSalle, among the nation’s top military officials says that, “The money is mostly going into modernizing equipment. We’re not building a bunch of nuclear warheads with this. Our air force is going to see most of this spending, with our planes getting faster and the ability to drop more bombs than our current fleet can, on a per plane basis. Hopefully it will not be needed, but if it is, we’re protected. Our ships will see the ability to increase their firepower as well, and for our ground troops, it’s as much about personal protection advances as it is about more guns.” Ok, I’m not a military expert or anything, but I think I can live with that. The economy is flourishing, so with that, why not modernize the weaponry. You know, just in case.

So, what about the sporting issues? We are one of the greatest sporting nations in the world, with some even saying we’re number one. Therefore, even though there are bigger things to a country’s ruling powers, sports is important here. Queen Cassie II did not address any of that, and she is not backing down from the decision to exclude the hockey team from that World Cup. It’s too late now, anyway, but even she could change her mind that is not going to happen. Cassie III said that she would talk to her mother at the rally before the qualifier at Delte. We have not heard anything about how that went, or if the Princess even did, at all. I feel that there was a conversation, but fear that it might have been a short one. I am also beginning to wonder if Cassie III, herself no longer a spring chicken, is getting a little antsy about finally taking over.

In other palace news, it is expected that Princess Brianna is going to be petitioning palace lawyers in the coming days for legal actions to be declared next in line to the throne. Seemingly out of nowhere, Princess Chelsea (who is second in line, behind Cassie III as Brianna is not technically part of the line), made a statement that, “The Royal Court needs to consider Brianna’s argument now, before it becomes a bigger issue later. We cannot wait until when my mother steps down to have any showdown. The Court has expected Brianna to go away quietly in terms of having a claim to the throne, but she has not and in fairness to her, she shouldn’t. It is in everyone’s best interest to get this done, and to get it done now!” Princess Chelsea has always been closer to Brianna than to her older sister and people have always wondered if Chelsea would take that unique side in this argument. That comment will get more people wondering, for sure.

[Tjorl]

The Tjorlish Rainbow - An Overview of the Main Competing Political Parties in Tjorl [PART II]

— PRIMZAHL LIBERAL UNION —
Leader: Alexander Ludger Lang
Ideology: Classical liberalism
Position: Centre to centre-right
Nickname: PLU | Taklen
Symbol: Torch

The third of the "Big Three" Tjorlish political parties. While they have never had a leader rise to power as Prime Minister, they have been known to exert great influence on the Montertag, especially in the 1990s. However, with the rise of De Grönnen and the slow growth of the USN, the Taklen's votes in the recent federal elections have been declining. The PLU has been described as being classical-liberal or conservative-liberal. They support a free-market economy, limitation of government interference, and privatization of important utilities, such as public transport. As for their social policy stance, they are known to support more leftist policies. In the upcoming elections, it is projected that the PLU will land in either third or fourth. It is also predicted that the Taklen will be forming a coalition with the USN, as they have expressed opposition towards Gunnarson's administration.

— KRISTIEN SOLIDARITET PARTI —
Leader: Edvin Anton Günther
Ideology: Christian Democracy
Position: Centre-right
Nickname: KSP | Kryssen
Symbol: Cross

As Tjorl is a country where a majority of its population at least identifies themselves as Christian, it comes as no surprise that a Christian-oriented party was established. Ever since the 1920s, the KSP has been a regular fixture in Tjorlish elections. In terms of economic and fiscal policies, they lean more towards leftist ideals, believing that public ownership and giving power to the poor is an important aspect of fair governance while capitalism can be used for greed that causes more social inequality. However, the Kryssen are more right-leaning when it comes to social issues. They are opposed to the progression of LGBTQ+ and abortion rights. the legalization of marijuana, the introduction of the death penalty, and the concept of euthanasia. In the upcoming elections, their votes are expected to dwindle compared to 2018, as many believe a chunk of the KSP has migrated instead to either the SDP or the rising trendy TMP.

— GEMAINSAM ARBEID PARTI —
Leader: Frank Lauritz Brant
Ideology: Democratic socialism
Position: Left-wing
Nickname: GAP | Rosen
Symbol: Rose

While much of the socialist citizens in Tjorl have voted for the much more reliable but moderate SDP, a huge chunk have also voted for the Rosen, an enduring symbol of the Tjorlish socialist fight for work reform and rights. Founded in the late 1970s, the GAP took some time to gain some traction due to the tense period that was going on concurrently, but once it gained the momentum it needed, it never looked back. An especially surprising election in 1994 saw the GAP win the fourth-most seats in the Montertag. As a democratic socialist party, the Rosen is leftist on both economic and social issues. Most of its members advocate for market socialism while a smaller number support participatory socialism. The GAP are projected to finish fifth this year, overtaking the aging KSP. A lot of the more moderate members might vote for either the SDP or GAP, while the more radical members might even vote for the more obscure Communist Party, which only brings in around 2,000 to 3,500 votes every election cycle.

---

In other news...
Another huge victory scored by Tjorl in the World Cup Qualifiers

After their bye on Matchday 9, Tjorl capped off the first window of their World Cup qualifying campaign against United Adaikes, which was important to say the least as De Frostkjemper were only five points behind third place. Tjorl got off to a decent start: they found the space they needed, they got off the shots they wanted, and they converted the chances they created. However, it didn't immediately yield an outcome, as the United Adaikes' defense held firm, which they did for the whole first half. Unfortunately for them, Tjorl finally got their breakthrough when Franz Kaufer's header in the 77th minute finally put De Frostkjemper in front. Now having a lead, the Tjorlish offense became much less daring in the dying embers of the match. While the United Adaikes' offense tried to find their own opportunities, they were stumped again and again by the Tjorlish back line. This was enough for Tjorl to get the crucial three points. Team skipper Kaufer said "It's nice that we got this win. I think that we played like we wanted it, so we got it. Hopefully this remains the same in future matches." After their 1-0 victory, Tjorl remains in sixth, yet only two points away from current third-placers Yuezhou.

[Darmen]

Republicans Still Top, But Labor Makes Gains in Municipal Elections
-Dominique Delaney, Political Correspondent

With a record turnout of nearly 65.5 percent of eligible voters, over 4.8 million Darmenis expressed their opinions on who should lead their municipal councils. Unsurprisingly, the Republican Party has remained the party with the most support, with 38.26 percent of valid votes going to the party of the current President. But the opposition National Labor Party has closed the gap that exists between the two parties; at the 2053 general election the parties were separated by fourteen percentage points, with that gap now closing to just nine and a half; and in the process has claimed an additional eleven mayoralties to bring their total to 30 nation wide. The NLP has also added 194 municipal councilors to its ranks.

The Republicans meanwhile have experienced a net loss of nine mayoralties and 146 municipal councilors nationwide. Despite these losses, the Republicans have actually increased their share of the vote compared to the 2051 municipal elections by 1.12 percent.

The Liberal Party has continued to get hammered since public opinion turned against the preceding Rademacher administration, with the party suffering a negative swing of seven and a half percent. Many of the voters who have abandoned the Liberals have turned to the Civic Democratic Union, led by former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Henrik Augustine, which has positioned itself as was it calls the "reasonable pro-Rushmori alternative." While the CDU ran lists in only a handful of municipalities in preparation for a full campaign in 2057, the new party still picked up four council seats nationally and nearly one and a quarter percent of the popular vote.

Christy Fontaine, professor of political science at the University of Romanopolis, gave her analysis of the election results, "Despite their significant gains, the National Labor Party has to be disappointed in the results. The Republicans had a thirteen point swing in their favor when Woodrow took over the party in the 2051 elections, but Labor under the new leadership of Sebastian Elliot managed to receive a swing of just shy of ten percent in their favor. I certainly don't think this is cause to abandon Elliot and search for a new leader, rather, I think these elections will necessitate a bit of reflection on the part of the NLP to reassess what a more realistic goal might be in the two years before the next general election."

Other Headlines

• Labor secures sole control of council in Tilden, council likely to file lawsuit in attempt to stop tunnel construction
• CPL requires coalition with Republicans to continue governing New Istria, path forward for party increasingly unclear
• Two straight wins revitalizes qualification hopes for All Greens, tough road still ahead
• Rainy spring delays planting season for Darmeni farmers, increased food prices possible

[Brookstation]

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I||II||III||IV

The 20 is a blog series where authors of Brookstation's biggest football blog, The Beautiful Game documents the lives of some of the best players to have played in Brook soil. Aimed at inaugurating the 50th edition of the Harrison Shield, we document the lives of the players who define the top 20 football clubs in Brookstation.

THEODORE THEOPILE:THE UNLUCKIEST FOOTBALLER IN BROOKSTATION

Retirement is a sad thing indeed and as a matter of fact, every footballer has to hang up their boots one day. These retirements are marked by sadness deep down our hearts but it is a matter of pride as well for us to see everyone commemorate the legacy of the player as well. But if we are to actually discuss the subject of retirements of footballers, we can’t possibly exclude Theodore Theophile, a man whose retirement is truly remarkable.

To bring things into context, we need to go back to the 2012 Brook Football League, when Halebid faced the Other side of Paradise for the final match. If Halebid could manage to hold Other side of Paradise to a tie, the title would be theirs but if they didn’t manage the win, the title would go to Regiis Dreamland due to a difference of 2 minutes. The match was 1-0 in favour of Halebid with only a few minutes to spare. It was when Jacob Bethell received the ball and drove straight towards the defense with a young Andreas Roles following him. Bethell defeated Theophile and passed the ball straight to Roles who bottled it straight into the goal, equalising the game and shattering Halebid’s dreams of winning the title at the same time. Not being able to tolerate such a severe loss where captain Theophile, who considered himself as the sole person responsible hung up his boots.

Born in 1978, Theodore swiftly rose through the ranks in Bachero Tomas' team. In 2000, Theophile made a move to Halebid Warriors, a team that often found themselves towards the top of the table. He started for Halebid throughout the season, not missing a single match and soon impressed everyone with his physique. Halebid finished a disappointing 5th that season but Theophile would go on to establish himself as one of the most consistent Brook defenders over the next four years.

His consistency was finally halted by an ankle injury sustained in 2004. This injury kept Theophile out of football for almost three months and this sudden halt in his consistent career would be a crucial part of his life. Nevertheless, he did recover and soon got back to action in Halebid. In that year's Harrison Shield, Theophile helped his team go undefeated through the qualifying stages , allowing only 6 goals past him. Halebid would then go on to defeat AFC Richmond 3-0 in the Quarter Finals to gain a spot in the Semi Finals. One of the goals against AFC Richmond came thanks to Theopile's brilliance when he dribbled the ball along a long path before crossing it straight to Russel who would finish the job. But in the semi finals against an emerging Dreamland City side, a disappointing Solomons header would send Theophile and his men back to Halebid.

His elegant performance in Halebid caught the eyes of clubs like Other side of Paradise and AC Dason but he refused their transfer deals fearing that he might lose a permanent position in the team. Theopile returned the next season fully recovered but his problems didn't stop following him. During his absence from the club Shiv Goswami and Dario Gamber would replace him as centre backs. Their performance heavily impressed coach Brereton Kehl. Kehl didn’t want to change his defense which had proved to be working well and in coordination which finally resulted in Theophile playing as a left winger back.

This change in position would rather work to the club’s advantage and would prove to be a pivotal part of Theopile’s career. Theophile would soon adapt to his position and in reality, just get better with time. His crossing skills which had been concealed all those days were unleashed and he proved to be a crucial man for his team. He would not only beat his opponents to steal the ball but would also build attacks from the back.

“I knew Theophile is a beast and he can play in any position. My decision wasn’t meant to be a fluke.” Brereton Kehl (Halebid Warriors manager 2003-2009)

That season, Haleid finished at 4th place in the table but failed to gain success in the Harrison Shield yet again. The Harrison Shield had always been bad for Theophile. In 2007’s Harrison Shield, he played without error against an amateur Leitvambusch side, assisting his team to a comfortable 4-0 victory but Theophile would find a terrible time in Halebid’s next two matches. In Halebid’s match against title holders Artiana, he would miss a header to deflect the ball giving an easy way to Buonanotte to score Artiana’s only goal of the match. Furthermore, he was also sent off that match for pushing McKennie.

But on the other hand, Theophile would continue to perform for Halebid in the league, helping them gain wins after wins and at the same time improving in his new position. Halebid finished 2nd that season, their highest table finish in 9 years. Playing in Brookstation, where football has always been played in an offensive manner, Theophile stood out clearly as the best defender of his time.

“ On the field, Theophile looked more like a knight than a footballer. It seemed that he held that invisible sword, ready to slaughter anyone in his way. It would require a lot of planning to break past the Halebid defense.” Oscar Leon (Regiis Dreamland striker 2004-2009)

The first time Harrison's blessing would actually grace Theophile would be in 2008, the very year Theophile entered his 30s. Halebid managed an easy qualification to the Quarter Finals, having been a prominent club in Brookstation for quite some time. In the Quarter Finals, Halebid would be up against Kars Club, a team that had shocked Brookstation by defeating giants Other side of Paradise in their run. Thus it wouldn’t be an easy task for Halebid. Both the teams wanted a win desperately. Halebid hadn’t managed a Harrison Shield win for 14 years even if they gained other silverwares during the period. Kars on the other hand managed to reach this far, defeating prominent clubs in their run and they were obviously not in a mood to ruin their record.

Theophile dribbling the ball past Shkotan striker Jamie Smith

But it wouldn’t be easy for the Kars attack led by Andrew Valentin to overcome Theophile. Theophile gave his best performance of his career that day. 90% of his tackles were successful, something that rarely occurs in the sport and at the same time most of his crosses worked out for the Halebid attack. Kars faced a humiliating 5-1 defeat to Halebid. Theophile was the undoubted man of the match even if the awards were handed to Alexander Cust for his goals. Halebid would go on to win the Harrison Shield in 2008 after a wait of 14 years and a major part of this victory had to be credited to Theodore.

Theophile would eventually earn the captaincy for his club in 2009. Theophile couldn’t do much as a captain apart from earning Halebid another title in 2011, a year before his unfortunate retirement. Theophile also started losing his physique due to his old age and slowly but surely he began to slow down on the field. He couldn’t make those tackles as he did when he was in his twenties but he didn’t give up. Theophile intensified his training in order to keep himself fit and always made the best efforts to stay as a part of the defense. But Theophile was an exceptional captain and he planned out the team’s attacks on the field itself. He could be seen communicating with his team members throughout the match encouraging them to play better. Theophile had altogether changed everyone’s impression on defenders and to a certain extent he is responsible for the current defensive system that exists in Brook football.

Even if Halebid were disappointed with their title loss in 2013, there was another man who was more disappointed. A man who couldn’t bear his supposed “mistake” , even deciding to hang his boots and disappear from the football scenario. Regardless, Theophile continues to inspire the current defenders of Brookstation. Given the fact that Theophile had a brilliant career, his efforts for the team should always be up for commendation.

---

MORE FROM THE BEAUTIFUL GAME :

Brereton Kehl:A man too good for a manager
Other side of Paradise manager Marius Popescu reacts to Mercury Sport's erroneous article on Felix d'Amienz
A collapsing Brook defense suffers in the hands of Squornshelan Remnant States
"We won't make the same mistake again." says captain Robes before Brookstation's match against Efnakia

[Srednjaci]

IGOR BOŽIĆ

Dear viewers, good day to you and welcome to Studio 1 WAS Television.
The qualification cycle for WC91 continues and our players are waiting for the objectively toughest opponent in the group, currently the first-placed Eura team.
Against the Eura, we already have one victory in our two mutual duels. Therefore, I believe that our players will know how to play against this team.
This match will close the first part of the competition.
Eura has 23 points in the first place, while we collected 21 points in the second place. It's very important that we try to beat the opponent in this match. Our attack is much more effective than the Euras. Our players scored 27 goals while the rivals scored 18 goals.
But the defense is much more stable at the Eura team with only 6 goals conceded while our defense conceded 14 goals. This is going to be a very tough game, the best attack game in the group against the best defense in the group.

Let's listen to what our coach Bojan Radulović says.

"Eura is a very good team whose back line is like the strongest wall. They have the best defensive players probably in whole qulifiying but they are not overly creative in attack. Robson is still their best player at the moment. He stands out in this team. Let's not forget that they haven't lost the game yet. We are very creative in attack, but in that creative we leave a lot of space for the opponent to counterattack. We have studied how the Eura plays and I believe we will find a solution to break through that last line of defence. "

It is true that our team is playing more offensively than ever. Against Arjunnagar we achieved the highest victory in history and Isidor Matković scored a hat trick.
Radulović wisely rotates the players, he knows that the qualifications are long and that he has to rest the key players more.
Despite that, Isidor Matković is brilliant and he is currently the best scorer of our team. However, one name stands out more and more and that is Petra Marinović. Petra plays great and every time she gets a chance to play she manages to delight us all.

Let's look at the results and scorers of our team in the games so far.


Srednjaci 3-1 Mertagne

37' Isidor Matković (1:0) assist Takanobu Tavano 
56' Li Peng (2:0) assist Danijela Majić 
78' Ante Tomljanović (3:0) assist Li Peng
88' Tara Number (3:1) assist Pia Aziz

Gyatso-kai 3-4 Srednjaci

28' Takanobu Tavano assist Isidor Matković (1:1) 
44' Isidor Matković (2:2)
62' Ante Marinković in- Li Peng out
62' Ivana Julišković in - Takanobu Tavano out 
67' Ante Marinković (3:2) assist Ivana Julišković 
68' Marko Štegotić in - Ante Tomljanović out
81' Ante Marinković (4:2) assist Marko Štegotić 

Srednjaci 4-1 Polkopia

37' Ante Marinković assist Julia Stamatova (1:0)
42' Petra Marinović assist Elina Efimova (2:0)
50' Ivan Županović (3:0)
78' Petra Marinović assist Marko Štegotić (4:1)

Brenecia 4–3 Srednjaci

Li peng 38' (1:0), assist Tomljanović
Byrne 41' (1:1)
Carpenter 49'(2:1)
Lofthouse 55'(3:1)
Matković 57'(3:2) assist Zimmer 
Zimmer 65'(3:3) 
Garrard 76'(4:3)

Srednjaci 4–1 Maphidon

22' Petra Marinović (1:0)
51' Elina Efimova (2:0), assit Ivan Županović
60' Ante Marinković (3:0)
78' Konstantin Kozlević (4:0), assist Elina Efimova

Omerica 1–0 Srednjaci

none

Srednjaci 1–0 Kuraita

56' Ivan Županović

Natanians and Nosts 1–2 Srednjaci

52' Ante Marinković, assist Marko Štegotić
79' Petra Marinović (2:1)

Srednjaci 6–2 Arjunnagar

18' Isidor Matković (1:0), assist Danijela Majić
23' Isidor Matković (2:0), 
40' Li Peng (3:0), assist Isidor Matković 
52' Isidor Matković (3:1), assist Ante Tomljanović
56' Petra Marinović in, Isidor matković out
62' Li Peng (4:1), assist Takanobu Tavano
70' Takanobu Tavano (5:1), assist Petra marinović
76' Ivan Županović in, Takanobu Tavano out ; Ante Marinković in- Li Peng out
80' Petra Marinović (6:2) assist Davida Zimmer

As I said before, Isidor Matković leads the list of scorers, followed by Petra Marinović and Ante Marinković. Li Peng has not yet shown all his deadly potential.

TOP SCORRERS

1. Isidor Matković - 6 goals
2. Ante Marinković - 5 golas
2. Petra Marinović - 5 Goals
4. Li Peng       - 4goals

We have a very important match ahead of us, a match that will close the first part of the qualifying competition. A match against the objectively toughest opponent in the group, but we must not forget that Brenecia is blowing into our neck from third place. Brenecia has a great team this year and we have to be very careful because Brenecia is playing very well. Above all, we felt it on our skin with a 4-3 away defeat.
Dear viewers, you are comfortably seated, prepare your snacks and drinks. We wish our team a great game and support our players.
The commercials are followed by a live broadcast of the match against the Eura.

[Raspotochje]

KOTIGA DAILY NEWS - Sports

FOOTBALL WORLD CUP 91
COLD SHOWER AGAIN !

writter : Luka Trošić

After a great two games it seemed like our team was finally getting competitive and competitive but none of that. Our players again recorded two defeats in a row. Unbelievable but in two games we received 8 goals and scored only one. Horror before our eyes.
But we do not lose hope that these qualifications will be the most successful for us, they say that hope dies last.
R.I.P. Hope.

Well, after a pleasant 7-1 win and a flight to heaven came a cold shower with two defeats. Better a cold shower than a golden shower, I say.

Raspotochje 1–4 Al Qurija
HUElavia 4–0 Raspotochje

-  Group 11                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 Pemecutan                        10    9   1   0    36   13  +23    28
 2 Chromatika                        9    7   1   1    25   10  +15    22
 3 Kimi-Suomi                        9    5   1   3    25   16   +9    16
 4 Al Qurija                         9    5   1   3    22   15   +7    16
 5 HUElavia                          9    4   3   2    16    7   +9    15
 6 Cabo Azure                        9    5   0   4    17   16   +1    15
 7 Saterun                           9    3   2   4    12   13   −1    11
 8 Saltstead                         9    3   0   6    17   22   −5     9
 9 Thibaea                           9    2   0   7    15   28  −13     6
10 Raspotochje                       9    2   0   7    15   31  −16     6
11 Stresia                           9    0   1   8     5   34  −29     1

[Nyowani Kitara]

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Nyowani Kitara Watch
An unbiased source on all things Nyowani Kitara

Update from the Ground- Illegal Drug Trade 'Flourishing' in Nyowani Kitara, starts to come to the forefront of the minds of voters


A picture released by local police after a raid on a suspected drug safehouse in Dewayo

DEWAYO, NYOWANI KITARA- A post war zone is always an interesting place to be in, as well as an interesting place to study. We are watching the transformation of the state before our very eyes- the Kitara Revolutionary Forces, victorious in name only, can no longer double as an all-encompassing police force within the country. The big reforms of the Varakoula Peace Accords have created something that Nyowani Kitara hasn't had in around 35 years, and in all honestly, has never really had as a country- an open, stable, and functional political environment. Military and security forces that have been previously used to crush peaceful political opposition have been reigned in, and now this is a country that has a system that is allowing free and fair democratic elections. With a bunch of high-functioning democracies serving on the Joint Electoral Commission, and with Nepharans taking the lead- specifically, Peregrine Adler. She ran the referendum, and now, time for the main event- Nyowani Kitara's first ever free and fair democratic elections.

Six parties, of course, have separated themselves from the pack in these unprecedented times. With the Central Military Commission being neutered, and President Nafuna Akongo otherwise under the watchful eye of Corvistone, the election is proceeding in about as "normal" of an environment as could be expected. Fortunately, there has not been any major incidents of election-related violence. "It is a credit both to the Peace Accords, the peacekeepers, and even the politicians themselves, that these have proceeded in a normal environment." Said a Kitaran political expert. "The environment itself is a wild one- refugees from across the multiverse, moving home every single day. People in the midst of re-building homes and communities destroyed by the Civil War. Five different sets of peacekeepers within Nyowani Kitara. And not a single violent incident. Would Nafuna Akongo try to start something if the eyes of Rushmore, and beyond, weren't trained on her like a hawk? We'll never know.

The main issues in this election, of course, are the issues you'd expect. How to deal with the fallout from the war. Who to blame. How to assign reparations. How to deal with war criminals, where to align Nyowani Kitara's foreign policy, etc... The stuff you'd expect after your country became Rushmore's biggest warzone, as well as a chessboard for Rushmori and beyond rivals to fight it out against each other. That's how these things go. But there is another issue that is arising, slowly, and yet surely, among the Kitaran electorate. Something that a lot of people from other countries have felt over a period of time, and now, is Nyowani Kitara's turn to feel this.

The rise of drugs.

Of course, there are drugs everywhere. Some places, it is legal. Some, not so. Nyowani Kitara are one of the places where most items described as narcotics are broadly illegal. "The law in Nyowani Kitara is fairly clear- anything harder than marijuana, including marijuana, is broadly illegal in all of its forms." But of course, that was before Nyowani Kitara was kind of a broken country. The same expert who gave the last quote said that there are compelling reasons for drug use to be skyrocketing among the people. "You're talking about a people that have been traumatized." The political expert said. "The collective traumatization of a nation, after the brutalities of civil war. Families divided. Brother against brother. Sister against sister. Is it a shock that people turn to illicit items to feel better about themselves? Probably not."

There has been a staggering increase in use of opoids, and other drugs, including and especially crack/cocaine. Cocaine farms have been busted out in rural Nyowani Kitara, and there was a raid on a suspected local drug lord's house in Dewayo- with the results pictured above. "There has been a vast increase in drug sales since the signing of the peace accords." Said the Mayor of Dewayo, who is part of the KPWC. "We want to remind citizens- these are illegal. We will protect our communities from those who come to ravage it." Of course, while drug sales have gone up drastically, there hasnt' been an outbreak of violence.

"Of course, that is likely due to the presence of peacekeepers." Said another political expert. "They may have the balls to go after local police, and even the KRF, to sell what they are trying to sell- but no miniature drug lord is dumb enough to think they can take on the f*$(@ng Euran Army."

We shall see if this grows as an issue as elections near.

---

Note: This government owned media source is the most biased media sources in the entire country, so read this media source, especially the other news section, with a critical eye. Foreign media observers would call it a KPWC propaganda outlet, a charge that they would most certainly deny. They routinely charge the Free Press with straight up fabrications, something the newspaper rigorously denies. With recent legalization of opposition outlets within the country, its reach will inevitably decline, but in response it is doubling down on its loyalty to the President, and particularly, the party. Obviously, everything is strictly IC.

The opinion section, of course, is written as the opinion of an anonymous writer for this paper

The Kitara People's Free Press
The voice for the working people of Nyowani Kitara

SPORTS- Nyowani Kitara 'frustrated' after four point window, yet 'confident' entering the second half of the World Cup Qualifying campaign

DEWAYO, NYOWANI KITARA- The Nyowani Kitara national team is in the midst of a brutally difficult World Cup Qualifying campaign, as Group 1 sits as one of the tightest groups in World Cup Qualifying. Just one singular point separates 1st place and top seeded Ko-oren from 3rd place Nyowani Kitara, and just 5 points separate top seeded Ko-oren from 5th place Sharktail. There are five teams in full contention to finish anywhere from first through fifth- aka, finish in any position from making the World Cup Finals directly, to qualifying for the playoffs as either a ranked seed, or they could fall to the wayside, with happiness and contentment only to be found within the Cup of Harmony.

In this window, first, Nyowani Kitara played Gnejs. In a game that could have been a lot tighter, Nyowani Kitara simply put their opponents to the sword at home. Odede Angonga had a hat trick to fuel the national team, as we beat them, 4-0, to get three points ahead of a key tie, away to Xanneria. "We were moving the ball well, both creating and attacking spaces that the opponent gave us, and most importantly, our finishing was on point." Liang Wei told reporters. "We had a great contest from almost everybody, and we got three points. Of course, in World Cup Qualifying, it is never about one match, or one result- it is about stringing together good results, consistently, over the course of time. That's what we intend on doing in this campaign."

Of course, for Matchday 10, they had a tough trip to Xanneria. It was a tight affair, as Nyowani Kitara sold out to try and get the three points on the road. Wang Jiahui hit a penalty in the 52nd minute, to give our side the lead. We tried to put them to the sword with a second goal- but could not finish. Their goalkeeper saved shots at point blank range from both of Nyowani Kitara's strikers, and Farmen Ekberg missed a header from point blank range against a stranded Xannerian goalkeeper. Of course, over the course of time, they started creating better chances, and Wang Jiahui himself got beat directly as Xanneria scored their third goal of the contest.

"I think that our team, for a majority of the contest, had the better of the run of play." Liang Wei told reporters. "However, unlike a few days ago, our finishing was poor. It happens. Xanneria did what they had to do to claw back into the game, and they had a quality goal." When Liang Wei was asked about the throat slash motion Wang Jiahui did at Commendant Pillar, in reference for Pillar's support of the UR Yuezhou Government, Liang Wei, unsurprisingly, defended his player. "It's not my fault Commendant Pillar is a supporter of the corporate suits ruling and pillaging my home nation." Liang Wei, also a Yue native, said to the press. "Yue should be a socialist nation, but unfortunately, the whole country is sold out for corporate interests. It disgusts me."

Unfortunately for Liang Wei, his defense of Wang Jiahui's actions have earned him a one game suspension for Matchday 11, alongside Wang Jiahui. A spokesman for the KWFA condemned the act from the WCC. "Once again, the WCC shows itself to be the pawns of Banijan and UR Yuezhou interests. We had a war, and those two lost. The suspension is a disgrace. It is not our fault that an illegitimate government controls the levers of power in Yuezhou."

[Eraman]

The prime minister, Tun Rendra Usin was visibly mad that day. Not because of the national team's 1-0 defeat at home against Banija the day before, he was happy with their performance against the world number 5. But because of the announcement made by the government of Acastanha.

"Spineless," he complained about the government of Acastanha to Samin Jali, his personal assistant cum special officer.

"In a sense, they were right, my boss. We need to take this to AMAN," the prime minister's right-hand man replied.

"I don't care if they are right or not. Their announcement made my approval rating drop by a half percent," said the angry prime minister.

"So, what should we do now, my boss?"

"I want you to do two things. Firstly, get out of my office, release an official statement welcoming the statement made by Acastanha and call for an AMAN assembly. Secondly, conduct an opinion poll in Acastanha. I want to know the chance of Benigno Karpanyo," instructed the prime minister.

"Benigno Karpanyo? The opposition leader of Acastanha?"

"Yes. He could be a friend. But first, we need to know his approval rating,"

"I don't like where this is going, my boss,"

"Just do it. And be discreet,"

"Consider it done, my boss,"

[Tikariot]

-- The World Cup 91 is covered by Wilbur Sorensen and Kendora Wintrup --

With the World Cup 91 qualifying campaign reaching its midway point with Tikariot hanging on to a one-point lead over group favourites Pasarga, the Tikariot Sports Gazette has reached out to one of the key players for the national team in recent years, who is widely considered as one of Tikariot's top talent, Morris Nighthorse. The Baraldhur AFC winger has been dubbed a "wunderkind" and despite only being 23 years old already is the national team's most capped player and by a wide margin also top scorer. Reason enough to take a closer look at the player that many view as the face of Tikariot's football.

Nighthorse is one of the few footballers of native Bashperian descent to have made it into the TPL, regardless of success level, with Henry Screaming Eagle and Mason Black Elk being the only two others in recent years. When asked about how much potential cultural divides could explain this, Nighthorse is quick to dismiss this theory.

Football is maybe not one of the traditional activities, it has been around long enough that there is no cultural stigma attached to it, you still see kids everywhere playing on fields and the streets. The fact that there are not that many Bashperians, especially native ones, to have broken through is likely just because there are not that many of us [laughs]. I mean as a province we just don't have numbers such as, say, Balkash.

With the best local club, the Samakar Chiefs, just having been re-promoted into the third-tier Tikariot National League 1, opportunities to play top-level football are scarce, which also is not necessarily a very good foundation to build successful professional careers on.

It definitely is not a perfect environment for that, that's for sure. There definitely are infrastructure problems, both in terms of football as well as economically, so money generated within the province doesn't really go much into sport sponsoring, but into other cultural foundations or just general expenditures that just have to be taken care of. So a lot of the local talent either doesn't really explore their possibilities or moves abroad into other provinces to try and follow their dreams.

Nighthorse himself moved to Baraldhur at a fairly early age to join the youth academy of Baraldhur AFC, where the coaches quickly realized that they had a special gem at their hands. He went through all the different age groups until he debuted for the senior team in season 100 and quickly became a teenage sensation.

I really can't say anything negative about the Baraldhur AFC academy, they really put great emphasis on an all-around education, so it's not just football from dawn to dusk, but they are after you to get your schooling done as well and even though I was not a big fan of that necessarily, I really like that fact at least. [laughs] I just wanted to play football, but I do recognize that they want to make sure that you have a balance. I mean, obviously you don't want to think about the possibility, but all it takes is one injury and your playing career could be over and then what? So they are doing their best to prepare you for any scenario.

When asked about the pressure his meteoric rise put on him, he is surprisingly calm about it.

At the beginning, it was quite difficult to adjust, because there were reporters literally everywhere. You know, almost to the point where you'd look under the bed and in the closet to make sure there were none there, but after a while you get used to it and the club officials also did a great job with keeping things in check. [...] The pressure on a young player is immense, though, just the expectations that are being put on your shoulders are not always very realistic or easy to deal with. As long as the performances are up there, it's all fine, but if you hit a slump, things can change quite quickly. I'm very happy, though, that the Baraldhur fans have been fairly good during the latter.

He won the Player of the Year award two seasons in a row and caused quite the stir internationally as well with his performances, leading to some rumours about offers from Banija.

Yes, I did have an offer on the table, ready to sign, but I decided against it. For one, I was just 20 years old, but also I have a lot to be thankful for here in Baraldhur and it is a world-class club with world-class facilities and staff, I feel perfectly comfortable and at home here, which I find is very important to me personally. The prospect of playing in the S-FPL is intriguing for sure and I felt and feel flattered, but here things are in place, the surroundings, the team, the fans, everything.

We asked him, if there would be a club or country that could sway is resolve in staying with Baraldhur, especially in the light of the Phantoms having a very tough time this season so far, having spent considerable time in the relegation so far, but Nighthorse showed a lot of confidence.

I know that right now things are tight, but we have had to deal with some injury problems as well. I'm confident that we'll be able to pull ourselves out of that and find our stride again. [...] Right now I wouldn't know any place or any team that I'd leave Baraldhur for, but I haven't really thought about that either. My focus is all on Baraldhur. And the national team, of course.

One thing that comes back a lot when reading through social media are questions about the person behind the player, what players do in their limited spare time.

I like to go out into nature and just be surrounded by it. Leave the cellphone at home and just be yourself is a beautiful feeling, I don't have to constantly post things to Instapound just to satisfy the fans' cravings to see or hear more or to feel more "in touch" with them.

The only question of ours that had him somewhat tongue-tied was about a potential future Mrs. Nighthorse, where he didn't have an answer for or, we suspect, did not want to have an answer for, giving his reaction.

For more coverage of both the Tikariot Premier League and also the national team, make sure to follow the TSG on social media.

[Kimi-Suomi]

Another WC section, another section where we aim for 3 points as a realistic aim. Sometimes, that does happen in a sport such as football and Huuhkajat know that they have to just keep going and katso miten asiat etenevät. This team knew they were getting points where they expected to get points and even some in places they didn't expect, but some of these matchdays were simple enough to follow and simple enough to understand and...that's OK. Sometimes, yksinkertainen on kunnossa. Let's go through this simple cycle, shall we?

We begin on the road at Thibaea, an unranked team with two wins on the books and were looking to get as many points as possible in their WC return. Former participants of WC81 and 87, Yvon Labelle's Warlocks were still a team with some sort of experience and we had to be ready for anything at Rougelle Stadium in Felmar. The hosts would take the lead early on through Zuriñe Iturburua in the 12th minute but from there, Esko Laaksonen had had enough and there would be no going back. Valtteri Nordström got us on the board in the 34th before the subs came on and this team caught alight - both Teemu Räikkönen and Jyrki Bottas managing to complete this turnaround in style before the 70th minute. 3-1 was the final score, the 3 points in the bag and kaikki oli hyvin....toistaiseksi.

We moved up into P3 heading into the big game of this cycle as the Anomalies of Chromatika came to Pesä. Like the game against Pemecutan, the aim was just to try and be as competitive as possible against a superior side...but that didn't mean Kimi Kaupunki wasn't going to try and make our home pohjolan helvetti. In that regard, we certainly tried, but Chromatika was always going to be the better team here and they would certainly prove that soon enough, Edith Fillar getting the first in the 26th and Emilie Kruetzberg with the 2nd in the 55th. Tero Salo added a consolation past Kathie Begley in the 87th, but that would be that. The Top 2 looks out of reach, but Kimi-Suomi remains 3rd on GD.

Mikä on tavoitteemme nyt? We entered this tournament looking to make Top 6 but now...we look good to try and make the Top 3, somehow. Is Kimi-Suomi actually a Playoff Contender? Is that even possible? Kuka tietää tässä vaiheessa. But we still have 11 games to go...so let's try to make them all count. We head to Saterun to end Ensimmäinen Puolikas before we start Toinen Puolisko against good ol' Sininen Niemi (Cabo Azure) on the road again. Two road games...Mitä voimme tehdä? NOSTA KUIN HUUHKAJAT!

[Alasdair I Frosticus]

OOC: This RP is inspired by ancient Sumerian myth, with Tzimisces substituting for Gilgamesh; it sort of seemed like the sort of style Tzimisces would write in.

THE DIARIES OF JUAN TZIMISCES

Volume 8,567, Folio 543, Chapter 100,067

The World Cup 91 Qualifier Against Aut-Ves-Nat

Oh Simeone, a rampaging army can only cry aloud where the night laments. So I cannot give evil omens to you!

There stood players before myself and Simeone, fetching wild-fowl and salt fish before the match against Aut-Ves-Nat.

Then I issued a proclamation throughout the mouth of the rivers. I summoned them all, Scleruso, Ducaso, Arianites, and others and commanded them, ‘Make a monument for my friend Simeone by winning this match.'

'As for you, Palaeologo, let your play be courageous. Of each minute of the match make a milk of fearlessness. I must cross the fine city gate of rushes and walk the great paths of the deep.'

I prophesied a victory, and none listened. Now devour the grove, or wail over the strongest of pits!

I stood in the stadium where the leakiest vengeful bee roams, and beckoned to the players with great fury.

Then my players pissed on the wires and angered the Digital Dog God Pog Magog.

Simeone whispered to me and told me, 'I fear the lightning will one day claim the dwelling of the cedar forest. And where then will the camels buckle?'

For three matches, there had been no mutations among my players. But then it came to pass that we were stricken with an inescapable fate...

'What a dark husk we have cried aloud for!' I cried out. 'Prepare to fall down! For falling rocks lie ahead, and only the fury of the multiverse might prevail.'

First Jorge Sphrantzes was stricken, and from his buttocks did grow ten pairs of hands.

How long have I languished? Oh World Cup Committee, my feet grow quiet with despairing! What fresh horror? Look, mutations will descend upon my team. Feel the quaking in my hair!

I could not enter a substitute upon the pitch, for John Curcuaso did sprout baby heads from his hips, crying out with pain!

Then at halftime Palaeologo washed his ferocious hair and trusted his sheepfolds; he threw off his godly garments and put on his new garments. So I accepted the sacrifice of his legs.

But little did I anticipate that he would then grow a new leg and foot out of the top of his head. Darkness descended upon my mood.

Turmoil did consume my team. From a 3-0 lead, once reduced to ten men we then succumbed t0 a 5-4 loss.

May the axeman, who prepared mutton for our mouth, mourn us. May the bronze-worker, who we rubbed with fine meal, mourn us.

If I fall in battle, men will say of me, despite his care, Tzimisces has fallen playing against the mundies.

Alas! What is life when all my secrets of the gods will come to naught, when the carp and the valorous polished bone visions of the Dreamed Realm will one day too be gone?

When we enter the second half of qualifiers, we must be valiant and not lack for resolve!

[Brenecia]

Brenecia 5 - 2 Gyatso-kai
(4-3-3) 12 - Tanner; 2 - Bravender (17 - Sidle 63'), 5 - Shrine, 6 - Giltanan, 3 - Seeler; 8 - Conway, 4 - Schofield, 11 - Covolan (23 - Garrett 76'); 7 - Carpenter, 21 - Lofthouse, 10 - Byrne (15 - Wake 76')
Goals: Covolan 13', Lofthouse 27', Byrne 33', Seeler 58', Carpenter 86'

Polkopia 1 - 2 Brenecia
(4-3-3) 12 - Tanner; 2 - Bravender (17 - Sidle 80'), 5 - Shrine, 6 - Giltanan, 22 - Culpepper; 13 - Garrard, 4 - Schofield, 11 - Covolan (23 - Garrett 80'); 15 - Wake, 21 - Lofthouse (9 - Lamorak 65'), 10 - Byrne
Goals: Lofthouse 29', Wake 62'

Brenecia 3 - 3 Maphidon
(4-3-3) 20 - Dundalk; 17 - Sidle, 18 - Killen, 6 - Giltanan, 3 - Seeler; 8 - Conway, 4 - Schofield, 13 - Garrard (11 - Covolan 74'); 7 - Carpenter (15 - Wake HT), 9 - Lamorak (21 - Lofthouse HT), 10 - Byrne
Goals: Lofthouse 51', Conway 56' pen, Covolan 90+1'

Dorian Blackwood was a traditional man. He kept his head slightly bowed, his hat in his hand. He was not going to break from his convictions, even as he openly discussed treason. But then, he thought, how could one be treasonous against a failing state?
"Ma'am, it's anarchy out there. Kearney set this in motion with his weakness, and refuses to lend me the tools to end the crisis."
A raised eyebrow. "What tools?"
"Martial law!" Blackwood stood, a towering, powerful man, still strong though he would never see sixty again. "We have a feeble, corrupt police force unable to maintain the streets even in peacetime, let alone when riots are spreading through the streets like wildfire."
An amused smile. "So you'd shut them down?"
"By any means necessary. It's the only recourse left to us. But..." He sighed. Was it possible to sigh pointedly? Evidently so. "The Prime Minister would rather let it all play out."
Silence.
"He's a pale imitation of Clarisse. But so, these days, is Clarisse," he added, with a substantial tinge of bitterness.
"You went to see her, then? Before even me?"
"I've worked with her before. Yet she has no stomach for this fight, it seems. Her experiences have broken her, and she would leave the direction of the country to others. But I will do what needs to be done."
"So long as you have a figurehead."
"Hm. Just so."
"Yet I have no mandate," said the woman, though by now she was plainly hopnig to be convinced. "You can put me in any seat you choose, I'm sure, but how would I gain acceptance? Besides which, I don't have the power to resolve it all. Give you the power to resolve the riots, sure. But the causes? They go deeper. I can't balance the economy--"
"That isn't my concern."
"Really? Well, it shall be mine--"
Blackwood scoffed. "That foreign university made you soft. And you are young. Brenecians are doing it tough? We always have. But past generations were stronger. They put their nose to the grindstone, they didn't bitch and moan about it, didn't have to blame foreigners or corporations. In this country, someone who keeps their head down and works hard is still going to feed their family."
The woman gave him a long look. "That is the important thing," she said, carefully evading whether or not that actually was the case in the current economic climate. "Self-reliance will always be at the core of our virtues."
"So, then..."
"Let me think." The woman put up her hand, and left him hanging for some time. At last, she said: "There is much that can, and should, be done. Must be done, to save our nation its current uncertainty. We need strong, innovative and unquestioned leadership, which we just aren't getting in the current political climate."
"And so we have to look to new answers--"
"But am I really the answer? It's my mother you should be talking to." They both paused for a moment. Reasons not to were abundant. "In theory," she conceded.
"But you can see why I had to turn to you--"
"It still doesn't give me any sort of mandate."
"It must be someone. It can't be me."
"But then--"
"It's for the good of the country!"
"How can the country accept it? How can the international communi--"
"To hell with the international community! What help have they been?"
"Yet our place in the world is such that--"
"And they'll welcome this. They will! They'll know where Brenecia stands."
"A military junta," said the woman coldly.
"A stable, functioning, constitutional monarchy. Kearney can keep his damn ministership, the whole corrupt, foundering ship of them can. But someone has to have the power and the authority to act. Act decisively, and with courage. The nation will rally around anyone who can provide that! You think the dissidents throwing firebombs in the streets reflect the average soul? No!"
"You ask too much."
"Only because, Princess, I had hoped to find you worthy of your title."
The two stared daggers at each other for seconds. "Get out," said the princess, at last.
The marshal bowed stiffly. Despite his high temper, he seemed almost a broken man. Perhaps this really was his last chance. And they did all, to a degree, want the same thing...

Sometimes, the apple really could fall far from the tree. Often through fortune, yet sometimes, propelled by disgust.
For Princess Etain, it was some of both. Partly it was good fortune, and yet she lead a largely indolent, incurious life through her childhood and teenage years. It was only after going abroad for university that Etain found herself, properly, stretched. And she found she thrived, enjoyed it.
So she came back home a changed woman, and one eager to be seen. The contrast was marked. Queen Mairin IV seemed to want power and presence, but never actually seemed to leave her palace. The monarchy's visibility came through shinier spires and guards with increasingly outlandish uniforms, justified as tourism expenses. As if Brenecia would ever have a tourist industry worth a damn. But Etain, still just 28, wanted to be seen, and seen doing the right things. She'd been out in the streets calling for peace. She'd been listening to people from all sides. Sure, she hadn't been doing anything, but a monarch-in-waiting wasn't really supposed to do things, right? Just listening was enough.
Except... it wasn't, really. Not for her. What she craved was the ability to change things, and yet the social contract was such she'd never get the chance. The Brenecian monarchy wasn't taken seriously by most others, and why would it be? So it had neither cultural nor temporal power. It was just left to float, a vague taxpayer expense.
And maybe that was the best place for someone like her mother, who had all the intellectual curiosity of an earthworm. But Etain wanted to make a difference, and, shorn of a genuine monarchic tradition to draw on, could interpret it her own way; having to care for her people, not just be the head on the back of a coin. Right now, she knew, her people were suffering.
And all this made for a woman that watched Dorian Blackwood nod stiffly, turn and start to leave, and wondered: what if I really could just fix everything?
Wouldn't that be worth any measure? Working with any man?
Wouldn't that justify it all, no matter what?
And so she cleared her throat, put up her hand, and said: "Wait."
And another spanner was hurled into Brenecia's works...

BRENECIAN NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION - FORTNIGHT 6
Goalkeepers: 1 - Anthea Finnan (Holdenberg City, EUR), 12 - Sorcha Tanner (Southern Star), 20 - Cairbre Dundalk (North Laithland, NPH)
Defenders: 2 - Clovette Bravender (Ulsa, EUR), 3 - Mynah Seeler (Southern Star), 5 - Athelney Shrine (Southern Star), 6 - Casey Giltanan (Workers Union, EUR), 17 - Felice Lovibond (Kingsgrove), 18 - Iucharba Killen (North Laithland, NPH), 22 - Nimue Culpepper (Rozelle)
Midfielders: 4 - Ronan Schofield (Raynor City United, VAL), 8 - Iseult Conway (Northern Union, c), 11 - Lienke Covolan (Vermillion Rage), 13 - Consaidin Garrard (FK Metropola Borograd, STL), 19 - Kurtis Mikoliunas (Mâ Âlâmëómë, FFD), 23 - Kestutis Garrett (Northern Stallions)
Forwards: 7 - Kendra Carpenter (Wirr Tsi, CMT), 9 - Cantwell Lamorak (Twin Saints), 10 - Katua Byrne (KT Itzalovalle, AUD), 14 - Danand Tristram (Northern Stallions), 15 - Maerhen Wake (1830 Cathair, AUD), 16 - Rhona Leonard (Kingsgrove), 21 - Jadwiga Lofthouse (Northern Union)

[size=75]Brenecia 4 - 0 Kuraita
Natanians and Nosts 0 - 0 Brenecia
Brenecia 4 - 2 Arjunnagar
Eura 1 - 0 Brenecia
Brenecia 4 - 3 Srednjaci
Mertagne 0 - 3 Brenecia
Brenecia 5 - 2 Gyatso-kai
Polkopia 1 - 2 Brenecia
BYE
Brenecia 3 - 3 Maphidon
Omerica vs. Brenecia
Kuraita vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Natanians and Nosts
Arjunnagar vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Eura
Srednjaci vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Mertagne
Gyatso-kai vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Polkopia
BYE
Maphidon vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Omerica

[Banija]

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Kabaka- King
Isebantu- Crown Prince
Katikkiro- Prime Minister
Lukiiko- Parliament
Waziri- Foreign Minister (Title is always held by the Isebantu)
Omugabe/Omugaba - Prince/Princess
Omulangira/Kyabazinga - Duke/Duchess

Toyuwa Okafor, the Banijan Ambassador to Cardenao, at a Cardenao vacation resort with RTC EVP Rasheda Arusi

Toyuwa Okafor got up out of his bed, and looked at RTC EVP, and his own mistress, Rasheda Arusi. They were laying down in bed together, after celebrating a stunning turn of events at the Prescium in New Cardonia. They had gone to the Cardenao capitol city, expecting to have an incredibly tough negotiation. Instead, President Mihaly had pulled off a move with much more diplomatic deft than he had previously shown in his years ruling Cardenao. Not only did he ensure Ambassador Okafor that the special relationship would stay, but he backed it up with words- that the RTC would get exclusive rights to a contract to massively expand operations in the country. While they had operated the ferry service for a few years now, they had never gone to their bread and butter, building and maintaining public transit all across the nation.

And now, the Regional Transit Corporation was going to be granted those rights. When they had been granted those rights, they of course, like true statesmen and businesswomen, were cool, calm, and collected. But the local EVP, Rasheda Arusi, had been incredibly excited. "You know how much we're going to be able to increase revenue over the next five years once we dot the Is, cross the Ts, and get this thing moving? We collect over $6 billion a year annually from the Cardenao Government right." And she had gone into a long number crunching theory, about how the RTC were going to be loaded. Naturally, of course, this was a huge get for them. It would greatly increase their standing in the RTC, and for Okafor specifically, increase his standing within the Banijan diplomatic community.

Of course, while the interests between the company and nation were quite similar, it didn't mean that the interests were the exact same. What do we mean by that? For example, this deal was everything the RTC could ask for. A chance to have a bunch more operations, potentially push that revenue figure, in Cardenao, up to the 11 figure mark- making Cardenao one of the most profitable markets in the world for RTC services. For Banija, obviously, it was great- their biggest having a great international expansion, yet doing so in a way that will ensure more Banijans are employed. There really is no loss. Although it wasn't necessarily as clear cut for the nation. But when Ambassador Okafor spoke to his superiors at home, they adopted a trust and see approach.

"Look- it is not like we have been colonial overlords here, like the Echanis were." Isebantu Mutungi had told the Ambassador over a Zoom call. "I think, I believe, that the relationship can withstand this. Cardenao strengthening its own economy is only a good thing for them, and a good thing for us. It is a risk that we take, of course- but they understand the importance of this special relationship, and ultimately, there is no way that it will be spoiled. It is on you, Ambassador, to ensure that Banija is always appraised of what is going on. We do not want to be caught blind-sided in this country, ever. Remember how flat-footed we were when the Anaia split happened? While everything's fine now, we don't ever want to be caught that flat-footed ever again."

The blessing. And of course, RTC EVP Rasheda Arusi was about to go to her own superiors that very morning. They were celebrating themselves, at the resort, before she boarded her own private jet to Istria(because of course she had a private jet). They had quite the rendezvous at this exclusive resort. They ensured that they were here, without basically anybody knowing. He would go get the room service himself, they arrived at different times, etc... They had to hide their affair. But as Ambassador Okafor woke up, he felt liberated.

"Rasheda, that was one hell of a night." He said, kissing her on the cheek. They had gone quite a few rounds, the excitement of the Prescium turning the clock back for Okafor by almost 30 years, to his early 20s. "When are you coming back to Cardenao?"

"Well, I'll be in Istria for probably a week." She said. "This was unexpected, obviously- but it's something we definitely have to accept. The Board of Directors, of course, would be in serious breaches of their fiduciary duties if they ever said no. And why would they?" She then got out of the bed and made straight for the bathroom, as she started brushing her teeth. "Obviously, it'll look great on the President, and great for me as well. The RTC EVP who oversaw such an expansion? I imagine that'd put me on the fast track to Istria." Everyone knew what that meant. Fasttrack to Istria, in this company? That meant a path directly to the C-Suite. CEO was her long-term goal- was that something that was possible?

"As for me, I'll have to get home to the wife tonight." Ambassador Okafor groaned. "But, I'll be prepping here, following things closely." Ambassador Okafor had a strategy for all the politicking that was about to happen within this country. Obviously, keep a studious track of announcements from their Foreign Affairs, and President Mihaly. Regular communication with President Mihaly. And, most importantly- consistent paths to putting Banija at the center of the political scene. Parties at the Embassy always helped, him going to more events and speaking would help. But this would be a consistent effort by him. Nations like the Ochre Islands and Ko-oren were certainly coming in this direction, and would go through President Mihaly. But the Ambassador would keep a close eye to ensure- whichever way they came, they wouldn't knock over Banija's interests, both economic and otherwise, as they established their own interests in this country.

[Sendhang]

The call by the fans to drop some of the national team players were not heeded by the national team head coach.

"This is the best players in the country, they are all professional and they are all here to win despite any differences they have among themselves," he said in the pre-match press conference a day before the match against Eshialand.

No changes were made by the head coach. The squad remained the same. So does the starting eleven. And the players re-paid their head coach's trust in them as they return to winning ways by beating Eshialand 2-1.

A few days later, the same starting eleven was fielded again as Sendhang entertained the visit of fellow Melayuan, The Hainan Union. They won 1-0 but the match was marred by the unthinkable as the only goalscorer of the match, Teuku Hassan Al-Qari celebrated his goal by making the Meilawati salute sign and singing the Free Putrasia Movement anthem with some section of the fans.

"Putrasia, forever independent," the chorus of the Free Putrasia Movement anthem was sung in the Federal Stadium.

Of course, it made some section of the fans uneasy that they had to boo their own goalscorer. Teuku Hassan Al-Qari had just become the most hated man in Sendhang outside of Putrasia. And the next day, Teuku Hassan Al-Qari was arrested at the Kambang International Airport before the squad traveled to Damukuni.

[Ko-oren]

---

An Unpleasant Truth
Nine played, nine losses, six scored, thirty-two conceded. At almost the halfway point in qualification, nobody is mathematically eliminated yet, but if any team should defer 'positive qualification thoughts' to next cycle, it would be them. Them being Unpleasant. Some nominative determinism at work in Group 13, as the squad rank dead last in Fantasy Points, at -7. A reminder: that requires a team to lose seven games by three goals or more, and pick up no points in the remaining two games. Stresia are at -5, and nine more teams are below zero - that's just about unheard of - but one team has to be the king of this section.
In World Cup 90's qualifiers, only four teams finished below zero at the end of the group stage (-6, -5, -2, -1), and for us to stare at eleven potential cases is incredible. All that while we play 20 matches, and any draw or win, no matter how undeserved, gets you to (or over) that threshold of zero points.

Pemecutan's Decade
It's the decade of the reigning runners-up, and we're just living in it. Pemecutan has picked up the most Fantasy Points so far, and their quick rise through the ranks seems to have no end. We'd remind you of how quickly they got to this point, but it'd just depress every single Dragonflies fan. Anyway:

Debut: BoF 73 (cycle 86), finishing last in their WCQ group
First World Cup: 89
First Knockout stage: 89
First Knockout win: 90
First Final: 90

You only need one lucky cycle (on top of a golden generation of players, at least), they say. Any and all believers in Ko-orenite exceptionalism only need to take a look at the above numbers.

Other good performers in Fantasy Points include Hapilopper, Valanora, Kandorith, Banija, Drawkland, and Quebec. The first one in that list gives you great bang for your buck, as do Drawkland and Quebec. Srednjaci has everyone beat in sheer efficiency per KPB, even outscoring Ko-oren who are going through a seemingly successful qualification cycle marred by a penchant for losing points in 0-0 draws (Poafmersia MD3, Nyowani Kitara MD8, 1-1 to SWEN MD6).

To get to the top of the leaderboard in FP you need to win consistently rather than win by lots of goals. Sargossa has won more 5+ goal blowout wins than any other team (2), but 'merely' equal Srednjaci in points on the whole.

---

Remember the Dragonflies' offensive explosion?
Scoring nine goals in the first two games to take a dominant lead in the group on a huge goal difference. In the next seven games, the Ko-orenites added five goals scored (and one conceded), still in charge of Group 1, but otherwise not impressing too much. After the initial 4-2 and 5-0 wins, and the aforementioned 0-0, 0-0, and 1-1, there were 1-0 wins over Delaclava, Sharktail, Equestria, and Football Tiger. No matter your standing, be it ex-World Cup winner (Equestria), or if you're new to the competition (Football Tiger), and no matter your pot, be it high, like Sharktail, or a bit lower, like Delaclava (how did they get down there?) - you will be given your ceremonial 1-0 loss. The four goals since then were all scored by Aomelirea, like a true finisher, making the best of the few shots on goal he got given. The defence is still good, the midfield can still play a possessive game, but the decisive pass forward isn't coming, and at some point, this is going to kill us. If it hasn't already. All of those draws could easily have been wins - it's not like this team has been wasting chances per se, it's just a slow trickle of time until there's 90:00 on the clock and Davenport's XI sees that they forgot to score again.

[Flavovespia]

Metherwoll 0 - 4 Flavovespia

Flavovespia put on an emphatic display away at Metherwoll to win by 4 goals. 4 players made it onto the scoresheet, and it was a great all-round performance form the squad, as they hope to press on in the race for the playoff spots.

The Metherwoll ground may arguably have been considered rudimentary by the standards of international football, but that didn’t give much home advantage. 7 minutes in, and Kieron Player’s long ball through to Michael Cole saw the striker take the ball past Allan MacCallum, before firing past Gregor McGregor to open the scoring. That set Flavovespia up very nicely, against an opponent who’d just started to find some good form.

24 minutes in, and Gregor McGregor spilled a somewhat opportunistic effort from David Clark. Scott Coleman was quickest to the loose ball, and tucked it away into the bottom corner. Despite some late pressure by Metherwoll in the first half, the defence of Flavovespia held firm to make it a 0-2 lead at the break.

The 3rd goal came in the 70th minute, with Scott Coleman the provider this time. Receiving the ball just outside the box, he put in a through pass between Bīng Qí Lín and Stuart Cosgrove, and Jonathan Bagshaw ran in to finish from a fairly narrow angle. 0-3, and chances of a comeback from the hosts look minimal.

The final goal came from an old familiar face. From David Clark’s free-kick, the ball was deflected through the box, and fell fortuitously in the direction of Steven Hall. A quickly taken first-time effort beat Gregor McGregor, to make it 4 goals for the visitors without reply. For Steven Hall it was goal number 99, and one more away from being the second Flavovespian to get a century of goals.

In a group with a fairly cramped midtable, this win was important for Flavovespia to establish their chances of making the playoffs at least. The emphatic nature of the win, against a defence minded side away from home, also made it a strong result.

Flavovespia 2 - 0 Wreckeria

An important game on paper, Flavovespia got the better of Wreckeria with 2 goals in quick succession, to win against a side who started this game ahead of them on points after a win over Turori in their previous game. Flavovespia’s momentum is steadily building as the first half of the qualifiers comes to a close.

These sides played out a goalless 120 minutes in the previous Cup of Harmony, and most expected a cautious start. That wasn’t the case when just 3 minutes in, Gord Sheppard got behind the defence, and was one on one with Aarif Muhammad. The Flavovespian goalkeeper pulled out a top quality save to keep the game tied in the early stages. Then not long later, poor passing by Wreckeria nearly sent Scott Coleman clean through on goal, only John Marlowe quickly rushing out to block the ball prevented that chance.

As it was looking like the first half would be goalless, Scott Coleman found a way through. A good, methodical build up outside the box saw Kieron Player eventually slot a ball in, and Scott Coleman held off Clive Carson as he spun around, before shooting into the top corner, beyond the reach of John Marlowe. 1-0, and as the cliché goes, just before half time is a great time to score.

Flavovespia then went and did it again. On the brink of half time, David Clark whipped in a corner, and Michael Cole rose highest to glance the ball with his head and into the net. 2-0 on the brink of half time, and in the space of less than 5 minutes, Flavovespia had dealt Wreckeria a one-two punch that would be hard to recover from.

It would prove to be too much for Wreckeria to overcome. Aarif Muhammad was in great form, and was answering every test sent towards him. Flavovespia were also defending hard, but that nearly proved costly. With 4 minutes to go, David Marlin was too quick to a loose ball, and got there before David Lyons, who sent him tumbling. Already booked, David Lyons had to take an early shower, seeing his second yellow and a red. Thankfully for Flavovespia, the 10 men kept the clean sheet in the final moments.

This win now leaves Flavovespia 4th in the group, and a crowded pack sees 2nd to 7th just 5 points apart, with Savojarna beginning to find form in 8th. Outside of the bottom 3, it’s still anyone’s to play for as the first half of the qualifiers is nearing completion.

Flavovespia’s Obscure Eleven: MJ Hayes (RB)

Of the 6 right backs or right wing backs that have worn the colours of Flavovespia, none of them are amongst the top level of obscurity amongst Flavovespian internationals. However the rules of this review require a right back, and in the end, MJ Hayes was remembered by less fans than Ian Johnson, runner up in this poll.

MJ (Martin James) Hayes began his career at Binclestead Wood. He made sporadic substitutes appearances until the end of 28AU. After relegation, and the departure of Ian Johnson, MJ Hayes would be a starter in the Binclestead Wood side that made an immediate return to the Super League, before finishing 10th in 30AU. From there, a fairly big outlay by Charlie Holton took MJ Hayes to Marthorpe City. Charlie Holton didn’t last long at Marthorpe City, but MJ Hayes has since been a first team player there to the modern day. A wing back naturally, he’s spent a lot of his career adapted to play as a full back.

MJ Hayes was called up for the AOCAF Cup 63. After the failure of World Cup Qualifying 87 and Cup of Harmony 79, new manager Marcus McCormick was looking to make a fresh start. At 26, and fitting the planned formation of Marcus McCormick, a 5-2-1-2, MJ Hayes was a logical choice to be backup to Davis Blythe. However for MJ Hayes, it was always going to prove to be difficult to dislodge David Blythe, and so it was. His debut was a late substitute appearance against Valanora, the same game Mohammed Saleem debuted it, in a match that was already lost by the point Hayes came on.

It was much the same in World Cup Qualifiers 88 for MJ Hayes. David Blythe was in great form, and kept Hayes out of the side for almost all of the games. A substitute appearance late on against Bunkaiia away in a 0-3 win, and a single start in a 3-1 loss in Omerica was MJ Hayes contribution to the campaign. MJ Hayes was unused in the Cup of Harmony 80, and that would be his final call up. Andrew Dance was called up next time around, and since then Flavovespia haven’t looked back.

Now into his 30’s, it’s unlikely, but not impossible, that MJ Hayes could return to the national squad. In terms of his abilities as a national team player, it’s hard to assess, since he only ever really played in games that were already decided when he came on, or otherwise meaningless. His performance vs Omerica was not a particularly impressive one, but it was only his first 3rd cap. In some respects, he never quite had the adaptability to be a full back internationally, and as a wing back, David Blythe was the better choice. Then, with Andrew Dance proving to be effective from a younger age, there simply left little room in the squad for MJ Hayes.

[Saint Eleanor]

World Cup 91 - ninth matchday of qualification
Saint Eleanor 1 (Dekamela weMexala goal 36')
Armbruster 0 (that one guy who almost brusted weMexala's arm red card 23')

---

Dekamela weMexala: "I know I won't be here forever in any sense of the word"
Chief Football Correspondent Jamie Rodgers talks to Saint Eleanor's biggest and strongest frontwoman about how she keeps doing the job again and again - and again
Originally published on Monday 23rd August 1999

Go to the branch of Premium Coffee, Saint Eleanor's leading coffee chain, on Parkside High Street, where you can almost see the famous Liberators' Park and associated statues, and you might find your order being served by one Vapralenra weMexala. Known to all and sundry as Vappy, he may be a tall and imposing character, but also so good to talk to that he might be the lead cause of queues in the entire district. Don't ask him about his daughter or it might just make the situation even worse.

Dekamela weMexala was born six weeks before independence to a family who - like so many others of Gladom Newion descent - could, and still, can be described as members of the Eleanorian working class. "When I was growing up, I never wanted to be the biggest or the best or even well-known: I just wanted to get my certificates, rush out of school, pick up a job as an office clerk or a postal worker or a burger flipper at Torch - you know a Gladom Newion founded that place, didn't you? - and enjoy my time, really. I made a few mates but I mostly haven't really kept in touch with them, although I have a husband and a young boy already, hopefully another soon, and I still talk to my family and the people they know as well." She believes that "while a lot of us, the Socheans and the Gladom Newion - we've always been on good terms - aren't really in good jobs, mostly centred around the Orange Line that goes from here to Trident, I know a lot of them try their best to make sure their children grow up well. When I came into the national team, people thought I was basically just there because of my skin but we have Melcheta [Pazoral] and Naresmet [taFrexala] on the team too because they're good at football, not so that Priscilla Evans could meet some made-up diversity quota thing."

weMexala was a part of Parkside Community School's run to the last sixteen of 1992's Charles Trump Shield, "but hardly an integral one. People said I was slow and I'm telling you that I was, quite honestly, but I think I made up for that with my powerful shot. So powerful that... I think it ruled somebody from North Seville out in the second round? I wasn't a bystander, either: I scored once, helped somebody else with another, pretty much had to take attacking duties into my own hands when we were so many goals down against the Boys' Prep[aratory] - I'm told I was unlucky not to get another one there." When she arrived at local club Occidental Olympic two years later, she became an early participant in manager and Cup of Harmony winner Fetakela Manuta's "shitty little project," which enjoyed an early - if somewhat muted - emphasis on free-flowing interplay between the strikers and wide midfielders (Steve Pilchard hadn't joined yet). "As I said, it was a really good working relationship, he introduced me to Adam Denby and Dom[inic Cooper] and Sam[uel Short], he recognised our strengths and weaknesses in all areas, taught us how best to meet his expectations and perform really well on the pitch, and yeah - I made a lot of friends there and I actually talk to them now, but those three and Steve Pilchard are the ones I've really gotten good with."

What were the three games that have most shaped her career? First would be 1995's narrow 1-0 win at home to Athletic Saint Eleanor, a game which marked the beginning of the end for the Reds' title ambitions. "We're still in life before Steve territory here, much harder, Manuta still wasn't ready to get his big tactical plan on full throttle and we didn't have the IFCF yet, but would I say this was a big game? Absolutely: we were trying for a top-half finish - that would be an achievement by 1995 Olympic standards - they were looking to deny Independence 1975 the title and like so many other people, I thought 'we can have a bit of fun here, it's not serious.' Then Neil Rourke the goalkeeper, of all people - he's never one to talk - said we need to put our best in every game or everybody will think we're just there to be beaten, so we got out there and tried hard. Honestly, it was all Athletic for the first forty-five minutes, I got a couple of touches but never found myself clean on goal or anything resembling that, and we were trying to get there a bit after half time, but soon we were ready to go, I had a couple of shots, both on target, one of them parried away and I honestly think Sam should have got to that but he wasn't accurate enough. All of a sudden there were fifteen or twenty minutes to go, corner kick played short, a couple of people got their heads to it and then it came to me: I could have turned around and shot like I normally do, but I got it through to Mike Derry who was still somehow there and kerching!"

Her second choice is the 4-2 win at Sword and Shield's University Grounds in 1997, where she announced her triumphant return after spending most of the first half of the season on maternity leave. "Most women here don't take that long with parental leave once they can get it, really, but I wanted to really make sure that little Pavraxnela got the best start in life and yet again, I am so grateful to Manuta for helping me back into training when I felt ready, getting me back into shape and then naming me in the starting eleven for that game. We weren't really that good in the league and became the first team all season to drop points to the new Juventud, the ones who really weren't that good compared to previous years. I played out all ninety minutes and this time - unlike most times - we actually went a goal up quite early, although it was a nicely-placed curler from Steve this time. Jess Martin equalised a bit later but half an hour on the clock, I'm there, edge of the box, slow-walk it a few paces when nobody's looking, have a go and then it's 2-1 and half-time comes. It was 3-2 eventually, Steve again with a nice effort, Maddie Gordon gives cause for concern in our camp with... basically as far as you can get from the goal while still being allowed to call it a tap-in! Time was running out and, well, they had the upper hand for more than a bit, and yet again, I have the ball, a tricker position than against Athletic but I manage, pass it backwards - almost heretical - before getting it back, now I slide it through on the wing and Dom Cooper again is there to sweep up, go faster than I normally do, double the lead, wrap up, call it a day and make the fans love me for a few months. I'm not the one who said that."

Finally, she goes for Olympic's 3-3 draw against Good Hope Club towards the end of 1998. "There were two games to go and, for whatever reason, the title race had cleared up a lot in the past couple of weeks, so really it was just Sword and Shield and then it was us, two points ahead of them, their next opponents didn't really provide a threat and we had Indy on the last day, so I thought if we don't get something out of this we might as well have thrown away our best hope for a title any time soon. Manuta brought me on for Denby when we were three down after about fifty minutes, and he definitely wasn't happy with anything that was going on out there. I thought I had to do something to get us back into the game quickly, so I may have accidentally pushed over Laura Brown around the hour to stop her from getting to Kerry Otterson; trust me, the referee didn't even notice. Our next serious spell of possession, I had the ball, twenty yards out, hardly anyone in sight and you know what I did next. It was very, very poor for the rest of the game, somebody in the Good Hope defence tried to get revenge on me, I lofted the ball up to Kerry a couple of times but she didn't or couldn't convert. Thirty seconds left on the clock, we're one point behind in the league, Steve hits it forward, I just about get my head on it and I barely realise it's gone in for a few seconds. I thought I left it a bit late, and then the title game happened!"

Despite scoring three in Saint Eleanor's first two qualifiers, weMexala failed to add to her tally until she helped to secure a home win over Armbruster last week. However, she firmly believes that "it feels like it at Olympic but even I don't expect to score every game. It's not just a matter of personal quality or anything like that: the one thing Fetakela drilled into me four or five years ago when he was preparing his system was you have to set up the other guys, know when it's your turn, take your chances and pass the ones you can't take onto people who can. I don't expect to be here forever in any sense of the word," Naturally, she respects the national team's other three strikers: "Adam Denby I'm most familiar with, he's been with me at the club level for years now and I just cannot emphasise his versatility and how good he is, really. Katie [O'Donnell] has a similar style; much more of a risk taker and higher quality, though. Melcheta [Pazorzal] brings a different skillset entirely, brilliant personality as well, he makes everybody happy wherever he goes - other than the defenders because they definitely do not make fast, strong and effective strikers like that now."

Plenty of good midfielders are rising through the Saint Eleanor League: Bridget Coombe is on the national team already, although some argue that she is spending too much time on the sidelines; Harriet Williams, when I interviewed her in April, had good words for Sylvia Hollenberg and Natalie Monaco as well. What - if anything - does she fear from Evans potentially move to a five-midfielder model in the future? "Not a lot, honestly. Everybody remembers what happened with Phil Farlane and Independence a few years ago and the problem with that was that they had two good strikers - young, but good - and basically the whole squad was arguing about whether it was unfair that one of them should be put on the bench. With the national team, you have Katie, who's really good, and then you have the rest of us who are good enough but not too good to avoid the drop. I'd like to think I should be starting sometimes but I know I won't be here forever in any sense of the word: we live and die, yes, but we make mistakes, get injured - hopefully not too often - fall out of favour with somebody or another, and in a sense every game is an opportunity for somebody to make their mark with the team. Plus a few World Cups from now when Katie's retired and we have Steve, Bridget and Sylvia in the centre of midfield... oh, my word, it'll be so good, honestly."

"Solid and dependable" - hackneyed as they may be - are words that describe Dekamela weMexala as a player, a person and a friend. A woman whose mind works much faster than her body, she is nonetheless more than decent at taking shots and can always be relied upon to deliver a good result as and when it's needed, with maybe a bit of superfluous shenanigans on the side too. Never mind the critics (and there are many, possibly more than most); just sit back and enjoy her show, because it's worth it.

[Ochre Islands]

Page 64

VALENS VICTORIOUS
WINS FIRST GAME 4 – 2

Richard Valens, the new manager of the Ochre Islands has won his first game in charge, overseeing a 4 – 2 victory over Cheetahs and Reptiles Coalison away from home. Up next of course will be an away game in his native Krytenia, facing a stronger side which he would hope to prove himself against.

Valens had the Ochres line up differently from the usual 2-3-2-1-2 formation which the Ochres have become used to playing in, following on the Bostopian tradition of using rampaging wingbacks. Instead, he used a 4-3-3, having Barrett and Burke at left and right-back, respectively, playing a slightly more conservative game. Due to the Ochre squad not having any traditional wide midfielders, he played with three centre midfielders, using Carl Walker in the middle of the pitch playing the usual holding role he is used to, whilst Joseph Mikkels and Stangtons' Luke Matson (making a rare start) patrolled the wings, relying on their full backs to come up just a little and support their defensive efforts whilst needed.

The front three were more traditional, with Blue Gibson to the left of centre, then relying on the experience of George Holland, who largely plays as a target man at Flanminster Abbey F.C., on the right-hand side, whilst Copse Clearedway played in the middle, both as an attacking threat and dropping back a little bit to create a link between the midfield and the out-and-out forwards up the pitch from him. In the end, whilst the new formation did cause enough stumbles to let two goals slip through, the quality of the Ochre side allowed Gibson to score two goals, one in each half, plus one for Holland and the fourth of the night came from the young C.J. Lucksmith, taking full advantage of the opposition goalkeeper attempting to punch a dangerous cross away, but only succeeding in a beautiful set-up for Lucksmith to tap the ball home.

This set up the Ochres to sit 6th in the table, 8 points off Saint Eleanor in 3rd place, 15 off leading Kandorith, with second place Krytenia 9 points ahead and occupying the first of the playoff spots. As mentioned previously, the Ochres travel to Krytenia next where Richard Valens's second game in charge will be against his home nation, who are currently meeting expectations, something which Valens' successor wasn't able to do. However, the game is being played in the arena where the Ochre Islands lifted the CAFA Cup, their first taste of silverware, so they will be hoping some of the magic in the air from that night will continue to linger and push the side on.

Palmsville Go-Kart Race! See all our predictions on page 59.

---Meanwhile at the Foreign Ministry---

The Foreign Secretary, Byron Leifox, was feeling quite impressed with himself. He had secured a massive import of flax from Cardenao, a developing nation to the south of the Ochres, around 123 miles away, in exchange for a few surplus Bostopian made coast patrol vessels. Cardenao had been wanting to improve her defence and safety of her waters and the Ochres had been there to not only help, but end up getting vitally needed goods at the same time.

Flax, despite not being that vital to most of the world, was vital for the Ochres. Most of the people who lived there hadn't yet acclimatised to year-round sunshine, with long, hot summers and not much cooler autumns and springs. This was especially evident on the easternmost islands, which were much drier and hotter due to climatic conditions and the trade winds bringing cooler sea air not quite reaching them. As a result, many Ochre Islanders chose linen clothing over any other material, though cotton was firmly in second place. Using man-made fibres to make garments was thought of as an abomination and practically a crime. The Ochre Islands was, for sure, a very creased-looking place clothing wise, but it was also the best thing to wear given the climate.

So, for Secretary Leifox to have secured large quantities of flax, it was a huge win. The paper makers would also certainly be impressed at being able to sell 'artisanal' diaries to tourists (linen paper being made from the decorticated fibre left from the first step of making linen clothes (as you well knew)), but the linen clothing industry was so important to the country that signing an agreement like this in the Ochres was essentially like signing a piece of paper that said 'this certifies I will go down in history and my tombstone will be embossed in gold leaf'.

Naturally, what wasn't so impressive was when the delivery drivers were only given the address of the Foreign Office itself to deliver the flax to, everyone being so wrapped up in the win that administrative processes like 'where should we actually send this to' were completely missed. One plucky finance officer embedded in the Foreign Office did try and raise the alarm in an e-mail to his manager, but this wasn't forwarded on due to copious amounts of swear-words being included. So, when 25 tonnes of flax fibre (roughly equivalent to a fully-loaded bin lorry) arrived on the street in bales outside the Foreign Ministry, there was only one person shaking his head in despair and a few offices full of people having a good stare.

'Oh flax!' An anguished cry came from the finance office (or at least it sounded like flax) before the door was hastily slammed shut by a manager expecting much clearer foul language.

'Flax?' The Foreign Minister said, walking towards the windows at the top of the stairs on the first floor of the building. He looked out into the street and at the bemusement of passers by who thought it was some sort of farmers protest at trade tariffs and the goats would be along to have their fill soon. 'Becky!' He yelled, calling for his private secretary.

Silence.

'Becky!'

Silence.

'BECKY!'

'Becky's off sick. Got a right tummy ache apparently.'

'Well... that's a shame actually Becky's really helpful' he muttered to himself. 'Anyway, do you know anyone who deals in flax?' The Foreign Secretary asked, a bit flustered and hoping the media didn't get too much of a grip on this. 'There's Gilbertini's over in Palmsville. My cousin Ellen works there. Bangs on about all the legal stuff about flax and running all the time she does.' 'Can you call them? Tell them we've got a marketing opportunity they need to come and collect...'

[Soldera]

The first half of qualifying for Soldera's national football team sees the Snakes in a position they still never expected to be when qualifying began.

They're tied for second place with Squidroidia in Group 7 with 21 points, though Squidroidia has seven wins and two losses compared to Soldera's record of six wins, three draws and one loss. They reached the halfway point after a 1-0 loss at Audioslavia on Matchday 10. The Snakes will have their bye on Matchday 11 since they've played the full compliment of 10 first half matches already. They're only two points behind Drawkland for the group lead and have a three-point lead on Audioslavia. If World Cup qualifying ended today, the Snakes would miss out on the playoffs via the wins tiebreaker with Squidroidia.

Larry Carricker's position as the reluctant field manager overseeing this team on what he made clear from the very beginning would be his only World Cup qualifying campaign as manager didn't count on his team being in realistic contention for the proper this late in qualifying. He was asked whether he would consider his decision to step down after the World Cup 91 cycle if the Snakes qualified for the proper. He didn't hesitate.

"Absolutely not," he said. "Even if we somehow win the World Cup proper, I'm not staying on. I'll be 62 when the next qualifying cycle begins. I already feel too old to still manage a team now." Even though Sarzonia once had Franz Braddock manage the Stars well into his late eighties and early nineties?

"That's him," Carricker said. "That's not me. I'm burned out from the rigors of managing already."

Soldera has already been in talks to determine who will be the next manager of the team, but consensus has focused squarely on Joey Westway, the captain of the Snakes during the previous World Cup qualifying cycle. Westway is currently serving as an assistant to Carricker, who said he's confident Westway will be ready when the time comes to step into the role of manager.

"He's actually picked up on some of my duties," Carricker said. "I love his mindset with this team. He would be a great person to take this team into the World Cup for the first time." Carricker said he didn't expect too many changes to his team for their road contest at Togonistan. The Snakes won their World Cup 91 qualifying opener at King Anthony Stadium in Branwen against Togonistan 3-0.

[South Newlandia]

I love elephants
But I don‘t like elephants
When they keep losing :(

- Denise from Elephant Valley, age 5

[Sarzonia]

Slow starts to the first half of World Cup qualifying campaigns have been the talk of Sarzonia essentially since they first returned to World Cup competition after their most recent lengthy period of isolation. The Stars have all but made the slow start followed by a furious comeback to fall just short of qualifying for the World Cup proper -- or, in the case of World Cup 85 qualifying, actually advance to the proper -- the recurring theme of their campaigns.

So the fact that Sarzonia is preparing for the last match of the first half of qualifying against Cassadaigua at Ralph Friedgen Stadium on the campus of Woodstock University with both teams level for a playoff position if World Cup 91 qualifying ended right now is an unusual position for Nathan Hanifer and company to be in. However, he said he was also pensive about playing against the Fillies at a gridball stadium with Dave Wilson Stadium still attempting to recover from hosting the Sarzonia-Delaclava gridball match in World Bowl XLIV. The gridball Stars defeated multi-sport archrivals Delaclava 13-3 at Dave Wilson Stadium.

"I don't know how I'm going to feel about seeing yard markers on the pitch," Hanifer said. "I feel like we've already seen way too much of that." That's an opinion widely shared by several players.

"I hate gridball being played on football pitches," striker Jake Campos said. "Beside the yard markers, gridball wrecks the pitch. There are too many divets. People can get hurt."

The Stars will return to Dave Wilson Stadium for the match against Electrum whether the pitch is ready or not, said Incorporated Football Federation Chairman Zack Wilson, though he added the field would be ready.

"We could have played the match against Cassadaigua there," he said. "But Nathan said absolutely not and he would not budge on that point."

Electrum will have their bye on Matchday 11, so if either Sarzonia or Cassadaigua win the match at The Fridge, as gridball fans of the Woodstock University Climbers lovingly call the stadium, they will take a one-point lead in the Group 5 table over Electrum. Either way, though, Hanifer said he was eager to get the second half underway.

"We're in a different position from our normal spot in the tables," he said. "It's going to be a nice challenge to not have to chase as much as we've done in the past."

[Mytanija]

EPISODE 1: DIRTY OLD TOWN
EPISODE 2: START AGAIN
EPISODE 3: BEYOND THE SEA
EPISODE 4: STEP ON

The title music begins to play and a video montage of footballers playing on muddy pitches whirs across the screen. The camera images are grainy, these are clearly some old-timey footballers, the programme is clearly set at some undefined point in the future looking back on the past. Images of the Mytanar port city of Severyan are interspersed between the football, along with street scenes from Severyan and the supporters of the only football club in the city, Ararat. Above all there is a focus on the legendary manager, Misel Ravnjak, he can often be seen drinking or smoking or even on a television chat show. Finally, the montage settles on the title image.

EPISODE 5: I’M FEELING IT (IN THE AIR)

“Did you have one hell of a party?” The interviewer asks.

“You bet,” Mateja Stojkovic, now flanked by Pedja Kasun, laughs.

“I’m not sure we stopped for a week, even when we went on the open top bus to parade the trophy around Severyan.. I don’t think there was a sober person on that bus. The gaffer had a skin full, I think I remember Zelimir Apostolov almost falling off the top deck with the trophy. I say ‘I think’ because my own memory is foggy. I don’t think I’ve ever actually watched the footage back, to be entirely honest.” Pedja explains.

“Would you like to watch it?” The interviewer asks.

“Have you got it?” Pedja laughs, the interviewer nods. “Of course! Stick it on.”

“The final whistle sounds and the Ararat Severyan supporters run onto the pitch to greet their heroes!” The commentator screeches as the sound of the title music starts up again, signalling yet another video montage. It begins with footage immediately after the final whistle, the fans filling the pitch at Korecky Road, Misel Ravnjak being carried off his feet – first by the fans and then by his players – and then finally Pedja Kasun giving the trophy over to Mateja Stojkovic and Zelimir Apostolov to lift, both veterans taking the opportunity to bask in the glory shortly before their retirement.

Ararat supporters, now back in the stands, are a mix of jubilation and disbelief. Their team’s title win still not sinking in. Some are in tears, the joy becoming all too much for them. Others are arm-in-arm with their friends and relatives next to them, congratulating the players as they parade the Mytanar Top League trophy around the Korecky Road pitch. Then the video changes to the players back in the dressing room, champagne corks are popped and the liquid is sprayed all across the room, soaking the lens of the camera and rendering the image blurry for a short time. Misel Ravnjak can be seen sat, taking it all in, seemingly the culmination of his efforts with this group of players. Every so often a player walks over to him, shaking his hand or hugging him, thanking him for what he has done for their careers.

Mateja Stojkovic and Zelimir Apostolov give their final speeches to their teammates, thanking them for letting them go out on this high, the pair both fight back tears. Then the footage changes to the streets of Severyan, the city’s main square full of red-and-white clad people, red smoke-bombs are set-off and white flares burn brightly. Fireworks are set-off as the sky darkens, day turning to night as the people of Severyan celebrate their team’s extraordinary feat. Songs of the Rauchik resistance are sung, along with folk tunes and of course football chants. The Policija turn up but in truth there is nothing they can do, nothing they need to do. A one-club city means everybody is singing from the same hymn sheet. This is a night for celebration.

Eventually the crowds clear as night turns to day and a lone street-sweeper can be seen trying to clear up the mess left from the night before. Bottles, cans and debris from various types of pyrotechnics can be strewn everywhere. Ararat flags wave gently with the breeze, hanging off balconies and out of windows. As the day goes on the streets fill again and an open-top bus leaves Korecky Road, heading back towards the city’s main square where an impromptu stage has been set-up, a venue to toast Ararat’s success. Ararat players can be seen greeting their supporters from the top deck of the bus, Pedja Kasun drinks beer from a large plastic cup; Vido Mehic mimes dropping the trophy off the side of the bus; and then when Zelimir Apostolov is given it he very nearly does fall off as the bus turns a corner, Mateja Stojkovic dragging him back in.

Lindse Kvasina, usually in the thick of the action, sits alongside Dordo Urbanc and Bosko Pestotnik taking it all in. Pestotnik is only just old enough to legally drink alcohol and whilst Ermin Urankar can be seen trying to give him a beer the youngster foregoes the offer. Vasja Vansek meanwhile can be seen waving his arms and conducting the crowd as they approach the stage. When they get off Kasun, Stojkovic and Apostolov take turns to lift the trophy, giving short speeches after doing so. The party continues once again.

The footage then changes to old television footage of the House of Representatives, with Premier Ana Mecava-Catic giving a speech at the Premier’s lectern.

“I would like to formally congratulate Ararat Severyan on becoming Mytanar Top League champions for the third time and I would like to specifically offer Misel Ravnjak my congratulations for demonstrating exactly what this country needs – togetherness, creativity and hard-work – in the football team he has built.”

A television presenter then reports on the celebrations: “There is a real infectiousness about the feeling in this city at the moment, it is like the whole city can feel something in the air, Misel Ravnjak has built something special here. He has harnessed Severyan’s spirit of resistance, its siege mentality traditions and he has built a team which embodies all of those values. The population have embraced it, seeing themselves in the team and it is a really powerful thing. Severyan has experienced so much hardship and the people deserve this.”

“That’s the first time I’ve rewatched Zelimir nearly fall off!” Pedja laughs. “Have you seen that before?”

“Aye,” Mateja chuckles, but the laughs seem a bit hollow. “But you have to remember I retired right after, I didn’t have time for anymore great moments, I could only cherish the ones I’d already experienced.”

“Do you regret not trying to carry on for one more season as a player, Mateja?” The interviewer asks.

“Honestly no. I would have been 40 heading into the next season and some of my performances – particularly when I started – didn’t cover me in much glory. I could contribute from the bench, I was able to put my foot on it and slow things down and manage games. But I didn’t just want to do that.” He replies, rubbing his eyes slightly. “Plus, the gaffer had made me a bit of a different offer.”

“Is this where you went from my teammate to my coach and I had to listen to you a bit more?” Pedja Kasun jibes, causing all three of them to laugh, including the interviewer.

“Something like that,” Mateja responds. “Although I don’t think you ever did actually listen to me!”

“Do you think the celebrations were the way they were, so extensive, because there was a feeling that the Ararat team would be broken up? That it was all a bit lightning in a bottle, that phrase you have used before Pedja?” The interviewer returns to the serious questions.

“Perhaps. It’s hard to say. I think winning a league title with a club like Ararat is always going to create that sort of response in the city, particularly with the way in which this team had been constructed, with so little money. The gap had widened since the previous league title, though that was greeted with similar scenes, but the success meant even more with this team because of how financially strong Atletik, Liria and 1896 Ebor were.” Pedja replies.

“Yeah, I agree,” Mateja ventures. “But as soon as I went from being a player to being part of the coaching staff I realised how likely that was. Myself and Zelimir were meant to be retiring. The gaffer told me that the club had offers for Ermin Urankar, Dordo Urbanc and young Bosko Pestotnik. Half the spine of our team and the full-back who was key to our attacking game all going. In the end we had to convince Zelimir to play for one more year, just to ensure the team didn’t fall apart and so that we knew there was still a bit of experience there.”

“Did he need much convincing to carry on playing? After all he gave those speeches as part of the title celebrations, it seemed like he was pretty much going?”

“Not really, I think he was still floating on air from the celebrations and we spoke about giving international competitions a real go, along with trying to keep the team as high up the table as possible. We knew we’d have some money coming in, there was no chance we’d keep everybody, but that meant we’d be able to reinvest and Misel Ravnjak was an absolute expert at doing that.”

“Plus we had Lindse Kvasina for another season.” Pedja ventures, knowingly.

“Exactly. The gaffer thought we were only just scratching the surface of what she could be, too, and she’d just won the Under-23 Player of the Season award!”

“Was there interest in Mingrong Yuan too?”

“Of course! Atletik made a serious bid for him but the gaffer went to the board and said if they sanctioned any transfer for Yuan that he would leave the club the very next day. I think he thought Yuan was the lynchpin to everything, so solid and composed at the back, he was the base everything else was built on. He deserved that Player of the Season award, especially after coming so close the season before.”

“There was a fair bit of wheeling and dealing eventually, wasn’t there? I’m looking at it now. Four in, three out and your retirement, Mateja. A busy summer of transfers by Mytanar standards.”

“It certainly was… There were a few sleepless nights even for me and I wasn’t at the centre of any of the transfers, though I did have a hand in Radovan Pogaenik’s return to the club. But that next season was probably the absolute vindication of Misel Ravnjak, in my view, every signing worked and he mixed and matched them with some youngsters who had been entirely developed in his system.” Mateja eulogises his old boss.

“It got the ending he deserved, didn’t it?” Pedja asks, smiling.

“Definitely.”