World Cup 95 Roleplay Thread

by **Mytanija** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 4:06 pm

THREE THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR... MYTANIJA

1. RAVNJAK GETTING CREATIVE WITH CALL-UPS

Sometimes the large national pools that Mytanar managers put together are fairly procedural. Under Lev Repin and Dzvezdan Kitanchev you could have named the vast majority of them each time, with a pretty high success rate. They had the players that they liked, that fit the way they played, and they picked them. Misel Ravnjak has decided to do things rather differently and has almost entirely done away with ‘favourites’, picking players based entirely on form and their most recent contributions at club level being valued most highly. That can be seen from the 11 new call-ups that he has made (and if you go further to debuts handed out across his reign that number rises even higher!), but also from some of the players that he has decided to recall to his squads, with ageing players like Mehir Altikulac, Mahir Kapetanovic and Vuk Bajalica given another chance due to their performances with their clubs.

Nobody could accuse Lev Repin, for example, of picking players on reputations, but Misel Ravnjak does things a little differently and you get the feeling that even the biggest names could be shorn from squads under him if he felt that someone else was in a better spell of form. It made this selection quite exciting, with players like Blaz Kovacec, Ante Saranja and Zvonimir Vukdelija coming into the side, players whom most back home in Mytanija might have heard of fleetingly at best. Suddenly Mytanija appear to have a lot of new options, something which we may discover isn’t quite true if they fail to cut it at this level – but supporters seem to enjoy the feeling of dynamism and there’s a line of thinking which almost feels like we needed to do this given that we’ve fallen short fairly regularly in the last few years.

Ravnjak has definitely freshened things up.

2. BIG AND HARD STRIKERS

Whilst Ravnjak may have freshened things up in the pool on the whole, bringing different players into the squad and plucking players from perhaps more obscure places if their form impresses him, one position where he definitely has ‘a type’ is up front. When you go through his list of strikers there is a running theme, something we’ve seen him employ in his time as Ararat Severyan manager too, with physically imposing strikers being the order of the day. You might get slight variations in the way they play, some being more back-to-goal, hold the ball up types; and others being of the long-limbed and pacy variety, preferring to try and get in behind the opposition defence. But if you go down the list, they’re pretty much all big and can handle themselves.

Drazen Skara, Aljož Sešlar, Stipe Mlinarevic, Milica Prokopljevic, Alija Sutalo and even young Blaz Kovacec, who – bless him – hasn’t even completely filled out yet. They’re all tall, powerful and like a battle with a central defender. Skara is the prototype here, a complete forward who can do a bit of everything. Ravnjak said early on in his time in charge of the national team that he would have loved to have a striker of Skara’s quality in his Ararat sides when he was managing in the 1. Prvenstvo. Vido Mehic will be wondering what he’s done wrong to be hit with those sort of comments... But the point is a fair one, Skara’s the level which the others have to aim for and his all-around game elevates him above everyone else we have.

But the running theme remains, and it’s that Ravnjak wants physically imposing strikers on the pitch to try and dominate the opposition defence whenever possible. Six out of the eight he’s selected for the pool this time are players who – whilst all technically solid – primarily rely on their size, speed, strength and movement, particularly penalty box movement, to be effective. Ravnjak knows what he likes in a striker and he’s gone with that with this selection.

That means that a lot is riding on the performances of Goran Papic-Papratovic, who scored 18 goals whilst playing a more fluid role with FK Arsika this season. He can fulfil the role of a number nine and a number ten, and a lot of people are excited in seeing how he teams up with Drazen Skara specifically. But given the rather one-dimensional selections of most of the forwards Ravnjak, and everyone else in Mytanija, had better hope that he’s able to reproduce club form at international level. Damien Gannot will be the back-up option for this role, which could open up opportunities for other players like Jana Anusic and Muharem Hajdarpasic to perhaps operate as auxiliary forwards given his advancing years. That sort of brief could suit both of them, dropping between the lines to create space and chances for the big lads up top.

3. LAIRY TRIPS FOR THE OPPOSITION

We all know that the FSM like to try and game the system a little by reserving particularly tough provincial stadiums for matches against Mytanija’s group rivals, but this time they have taken that to the maximum possible level, foregoing any of the usual stadiums and taking the qualifiers to some of the most inhospitable environments possible. Mytanija’s most accessible cities are almost completely absent from the list, with only the capital Esca and the biggest city Thessia represented (though Thessia not by its usual ground, Atletik’s Novi Atletskistadion). Instead the FSM have packed the schedule with trips to places like Port Jarko, Severyan, Vostochnaya Tochna, Kiznha Nepuc and Uchenik, places which are hard to get to, unlikely to have surroundings of the standard expected by professional footballers, and where the locals will go the extra kilometre just to make your pre-match sleep hellish.

It also means that the grounds are, invariably, smaller, with pitches surrounded by tight stands and the stadiums themselves are not of the highest quality. It’s not the usual environment for international football but given the tough group Mytanija have been handed it appears that the FSM are trying everything in their power to gain an advantage. Misel Ravnjak has welcomed it, perhaps due to his previous history as manager of Ararat Severyan, whose Korecky Road ground will play host to the match against Zeta Reka & Hugeltaldom:

“I think it’s a great opportunity to take our national team out to these locations which don’t always get to see top level football right in front of their eyes. I like the idea of decentralising things a bit, of going to the places which are sometimes forgotten about by the media and by politicians. Football is for everyone and I know that the people in Port Jarko, in Vostochnaya Tochna, Kiznha Nepuc et cetera will absolutely love the opportunity to get behind the lads and they’ll create atmospheres which can help us to win these tough qualifying matches.”

The opener will be at Stadion Yolanda Savic, a ground named after Mytanija’s first ever pole vault gold medalist and the home of third tier NK Thessia. Tikariot will arrive for a Rushmori derby and the atmosphere will be fearsome. Dod Rava will have the interesting experience of playing in the middle of Vostochnaya Tochna’s red-light district, with the winds of the Modraine Sea threatening to blow the ball over to Bakartirla if any player dares to send it too high into the air. Kiznha Nepuc is a real rarity for something like this, with Meja being in the third tier of Mytanar football for a very long time. The Bostopians will have to negotiate the trip there, in what could be the most interesting fixture of qualifying if only to see how the citizens of Kiznha Nepuc get behind the national side.

MD1: vs Tikariot (at Stadion Yolanda Savic, Thessia; capacity: 25,000)
MD3: vs Reçueçn (at Stadion Radoslaw Famoc, Port Jarko; capacity: 15,000)
MD5: vs Zeta Reka & Hugeltaldom (at Korecky Road, Severyan; capacity: 25,000)
MD7: vs Dod Rava (at Trubichino, Vostochnaya Tochna; capacity: 7,000)
MD9: vs Bostopia (at Mejastadion, Kiznha Nepuc; capacity: 15,000)
MD11: vs British Covelandia (at Velenija, Uchenik; capacity: 20,000)
MD13: vs Naixi (at Radnika, Esca; capacity: 60,000)

by **Krytenia** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 4:22 pm

Janus Wears Quartered Jerseys
By Rami Niblick in Simpson

TRANSITION. It's a word often used in football, usually as an excuse for a run of underperformance at the start of a campaign. It's also a good word to describe what's going on at KFA Headquarters, as the Brelk-Xeral Erv era comes to an end for the national team...sort of.

BXE's roller-coaster ride as manager has been one of close calls, missed opportunities, and ultimately disappointment, but you still feel that's not really the Qusmi's fault. Nevertheless, they've decided to take a job "upstairs" as the Dragons' first-ever technical director. Their job now is to liaise between the new manager and the suits, allowing said manager to concentrate on getting the most out of his squad.

Said new manager is perhaps an unsurprising choice. Tommy Warren, already having won his spurs as manager of the Under-18 and latterly Under-21 squads, moves up to the senior team. At the age of just thirty-five, he's only four years older than captain Robert Gorman, and becomes Krytenia's youngest-ever national team head coach. He may not bring with him the experience of being a former player at the highest level for Krytenia; there again, he also doesn't bring with him the baggage of being a former player at the highest level for Krytenia, so there's that.

As far as initial selections go, things are pretty much the same. Fact is, there really isn't the personnel available to really replace the likes of Gorman, Esteban Salvador, Owen Haller, or Jules Renard right now. That's not to say that it's all the same, however; Leon Jones is expected to replace Derek Higgins as Gorman's defensive partner, Callum Croft is absolutely the long-term replacement for Greg Williams, and Angus Jack needs to look over his shoulder following Reece Klaasen's Silver Boot winning season at Stanton. The question is how Warren bonds old and new together - and, more to the point, how quickly.

That speed of cohesion could prove vital, as with only the top team assured a finals place - and only the second placers heading to the playoffs - the Dragons will have their work cut out for them. The Quebecois, as top seeds, will need no introduction, though as the schism between association and fans continues to grow, this could end up being a distraction for the Grim Reapers. Indeed, the KFA, noting the likelihood of a boycott from the bigger ultra groups of away matches for the IAQ team, have moved the match to the shiny new cathedral of loud that is Avidia United's Carstairs Park. HUElavia, meanwhile, will likely be our main rivals for a playoff spot, and they'll be getting the Isserson treatment instead. There's also the potential banana skins of Sannyamathland and Devonta to negotiate, not to mention the upwardly mobile West Barack and East Obama.

The most evident "look back to look forward" element in the side, though, is a sartorial one. JMC have restored the famous quarters to the national team for the first time in a long time. A plethora of famous players did great things in quartered shirts in the past - from Tejai and the Casaran Job in World Cup 29, to the "so close" side of World Cup 58 - though admittedly for the latter, the quarters were sky blue and white. Those shirts will be worn with pride as the Dragons take to the pitch at Walton Gardens for their opening game against newbies Amenria. No idea what qi sky and navy translates to, but let's hope Warren's warriors will be imbued with the energy required to pick up all three points. Onward!

by **Darmen** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 4:25 pm

Felix Lucanus Inducted Into World Cup Hall of Fame

SCOTT CITY - The Darmeni Football Association announced the winner of a fan vote held to determine Darmen's seventh inductee into the World Cup Hall of Fame, with striker Felix Lucanus earning the most votes among the field of ten candidates. Lucanus beat out the likes of Kenneth Nolan, Ritchie Porsche and William St. John de la Ware for inclusion in the Hall of Fame. He joins Bryan Faulkner, Alberich Goldschmidt, Tor Tong Lee and Georges Thomas, among others as Darmeni members of the Hall of Fame.

Lucanus made his debut as the second youngest player on the All Greens roster for the 24th edition of the Copa Rushmori. At the early age of seventeen, only fellow Hall of Famer Goldschmidt, who was just sixteen, was younger on that particular squad. That particular squad was put together by the National Society for the Restoration of Darmeni Football, rather than the DFA, as Darmen reemerged onto the international scene. Years later, Lucanus would help lead Darmen to qualifying for three consecutive World Cups in the 80th, 81st and 82nd editions, with manager at that time Godefroy Abascal describing Lucanus as "one of my favorite players." Over the course of his career, Lucanus racked up 139 appearances with the All Greens, scoring 80 goals, the later mark being second best with only Craig Blackwood having scored more goals, with 168.

An official induction ceremony for Lucanus will be held at the Green Ensign Arena prior to Darmen's opening match of the current qualification cycle, which will be against Sarzonia.

Darmen Eliminated From World Cup Qualification Following Group Draw

WEST SCOTT CITY - Ahead of Darmen's first qualifying match of the 95th World Cup cycle against Sarzonia, national team manager Denis Foss has admitted that Darmen has absolutely zero chance of reaching the finals of the competition for the first time since the 84th cycle.

"We've absolutely no shot at qualifying," stated Foss, "being drawn into a group of death was the last thing we needed, but that's exactly what we've got."

When asked if the immediate pessimism before a ball has even been kicked is really just a clever use of reverse psychology on Margaret in a ploy to get her to bless us with beneficial random numbers in the scorination process, Foss could only respond by saying, "No comment."

by **Graintfjall** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 4:57 pm

Posted on StatsPunk, a statistic-themed sports blog that sharply divides opinion when it comes to questions of xOVA, Progression/xT, and whether or not its name is just a cum joke.

Comparing NT strength and domestic league strength: 7 types of country

Terms like ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ are purely a reflection of the arithmetic of the rankings and no judgment on the enjoyment and quality that these nations’ contributions provide.

1. Strong NT and strong domestic league

2. Medium NT, still strong domestic league

3. Weaker NT, strong domestic league

4. Valladares

5. Medium NT, weak domestic league

6. Strong NT, medium domestic league

7. Græntfjall is a horrible outlier

by **Pasarga** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 5:29 pm

Queen Azra Majistar, as had been decided to be her royal name upon her ascension to the crown, sat upon her throne as she looked out upon the empty throne hours before she would be holding court. Although the sun was rising like any other day and she would be attended by different advisors and entertain a spectacle of courtesans, this was no ordinary day nor an ordinary court holding. Today would mark the day when wounds not so far from being fresh would be reexamined once more, to see how the wounds healed or how they had scarred over, how badly those scars might have left their mark on the nation as a whole. While the attempted coup and attempts on her life, as well as those of her family, was now years into the past, it still seemed fresh on many peoples minds and was still a subject of quite a lot of consternation, particularly the ensuing vote afterwards whether or not to remain in the Common Rushmori Community, which the referendum resulted in a much more narrow victory than Azra would have liked in the remaining favor.

Today would mark the day that the first of those who had been sentenced for their participation in the coup would be getting released from their imprisonment and released back into society. Many of the rank and file soldiers who had "simply been following orders" had served no time in a military prison upon an agreement in which they would once again swear fealty to the crown and reenlist for another five years of service under the command of officers who had remained loyal to the crown during the coup. It was seen as the best compromise in order to not be heavy handed in the punishment handed out to those who had betrayed their oaths of fealty and to defend the crown and the people of Pasarga. It would present the Queen and the legitimate government as the rational, logical, and even benevolent individuals that they espoused to be, allowing a road to redemption for those who had failed to live up to what had been asked of them upon their enlistment into the armed services of the dual islands.

Personally though, the Queen was unsure if she really did forgive them for what they had done, even if they had only been following the orders of their superiors in choosing to side with the rogue parliamentarians in their attempted coup. Though she disagreed heavily with him, one of her cousins and aunt had still been killed by the rebel forces and there had been several attempts on her own life as well as that of her brother and other members of the royal family. They had wanted to completely wipe the Majistar family from the face of the planet and their punishment had been but a few years in a military prison, where their standard of living was perhaps even higher than that of an average citizen within the dual islands themselves. Three meals a day, plenty of opportunity for exercise, clean bed and bath, as well as access to a fire temple for religious purposes. There were those in the poorer parts of the nation that could not claim that, despite the best efforts to provide everyone with a decent standard of living. What's more, the increasing pressure from nobles, advisers, and courtesans about married and securing the succession was weighing heavily on her, making her worries as the Queen even more amplified than normal.

by **Kandorith** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 5:56 pm

Hikari Kyoyu

Illuminating Today

World Cup

Mekahi Sets Their Sights on Qualifiers, Multiple Surprises
by Natsumi Miyasaki | Sports - Football |

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The Kandorese national football team, also called mekahi, or rising star, made its first appearance during the qualifiers for World Cup 55 against Coffee Cakes and won their first match with a 2–1 score. Kandorith would end up 7th in Group 15 with just 24 points out of 20 games. The first World Cup the team would represent the nation was World Cup 67, after a thrilling playoff two-parter against Super-Llamaland. In the group phase, Kandorith ended up third with only 1 point from three matches, facing defeats against Eura and The Archregimancy and managing a draw against Zwangzug.

Now we are at the forefront of World Cup 95, and the Kandorese team has been a steady name on the world stage for quite some time, and expectations have been higher each year. While the qualifiers for World Cup 94 were erratic and dramatic, the team surely looks to step up to the world stage once again.

The spotlight falls on the key players who have been rising stars in the Kandorese league for a few years now. Captain Daichi Nakamura, the key player in midfield, will orchestrate the team's tactics as the mastermind behind the team. Striker Kenta Takahashi, known for his goal-scoring prowess, aims to leave any opposition in the dust behind him. Goalkeeper Shojiro Ito stands tall as the last line of defence, an experienced goalkeeper who is seemingly fearless of whoever stands in front of him and the goal.

In a surprising turn of events, Takeshi Kurosawa (Imakazawa Ravens) was named as manager for the Kandorese national football team, a position assigned to Kaya Michiyu. The unexpected shift in leadership has left fans and pundits alike speculating on the reasons behind this sudden change.

Kurosawa, who expressed excitement earlier this year about being named assistant manager for the Kandorese team in an article on Sync, has assumed the role of head manager without immediately providing an explanation for the sudden switch. Despite inquiries into the matter, Kurosawa has remained tight-lipped, stating that he is currently unable to comment on the circumstances surrounding his position, why Michiyu's name was not named for the Kandorese team, or why there was not an immediate appointment for a new assistant manager.

The developments surrounding the situation have sparked curiosity and raised eyebrows. Some individuals on social media and message boards are circulating wild conspiracy theories, even questioning Kurosawa's identity or intent. The Kandorese Football Association has urged fans not to speculate and to wait for an official update. The president of the KFA, Kazuki Nakamura, has called for an end to speculations and wild theories, assuring that nothing sinister or mysterious is transpiring. He has promised to provide updates as soon as they are deemed "appropriate."

Lifestyle

Embrace the Future with Synthetic Companions
by Aya Tanaka | Technology |

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In a groundbreaking leap into the future, TechDynamics is warming up Kandorith to embrace a new era of companionship, friendship, and a cure for loneliness with the introduction of the first prototype synthetic pets. These lifelike companions are a revolutionary concept of animal companionship, offering a blend of cutting-edge technology and emotional connection for everyone around Kandorith.

Gone are the days of traditional (exotic) pets, which might have been banned, are too dangerous to keep in the house, or have allergies to animal hairs. Synthetic alternatives are designed to cater to the diverse lifestyles and preferences of the consumer and can be refined to every little detail and wish the new pet owner has for their new synthetic companion. The emergence of synthetic pets comes at a time when societal trends have been leaning towards convenience, customization, and an increase in harmonious balance between modern times and the wonders of nature and life itself.

Synthetic pets are more than your average robotic imitation; they are intelligent, responsive, and adaptable, evolving and learning alongside their human counterparts and their friends and families. From artificial dogs that mimic the joyous playfulness of man's best friend to amazing robotic songbirds that sing melodiously without any fault, and of course, even for those who love mischievous, dastardly cats, there is something for them too. Gone are the days of seeing synthetic systems as mere machines that are cold and impersonal. The soon-to-be-unveiled line of these pets by TechDynamics will change the way you think about synthetics forever.

The adoption of these synthetics is not only reshaping the way we think about companionship, but it also addresses important concerns related to environmental sustainability. With no need for food, veterinary care, or the consumption of natural resources, these pets represent an eco-friendly and environment-friendly alternative without compromising on the emotional fulfilment that comes with a life-long furry friend.

While the initial reception was overwhelmingly positive, there are, of course, those who express concerns about the potential detachment from nature and authenticity of human-animal interactions. However, it is argued that synthetic pets offer a solution for individuals with allergies, busy lifestyles, or limited access to outdoor spaces or parks.

As the Kandorese nation strides confidently onward towards new technological advancements and integration of technology in our lives, the question arises: Are synthetic pets the future of companionship, or do they represent a temporary trend in our ever-evolving love for technology? Only time will tell, but for now, it seems the Kandorese are ready to embrace artificial companions with open arms and hopeful hearts.

by **Damukuni** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 5:57 pm

(This is best viewed on a computer at 1920 x 1080 screen resolution or larger.)

DISTRICT COURT OF
THE INTERPLANETARY FEDERATION OF
THE UNITED STATES AND TERRITORIES OF
DAMUKUNI

for the Central-Capital District,
Special Division for Atarashii-Damushuto, Damushuto, and University City

Case No. 3121-7869

THE IBUZA ANTEATERS FOOTBALL GROUP CO. LTD., THE UKITA SPORTS GROUP CO. LTD., and REISHU PROFESSIONAL CRICKET CLUB CO. LTD., Plaintiffs,

vs.

THE DAMUKUNI FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION (NEW) CO. LTD., Defendant

COMPLAINT FOR A CIVIL CASE.

Article 1. PARTIES INVOLVED.

1.01 - PLANTIFFS.
"Plaintiffs," for the purposes of the case, shall mean and include the following companies limited under the corporational laws of Damukuni:

The Ibuza Anteaters Football Group Co. Ltd.
100 Anteater Circle
City of Ibuza, Prefecture of Ibuza
State of Iruko, Damukuni

Ukita Sports Group Co. Ltd.
Sawachika Block 7, Bldg. 3, Floor 4
City of Ukita, County of Shibiguchi
State of West Bay, Damukuni

Reishu Professional Cricket Club Co. Ltd.
306 State Highway 1-36
City of East Reishu
State of Reishu Circuit, Damukuni

1.02 - DEFENDANT.
"Defendant", for the purposes of the case, shall mean and include the following companies limited under the corporational laws of Damukuni:

The Damukuni Football Association (New) Co. Ltd.
1093 Esportiva Boulevard
City of Atarashii-Damushuto
Federal District, Damukuni

Article 2. BASIS FOR JURISDICTION.

2.01. The Plaintiffs, THE IBUZA ANTEATERS FOOTBALL GROUP CO. LTD., THE UKITA SPORTS GROUP CO. LTD., and REISHU PROFESSIONAL CRICKET CLUB CO. LTD.,
are, respectively, incorporated under the laws of the State of Iruko, the Consolidated Codes of Trade of the Confederation of Damukunian Free and Associated
States, and the State of Reishu Circuit. Each Plaintiff so named has its principal place of business in the State or, in the case of UKITA, ff., within the
Confederation of Damukunian Free and Associated States.

2.02. The Defendant, THE DAMUKUNI FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION (NEW) CO. LTD., is incorporated under the laws of the Legislative Assembly of the Federation,
pursuant to the Constitution of the United States of Damukuni, as amended, and has its principal place of business in the Federal District of Damukuni.

Article 3. STATEMENT OF CLAIM.

The first edition of the new Damukuni Football System, hereby the "Contest", began play prior to the official dissolution of the company known as
DFL ENTERPRISES CO. LTD. ("DFL") Upon the termination of Contest, Plaintiff IBUZA, ff., was relegated into the second division of said Contest.
Plaintiff IBUZA, ff., alleges its relegation to be null and void, as a contesd was not held by DFL, whose format does not employ promotion and
relegation. Plantiffs UKITA, ff., and RESIHU, ff., while not relegated, voluntarily join themselves to this Complaint, not recognizing the result of
said Contest played under Defendant.

Article 4. RELIEF.

It is the wish of Plaintiffs to dissolve Defendant by legal mandate, and to reestablish the former version of said Contest, in which Plaintiffs and
previous entrants into Contest will be considered for franchising.

Article 5. CERTIFICATION.

Representation for Plaintiffs so authorize on behalf of Plaintiffs to, certify under penalty of perjury, that the Compliant so put forth is so done
in good faith and is pertinent to the authority to which it is submitted.

(Signatures for Bar representing Plaintiffs follow.)

by **Hapilopper** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 5:59 pm

(OOC Note: This is part of a continuing series called "Nathan Ellis's Quest," a long-term storyline dedicated to one man's crusade to bring Hapilopper to the top of the footballing landscape. You can read the complete series here, which will be updated as the competitions unfold.)

17: Step 500
“You can only get lucky against Baker Park so many times”

Because of a series of glitches that went on with Nathan’s internet, he found himself unable to travel to the location of the World Cup 95 group draw – which was a massive annoyance to him since that was one of the things he truly enjoyed about World Cup qualifications – the group draws. Instead, he would be forced to watch the qualifications from the comfort of his own home, and then he’d go out to the Renshaw Cable store to give someone a piece of his mind.

He was obviously disappointed, but so too were his players. Many of them wanted to fly out to see the group draw. So too were Ernie Stevenson and Cooter Harris, both of whom wanted to fly out as well. Instead, they would all get together at Nathan’s apartment – if you could find room – to watch the draw, and hope Nathan wouldn’t throw furniture at the concept of Ellis Football getting paired up with someone like Banija or Graintfjall.

The good thing, though, was that it was still a fun occasion. The Ellis Football boys had brought more than their fair share of beer and pizza with them, and there was a definite party atmosphere in Nathan’s apartment as they got ready to watch the group draw – in fact, so much of a party atmosphere that one of Nathan’s neighbors, a fellow named Chuck, knocked on the door asking them to not be so loud. So imagine Chuck’s reaction when the door opened and behind it was Hapilopper’s national football team.

“Yes, sir?” Nathan asked as he opened the door.

“I was just wondering if you could keep the noise down… is that the football team?” Chuck asked.

“Yeah, we’re trying to figure out where we’re going in the coming weeks,” Nathan said with a smile. “High drama here.”

In fact, it was the liveliest Nathan’s apartment had ever been. He wasn’t a social person. He didn’t go out on dates. He had never married. He was never into falling in love. He was married to the sport of football, and his nights were spent watching game film and reviewing what his next opponents would be up to. He loved the sport of football so much and wanted to do nothing but play it and educate as many people as he could on the sport. And that’s part of the reason why Ellis Football existed in the first place – because the sport meant that much to him and he wanted to bring it to the masses.

As the group draw got started, and as the nation names were read off from each of the pots, the Ellis Football players wondered who they’d get. Many of the Pot 1 teams received “oohs” and expressions of concern.

“I’m convinced Zwangzug would kick our ass.”

“We couldn’t get it against Banija, no way we can get it here.”

“You can only get lucky against Baker Park so many times.”

“Ko-oren would shut us out.”

There were other teams that were of concern to the Ellis Football team.

“Man, I’d be praying for Wes if we got the Holy Empire, you remember the legend of that Wreckerian goalkeeper that faced off against them?”

“I don’t think I’d want to play Jeruselem… I mean, imagine being physical against them? People would be complaining!” “They already complain about Jeruselem, Rod. HTN isn’t sure they can air their matches without a parental guidance warning.”

“Cardenao? More like Carden-NO!”

“Hey coach, you want Valentine Z?” “Fuck off, Tim!”

“How the fuck did Starblaydia go so low?” “That’s what I want to know.”

“I’ll be right back, I gotta go take a Polar Islandstates.” *flush* “That’s not fucking funny, Avalon!” “Yeah it is.”

“I hope we get Cheetahs and Reptiles Coalison, that was your first international match, wasn’t it?” “Sure was.”

“Fort McKinley? Please let’s not have them again.”

“Beefsteak City? Sounds like my kind of place!”

“Why Are You In Here?” “Because I want to watch the World Cup Group Draw.” “No, I know that, but that’s called Why Are You In Here.” “Oh. That’s some name.”

Eventually, as the night went on, Ellis Football’s opponents started to become more and more clear as the night went on. To their relief, they avoided Banija. But to their despair, they got Baker Park, which was just as big trap for them as anyone, and certainly just as big a trap as Banija would have been, rankings be damned. And to make matters much worse, after doing the calculations, Nathan found out that Ellis Football would be playing Baker Park right off the bat, and in Baker Park too.

All things considered, Ellis Football got a pretty decent draw. There was Eshialand and Cardenao, there was Aleirave and Brusseldorf, and there was Rea San Vegas and the City of Myrtle Beach. And on paper, those names didn’t generate all that much fear and consternation, but Nathan knew that any of those squads could be just as dangerous as some of the world’s top powers.

So the next day, Nathan sent a message out to his players – treat every opponent like they were Banija. Run hard. Play hard. Fight hard. And do whatever it takes to get a good showing.

“This is step 500”

Several weeks later, Nathan sat in a locker room in a stadium in the Commonwealth of Baker Park, looking at each of his players. Standing next to Nathan were his assistants, as well as Ernie Stevenson, Cooter Harris and Dom Probst, the head of the Hapilopper Football Association. The greatest sporting event in all the multiverse was about to get underway. Qualifications for the World Cup were about to get started, and in a lot of ways, these qualifications were just as exciting – if not more so – than the actual World Cup itself.

Nathan knew it, too. He could feel goosebumps rise up on his arms – as for the first time in a few years, he was about to be a part of a World Cup qualifying campaign. The most exciting competition in all of sport. He looked out at his players and saw them taking in the moment.

More accurately, it seemed the moment was getting to them. The locker room in that stadium in Baker Park was filled with such a tense atmosphere. The room was deathly silent, save for the ticking of a clock in the background. The players knew what was coming up. For them, it was their first World Cup qualifying match ever. It was their first match as an Esportivan nation. It was their first chance to show themselves – and the world – just what they were capable of. But if only it wasn’t against such a scary opponent like Baker Park.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Nathan broke the ice.

“You’re scared, ain’t you?” Nathan asked. “I know you are. I’ve been in that position before. Baptism of Fire 70, in Saintland, we had the Cheetahs and Reptiles Coalision. World Cup 83 qualifying, sitting in some nation called Bolgano, we were about to start our qualifying campaign. Let me let you in on a little secret. We were scared shitless. We were scared shitless in both matches.”

Nathan looked around at each of the players and spotted the apprehensive looks. The tension. The caution. The fear.

“We were scared shitless that someone was going to expose us for who we were. A bunch of upstarts in a nation that followed stock car racing and baseball,” Nathan continued. “We were going to be found out. But let me tell you something: Fear is good.

“Fear is good. Let me repeat that to you so it sinks in. Fear is good. It’s good to have a fear of the worst-case scenario – but a healthy fear. If you have that healthy fear, you aren’t going to get arrogant. You aren’t going to assume you can roll over your opponent. Never assume that. Let me tell you a story about Brenecia. They were one of the finest sides in the multiverse. They had just won a World Cup a few years ago. They were undefeated. We were in that locker room over there and I remember Ernie sitting across from me, and he said something that got me.”

Ernie looked over, then looked back at the players.

“He said, I’m scared we’re going to get blown out,” Nathan said. “That struck me. You know, Stevenson had this air of swagger all about him, and here he is freaking out about Brenecia. And then he looked at all of us and said he needed to take care of it. And he decided to face his fears. And you know what happened? We beat Brenecia 3-0 and got a bunch of us international club contracts. Ernie and I went out to Nephara to play football. We got to play in perhaps the most exciting domestic football league in the multiverse. And it launched something great for all of us.”

The players looked at Nathan, then at each other as he continued on his speech – which, strangely, was absent a loud, sharp tone, but rather one of calm reassurance.

“This can be your Brenecia,” Nathan continued. “This can be your great moment. But even if it’s not, just think of how far we’ve come, and don’t ever lose sight of that. There’s a lot of people that didn’t think we’d be here, and here we are about to start on this grand adventure. I had a 500-step plan to get us here, and this is step 500. I’ve got a 1,000-step plan as well, getting us to the top of the mountain. We’re halfway there. Don’t ever lose sight of how far you’ve come, but also don’t lose sight of the goal. We can all do this, so let’s do it.”

by **Yue Zhou** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 6:27 pm

haiguaidian

If An Zaoliang had done what he'd done in another country, he'd be hailed as the people's hero. An investigative journalist risking it all to uncover how the government had known about an upcoming terrorist attack and let it happen for political reasons? He'd be drowning in medals by now. But Yuezhou had never quite embraced journalism in the way much of Rushmore had. Freedom of the press had been diligently maintained since the fall of the People's Federation, but more because that was the kind of thing that ex-socialist nations that wanted to get into the CRC did. Nothing required them to actually celebrate this kind of investigation, and so to the government, it had remained good theoretically and pretty annoying to deal with in practice.

Maybe that was why An Zaoliang found himself in Haiguaidian just a few days after releasing his report on how the National Union government, including former President Zhen Qiang and former Yue Intelligence head Wang Tianming, were liable for refusing to stop a Yue People's Army terrorist plot that killed five and injured twenty-six. If An was a rising star, at least as much as a Yue journalist could be, the man he had come to meet was very much a has-been. Sun Yong had once been Zhen Qiang's Foreign Minister and right-hand man before mysteriously being exiled to govern the isolated cliffs of Haiguaidian. It was An Zaoliang's confusion over what had happened to Sun Yong that led to the unraveling of a much greater conspiracy.

"Thanks for inviting me in," An offered. "You have a lovely place."

"Oh, come off it," Sun scoffed in return. "It's miserable up here and we both know it. At least the damn heating works now," he said, leading An into an admittedly respectable parlor. "I've got some Zuanshi for you if you'd like," the governor of Haiguaidian continued, walking purposefully towards a crystal bottle of baijiu. "Helps with the cold."

"I'm alright, thanks," An replied, sitting down.

"Why so tense? It's not like you're still trying to get a government official to admit to enabling terrorism."

"Well, I don't think you brought me here just to drink baijiu."

"Touché," Sun chuckled. "But no. I figured I owed you an explanation. You came to Haiguaidian a few weeks ago to ask about Xingruichang Plaza. Not only did I tell you I had no information about this, but I actively misled you to try to steer you away from the story."

"I don't think that's too unreasonable. Many people did the same in your position."

"Sure. But I've already sabotaged my own career trying to oppose what happened. As you somehow uncovered in your article, I had tried hard as Foreign Minister to make sure that something like Xingruichang - where we gathered the intelligence needed to save Yue lives, and then declined to act - again. I even thought about going public with what I knew, as you eventually did. But when you came and offered to expose them - fully anonymously, in a position that is beyond fear of reprisal - I tried to stop that, too."

"I don't know if this will make you feel better, but by the time I connected things back to you, I had already mostly finished my investigation. I had some, uh, very good sources," An Zaoliang replied.

"That's fair, and I think I even knew this to some extent. I'm just still a party man at my core, I guess."

"Many such cases in Yuezhou," he said, staring out at the bleak Haiguaidian coast. Sun took a long, deep swig of Zuanshi before continuing.

"Sure. I'm curious what your people have in store next, though. I mean, surely-"

"Hold up. My people?"

"Whoever had their thumb on the scale to get you so many sources inside the government. It's not National Union, obviously, and if Liberation Army wanted this done they wouldn't have been so subtle about it."

"Are you seriously insinuating that I'm getting paid off?"

Sun stood up. "Well. I do think you're in this for the right reasons. But I worry that you don't know what this report is going to unleash in Liberation Army now that they have such a big stick to hit the opposition with. The left is in no position to take advantage of this, and National Union will be lucky if none of its leaders get life in prison. Do you really think five years of fascism is going to make anything better?"

"I think the Yue people can decide for themselves if Liberation Army have overreacted. And frankly, given what your former party did with their time in government, I don't think you have any right to argue about fascism. What has Liang done that's worse than bombing his own people?"

Sun said nothing for a few seconds, then, gently: "You're about to find out."

An Zaoliang left Haiguaidian the next morning vaguely uneasy, but still with no idea of the wave that was about to hit Yuezhou.

by **Tanirinthia** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 6:34 pm

To visit Tanirinthia, you'll need to comply with the following regulations:

Stay within the boundaries defined in your visitor visa during the duration of your trip
Accommodation must be booked in advance and through one of the approved vendors – see Appendix Visitor: Permitted Accommodation
Non-humanoids must wear provided holographic device at all times

1. Tanirinthia's knowledge of the multiverse

The general public of Tanirinthia and all other nations on Terra are completely ignorant of the existence of the multiverse, therefore it is of the utmost importance that this is upheld by any visitors. Any activity deemed to be intentionally trying to expose its existence to the general public will result in immediate rescinding of your visitors permit, removal from Tanirinthia and an official complaint being made to your host embassy.

To this end the following in a non-exhaustive list of things that are not seen in Tanirinthia

Animals are not sentient and are unable to speak
Furniture is not sentient and is unable to speak
Magic
Cube shaped fruit
Non euclidian geometries and travel
Reversing the arrow of time
Speaking to a stranger on public transport

2. Arrival to Tanirinthia

All travel to and from Tanirinthia must be through the main gate located in St Cirith, in the unlikely event of an incident that leaves the main gate inoperational then an alternate gate will be provided for you along with a temporary change to your visa to allow travel to that location. Any attempt to enter Tanirinthia via any other means will be treated as an incursion and you will be indefinitely detained, so please think twice before thinking you can skip the queue.

3. Your cover story

All visitors will be provided with a cover story as part of their visitor package, a reminder that visitors coming as part of a team of representatives for a sport event will be provided with a comprehensive package that will be tested on arrival.

4. Emergencies

In an emergency please dial 101, this number will connect you to a representative with clearance who will be able to deal with any issues you may have.

by **Archalit** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 6:41 pm

Featuring:

Pirates with Something to Prove in Friendly

Pirates with Something to Prove in Friendly
Written By Kahale Kekumu
03/29/2036_(ARC)

The Archalitian National Team, to many fans' surprises, hosted a massive match over the weekend against the team that took them out of World Cup contention, Chromatika. Let's not forget that the Pirates were so narrowly close to tasting victory, but after coming away with a tight 3-2 lead off the first half, Chromatika began pulling away and scored three points, ending the game 3-5. In that game, the Pirates seemed to be struggling a lot, having Lyndon Nightmare score a hat-trick in the first half but seemed to be incapable of keeping his pace for long, getting subbed out in the 57" that led to the lead Chromatika created.

Inviting Chromatika for a match set in the Archalit Olympic Stadium was the perfect way to kick off this new season. Coming onto a fairly reasonable group, Archalit has yet another chance at bidding for World Cup Qualification. However, they are fighting against the odds to an extent as they are the third-ranked team in the group while only one is guaranteed qualification and another one gets a playoff shot. Staging a match like this, a top-ranked team still fresh in the fans' minds, set at home as a friendly, was the perfect idea. It brought in many more fans who tuned in for the storyline and the stadium was full of spectators excited to watch a rematch of one of the most important games in Archalitian football history.

The match itself was less eventful than the actual playoff match, ending in a 1-1 draw with a yellow card being handed to Terry Yang in the 14th minute (prompting a very confused emote from him) and... that was the whole game. Seriously, it was entirely uneventful. That's not to say it was no fun to watch, Minato Gee managed to score in the last 8 minutes of the match to equalize after a long time waiting. The excitement peaked as the cross was flying towards her, and she scored her first goal as a starter player.

General Bulletins

There are no bulletins.

by **Vdara** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 6:47 pm

Out Of The Fire, Into The Volcano

From one group stage, came another. The Baptism of Fire had gone reasonably well for Vdara, coming out with just the one loss in the group stage, but the World Cup was going to be a different kettle of fish altogether. Swap out newcomers such as Bigpipipstan and Beefsteak City for stalwarts like Tumbra and Gnejs, and a less than pretty picture begins to emerge for the Vdarans - for the first time in a long, long while, they were near the bottom of the food chain, and it would take some effort if they were going to overhaul some, if any, of their group-mates. A mix of new and old faces awaited them, and there would undoubtedly be some grandstand fixtures; namely Vdara’s matches against Quakmybush, a side they had faced in multiple previous World Cup qualifiers. Nevertheless, whatever the outcome, they knew that they’d be coming here to find their feet more than anything else. After all, they were coming into these qualifiers ranked a lowly 236th, they couldn’t afford to have any delusions of grandeur, right? Right?

Chania,
Vdara

The busy streets of a re-energised city hummed with the hustle and bustle of excited football fans cramming the pubs, clubs, and bars across Chania. The metro could barely handle the increase in passengers, all heading one direction. Chants of old rang out proudly, with voices straining to reach high notes of chants which revelled in Vdara’s previous successes - and indeed, future ones as well. Hymns about imminent World Cup victories, hat-trick heroes, and glory in general were all in plentiful supply, and with good reason: their team were in town. Just across the city, in an arena filled to the brim with an equally buzzing set of fans, the Vdarans were due to kick off their first competitive home match of the cycle. A loss in a friendly against Sylestone had shown signs of promise, but it was this match that would really get the ball rolling, as little-known Christchurchon would be the first team they’d face. It didn’t really matter who they played first - it could have been Banija, The Holy Empire, or Bostopia, for all they cared - all that mattered was that, for the first time in a good while, the VdarArena was playing host to a World Cup Qualifier. They were going to watch their team in front of their very eyes rather than on television or via an illegal stream, and they were going to have a damn good time while they did so. Pints were half price, and the stadium’s kitchen staff were in overdrive as they tried to match the sheer demand for gyros from punters who wanted something to eat while they screamed at the eleven dark blue shirts on the pitch. Folded up flags, scarves, and banners littered the seats around this amphitheatre of anticipation, this field of dreams. The excitement was palpable, and as more and more fans took to their seats, draped in matchday attire and steadily carrying cups of beer down several sets of stairs, there was one thing that was clear - the good vibes were well and truly back, and no result good or bad could change that.

Dressing Room

Deep in the bowels of the stadium, far away from any fan’s view, lie two doors at the end of a long corridor. The hastily-scribbled-on pieces of paper sellotaped to either door read either ‘Home’ or ‘Away’, and it was pretty clear as to which door the Vdarans would be behind. Here, the players anxiously awaited their usual team talk from Markos, the gaffer. Of course, there was no real reason to be anxious, but the general aura surrounding the game and the audible atmosphere emanating from the fans above them seemed to add an extra layer of nerves. The big man would be very quick to dispel these nerves, though.

”Right, boys and girls. Judging by the noise, I don’t think I should have to tell you that we’ve got a lot of people out there to impress today. A lot of good people, people that have been waiting years - YEARS - to see their beloved players in the flesh. They’re here to see you, they’re here for a good time, but most of all, they’re expecting a result, and I don’t think it would be very wise of us to… how shall I put this, circumvent their expectations. Otherwise, you’ll have several thousands of drunkards tossing plastic cups squarely at your heads, and honestly? I’d be counting myself lucky that it wasn’t glass. In short, don’t cock up or there’ll be missiles. Now, for a good chunk of you, this is your very first World Cup. To whomever this applies to, I have only two things to say. Firstly; welcome! Secondly; now that the formalities are over, get your arses in gear. I don’t care if this is your first or your ninety-first World Cup game, I expect the same level of effort each and every time - no fucking questions asked. Whether it’s the first seed or the minnows, I want to see 110%, or even 210%, because every basic bitch says they’ll give 110%. Your hearts should be beating out of your chests, your legs should ache as if you’ve walked the length of Crete, and if you aren’t feeling the pressure of the Gods above you, you’ll be feeling the pressure of my foot on your arse. Only the best will do. For the vast majority of you, we’ve all been here before. You know the drill, you know the rules, and so do I - every single one of you has a job to do. It’s not simple, it’s not easy, but that’s life. If life were easy, I’d probably have a hot wife, a mansion, and a late night talk show gig, but I don’t. Instead, I maniacally rant about my fantasies to a bunch of athletes… but alas, I digress. I’ll finish this up by circling back to my original point: there are people out there, your friends, your family, your fellow citizens, who want to see the best from you. Your ancestors, their ancestors, and the Gods in the sky are all willing you on. Harness that energy, FEEL that energy, and give them what they want, alright? Get out there, and get stuck in! Come on!”

As always, the players were roused by Markos’ oration, and were eager to make sure that they weren’t coming back in at halftime to an angry manager, and even angrier fans. Stepping out from under the tunnel and onto the pitch, the noise level from the fans rose exponentially, flags and banners were held high, and the hairs on every player’s neck stood up. Christchurchon were bound to be a tough opponent, sure, but with fans like these, willing their players to run through brick walls, who knows what could happen. For them, these players would do absolutely anything - and they had to, if they were going to send this jolly cohort of fans back home happy. If they didn’t, well, there was bound to be an earful from Markos, and absolutely nobody wants that.

by **Eura** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 6:54 pm

COPA RUSHMORI 44 – FINAL
Eura 1-2 Cabo Azure
Scorers:
Barnes 45
Lineup:
1. T Hammond
2. A Mason
4. J Menard (sub Miller 90+3)
5. Q Phillips (sub Bedford 81)
3. M Taylor
6. J Gates
8. O Vincent (sub Malone 86)
12. D Barnes
11. O James (sub Woodman 55)
10. S Singh
14. K Archer (sub Sharp 70)

emplor.eur/main/sport/football
MERSON COUNTS ON PROVEN QUALITY BACKED BY FLEXIBILITY
Few changes from side that almost regained Copa crown

Eura’s campaign for the 44th Copa Rushmori was their most impressive regional performance in some time. In a gruelling and unusually long tournament schedule that saw them play 13 times, they won all but three of those fixtures. It’s just unfortunate that the third of those was the final against shock winners Cabo Azure.

Dean Barnes goal on the break of half time was not enough for Eura as they found themselves stunned by their nearby island neighbours in a giant killing made for the history books. It was a frustrating fall at the final hurdle and continues Eura’s long history of relative underperformance in the tournament, which has been exacerbated by a dire quarter or so of the Copa’s history. This was Eura’s first final appearance since their last of three championship wins at the 34th Copa Rushmori, which feels like a very long time ago, the days of Brian Bond and Moira Woakes.

Despite the result there was a wave of positivity following the initial shock of defeat as the nation, long adjusted to a barren spell for Euran football that has felt like an eternity, took stock at what had been achieved. Then 24-year-old forward Tess Miller spoke for the nation when she said that, after all that’s gone on since the first World Cup stumbles, “it feels like we’re competing again, at least at some level. We just need to turn that into something more consistent.” Eura had missed out on this occasion but there could now be little doubt that the squad had some quality in its ranks.

All that aside, the big challenge remains the World Cup. Eura have inexplicably gone eight World Cups without reaching the knock out rounds (failing to qualify for three of them), a dark age in the history of what used to be one of the great powers of world football. 22 editions on from the last time the red and gold sat on top of the world, they are looking to break a spell that has held a firm grip on this once great team. Euran national team manager Glen Merson at least has some riches to choose from for his side. Their statistics from the last Copa tell a story of a team with great goalscoring talent up front, even in a lean tournament for stars Alex Sharp and Sophie Singh:

EURA - COPA RUSHMORI 44 STATISTICS
No.	Name		Pos	Age	Apps	Gls

GOALKEEPERS		
1	Tom Hammond	GK	28	8	0
13	John Hewitt	GK	30	3	0
30	Sam Norman	GK	25	2	0
	
DEFENDERS			
2	Ana Mason	RWB	29	9	0
3	Molly Taylor	LWB/LB	26	10	1
4	Jack Menard	CB	31	9	0
5	Quentin PhillipsCB	28	9	0
15	Kevin Sherwood	CB	29	5	0
19	Jack Bedford	CB	29	7	0
21	Kingsley Mills	RWB	27	5	1
23	Isaac Doherty	LB	28	7	0
25	Morgan Hart	CB	29	4	0
27	Martin Pearce	CB	26	7	0

MIDFIELDERS			
6	Jermaine Gates	CDM/CM	28	11	0
7	Adam Woodman	LW	31	8	1
8	Oscar Vincent	CM	29	9	1
11	Owen James	RW/LW	27	7	6
12	Dean Barnes	RAM/RW	24	5	3
16	Bobby Malone	RW	32	6	1
18	Ben West	AM	28	5	2
20	Trent Roberts	LM	28	8	2
22	Jim Guta	AM	26	4	1
24	Taron Matthews	CDM	33	6	0
28	Flora Brown	CM	29	8	1
29	Lewis Coates	CM	27	6	0

FORWARDS			
9	Alex Sharp	ST	27	8	3
10	Sophie Singh	AM/ST	27	9	3
14	Kate Archer	ST	28	10	6
17	Tess Miller	AM/ST	24	8	4
26	Owen Holden	ST	25	5	5

A changing schedule that sees international tournaments returning to longer cycles makes it challenging for any of these players to make their mark while they are their peak. For some it is already too late. Taron Matthews has reluctantly hung up his international boots, for good this time, while Adam Woodman is now thought to be soon to do the same. More broadly, this is a team with flat demographics – not so long ago they were all very young, but they have grown older together and suddenly Merson is confronted with a side that, if picked again exactly, would have an average age just shy of 29.

Even with the longer gap between tournaments Merson has chosen to reward the players who performed well last time by retaining most from the last Copa squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, at least initially. Only Matthews, Kingsley Mills, Lewis Coates and Morgan Hart have lost their places. Yet the EFA now seems keen to make use of its newfound powers to call up players without clubs’ permission, changing the squad more regularly during qualifying than ever before. Those dropped players may make quick returns, while others in the wider pool could find themselves getting into the squad as their form improves more than reputation.

The four players coming in are an eclectic bunch. Edwin Lafferton comes in uncapped, the 29-year-old Mountainside wingback completing a real redemption story after falling short of his promise earlier in his career, before making a comeback that has been strong enough to merit at least one chance at wearing the national colours. Hart’s surprise dropping (remember when he was a starter?) has opened the door for Bastion’s Trent Grant to jump into the side, the 23-year-old getting in just ahead of club colleague Jack Dawson. Finally, there’s Roy Champion and Rachel Lambert from Holdenberg, an already proven, under-capped operator and an exciting young talisman brought in as a pair to bring something different to the side.

Promising new talent is always exciting to see but if Eura are to escape the group stage and end their long wait, they’ll need the senior players to step up. Can Jack Menard, one of the most capped Eurans in history with a mammoth 220 games under his belt, still do the business at 32? Will Owen James continue his thriving form from the Copa? Are the variety of other midfielders in and around the age of 30 at their peak or past it? And will Alex Sharp and Sophie Singh regain their scintillating form of World Cup 94, or will one or two of Kate Archer, Tess Miller and Owen Holden finally surpass them? If these players can’t do the business, one of many from a new generation of Euran talent will be waiting eagerly to take their place. If they can get the results Eura need, then Merson’s loyalty and consistent selection will have proven not just sentimental, but wise.

by **Cap Nord** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 6:56 pm

With his arms crossed, the fluorescent orange warm-up vest and the blank stare, Simon Carstensen could have been a steward. Around him, a few other reserves were taking short sprints along the cones but with the aura of being Cap Nord’s finest playmaker, the physical coach would give you a free pass when it came to mind numbing routines. In all fairness, even those going back-and-forth were only putting in a half-assed effort as their focus was zoomed to the pitch. One-hundred and eleven minutes had gone by and still, the Patriots and the Whalers could not be separated. (Some would assume it to be easy if you accounted for harpoons but apparently Tumbran security forces did their due diligence when a Campionato was on the line). Was it a great game of football? Accounts would differ but that it was a tense confrontation stood for a fact. The regional behemoths whose reign had petered out aimed to end a ten-cycle drought. The challengers tried to prove they had learned a thing or two from four years ago.

Another wave from the Brenecians that got stopped in its tracks by a Luuk Vennema header. The latter, whose name had been mixed with the word ‘bottler’ in all sorts of versions despite the linguistic difficulty, chose the right place and time to disprove the haters. There was a proper chance that he would leave this pitch, knowing that he had played the best game of his career and it could only go downhill from here. There was an equally proper chance that he would not mind. But that wasn’t Simon’s center of attention.

The Sandfjell midfielder considered himself to be a reasonable man. A man of calculation, thought and practical thinking. When things got emotional and heated, he could stand up and set things right. And yes, there had been some incidents in the past that observers called ‘lashing out’ and ‘fits’, but to Simon, they just missed the bigger plan of it all. ‘The bigger plan’. When he woke up this morning, his vision of ‘the bigger plan’ had been completely and forever turned around.

It was not the first time that he had had these sorts of… Dreams? If he would have shared the experience with some professional, those might have used the term ‘vision’. That sounded too preposterous in Simon’s book, who had mapped them under the term ‘moments’. Moments of clairvoyance. Snippets of things to come that suddenly penetrated his mind, as sharp and deep as reality itself, only to disappear as soon as he tried to grasp them. As a young kid, they had freaked him out but in time, he had learned to use them to the best of his possibilities. They rarely revealed the whole truth but as they became true in due time, they offered him some grip. When Simon watched highlights after the game and commentators said “It’s as if the midfielder has foreseen it!”, Simon smiled. It was an assumption so outlandish and dumb, no one would assume for it to be the truth.

Every ‘moment’ had the same pattern. It is not as if Simon could guess if and when they came, but they always appeared near the morning. Things came in image, not in sound because the latter was drowned out by a repetitive clicking. It took Simon a bit to recognise it but it was the old typewriter his grandfather used to own. Where the family memorabilia had gone, he did not know, but its sound had cemented itself into his heart. He did not know what force caused his moments but he had decided to name it: if he could not understand, he at least could try to control it.

It was The Writer who gave him glimpses of what was to come.

And that morning of the CE final, he got another one. A full stadium and an seemingly endless walkup to a goal that became smaller, rather than larger, with every step he came closer. By the time the referee handed him the ball, Olwyn Fife’s arms seemed to stick from post to post. Simon saw himself picking up the ball, putting it on the spot and walking backwards, all in one fluent movement. One short breath, a lunge forward and…

Haze. Mist.

On all other occasions, Simon had awoken at this point but he could feel that his muttered for fuck’s sake, why remained stuck in his own slumber. That wasn’t what shocked him. It was the reply.

Well, what would be the fun of knowing?

He had never expected an answer, let alone hearing the smile laced in the words. At that moment, he was awake, wide-eyed.

Minute one-hundred and twelve had Pazron Finchley waving Simon to the bench. His injuries had disallowed him to play but the captain could at least take a penalty in Cap Nord’s most important shootout ever? And there he walked, the only man who knew for sure that this last bit of extra time would not alter the scoreline. And yet, he was the least certain man about the outcome of the final.

Months had come and had passed again. Simon Carstensen had never experienced another moment anymore. The Writer had gone silent. Some claimed that he had gone through his mediocre season in ages, despite becoming a national hero. Others wondered whether his code was cracked and if he would fall back to the level of a regular good footballer.

Simon mainly wondered when, or rather if, he could ever sleep again.

by **HUElavia** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 6:58 pm

Xkorinating the FIFA World Cup!

Intro

Good day ladies and gentleman! I hope you all are well during when you see this. I'm your host, Bruno Cunha Henriques, lead reporter on HBC Sports. The biggest sporting event in the multiverse is the World Cup. The largest and most celebrated sporting event is always one that catches the attention of people far and wide. While we are entering the 95th edition of the Qualifiers and tournament, we have a special event to show you for the coming few months.

Recently, we've discovered what served as the inspiration for the very first World Cup in our universe: the FIFA World Cup. 22 editions of this prestigious tournament has been played on a planet called Earth, which is in a whole different universe to ours. Using a program we've developed called Xkorinate, which we've named as Margaret or "Maggie," we will simulate some of these tournaments based on these far-away countries using the ELO ranking.

We will start from the 1994 FIFA World Cup and move to the most recent edition, the 2022 FIFA World Cup. I look forward with you all to see what our program says about this prestigious tournament.

by **Carpathia and Ruthenia** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 7:05 pm

Lucia sat alone in her office not having moved since they left, not only in that they had left her office but left her with the weight of a tremendous responsibility. "Give joy back to Carpathia and Ruthenia", that's what they had asked of her. How do you give joy back to a nation, she thought, and how an earth does as the manager of a football team, even the national team's one do that.

Stewing on that conundrum inivitabled cast her mind back to the void, she had grown up in it hadn't known any thing different until middle age brought both the inability to leave a sofa without an audable noise and Carpathia and Ruthenia back into the blinding light of the worlds, back to Arroisia.

Back then sports weren't something you had the luxury of doing as your job, but with the leaving of the void brought the return of many things, almost long forgotten. The powers that be have invested a tremendous amount of time and money in starting to rebuild our sports infrastructure, subidising for the leagues to restart, repurposing the once repurposed stadiums back to thier original roles.

She always wondered why such effort had been put into that, and now it rested with her. Joy. That's what they want to build really, back before the void I read that we were a proud sporting nation.

And that's where a lightbulb went off in Lucia's head, bringing joy and being proud doesn't mean having to win against teams that have a hundred years of development on us, it's playing as good as we can, keeping our heads held high, not giving up till the final whistle goes, and maybe having a bit of fun on the way.

A weight lifted off Lucia's chest, as began to breathe and began to plan.

by **Tikariot** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 7:32 pm

Duncan Haldane: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Tikariot Sports TV's coverage of the qualifiers for World Cup 95 in Chromatika and Sylestone. My name is Duncan Haldane and with me in the studio tonight is Martin Seagrave.

Martin Seagrave: Hello Tikariot, welcome to, well, us! Exciting times and we're going in with a bang, but let's start at the beginning.

Duncan Haldane: This IS the beginning...

Martin Seagrave: Good point. So, let's first see who is in our group, shall we?

Duncan Haldane: Absolutely. So, we're having a mini-Copa Rushmori with Mytanija and Naixi as the three top seeds, then a double Esportiva whammy with Zeta Reka and Dod Rava--

Martin Seagrave: --Don't you forget the Hugeltaldom.

Duncan Haldane: Triple Esportiva whammy with Zeta Reka, Hugeltaldom and Dod Rava, then returnees Reçueçn and Bostopia and finally British Covelandia. What are we thinking about this?

Martin Seagrave: I think that we must have seriously trampled through someone's cereals because we seem to be attracting this kind of groups. It's yet another really hard group, so we're going to have to really bring our A-game all the way through.

Duncan Haldane: Especially as it's a shorter campaign as well.

Martin Seagrave: Exactly. That's one point we can't forget, because any slip-up will weigh so much more.

Duncan Haldane: And Margaret in her never-ending benevolence bestowed upon us the hardest possible game right at the beginning, with an away game in Mytanija. We managed to reach national team coach Brian McAllister right after the draw.

Brian McAllister: Wow, yes, not exactly the group I had hoped for, but in the end, we have to win our games, regardless of who we're playing. We're the top seed in the group, but only seven spots ahead of Mytanija, so the seeding doesn't really matter there. Mytanija is such a strong opponent and a true force at home. Naixi came out of nowhere and really can beat anybody. The only unknown are British Covelandia, but right within that lies the danger because they have nothing to lose.

It's going to be a challenging and difficult campaign, but I am still convinced that we can run this gauntlet and qualify.

Martin Seagrave: I agree that we have the squad strength to get through this, but we really have to be on our toes the whole time through. So, let's look at the squad McAllister has nominated.

Duncan Haldane: So, in goal we have Conrad Hurst from Carathyr. He has been the most consistent keeper in recent years, both in the league and also the national team, and if you look at it, everybody always says that it's important to have a team that gels and where the players know each other. We have Hurst, Wallace, Hemingway, Morretta and Davies in the starting eleven and now Sukunda also just joined the Emeralds, so this could, at least in theory, be a boon for the team.

Martin Seagrave: With the exception of Stian Farnsrud, the whole defence is Carathyr.

Duncan Haldane: Yeah, when you think about it, that's quite the feat. But it gets to show that Arthur Wolseley's tactics to work out of a strong defence really produce results and he also has the players to do it.

Martin Seagrave: Going into midfield, we already mentioned Pierre Sukunda who had an outstanding season for Parakleion despite almost getting relegated, and on the other side Arfon Davies, who is, I find, the most underrated player of the starting eleven, because he has been consistently delivering and has been an assist machine both for Carathyr and the national team.

Duncan Haldane: And in the middle one of the most unusual success stories the national team has likely ever seen with Charles Terzaghi. Didn't get much playing time in Tikariot and then goes to Cap Nord and really kickstarts his career and wins the championship, goes to Dantopia and wins the title there as well and now is back in Tikariot with Vna-Chuhul and gets the starting job in centre for the World Cup qualifiers, that's quite the meteoric ascension there.

Martin Seagrave: He's a great example that you should never give up because you never know what might happen.

Duncan Haldane: Exactly. On the other hand, upfront we have pure consistency. Morris Nighthorse is still our top dog, now with 188 caps, 116 goals and 70 assists, and with Adrian Grimaud he has a congenial partner on the wings.

Martin Seagrave: And Grimaud is coming of an incredible 46-goal season with Port Tacassam.

Duncan Haldane: Yeah, if that doesn't give him a huge confidence boost, I don't know what will. Both also just got a nomination for the Testiculos, which is also testimony to their quality.

Martin Seagrave: Daniel Sankalin down the middle came as a bit of a surprise, but even though his numbers haven't been great in the league, he was injured for good parts, he's still a huge talent.

Duncan Haldane: I agree. On paper, we have a very strong selection and I am convinced that we have a good chance of qualifying again, hopefully without having to go into the playoffs.

Martin Seagrave: Now let's have a look at the reserves. In goal Robert Osgood and Siobhan Harris. Osgood is still going strong in Valanoria as a grizzled veteran and Harris has been a big surprise last season with Miruan. On leftback we have the extremes, on the one hand Jean-Aniel Sirois at 34 and on the other two complete novices in Robert Thorndyke and Ildefontsa Iturrain who are on the other end of their careers, so that could be an interesting contrast. In centre, we also got a couple of pretty blank sheets of paper when it comes to national team experience with Katarzyna Heaney making her debut, but Ásgeir Steingrímsson, playing in Mytanija, and Connlaodh MacGofraidh hae ten or less, Spencer Jepson, from Tumbra, 17 and Sebastian Karlsbakk 21 games, so they are all pretty new-ish, with the big counterpart in Walter Thomas and his 102 games, also playing in Tumbra. On the right side, James Wintersham and Leah Robbins already have World Cup qualifying experience, but Oriannor's Joel Basiala is another newbie, who also can play in the centre, giving McAllister some additional flexibility.

Duncan Haldane: With three exceptions, our whole midfield backups have less than 20 caps, bringing some fresh blood to the squad. Layla Grover adds grit, Graydon Muir flair and Cobre dual national Sérigne Ayanbadejo grace and a wicked shot. Some people were surprised that it was not Port Tacassam's Samuel T. Gladstone to get the starting role in the middle, but he has had an outstanding season, leading Port Tacassam to their first TPL title in 34 years. The same goes for Carathyr's Þorgríma Vigdis, who made a huge step in the off-season, leaving Tikariot for Chromatik in Chromatika, showing her quality. Rounding out the central midfielders is Eivora's Michael Gaffigan. Finally, the right side. Two newcomers, with Chiara Castlethwaite and Artaxerxes Cavarron, both coming in relatively late at 26 years, and 32-year-old Parris Langley, who was one of the few bright stars in Tikariot City's rollercoaster of a season.

Martin Seagrave: That leaves our forwards, who traditionally are the marquee areas of our national team, and this cycle we have a quite strong mix, ranging from the veteran presence of Hamish Stainthorpe over somewhat experienced Annika Nurmsalu and Grant Plasencia and the less experienced Stuart Hammersley and rising star Mathias Vercauteren, who had an outstanding season after his move to Liria in Mytanija, to complete newcomers Theofilas Stearas, Daniel McGillivray and youngsters Magdalena Strandberg and Elia Molyneux, who coincidentally is the successor to Vercauteren in Miruan.

Duncan Haldane: As mentioned before, game 1 will take place in Mytanija, at Stadion Yolanda Savic in Thessia, which is a huge game right off the bat. Tune in to Tikariot Sports TV for our live coverage, which will start an hour before kick-off and will have Damian Gray and Leona Garibaldi as commentators. Go Snowy Owls!

by **Cardenao** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 7:44 pm

Here we go everyone, my dear readers, here we go once again. This is our fifth World Cup, almost 18 years ago the Blue and Golds of Cardenao took the field for the first time in that fateful 3-1 victory against Kuraita. We’ve come close to qualifying to the Finals, coming oh so close in our debut appearance in the 90th World Cup, but falling very short in the times since then. In the 94th World Cup, we finally punched up to the playoffs round but lost out to a quality Audioslavian team, the closest we’ve come to the biggest of prizes. But now, the time is…now.

Now we enter the 95th World Cup Qualifying stage as the second seed, the 44th[/i/] best team in the world if the rankings are to be expected. We’ve sloughed through the shit for nearly two decades, and now the expectation is that we will qualify for the World Cup. International audience, tune out because I’m repeating this to my Cardenaoan family. [i]We are the 44th best team in the world, we are expected to qualify for the World Cup. The weight of expectation is on our shoulders, and I’m nervous about that.

Our players, our team, we’ve made a living off being the underdogs, of being those plucky fighters who have their backs against the wall, from a country with barely any electricity or fresh water, and now? Now things have changed. We’re not the underdogs, we’ve had players in the best leagues in the world, we’ve had players nominated for the Testiculos, we have a military, we have roads being paved, we have an international airport, so many things are going in Cardenao’s favor that it makes me worried how failure at this pivotal moment could have severe ramifications through our nation’s footballsphere.

All things considered though, we have a solid team tempered by experience and forged by achieving things in domestic and international league play. It definitely could be worse.

La Furia Azule, this is your time.

by **City of Myrtle Beach** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 8:30 pm

James sat there, waiting. Waiting for what, he couldn't tell you. All he knew was that a very important man asked him to come to this specific beach at this time on this day. It seemed, however, that the man was late. He felt he had been sitting there for hours, as the skin on his arms had turned a very dark shade of red. Perhaps he should have put on some sunscreen before coming out.

He was about to give up and go back to his apartment when the man finally showed up, hours late. "Sorry for being so late," the man said. "The last guy I asked insisted I met with him in Charleston and the border crossing on the East Coast Freeway is terrible." This was excusable, James thought. Really, all border crossings on the border between Myrtle Beach and New Fernia were terrible. Ever since the war, and especially after the radical shift in New Fernian politics, the border was heavily fortified.

"So, why did you have me wait out here in the middle of nowhere for so long?" James asked. He thought it was a valid question- after all, the man had asked to meet him in some random place on Hatteras.

"I figured this would give us plenty of space and a scenic view of the ocean." The man pulled a football out of his bag. "I'm Alan, I'm the president of the Myrtle Beach Football Federation. I figured you would have recognized me, considering I was vice-president of club relations when you owned FC Kitty Hawk for that brief moment a couple years back, but whatever. I want you to run the Myrtle Beach national team starting this World Cup."

"Oh, no way. I'm done with football." James received offers every day about how he 'needs' to come coach or how he 'must' return to his club and bring it back to glory. "There's too many bad memories there."

"Football is life! I know, when you retired, you said you wanted to go retire on the coast with your family and just live out the rest of your life in happiness. But there will be no happiness without football. The world needs a uniting factor! Football is that thing! It could save us all."

"Well, how? Tell me how football is going to 'fix everything' or whatever you're trying to tell me." James thought Alan was messing with him. Of course, football did bring people together, but he couldn't see how football could fix the trajectory the world was on. The world had a maximum of maybe 20 years left before nuclear war consumes everything the light touches, James thought. It had almost happened once before, when Belize had their nuclear arsenal trained on New Fernia after some minor border incident with Myrtle Beach. At some point, the 'close call' was bound to transform into a real event.

"In 2003, you remember that huge bombing in New Amsterdam. Right?"

"Yeah, of course. What does football have to do with that?"

"Well, the week after the bombing, when football continued, the local football team, New Amsterdam City, held a big memorial service before the game. Hundreds of thousands of people of different races, ethnicities, nationalities, and maybe even species- I have no idea if they've let up on their no-Oceanians policy- came together to remember the people who died. Of course, this may have just been some normal memorial, but it made a difference. Before the game, a poll was conducted among those who went to the game early to see the memorial. Nearly 75% of them said that they had a negative outlook on the world after the bombing. After the game? That number plummeted to 20%. Football changed the views of these people, these sad, mourning people, and football can change the world."

James took a minute to soak it all in. "I suppose you make a good point."

"So will you come coach?"

"No."

"Well, I almost got it. Now I have to head over to... Little Rock. I hate that place. It's so depressing." Alan began to walk away before James stopped him.

"You know what? I'll take the job. Nobody deserves to suffer through Little Rock. Just for this cycle, though."

"Well, that's great. I'll see you in Florence on Friday."

by **Huayramarca** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 8:34 pm

“I love to dream, I love to make those dreams a reality. That brings enjoyment to my life.” – Bryan Tello

“My dream switched from being a doctor to play for Huayramarca. I want to win something with this team, I want to fight and achieve it!” – Santiago Chumacero

”There’s nothing impossible for those who believe. We are unstoppable with something to believe in!” – Huayramarcan Proverb.

Stade sur la Bahie, Amahne (Aminey), Ko-oren – 17th of December of 1989

It was a pretty cold night at Aminey, one of the coastal cities of Ko-oren, typical for a winter day like those who have seen thousands of times the residents of said city; but there was something different in the air, the atmosphere was special and people was able to feel it. Fans from the Ochre Islands and Huayramarca flocked the streets near the stadium, neutral fans were walking too as they were anxious to get in and watch the match. It was the CAFA 7th Final match between the Ochres and Huayramarca, nations that have had some past in World Cup Finals, but this time was silverware at stake.

The bus of the Huayramarcan National Team arrived to the stadium, the players greeted the fans who were there, but there was no chance for pictures, the team rushed in as they were bound to talk tactical stuff, prepare for the match and relax before the kick-off. “It’s cold outside, but my heart is burning right now” said Bryan Tello, then Ian Mamani added “Our first final, it’s a special moment for us as a team, look at us, we didn’t even imagine being here, it was just a wild dream.” Blâás Âgínsôgnó listened to the conversation and said “You are here, right in the place where everybody wants to be. You have been the fortunate ones, the team who earned the right by fighting through every single match to achieve this… It is time to enjoy, to feel the beat of the match and try to win the glory!”

Conversations in the dressing room had commenced, then, fans were packing the stadium already with flags, banners, etc. There was a particular banner hold by a child that grabbed the attention of, basically, everybody in the stadium “A whole life waiting for this moment, let’s go for it!” Of course, only a child, but that was a clear display on how the National Team has managed to grab the attention of children across the nation, establishing itself like a generational social phenomenon instead of a voyaging hobby of millions of people across Huayramarca.

La Banda de la Alpaca, the usual companion of the Condors, was having the best day in their lives; not even that match against Krytenia or Omerica that sealed the first qualification of Huayramarca could rival the feeling, perhaps the match against Cabo Azure in the Round of 16 of the World Cup 93 Knockouts. Large tifos displaying the players as children, then them as adults lifting up a trophy showing the long path they have traversed by, with the phrase “You’ve already won our hearts”. It was a general sensation of pleasure for what the Condors have done through all the time, after debuting in World Cup 85 to this second.

Âgínsôgnó was ready for the last speech before the kick-off, he gathered the players and then said “You know what to do. We have come this far; you know for what are you fighting for! You’re fighting for your family, friends, the whole nation even! They all are there supporting you, be it physically or at home, or even at heaven… I want you all to get to the pitch and devour this game! Go out and show what are you made for, show those who are backing you that you respect them, that you love them! Fight for this like if your very fucking life is at stake, don’t try to step back, push them hard!” The players applauded, the general feeling is that the players are under an unseen level of compromise, they really want to win and achieve an unknown height for them… There’s 90 minutes left for glory, or maybe 120? Who knows, perhaps only Margaret.

“Alright, gentlemen, shake hands and choose your side of the coin.” Said the referee, Ian Mamani jokingly said “Choose your destiny.” Then he picked tails, Luca Bridgebuilder also picked, the latter won and decided to pick the right side of the pitch. Huayramarca took the ball and the final began. A first time that featured some of the most intense football that Huayramarca has ever played, but the Ochres were showing a stiff opposition, proving that their midfield would be a significant barrier, as Ian Mamani’s filtered passes weren’t working at all, Bridgebuilder and Nate Midday were blocking, successfully, any attempt for those. The Ochres had studied Huayramarca pretty well, henceforth creating difficulties in the midfield.

The Ochres, in their side, had an inspired Eliot Sunteller who was wandering around searching for the ball, which he managed to obtain with the support of Julian Sackholme in the defence, being able to intercept the attacks of Ian Mamani and Nicolás Allauca. Right in the seventh minute, Sackholme sent a large cross to Sunteller, who delivered to Bridgebuilder, who ran through the wing and dribbled Kevin Quispe, forcing Juan Mamani to get out of the box to block him, but he was caught offside in that action… But Juan wasn’t satisfied, as he reprimanded his brother Ian “Come on, mate! Put the fucking leg to block their pass at least… Move your ass!” Ian nodded, then turned back.

Bryan Tello was sensing some scene fear from the team, perhaps lack of commodity given the circumstances, then Gabriel Sayritupac and Orlando Mina came close as there was chance to do so; Sayritupac, who has the most experience in this kind of matches, talked and said “Let’s tell them all to stay calm, to play this like a normal match… They need to be comfortable, without stress or fear as, if they don’t relax, we will be done due to nerves.” Tello and Mina called Ian Mamani and the rest of players, slowly, the message spread through everybody with the clear instruction of “stay calm, manage your nerves.” That message, despite being early in the match, would prove to be vital for the Condors for the remainder of it. The team, after that, just tried to play in a more conservative way, trying to get things done, passes in short, not large crosses; getting teamed and attacking in blocks, not alone, unless there was a creativity attack for a chance that could be exploited on that basis.

After the 7th minute chance, Bridgebuilder, Sunteller, and Midday weren’t able to get as close as they did to the area because of the pressure exerted by Ian Mamani, Nicolás Allauca and Orlando Mina, who decided to build a triangle in the mid, instead of just being close as they do. Said triangle helped to keep Bridgebuilder, the brain of the team, with limited chances to intervene and create danger that could put Huayramarca in a compromised situation.

“Push more, push more!” was the message from Abraham Mendoza, the winger wasn’t being noticed through the match, not even a single pass for him, but he was still waiting there to take some mark away from the area the Huayramarcans pretended to attack… Not an easy task, as Sackholme and Streamcarers are such a duo of agile defenders, who tried to stay with the play and ignore the movements of Mendoza under the risk that could mean if forgotten. The situation wasn’t changing through the 40th minute, no chances from the Ochres after that shot, Huayramarca was controlling the ball but not taking a rush, just trying to pass and something, but being unable to do so because of the tight and compact defence the Ochres had set for the match… But they didn’t count on Orlando Mina, who decided to take the ball at the 45th minute, he took the mark of Midday and decided to shoot towards the goal of Marcus Natural, but the Ochre keeper decided to deflect and send the ball to the corner… The referee finished the match by then.

Âgínsôgnó noticed the faces of shock of the players, as they were unable to break the tight Ochre seal in the midfield, to what Âgínsôgnó said “Try to dare, try to work as a unit and force a mistake… That concentration from them can’t be eternal, and we must force them to give a mistake, we must be precise and get the goal from that mistake at the first chance.” Bryan Tello then added “We must be together, play as one and support each other. We can finish this in 45 minutes, and I am sure they will also want to do so, so let’s avoid that situation.”

As the match restarted, Sunteller took the ball and passed it in depth for Jimmy Twonames, who got into the box and then passed the ball to Copse Clearedway, the striker shoots to goal but Kevin Quispe put his head to interfere with the goal trajectory, being able to take the ball out from the goal-line. The situation was tense for Huayramarca, as the team was unable to have a chance and score but, as they say, you need to just play a final, not to play beautifully, to win it.

At the 52nd minute of the match, Ian Mamani took the ball and found a gap for Abraham Mendoza, who received the ball and walked some meters, then he had a thought on mind “Lift up the ball, do something unexpected.” He chipped the ball to Bryan Tello, who was able to defeat Sandman to take the ball. Tello had flashbacks from what he have dreamt as a child, he saw how he drew a child lifting up a trophy symbolising the victory of Huayramarca at a football tournament.” Tello, mentally, said “This is my chance to kiss glory.” He took the ball and decided to chip it over Nature, working perfectly to score a goal that sent the stadium into madness, Tello removed his jersey and slide through the grass, then he cried due to emotion and celebrated with the fans nearby. Huayramarca wasn’t having a clear match, but they needed a single chance to score and take the lead against an experienced side, one that already knows how to win a CAFA Cup.

Âgínsôgnó called Ian Mamani, he was clear with what he wanted and said “Waste time, let’s finish this for once!” Huayramarca started to entertain the ball, passing and trying to get through the area, killing some time and then coming back to play… But that doesn’t mean that the Condors didn’t try, in fact, they did at the 70th minute with a header from Gabriel Sayritupac after another cross from Abraham Mendoza, the winger was able to send the ball to smash against the post for what it could’ve meant a 2-0 lead and 20 minutes left.

The Ochres wouldn’t leave this affair without putting a proper fight, as they did with some shots at the 84th and 87th minute, both from Susana Russo, who received balls from Sandman, who was already crossing from box-to-box with those clearances, trying to snatch something up front in favour of the Ochres. Both shots were a bit wide, but the Ochres were still there, close to tie the match and create complications for Huayramarca. As the referee added five minutes, the Condors decided to take the ball near the corner of the Ochres, wasting time and trying to keep it as far as possible from the sight of Juan Mamani. That strategy worked, and the referee blew his whistle, Huayramarca had done it, the Condors won the CAFA 7 and their first piece of silverware ever.

Bryan Tello cried in the grass, Ian Mamani was running like crazy through the stadium while Orlando Mina decided to get near Tello, then lifted him in the air and said “You’ve done it, Legend, this is the first of many victories… Let’s walk and fight for those!” Tello nodded as he was launched in the air by fans and friends who invaded the pitch in celebration. Âgínsôgnó then added “It’s the beginning, we have to fight more and get this momentum into other tournaments, we need to keep inspiring our youth… We have done our first step.”

by **Patriotlandia** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 9:06 pm

What to expect when travelling to Patriotlandia

With a new round of World Cup Qualifiers getting underway, the national tourism board is getting ready to lend a helping hand to all the new travellers that will make it to our shores.

1 - Arrival
There are a few way to get to Patriotlandia and the method of choice might vary depending on the location one would wish to visit. Air travel is the most popular and most convenient way to enter the country with international airports located in major cities in most provinces. Port-la-Ville, Blackbay, Jolicoeur and Couen international airports are all ready for the influx of fans, players and personnel this upcoming cycle. Travellers are asked to have their passport ready for inspection on arrival and not carry any objects that could cause an issue to security.

Seafaring travellers might be tempted to sail to our shores but specific concern must be taken as the waters surrounding the nation are quite vicious and prone to big storms. Should any situation occur on your way to your port of choice, the Coast Guard can assist by sending a experienced captain on board to navigate the arduous sections.

2 - Intercity travel
Whether you need to make your way to destination for a match or wish to explore more of the country, plenty of options present themselves to you. Of course, regional air travel is fast and convenient with offerings from AeroLandia to most cities, but some might prefer the more scenic options. For the drivers, the national highway system will get you to where you are going in no time. The highways link all major cities and passes by many of our favourite touristic destinations. If cars are not your style, maybe the Centennial train line linking Conflans to Couen will grasp your attention. The traditional style train takes you on a scenic journey through the Mur mountain range with a stop in the aptly named town of Passe-Montagne before making it's way down from the snowy peaks to the southern coast.

3 - At your destination
Once you arrive at your destination, you will notice that most signage is strictly in French, but staff and most Patriotlandians are bilingual and will be able to help. If you are walking around town and crossing the street please not that motor vehicles drive on the right side of the street and to look left to right before stepping onto a two lane road. Monetarily, all major credit card carriers will be accepted on your trip. If you wish to use cash, the legal tender is the Piastre and can be found in all banks and currency exchanges.

by **Banija** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 9:15 pm

Banija kicks off World Cup Qualifying campaign in the territories as title defense gets set to kick off

ZANSOSI, BANIJAN ESPORTIVAN TERRITORIES OF NJAZA- A strange occurence, for sure. Banija, the defending world champs, beginning a World Cup Qualifying campaign with a home game? Check. That game not being at the Stadium of the Restoration? Odd, but.... Whatever. Ok. But most weird... That game being played in the Banijan Esportivan Territories? Question mark. It's a question that hovers- why are we playing a home World Cup Qualifier in a rather freshly acquired territory of Banija? So far away... All the way out in Esportiva?

It has long been a goal of Kagere Jjunju, the Governor of BET Njaza, to have games played out here, a home match for the Banijan national team. "The Kadongo Kamu are a prized asset with a rabid, rabid fanbase- both at home, on the mainland, and here, in BET Njaza. The chances to get the boys to turn out, of course, will be quite high." Of course, you do not have to go back that far to figure out why. World Cup 93, happening right on the other side of BET Njaza's southern border, in Tumbra. The Final there, specifically. While most Banijan fans were from the mainland, back home, definitely a solid number made the ground trek into Tumbra for that World Cup Final. One, of course, that we won.

Despite freshly even being a part of Banija, the parties went on all night long in this territory. "What can you say- it's easy to cheer for a winner." Said one journalist. And boy, was that right. There has definitely been a ton of passion behind this national team in the territories. Throughout Banija's World Cup 94 run, as well as their AOCAF 70 run, the popularity of the national team in Njaza has continued to shoot upwards. Ratings were skyhigh for World Cup Qualifying, and the Finals, and the idea was really put out there- maybe the NT could play a game in Esportiva. But how to do that? How to make that possible?

It was when the draw was made, where the idea really got off the ground. Another one of Njaza's land neighbors, Damukuni, drawn into their group. Wouldn't that regionally relevant matchup be the perfect draw to have a game in Zansosi? Save them a flight, get Njaza rooting against neighbors, have it be a big-time match. And so it all started happening. The RBSA worked with Kagere Jjunju, and now here we are. A 55,000 seater, the national(territorial?) stadium of this region, playing host to the Kadongo Kamu.

And this is a massively talented team. With studs like Layvin Son-Saka, AWO, and Lolong Bokate leading the front 3, the fans here expect to be entertained- and the players are ready for the challenge. "Look- we play where they tell us to play." Pam Scott told reporters. "This is where our home game is, and we are here for it. I will say- the excitement is on another level. It's always great to see when the passion, and the pureness of fans, at the beginning of a campaign. Everybody's 0-0, we all have an equal chance of reaching Chromatika & Sylestone- I look forward to trying to chase our first win here in Zansosi."

by **Independent Athletes from Quebec** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 9:18 pm

Here We Go. The Start of it all.

The Beginning of the End.

A death that will begin many lives to come.

A love that will begin the tragedies to come.

Hala.

Ahead By A Century

PART 1 - The Watchmaker

Dear reader, it was the Year 2062 when we would pick up where we had left off.

Claire Lundrigan was still doing her best to acclimate herself into what would become the start of her sophomore year of high school.

Everything she had taken for granted growing up could be quantified now in colourised films inside her head instead of running on continuous livestreams. Every zone of comfort, what Claire would usually associate with the quiet, gravely beaches of Battersea Woods where a few dozen residents could readily swim into the waters, unimpeded, were starting to become commodified into the space inside her head.

Her hometown of Battersea Woods was described by her under one world - Homely. Located approximately half an hour to 45 minutes southwest of Twin Cities by road, approximately halfway to the pastoral country road that would eventually lead to a surfer's paradise bordering Semarland in Rimini Beach, this Acadien town had a quaint, old-world charm attached to it by the virtues of heathlands, cliffs and rolling hills all coexisting, as well as people who did not exactly reflect the characteristics of what people would describe as a lovely place to live. In some essence, either the most suitable or unsuitable for the next twenty years of tragedies to begin upon two families, perhaps even three, and their loved ones.

Her home of the Silverhills was a rather spacious estate, but one where many of the facilities still needed reworkings from the faulty pipes, dust on some of the rooms, and not to mention issues clearing shrubs on the outerskirts of the property. For those knowing the inhabitants of the Silverhills, as well as the nearby family estate Coxwell Park, this would surprise nobody, for this was just another example of traits that locals would remember the De Ramaut/Lauzons of her mother's side than the Lundrigans who have traditionally come from Navy, Foreign Service or the athletics, all of which would require a better sense of maintenance. Not that Claire had minded much, however - while the house itself was a small, three-room house of the Shingoryeoite Gothic period, Claire had spent much of the time on the cottage hut by the sea as her mother would do when growing up in the bustling, multi-generational Coxwell Park. She would normally bring her mother, a famous singer-songwriter Eileen better known as Plongeon of twenty-fourties fame, and just spend hours painting and playing music.

But when Claire was outside of the property, she would spend her time with her father, a legendary Korean-language writer by the name of Sir. Asher. It was arranged to be that way, dating to well back when her mother had recovered from a near-fatal illness nine years ago, and had never changed. Claire Lundrigan still remembered when it had happened - her mother was ill shortly after giving birth to her sister Maude, the three Lundrigan children would be sent to their grandparents' place at Coxwell Park from their apartment, and their father was left in their Songak apartment under a state of grimace. There the children would stay with their grandparents in what were a few months felt like several years at the time, before one evening, they would be reunited with their parents.

It was clear to both seven-year old Claire by then that they were not going to return to Songak for a long time, at least not to live. Her mother's career by that point had been more than consistent with no trouble of securing number one albums or international theatre tours, and by that point her father's career had more or less settled too, even more so with the start of the seven-book, neo-modernist series In Search of Lost Memories (A La Recherche du...). But even as a young child, who perhaps had gone through way too many troubling things then, there was a resolute sense of staying in the Shingoryeoite Old Country that she had not noticed her father before. In the nine years that would pass between then and now, he had stayed so, minimising travel and appearances perhaps to reduce the displays of his slowly-declining mobility and health, and thus maintaining the distance from the Ice Queen of Joongyeong.

And now, it was time for Claire Lundrigan to start the next chapter of the story. One that would last for the next thirty years to come.

'Do you think the new school will go alright?' Claire Lundrigan asked her father, Sir. Asher, as she maintained firm grip of the wheel on the driver's seat of the car. 'I mean, it can't get worse anymore than what you and mum would expect.' The incoming move to Avon-Gillespie School was something that had been all over Claire Lundrigan's mind for last three months, from the moment she had received the unexpected Letter of Admission to the Musical Scholarship Offer that had come with a list of conditions and tasks to prepare herself for the move.

The transfer of schools, one from her old Longbourne Community School just fifteen minutes walk away to one of prestige such as Avon-Gillespie, was a rather unexpected one by the family, and Sir. Asher himself did not exactly have a way to explain it to her daughter. Sir. Asher and his brother, former footballer Frank (who now resided in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Adab), were publicly-educated at Erskine Collegiate, and while the midtown Kingston high school was still one of the most known high schools in all of Quebec, it did not hold the exclusive, pommie profile that was usually reserved to rural preparatories or Joongyeongite lycees.

'It will all be alright,' Sir. Asher answered as he kept the sound of local radio stations low on the car stereo. It was probably the best idea to keep the country-folk musical rotation going, at least for the sake of riding on the rural roads of inland Acadie where they were bound to travel for five hours. 'Your grandparents went to a grammar, I did not but why would you or Franck want to pay thirty-keye (30k) pound a year to attend Upper Mahan College? You know your grandfather too well.'

Claire had noticed that there were enough things on the air that Sir. Asher was not the most comfortable talking about, especially in terms of her new school. On surface, the Avon-Gillespie was very much the school that had fit Claire's interests and agenda. Located on the Avon County, a county of rolling hills approximately located around mid-point of Oakwood, Dongnae-Halifax County and the Prince Laurent Islands, it was a quaint independent school. Built around the emphasis of outdoor activities and extracurricular activities 130 years ago by Dr. Lawrence 'Larry' Strauss, it consistently held strong appeal for those at home and abroad, even if they were still trying to improve upon bringing pupils from more diverse background.

This had also meant that for AGS, there was relatively little to no trouble putting together charity campaigns for those in need very year, that they would have a strong music program with a certain Delaclav film composer having been faculty member for the past eleven years, and their homecomings weren't soo doozy after the graduation of a recent RFL first overall pick Benoit Youngblood six years ago. In that sense Claire knew that was bound to happen, especially as she was starting to feel levelled out of what pre-existing tutors as a horn player even with commute to Saint John Conservatory, and had reluctantly agreed to transfer.

Still, Claire still could not help but to notice how daunting of a step moving away from her home, where she had spent close to the decade and majority of her sixteen years of life, would feel. For the first time she would really be far away from home, and with relatively little she could do with her family, and the prospects themselves felt daunting. To move from a smaller school, where a class of sixty would all know her, to a bigger, possibly meaner one where if by virtue of chance, she may have to suffer living nightmares would be dorming until the June. Unlike in others, where the environment would be much more controlled, the AGS held a bit more laissez-faire approach to the houses, and in that aspect she also worried (though discreetly) about being singled out.

It was not helped by the shadows of her father's declining health. His Charcot-Marie-Tooth condition was not known much to those outside of both her parents' families, over time, and those in the public had refused to speculate much. But Claire, being the eldest of three children in a large family, was starting to notice how Sir. Asher, whose strengths once would have allowed him to play catcher up to a pro-draftable level in college, felt each his steps heavier and less frequent. And this did hurt her a lot, having to see that the time's starting to slip past him without her siblings' awareness, but to silent acknowledgment of her parents.

Two hours would pass before Claire would open her mouth again. 'But will you be...are you going to be alright?' Claire asked, trying her best not to let her emotions get to her. It was close to eleven in the morning. In some ways Claire had felt that she had already known the answer, especially considering how little they had talked halfway into the car ride, but was unable to ask further. Heck, Claire wasn't sure if she wanted to know. Her father, for all the emotions he's shown and has been capable of doing so, seemed more than settled that she was bound to go, and hopefully further onwards. To greater things, perhaps to peril, perhaps to joy.

'I just want you to be safe, is all,' It was clear that Sir. Asher was not being honest to her daughter about something regarding the new school, whether he wanted to acknowledge it or not. To Claire, there was no place safer than that of Battersea Woods, where she could find herself purposefully lost for hours, while still making her way back after a minute or two of walks along the paths. 'But you, dear daughter, are bound for great things, and this is the best mum and I can provide for you.'

'Yes, but...' But Claire could not continue speaking. She knew what her father, who would normally be an emotional, understanding being, felt cold or rather ambivalent towards it all. It was almost as if he had known this day would come, and maybe he did - but all of this had frustrated her.

Not being able to continue speaking, they would continue driving for two more hours until they would reach the leafy campus of Avon-Gillespie School.

by **Brannfjord** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 9:24 pm

Blekebakken Stadion – Prior to the match against Eastfield Lodge

Torstein and Harald Norvik, both brothers who have decided to take a side job for this summer at the Blekebakken Stadion as caretakers of the grass, under the support of specialists, have been talking some time about the chances they consider that the Brannfjording National Team will have in this World Cup Qualifying Group.

“So, Torstein. Do you really think we will stand a chance in this group?”

“I do think so, as there are rivals that we don’t know a lot of them, we might have chance to beat them and I hope so for that to happen.”

“For the sake of not knowing, you should be more in the opposite site of doubt, rather thank blindly thinking we will win every single match. Are you being delusional again?”

“Oh, come on Harald… I’m not delusional since Senja lost the final against HamKam.”

“Bro, that was a week ago.”

“Whatever. The point is that we will ragdoll Ragdollia, we will have a boring match against Boring Paradise, then we will burn the Eastfield Lodge. That chess-like flag of Zwangzug is no match for us.”

“According to my research, Zwangzug won the World Cup not long ago.”

“World Cup of what, chess?”

“The Football World Cup they won
To the sound of a clarion
Being hit by the might of a Valhalla Goddess
I swear that the city that will cry is Grimnes
We will suffer their football.”

“That was a pathetic attempt at a lipogram.”

“Point stands, we won’t have a chance against Zwangzug. Don’t expect a lot from a federation who said in their report that our players are 1.90 cm tall average.”

“What the fuck? Have we sent ants?”

“Nah, some idiot committed a unit mistake while sending details to the World Cup Committee”

“TJUN-ia is a hard team, we might have a shot against them of being thrashed or pulling a surprise."

"I do wonder if we are actually capable to surprise anybody."

"Ask Emil Helsing, he’s there walking.”

“Emil, Emil! Do you think we might have a great WC?”

“Don’t get me started, you won’t mock me up.”

“Torstein, come back, the grass needs some help.”

“Harald… Trust me, we might have a chance to ragdoll this group. With the power of Odin and Thor, we will thunder them all!”

“Bro, this is not an old-fashioned saga… This is real life, and we don’t have a lot to do.”

“How’s that we don’t have a lot to do in this group?” Said Emil Helsing.

“Sorry, Emil. But I do think we don’t stand a chance.”

“Who says we must qualify to the World Cup at the first try? Many nations have tried for decades and failed; some others are in a state of perpetual romance with the World Cup.”

“Zwangzug is that nation, for example. They have been in the business for quite a long time, I guess.”

“For that same damn reason, Torstein, these guys have just played at the magnificent Første Divisjon for a couple of years. Do you actually have faith on them?"

“Ok, I’ll leave as I’m getting offended for this thrash talk… You’re not supposed to trash talk your very own team.”

“Harald. What does even a Josifovo is? Bother to tell me about it?”

“Sounds like an unstable nation, though, but the nation that will beat the heck out of us in this qualifier.”

“So. Don’t you expect us to win anything this time?”

“Experience, that’s what we will earn.”

“That’s not useful, don’t try to insist in an intangible product that has flaws like any other.”

“So, your experience in helping to cut grass isn’t handy in your work.”

“B… But”

“Isn’t it?”

“Well, it is.”

“That’s the whole point. You need to have some experience to do stuff, you need to learn if you want to aspire to do something great in the upcoming World Cup Qualifying campaigns that may come sooner than later for us.”

“Ok, then keep waiting until you turn into a damn skeleton…”

“I want them to win, but they’ll take some time.”

“I also want them to win, but now.”

“Can’t talk anymore with you, you’re so damn stubborn.”

by **Saint Eleanor** » Tue Nov 14, 2023 9:24 pm

OOC signalling of roleplay intentions: Just this today. From MD2/3 onwards, I'll do qualifying match reports with the first two RPs of each cutoff (or the other two RPs, in the case of MD6/7; see below). The other six interviews will be spread over the MD2/3 and MD4/5 cutoffs... yes, I can hear the groans already, but bear with me because I promise I'll spread them out more than I did last cycle.
I'll do the Baker Park match report with the final episode of Thirty Years, which should happen on MD6/7. I'll also start on Lara Torridge's tour d'Anaia then; the first episode of that will contain the 2007-08 schedule.
From the second half of qualifying onwards, I'll start work on Turf Boys on Patrol (which will finish by the end of the WC95 group stage), while continuing with Lara Torridge (which will finish by... WCQ97. Oooops.)

OOC note on this roleplay: cleared with Capital Cove, aka ZRH, where Northend's spent her entire club career so far.

Angelica Northend: "I'll accept that my circumstances are pretty unique"
Chief Football Correspondent Jamie Rodgers has his heaviest load of interviews in a few years - and he doesn't get any mercy from the freshest starter in the lineup
Originally published on Thursday 4th January 2007

As far as many people are concerned, Angelica Northend is assertive, irritative, decently offensive in every plausible regard, and someone they otherwise haven't heard too much about. "They're right - I'll admit it! I write a biweekly column for the Cove Testimonial but I understand you don't get too many copies of that paper circulating around back home. I'm afraid, then, that you'll have to take it from me... like they do."

Being sarcastic paid off for Northend for much of her time at Broadlands CS, where she was largely seen as an outsider for her reclusiveness. "I'm definitely not the kind of person who just shuts herself inside - Eleanorians usually aren't - but, as you could tell, I got myself involved with the student newspaper that ran very, very occasionally. I was possibly the only person in the robotics club who had nothing to do with Hiyashi... but didn't worry myself with extracurriculars too much other than those. I had two good friends: Elaine [Bryant] also had both of her parents in the Army, she always came to me whenever one of them had a close call in the field or she wanted to babble about something that was stressing her out and I always came to her whenever I had concerns about anything. Sarah [Dale] was a bona fide nerd-geek hybrid, basically the only person I went to for anything that was even vaguely related to numbers, and probably the reason I was better at sciencey subjects than the other ones at school; she's in a better place, also known as being one of the University's professors of computer science. I was bullied quite a fair bit of the time but always had the right words to scare them off; they were so good that people started thinking I was the bully instead."

It's therefore not surprising that she was asked to be a member of Liberty's Charles Trump Shield team in 1998, although she claims that "they probably just wanted players." She was not, however, able to ensure that Liberty made their first final since their 1991 Shield win - far from it - and nobody has come close since. "All of our games ended in penalty shootouts and I was on the field for all of it - good for my inner coffee addict because I still drink two or three cups every day; not so good for my body or my sanity. Newbanks in the last sixteen, our first round, was fine because we were close to perfect for all of it and if their defence had any gaps at all we'd have won easily. Parkside was unforgivable because we had no right to let Saffy [English] enjoy as much space as she actually did, never mind to score both of the comeback goals; I scored the winning penalty, though, which was nice. Saint Ben's was disappointing: they had our number and we were actually evenly-matched all throughout the game. When penalties came, I was asked to take the fourth penalty, rather than the fifth as I did in the previous rounds, in the hope I'd help to end the game earlier; that expectation worked out rather perversely because, when I needed to score to keep Liberty in the shootout, I put the effort about three or four yards wide. And the goalkeeper would have guessed correctly if I hadn't!"

Nevertheless, her Shield performances attracted the Capital Cove Defence Forces, a team from Capital Cove's rapidly-rising league - mostly comprised of those serving in the eponymous institution - who acquired her services for $500,000 after she left school, before the 2000 season began. "If I'm not wrong, that makes me the first person in national team history never to have actually played in the SEL, at least if you don't include the managers. Hopefully I can serve as an example to future Eleanorians who get called up despite having no experience; I know there are many, many expats, especially in overseas schools, who love football and think they could have a chance of getting involved on a higher level. To be fair, I don't know why they signed me either, but I'm glad the move went through anyway and I've learned a lot there."

She thinks for a while when asked to talk about what three games have most influenced her playing career so far, but is rapid to respond after that. "The first one would be... well, the Cove League has always split the league into half after two round-robins and while we weren't really good at that stage, we did more than enough to make it to the championship half. I was honestly surprised at how good Cove Petrol [FC] were when they got there, and the real wake-up call in that first season was when we went to their place. I'd say we were expecting at least something - and come to think of it, a result would have won us the title - and it felt good when I knocked the side ahead at the start of the second half; just a bit of pushing the ball around in unexpected places and swinging a powerful shot into the net after that. But I'd say I wasn't paying enough attention in terms of defending after that; I wasn't properly tracking back when they scored the first one, gave away a couple of free kicks and got booked. Their winning goal had nothing to do with me, but we were physically broken by the time it happened and I'd say everyone was making basic attacking mistakes when we were trying to win the lead back. Not the best exemplar in the world."

She also puts forward the Defense Forces' 5-1 home win over Brodenbach United in the 2002 season. "There's this one bartender in the area I always talk to a couple of days before most games; she's impressed I haven't spoiled any tactics yet, but I don''t think even the manager had that much knowledge of what he was going to do at the time. On this occasion, I visited the local the night before, had a couple of pints and talked to her about anything other than the next day's game; I think the Acastanhan election was a big point of discussion, though. Boss got the word the next morning and, while he said I was still good for the starting lineup, I shouldn't have been engaging in such tomfoolery. As it turns out, I was perfectly fine playing under the influence - I scored twice, which is impressive even by my standards, assisted another, was generally busy running down the opposition and making their defence look terrible, and somehow didn't even get substituted off. We weren't that lucky in any of our other games against them but that's what you get! And no, I'm not attributing this result to anything I had the night before."

Her final nomination is the 2-0 win over Havmanniburg FC, also at home, which gave CCDF their first ever title in 2005. "We were hardly worldbeaters in 2002 or 2004, Eleanorian time. I'm not even going to talk about 2003; that was, I've been told, extraordinary budgetary mishandling. In 2005, however, we were right at it and one of five teams, I want to say, who were either leading at the end of the regular season or within a few points of the leaders. On the very last day of the season, we had 15 points from the championship leg, and so did the Petrol but they were ahead of us on goal difference. Soleburg [Frontiers FC] had 14 and were playing Petrol; P&R [Prinsen af Rosen AC] also had 14 and were up against the Municipal Hovedstad. The manager had a good shout at us and said we critically needed to score as many goals as possible, lest the Petrol use GD against us. I wasn't officially involved in any goals that day, but I played a good part in distracting their wide players, even riling them up a bit, and generally shifting the ball towards the central midfield rather than in the box because I usually supposed their defence was too much of a threat in the air. They were a threat in all areas, as judged by the fact we only won by two goals; we needed that to be eight more than whatever Petrol won by. They didn't win; Soleburg held them to 0-0."

Being one of only a few foreigners in the Cove League, you would expect Northend to feel at least a bit left out in her national team's opening proceedings, but she insists this isn't the case. "I'll accept that my circumstances are pretty unique, but if you think about it, this is close to 30% of the whole squad who's just coming in here for the first time; it's almost 1999 levels of turnover, but without the drama. We had our first team meeting yesterday, which was a general reminder of expectations and then some fun stuff in a few repurposed offices. It's too soon to make friends quite yet, but if I had to name a few, Bridget Coombe is one of the greatest people ever to have lived; Rick Goldsmith gives about as much of a shit about bottomless debates as I do, which is nice; the goalkeeper ladies like talking about what they've read recently, and normally tend to get into the kind of debates that have a firm ending instead; Christina Fulton isn't as good at video-game football as you think - my Rozelle beat her Lakewood United 2-1. I am, at least, slowly making friends, didn't look too out of place... and was subtly reminded by Bridget when I did. Which was only twice in five or six hours!"

As bombastic goes, Northend is - to say the least - a more unexpected kind. She can be focused and determined when she wants to, which happens to be a great deal of the time - but she knows where she's directing her thoughts, she doesn't stay there for too long, she's worked out how to come back from the kinds of mistake she used to make and, importantly, she has a good sense of detail and analytics. All of this should set her up for a fruitful career with the national team, not a doubtful one.

World Cup 95 Roleplay Thread

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