A Tale Of Two Crescents - WC97 Roleplay Thread

[StrayaRoos]

“Karmea’s spot kick blocked by Fórténté, and it’s still 3-3. Now the Farves are sending up 18-year-old Éspéráns for what could potentially be the final penalty….. which she converts and sends Farfadillis to the World Cup!, and it’s playoff heartbreak yet again for the Emus as they go out on penalties at the hands of the Farves, 4-3 after a 3-3 draw here in Guayaquil”

For the second World Cup running, the Emus had come so close to beating a former World Cup winner to qualify via the Playoffs but then slipped at the final hurdle. In 95 it was Brencia in extra time, and in 96 it was Farfadillis on penalties, both times despite being among the lowest-seeded runners-up, they put up a fight against teams ranked 58 and 63 places above them in the KPB rankings.

Now with the 48-team finals, there’s one goal for this Emus this time round. Qualify. If they were able to keep the pace with times like Flavovespia (the emus didn’t lose to them during WC96Qs, but didn’t win against them either) and Valanora (okay, not really, but they were the only team to take points off Valanora in the World Cup 95 Qualifiers, so that counts for something), the Emus should be able to finish in the top three of the group, with Mertagne (16), Elymia (32), and Oberour Ar Moro (78) being the top teams in the group other than the Emus, who are ranked 60th heading into to this World Cup.

The new format allows the top two in each group to advance into the World Cup automatically, while the best seven third placers advance as well, before the remaining 10 third placers playoff for the final five places in the Group Stage, so the Emus are in with a pretty good shot at making the playoffs again, and potentially even slipping through into the seven third place AQ spots, but anything can happen, and Margret can decide to make the Emus go 0-16 for no reason, so it's not a given at all.

Squad-wise, The Emus are largely the same squad as World Cup 95 and 96. However, the retirement of Thomas Yesak leaves a hole that it’s expected Amina Şeyma will struggle to fill at the back. The captaincy transferred to Cruz Kaiplo, who’ll share it with Alana Kerr for the foreseeable future. The attacking unit that has been the base of the team’s recent successes is still together though, so if Şeyma struggles with the first-choice role, the six-player unit that has been Calixto Conti’s first choice since he came into the job will need to increase their output to try and maintain the same result. Hopefully, they will.

[Recuecn]

L'équipe Nationale de Reçueçn de Football underwent some change-ups after the IAC, with the manager, Bonheur Relié, rejigging his line-up and calling up some new players. About a third of the resulting squad are new to the team, making this the biggest one-time change-up the team has seen so far. Reçuecian fans have been speculating ever since the news was announced, wondering why so much is changing all at once. The most popular explanation is that Relié is getting nervous.

Three and a half years ago, the FNRF, Reçuecian football's governing body, held a meeting to discuss the future of the sport in the nation, at a time when the country was coming out of a long hiatus of activity. Relié had been managing the national team since even before the hiatus. In fact, ever since Jacques Tremblay, the previous manager, had retired, way back at the end of World Cup 87, Relié had been interim manager. Just before World Cup 95, the FNRF finally decided to officially give Relié the position and do away with the "interim" label. Since the team was low-ranked and had been on hiatus, expectations were low. Relié was essentially told the job was his, no matter how well the team performed. The FNRF didn't need anything from him in terms of results, they just needed him to keep doing his job.

However, the contract Relié was given would only last for two cycles. Rumors circulated that the FNRF was already thinking about World Cup 100, and hoping that at such a historic event, the équipe nationale would be able to distinguish itself and make its mark on history. But such a feat would of course require preparation--it was not something to be achieved at the drop of a hat. And so the FNRF gave itself a window to start ramping things up. Relié's contract would end after World Cup 97, and the federation would "reevaluate."

The exact phrase used by the FNRF representative who discussed the terms of the contract with Relié was "We'll see how things are going and then we'll figure it out from there." ("On verra c'qui s'passe et puis, bah... on se débrouille.") Vague, in the least reassuring of ways. There was no mention of whether the federation was expecting to seek to extend the contract if things were going well, or what their standards were, or what kind of results they would be looking for. Relié was left simply hoping that at the end of the World Cup 97 cycle, he'd have done well enough to keep his job.

The indeterminate nature of the manager's contract had been widely reported on at the time it was signed, now almost four years ago. If the inexactness of the expectations placed on him bothered him, or if he preferred a looser reign, Relié never mentioned to the media. But now that the end of his contract was approaching, tongues were beginning to wag. Pundits were claiming that Relié was feeling pressure from the federation to get a "good result" in the World Cup this year, (whatever that meant for a team that would be lucky to even qualify), and saying that anything less would see him packing his bags. That additional pressure was in turn to blame, or so they said, for his sudden decision to replace a third of the players on the équipe nationale on very short notice between the IAC and the start of World Cup qualifiers.

Whatever his reasons were, Relié kept them to himself. It was likely that there was some truth to the stories about "pressure from the federation". At least, even if the pressure was not being directly applied by the FNRF itself, surely the manager must be feeling some anxiety about the upcoming end of his contract and the uncertainty that lay beyond it? Enough anxiety, maybe, to lead him to sack many of his loyal squad members?

There was another, simpler theory. The ÉNRF had been getting older. It was undeniable. The average age of the team members at the end of the 21st Independents Championship was above thirty. A large swath of the players had started playing at the same time, had been in the Baptism of Fire together, and were around the same age. Reçueçn had had a couple instances of time dilation during its hiatuses that had kept the players younger than one might expect, given how long ago they had begun to play for the team, but they were getting up there, for sure. A few of the players whom Relié had recently cut from the team had also retired entirely from the sport. All of the rest were still playing in the LNRF, but were in their thirties now. It was normal, people pointed out, for players to age out and retire from the équipe nationale and be replaced by new players. It just so happened for this generation, a larger than normal wave of players was retiring all at once.

Regardless of the reason behind his decisions, Relié's new line-up for les licornes has a whole new look to it. Some of the players who had previously been reserves are now in the starting eleven, and vice versa. The mid-field in particular is full of new players. There are new faces, and old ones are missing.

For example, the team's old right midfielder, Maynard Hebron. Hebron had been a rock for the team, ever since he was first called up--way back during the baptism of fire. Hebron was twenty-three at the time, and played every game of the Baptism of Fire. Along with Grégoire Leclair and Harold Saunders, who swapped in and out of the central mid-fielder role to his left, Hebron made a great team, keeping attacks from opposing teams from penetrating the midfield and making their way towards the Reçuecian goal. But LeClair and Saunders stopped being called up for les licornes by the time World Cup 95 rolled around. Laurent Lapix, Reçueçn's ingenious new prodigy, took their spot. Hebron did his part for another two cycles. But after the last IAC, the now 35-year-old decided it was finally time to hang up his cleats.

Lapix is joined in the midield now by Marco Daecher and Théophile Theriault. Lapix, who was himself the young prodigy when he began playing, is now a mentor to Daecher and Theriault, who are both several years younger than he is--Théophile is only eighteen. Reçuecian fans who remember Franky and Cutrona as a troublesome duo of teenagers probably find something familiar in Théophile and his friend Romain De Lie, who is another new member for the team. Romain is a striker but with Franky still filling that role in the starting eleven, has been kept on the bench for now. However, even being benched can't keep the youngster from finding his way in front of TV cameras with his toothy grin. Journalists looking for a personable face for the team have been turning increasingly to the boy, knowing that Reçuecians enjoy watching a prodigy.

Many of the other players in the reserves are also new or have been shifted to a new role by Relié. The volatile Degaré Béranger, the quirky Max Winkel, and the stoic Matthäus Behrend are all new call-ups, among others. Robert Chéreau is still on the team but is no longer starting, replaced by Daecher. Eric Konig used to be warming the bench most of the time, but now he's starting in Barnabus Mercer's old spot. Alex Bruguière, the team's other new right-back, is a talented individual player, but was a surprise pick, since his domestic club, Baden Heidelberg, has had a run of poor form lately. Heissler, the ÉNRF assistant manager, stood up for Bruguière and got him called up, telling Relié that Heidelberg's performance had no correlation to Bruguière's efforts. "He's a diamond in the rough," he told Bonheur. "Trust me, his team may be shitty, but he is not."

The team has already begun regularly practicing together in preparation for the upcoming qualifying games. Relié has made vaguely hopeful statements to the media about how things are going, and it sounds like things are going well, but it has always been difficult for les licornes to gel as a team. With such big roster changes it may be even harder than usual, but here's hoping that the new blood is a good addition and the team is able to seize its chances in this new, exciting World Cup format.

[The Ko-orenite Constellation]

Kicking off the Constellation's adventure is Shahrbanoren. A land with scarce growth at major risk of desertification, the population of just over seven hundred thousand dedicate significant resources to keeping the land liveable well into the future. In many indices used by the Constellation - which track the status of meritocracy (is there a meritocracy? Is education broadly available? Does it narrow gaps between classes? Does it not create further class divides?), equality (equality of opportunity, but also healthcare availability to all, are living wages paid to all?), economic strength (not a 'traditional' Constellation value, but one that has sadly proven important in today's multiversal economy), and HDI - Shahrbanoren doesn't necessarily excel. It lags behind most territories in Meritocracy: significant class divides exist, and opportunities aren't always presented to those living outside the major cities. It could be much worse, though, as steps have been taken to reduce these differences and early results look promising.

In equality, the territory is well behind most others. Rural communities are disadvantaged, gender roles are enforced more strongly than in comparable territories, and policy hasn't been adjusted enough to counter this. Economically, the territory is strong: its research into sustainability is helping architecture develop worldwide, its agricultural sector stays afloat, and the cities - capital Nishaveh, transport hub Qamsahran, and manufacturing and industry in Shahibad and Ramsayeh - are punching above their weight for their modest sizes.

Image: AI-generated

Earthships like these make the most of their surroundings, and rural populations are being switched over to these dwellings. Water is extracted overnight and in the morning, helping the immediate environment to stay green, which in turn helps to beat the sun during the day, keeping the inside temperature remarkably stable.

---

In football - one of the three major team sports, kabaddi and volleyball being the other two - the cities of Shahibad and Nishaveh dominate the landscape. Tasheter Shahibad and Venant Shahibad from the first, and Satevis Nishaveh and Haftorang Nishaveh from the latter. Other clubs have had their eras, though: Hagmatana Qamsahran won five consecutive titles thirty years ago, Asagarta Ramsayeh are usually in the top half of the table, sprinkling in league titles here and there. Tasheter Shahibad are usually the team to beat but even they can go years without a championship if city rivals Venant go on a run. The Nishaveh duo are never to be counted out.

* Shahrbanoren Football League  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Tasheter Shahibad              28   18   5   5    70   37  +33    59
2 Haftorang Nishaveh             28   15   7   6    49   40   +9    52
3 Satevis Nishaveh               28   13   6   9    43   40   +3    45
4 Asagarta Ramsayeh              28   12   6  10    45   33  +12    42
5 Hagmatana Qamsahran            28   12   1  15    32   44  −12    37
6 Venant Shahibad                28    9   9  10    43   46   −3    36
7 Darik Gavirmagh                28    5   8  15    48   63  −15    23
8 Kaspin Kermalam                28    2  10  16    33   60  −27    16

The most recent table shook out like so: Tasheter outscored the league by an incredible amount but didn't win that many points compared to the rest, the Nishaveh teams are second and third, and indeed Asagarta Ramsayeh succeeded in staying at the top of the table. That brings us to the better players of the league: Salman Rahnema was something else with his 27 goals (in only 25 appearances) for Tasheter, the Satevis duo of Mahya Mousavi and Parsa Mofid - defence and midfield, though their roles switch sometimes - was instrumental in keeping the club somewhere in the conversation. Behzad Ghaffari played his mind out in Asagarta's defence - but will likely be overshadowed by Mousavi, Asayesh, and Golshani in the national team. Nasirian scored 20 goals for Darik, and we could talk for a lot longer about Asayesh at Venant, who's turning into quite the all-round team player despite the mess of a club she's at.

[Aphrilia]

'Guess who's back, back again. Anchors' back, tell a friend.'

A phrase that has been getting popular on Aphrilian social media due to the fact that the national team has been assembled once again for the 97th cycle of the World Cup. This will be the third cycle that Aphrilia participates in the World Cup cycle, and the first in a new home ground. The Millennium Dawn Stadium was officially the biggest stadium within the entire country, and it will also act as the new home ground for the Darlingtown Rovers in the Aphrilian Ultra League. With the team having reach the playoffs for the World Cup last cycle, hopes are to try and match that same achievement this cycle. And due to the fact that this World Cup is the first ever to host 48 teams for the final tournament, chances are looking on the up. But as it is each time, it will never be easy. Though with the group Aphrilia was in, maybe things are looking better than expected.

From highest ranked to lowest, excluding Aphrilia in Qualifying Group 13 were: Mertagne, Elmyia, StrayaRoos, Oberour Ar Moro, Brusseldorf, Lisander, Hispinas, and Caerbannog. The first four are all higher pot teams, with Obereur Ar Moro being the closest in rank. These are quite the big names, and Aphrilia will have to look at finding opportunities to grab points against them throughout qualifying. And yet although there are lower ranked nations within the group, the latter three specifically, the teams are nothing to scoff at either. Whether 16th best in the world or an unranked prospective country, everyone has shots they're hoping to shoot. Whilst the moods are up and everyone's hoping for a great display from The Anchors, there is a brewing issue for those who like to do their own analysis of players and teams. And this brewing issue is rising.

With this being Aphrilia's third cycle, it is also the third World Cup Qualifying that the team has had the exact same personnel since the 95th. Whilst this isn't a worry since Christopher Vermont has placed a rule regarding older players, the issue is that continuing with the exact same players for too long could result in the team becoming more readable. Especially with the tactical system that Aphrilia has in place. The only midfielder coming close to the end of their national team term is Campton and Cooper to an extent. Every other player's way of being the Team Anchor could be read like a open book if it's the same people over and over again. Rosberg and Stewart are nearing their terms too, and while this means Lacey will likely get a start, it would leave the team without a player that can score from outside the box consistently unless Vermont picks one from the national talent pool.

And on the other end, for defense it's McPraxley and later on Young as well as O'Winchester starting to close it out in their 40s. And let's just say for fullbacks... Aphrilia is domestically somewhat lacking good prospects. The goalkeeper position is well sealed for quite some time as Karnwell continues to become better over time and Gordon being a solid back-up. The rest of the personnel worries however are there, and the fans don't have the slightest of clues from manager Vermont regarding future plans. And while there are rumors that some of the U-21 players could be on the senior team in the upcoming cycles, nothing is concrete yet. But Christopher Vermont is a man who generally seems to know what he is doing, so despite the skeptical thoughts, support is still high for him. For now, let's put the skepticism aside and hope for a good showing.

Afterall, this Aphrilian team is hungry to go for more.

[Patriotlandia]

Jean Alexandre Carignan sat in his office at the National Team Development Center. From the second story of the building, his office overlooked one of the practice field where groundskeepers were hard at work prepping the pitch for the day's practice. On the inside, a white board across from him was filled with lineup permutations, possible strategies and set plays. The desk was riddled with papers, letters from coaches and players, practice notes, a few resumes, and is that a grocery list? He would have preferred to work from home but the approaching international window meant his scheduled was chocked full with meetings and interviews. Just as he was tying his shoes to head down for practice, he heard a knock at his door. Behind it stood striker Glenn Wils, recently arrived from Quebec and Shingoryeo, was the target of many rumors this transfer window with plenty of local teams looking to bring in the now seasoned veteran. The two had a chat about the transfer market, the off season and the plans for the qualifiers.
"I want you to be a leader on and off the field, Glenn. You've played in big games and the new callups will need people to look up to."
"You got it, coach", the 30 year old replied.

As they parted ways, the player's cleats could be heard echoing down the hall. Jean Alexandre's focus then shifted to the practice plan. The last few days he had been able implement the system with them and they had watched plenty of video from their first opponent. He also didn't want to pit starters against the bench players so close to the first game to maximise cohesion. He had to call in help from a friend. The Griffin Isles United practice center wasn't far up the road, but hopefully they had enough players to show up on short notice.

"Rodney! Hope you are doing well. Do you still have a practice squad around town in the off season? I'm looking for a squad to scrimmage before we take the plane". "Yeah, we will be on the pitch at 11. Alright, see you then."

Official WC97 Qualifiers Schedule - Group 7
MD1 @Josifovo (34)
MD2 vs The Ko-orenite Constellation (UR), Champs-de-Mars, Conflans, PTR

MD3 @Sylestone (6)
MD4 vs Aquitayne (UR), Arène Alphonse-Sintegne, Couen, PTR

MD5 @ The Martian Independent Republic (250)
MD6 BYE

MD7 vs Saterun (43), Navy Memorial Stadium, Port-la-Ville, PTR
MD8 @ Jeruselem (74)

MD9 vs Semarland (98), Champs-de-Mars, Conflans, PTR
MD10 vs Josifovo (34), Arène Alphonse-Sintegne, Couen, PTR

MD11 @ The Ko-orenite Constellation (UR)
MD12 vs Sylestone (6), Navy Memorial Stadium, Port-la-Ville, PTR

MD13 @ Aquitayne (UR)
MD14 vs The Martian Independent Republic (250), Champs-de-Mars, Conflans, PTR

MD15 BYE
MD16 @ Saterun (43)

MD17 vs Jeruselem (74), Arène Alphonse-Sintegne, Couen, PTR
MD18 @ Semarland (98)

[Sarzonia]

Unlike previous World Cup qualifying campaigns, Caleb Rush and the Sarzonian national football team decided to compete in two friendlies prior to the matches that really count.

The results in the two matches were mixed, to say the least.

Sarzonia opened their de facto preseason with a 2-0 away loss to the Commonwealth of Baker Park, making a loser of reserve goalkeeper Scott Harkey, who made three saves, but looked as rusty as you'd expect for a guy who hadn't played meaningful minutes in net for a long time.

Manager Caleb Rush knew that going in, saying his objective wasn't to win the match against a regional rival, but it was to get his depth players some experience in match conditions against "a foe who doesn't salute the Navy and Silver."

"On some level, we don't like to lose any match we play, but other than the result, I feel comfortable with where we're at heading into the friendly [against Crpostran] at Mike Sarzo Stadium," Rush said. "John [Wells, the starting goalie] was on my arse about not playing him today or against Crpostran, but like I told him, I need to get [reserve goalie] Dayne [Marks] some playing time," Rush said.

Renovations to Dave Wilson Stadium in Woodstock finished two weeks before the opening match of World Cup qualifying against Darkmania. The Stars also played a prequalifying friendly against regional neighbours Qasden at Dave Wilson Stadium.

Forward Spencer Wilson said he was pleased with the renovations to the stadium.

"The sightlines are better," he said. "The technology used for the video board is also better. There was a lot of thought given to improving the supporters' experience at the stadium."

For the home supporters, that is. Krytenian supporters initially complained about sightlines in the dedicated away supporter sections, but there was a simple reason for the complaints not reaching the powers that be at the Dave Wilson Athletic Complex stadium authority.

"They didn't want to watch their missed penalties against us," Wells said.

Note: The Under 18 national team will be honoured for winning the Under 18 World Championship before kickoff of the opener against Darkmania.

[TJUN-ia]

---

SCHEDULE (Group 3)
MD1: @Sudilia (84)
MD2: vs Zwangzug (19) - Beregozera Stadium, Szensky
---------------Ramble---------------
MD3: @East Leaf (266)
MD4: vs Valanora (1) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia City
---------------Ramble---------------
MD5: @Megistos (UR)
MD6: vs The Godlands I (201) - Ke Kahua Pāʻani o Pua Aloalo, Kepu Manu
---------------Ramble---------------
MD7: @Equestria (Equestrian States) (108)
MD8: BYE
---------------Ramble---------------
MD9: vs Polar Islandstates (69) - Stade de la Victoire, Roi Ville
MD10: vs Sudilia (84) - Estadio Universidad Carlandas, Carlandas
---------------Ramble---------------
MD11: @Zwangzug (19) - Wayr Stadium, Rackham Range
MD12: vs East Leaf (266) - Estádio do Pacífico, Rio Pacífico
---------------Ramble---------------
MD13: @Valanora (1) - Hatire Memorial, Capri
MD14: vs Megistos (UR) - Zebra Stadium, Toropo/Almadinat
---------------Ramble---------------
MD15: @The Godlands I (201)
MD16: vs Equestria (Equestrian States) (108) - Tiankong Stadium, Tiankong
---------------Ramble---------------
MD17: BYE
MD18: @Polar Islandstates (69) - Nasjonale Stadion, Franz Josef City

[Avisora]

OOC: Posted the roster in the wrong thread. Sorry about that.

[Kimi-Suomi]

---

SCHEDULE (Group 3)
MD1: BYE
MD2: vs Pyazhnaya (86) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki
------------------------------
MD3: @Eshianmaa [Eshialand] (35) - The Eshialand City SuperDome, Eshialand City
MD4: vs Libonesinen [Libonesia] (UR) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat
---------------Ramble---------------
MD5: @Tanirinthinen [Tanirinthia] (14)
MD6: vs Alesialainen Liitto Alezian Union (UR) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki
---------------Ramble---------------
MD7: @Restresas (154) - one of two options
MD8: vs Savojarna (136) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat
---------------Ramble---------------
MD9: @Sajnur (47)
MD10: BYE
---------------Ramble---------------
MD11: @Pyazhnaya (86)
MD12: vs Eshianmaa [Eshialand] (35) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat
---------------Ramble---------------
MD13: @Libonesinen [Libonesia] (UR)
MD14: vs Tanirinthinen [Tanirinthia] (14) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat
---------------Ramble---------------
MD15: @Alesialainen Liitto Alezian Union (UR)
MD16: vs Restresas (154) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki
---------------Ramble---------------
MD17: @Savojarna (136)
MD18: vs Sajnur (47) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki

[/quote]

[Tumbra]

"Dangerous" to assume Tumbra will automatically qualify for expanded World Cup: Campbell

STRATON: The Black Eagles will "not take anything for granted" amidst an expansion to the World Cup field, with the very first 48-team World Cup set to see 46, rather than 30, teams make it to the Finals in Eastfield Lodge and Pasarga, according to Tumbra manager Michael Campbell. Campbell, who is in his third cycle with the Tumbran national team, was speaking at the end of an invitational tournament for the national pool held in Riena.

The tournament, which saw several young players taken to the competition, saw Tumbra lose 1-0 to Baptism of Fire quarterfinalists Kanzlia on the first matchday, before a narrow victory against regional neighbours Katzeburg, and goal-less draw against Riena rounded out the tournament. The results have drawn some worry amongst fans of the Black Eagles — most notably the draw against Riena, who Tumbra will be facing off against to start their World Cup qualifiers campaign — but Campbell has attempted to calm nerves before World Cup qualifiers begin by saying that he was 'testing' new stratgies for the sixteen-game qualifiers season.

The 44-player national pool, which was revealed after the Premier Division season, sees the beginnings of a change of the guard as more and more new players enter the fray. Several players are from the successful Under-18 World Cup 21 and Di Bradini Cup 57 squads, which Tumbra won; and Campbell has signalled that this cycle will see a "big shift" in how he selects players, hinting at a change from the 'core' of the national team that has largely revolved around the squad that won the thirteenth edition Under-18 World Cup. "Football is a sport that moves on quickly," he said in Riena, "and the point of the tournament here was to test new ideas, new players, and the future of the national squad."

Tumbra's World Cup qualifiers group sees them go up against foes old and new; regional neighbours Riena will be looking to make an impact amidst disappointing results for their national team upon their return to world football, while Zenic and Baker Park, ranked only three spots apart, will be fighting for the second autoqualifying spot; the two are only three spots apart in the world rankings, and both will be looking to get back into the World Cup. Zenic will be looking to make it two on the trot, having successfully qualified for the previous World Cup upon their return to international football; while Baker Park will be looking to rekindle a streak that saw them qualify for fourteen straight World Cups. Further down, Adab and Anaian insurgents United Hawkland will attempt to disrupt the top few sides.

It will be a relatively longer qualifying when compared to the last few cycles of World Cup football — with each side playing sixteen games across eighteen matchdays — but Campbell says that the depth of Tumbran experience was 'built' for this gruelling scheudle. "Fourteen, sixteen, twenty-two games — Tumbra is ready for whatever happens, I think, and it's because we're able to consistently move such talent onto the world stage that we're able to afford to be able to say this," said Campbell to end off the press conference. But, in traditional Campbellian form, he warned against 'complacency'. "I think we can't afford to be complacent against anyone, to be honest — everyone will be looking to take points off us, everyone will be looking to usurp us."

Tumbra will begin their World Cup campaign at home against Riena in the Eagles' Club, the de facto national stadium. Given the proximity of the two countries, a sell-out crowd is expected for the game.


Federal redistribution of election boundaries completed; Labour would have won a majority of 23 on the new boundaries in 2037

STRATON: The release of the redistributed federal boundaries for the next decade of federal elections is complete, expanding the lower house of the Tumbran House of Representatives to 675 seats, and includes seats allocated to a federal territory for the first time — with the Northlands set to elect eleven Members of Parliament. Calculations run by a joint team of the Tumbran Broadcasting Company (TBC), Aurora, and the National Broadcasting Service (NBS) have determined that had the 2037 federal election been held on the new boundaries, Labour would have a majority of 23 — reflecting the urban-friendly nature of the redistribution as well as general population trends that have seen more of Tumbra's voters move into higher-density cities.

"The results reflect that yes, the redistribution was quite friendly to Labour, but also that more and more people are moving into urban seats, which tend to favour Labour as a whole," said Assoc. Prof Thomas Lindsay of the University of Kingsbury, who was part of the team that did the notional calculations. "But it is also somewhat of a reflection that even in seats that favoured the People's Party, preferences from all other parties heavily favoured Labour to the extent that they were able to pull off several wins." Projected winners were available for 664 of the 675 seats, with projected winners unavailable for the eleven Northlands seats.

The results will be seen as a boon for Labour, who have led opinion polls throughout their term of office. The country's next federal election is scheduled for February 2041, even though the final date for an election is June; government officials have confirmed that they will seek to hold the federal election alongside state elections for all 26 states and territories, as well as special Senate by-elections which will see the size of the Senate grow from 200 to 225 seats.

TUMBRAN ROSTER FOR MATCHES v RIENA (@ EAGLES' CLUB, STRATON) and @ OF THE HOLY SEE
Link to full roster
Goalkeepers: 1 - Victoria Jones [Lakewood City], 25 - Branko Cvitkovic [Serrapince], 34 - Lucas Rand [FC Inter Nantwich]
Defenders: 2 - Annie Renton [Serrapince], 41 - Claudia Maartens [Straton], 4 - Stephen Kerr [Chromatik, CMT], 5 - Wendy Pritchett [Lakewood United], 19 - Yvonne Lawson [CS Saint-Rémy, KSK], 20 - Hannah Edwards [Kingston, QUE], 35 - Benjamin Byrne [Lakewood City], 17 - Jude McCreary [Newark Argyle], 32 - Shim Seo-yeon [Montreal Koreana, QUE]
Midfielders: 6 - Trudy Harrison [Chromatik, CMT], 30 - Heather Hindmarsh [Newark Argyle], 8 - Victor Leighton [Lakewood City], 13 - Stella Harrington [Newark Argyle], 27 - Matthias Russelar [FC Inter Nantwich], 10 - Susan Monaghan [Lakewood City], 16 - Colin Campbell [Newark Argyle]
Wingers: 7 - Valerie Wells [Lakewood United], 29 - Johan Berkenbosch [FC Inter Nantwich], 9 - Lynne Crossley [Chromatik, CMT], 33 - Henrietta Colvin [Lakewood City]
Strikers: 11 - Charlotte Henshaw [Lakewood City], 22 - Edward Maddison [Avondale City, SYL], 26 - Julie Hardaker [Myana, CMT]

Schedule: v RIN, @ VCS//v DEI, @ CBP//v ADB, @ UHL//v ZEN, @ OHU//Bye, @ RIN//v VCS, @ DEI//v CBP, @ ADB//v UHL, @ ZEN//v OHU, Bye

[Hispinas]

"Why did we get into this mess?"

These were the words muttered by Gorane Iturraspe in Basko language in one of her political posts. Taking the role of consultant after her contemporary Alfonzo Medrano declined the offer to be the consultant of the national football team. Even she is baffled that the King of Hispinas still treat the sporting teams as "task forces" with each sport being handled by a consultant, well, except for basketball, where Cergio Arebalo refused the king's order of having a consultant in the team. Of course, Cergio's defiance resulted to a disastrous International Basketball Championships campaign where their early losses was the factor in their failure to progress past the group stages.

At that point, the King made the consultant position compulsory once again, hence her appointment. She was new to the position, with Iago Escobar handling the position for numerous years, and Alfonzo was considered to be a talisman for the team, making the football team competitive regionally with all of the Copa Rushmori appearances resulting to progression the knockout stages, and even finishing in the podium twice. The King may even have a role in Alfonzo's refusal to the offer and accepting Sangti and the Filindo Isles' offer to be their consultant instead, but these were just word of mouth unless proven.

Now, she had the task of selecting the first manager of the football team, not named Alfonzo Medrano. It was one of the players during that era, Casimiro Coro, who became the most successful Hispino player domestically, with stints at the Tikariot domestic scene with Eivora Athletic. Even after his departure from the club, he stayed in Tikariot for the love of the game, though he was stuck there as there were a huge unrest in Hispinas due to their role in the Sangti-Filindostan War. He returned to Hispinas in the aftermath of the war, and vowed to help rebuild the team and bring back the glory times.

The quote was actually a reference to Hispinas' involvement in the said war, which destroyed most of Malklan and Mascardo, paralyzing their sporting programs, and the King's order to have all athletes participate in the hostilities in Filindostan came back to haunt them. Most of the promising generation of players were killed in battle, and only a few returned home, including Gainko Erroz and Mira Makarova, who now leads the team of young players and those with untapped potential. They had to spent years to relieve themselves of the trauma of the battles, and compose themselves for their final World Cup qualifying campaign of their international career.

And what a way to start the campaign with a trophy. Not the World Cup, not even the Copa Rushmori as they did not participate in the latest edition, but a yearly competition with the very nation which caused chaos and destruction to the lands of Hispinas - Sangti and the Filindo Isles. The King endorsed this trophy, named the Trofeo del Cielo y el Mar, to commemorate the friendship between the two nations after the war concluded. It was a matter of a small win, a 2-1 result in their own backyard, destroyed by the war, and rebuilt in time for return of international football to Hispinas, but any win no matter how big or small, should heal the emotional damage of the players as they venture to their first qualifying campaign since the one held for World Cup 90.

Lineup - Hispinas vs Lisander (4-2-1-3)
Baraibar (GK); Mendinueta, Antunez, Arguello, Erroz; Mojica, Bidaola, Heguy; Makarova, Solorzano, Osa
Subs (9) - Rayos (GK); Hinojos, Pabon; Del Moral, Linares, Abdulova, Clavijo, Velazco, Rebollar

Lineup - Brusseldorf vs Hispinas (4-2-1-3)
Baraibar (GK); Mendinueta, Antunez, Arguello, Erroz; Linares, Bidaola, Heguy; Velazco, Clavijo, Osa
Subs (9) - Rayos (GK); Hinojos, Pabon; Del Moral, Mojica, Abdulova, Solorzano, Makarova, Rebollar

[Banija]

A new coach for a new generation- George Wangolo takes the reigns as the first Banijan to manage the Kadongo Kamu since World Cup 73


Banijan players training before the beginning of Qualifying

BUSUKUMA, NATIONAL CAPITOL REGION- All Banijan fans remember the glory days- the greatest days in the history of Banijan football, what was dubbed the Banijan dynasty. Three straight cycles, under the tutelage of Pam Scott, we made the World Cup Final- and two of those we won. In fact, if you factor in regional tournaments, for those three cycles, we made the Final in 5 of 6 major tournaments played during that time. And, of course, we won three of them- two World Cups, and an AOCAF. We found a way to simultenously hold World Cup and AO regional titles at the same time. Our players were some of the most wanted by the biggest clubs across the multiverse. We struck fear into the hearts of all of our opponents. It was, by all means, glorious days.

Until, of course, it wasn't.

The thing about having that sort of success at the NT level, on all fronts- is that it is oftentimes difficult to move onto the next generation. We all know how hard it is to win a World Cup. It is even immmensely more difficult to be consistently elite at the World Cup, and making three Finals in a row, winning the last two of them, is one hell of an achievement. But the team got comfortable, and slowly but surely, things went sideways. The pressure of attempting the threepeat in World Cup 95 got to our team. World Cup 95 Qualifying was bad by every meaning of the word, as not only did we not directly qualify- but we were the bottom seeded team in the Playoffs. A late winner against Juvencus bailed out our Qualifying campaign, but even then, it simply papered over the cracks- we were unceremoniously knocked out in the group stages.

From then on- with the focus on the World Cup winning generation, we couldn't get back to those heights. QF elimination at the inauguaral ARC. Didn't even qualify for World Cup 96. Serious questions were being asked of Pam Scott at that point. At the international level, you can only stick with the same team for so long- did the players need a different voice? But, of course, how does one get rid of a manager that won your nation two World Cups? Especially one with that pedigree- there's probably nobody at the international level who has the pedigree, or resume, of Pam Scott. When ARC 2's hosting rights were awarded to Baker Park, Pam Scott reached an easy agreement with the RBSA- she would take this WC winning generation, and ARC 2, in her homeland of Baker Park, would be her final tournament in charger of the Banijan NT.

The tournament did not go well- a first round KO, on penalties, to the Yakk Empire. But, it's hard to get that Hollywood ending in sport. The ARC 2 made it painfully clear- the winning players of the previous generation had their time, and it was time to move on. They all got their plaudits, their applause, for all they had brought Banijan football- what was, looking back, clearly this nation's golden generation. But it was time for them to move on. And so, while the RBSA started their search for a new manager, the pillars of this past generation, over a few days, announced their retirements from international football- and some, from football altogether. Let's take a look.

Key International Retirements
Starters at ARC 2
GK #23 Hebron Rao- 38 years old. Starting GK since WCQ93.
CB #3 Adin Wasawo- 34 years old. NT captain.
CAM #10 Sergius Atieno- 35 years old.
ST #9 Abel Wesoloski-Okafor. 35 years old. All-time NT leading goalscorer. Former Testiculo Player of the Year. Retired from football altogether.
RM #11 Lolong Bokate- Age 35. Former member of the Testiculo Starting XI.

Bench at ARC 2
GK #35 Hebron Yiena. Age 36.
LB #20 Sohna Kolley. Age 36.
CB #4 Bbale Luboobi. Age 31.
RB #2 Festus Hera. Age 35.
CM #25 Oguta Achuka. Age 35.
CAM #15 Zion Izuchukwu. Age 35.
LW/RW #21 Dembo Savaneh. Age 34.

All of these players have at least one World Cup title, either as a starter or coming off the bench. So many legends, so many all-timers, on this list. But, if you want to give the youth an opportunity, the only way to get this done is to get the old dudes out of the way. "We will be forever grateful for the joy that these players brought Banijans, across this country and across the globe. And for a team that usually only changes out like 3 or 4 players between cycles during the Pam Scott, this is a full-scale sea change- five starters retiring, over half the roster retiring. And that's before any new changes that the new manager will make.

Speaking of... The search was interesting. Banija cast their net far and wide- interviewing plenty of foreign managers, but also, domestic managers as well. There hasn't been many people who have managed this team in the WC era. We started playing outside the Commonwealth during World Cup 73. In the 24 cycles since then(only one of which we didn't enter Qualifying, aka WC78), we've only had five managers. Out of any nation who has played that many cycles in that time period, probably the fewest managers. Or, if you want to really get down in it- only 4 managers for this NT since the beginning of World Cup 74. That's gotta be the fewest any NT has had in the WC74-96 time period, out of any nation who has played as many cycles as we have, right?

But an interesting quirk, almost unique to Banija- no Banijan has ever won a game at the helm of this NT. How is that possible? World Cup 73, our first cycle, we had a local manager, and we had a 0 point Qualifying cycle- and a draw in the Baptism of Fire. Since then, only foreign managers. Jan Cassallerus of San Llera for 4 cycles. Randolf Cherry of Drawkland for two more. Marcus Waters from Equestria for basically 10, and Pam Scott from Baker Park for 7. So while we looked at plenty of foreign managers, the depth of Banijan quality has changed drasticaly over the years. We have plenty of skilled managers, and there was a cry that we needed to end that distinction, being the highest ranked nation in the KPB to never have a game won where their own national managed the NT.

And where does the search start, and then stop? Nowhere else than George Wangolo. A man who, by so many means, was such a gamechanger for Banija. The first Banijan to ever be Galactico long-listed. The Assistant manager for the WC86 title winning team- our first. The NT manager for Quebec for three cycles. Spent time at a big club in Banija with Istria City FC, and then has spent the past 5 seasons at Montreal City, one of the biggest clubs in one of the biggest leagues in the multiverse- the Q-League.

But of course, it is not all roses there right now. He's quite tied with his hands behind his back. Severe salary cap restrictions on Montreal City, ownership instability, and all sorts of off the field issues for the club, mean that, after 5 years, it does simply make sense for him to leave.

So to repeat, Wangolo hads the opportunity(detoriating club situation), he had the resume(NT management plus club resume), and he has the name rec. And of course, having already been involved with the NT as both a player and an assistant manager, despite it being more than 10 cycles ago, he's certainly a familiar face. When you talk about that, as well as talk about the fact that the RBSA probably wanted a Banijan in charge this time around, he was always going to be the favorite to get this job. And the house won this bet- he was the favorite, and therefore, he got the job.

"I appreciate this opportunity- it is probably one of the greatest opportunities of my life to manage this national team." George Wangolo told reporters in his introductory press conference. "Those have paved the way before me. I have played for this NT, helped coach- and now, am at the helm. We have a long way to go if we want to bring Banija back to our heights. But we have the talent. We have the players. Everybody knows that the generational change is coming, is going to be here. It will take time, but we will get back to where we belong."

His first major decision was deciding who would get the captaincy- and after speaking to a number of the retiring players, it was the St. John's Arsenal superstar, Layvin Son-Saka, who would become the captain. He is young- just 24 years old. But of course, a new manager getting their best player on board is not exactly that crazy. "It is an honor to wear the armband for my country- a dream come true." Said Layvin Son-Saka. "I am well aware of some of the great accomplishments of this NT, and I fully intend to be a part of the future ones. While we have fallen, the long-term trajectory is strong- and I will do everything in my power to help the gaffer get us there."

We, of course, don't have the squad yet. But we have the group- and the group, is difficult. Bailed out solely by the fact that the World Cup has now expanded- a 48 team tournament, instead of 32. With Banija in Pot 2, and the top 2 guaranteed to qualify for the World Cup, the expectation will be for the Kadongo Kamu to earn a place in the Finals- either through a top 2 autoqual spot, or a 3rd place spot- either autoqual or playoffs. But the group itself- might be the most difficult World Cup Qualifying group in a number of cycles, despite the WC expansion. The Holy Empire- 5 time World cup champion. Eura- 2 time. Ourselves, three-time. And Krytenia- probably the most storied nation in this sport who doesn't have a WC title. And we haven't even talked about Darmen- a regular World Cup Qualifier.

Out of those 5- at least two will miss the Finals entirely, and possibly 3. Banija does not want to be among those- even if George Wangolo was grimacing when he attended the World Cup draw. "There is no doubt about it that we are sitting in the group of death. The pedigree of the nations in this group- Eura, Krytenia, The Holy Empire, Darmen, etc... All of them have many nations shaking in their boots. It is going to be a challenge. Getting back to the World Cup Finals will not be easy. But if we want to be the best, if we want to be among the best, we have to qualify for the World Cup- there is no doubt about that. We know the goal, and we will be ready."

Banija will open the cycle at home against Natanians & Nosts, before a tough matchup traveling to Eura on MD2 of the opening set of matches of World Cup 97 Qualifying.

[Mertagne]

MERTAGNE LAUNCHES ENQUIRY INTO MISALLOCATION OF HUMANITARIAN AID IN KARODIN TETRARCHY
Communities in Havreg rumoured to see ‘no benefit’ from Mertagnian humanitarian aid in wake of forest fires last year

Dannin, MERTAGNE-- The National Forum has announced an independent enquiry will be launched by the Mertagnian Comptroller to the Executive, after a blistering news report by Ekitalida was released last week which showed that Mertagnian funded disaster relief appears to have been misallocated by local leaders in the Karodin Tetrarchy.

A humanitarian aid package of funds totalling 25 million MDU (6.25 million NSD) was ratified by the Mertagnian National Forum last year to be given to the Karodin Tetrarchy to combat the effect of wildfires that had broken out on the border between the two countries, primarily concentrated around Yethal County, in the province of Harridan, and the Duchy of Nevezant in the Karodin Tetarachy. The funds were provided to the local government in Nevezant to shore up their fire department, as the predominantly wooden buildings in Nevezant’s rural areas were a considerable fire risk. Volunteer firefighters from both nations aided the official fire department in quelling the blazes, which were ongoing for several weeks as Mertagne hosted the 96th World Cup.

The total damage from the wildfires, which is estimated to contain insured losses of over 2.8billion MDU (700 million NSD), is believed to be one of the most expensive wildfire events in Mertagnian history. Many tourist areas and logging towns have been devastated by the fire events, with businesses and residents suffering alike. The provincial government has spent an agonising budget season attempting to reallocate funds to rejuvenate the area and offset the losses, with Harridan Governor Linden Saloman, a key player in the Karodin-Mertagne talks to coordinate the wildfire response, taking a hard-line conservative approach to the accounts, in line with his political affiliations. Cuts to non-vital public services have been announced, and government departments in Harridan have been encouraged not to ‘raid the public purse’, with funds devoted to increasing the capability of the fire service and a central pot for business loans for those affected by the fires.

A report from journalists at Ekitalida last week showed, however, that the two provinces appeared to be treating the issue very differently, as journalists uncovered that not a single ducat of Mertagne’s aid funds have been spent on measures to actively combat the issues presented by the wildfires.

Leaked documents obtained by an anonymous source show that no effort has been made to expand fire fighting services in the Tetrarchy, and that affected homesteads and land owners simply received marginal ‘tithe relief’ instead of a complete tax cut. Furthermore, as few buildings were insured, many rural households have lost everything and have resorted to finding employment in the city of Nevezant, or migrating to Mertagne. The Ekitalida report discovered that asylum applications from the Karodin Tetrarchy had increased by 650% in the wake of the wildfires, with a majority coming from displaced logging industry and agricultural workers that have since found new employment in provinces unaffected by the wildfires. However, many found their applications rejected in the wake of new regulations imposed by Mertagne’s membership to ACORN, which prevent people taking the free movement zone for granted. As the Teterarchy is not an ACORN member, it has had to negotiate new rules with the Mertagnian government in the wake of the Bostopian Conflict, and relations have typically not been warm.

In addition to few funds spent on disaster relief, the report also showed that much of the humanitarian aid payment had been spent on procuring unrelated services way above market rate that have known links to the Tetrarch of Havreg, Gwenael Quemere. Such services include a 500,000 NSD contract to provide 'parks and garden services' within the city borders of Nevezant, where the only known publicly funded park is that surrounding the Tetrarch's estate. While it is believed the Tetrarchy has no formal tendering process, the possible corruption and misallocation of funds here has caused considerable concern among politicians and economists in the wake of the Ekitaldia report. Linden Saloman, interviewed for MCLM’s news segment, expressed ‘serious concern’ that ‘the spirit of the fund allocation clearly [had] not been followed’, and that ‘misallocating disaster relief in such a way is disrespectful not only to those affected, but to the Mertagnian people who provided it’.

Off the back of these comments, Governor Saloman called for the National Forum to launch an enquiry into the Karodin Tetrarchy’s use of these funds, with the ultimate intention of determining if the funds can be recalled in international arbitration, likely in Koroa City. The motion, floated yesterday in the National Forum, was passed, after the largest block, the Workers Unions of Mertagne, supported the motion. While Grand Regent Brandon Hope sits ideologically opposed to Governor Saloman, the two worked together during negotiations on the joint Karodin-Mertagne taskforce, and one of the challenges of the Hope administration has been proving the worth of increased spending on the taxpayer in the wake of the Bostopian Conflict. If Hope is unable to sell to the public the benefits of this aid, it could put his already precarious majority in the National Forum out entirely, especially with typically conservative province The Forkelands going up to vote in Das Karussell next year.

Gwenael Quemere's office in the Karodin Tetrarchy declined to comment on this story.

Other news from across the nation:

• NATIONAL: Hotel subsides in Dannin, kills 6 and injures 23
• POLITICS: Brandon Hope reaffirms slim majority still 'workable' after WUM net gain a single seat in elections
• ECONOMY: Planned T40 bridge construction over Grinshem Sound could face 'significant' delays after recent bathymetric survey
• CULTURE: New Fligsive ballet troupe win national dance prize
• SPORT: Mertagne gear up for World Cup 97 qualification - Manager Luka Hazaluta claims 'chances better than ever' with expanded field for finals

[Cardenao]

New National Team Manager, New National Team! La Furia Azule World Cup Squad Review Inside!!

New national team manager Francisco Martini Marley has announced his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. The 97th edition of this fabled tournament offers the Blue and Golds an opportunity to put an end to a decade of being absolute trash and reminded the world what Team Cardenao is capable of. In a first for the national team, Francisco Martini Marley has announced an expanded player selection for the qualification period of the World Cup, which will then be trimmed to a final 26 man squad should we qualify for the finals. To that end, 33 men will enter the competition hoping to solidify a position in the starting 11. There isn’t much in terms of guaranteed spots for players: after three World Cups in a row of massively underperforming, it’s out with the old and in with the new…for the most part. There are some familiar faces, namely Haritz Larrainzar and Juanma Saez making their swansong appearance, while Chímo Ventura also returns with a final bid to save his legacy from permanently being relegated to ‘failed wonderkid’ status. Elsewhere, Lonzo Capiatelli is a familiar face in midfield while Moustir-Yves Almeny and Salva Perez return to their position at the left and right back respectively. In goal? Emi Parodi makes his national team return as a backup to Kai Chidubem. All in all, out of the 33 players, only seven have received caps for the Cardenao national team.

Now, this means there is opportunity abound for 26 other players, the chance to make their claim for a starting position as this new look Cardenao team takes shape. To that end, Francisco Martini Marley has confirmed that the players have been sorted into three separate teams and that, at least initially, there is no clear starting XI and performances over the first half of qualifying will help shape the team sheet. Of course, it seems likely the likes of Chímo, Harritz, and Moustir-Yves Almeny will invariably start for the Blue and Golds. But what about the rest of the team? Let’s take a look by position!

Goalkeeper

GK1: Kai Chidubem
GK2: Emi Parodi (Alameda Desperados)

We start off with what I imagine will be a fairly straightforward positional decision for Francisco Martini Marley. Kai Chidubem is, at 24 years of age, simply the best Cardenaoan goalkeeper in the game right now. He’s tall, he’s got good reflexes, he’s decent with his feet, and he’s quite alright at preventing the ball from crossing the goal-line. Emi Parodi, look he’s a decent keeper and was pretty damn good back in the day, but at 33 I can’t help but feel Francisco Martini Marley could’ve…should’ve gone in a different direction here. That being said, he has national team experience and is by all accounts a solid dressing room presence so I get the rationale in bringing him. Still though, I probably would’ve brought along a third, young but highly talented keeper to keep an eye towards the future.

Leftback

LB1: Moustir-Yves Almeny (La Escuela)
LB2: Tomás Hilario Ramos (TBD)
LB3: Santiago Sarmiento (Kyethas Rivermen FC/TKT)

This is another initially straightforward positional battle to resolve. At 27 years of age, Moustir-Yves Almeny is in his prime and is about as complete a modern leftback as you could ask for. His smooth touch, assured dribbling, eye for pass and precise tackling means he’s one of the best players on the team in terms of overall talent as he is equally skilled in both attack and defense. Tomás Hilario Ramos is a quick, aggressive player who bombs forward in attack and has the stamina to run all the way for all 90 minutes, seriously this guy is a machine. The 22 year old seemingly never stops running and plays with a certain sort of frenzyness to his game, also going 100% for every tackle, every dribble, every shot, he gives it his all all the time and I love that. Not sure he’ll be displacing Moustir any time soon but as a backup option, he’ll do the job. 20 year old Santiago Sarmiento of Tikariot Premier League side Kyethas Rivermen is certainly an exciting talent with plenty to look forward to, but considering both the youth and potential of Hilario ahead of him and Santiago’s own height (standing at 6’3), perhaps centerback is where his national team future lies. Anyhow, he is tall but rapid enough and is very sure-footed in possession as he looks to progress the ball forward with minimal risk or he can neatly evade a challenge before passing the ball off, he doesn’t venture as far forward in attack as our other fullback options, so starting Sarmiento might naturally move the team towards a three at the back formation.

Centerbacks

CB1a: Humberto Agramunt (Veriasod Wolves FC/TKT)
CB1b: Reagan Phillips (CD Azzada)
CB2a: Anoito Vigaray (TBD)
CB2b: Vittorino Seve Dioli (TBD)
CB3: Julio Lluís Ji-Yeong (TBD)

Centerback is where things start to get fun as it’s hard to nail down a starting duo, meaning we should expect to see a lot of rotation here as Francisco Martini Marley tries to find his go-to pairing. At least initially though, it seems he’ll be trotting out a duo of Humberto Agramunt and Reagan Phillips which……surprises me. It surprises me in the sense that, closing my eyes and imagining Agramunt and Phillips out there, leading the line as starters…it just doesn't feel right. It doesn’t seem Cardenaoan, I don’t like it and I don’t understand it but I’m not the manager so who cares! Humberto, 28 years old, great defender, an absolute colossus in the air standing at 6’5 and having decent bounce to his jumps, but holy hell he’s slow. Like……slow slow. Sure, he has decent top pace but it takes him ages to get there, which is extremely concerning as many professional footballers are quite rapid. That being said, the big brick makes up for it with a great sense of positioning and some keen anticipation to get to the action before it occurs. Still though, that lack of speed has me concerned. Lining up next to him is 29 year old Reagan Phillips who is perhaps the best ball playing centerback Cardenao’s got at the moment. Tall enough at 6’ but fairly lanky and lacking serious muscle and athleticism, Phillips can pass the ball with the best of them and is very pressure-resistant, making him a nice option for breaking a press. He’s fairly calm and unassertive, so that’s a little worrisome but that helps the pairing with the taller, more commanding Humberto seem more rational. It also helps that Reagan is deceptively quick with solid acceleration, traits that will certainly be needed next to the brick-footed Humberto.

The next centerback pairing starts with a surprise, albeit a pleasant one…I think. 19 year old Anoito Vigaray gets the nod with all of one and a half seasons of professional football under his belt for Mayflower FC. He’s got a good build standing at 6’1 and has the sort of frame that will lend itself well to building strength as he comes into his own, he’s got a good sense of when to tackle but it’s the mental aspect of the game where Anoito is streets ahead of players his age. He’s got the anticipation and positioning of a seasoned veteran but it’s his leadership, the way he commands and organizes men many years his senior, he’s got it all to go to the top and is probably the ‘best’ Cardenaoan defensive talent since Emmanuel Odikka nearly 20 years ago. Partnering him is Vittorino Seve Dioli, the 25 year old athletic machine from Cardonia FC. He is less refined in the technical aspects of the game, but he’s fast fast fast, strong strong strong, and can jump jump jump. From a physical perspective, Vittorino is world class and he’s got decent enough tackling and overall defending to compliment it, but he isn’t to be trusted passing the ball out of the back or shielding it from the press, but as a pure athletic defender, he’ll do the job.

The fifth and final centerback option, the wildcard so to say, is 21 year old Julio Lluís Ji-Yeong of the Alameda Desperados. Julio is an exceptional defender who knows how and when to put a leg in, the problem is that he lacks the concentration and discipline to prevent himself from needing to stick a leg in in the first place. He’s a good athlete, fast, well-built, knows how to use his body to underpin his defensive efforts, he just lacks that elite level of concentration and mental sharpness that makes the greats, the greats. He has the potential though, so the hope is that with time and the right partner, Julio Lluís Ji-Yeong will reach all of that potential.

Rightback

RB1: Salva Perez (Kitara AA/BNJ)
RB2: Eloi Metodija (Ciudad LeBois)
RB3: Philogene Sacko (TBD)

At first glance, this seems like another straightforward position for Francisco Martini Marley to choose. Salva Perez has, at 28 years old, plenty of national team experience and is still a class player. He started as a winger before transitioning to defense and you still see that in his game, Salva’s likely to be one of the better dribbling defenders and he loves to break that out as he runs up the right flank. He’s got the skill, intelligent movement, and precise crossing to be an offensive menace while still having the positioning and tackling to be a solid defender. Backing him up is Eloi Metodija, the small but speedy back from Ciudad LeBois. Eloi is very much a modern back as he’s a solid passing player who moves very intelligently up and down the pitch. Like I said, he’s speedy and pairs that with a fairly aggressive attitude which does see him fly haphazardly into tackles at times. Amusingly, despite that aggression, he is a pretty quiet and shy person outside of the football pitch, funny how competition brings that different side out of us! Finally, there’s Philogene Sacko. Holy shit, this guy is FAST. Holy shit, this guy has ZERO refinement to his game. Seriously, he could probably get on the Olympic team he’s got that level of speed and Sacko has the engine to do it game in, game out. However, he really lacks any sort of refinement at the position, he tackles roughly, his passes are sloppy, his final balls rarely connect, and his crosses are likely to ascend out of the stadium to the heavens above. But, holy shit he’s fast. I would be amazed if the 20 year old got the starting position, but with some years of development perhaps he can grab it in his prime.

Defensive Midfielder

CDM1: Telmo Andrade (Küsbon Town)
CDM2: Abel Ruiz (Catamulina Catarollas)
CDM3: Sven Garrison (Cardonia FC)

Three defensive midfielders yet one will ultimately start in Francisco Martini Marley's 4-3-3 formation, and initially it looks to be Telmo Andrade of Küsbon Town. The 27 year old ace brings a solid double threat from his midfield position: not only is he a solid defender but he’s a great passer and is calm, cool, and collected on the ball. In some ways he reminds me of a taller Diego Valenzuela who’s a tad better defensively and a tad worse offensively. Overall thigh, for how I think this team is trying to play, Telmo will do just fine. Abel Ruiz is someone I am very, very high on, and you need only watch the way AR smoothly collects and fires the ball up field, the way he leads with his voice and his level of play, it’s clear this 22 year old has a high ceiling indeed. He’s an incredible passer and press resistant, but he does lack some of the steel needed from a defensive midfielder. While he can at times look aggressive and sharp with his tackling, the truth is more often than not he seems a bit timid and hesitant to really get stuck in. Similarly, you can see he knows what pass the opposition is going to make, what direction they’re going to go, but he’s just a half-step slow to get there and intervene. In the Cardenaoan league, that’s fine. In World Cup qualifying though? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Finally, there’s Sven Garrison, another player from earlier times. He is a pure destroyer, a master of tackling and the dark arts, he knows how to poke and prod and knee his opponent into an unstable state of mind, and that’s when he really turns it on. Sven is a master of tackling, of shutting down passing lanes, of being a massive pain in the ass before playing a nice simple easy pass to someone more creative and offensively minded. When you’re looking at the defensive midfield position, having an excellent defender who knows his limits in attack is definitely a player worth having.

Central Midfielder

CM1: Ricky Delafont (Mayflower FC)
CM2: Francesc Tanega (Alameda Desperados)
CM3: Lonzo Capiatelli (Carathyr Emeralds FC/TKT)

Well alright then, we have a real battle to fill one of the three midfield spots as Ricky Delafont, Francesc Tanega, and Lonzo Capiatelli duke it out. Ricky Delafont, the 26 year old from Mayflower FC looks set to appear on Team 1 and I am stoked about it. Ricky D has smooth, precise dribbling, a sharp eye for inventive passing, and he has the overall technical ability to complete the ambitious passes only he has the vision for. He’s led Mayflower FC in assists for each of the eight years he’s been a member of the senior squad, and if you ask a random Cardenaoan on the street who are the top five most creative central midfielders in the MegaPower League, they will list Ricky Delafont among them. Andddd then you have Francesc Tanega from the Alameda Desperados. 22 years old and perhaps the best passer in the MegaPower League. While he might not necessarily have the forward thinking flair and creativity of Ricky D, he does have the accuracy and completition rate of one of the world’s best. That’s not to say he doesn’t go forward with his passes or isn’t creative, he’s had two successive seasons with double digit assists, but more so that Tanega is a possession recycling machine. He keeps things ticking and has an eye for the tock, that’s what you love to see. Fine margains between him and Ricky Delafont, I’ll be curious to see who wins that battle. Ohhh but wait, there’s another solid option for Francisco Martini Marley in central midfield, and that’s the veteran Lonzo Capiatelli. The 28 year old was long heralded as the next great thing in Cardenao’s midfield, and an early move to Myana in Chromatika seemed to support that, but it hasn’t quite panned out so far. Now plying his trade in the Tikariot Premier League, he’s still a complete midfielder who can dribble like a winger, he can tackle like a defender, he can pass like a, well a midfielder, and he can shoot…not that great to be honest, definitely not like a forward. I have to be honest, I understand the appeal and the ability of Ricky and Francesc Tanega, but I think Lonzo is really being slept on here, he has the quality to win games on his own and I would like to see that recognized.

Attacking Midfielder

CAM1: Haritz Larrainzar (Port Rhovanyon AFC/TKT)[/b]
CAM2: ChuChu Hernandez (CF Rayuela)
CAM3: Christian Ordóñez (Emerald Coast Raiders FC/TKT

Haritz Larrainzar……what else has to be said? Port Rhovanyon LEGEND. La Furia Azule LEGEND. He has to have 100 caps by now but who the hell knows, the stat keeping department has been asleep for three World Cup cycles now so that’s going to be extremely annoying to figure out. ANYWAY, personal frustrations aside, the 32 year old Haritz Larrainzar is still absolutely getting it the fuck done as he scored 25 goals and assisted 17 more to bring his total for Port Rhovanyon to 126 goals and 110 assists in 278 games……what the fuck. He’s incredible, one of less than five truly world class Cardenaoan players to have existed during my time covering them. Not much more to say. Rolling up with Team 2 is ChuChu Hernandez, the 23 year old is a dual threat on attack: he has the eye and shooting ability of a goal scoring striker while having the eye and passing ability of a playmaking midfielder. Which makes him sound like Haritz Larrainzar but worse…which is true. But, there is a difference in approach between the two players. Where Hartiz is calm, almost mechanical in his efficiency with every touch, ChuChu oozes flair and creativity out of his pockets. Chu Hernandez is very active, always looking to get involved, and loves to put up an effective dribbling move before adding two superfluous moves. I love it, I love the flair, the pizazz, I look forward to seeing him come off the bench because Mr. Larrainzar should absolutely start, but the livewire play ChuChu brings will be great to close out matches. Finally, we have 19 year old Christian Ordóñez from the Emerald Coast Raiders in Tikariot. 3 goals on 20 shots shows an developing eye for goal, though he’s still getting his accuracy figured out. He’s a decent passer who always looks to take a risk moving forward, which is fun from an attacking midfielder but can lead to prematurely killing offensive movements. Still though, having someone who’s not afraid to try a killer through ball or take a crack from distance is always good to have in the squad.

Left Winger

LW1: Dani Anselmo (CD Azzada)[/b]
LW2: Titus Young (Club Valentino)
LW3: Josão Calavenga (Real Alegria)

Dani Dani Dani ANSELLLMOOOOO, so roars the CD Azzada crowd as their silky smooth left winger waltzs through the crowd. Dani Anselmo is smooth as hell, gliding past challenges without breaking a sweat. He’s not an incredible athlete by any means, he’s not going to win too many sprinting battles, but he’s just so clever, so smart with feints and deft movements to get himself that little bit of space, he really is a brains over brawn style player. Which is great because he’s an incredible dribbler with a great ‘false’ first touch where he sets himself up to look like he’s going to take his touch in one direction before totally bamboozling his defender by going the opposite direction. Great player if a bit injury prone with a short but growing list of muscular injuries, still though, hopes are high for the 25 year old. If that fails, bring in Titus Young, the 20 year old turbo boosted wideout from Club Valentino. He’s fast as hell, very rangy and able to charge up and down the flank for all 90 minutes. He’s eager to dribble with very explosive stepovers that he uses liberally as he takes on his opponent. He’s a real livewire who only has eyes for progressing the ball, which is what you want from a winger. The big issue? End product. His final ball, his shot on goal, just his final bit of play is just lacking some. He’s a nice guy who seemingly both likes expensive things and helping the needy in equal measure, which is great I think.

Striker

ST1: Chímo Ventura (Royal PFC/DAR)[/b]
ST2: Juanma Saez (Parakleion Firebirds FC/TKT)
ST3: Zorion Zuñiga (Alameda Desperados)
ST4: Kiko Nécib (Ciudad LeBois)

Chímo Ventura. Chímoooooo Ventura. Chímo Chímo Chímo. The prince that was promised, the prince that never quite came to be. No longer the wonderkid extraordinaire that country hung their hopes on, the 29 year old never quite put it all together at a world class level. He’s got the dribbling, the attacking movement, the eye for goal and the shooting ability to put the ball exactly where he wants. So where did it all go wrong? Well you could point at his lack of a ‘killer’ attitude, his lack of determination to become the best, and also there’s the highly publicized drug addiction of years past. Sure it no longer appears to be an issue, but those years of CAD-E usage definitely played a part in prohibiting him from reaching his full potential. Now though, after years of playing on the right wing for the national team due to Juanma Saez owning the striker spot, he finally gets to play in his preferred position for the Blue and Golds–maybe this will be the catalyst for change. Speaking of Juanma Saez, Cardenao’s leading national goalscorer and two time Tikariot Premier League champion and goal scoring machine returns to the national team for one last show. Really though, what needs to be said about Juanma? 190 goals and 45 assists in 279 games for the Parakleion Firebirds. Up there with Haritz Larrainzar as one of a handful of truly world class Cardenaoan players, Juanma has a laser of a shot, a short but powerful body that he uses to carve space for a shot, and he just has the nose for goal. A pure finisher, a pure striker, it’s always a joy to watch Juanma line up a goalscoring opportunity for himself with his intelligent movement. I will be sad to see him go. Zorion Zuñiga is a departure from the typical sort of rapid, quick footed Cardenaon striker that likes to run onto the ball before finishing……ZZ is a pure bully forward, a real target man who loves to throw his 6’3, 194lbs frame around. Zorion is perfectly comfortable with his back to goal, holding up the ball as defenders desperately claw at him before laying off the ball to a teammate, rolling into the box, and arriving perfectly to finish off the cross. He does bring such a different profile to the striker position that it’s not hard to imagine some situations where he’ll be the first name off the bench as we play against taller, more athletic sides. Finally, we have Kiko Nécib, the youngest player on the team. The 18 year old is lightning fast, perhaps the fastest player on the team, but he is thin, slightly built, and weak as hell, which is to be expected from a young lad. He’s got a rocket of a right foot and has a sharp eye for goal: it doesn’t matter the angle of the shot, Kiko knows how to get it on target. For someone of his potential and goalscoring dedication, I am a bit disappointed that his left foot is noticeably weaker and he tries not to shoot with it, hopefully he can develop his weak foot ability to remove that weakness. Anyhow, he’s a fantastic dribbler, keeping the ball tight to him before pulling off a simple but effective move to get himself a shot on goal. I am cautiously optimistic to watch Kiko Nécib’s rise in the footballing world. He’s got all the tools to become a class player and the attitude to match it, sure he’s a little quiet but it’s clear he loves the game and he loves competing. He has a smile on his face after being tackled, he’s always eager to take it to the opposition, he’s got all the confidence of youth but the skill of a seasoned player to actually execute his ideas. Watch this space, he could become quite the player.

Right Winger

RW1: Dimitri Micalizo (Cardonia FC)[/b]
RW2: Drake Cooper (Sareña FC)
RW3: Htay Koko (Küsbon Town)

Of all the positions in the team, right wing is the one I believe to be the most up in the air in terms of who’s going to start because, realistically, I could see any one of these three players lining up in the starting XI. Starting with Dimitri Micalizo of Cardonia FC, we have a real two-way player. Dimitri is just as good a goalscorer as he is an assister and facilitator, he plays the game very intelligently as the 5’7 stocky but powerful 28 year old calmly collects the ball on the wing before setting his team up. He has sharp passing, a good eye for a cross-field pass, he’s got a rocket, if somewhat inaccurate, of a shot, and he’s an incredible crosser. Seriously, this guy might be the best pure crosser in Cardenao, he can put the ball on a dime anywhere within the 18. Next up is Drake Cooper, a lanky 6’1 roadrunner out on the wing. He’s less a traditional, touchline tight winger and more of a modern, inverted winger who loves cutting in from the right on his left foot before having a go at goal. Drake Cooper is fast as hell with really precise dribbling movements–he always looks to go to goal, always looks to add his tally and sometimes that works great, sometimes that means he’s too selfish and misses an easy assist to a teammate in preference of trying to take on the entire defensive line. I’d rate Drake’s starting odds the lowest out of the three right wingers, but I do think he’ll be one of the first names off the bench, especially if the Blue and Golds are chasing a goal. The final option at right wing is Htay Koko, the diminutive 23 year old is a smooth, mazy dribbler who glides past challenges before playing a great through ball for his teammate to run onto. He’s great at retaining possession and allowing the rest of the team to join him in attack, before using his sharp eye for passing and crossing to unlock the final ball. He’s a good shooter too, capable of hitting the ball with more power than you’d think his 5’8 frame could generate, and that really helps flesh out Htay as a solid all-around attacking option.

[Tanirinthia]

---

OF FATES AND FORTUNES
Chapter Thirteen - Leave Nothing to Chance

---

Clara looks up at the Archivist, her eyes burning hiding a black hole of pain.

"This thing...entity, whatever in the hells it is. How do we stop it, destroy it or send it back to wherever the hells it comes from"

The Archivist looks back at the young woman in front of him full of fire and hurt, wishing he could tell her that the mission would be simple, that like the movies they just need to find an old book or artifact somewhere, say the right incantation and it would all be over, the enemy destroyed and maybe even through some miracle her brother brought back. But all he had was the truth, that he didn't know anything for sure. he had only hypotheses. With some research behind them yes, but the problem as with anything that you aren't an expert in, is that you don't know what you don't know.

His mind racing, he didn't want to lie to her but he saw in those eyes that she was on the edge. She needed to have a purpose, needed to hang on to something. So he said the thing he himself most believed.

"Leave nothing to chance."

For a moment the ridiculousness of this statement shook Clara out of her state as she shot him look

"Of course that is an impossible statement, there are an uncountable number of things in this world and others, not to mention chaos theory, quantum theory etc. You simply can't plan for everything. However I don't believe we need to plan for every eventually in what we do, they key I believe is in our intent, the intent appears to be the window in which it operates. For example if we have a library of books that may contain material that would aid us in it's destruction, if our intent is to hope that there is something in there, that hope becomes a window of luck for it is hope that we get lucky. However if our intent is simply to read those books in the library and that knowledge will be gained regardless, and there is not a window of luck for us where it can directly operate against us."

A long silence hung in the air

"So hope is a dangerous thing." she said breaking the silence

"Always has been." he replied with a wry smile

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten | Chapter Eleven | Chapter Twelve

[Huayramarca]

OOC note: This RP was originally written in Spanish and translated by DeepL (with proofreading after the translation). An original version of the Spanish text can be found in the spoiler below the English text.

Los Cóndores return to the pitch for another edition of the World Cup Qualifiers, this time in their 97th edition, which will be held at Eastfield Lodge and Pasarga. Two nations that have not hosted tournaments of this calibre for some time but which, without a doubt, have all the support and infrastructure from the NSWC to run the event in an organised and smooth manner, as is almost always the standard for this great event.

In the last edition, organised on Huayramarcan soil and with Mertagne as co-organiser, our national team equalled the record achieved in the 93rd edition of the World Cup, reaching the quarterfinals. This left the Huayramarquino fan with satisfaction and some stinging for the way in which the defeat against Sylestone took place (penalties), as well as a certain degree of unease about the future because of events in the past.

If we go back to World Cup 93, where Huayramarca lost to Zwangzug also in the quarterfinals, we see an uninspiring pattern that generates some fan paranoia. To recap, in the 94 edition, Huayramarca managed to qualify for the group stage, leaving with more shame than glory, by accumulating the grand total of zero (0) points... Yes, you read that right, zero points; which sound completely flattering after seeing that they did not qualify for the 95 World Cup.

This string of two World Cups to forget causes some fear among the fans, the ghosts of those participations haunt the atmosphere and that causes some paranoia, especially if we consider that the national team is at a point of certain fragility due to the generational change that the coach is carrying out. Although this process is already incorporating certain players such as Ronaldinho Caicedo, Marcelo Huanca, Lucien Alszeghy, among others, the big question remains as to how to proceed with the forms to ensure an orderly change, the appropriate transfer of expertise and avoid having significant shortcomings that punish the performance in the medium term in the qualifiers.

Before the start of the new cycle, the president of the Huayramarquina Football Federation, Kathya Céspedes, comments on the expectations that the national football governing body has for the qualifiers:

"I consider that there is a great opportunity to correct historical mistakes." This was Céspedes' initial and somewhat blunt statement, to which I asked, "What kind of historical mistakes are we talking about?" Céspedes ponders his answer and then replies "First, we believed we were at the top of the world in terms of quality, which led us to act excessively, even cavalierly when we needed to be more demanding of ourselves. Secondly, we mistakenly believed that our players would continue in their roles for life and didn't think about a generational change until well into the 95th World Cup, but it was too late”. The last sentence leaves me intrigued, as she mentions "we didn't think" Did the coach have someone to accompany him with the planning? Does he have someone now to support him in that process?

Céspedes answers "No, there was no support for planning or monitoring players, in fact, we didn't have a youth team programme until just two years ago at the suggestion of the coach. However, we can't let it all fall on one person, as we don't want to depend on him or cause burnout, so we hired a team of analysts and data engineers focused on the sports area, to provide quantitative and qualitative monitoring of our players, giving our coach the tools to plan calls and choose the players who are in the best form".

The above statement causes, for the common fan, a sea of doubts, so I saw it convenient to consult for clear examples that demonstrate the effectiveness of the methodology employed by the FHF. Céspedes calls one of the analysts, who takes the opportunity to answer the question: "I think one of our best decisions was to call Diego Uscamayta. He was an unknown player in Huayramarca, to the point that nobody considered that he had ancestry from our country that would facilitate his call-up. We started with the extraction of information through different public records and found that his parents migrated to Tikariot, therefore, he is eligible to play with us. As we looked at his numbers in previous seasons, it was noticeable that he was on an upward performance curve, our models showed that he would score approximately 13 to 15 goals, as well as provide 6 assists, which he did and has consistently done."

Just as the spotlight was unexpectedly shone on Uscamayta, so it has been on a couple of other players, but with less elaborate methods to see their skills and abilities on the field. Céspedes also responded: "Apart from Diego (Uscamayta), we have the case of Marcelo (Huanca), Lucien (Alszeghy), among others, who were observed directly by our coach in tests carried out throughout the country. They passed the filters and were taken to a couple of processes with lower national teams (U-17 and U-21), in which we obtained very decent results, including a semi-final of the Di Bradini Cup in the process. That team is being the basis for the new generation, as they were able to show their talent to the world.

Now, getting to the crux of the matter, will this be enough to kill the ghosts of the past that haunt the minds of the fan base? Céspedes was blunt in answering "Yes, because we have confidence in the work of our coach and his support team. We know that they have planned, in a timely and meticulous manner, the players who will form the core squad for the play-offs. We know that we have opponents like The Kytler Peninsulae (who we already know) and West Barack and East Obama who, together with Kamijiro, can cause us some problems. Our current generation of players is competent enough to contribute to a smoother and quicker learning curve for the new players, so the skills and techniques will pass and the ball handling that defines us will remain consistent over time and may even evolve with the characteristics that the new crop of players bring.
Speaking of the rivals, what does the head of the Huayramarquina Football Federation consider about the group in which we were paired? Céspedes replies "To be honest, I think it's a group with competent teams and, at the same time, a little more benevolent than the groups we've had in the last three editions. Benevolent in the sense that, by being the top-seeded team, we avoided Farfadillis, Valanora, etc., which had been constant for us. That had been a constant for us, so we can [and should] assert that status. Kytler Peninsulae knows us very well, along with West Barack and East Obama, these teams are a serious danger, so we must prepare well to face them and score a good number of points against them."

Now, one of the reiterative Achilles heels of the qualifiers, what do you think will happen to the nations at the bottom of the rankings this time around? As context, Huayramarca has suffered several setbacks against these teams, to the point that they complicated and resulted in not qualifying for World Cup 95. "Libesia, Caribbia and Langenia could complicate things, as we don't know anything about them, but they also don't know much about us, so there's a bit of reciprocity there. I really hope that the coaching staff will prepare for those games in the best possible way, so that we avoid the upsets, the difficulties and the heartaches that come with World Cup eliminations. We are growing, we must play as such, with seriousness and with the hunger to improve our performance to achieve the dream of our players, to win the first star. Cespedes said.

Our first two matches are against Libesia and Langenia precisely, I pointed out to Cespedes and the data analyst who was still with him, to which I took the opportunity to ask if there was any information. In the background, Blaas Aginsogno, the coach, approached after the training session and listened to the question, to which the analyst refrained from answering and gave him the floor. "Libesia is a defensive-minded team, their 4-4-2 formation reflects that they have a tendency to counterattack, but not to handle attacks on their own initiative. They have a selfish striker, the kind I like to have and, at the same time, know how to handle (in reference to Bryan Tello) Moléngo tends to leave his teammates aside, which makes him their main vulnerability, as he can be controlled with zone marking (as he moves up the field.)"

What do you think about Langenia? Aginsogno rubs his chin, then responds "They play an identical scheme to us, just slightly less offensively. They have a system based on dribbling and creative resources to break down defences, a solid midfield that Rafael Semprún handles with solvency and distributes for Daniel Gallegos, Óscar Galindo and Raúl Guzmán, who are often a threat to respect. I believe that our experience and creativity can be more refined, so we could anticipate their movements and impose our skill, physicality and refinement through our touch in tight spaces, the distribution of the ball along the pitch and the precision of our midfielders".

While you're here, professor, how do you consider the group compared to previous years? Aginsogno replies "In varietate concordia." [sic]. He then adds "We have a group with multiple resources, skills and roles, which provides adaptability to almost any scenario, which is very different from what we had three World Cups ago. Having a revulsive player will be critical if we are to make a difference in every game, if we are to be less predictable and cause chaos in the opposition's schemes. My vision of Huayramarca is that we are a team that thrives on chaos, therefore, we will seek through our diversity of tools to cause chaos and flourish through good results. The more chaotic we are, the better for us".

This brings the interview with the FHF staff to a close, and coincidentally, a brief conversation with the national team coach. Huayramarca will debut, against Libesia, at the Parque del Fiordo in Llanquihue at 19:00 hours in the first match of the qualifier, as part of the rotation of venues that the FHF is about to release in the coming hours and of which only the venue for the first match (the one coming this day) has been advanced.

Los Cóndores vuelven a las canchas para otra edición de las eliminatorias a la Copa del Mundo, esta vez en su nonagésima séptima edición, la cual se llevará a cabo en Eastfield Lodge y Pasarga. Dos naciones que tenían un buen rato sin organizar torneos de este calibre pero que, sin duda, cuentan con todo el respaldo e infraestructura de parte del NSWC para llevar el evento de forma organizada y sin sobresaltos como, casi siempre, suele ser el estándar de este magno evento.

En la última edición, organizada en tierras huayramarquinas y con Mertagne como coorganizador, nuestra selección nacional igualó el registro alcanzado en la edición 93 de la Copa Mundial, alcanzando los cuartos de final. Esto dejó al aficionado huayramarquino con satisfacción y algo de escozor por la forma en la que la derrota contra Sylestone se produjo (penaltis), así como cierto grado de inquietud ante el futuro producto de sucesos en el pasado.

Si nos remontamos a la Copa del Mundo 93, en la que Huayramarca cayó contra Zwangzug también en cuartos de final, observamos un patrón poco alentador que genera algo de paranoia entre el aficionado. Recapitulando, en la edición 94 Huayramarca logró clasificar a la fase de grupos, yéndose con más pena que gloria, al acumular el gran total de cero (0) puntos… Sí, lo leíste bien, cero puntos; los cuales suenan completamente halagadores después de ver que no se clasificó para la Copa Mundial 95.

Esa seguidilla de dos mundiales para el olvido causa cierto temor entre el aficionado, los fantasmas de dichas participaciones rondan en el ambiente y eso causa cierto temor, más si consideramos que la selección se encuentra en un punto de cierta fragilidad por causa del recambio generacional que el técnico está llevando a cabo. Si bien, este proceso ya está incorporando a ciertos jugadores como Ronaldinho Caicedo, Marcelo Huanca, Lucien Alszeghy, entre otros, queda la gran duda sobre cómo proceder con las formas para garantizar un cambio ordenado, la apropiada transferencia de experticia y evitar tener falencias significativas que castiguen el rendimiento a mediano plazo en eliminatorias.

Ante el inicio del nuevo ciclo, el presidente de la Federación Huayramarquina de Fútbol, Kathya Céspedes, nos comenta sobre las expectativas que el ente rector del fútbol nacional maneja respecto a la clasificatoria:

“Considero que hay una gran oportunidad de corregir errores históricos.” Fue la frase inicial, y un tanto contundente de parte de Céspedes, ante lo cual pregunté “¿De qué clase de errores históricos hablamos?” Céspedes medita su respuesta y luego contesta “Primero, creíamos que estábamos en la cúspide del mundo en cuanto a calidad, lo cual llevó que actuásemos de forma sobrada, incluso displicente cuando necesitábamos ser más exigentes con nosotros mismos. Segundo es que creímos, erróneamente, que nuestros jugadores continuarían toda la vida en sus roles y no pensamos en un cambio generacional hasta recién entrados en la Copa Mundial 95, pero fue ya muy tarde.” La última frase me deja intrigado, ya que menciona “no pensamos” ¿El técnico tenía a alguien que le acompañase con la planificación? ¿Tiene a alguien ahora que le apoye en ese proceso?

Céspedes responde “No, no había acompañamiento para planificar ni monitorear jugadores, de hecho, no teníamos un programa de selecciones inferiores hasta apenas dos años atrás por sugerencia del técnico. Ahora bien, no podemos dejar que todo recaiga en una sola persona, ya que no queremos dependencia ni causar burnout en él, por tanto, fue que contratamos a un equipo de analistas e ingenieros de datos enfocados al área deportiva, para dar seguimiento cuantitativo y cualitativo de nuestros jugadores, brindándole herramientas a nuestro técnico para planificar convocatorias y escoger a los jugadores que estén pasando el mejor momento de forma.”

La aseveración antes dada causa, para el aficionado común, un mar de dudas, por lo que vi a conveniencia consultar por ejemplos claros que demostrasen la eficacia de la metodología empleada por la FHF. Céspedes llama a uno de los analistas, quien aprovecha a responder la pregunta: “Creo que uno de nuestros mejores aciertos fue llamar a Diego Uscamayta. Él era un jugador desconocido en Huayramarca, al punto que nadie consideraba que tuviese ascendencia de nuestro país que facilitase su convocatoria. Comenzamos con la extracción de información a través de diferentes registros públicos y fue que encontramos que sus padres migraron a Tikariot, por tanto, es elegible para jugar con nosotros. Conforme vimos sus números en temporadas anteriores, fue notable que él estaba en una curva ascendente de rendimiento, nuestros modelos arrojaban que anotaría aproximadamente 13 a 15 goles, así como daría 6 asistencias, cosa que hizo y ha mantenido constantemente.”

Así como los reflectores apuntaron a Uscamayta de forma inesperada, así ha sucedido con otro par de jugadores, pero con métodos menos rebuscados para ver sus dotes y destrezas en el campo. Céspedes respondía también “Aparte de Diego (Uscamayta), tenemos el caso de Marcelo (Huanca), Lucien (Alszeghy), entre otros, que fueron observados directamente por nuestro técnico en pruebas realizadas a lo largo y ancho del país. Ellos pasaron los filtros y fueron llevados a un par de procesos con selecciones inferiores (sub-17 y sub-21), en los cuales obtuvimos resultados muy decorosos, incluyendo una semifinal de la Di Bradini Cup en el proceso. Dicha selección está siendo la base para el nuevo relevo generacional, ya que supieron demostrar con creces su talento ante el mundo.”

Ahora bien, entrando al quid del asunto ¿Será esto suficiente para poder matar los fantasmas del pasado que atormentan las mentes del colectivo de aficionados? Céspedes fue tajante al responder “Sí, ya que confiamos en el trabajo de nuestro técnico y su equipo de apoyo. Sabemos que ellos han planificado, de forma oportuna y meticulosa, los jugadores que formarán la convocatoria base para la eliminatoria. Sabemos que tenemos rivales como The Kytler Peninsulae (a quienes ya conocemos) y a West Barack and East Obama que, junto con Kamijiro, pueden causarnos algunos problemas. Nuestra generación actual de jugadores es lo suficientemente competente para contribuir a una curva de aprendizaje más suave y rápida para los nuevos, por lo que las mañas y técnicas pasarán y harán que el trato al balón que nos define se mantenga constante a lo largo del tiempo e, incluso, pueda evolucionar con las características que el nuevo colectivo de jugadores traiga.”

Hablando de los rivales, ¿Qué considera la jerarca de la Federación Huayramarquina de Fútbol sobre el grupo en el que fuimos emparejados? Céspedes responde “Siéndote honesta, creo que es un grupo con equipos competentes y, a la vez, un poco más benevolente que los grupos que habíamos tenido en las últimas tres ediciones. Benevolente en el sentido que, al ser cabezas de serie, nos evitamos un Farfadillis, Valanora, etc. Que habían sido constante para nosotros, por lo que podemos [y debemos] hacer valer dicha condición. Kytler Peninsulae nos conoce muy bien, junto con West Barack and East Obama, estos equipos son un peligro serio, por lo que debemos prepararnos bien para afrontarlos y sumar una buena cantidad de puntos contra ellos.”

Ahora, uno de los talones de Aquiles reiterativos de las eliminatorias ¿Qué cree que ocurrirá con las naciones en el fondo del ranquin esta vez? Como contexto, Huayramarca ha sufrido varios traspiés contra estas selecciones, al punto que complicaron y derivaron en no clasificar a la Copa del Mundo 95. “Libesia, Caribbia y Langenia podrían complicar, ya que no sabemos nada de ellos, aunque también ellos no saben mayor cosa sobre nosotros, por lo que hay un poco de reciprocidad en ello. Realmente, espero que el cuerpo técnico prepare dichos partidos en la mejor forma posible, de forma que nos evitemos sobresaltos, dificultades y evitemos los sinsabores que causan las eliminaciones de mundiales. Venimos en crecimiento, debemos jugar como tal, con seriedad y con hambre de mejorar nuestro rendimiento para alcanzar el sueño de nuestros jugadores, ganar la primera estrella.” Dijo Céspedes.

Nuestros primeros dos partidos son contra Libesia y Langenia precisamente, hice notar a Céspedes y al analista de datos que aún le acompañaba, ante lo cual aproveché a preguntar si había algo de información. Al fondo, Blaas Aginsogno, el técnico, se acercaba después de la sesión de entrenamiento y escucho la pregunta, ante lo cual el analista se abstuvo de responder y le cedió la palabra. “Libesia es una selección de mentalidad defensiva, su línea de 4-4-2 refleja que tienen tendencia a contraatacar, pero no de manejar ataques por iniciativa propia. Tienen un delantero egoísta, del tipo que a mi me gusta tener y, a la vez, sé manejar (en referencia a Bryan Tello) Moléngo tiende a dejar a un lado a sus compañeros, lo cual lo convierte en su principal vulnerabilidad, ya que puede ser controlado con marca en zona (conforme él se mueva en el campo.) “

¿Qué piensa sobre Langenia? Aginsogno se soba la barbilla, luego responde “Juegan en un esquema idéntico al nuestro, solo que ligeramente menos ofensivo. Ellos tienen un sistema basado en el regate y recursos creativos para romper defensas, un mediocampo sólido que Rafael Semprún maneja con solvencia y distribuye para Daniel Gallegos, Óscar Galindo y Raúl Guzmán, quienes suelen ser una amenaza para respetar. Considero que nuestra experiencia y creatividad pueden ser más refinadas, por lo que podríamos anticipar sus movimientos e imponer nuestra habilidad, físico y refinamiento a través del toque de balón en espacios reducidos, la distribución de éste a lo largo del campo y la precisión de nuestros volantes.”

Ya que está acá, profesor, ¿Cómo considera al grupo comparado con años anteriores? Aginsogno responde “In varietate concordia.” Luego añade “Tenemos un grupo con múltiples recursos, habilidades y funciones, lo cual brinda adaptabilidad a casi cualquier escenario, cosa muy diferente a lo que teníamos hace tres mundiales. Tener revulsivos será crítico si buscamos marcar diferencia en cada partido, si buscamos ser menos predecibles y causar caos en los esquemas rivales. Mi visión de Huayramarca es que somos una selección que prospera en medio del caos, en consecuencia, nosotros buscaremos mediante nuestra diversidad de herramientas, causar caos y florecer a través de buenos resultados. Entre más caóticos seamos, mejor para nosotros.”

Esto da cierre a la entrevista hecha al personal de la FHF, y casualmente, una breve conversación con el técnico de la selección nacional. Huayramarca debutará, ante Libesia, en el Parque del Fiordo en Llanquihue a las 19:00 horas en el primer partido de la eliminatoria, como parte de la rotación de sedes que la FHF está por liberar en las próximas horas y de la cual solo ha adelantado la sede para el primer partido (el que viene este día).

[Saint Eleanor]

OOC:
- The Group of Six roleplay has been transmitted to EQS; I await his feedback but don't expect any major complaints from him.
- The Lydia Vickers roleplay was also transmitted to MYT in relevant part. He's proudly declared that it "all sounds good by me."
- A 2011-12 schedule will be issued with the MD3/4 roleplays. I have a few more interviews to get through, but until and unless I can hash out something with Kry, I'm prioritising Lara Torridge work at this time.

---

Group of Six Twenty-Nine meeting (XXII) --- SAINT ELEANOR 0-2 Huayramarca
Participants: Gentle Breeze, Reniira Clevinger, Stephen Mitcham ~ Bridget Coombe [C], Cathy Winchester [VC], all other players [by convention]
Location: The team hotel, Puerto San Carlos, HUA

MAJOR MATCH EVENTS: Huayramarcan goals were Ian Mamani 6, Tello 13. The match has received more than ample coverage and I am not otherwise retreading it. All Eleanorian players will be available for the first round of WC97 qualifiers.


LESSONS LEARNED: The decision was made, in agreement with Stephen shortly before the match, to field players 1-11 as they would have been stronger. This was viewed as "a reasonably big mistake" (~ Esther) and even "betrayal" (~ Christine, who was balloted onto the pre-match G6 meeting). The squad was "obviously out of sync" (~ Reniira) for the first fifteen minutes and conceded twice in rapid fashion, following basic mistakes. "The only way this could have been worse would have been if they did their ayahuasca trick on us" (~ David junior).
It was widely believed that defence was good for most of the match, although clearly lacking in the early stages. Despite the general vibe being that both goals were unavoidable, "I think I was at fault for the first one" (~ Arielle) and "that second goal just wouldn't be stopped, world-class right there" (~ Tim). There was a sense that "we weren't needed very much; either they were too good or literally nowhere" (~ Sam). In particular, David was seen to have performed well as a backup defender.
Our attack and buildup play was "praiseworthy, given what we were up against" (~ David). Everybody who could contribute did so very well, and almost well enough to score the goal that would have pulled it back, but "we could have done with using the ball better... much better" (~ Lydia) and "I don't think dribbling was possible at times" (~ Angelica).


RECOMMENDATIONS: Everybody believed that the G6 meetings were an overall positive and that the new, pragmatic approach to play had worked wonders. Likewise, there was a widespread feeling of disillusionment that the G6 agreement had been ripped up before the match. I've advised Stephen not to interfere with how G6 operates in future.
To reiterate, we are supposed to be a pragmatic team. This does not only include general tactics, but how we approach the game. For starters, if - for example - dribbling seems impossible, I would strongly encourage players to execute well-timed long passes or lobs; I imagine Rick, for one, would have had more than enough pace to beat the Huayramarcan backline. The offside trap also wasn't used here; people do think it was the right decision, but we will continue to use it for future games whenever it makes sense and all defenders should have a handle on how it works.
The 4-2-3-1 will remain in place, given how effective it has proven for us and how well it has fit the strengths of our players. As always, players 1-11 will start MD1 of WCQ97 (unlesss they're injured), G6 meetings will continue for all games, and G6 will be the means used to decide the team on ALL other matchdays.
The current group of players has "blended in wonderfully" (~ Bridget) and everybody is on board with our tactical agenda, so I don't expect much in the way of resistance from future players (which I know is a concern among our more experienced generation). Given the age of the squad, the five permanent members of the G6 believe that now is the time to start looking at who can be called up to the team for WCQ97 - we could be looking at a wave of new players, even if it isn't on a WC 91 or 95 scale.


MOVING FORWARD: Reniira will be handling notes for MD1 of WCQ97. SEFA will be organising a major press conference tomorrow afternoon at which I'll summarise the notes made in this meeting there; Stephen will be in attendance for obvious reasons.

~GB

Lydia Vickers: "Are we the four horsewomen of the apocalypse now?"
Chief Football Correspondent Jamie Rodgers asks arguably the best new player in the lineup if she thinks she matches up with that description
Originally published on Wednesday 5th January 2011

Lydia Vickers is, by her own admission, "probably the sixth-most-well-known player in the Athletic squad." But when she's asked where she thinks she really is, given the increasing media attention surrounding her following her performances and recent call-up? "Maybe fifth. If it's increasing, it's not coming from the Gazette nor le Citoyen. I don't even think I've been asked to a bigger interview than this, although thankfully SESB is pretty big."

By any account, she had an interesting time growing up. "I do actually also have a Prahecqois passport - this isn't even secret; it's well-known at this point that my mum came from over there shortly after she got out of school because, as you know, there was quite the demand for people to be doing jobs in the years after the war. That was also how my dad got his start with the government." Her time at Saint Benedict's Catholic was "nice, but a bit cluttered" - she was with the Northwest Pelicans cheerleading team, the school's football team and the debating society - "but I enjoyed every single one of those things. Only the football could have gotten me anywhere, though; without it, I'd still be doing my English Literature degree. I was good at that, as well; I like reading books when I can, which is ironically more often than it was in years past. As you can tell. Again." Does she feel as though people picked on her very much for her multinational background? "I wouldn't say that. The nation as a whole is around 12% black, 1% Rulandese - the Prahecqois aren't dreadfully common, but as there are about 1,000 Azertienne speakers in the country and I'm teammates with two of them, I do think people appreciated the novelty more than anything."

{OOC note: by convention, each player recounts to Jamie Rodgers the three matches that shaped their careers the most. This section is under development and will be finished tonight.}

It's been brought up by some media wags in recent days that the goalkeeper and all four defenders on the national team will normally be women. "Are we the four horsewomen of the apocalypse now? Seriously; I don't think we've ever had an all-female backline in anything before, not even including the goalkeeper, not unless you're talking about the Girls' Preparatory. Esther I obviously know as my absolute best friend from outside school; she's given me the help I needed on the pitch, we talk regularly when we're off it and our conversations are stimulating more than anything. Cathy is one of the most sensible people that's ever lived - she's smart but all very relaxed. Katy I haven't really talked to and, if she's in the starting eleven, odds are it'll be instead of me. Exandra is at this point a bit less unhinged than I remember her being; I think she has other plans once she retires. He's not a woman and not a defender, so that's cheating, but I think Tim Hart liked talking to me more than I liked talking to him - we do have working-class bona-fides but mine are a bit impure because my dad makes a fair bit and I went to private school while he feels like a 'proper bloke,' someone who's been around every dodgy pub you can think of."

She did mention she played alongside two other Azertienne speakers. "Bridget and Sylvia! Still two of the greatest midfielders, if you ask me; I don't think either needs much introduction. I normally speak to them in Azertienne - unless somebody else needs to understand what's going on, which is usually the case with the national team. I always talk to my mum in Azertienne. Obviously Terranean is my first language and that's what I use when I'm talking to dad but, if I get a chance to, I will probably be using Azertienne."

Lydia Vickers is, to say the least, almost criminally underrated. Too many people have slept on her ability to drag the action out of harm's way,, to really rile up strikers on a good day, or to just be a good defender with no obvious flaws or gaping weaknesses - but one hopes she will get the time, attention and appreciation she deserves in the coming years, if not by the press then by Gentle Breeze and company.

[United Hawkland]

“So, your project has been approved by the Norse’s board. But this project is huge. It will cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build, and the people of Hogfjall are justifiably concerned. What do you have to say to the citizens of this fine city?”
“Stadiums like this are not a very good investment. They sit empty most of the year and deteriorate with time. I can assure all of you that I will not be burdening the public with the cost of the project. I’m a wealthy guy. It’s all out of my pocket.”

Excerpt from the article "Hogfjall 'Megadome' to be opened as early as World Cup 99" written by David Larsson from the magazine "Hawkland Architecture Biweekly"

Björn Friedrichsen wasn’t the type of billionaire to do interviews on TV and brag about his net worth. If you had met the guy in public, the only thing that would hint at him being important would be his expensive sports car, but he didn’t seem the type to finance the biggest stadium project in the history of his country. But of course, Dylan Haugen didn’t seem like the kind of guy to take a struggling second division club from a medium sized city in the heart of the frigid Glaciajowk Mountains and turn them into consistent top ten finishers in the Hawklandian Premier League. The duo were so unassuming it was almost outlandish what they were doing for the City of Hogfjall. The Norse did desperately need a new home. The 12,000 seater field at the local rec park could have been mistaken for a third division field if the person you were talking to didn’t know much about football, though that can be said about any stadium.

So what’s his solution? It’s hard to find room in a dense mountainous city, and stadiums in Nordøya have to be at least slightly roofed to avoid the heavy snowfall of the winter months.

The project, known to Björn as “Sponsor Naming Rights Megadome” is a giant 60,000 seat stadium, completely domed at the top with a hanging center scoreboard, state of the art technology, and powerful heating to simulate summer months for the fans, and autumn for the players. But there’s no one better to describe this product than Björn himself.

“State of the art, the pride of his life, and really fucking expensive.”

He hopes it can be opened within two cycles, and could be ready to host United Hawkland National Team matches by World Cup 99.

[Pasarga]

Let the games begin! Groups 9-17 MD1/2 cutoff.

[Josifovo]

Спортски Журнал
All the sports, by the people, for the people

DIVERSITY TO BE THE DEATH OF JOSIFSKI FOOTBALL?

Josifovo's first steps in international football have been marked by the inclusion of some very talented players from all over the country. Specifically, Josifovo's diverse ethnic groups have been a descriptor of the team and have been attributed to be the main reason for Zlatni Lavovi's recent successes. As with every success story, the first fall, that being the disastrous Campionato Esportiva 38 campaign, has brought questions to the table that may need answering.

Initially, is the ethnic diversity of the team too much, to the point it is forced? Some could say that this has quieted down tensions and seeing players from all corners of the nation can provide every single citizen in Josifovo with a feeling of belonging towards to something greater than past division. Moving forward towards a productive future is the goal, after all. On the other hand, seeing players who are not even standouts in the league or are playing for weak teams play in the national team's colors just because they belong to minority does not sit down well with some. Alongside that, the number of coaches, all of which have to agree every single time about the team's formation, play, lineups among others sounds like a logistical nightmare. A disaster.

While last cycle was a major success, victories attained against giants like Zwangzug or Squornshellan Remnant States could be attributed to a fluke. Eventually, the steam that described the initial stages of the cycle ran out and the performance in the World Cup proper itself was proof of that. Two defeats, one goal scored and the team being in shambles at the end of the cycle, which has carried on to the next.

The preparation of the team was no better, a defeat against Crpostran is nothing to scoff over, especially considering the closeness of the game. However, a close game against currently inactive Sonnelian team Oscioru and a 2-1 victory ONLY in the latter stages of the game could spell disaster if the team does not work on its disadvantadges. Playing players in a sort of affirmative action instead of talent may not yield the best results possible for the Josifski team. The games against Patriotlandia as well as pot 3 and DIRECT competition rank-wise Saterun are pivotal to observe the team's level and if there should be any hope left in the tank for the rest of the cycle.

[Riena]

If you had to use one word to describe RFA president Ryuji Kagami, that word would be kingpin.

The sturdy, solidly-built Nagato native, three score years of age, certainly looked the part. Standing at just under two meters tall in his stockings, the mountain of a man towered above his colleagues and subordinates at the RFA, his sheer physical presence and the fierce expression he often wore on his weathered, lined face was enough to put the fear of god into the most idle RFA functionary. RFA water cooler gossip held that Kagami was once the scion of one of Nagato's most infamous crime families, who were notorious for their willingness to resort to violence over the most trifling matters, before he decided to turn his hand to more legitimate business dealings. The RFA president's general demeanour certainly did nothing to dispel those fevered rumours — a single piercing stare from him was often enough to transfix an errant subordinate or intimidate an uncooperative business partner into submission, and as for his wardrobe, his impeccably tailored suits and crisp dress shirts gave off the impression of a perfectionist, a hard taskmaster who expected nothing but the best both from himself and from those who worked for him.

So it was with some trepidation that Cocoa Haneda traipsed through the gleaming, well-lit corridors of the RFA headquarters on her way to the RFA president's office. Although she had met Kagami once before, when she signed her contract as Riena national team manager, Cocoa had never actually been alone with him; a handful of other RFA officials, as well as her agent, had been present at the signing ceremony, and, occupied by the various little details and trifles that required her attention, she hadn't gotten the chance to speak with the top dog, the man who had actually signed off on the decision to hire her, and by extension, entrusted the future of the entire Riena national football programme to her. On the face of it, their first one-to-one meeting was simply a routine one, or so the impersonal email from the president's office had implied, with its cold, business-like subject line: "Routine Progress Meeting (Pre-WCQ97)". Yet an electric current of anxiety ran beneath Cocoa's skin as she stopped in front of the large, fine-grained mahogany door of the president's office and raised her fist to the polished wood. She knew only all too well that the results she had managed during her short time in charge of the national team had been underwhelming, even accounting for Riena's diminished stature in multiversal football. Was the legendary kingpin of the RFA about to take her to task for underperforming his expectations?

Cocoa took a deep breath, steeling her nerves for the imminent confrontation, and rapped smartly — or at least she hoped she managed to — on the door. As soon as the echoes of knuckle on wood died down in the empty hallway, the door parted down the middle, sliding open with a quiet pneumatic hiss to reveal the lavishly-appointed president's office. The first thing that caught her eye was the massive silhouette of a man, standing motionless at the far end of the spacious room with his back to her, thrown into swirling shadow by the golden light of sunset that streamed through the large glass windows that spanned from floor to ceiling. The president — for of course it was he — had his arms folded across his chest as he surveyed his sprawling domain. To his left was the RFA administrative campus, where the administrators and bureaucrats responsible for greasing the RFA's cogs toiled away; to his right was the RFA's sporting grounds and facilities, where Cocoa and her coaching staff spent hours upon hours every day with their players as they attempted to nurture a team that Riena could be proud of. And of course, the figure who oversaw all of the workings in the labyrinthine RFA was none other than the man who stood before Cocoa at this very moment: Ryuji Kagami, the president — no, the monarch — of the RFA.

Cocoa swallowed, and realised that her throat was bone dry. When she spoke, her voice was in a slightly hoarse whisper: "President Kagami, I'm here for our meeting."

The figure remained motionless for what felt like an eternity to Cocoa, but just as she was about to say something, the president swivelled away from the window and met her gaze directly. His eyes, which Cocoa noticed was a bluish-white hue reminiscent of pure ice, seemed to bore into her as he studied her intently for a few seconds — a few seconds in which Cocoa fought valiantly to keep her eyes trained on his, her own insignificant show of defiance in the face of the president's intensely intimidating aura. Just as Cocoa's nerves began jangling at the mounting tension in the room, the president's sober expression broke, and his rugged features relaxed into a warm smile.

"Well, if it isn't my manager Cocoa. I do apologise for scheduling our meeting so late in the day — you must be exhausted after working such a long day."

Kagami checked his wristwatch — solid silver, Cocoa noted — and furrowed his brow.

"Have you had your dinner? If not, I'll take you to one of my favourite ramen places. My treat — think of it as an apology for keeping you past your normal working hours. I hope you'll grant this old man the pleasure of your company for an hour or two?"

---

That was how Cocoa found herself sitting across from Ryuji Kagami at a rundown ramen stall, two stations and a five minute walk away from the shiny new RFA campus. The president, who, in view of the oppressive summer heat, had left his suit jacket back in his office, was an incongruous, shirt-sleeved figure compared to the other patrons, but it quickly became apparent to Cocoa that he was a valued regular at the stall — a raised hand in greeting was all it took for the grizzled proprietor to serve up two piping hot bowls of pork bone broth ramen and two mugs of chilled beer.

"Apologies, there isn't much variety on the menu here, but I guarantee you the ramen tastes terrific. Feel free to order any extra toppings or drinks you'd like though — no need to hold back!"

Still utterly bemused by the events of the last fifteen minutes, Cocoa nodded silently, picked up a pair of chopsticks, and began working on the steaming bowl of ramen before her. She had been fully expecting to get upbraided for her performance in a tense, uptight meeting, not get invited to an impromptu dinner with her boss. Still, if the president was in a good enough mood to treat her to dinner, he probably wasn't going to start laying into her for losing to the likes of Nova Anglican Admin Zone of Esportiva — or so Cocoa hoped.

The president picked up a slightly battered can of spicy chili flakes on the table and shook it over his bowl of ramen with extravagant flicks of his wrist, sending a shower of chili flakes swirling through the air, where they eventually came to rest on the rich, oily pork bone broth. He too picked up a pair of chopsticks and, with a reverent expression on his face, began tucking into his ramen with gusto.

"I do hope the food is to your liking?"

Cocoa nodded dumbly, chewing slowly on a mouthful of firm ramen as Kagami took a long draught from his mug of beer.

"Excellent, excellent. Now, I don't usually like to discuss business over dinner, Cocoa, but needs must I'm afraid — we're both busy people, and I wouldn't want to take up too much of your time."

"Of course, President Kagami."

The president chuckled and held up a hand in protest.

"We're not in the office right now, so you don't need to be so formal — Ryuji is fine, just don't slip up and call me that during working hours! Anyway, I wanted to hear your thoughts about the national team's performance since you took charge. It's been, what, seven matches now? Four in the Campionato and three in the Silver Dragon Invitational, is that right?"

Cocoa struggled to stifle a pained grimace as she swallowed her mouthful of ramen, whereupon it slid into her stomach and settled into a soggy, miserable carbohydrate-ridden lump. The pleasantries were over — the president's casual aside was clearly the opening salvo of what would be a harrowing inquest into her failings as a manager. She faked a cough, buying herself a few precious seconds of thinking time as the president, ever the courteous gentleman, offered her his monogrammed handkerchief. Cocoa declined his offer as best as she could and sought temporary refuge in her mug of beer. But of course there was no escaping the question that lingered in the humid evening air, so she resigned herself to her fate and began answering.

"... there's no sugarcoating the fact that the team's results have been below par. Considering the resources and the talent that we have at our disposal, there's no doubt that we underperformed in both the Campionato and the Silver Dragon Invitational — I was particularly disappointed by the losses to Nova Anglican Admin Zone of Esportiva, Kanzlia, and Katzeburg. Even though the depth and breadth of the Riennese talent pool has contracted significantly since our peak under former manager Kanata Shiranami, I feel that a team of our calibre should at least be competitive against teams ranked roughly in the same neighbourhood."

Kagami nodded silently — Cocoa wasn't sure if it was simply a spontaneous movement or if he agreed with what she was saying — and took another draught from his mug of beer.

"... but I strongly believe that the performances the players have put in on the pitch haven't been rewarded with commensurate results. Look at the Campionato, for example — the statistics show we deserved more from the game against The 14 Stars and Nova Anglican Admin Zone of Esportiva. It's a matter of ironing out basic errors in the players' games and getting them to perform better on a more consistent basis — if only we can manage that, I'm sure the results will come with time. The hard-fought draw against a relatively strong Tumbran side in the Silver Dragon Invitational is proof that we're heading in the right direction."

The president snapped his fingers, and the proprietor immediately appeared at his side with an extra serving of char siu.

"Yes, that's true, but you can't just cherry-pick the good results to try and make out that you're doing a good job. What about conceding eight goals in two games against Kanzlia and Katzeburg? Are those kinds of performances going to be a regular occurrence from here on out?"

Cocoa swallowed nervously as the president steepled his fingers and fixed her with his infamous steely gaze.

"I hope not, President Kagami. In all fairness, we made a collective decision — together with the players, I mean — to try out a number of different tactical systems with different players in the Silver Dragon Invitational, considering that it was a friendly tournament. You'll note that we gave debuts to a handful of players in both matches, and we also deployed a new tactical system with a five player defence in the match against Kanzlia. Granted, we lost both matches by convincing scorelines, but I'd argue that losses are to be expected as the team grows together and the players build chemistry. With time, I'm confident that we'll be able to build a fully-functioning team that's more than the sum of its parts."

"Time, you say ... but time is a finite resource. Are you sure you're not wasting your time conducting frivolous tactical experiments and blooding players who may never be good enough to play for Riena?"

Despite her earlier anxiety, Cocoa felt a flush of anger surge through her at the president's comment — which, coupled with the beer's tongue-loosening effects, made her say something that surprised even herself.

"With all due respect, President Kagami, this is the way my coaching staff and I work. Again, I wholeheartedly accept that the results thus far have not been up to the high standards we expect from ourselves and the players — but to outright question our methods in such a dismissive manner is simply disrespectful of our commitment and our expertise. If that is truly how you feel about our work, I think we may be better off parting ways at the earliest possible opportunity."

Cocoa brought her mug to her lips, drained the last dregs of her beer, and brought the mug down on the rickety table with a slightly unwieldy crash. Kagami raised a bushy eyebrow at his manager's unexpected outburst, and a wry smile crossed his face.

"I see you're quite the feisty character, Cocoa. I do beg your pardon — everyone has their own foibles, and I am most assuredly not immune to mine, especially not after enjoying a cold beer after a long day at work. You can be assured that I had no intention of questioning your methods or your decisions — after all, I'm sure we both want only the best for the Riena national team. But you realise, of course, that time is of the essence when it comes to turning out positive results — as you are no doubt aware, the RFA is most keen to ensure that all the money and effort we have invested into the national team bears fruit as soon as possible. For my part, I would be more than delighted to defer to your coaching expertise, so long as the team's results are in line with our mutual expectations."

Up went the president's hand a second time; and a second round of beers appeared by his side in a matter of seconds.

"Put another way, find a way to start winning consistently, or you may — rather regrettably — be looking for alternative employment in the not too distant future. Do I make myself clear?"

Cocoa squared her jaw and stared at the president, now barely making any effort to disguise her defiance.

"You sure have, President Kagami."

Kagami laughed wolfishly and clapped his hands together in delight.

"I have a feeling we're going to get along just fine, my dear Cocoa."

[Xanneria]

The following is taken from a picturebook entitled "The Railroads of Xanneria" a sister publication of "The Railroads of the Yak Empire"

---

XANNERIA - 3
D'arcy 38' 82'
Tomarczcyk 66'

---

DELACLAVIA - 2
Bell 58'
Wells 90+1'

XANNERIA - 0
NONE'

---

RECUECEN - 0
NONE'

[Carpathia and Ruthenia]

Should Carpathia and Ruthenia take out a restraining order against Sarzonia?

It would seem that lady luck can't get enough of us playing Sarzonia, having met now for three consecutive tournaments. Hopefully however in this tournament lady luck might smile on us a bit more kindly than in previous matches with Sarzonia taking the win in all three matches, the closest of the affairs being the recent heartbreaking second round exit after extra time in the most recent Cup of Harmony.

Unfortunately as much as the nation would crave revenge it would seem unlikely, Sarzonia have grown from strength to strength and were deserved champions of that Cup of Harmony and will be most likely pushing Flavovespia and Gnejs for the top spot of the group and would be assumed a shoe-in for the qualification to the newly expanded fourty-eight team World Cup. Perhaps we could be a thorn in the side of Sarzonia and steal a couple of points from them and keeping them from the automatic qualification spots.

Perhaps I am being too petty and should instead focus on our own team and their chances. Unfortunately I am pessimistic when it comes to that, we a group full of former giants on the rise and current powerhouses it will be a struggle to get in contention for the third place spot of possible automatic qualification, our main hope stems from the general attacking nature of the group as we have found many times to our own cost leaning too heavily into the attack can leave yourself wide open at the back so perhaps this group will be more volitile than expected and in the chaos we can weave our way through.

We will get a chance to size up how the other teams are performing and whether that volatility is bubbling as we have a bye for the first matchday, so here's to a group the neutrals will love to watch and perhaps give a wink to lady luck.

By Margita Ongaro
CBC Ruthenia

[Yakk]

The following is taken from a picturebook entitled "The Railroads of the Yak Empire" a sister publication of "The Railroads of the Xanneria"

---

YAK EMPIRE - 0
NONE'

---

DRAWKLAND - 3
Collingwood 17' 85' 88'

YAK EMPIRE - 4
Oryaangabar 25' 56'
Tinpeg 11'
Openka 70'

---

VAISHNAVARIA - 0
NONE'

[Milchama]

A chant often heard from the terraces of Milchama:

We're not making the World Cup!

We're not making the CoH!

We're not making shit!

We can't win a single game!

We can't win anything!

We're so bad, we make us sad

We're so bad, we make us mad

We can't win anything!

Repeat as many as times as necessary

And now a prayer to Margaret. We are aware the said prayer will most likely not be answered and will mostly lead to more frustration but frankly we're bad at soccer now and it can't hurt right?

"Say what I say and do what I do"

"''Ringa pakia!''
''Uma tiraha!''
''Turi whatia!''
''Hope whai ake!''
''Waewae takahia kia kino!''
''Ka mate, ka mate''
''Ka ora, ka ora''
''Ka mate, ka mate''
''Ka ora, ka ora''
''Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuru''
''Nāna nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā''
''Ā upane, ka upane''
''Whiti te rā, hī!''

"Now repeat after me!"

"Forini! Forini!"
"Finidi! Finidi!"
"George! George!"
"Oh Brother! Oh brother!"

*They strip and run around for 12 minutes*

"We pray the Margaret of SnubNose 38 and Random Number God that you may deliver us victory over all infidels that we face in international play"

"Sacrifice the Rubber Chicken!"

*Swoosh of an axe and the chicken is dead*

"Margaret we pray that you take this sacrifice of a rubber chicken in good faith and that by your deliverance Milchama does well in all international competitions"

"Come on You Warriors!"

"Let's Go Milchama!"