RBC Sports One: Siovanija & Teusland Sporting News

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Tue Jun 25, 2024 7:20 pm

Meisterschaft Cycle 20 - Part I

Matchday 1

1912 Stelburg 2–1 TSV Marzig
FK Pomorie 1–2 FC Kaiserhaven
VfL Reinbronn 1–0 SW Stahlberg
FK Metropola Borograd 1–0 Olympia Borograd
FC Teussen Stelburg 5–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Energija Chernovets 0–0 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

We are off! Things got off to a tense start at the Oststelburgstadion, where Egon von Stein scored the opener for the Bluebirds just 9 minutes into the match. Marzig grew into the game, however, and were putting significant pressure on the home side which culminated in Einar Hackl’s first of the year. The second half saw a cautious game of cat-and-mouse between the two light blue-coloured clubs, each waiting for the other’s mistake - in the end, it was Erwin Lubeck who would capitalize to give the home side their first of the year. FK Pomorie hosted Kaiserhaven in a welcome match for 2 of the new clubs in this year’s Meisterschaft - this was a real topper, with end-to-end action. In the end, a double from Reto Zschookke saw Kaiserhaven come out on top. It wasn’t such a happy entrance to the top division for SW Stahlberg, who fell to VfL Reinbronn 1-0. In Stelburg, the Thorsten Kramer era got started with a brilliant display of attacking football. New boy Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta scored twice in the first half, while Teussen led 4-1 with just 20 minutes on the clock. A late red card to Dietrich Traeger created some drama, but the gold and black hung on for the win. In Chernovets the following night, meanwhile, it was a chess-like defensive battle as the defending champions were held to a 0-0. Felsenkirchen fans will feel they should’ve been awarded a penalty after some action in the box in the second half, while Chernovets fans will be glad to have gotten out with the point.

The game of the week, of course, was the Borograd derby. With much debate over which of the clubs should fare better this season - Olympia were the regional league winners, Metropola dominated the derby head to head matches - we did not have to wait too long to find out. The answer, at the end of the day, seems to be that the sides are quite close in quality. Olympia played well enough to probably deserve a draw out of this one, and Vladimir Vladimiric will be having nightmares over a chance he skied early on. Metropola just had that extra edge to them in this one, however, and Veljko Vadimic scored the winner early in the second half.

Player of the Week: Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta (FC Teussen Stelburg)

Matchday 2

TSV Marzig 0–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–2 Energija Chernovets
Olympia Borograd 1–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
SW Stahlberg 2–1 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Kaiserhaven 3–1 VfL Reinbronn
1912 Stelburg 7–3 FK Pomorie

Felsenkirchen’s defence showed up once again for an excellent effort as they held Marzig to a draw - but really, this match could’ve gone much higher, with the expected goals being 2.46 for the home side and 3.09 for the winning Cogs. You have to credit the defensive structure of both squads for that - although in the end, it was Florian Krukenberg who knocked the shot past Ludwig Gottschall to secure the win. It serves as a bit of revenge for Felsenkirchen, who were denied an invincible season on the final day last year by Marzig. The home side, meanwhile, can take pride from their opening to the season - despite 2 losses, they’ve proven their quality did not disappear after last season. Energija Chernovets had to grab two goals in the final 20 minutes of the match to secure a draw with Zvezda Vlaikograd, while SW Stahlberg got their first win of the year in surprising fashion over FK Metropola Borograd. The visiting Violets probably thought this one was wrapped up when they were awarded a penalty 1-0 up, but anything can happen in football and today it did. The penalty was missed, Stahlberg equalized minutes later, and Lee Jung-hyun grabbed the winner for the home side later on. Kaiserhaven makes it 2 wins from 2 with a nice win over VfL Reinbronn, while 1912 Stelburg slaughtered FK Pomorie. Damien Gannot grabbed headlines with a hat-trick, while Egon von Stein had 4 assists in a 7-3 thrashing.

It’s devastating for Olympia Borograd, who threw away a National derby win in our match of the week. It was always going to be tough for the Greens to start the season with back-to-back derbies, having faced Metropola last weekend, but there was some hope going into this home contest with Teussen. When Rolando Cutter put the home side 1-0 up in the first half, hope turned to expectation. Teussen, however, never quit and in the second half especially put incredible pressure on Olympia. The visitors should’ve scored much earlier than they did, with the chances they were getting, but in the end it was 85th and 89th minute heartbreakers for Olympia. Gruber and Weber had the goals, which prompted jubilant celebrations in the away end. “Teussen are back,” declared one quite inebriated supporter into a TV camera soon afterwards.

Player of the Week: Damien Gannot (1912 Stelburg)

President’s Cup First Round

The first round of the Cup is in the books! Most Meisterschaft teams faced more challenge than they ever would’ve expected here. VfL Reinbronn and Felsenkirchen both saw easy passage through to the 2nd round, while TSV Marzig had to fight hard against regional rivals Kraljgrad, only coming out with a one-goal win. 1912 Stelburg took care of business with no problems, 4-1, but FC Teussen Stelburg had to fight hard against FC Kaiserhaven in an all-Meisterschaft clash. The Legendary would win, however, and that is what counts. Olympia Borograd defeated Magesbach in a high-scoring affair, while FK Pomorie snuck past 1920 Reinbronn. Zvezda Vlaikograd were strongly challenged by 1894 Tarnitz, and FK Metropola Borograd actually needed penalties to get past Vrnovo Mesto. Not all of the Meisterschaft clubs were so lucky, however: SW Stahlberg lost on penalties to VfL Reichmannsdorf, a truly shocking result, while Energija Chernovets’ Cup curse continues. There will be no President’s Cup in Chernovets this year either following a loss to SK Republika Borograd. Other results of note included Turbine Immengries prevailing in a derby match with FC 1. Norsay, while Rulandea Karlsbrunnen got their 3rd straight First Round win with a big result over Lahnnenbruck.

Matchday 3

FK Pomorie 0–0 TSV Marzig
VfL Reinbronn 0–1 1912 Stelburg
FK Metropola Borograd 5–1 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Teussen Stelburg 6–1 SW Stahlberg
Energija Chernovets 1–0 Olympia Borograd
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd

1912 Stelburg are winning in all kinds of ways right now - last week with utter domination, the week before playing off the counter. This time, it was in heavy late winter snow in Reinbronn, where the home side made things extremely difficult for them. However, Egon von Stein’s goal just 9 minutes before the end was a real character moment for the Bluebirds. Elsewhere, FC Kaiserhaven and SW Stahlberg both faced harsh reality checks in the Meisterschaft. Veljko Vadimic was otherworldly in a 5-1 win, scoring twice and creating two more for Metropola Borograd, who looked totally dominant. FC Teussen Stelburg, meanwhile, one-upped them with an absolute massacre in the Franz-Gorz-Stadion. Teussen are firing on all cylinders and scoring like crazy so far this season, with 13 goals through 3 games so far. Hielscher-Zendagorta had a hat-trick today, but it was Hans Gruber with the pick of the goals as he scored from distance. Olympia Borograd could not have had a more difficult start to the season, facing Metropola, Teussen and Chernovets in their first three games - but there are no excuses in the Meisterschaft, and one goal in 3 games is simply not good enough. The defending champions, meanwhile, have not been quite so relentless out of the gate this year. Offensively, they haven’t looked like last year’s all-conquering force - and they suffer for it today in a draw with Zvezda Vlaikograd, Bogdan Kubica getting the equalizer for the visitors.

The most drama of the weekend was expected to be found in Pomorie, where the Narodnistadion hosted the first Pomorie/Marzig derby of the season. There was drama in the buildup to the fixture when it was announced Marzig away fans would not be welcome - away fans have been banned from this fixture ever since the Black August bombing during isolation, but there was some hope that the occasion of the Meisterschaft would be an impetus to change this. The local police declined, and probably with good reason - 77 people were arrested in and around the city on derby day for various acts of violence. In a very, very unusual display of unity, Pomorie fans held a banner saying ‘Football is nothing without fans; supporters are not criminals.’ The Marzig supporters may have been lucky they did not attend, however - it was a boring display of football that barely produced a chance between the sides. 0-0 the final, and Marzig needs to turn things around quickly if they have any hope of reaching last year’s highs.

Player of the Week: Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta (FC Teussen Stelburg)

Matchday 4

TSV Marzig 3–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Olympia Borograd 1–4 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
SW Stahlberg 2–1 Energija Chernovets
FC Kaiserhaven 1–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
1912 Stelburg 1–0 FK Metropola Borograd
FK Pomorie 3–3 VfL Reinbronn

The first win of the season for TSV Marzig comes at home against rivals Zvezda Vlaikograd. The Marzigers were superior in all regards compared to the visiting Reds, and this weekend it finally clicked for them in attack. Aleks Kosch-Kovarik had two goals while Einar Hackl had the third in the victory. SW Stahlberg gain a really impressive win early in the season defeating Energija Chernovets at home. Stahlberg have recovered well from last week’s brutal defeat, and they got a goal from Timo Hoferle in the 77th minute of this one to secure the win. On the south coast, meanwhile, it was a rainy Sunday afternoon as the host Kaiserhaven took on FC Teussen Stelburg. Reto Zschokke shocked the country with a goal just 47 seconds into this one, but goals from Hans Gruber and Gustaf Liechtenstein gave Teussen all three points. The battle of the ‘second clubs’ from the country’s two most important cities was a close affair, but in the end, 1912 Stelburg prevailed. Damien Gannot had the goal that gave the Bluebirds four straight wins - only matched by their colleagues in gold and black. Could we see an all-Stelburg title fight this season? Elsewhere, VfL Reinbronn rallied from 3-1 down in the second half to grab a point against Pomorie. Ben Bing had the late equalizer for the Hunters.

Olympia Borograd are just simply not having a good time right now. To be fair to them, it’s tough to start the season in such a manner: your city derby, your eternal rivals, the other Siovanijan big club and then, this week, the defending national champions. But it simply can’t be this sloppy. Felsenkirchen blew the Greens out in their own home, with the score hitting 3-0 after just 27 minutes. Isak Harju scored his first goal of the season, while Jesper Porsche and Arne Repnik each had one as well. While Olympia pulled one back later on, Marjan Trstenjek giving them some life, Harju’s second of the day put the finishing touches on a dominant Felsenkirchen win. Where do Olympia go from here? Sure, the schedule will only get easier from here, but they’ve basically proven themselves incapable of competing with the nation’s top clubs. The hope that winning the Regionalliga Borograd brought is gone - and some are calling for manager Marijan Urankar’s head. For his part, Urankar has avoided making excuses, saying “We absolutely need to be better, and that starts from me.”

Player of the Week: Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik (TSV Marzig)

President’s Cup Second Round

More twists and turns in the President’s Cup! 1912 Stelburg were in for a fight with visiting FK Venkovets, the visitors from the suburbs of Borograd actually led 2-1 with just 26 minutes remaining before the Bluebirds were able to turn it around. FC Teussen Stelburg knocked 5 past Wolfstadt 98, but some will be questioning how exactly they conceded 3 goals to their visitors in the second half. Felsenkirchen’s backups got the job done against NK Vojnik, Reiner Werkner had a hat-trick in the 4-2 win. VfL Reinbronn could not get the job done at home against Marlesee 97. It’s become quite interesting to see the clubs who just missed out on Meisterschaft football, such as Marlesee, take on this competition - it’s the last competitive football competition for them this season, in between the friendlies they play with other clubs to keep fresh, and you do wonder if it can sometimes give them an edge over the clubs who are competing on 2 fronts. In a rematch of the matchday 4 fixture, TSV Marzig once again destroyed Zvezda Vlaikograd, this time with a final score of 4-0. The man of the match would be defensive midfielder Mats Winter, who earned his first start of the campaign and truly was an x-factor for the home side. FK Pomorie and FK Metropola Borograd both advanced, but on the other side of Borograd… Things go from bad to worse for Olympia. 1. FC Vaihingen have made great strides in recent years, but defeating Olympia at home is likely the biggest moment in the club’s history. While the pitch invasion and ensuing fan celebrations in Vaihingen were quite fun to watch… what has happened to Olympia Borograd? Nearly 20 years without a trophy is almost unthinkable for such a big club, and if Marijan Urankar was on the hot seat before, it’s fully on fire now. The club once defined by glorious victory has become a club of devastating defeats.

Matchday 5

VfL Reinbronn 1–1 TSV Marzig
FK Metropola Borograd 3–1 FK Pomorie
FC Teussen Stelburg 0–2 1912 Stelburg
Energija Chernovets 2–0 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–1 SW Stahlberg
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–3 Olympia Borograd

Despite TSV Marzig’s great victories midweek and last weekend, they just could not get things done today against VfL Reinbronn. Reinbronn did a great job to stymie the attacking moves of the visiting side, and it’s going to be interesting times in Marzig. Following Mats Winter’s performance in the Cup tie with Zvezda, many have called for manager Georg Hertl to adopt a 4-3-3 formation. This would see Tristan Littauer dropping to the bench, and Winter coming in as a holding midfielder. The tactic is most commonly associated in this country with FC Teussen Stelburg, for whom it is truly part of the club’s identity - most others play some variation of a 4-2-3-1. With just one win in the league through 5 matches, it might be time to mix things up. Metropola Borograd get past FK Pomorie with relative ease, Blahoslav Zak had both goals. Chernovets also saw themselves win by two goals, keeping a clean sheet at home as they roll past Kaiserhaven. Jaro Jezek had both goals. SW Stahlberg have been reminding many of their glory days with the way they have fought hard in every fixture this season so far - unfortunately, they couldn’t get things done today in Felsenkirchen. The Cogs prevailed in the battle of wills, with Jochen Koegel getting the winner for the reigning champions. Olympia Borograd earned their first win of the season, finally, on the road to old enemy Zvezda Vlaikograd. Rolando Cutter had two goals in the win.

The talk of the whole country this weekend was the Stelburg derby. Both Teussen and Zwolf entered this one 4-0-0, top of the league - the fixture at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion therefore being incredibly important to the title race this season. For both sides, the task was clear. The Bluebirds needed to handle a high-octane Teussen offense, while Teussen needed to figure out how to solve what has been an exceptional defence for 1912 so far. The midfield battle was intriguing in this game, as Egon von Stein did an excellent job of controlling the midfield for the visitors from east Stelburg, even in the face of the Gruber-Martin-Traeger trio. Von Stein was the standout performer, really, with two assists to create the goals from Lubeck and Gannot. However, the defensive work of Laurens Seuper cannot be ignored, with the Taxhavn defender absolutely locking down Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta. On the flanks, too, Rolf Gellner had a particularly dominant defensive performance on the right side. 1912 Stelburg, then, proved themselves as the top team in Stelburg through this point of the season, and lead the league outright. One thing is for sure, is with both Stelburg clubs in the title race, there are going to be fireworks.

Player of the Week: Egon von Stein (1912 Stelburg)

Matchday 6

TSV Marzig 3–1 Olympia Borograd
SW Stahlberg 0–4 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Kaiserhaven 1–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
1912 Stelburg 2–0 Energija Chernovets
FK Pomorie 0–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
VfL Reinbronn 1–1 FK Metropola Borograd

In Stahlberg, Zvezda recovered from a tough run with a 4-0 win. Arpad Pavlicek was the man of the moment, 3 assists on the day, and Zvezda need to take inspiration from this. The south coast held the north coast to a draw, meanwhile, in Kaiserhaven on Saturday afternoon - the Sailors scored in the 88th minute through Wolf Wind to get a wonderful draw with Felsenkirchen. The Bluebirds remain undefeated, 6-0-0 so far this season, following a 2-0 win over the Canaries in Chernovets. Damien Gannot had both goals in what’s proving to be an excellent season from the Mytanar forward so far, while Egon von Stein once again put in a near-perfect performance in midfield. FC Teussen Stelburg also won by a 2-0 score, recovering from last week’s derby defeat to handle Pomorie with relative ease. We’ve talked a lot about Olympia Borograd’s struggles in recent weeks, but how about the other club from the capital? The Violets were expected to be in the title fight this year, but have found things different and are already 8 points behind 1912. Still time to turn it around, but it’s not been the start they were hoping for.

The game of the week saw Marzig hosting Olympia Borograd on Friday evening. The 4-3-3 did make its debut in the Vest-Marlebucht-Stadion this week - and with what effect! Mats Winter’s first Meisterschaft start lived up to expectation and more, with plenty of memes posted online featuring his ‘emptied pockets’ with the entire Olympia team inside. Yes, the defensive performance was exceptional, but so was his influence on buildup and the freedom granted to Kaiser and Panzer ahead of him - the midfield overran Olympia. Einar Hackl ended up with 2 goals, and Marzig have new life this season. On the Olympia side, however, it just keeps getting worse - the club sit 11th after 6 matches with just one win, and it’s understood that manager Uranek has officially been given an ultimatum by the board - he has 3 games to save his job.

Player of the Week: Mats Winter (TSV Marzig)

Six games into the season, let’s take a look at the current table, courtesy of RBC Sports Videotext!

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Wed Jun 26, 2024 11:32 am

Meisterschaft Cycle 20 - Part II

Matchday 7

FK Metropola Borograd 3–1 TSV Marzig
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–0 VfL Reinbronn
Energija Chernovets 3–3 FK Pomorie
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–1 1912 Stelburg
Zvezda Vlaikograd 5–1 FC Kaiserhaven
Olympia Borograd 2–2 SW Stahlberg

TSV Marzig’s excellent performance last week was followed up with disappointment against Metropola Borograd, who saw two goals from Veljko Vadimic led them to victory. Metropola looked really dangerous down the wings, preferring to use the flank rather than challenging Marzig in the middle of the park. Marzig’s lone goal came from Wei Delan, and the club will need to learn lessons from today’s defeat to continue their tactical change. Teussen achieved a business victory at home against Reinbronn, nothing really special to note in a one-nil win where Josef Weber scored the winner midway through the second half. Energija Chernovets are not having the best go of things in the Meisterschaft this season, and a hat-trick from Marian Hovlak saw Pomorie earn a hard-fought point. Zvezda Vlaikograd’s great form continued, this week smashing up Kaiserhaven with five goals - Bogdan Kubica with the brace really got them going. It’s a point, finally, for Olympia, who draw with Stahlberg, as Vladimir Vladimiric had both goals for the Greens in this one. Marijan Urankar is safe for another week.

1912 Stelburg faced their biggest test so far this season on Sunday afternoon as they travelled north to take on defending title winners Felsenkirchen - and in the end, it was navy blue prevailing over light blue. It was billed as the battle of Jesper Porsche and Egon von Stein, but on Sunday at Mollin Park it was really Arne Repnik who shined. The Mytanar created the first goal for the Cogs, before scoring the second himself. Everytime Repnik touched the ball it seemed to bring about something dangerous, and the Bluebirds had no answer. Alois Heineken got one back for the visitors before halftime, but Isak Harju had the dagger in the 49th minute, really putting this one to bed. The Bluebirds fail to extend their lead at the top and drop their first one of the season - bringing Felsenkirchen prominently back into the title fight. The Cogs are now just an ominous 3 points off the top.

Player of the Week: Arne Repnik (FC Felsenkirchen 1879)

Matchday 8

TSV Marzig 3–1 SW Stahlberg
FC Kaiserhaven 1–0 Olympia Borograd
1912 Stelburg 2–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FK Pomorie 0–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
VfL Reinbronn 1–0 Energija Chernovets
FK Metropola Borograd 0–1 FC Teussen Stelburg

Spring was in the air in the United Republics this weekend, and it brought with it brutal rain storms all across the country. Friday evening in Marzig, things weren’t so bad, and the home side were back at their best as they took on SW Stahlberg. Einar Hackl was a bit slow out of the gate but has really found his shooting boots now, and he had two goals in this one. Marzig had 73% of possession and granted their opponents just 1 shot on goal in a dominant performance. The storm heavily impacted the south coast, and at the Stadion Kaiserhaven it felt at times as if the pitch was made out of mud instead of grass. It was an incredibly difficult match for both clubs, and it needed a moment of magic for someone to win it. That would come as Reto Zschokke scored a simply incredible goal - picking up the ball deep in his own half of the pitch, he ran all the way down the right wing, watching Olympia defenders and even his teammates falling down all around him, and hit a brilliant shot from 20 yards out to beat the keeper. It sent Kaiserhaven fans into raptures, the @meisterschaft social media reel into the millions of views - and sent Marijan Urankar into the unemployment line. Yes, the Olympia manager was sacked following the defeat in Kaiserhaven. No word just yet on a replacement. Elsewhere, it was a pretty low-scoring weekend in general, the spring rains having an effect on the matches. 1912 Stelburg beat Zvezda thanks to a late Alois Heineken winner, Felsenkirchen got their winning marker through Dieter Rosberg, while Ben Bing powered Reinbronn past Chernovets in the biggest surprise of the weekend.

On Monday evening, Borograd hosted the game of the week as FK Metropola Borograd hosted the league leading FC Teussen Stelburg. It was probably Metropola’s last chance to get into the title race, at home, and they fought incredibly hard against Thorsten Kramer’s boys. However, the defensive issues that seemed to plague the black and gold earlier this season appear now to be totally gone. Seb Rosler and Erwin Sanner are one of the best centre back duos in the league now, and they completely shut down Blahoslav Zak. At the other end, Metropola also put in an excellent defensive performance, and this one seemed destined for a 0-0. It was Bastian Boltzmann just 5 minutes before the end with the magic moment for the Stelburgers, causing an outpour of joy from the away end and real belief with this squad - Teussen remain top of the league.

Player of the Week: Reto Zschokke (FC Kaiserhaven)

President’s Cup Third Round

It was certainly not easy for the remaining Meisterschaft clubs in the Cup this round. FC Teussen Stelburg needed extra time at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion just to get past VfB Launitz, who put up quite the fight against the Stelburg giants. Felsenkirchen also needed the added period to knock out FK Raketa Bukovets at home. TSV Marzig went all the way to penalties to beat out Marlesee 97, both Marlesee clubs in fact lost on penalties in this round. FK Pomorie couldn’t quite get past a strong Traktor Stavropol side, while 1912 Stelburg fell at home to Turbine Immengries. Not the finest moment for the Bluebirds, but the reaction in the fanbase seems to be ‘now we can focus on the title.’ FK Metropola Borograd, meanwhile, smashed Hechingen on the road to stay in the tournament as 4 Meisterschaft clubs advanced to the next round. Elsewhere, look out for the runs of VfL Reichmannsdorf and Teufelsberg 97, who have both looked quite strong in the competition so far as we head into the Fourth Round.

Matchday 9

FC Teussen Stelburg 0–1 TSV Marzig
Energija Chernovets 1–0 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 6–1 VfL Reinbronn
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–1 FK Pomorie
Olympia Borograd 0–1 1912 Stelburg
SW Stahlberg 1–1 FC Kaiserhaven

While Energija Chernovets haven’t had a particularly special season so far, winning at home against FK Metropola Borograd is certainly a big boost to the morale around the fanbase and the club. Felsenkirchen ran rampant on Saturday afternoon at Mollin Park, treating the home supporters to 6 goals in an all-powerful win over VfL Reinbronn. Reinbronn seemed pretty much powerless to stop the Cogs in this one, with Jesper Porsche having 3 assists. Jochen Koegel led the scoring with 2 goals in the first half, and in a nice moment, young defender Arnold Apel scored his first goal in the Meisterschaft for the club after coming on as a sub. The battle of two clubs with a strong supporters’ friendship saw Zvezda Vlaikograd take on FK Pomorie - the two seemed pretty much evenly matched all the way through, with only a late goal from Dusan Korlikov making the difference. Olympia Borograd’s reigns were given to club legend Ivo Romanov for this week’s match with 1912 Stelburg. Romanov, who was a key part of Olympia’s last national title win, has been an assistant with the club for many years and will be the temporary interim for the rest of the season. The first match under Romanov did not quite go to plan, however, as Olympia failed to win at the Olimpski-Stadion - Damien Gannot got the winner for the Bluebirds. Reto Zschokke scored for the second week in a row for Kaiserhaven, but Lee Jung-hyun had an answer for Stahlberg as this one ended one-all.

In the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, meanwhile, we were treated to a true tactical masterpiece as TSV Marzig prevailed over FC Teussen Stelburg. With both sides lining up in a 4-3-3, Marzig manager Georg Hertl had clearly instructed his wingers to play a significant role in the overall team defending - Aleks Kosch-Kovarik in particular showed an incredible willingness to track back where needed, eliminating the threat the home side posed on the flanks. In the midfield, meanwhile, Mats Winter earned a perfect 10.0 rating for this game and it was utterly deserved. Taking on the fierce Teussen midfield, he absolutely locked Hans Gruber out of the game. When needed, he was also able to drop into the line of centre backs and defend. Winter was without a doubt the finest player on the pitch at just 18 years old. Marzig outmatched Teussen in almost all aspects of the game today, and were justly rewarded when Einar Hackl knocked in a real poacher’s effort on the half hour mark. From there, the Knights held on for a truly famous win. For Marzig’s golden generation, for their young manager, for their deeply passionate fanbase, this is a defining win for the club.

Player of the Week: Mats Winter (TSV Marzig)

IFCF Challengers’ Cup Round of 32 First Leg

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3-0 Mar Sara FC (VAL)

Truly a statement win for Felsenkirchen at Mollin Park, as IFCF action returned this midweek. The Cogs took on Mar Sara FC, one of the big clubs in Valanora, and were treated to a wonderful atmosphere from their home supporters under the lights. Eugen Pollmacher’s return to Felsenkirchen will not have been a happy one for him, as goals from Jesper Porsche and Isak Harju made it 2-0 in the first half. With the whole stadium bouncing to ‘who isn’t jumping is from Rotmunde’ in the second half, Porsche’s second of the night put the bow on an excellent first leg result. There’s still work to be done across the Westsee, however, and one cannot count Mar Sara out of this tie just yet.

Matchday 10

TSV Marzig 4–0 FC Kaiserhaven
1912 Stelburg 1–2 SW Stahlberg
FK Pomorie 1–3 Olympia Borograd
VfL Reinbronn 3–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FK Metropola Borograd 0–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Teussen Stelburg 4–1 Energija Chernovets

TSV Marzig’s excellent run in the league continued with a 4-0 win over FC Kaiserhaven in another dominating performance. The home side had complete domination over the Sailors in this one, and Einar Hackl scored twice in the first half while Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik added two of his own in the second half to cap off the 4-0 victory. 1912 Stelburg had started this season so strongly, and after winning that Stelburg derby seemed like favourites for the league title - but it’s just gone a bit wrong since then. The loss to SW Stahlberg is the first time they’ve dropped points at home, and it sees them drop to 3rd place in the table. Olympia Borograd got their first win under Ivo Romanov, with Marjan Trstenjak scoring twice in the away win over FK Pomorie - it’s just the second win of the season for the Greens, if you can believe that. The most exciting match of the weekend was certainly Reinbronn and Zvezda, where the two sides scored 5 goals in the final 27 minutes of the match to see this one end 3-3. Ben Bing’s penalty in the 5th minute of stoppage time equalized for the home side. Felsenkirchen, meanwhile, went top of the league on goal difference following a business win in Borograd. Metropola are fully out of the title race now, 11 points back just before the halfway mark, and they just didn’t seem to have any inspiration today against the Blues. Felsenkirchen for their part could’ve probably had a goal or two more, but it was Jesper Porsche’s marker that gave them the one-goal win.

The match of the week saw FC Teussen Stelburg recover from last week’s loss to Marzig in a big way. Taking on Energija Chernovets at home, the gold and black needed a big win to put that loss behind them, and you could tell they were hungry for blood from the opening minute. Chernovets just could not offer much in the way of resistance as Teussen dominated in transition and possession of the ball. It was only several excellent saves from Kamil Krziz that kept the visitors in it early on, but when Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta scored the opener, the floodgates opened. Hans Gruber made it 2-0 by the half, while WHZ himself added two more for a hat-trick in the second half. Chernovets got one back through Dusan Lypotal, but the devastating loss sees them sitting 7th in the table, below their expectations of competing for IFCF qualification. It’s clear the Canaries need a squad overhaul. For Teussen, level on points with Felsenkirchen at the top, they will feel their hunt for the title is fully back in gear. Next week, Teussen will travel to the north coast to take on Felsenkirchen in a #1 vs #2 clash.

Player of the Week: Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta (FC Teussen Stelburg)

IFCF Challengers’ Cup Round of 32 Second Leg

Mar Sara FC (VAL) 3-1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

Felsenkirchen get through by the skin of their teeth following the second leg in Valanora. The home side were 2-0 up by halftime, and Felsenkirchen’s qualification was in real danger as Mar Sara poured on the pressure after the half. The Cogs regrouped and Isak Harju managed to finish off a strong counter-attacking move with a good header to give Felsenkirchen a vital goal. Mar Sara would grab one more in second half stoppage time, but the Cogs held on to advance to the Round of 16, a really solid display for them in international football this season. There, they will face Avidia United from Krytenia, which will be another strong test.

Matchday 11

Energija Chernovets 2–2 TSV Marzig
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 0–1 FC Teussen Stelburg
Zvezda Vlaikograd 0–1 FK Metropola Borograd
Olympia Borograd 3–1 VfL Reinbronn
SW Stahlberg 1–1 FK Pomorie
FC Kaiserhaven 1–2 1912 Stelburg

Energija Chernovets needed a much better performance in front of their home crowd on Friday evening, and they got it as they faced a TSV Marzig side who are in incredible form at the moment. Chernovets made good use of the flanks to overcome their inferiority in the midfield, with Jaro Jezek having a particularly good day with a goal and an assist. Marzig could not be held forever, however, and got two goals from unlikely sources: Luciano Clotieri, the full back getting involved, and Silvio Rodl knocking in a header from a late corner for the equalizer. Veljko Vadimic had not had the best spell of his career during Metropola’s recent slide, but he scores the winner today and looked really excellent all the way against Zvezda Vlaikograd. Olympia Borograd have two wins in a row under Ivo Romanov, and looked really solid today - he’s encouraged the team to just get back to basics, and it worked well for them on Sunday afternoon at the Olimpski-Stadion. Pomorie and Stahlberg, meanwhile, couldn’t be separated after a cagey 90 minutes which saw 7 yellow cards given out. 1912 Stelburg led 2-0 early against FC Kaiserhaven, and while the Sailors arguably held the run of play in the second half, they just could not do enough to equalize late.

The match of the week had to be Felsenkirchen hosting Teussen in a battle for the top spot, fittingly coming as we hit the exact midpoint of the season. The two best teams in the country so far, everyone was expecting an exciting one. It wasn’t quite an outpouring of offense, but that’s exactly how Felsenkirchen wanted it with their exceptional defensive structure. The duo of Steinhausl and Tirel barely made a wrong move all night, while in the midfield both Hans Gruber and Jesper Porsche put in excellent performances. For the longest time, it seemed we were destined for a 0-0 here, but it was a late moment of magic that won it for Teussen. A free kick swung in, an excellent jump from Seb Rosler and a beautiful header knocked behind Per Holtz. Advantage FC Teussen, who are now back on top of the table. Let’s see what destiny awaits these sides in the league this year, but you just know it will involve the rematch on the final day in the Franz-Gorz-Stadion.

Player of the Week: Hans Gruber (FC Teussen Stelburg)

Matchday 12

TSV Marzig 1–0 1912 Stelburg
FC Kaiserhaven 3–1 FK Pomorie
SW Stahlberg 0–4 VfL Reinbronn
Olympia Borograd 1–0 FK Metropola Borograd
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–3 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–0 Energija Chernovets

TSV Marzig pull it off again with a brilliant performance against 1912 Stelburg, today the credit has to go to the backline and Ludwig Gottschall in goal. The keeper stopped all six shots he faced, including a brilliant save on Damian Gannot. Aleks Kosch-Kovarik had the winner for the Marzigers that sees them extend their points gap down to 5th position as they remain in an IFCF qualifying spot. Reto Zschokke continues to improve his stock this season, and what a performance it was from him for Kaiserhaven against FK Pomorie. The young winger scored two wonderful goals in the first half, and later in the game created the third with a great cross in for Wolf Wind. There’s a buzz about him on the south coast and he could have a very bright future in this league. VfL Reinbronn were better in all areas during a 4-0 win over SW Stahlberg. The Hunters looked totally in control in the away game, and it was two goals from Federonise Alord that got things going in the first half. FC Teussen Stelburg took advantage of the slip-up from their eastern neighbours to gain sole possession of top spot in the table, with a good away win over Zvezda. Bastian Boltzmann scored twice in the victory. Felsenkirchen, meanwhile, kept pace with the leaders with a 1-0 win in Chernovets. Felsenkirchen, through half of the campaign, aren’t quite the attacking juggernaut they were last season, but defensively have been incredible, shipping just 7 goals in 12 games so far.

The Borograd derby is in the books for the year - and it’s a win each for both sides in the Meisterschaft. Just a few weeks ago, Olympia fans were simply hoping to avoid humiliation, but Ivo Romanov is doing wonders with this squad so far. From just 1 win to start the season, he’s now brought 3 in a row for the Green half of Borograd, and a vital derby win. Metropola once again just could not seem to get anything going in the attacking third, the only real chance for them an opportunity that Blahoslav Zak skied. Olympia, well, they didn’t really create much either - but when Rolando Cutter got some space in the box, he scored arguably the biggest goal of his Olympia career so far to bring them the sweet, sweet victory over their eternal enemies. Despite all of their struggles this season, Olympia are now just 3 points back of Metropola in the table, and both sides will be hoping for a second half change in fortunes this season. Really, all of Siovanija will be wishing for the same - currently as things stand, no Siovanijan club is in an IFCF position (Marzig doesn’t count, no) and just 3 Siovanijan clubs remain in the President’s Cup.

Player of the Week: Ludwig Gottschall (TSV Marzig)

With the season just over halfway completed, let’s take a look at the table with RBC Sports Videotext. Things seem to be shaping up with a three-way titanic clash for the title between FC Teussen Stelburg, 1912 Stelburg and FC Felsenkirchen 1879. With plenty of animosity between the clubs, two of the fiercest derbies in Teusland involved, and matches between all three still to come in the league, there is plenty to decide. And, can TSV Marzig, arguably in the best form of any club in the league in recent weeks, involve themselves too? Destiny awaits in the Meisterschaft.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Wed Jun 26, 2024 8:11 pm

Meisterschaft Cycle 20 - Part III

President’s Cup Fourth Round

FC Teussen Stelburg 0–2 VfL Reichmannsdorf
Taifun Vorstock 4–0 NK Kaskada
FC Ternau 05 2–2 Rot-Blau Altona (2–2 AET) (4–5 pen.)
FK Metropola Borograd 2–1 Gegenpapst Pomen
Kreuzritter Loningen 1–0 Turbine Immengries
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 6–1 Eintracht Aumuhle
Traktor Stavropol 1–1 TSV Marzig (1–2 AET)
Krutenau Kickers 1–2 Teufelsberg 97

There’s only one word for it: shock. FC Teussen Stelburg are out of the Cup, at home, to VfL Reichmannsdorf. What?? The visitors, from a town of just 6,500 people located about 35km southeast of Marzig, achieve what is most certainly the biggest result in the history of the club with an own goal from Seb Rosler and a late winner from their captain, Bjorn Steiner. It’s probably the worst upset Teussen have suffered since the loss to VfL Bamerntal in the semifinals 20 some years ago, and Reichmannsdorf have instantly become the darling of neutrals everywhere. FK Metropola Borograd struggled a bit but got the job done against Gegenpapst Pomen, while a weakened TSV Marzig side needed extra time to get past their Regionalliga rivals Traktor. Felsenkirchen, meanwhile, knocked 6 past Eintracht Aumuhle, and surely it’s the Cogs who are now favourites to take home the Cup.

Matchday 13

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–0 TSV Marzig
Energija Chernovets 5–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Teussen Stelburg 4–4 Olympia Borograd
FK Metropola Borograd 1–1 SW Stahlberg
VfL Reinbronn 0–1 FC Kaiserhaven
FK Pomorie 0–2 1912 Stelburg

The competition’s two finest defences went head to head at Mollin Park on Friday evening as Felsenkirchen hosted Marzig. The Cogs get the better of the Knights on the occasion, doing the double over the Marzigers this season. It was a tense affair, with both sides creating chances and the defensive performances of both standing out. The only breakthrough saw Florian Krukenberg fire an unstoppable shot in from long range late in the game. Marzig came so close to equalizing late, but an unbelievable effort from Valterri Tirel was the only thing stopping them from a goal. Energija Chernovets were 3-0 up at half-time on Zvezda Vlaikograd, but a red card in the second half to Stanislav Golja almost threw things away when Zvezda rallied back. FK Metropola Borograd need to pick things up very quickly if they want to reach IFCF football next season, as today’s draw with SW Stahlberg only has them falling further and further behind. They are level on points now with FC Kaiserhaven, who won today thanks to a penalty converted by Wolf Wind. 1912 Stelburg, meanwhile, scored two early goals on the north coast in Pomorie in order to capture all three points.

The National derby was, naturally, the talking point of the week. Thorsten Kramer and Ivo Romanov, once national teammates, and two of the biggest legends in the history of their clubs as players, now in charge as managers. Two teams on very different courses this season: Teussen leading the table, Olympia scraping themselves off the bottom. Since Romanov’s takeover, however, there’s been plenty to be happy about around the Olimpski-Stadion and with Teussen still reeling from the shock Cup elimination, there was a chance for a very special game. That’s exactly what we got. Back and forth, back and forth, ‘defending’ was not a word that seemed to exist for either squad. Teussen led 2-1, then were down 3-2, then back up 4-3. The decisive, controversial moment came with just 6 minutes on the clock when Elias Schwefel was judged to have fouled Rolando Cutter in the box. Vladimir Vladimiric converted the penalty for his 2nd of the night, and we ended at 4-4. Both teams will probably be happy taking the point, although for Teussen it’s a missed opportunity as both of their title rivals were victorious.

Player of the Week: Valterri Tirel (FC Felsenkirchen 1879)

IFCF Challengers’ Cup Round of 16 First Leg

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2-2 Avidia United (KRY)

Not quite what the Blues were hoping for on an atmospheric night at Mollin Park. The supporters were totally onside, with a wonderful pyro display before the match, and the crowd didn’t stop roaring for all 90 minutes under the lights. The squad, however, didn’t quite get the memo - the visitors from Krytenia were up 2-0 in the first half, and it took some magic from Isak Harju and Jochen Koegel to pull the home side back into it in the second. Next week in Avidia, the Blues will have to fight like crazy to have any chance of advancing.

Matchday 14

TSV Marzig 4–0 FK Pomorie
1912 Stelburg 1–3 VfL Reinbronn
FC Kaiserhaven 1–4 FK Metropola Borograd
SW Stahlberg 2–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
Olympia Borograd 2–0 Energija Chernovets
Zvezda Vlaikograd 3–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

Challenges for all of the title contenders this week then! The big shock, clearly, is 1912 Stelburg falling to a home defeat against visiting VfL Reinbronn. Reinbronn have been having a very underrated season so far, needing to replace two of their most valued players last offseason and seemingly doing it near-perfectly. Ben Bing has really broken out this year, and he had 2 of the goals today, the third coming from the Auprussian winger Alord. FK Metropola Borograd perhaps read our note about them being level on points with FC Kaiserhaven last weekend, because they showed some of the best quality they have all season on the south coast Saturday afternoon. Veljko Vadimic has had a bit of a sophomore setback this season, just lacking consistency at times, but he was in fine form today and scored twice for the Violets in the win. Is there reason for concern in the black-gold half of Stelburg? Since the Cup defeat, it’s now two draws in a row, this time Teussen dropping points on the road to SW Stahlberg. Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta’s late equalizer saved the day for Teussen, but they need to get out of this rut fast. Olympia Borograd are now unbeaten in 5 matches thanks to a great home win against Chernovets. Compliments to Tomas Kohout, who came on at halftime with the score 0-0 as Rolando Cutter was moved to forward and scored both goals for the Greens. On Monday evening, Felsenkirchen had every opportunity to pounce on the mistakes of the two Stelburg clubs and seize the initiative in the title fight, but perhaps they had their eyes too much on their Krytenian voyage coming up midweek - some uncharacteristically sloppy play sees them draw with Zvezda.

The Pomorie/Marzig derby will always be the match of the week whenever it’s played, and this one was extra special. The final time these two clubs will meet in the Vest-Marlebucht-Stadion. Both clubs released a joint statement hoping away fans would be allowed for the final match, and in the end the local police agreed to have half of the away end filled, meaning 1500 Pomorie away fans could be present for the first time in 4 years. There was, to the credit of both sets of supporters, little to no crowd trouble to speak of - but perhaps the Pomorie fans were simply too shell shocked to riot. This was a victory Marzig achieved with surgical precision, cutting the visitors’ defending open with almost every move. Einar Hackl had them up 1-0 after just 6 minutes, and it was Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik, who for the umpteenth time makes Pomorie regret not taking him into their academy, with a hat-trick to complete the 4-0 demolition. Even the staunchest Pomorie supporter will have allowed themselves one final glance around the old stadium at the end of the proceedings, and a chapter of this rivalry comes to a close.

Player of the Week: Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik (TSV Marzig)

IFCF Challengers’ Cup Round of 16 Second Leg

Avidia United (KRY) 3-2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

Felsenkirchen fought hard on the road in Anaia, giving it a good effort - but they just couldn’t overcome the home side in this one. The goals go to Krukenberg and Repnik, but it’s Felsenkirchen out of IFCF football for the year. You can’t be disappointed with getting all the way to the Round of 16 in just the second campaign since the STFA’s return to international competition, but fans of all clubs in the country will be dreaming of going further in the near future.

Matchday 15

Zvezda Vlaikograd 0–0 TSV Marzig
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–2 Olympia Borograd
Energija Chernovets 1–0 SW Stahlberg
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–0 FC Kaiserhaven
FK Metropola Borograd 2–1 1912 Stelburg
VfL Reinbronn 1–3 FK Pomorie

We’re heading towards the final stretch of this Meisterschaft season, and more twists are becoming apparent in the race towards the national title. TSV Marzig were hoping to do a threepeat over their rivals Zvezda Vlaikograd this season, but it hasn’t quite worked out - an Einar Hackl goal ruled out for offside, and excellent defensive performance from Kvido Jaros and some strong saves by Mojmir Mach, and this one ends 0-0. Felsenkirchen were the first of the title contenders in action, hosting Olympia Borograd - and once again, the Greens hold a title contender to a draw. Drahoslav Cermak got the equalizer for the visitors as they gain another point - after just 1 win in their first 6 matches, Olympia now have 17 points and are something of a dark horse contender for IFCF football following this run of form. Chernovets have been out of form for a while, but it’s almost been a non-story for the Canaries - most fans simply accepting that this era of the club has come to an end and a big overhaul is needed. They do win today, however, with Igor Lovrec getting the goal against SW Stahlberg. Teussen beat Kaiserhaven, one goal being all it took for the black and gold to hold onto the top spot in the league table. FK Pomorie have, finally, their first win of the season! Whether the derby thrashing last week was the catalyst, or whether they simply caught Reinbronn on an off day, it’s a big moment for the Guards as they grab their first Meisterschaft win. Marian Hovlak scored twice, including the winner.

It’s always a nice atmosphere when FK Metropola Borograd takes on 1912 Stelburg, and this week’s fixture at the Stadion Razdrto is our game of the week. The two clubs, with a long-standing friendly relationship, always seem to play a close game, and tonight was no different. The home side got things going first, with Damir Prekmurje getting a rare goal to put the Violets up just 23 minutes into the match. The Bluebirds came right back, however, and Alois Heineken made it one-all in the 40th minute. The game always looked to have a winner in it, with both sides being quite deserving - but it was Blahoslav Zak who would convert a great shot past Robert Ganz to make it 2-1 in the 77th minute. Not enough time was left for the Bluebirds, who are now 5 points off of the top spot - while Metropola can really think about IFCF football, sitting just 2 points behind TSV Marzig.

Player of the Week: Marian Hovlak (FK Pomorie)

Matchday 16

TSV Marzig 3–1 VfL Reinbronn
FK Pomorie 1–1 FK Metropola Borograd
1912 Stelburg 2–0 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Kaiserhaven 2–5 Energija Chernovets
SW Stahlberg 0–4 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Olympia Borograd 1–4 Zvezda Vlaikograd

TSV Marzig go back to winning ways against VfL Reinbronn - this club is having an incredible moment right now, with just one loss in their last ten matches coming against Felsenkirchen. They have certainly proved second last season was not a fluke, and with this golden generation just coming of age it’s clear the sky is the limit. Today, it was Einar Hackl to thank for the win as the young man scored twice. FK Pomorie rode the high of last week’s win into a shock draw with FK Metropola Borograd, the Pomorie supporters really enjoying this one as Marian Hovlak scored again to earn the point. Is this a bit of a late season surge from Energija Chernovets? With 5 goals on the south coast, including 3 from Kazimir Karatanov, you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking as such. IFCF football is probably out of reach, the Canaries 6 points back of Marzig, but being the top Siovanijan club is very much possible. Felsenkirchen tear apart Stahlberg, Harju getting two - while Olympia Borograd suffered a big setback this week, getting beaten at home by Zvezda Vlaikograd 4-1. The Zvezda away end truly enjoyed every moment of this win over their old enemies, and it was Dusan Korlikov who really made it happen - two goals, two assists for the young man.

The road to the title was always going to pass through the Oststelburgstadion for the final Stelburg derby of the year - it was written in the cards. Teussen five points clear of 1912 going into the fixture, the stakes were quite clear. For Teussen, it was the chance to land a knockout blow on their rivals and cut this down to a two-horse race with Felsenkirchen. For Zwolf, it was one final chance to keep their title hopes alive. Desperation, in the end, won out. Egon von Stein, who was so dominant early in the year, came alive in this match, he helped the home side maintain control over the ball and tempo of play. It was Damien Gannot who knocked in the first one from short range, before von Stein himself finished the job with a drive from the top of the box. With 6 matches left, it’s clear this is going down to the wire - Teussen, Felsenkirchen and 1912 having just 2 points separating them.

Player of the Week: Dusan Korlikov (Zvezda Vlaikograd)

President’s Cup Quarterfinal

Teufelsberg 97 2–0 VfL Reichmannsdorf
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 0–0 FK Metropola Borograd (0–0 AET) (4–3 pen.)
TSV Marzig 1–1 Taifun Vorstock (1–2 AET)
Kreuzritter Loningen 0–0 Rot-Blau Altona (1–2 AET)

It’s truly a shame that VfL Reichmannsdorf’s Cindarella run in this President’s Cup has come to an end - because this could just be the year that an atypical winner is had. We have just 1 Meisterschaft club remaining entering the semifinal round - and it’s Felsenkirchen, who knocked out FK Metropola Borograd on penalties after a tight affair. Metropola’s defeat also means that there are no Siovanijan clubs remaining in the competition. TSV Marzig, playing a weakened squad in a bit of a surprise move, as many thought they would really go for this trophy, lost out to Taifun Vorstock in extra time, while Rot-Blau Altona would also advance with a 2-1 win in the extra period. Four clubs remain - the semifinals will see Rot-Blau Altona take on Felsenkirchen, and Teufelsberg 97 face Taifun Vorstock. The ties will be played in the Nationalstadion in Stelburg.

Matchday 17

Olympia Borograd 0–1 TSV Marzig
Zvezda Vlaikograd 0–1 SW Stahlberg
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–3 FC Kaiserhaven
Energija Chernovets 0–3 1912 Stelburg
FC Teussen Stelburg 5–1 FK Pomorie
FK Metropola Borograd 2–1 VfL Reinbronn

SW Stahlberg get a nice win on the road against Zvezda, with Otto Schumacher getting the assist on Theo Klammer’s winning goal. Felsenkirchen were held by Kaiserhaven, as the Blues uncharacteristically gave away two penalties in the first half alone. Reto Zschokke earned one of them, and scored Kaiserhaven’s only open play goal in the 3-3 draw. 1912 Stelburg need to be on top form the rest of the way, following their Stelburg derby win, and a 3-0 win in Chernovets is just what the doctor ordered. Damien Gannot scored twice in the important win. FC Teussen Stelburg, meanwhile, were also back in the wins column after putting 5 past Pomorie. Hielscher-Zendagorta had two, but Josef Weber was an integral part of the win with 2 goals and 2 assists. FK Metropola Borograd kept pace with Marzig in the IFCF race as they defeated VfL Reinbronn 2-1.

The match of the week saw Olympia Borograd playing host to TSV Marzig, who just have a way of completely suffocating their opponents, and that was fully on display in the Olimpski-Stadion on Friday night. The midfield was once again the story, Mats Winter looking like a player 9 years into his career instead of just one season. He locked things down for Marzig, while Silvio Rodl also played an excellent role in the backline. Up front, things weren’t quite perfect, with a few easy chances missed - but Wei Delan ended up getting the winner, beating his countryman Ji Wenwei to the ball to score. Ivo Romanov’s side have hit their first real rough patch since he came in as the interim, and it will be interesting to see how he handles it from here with just 5 matches remaining in this season.

Player of the Week: Josef Weber (FC Teussen Stelburg)

Matchday 18

TSV Marzig 2–0 FK Metropola Borograd
VfL Reinbronn 1–0 FC Teussen Stelburg
FK Pomorie 0–0 Energija Chernovets
1912 Stelburg 0–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Kaiserhaven 0–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
SW Stahlberg 1–2 Olympia Borograd

Back to back weeks, back to back wins over the Borograd clubs for TSV Marzig. This time it was FK Metropola Borograd who were rendered ineffective by the Korjava outfit’s incredible defensive prowess and midfield dominance. Einar Hackl had both goals in the win, he’s a real contender for the Golden Boot in his first full season at the senior level. FC Teussen Stelburg could’ve grabbed onto the title with both hands, with their two rivals facing each other… but they’ve failed to do it, it’s a disastrous result as they fall to VfL Reinbronn. Reinbronn scored just 3 minutes into the match, with former Teussen man Thomas Schalle getting the important goal. Teussen had almost all of the shots after that, and just could not beat Martin Hepner. Teussen slip to second in the table, but more on that later. Energija Chernovets’ late season revival petered out, it died on the vine - the goals, they moved or something. This week they handed FK Pomorie a draw, 0-0 the final score in perhaps the most boring match of the season. Dusan Korlikov’s excellent rookie year for Zvezda continued with the winning goal against Kaiserhaven. Olympia Borograd got back in the wins column, beating old rivals Stahlberg with a late Marjan Trstenjek goal to seal the deal.

With Teussen’s loss on Saturday, both 1912 Stelburg and FC Felsenkirchen 1879 entered Sunday afternoon’s contest in east Stelburg knowing the winner would take a big advantage going into the final fixtures. Both teams came out under the mid-spring sunny sky perhaps a bit nervous, with very cautious football on display in the first half. There was tension in the air, and it could be felt from both groups of supporters, as the halftime whistle drew upon us with 0-0 the scoreline. Someone needed to make the difference, to write a story for one of these legendary clubs. That someone would be, who else, Jesper Porsche. The national team midfielder got an opportunity over a free kick close to the Bluebirds box in the 68th minute, and with pinpoint precision sent it into the back of the goal. 1-0 for the visitors, and they would hang onto it to take all three points. Felsenkirchen, then, take a big advantage as the title race heads into the final four matches.

Player of the Week: Einar Hackl (TSV Marzig)

With just four matches remaining, let’s take a look at the table with RBC Sports Videotext.

Felsenkirchen lead the way in the title fight, with a one point advantage now over FC Teussen Stelburg. The defending champions have just one loss this season, that coming on matchday 11 against, of course, Teussen. Felsenkirchen got off to a bit of a slow start, but are now truly back on top of their game and will be fighting to the wire for a third straight title.

FC Teussen Stelburg are in second in the first year of Thorsten Kramer’s era, but it would be a bit of a disappointment if they did not go on to win the title outright after leading the standings for 11 weeks this season. Kramer has this team playing great football, but the Cup defeat to VfL Reichmannsdorf threw things off for them - the invincibility was gone, and since then, Teussen have gone just 2-2-2 in the Meisterschaft. They could’ve had things wrapped up already, but instead are in a fight to the very end.

1912 Stelburg went from an incredible beginning to the season, 6-0-0, to seemingly being out of the title race once 5 points back. A magical derby win over Teussen, plus the leadership of their star man Egon von Stein, has gotten them back into things. The loss to Felsenkirchen was a setback, but with the gap sitting at only 3 points, anything can happen.

We’ve been calling it a three-horse race all season - but do TSV Marzig have a real shot at the title here? 5 points back with 4 points to go is certainly a challenge, but consider this: Marzig have lost just once in their last 10, and have given up just one goal in their last five matches. They don’t hold their own destiny in their hands, and will need to rely on others, but one could make the argument this has been the best team in the league since about matchweek 5. 8 points up on Metropola in 5th, the Marzigers have also pretty much sewn up IFCF football for next season.

Remaining Fixtures - Title Contenders 
Felsenkirchen     Pomorie (H)     Reinbronn (A)     Metropola (H)     Teussen (A)
Teussen           Metropola (H)   Marzig (A)        Chernovets (A)    Felsenkirchen (H)
1912              Zvezda (A)      Olympia (H)       Stahlberg (A)     Kaiserhaven (H)
Marzig            Stahlberg (A)   Teussen (H)       Kaiserhaven (A)   Chernovets (H)

Looking at each club’s remaining fixtures, you’d have to put 1912 Stelburg as having the easiest fixture list. They will benefit from the fact that Marzig v Teussen and Teussen v Felsenkirchen are still fixtures on deck for the final rounds, while they can only really count Olympia Borograd as a really difficult opponent, and that match will be at home. That final-day confrontation in Stelburg between Teussen and Felsenkirchen could go down in the national lore, as it seems likely the destiny of the title will be decided there - whether one of them will claim it for themselves, or allow it to pass somewhere else, remains to be seen. For Felsenkirchen, the key will be that second-last matchday against FK Metropola Borograd, where they could potentially really seal things up depending on the matchday 20 results for Teussen and 1912. Teussen have probably the hardest path to the title, facing Marzig away, Metropola at home and Felsenkirchen on the final day with a trip to Chernovets in between. They simply need perfection. For Marzig, meanwhile, beating Teussen is the key - you then need to hope for good results elsewhere.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Tue Jul 02, 2024 5:57 pm

Meisterschaft Cycle 20 - Part IV

Matchday 19

SW Stahlberg 0–0 TSV Marzig
Olympia Borograd 1–1 FC Kaiserhaven
Zvezda Vlaikograd 0–2 1912 Stelburg
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–0 FK Pomorie
Energija Chernovets 1–3 VfL Reinbronn
FC Teussen Stelburg 0–0 FK Metropola Borograd

TSV Marzig’s small title hopes probably faded away high up in the Mittelgebirge, as they played to a 0-0 draw with SW Stahlberg. Whether it was the altitude putting their high-octane attack on pause, or simply a brilliant warrior mentality from the Stahlberg players to bend but not break, either way it’s just one point for the Marzigers. Reto Zschokke broke Olympia hearts again, this time with a free kick goal in the eighth minute of stoppage time in the second half to steal a point for his Kaiserhaven side. Olympia are officially eliminated from the IFCF race, although that has been a foregone conclusion for weeks now. 1912 Stelburg got the job done in Vlaikograd, defeating Zvezda 2-0 through goals from Gannot and Lubeck to grab all three points. The Bluebirds have been clinical when it matters this season, through 19 games without a single draw. Felsenkirchen needed to dig deep after Helmut Kadelberg was sent off against FK Pomorie, but they performed admirably under the circumstances and could count on Isak Harju for the winning goal to keep themselves on top. VfL Reinbronn, meanwhile, got a big win over Chernovets - who they could yet pass for 6th place in the table. Reinbronn’s goals came from Bing, Alord and Schalle.

On Monday evening, it was up to FC Teussen Stelburg - the Bluebirds and Blues both getting their jobs done, meaning the black and gold basically needed a win. It just wasn’t in the cards. Teussen played fine, there was no hint of nervousness in their game - they simply went up against a very strong FK Metropola Borograd side and could not find a way through. WHZ came the closest when he had a header go off the crossbar following a late corner. For their part, Metropola were defending for much of the match, with Rolf Reichenbach having an excellent game against Veljko Vadimic in particular. It’s just become a lot more difficult for Teussen, though - they now basically must win on the final day no matter what they do.

Player of the Week: Isak Harju (FC Felsenkirchen 1879)

Matchday 20

TSV Marzig 1–0 FC Teussen Stelburg
FK Metropola Borograd 0–3 Energija Chernovets
VfL Reinbronn 3–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FK Pomorie 6–6 Zvezda Vlaikograd
1912 Stelburg 2–0 Olympia Borograd
FC Kaiserhaven 1–3 SW Stahlberg

The IFCF spots are officially locked in now - FK Metropola Borograd losing any hope of the last qualification spot after a 3-0 loss to Energija Chernovets, for whom Jarozlav Jezek was a dominant force with two goals. It’s a moment of reckoning, however, for football in Siovanija. No clubs in IFCF football, no clubs left in the President’s Cup, and all of their big clubs seemingly on the decline. Whether it’s a question of population, economics, luck or simply the Teus clubs playing the international market better is a question for another moment, but the ‘stat of the day’ is this: prior to isolation, 4 of the last 5 Republikaliga champions were Siovanijan. Since isolation began, only one national title has gone to a Siovanijan club. Siovanijan clubs treated us to quite a spectacle this week, however, as FK Pomorie took on Zvezda Vlaikograd in basically a meaningless fixture for both clubs, their positions in the table long settled. It’s been, on average, a low-scoring season, so this eruption of goals was quite unexpected. 4-2 Pomorie at the half, then 5-4 Zvezda with just 9 minutes left, this one ends 6-6. Dusan Korlikov was undoubtedly the man of the moment, with 4 of Zvezda’s goals. SW Stahlberg prevailed over Kaiserhaven 3-1, getting goals from Theo Klammer (x2) and Lee Jung-hyun in the win.

Three incredibly important matches in the title fight share our ‘match of the week’ honours. First up was the clash between TSV Marzig and FC Teussen Stelburg on Friday night. The importance of the fixture for both clubs can’t be overstated, and similarly to the first fixture between them in Stelburg, it was TSV Marzig who were much the better side. Mats Winter had another 10/10 performance, he should probably be in the Goldhorns squad for World Cup qualifiers, and Silvio Rodl’s performance against Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta was also just perfection. Up top, Einar Hackl headed in a corner ball in the first half that the Marzigers took all the way home for victory. Marzig likely won’t win the title by now, 5 points off, but they deserve something for this season - in their last 630 minutes of football, they have conceded just one goal. Incredible numbers, and with wins over Teussen, Olympia, 1912 and Metropola, it’s really been a memorable year. Did this end Teussen’s title chances? Not entirely, but they are certainly on life support. Things would’ve really been over had Felsenkirchen fully capitalized and defeated VfL Reinbronn, but a chaotic game - a missed penalty for both sides, a red card to Felsenkirchen’s Paul Steinhausl, Reinbronn fighting back from 3-1 down - led to them dropping points on the road. Teussen thus sit 4 points back of the Cogs, with the advantage of still facing them at home on the final day. 1912 Stelburg just seem so calm and collected despite all the pressure - they went up by a goal early in the first half against Olympia, didn’t give up too many chances, and added insurance courtesy of Alois Heineken early in the second half. A professional victory, and the Bluebirds are now just one point off the top. Two matches to go.

Player of the Week: Dusan Korlikov (Zvezda Vlaikograd)

President’s Cup Semifinal

Rot-Blau Altona 0–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Teufelsberg 97 2–0 Taifun Vorstock

The Cup final is set! Felsenkirchen dominated their Regionalliga colleagues Altona, with Reiner Werkner scoring twice in the first half alone to send the Cogs to their second straight President’s Cup final. Last season the club managed to accomplish the double - that is still possible this year too, and a ‘double-double’ would surely be one of the biggest accomplishments in this nation’s sporting history. Joining them at the Nationalstadion again will be Teufelsberg 97, appearing in just their 3rd ever Cup final - the previous two being lost. It’s a chance for just the second major trophy in the club’s history, and they fully earned it after a 2-0 win over Taifun Vorstock. The smart money is of course on Felsenkirchen, but in this competition you can never count out the underdogs.

Matchday 21

FC Kaiserhaven 1–1 TSV Marzig
SW Stahlberg 4–3 1912 Stelburg
Olympia Borograd 2–1 FK Pomorie
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–2 VfL Reinbronn
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 4–5 FK Metropola Borograd
Energija Chernovets 0–1 FC Teussen Stelburg

Marzig finally conceded a goal - and who else to get it for Kaiserhaven than the man having a career year, Reto Zschokke. He scored early on, forcing Marzig to change things up again, and while they would get an equalizer through Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik, they couldn’t find the winner - and Marzig are officially out of the title race. Olympia Borograd win in their last home game of the season, with Ivo Romanov applauding the fans - many of whom want him to be appointed full time. Just what the Olympia board will decide remains to be seen. Ben Bing scored in the tenth minute of second half stoppage time, after a controversial penalty decision went Reinbronn’s way late for them to salvage a point against Zvezda.

The title race took many more twists and turns this weekend. First of all, 1912 Stelburg’s away fans were left in stunned silence as they watched their boys fall to a 4-3 defeat in Stahlberg. The home side was up 3-1 at the half, and while the Stelburgers fought their way back into it in the second half, Egon von Stein’s goal to make it 4-3 was the last of the contest. Yes, you can blame the altitude, but this is not the time for excuses - the Bluebirds needed this win. Under normal circumstances, this loss would’ve basically taken them out of title contention.

But this was no normal weekend. Felsenkirchen hosted Metropola at Mollin Park, an interesting time for such a match considering that last season, Felsenkirchen clinched the title with a big 6-1 victory over the Violets. The trophy was in the building on Sunday afternoon as Felsenkirchen had the chance to do it again - but Metropola did not want to be watching title celebrations two years in a row, clearly. Veljko Vadimic had a hat-trick, Rostislav Jagr had one and the winner came off late sub Andrey Bunev. Felsenkirchen found themselves trailing early, and fought back each time, with the match being tied 3-3 at one point. However, Metropola just felt determined to grab this one, and so the title race will go to the final day.

On Monday evening, FC Teussen Stelburg now had a brilliant opportunity - both 1912 and Felsenkirchen losing meant the club could gain themselves a great advantage going into the final day, and they did just that. Hans Gruber’s goal gave them a 1-0 win in Chernovets, putting them level on points with their neighbours and one point back of Felsenkirchen.

One game to go: Teussen vs Felsenkirchen, 1912 vs Kaiserhaven. The permutations are as such: if Felsenkirchen wins, they win the title. If Teussen wins, they win the title as long as 1912 does not beat Kaiserhaven by 3 or more goals (assuming Teussen’s win is by one goal). If Teussen-Felsenkirchen ends in a draw, 1912 Stelburg would take the title with a win. TSV Marzig are also in action against Chernovets, and while they are out of the title fight, can still take 2nd place with a win combined with wins from Felsenkirchen and Kaiserhaven. Which of these clubs, each with such rich histories in Teus football, will take the title? For Teussen, will it be the 100th piece of silverware for their collection? For Felsenkirchen, a famous third title in a row, something that has never been done since the beginning of the international era? Or for 1912 Stelburg, a fifth national title in the club’s history? It’s all to be written.

Player of the Week: Veljko Vadimic (FK Metropola Borograd)

Matchday 22

TSV Marzig 1–0 Energija Chernovets
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FK Metropola Borograd 6–0 Zvezda Vlaikograd
VfL Reinbronn 3–1 Olympia Borograd
FK Pomorie 1–0 SW Stahlberg
1912 Stelburg 2–0 FC Kaiserhaven

1912 Stelburg have won the national title! An unbelievable final day sees the Bluebirds pull it off, captain Egon von Stein lifting the trophy high into the Stelburg afternoon sky. For just the fifth time in the long history of this club, they have brought the championship to east Stelburg.

The Bluebirds went into this final day knowing that the result at the Oststelburgstadion was not the one that would determine their destiny - it was the one a few kilometres away at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion where Teussen faced Felsenkirchen. 1912 needed a draw for their result against Kaiserhaven to have any meaning, but they kept their focus squarely on the fixture ahead of them. The Bluebirds did everything in their power in this one, with Damien Gannot opening the scoring just 17 minutes in, sending the fans into raptures. Alois Heineken added a second marker in the 64th minute, which basically put this one to bed as 1912 were quite clearly superior to their visitors from the south coast. When the full time whistle went, the 1912 players immediately rushed to the centre circle to get the latest updates from the other match - manager Theodore Seidl had decided not to inform the players of any updates at halftime to keep pressure off.

While the fans in the terraces at the Oststelburgstadion were getting the updates on their phone, the 1912 players first learned of the Teussen-Felsenkirchen match at 3-3 deep into stoppage time. This one was one of the most exciting games of the year, and had absolutely everything. The home side opened the scoring, Gustaf Liechtenstein knocking one in, but Felsenkirchen were quickly level through Isak Harju. By halftime it was 2-2, with Teussen going ahead again off the boot of Hans Gruber and being drawn back level by Dieter Rosberg. After the half, it was the Cogs who came out looking more likely - and when Jesper Porsche put them up 3-2, there was silence from the home end as it seemed a sure bet Felsenkirchen would go on to win the league. Football matches can change on one play, however, and a poor tackle from Otto Metzger saw him sent off and Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta converted the ensuing penalty, making it 3-3 again. Suddenly Teussen had the initiative, with just 12 minutes to find a winner. The crowd roared them forward, but they just could not get anything done.

With stoppage time drawing to a close, Teussen earned a free kick just outside the box. The referee signaled this would be the last action of the game, and Bastian Boltzmann stood over the kick. Every eye in the stadium was glued to it, every eye in the Oststelburgstadion was glued to it, and every football fan in the country was ready for this final moment of the season. Boltzmann sent in a good ball that met the head of Seb Rosler - but Per Holtz in the Felsenkirchen goal timed it perfectly and knocked it over. Full time. Disappointment for both Teussen and Felsenkirchen, who will each feel they could’ve got the job done today, and incredible scenes in Stelburg-Ost, where the blue smoke went into the air the moment the whistle went.

1912’s season will be remembered for the businesslike manner they went about things. There were very few late, dramatic winners - their most common scoreline this year was 2-0, as they simply got things done when they needed to. The key thing about this squad was their desire for victory - the Bluebirds did not draw a single match this season, always pushing as hard as they possibly could for 3 points and not being willing to accept anything less. Egon von Stein and Alois Heineken will grab most of the headlines as the club’s best players, Damien Gannot proved he still had his shooting boots at 33, while Laurens Seuper goes down in the club’s lore with one of the most successful debut seasons of all time, and immediately has become one of the best defenders in the division. It is a more than deserved title for the Stelburgers.

With all 6 matches kicking off at the same time, there were some interesting results elsewhere in the country that perhaps went overlooked. TSV Marzig got a goal from Einar Hackl to secure the win over Energija Chernovets and confirm their 4th place finish in the league - Marzig will take much confidence into next season and should genuinely be considered as title challengers. FK Metropola Borograd showed no final-day mercy on Zvezda Vlaikograd, as Veljko Vadimic tore them apart for 4 goals in what ended up a 6-0 win. For Metropola, though, it’s really disappointing to miss out on IFCF football, and it seems to be part of an overall trend in Siovanija at the moment. VfL Reinbronn earned a statement win on the final day over Olympia Borograd, showing the progress they have made this season, while FK Pomorie got just their 2nd win of the year as Marian Hovlak grabbed a late winner to secure the three points against SW Stahlberg.

Player of the Week: Veljko Vadimic (FK Metropola Borograd)

Season Awards

Golden Ball - Egon von Stein (1912 Stelburg)
Golden Boot - Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta (FC Teussen Stelburg, 25 goals)
Golden Glove - Ludwig Gottschall (TSV Mazrig)
Manager of the Year - Georg Hertl (TSV Marzig)
Young Player of the Year - Mats Winter (TSV Marzig)
Best XI - GK - Gottschall (MZG); LB - Schwefel (TEU), CB - Seuper (STE), CB - Rodl (MZG), RB - Gellner (STE); CM - von Stein (STE), CM - Porsche (FEL), CM - Gruber (TEU); LW - Vadimic (MET), RW - Kosch-Kovarik (MZG), CF - Hielscher-Zendagorta (TEU)
Substitutes: Holz (FEL); Tirel (FEL), Sanner (TEU); Heineken (STE), Repnik (FEL), Winter (MZG); Gannot (STE)

Team Awards

Each club’s fans voted for a Player of the Season, based on criteria such as overall performance and also connection with their fanbase. The results were as follows:

1912 Stelburg - Egon von Stein
Energija Chernovets - Jarozlav Jezek
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 - Jesper Porsche
FC Kaiserhaven - Reto Zschokke
FC Teussen Stelburg - Hans Gruber
FK Metropola Borograd - Veljko Vadimic
FK Pomorie - Marian Hovlak
Olympia Borograd - Rolando Cutter
SW Stahlberg - Oskar Schumacher
TSV Marzig - Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik
VfL Reinbronn - Thomas Schalle
Zvezda Vlaikograd - Dusan Korlikov

President’s Cup Final

FC FELSENKIRCHEN 1879 vs TEUFELSBERG 97

Nationalstadion, Stelburg, Teusland

Felsenkirchen XI: Holz; Metzger, Steinhausl, Tirel (Apel 66’), Kadelberg; Porsche, Repnik; Koegel, Rosberg, Krukenberg (Weigel 66’); Harju (Werkner 72’)

Teufelsberg XI: Ferber; Tetzlaff, Tanzer, Schedl, Waldow (Steiner 57’; Baumer, Traub (Creuzberg 46); Klaproth, Gebauer, Clasberg (Sussman 70’); Bluhm

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2-0 Teufelsberg 97

Felsenkirchen capture the Cup for the second year in a row! Going into the match, the Blues were certainly the favourites, although pretty much all of the country outside of the north coast were rooting for the underdogs. Teufelsberg were playing in just the 3rd Cup final of their history, and the first in 46 years. It was a huge day for the club and their supporters, however, it ended up in disappointment. Teufelsberg looked up for it early, and perhaps made use of the fact Felsenkirchen were coming into this one on the disappointment of last week’s draw to grab some good chances early. But when Felsenkirchen had eased through that early phase and settled into the game, it was pretty much a slow squeeze from there. Jesper Porsche scored from range in the 25th minute to give the Cogs the lead, and they never really looked in doubt from there, keeping a control over the ball and making very few errors. Any hope for Teufelsberg to come back went away when Joachim Koegel knocked in a good shot from the left side of the goal, just beating Ferber to the corner. While missing out on a third straight league title is a disappointment, the back-to-back Cup wins is a great achievement for the Cogs and they can be proud of this one. It’s the ninth triumph in this competition in the history of the club, good for 5th most in the competition’s history. The goal for Felsenkirchen, of course, will be to do it all again next season. .

SCORING
1-0 FEL 25’ (Porsche)
2-0 FEL 51’ (Koegel)

For one final time this season, then, let’s take a look at the RBC Sports Videotext!

Siovanija & Teusland (STL) qualifiers

IFCF Champions League: 1912 Stelburg
IFCF Challengers Cup: FC Felsenkirchen 1879, FC Teussen Stelburg, TSV Marzig
IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup: FC Felsenkirchen 1879

Arrosia Hui La/Sun League: 1912 Stelburg, FC Felsenkirchen 1879

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Wed Jul 24, 2024 10:22 pm

Press Release of the Siovanija & Teusland Football Association

Introducing the STFA Superklasse

STELBURG - The STFA made an important announcement today regarding the future of top-level professional football in Siovanija & Teusland.

Since the bankruptcy of the Republikaliga during the international isolation of our nation, top level professional football has been organized by the STFA through the Regionalliga system, culminating in the best clubs from each region competing in the Meisterschaft to become national champions and qualify for IFCF football. This solution was always meant to be a temporary one, and is clearly going to be an unsustainable one going forward.

With the Regionalliga season lasting 28 games, the Meisterschaft calendar now clocking in at 22 matches, as well as potential international and domestic Cup matches, the best teams in the country are playing upwards of 60 matches per season. Such demands of our players, particularly when considering the international football schedule with regular regional tournaments, World Cup qualification and youth competitions, are unrealistic and unsustainable. The STFA has a responsibility to be the custodian of football and footballers in this country, and as such must make a change.

In addition, we have heard the voices of clubs and fans across the country who have been dreaming of a return to the regular top division format and want to see their clubs competing against the best clubs from across the country, and not only within their own region.

Thus, the STFA over the past year has been seeking out corporate partners from across the country to assist in the creation of a new top-level domestic league for Siovanija & Teusland. We are proud to have received excellent support from partners across the nation. The unique opportunity to be involved in this project was inspired with enthusiasm for just how strong and competitive domestic football in this country is at the moment, with 4 teams within 3 points of the league title last season. We are proud to announce that the initial domestic television contract for the new league, for example, will be double the value of the final Republikaliga television deal. In the end, everyone involved, from various partners, to the clubs, to representatives of supporters’ groups, agreed on one thing: we need a competitive top division.

The STFA is proud to introduce the new Superklasse to the world. The Superklasse will feature the top 16 clubs in Siovanija & Teusland, facing each other twice per season to create a 30 game schedule. Below the top division will also be 3 new divisions of 16 clubs, titled the 2. Klasse, 3. Klasse and 4. Klasse. With the top 64 clubs represented in these divisions, the remaining 64 professional clubs will remain organized in the Regionalliga system. The STFA will undertake a review of professional licenses prior to the first season, and also evaluate any potential candidate amateur teams that would like to apply for a professional license. This will be the first time in nearly 7 years that such a review will be conducted, and an application process opened.

When the Republikaliga was founded, its original 20 clubs were selected by a committee, which of course led to great controversy. It has instead been decided that the Superklasse clubs will each earn their spot in the division. The upcoming season of football (coinciding with IFCF Cycle 20, qualifying for IFCF Cycle 21) will be the final season to feature the Regionalliga + Meisterschaft format. The format for this system will remain unchanged in its final season. However, in addition to this, each Regionalliga has been allocated a certain number of direct qualifiers to the Superklasse. This number was chosen in collaboration with leagues and clubs based on each region’s relative strength in recent years, as well as historical participation of its clubs in the Republikaliga and Meisterschaft. The allocations are as follows:

Regionalliga Alpisko: 1 direct qualifier
Regionalliga Borograd: 2 direct qualifiers
Regionalliga Korjava: 2 direct qualifiers
Regionalliga Velikzahod: 1 direct qualifier
Regionalliga Nordküste: 2 direct qualifiers
Regionalliga Stelburg: 3 direct qualifiers
Regionalliga St. Jakob: 2 direct qualifiers
Regionalliga Sud: 1 direct qualifier

As a result, 14 teams will qualify directly to the Superklasse. In addition to this, 1 team from each region will qualify for a play-off, which will be seeded based on league finishing position, points, and goal differential. After two rounds of competition, the remaining two teams will also be qualified for the Superklasse. The playoff will take place following the upcoming Meisterschaft campaign, but prior to the international transfer window.

The losing teams of the playoff, as well as 1 team from each Regionalliga and the next 2 best non-qualified teams (determined through league finish position, points, GD) will instead qualify for the 2. Klasse. Qualification for the 3 and 4. Klasse will be determined by finishing position and judgement of the overall strengths of each team.

The format for the President’s Cup tournament will remain the same, with all 128 professional teams entering in the first round.

We are looking forward to enjoying the final season of full-time Regionalliga competition, which has renewed so many regional rivalries and led to plenty of incredible battles on the pitch, as well as the final Meisterschaft campaign which is sure to be fought until the final day.

More details about the Superklasse will be released as we come closer to its starting date. The STFA looks forward to beginning a new era of top-level football in Siovanija & Teusland.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Thu Jul 25, 2024 10:33 am

Borograd Dnevnik

WORLD EXCLUSIVE: The Crisis at Olympia Borograd

BOROGRAD - Olympia Borograd - the club of the Siovanijan nation, with 47 Siovanijan championships, 26 President’s Cup wins in their history, and nearly 200,000 members - appear to be in a deep financial crisis, Borograd Dnevnik can exclusively report.

Anonymous sources close to the Bank of Siovanija first contacted our journalists revealing that recent audits of the club’s accounts had revealed ‘significant risk’ and that the club’s financial situation could be described only as ‘precarious’. We then proceeded to contact anonymous sources within the STFA, as well as within Olympia itself, who confirmed that assessment, and provided further detail for this world-exclusive report.

“If this was NK Prevala, or really anyone except maybe Olympia, we’d be threatening to take their license away,” said one source at the STFA about the gravity of the situation. The club is in significant debt to various lenders and is understood to have missed minor payments to the club’s catering partner who organizes the food & drink sale at the Olimpski-Stadion and are contracted out by Olympia.

How did we get here? “During isolation, it looked like we’d be on top again,” said one of our Olympia club insiders on the condition of absolute anonymity. While it was quite clear that power was shifting towards FK Metropola Borograd in terms of Siovanijan football by the end of the Republikaliga era, the first few years of isolation marked a return of Olympia to the top. The club finished as runners-up to FC Teussen Stelburg twice in that period, and finished 3rd in two other years. “When the end of isolation was announced, everyone was quite confident we’d be regularly in the Challengers’ Cup at minimum and therefore, there was an expectation we could budget for IFCF football.”

However, there was always a risk here: “international TV contracts dried up during isolation of course, there was no money from selling players, and even the domestic TV deal wasn’t the best. Our only real source of revenue was at the gate as well as the Telekom Siovanija sponsorship. I think we were red in 5 of the 6 years of isolation, but it was viewed as manageable - we’d be back in IFCF football soon.”

Olympia have always been one of the richer clubs in the country, so the fact they were matching FC Teussen Stelburg and FC Felsenkirchen 1879 in terms of wage bill spending was no surprise. However, after posting losses for several years, one wonders why there were players on the bench at Olympia making more than starting XI players at Metropola - particularly when the Vijolicni won the Regionalliga Borograd in its first four years of existence. The club’s failure to cut those high wages has been a major problem.

Our Olympia insider noted that “the season when we missed the Meisterschaft was the first real ‘oh s***’ moment. That was the year we needed to negotiate a new kit sponsor, too, which got dragged out because Telekom Siovanija didn’t want to pay any more than what they had been.” The club’s banking partner, Bank of Siovanija, had reached out to them even then. “We notified their financial department that they needed to create more revenue, because the books just did not look good. Otherwise, we would not have been able to continue as their partner.”

Was the Bank’s warning taken to heart by Olympia? “Of course not. The board didn’t really listen - it was ‘well, you need to spend money to make money, we need to get back into IFCF football.’” New transfers had helped build a solid squad, but there was always something missing at Olympia, a certain clutchness that they lacked. While the club finally won the Regionalliga Borograd this season, there is almost no prize money for such a feat - and the club immediately got off to a poor start in the Meisterschaft. A loss to Metropola on the first day was followed by getting blown out at home by Felsenkirchen - and the Greens had just 1 win through 6 matches.

“That f****** Kaiserhaven game,” says our club insider. The lowest point of Olympia’s campaign, surely, was the 1-0 loss on the road to FC Kaiserhaven. A rainy evening on the south coast, a pitch more mud than grass, and a goal from Reto Zschokke that frankly embarrassed the Greens. It was the last straw for many fans, who chanted ‘shame on you’ after the loss - and the last straw for manager Marijan Urankar, who was sacked before the team bus even made it to the airport. “I can’t complain about what Ivo (Romanov, the interim manager) did afterwards, because he brought some respectable results. But, to sack Urankar knowing you’d have to pay out the rest of his contract? In the situation we are in? The season was realistically over by that point, and paying for 2 managers was really not ideal.”

At the STFA headquarters in Stelburg, there is understood to be ‘significant concern’ over the future of the club. “During the isolation, plenty of clubs were in financial crisis, and we developed a sort of three-step system. Step 1 is the clubs who have cash in the bank for anything - unless the entire financial system collapses tomorrow, they are going to be ok. Step 2 is the clubs who are not quite that rich, but are self-sustaining. And Step 3 is the clubs that are really at risk that if they don’t cut their budgets, or generate some revenue, they could have issues. During the peak of isolation we had about 40 pro clubs in Step 3. Now it’s down to about 5, which we try to keep private and work together with those clubs. They need to provide us with budgeting information, and we might restrict transfers depending on just how bad it is.” Our contact at the STFA would not confirm whether Olympia was one of the 5 clubs receiving extensive support from the STFA, but based on the words used to describe the club’s situation, one can only infer that the answer is yes.

Could Olympia, a club so dear to the hearts of so many in Borograd and across Siovanija, really go bankrupt? It seems quite unlikely. In the extreme worst-case scenario, the club’s squad came in at a total value of T40.75 million last season. Players like Marjan Trstenjak or Rolando Cutter have become true stars, and a sale of just one of them would be a huge benefit to fixing the issue. “Cutter is not for sale, neither is Tomas Kohout, but there’s some concern about Marjan,” says our insider. “He needs a new contract for the new season and there hasn’t been a lot of progress. We need to sell first before we can get that finished up.”

Olympia are understood to have transfer listed star players Matyas Hayek, Klaud Zorko and Vladimir Vladimiric on the international market. In addition, left back Patrik Mrazek is understood to have been made available to domestic suitors. The club are hoping to raise a minimum of T6 million from the sales of these players. The club have self-restricted their transfers and will look to promote from their youth academy and use players already at the club to fill these gaps. “Are we going to compete for the title next year? Certainly not. The goal is just to get through the year, restore some stability to the books, and get into the Superklasse.”

While our contact at the Bank of Siovanija would not reveal the exact numbers involved in Olympia’s situation, they noted that ‘the idea that T6 million in sales, of which some will of course have to be invested in other areas of the club, is going to drastically improve the situation is probably wishful thinking.’

Further complicating things for Olympia is the fact that the club currently has no full time manager. Marijan Urankar was sacked, of course, last season and club legend Ivo Romanov stepped up to replace him. Romanov achieved some good results - a win in the Borograd derby, and a 4-4 draw with FC Teussen Stelburg. However, Romanov is understood to not feel ready to take over the club full time, wanting to gain some further experience for himself first. “Ivo is great - and honestly, we want to protect him too. Nobody wants to throw him into a situation that has the potential to become toxic. But, I mean, what are we going to do? We can’t pay what the other top clubs can for a manager at this moment. We can’t pay a buyout for somebody doing well in a lower tier. It has to be either someone from inside, or someone just desperate for work. It might get forced on Ivo, as much as I hate to say that.”

The Olympia Athletic Club, the nation’s largest amateur sports collective and the association where Olympia Borograd was once founded, was asked for a comment on the situation and provided the following answer: “While we are proud to have been part of the origin story of Olympia Borograd, and proudly lend our name to them to represent, we have been a separate institution from the football club for over 80 years and it would not be right to comment on their internal workings.”

When rumours of this story first appeared on social media, it of course became a nationally relevant topic - everything from Teussen and Metropola fans taking glee in the Olympia crisis, to memes from Olympia supporters themselves. Olympia’s most known ultras group, Ultras GB21, released a statement as well. They noted their ‘extreme anger with the mismanagement of our club, not just in this situation but for the last 20 years,’ and that if the story was true, the entire Board of the club should be made to resign. At the end, of course, they noted that “through good times and hard, we are Olympia supporters until the day we die.”

It appears that there is a storm on the horizon on the Green side of Borograd, and it could be a difficult few years ahead for the famed club.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 9:22 pm

Stelburger Zeitung

On the Road with FC Teussen Stelburg

14 hours is quite a long flight. To be precise, with SaphirAir (Prinz-Eugens-Land’s flag carrier), it was about 3 period dramas about the Teus colonization, 1 documentary about the history of the sapphire production in Prinz-Eugens-Land, 1 documentary about the Tugolo tribe, 3 glasses of wine, and 4 meals, alongside around 3 and a half hours of sleep. Luckily, thanks to the generosity of my bosses here at the Zeitung, I was able to fly business class - I imagine the same flight in economy would be quite brutal.

Once we finally landed in Kapstadt - the largest Teus speaking city in the world, found in Esportiva - I had no time to see the city’s many cultural treasures or amazing restaurants. I wanted to head straight to the hotel and get to bed. But arriving at the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, it seemed security guards had the perimeter blocked off. Although I was about to enquire why, it soon became quite obvious - there was the FC Teussen Stelburg squad getting off of their team bus and walking towards the hotel, to the cheering of hundreds of fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of them.

Yes, Der Legendare’s realm extends even here to Prinz-Eugens-Land. “I watch every game,” says Hannes, a man who must be around 40 years old and has arrived here to see his heroes up close. “Yes, we have our own league here, but your league is always broadcast to us. From the moment I saw Teussen, I was in love with them. My life’s dream is to attend a match in the Franz-Gorz-Stadion one day.” A group of children, none older than 10, are all kitted out in the newest home kit from the club. A 70 year old Tugolo man stands in the back with tears in his eyes: “It’s my first time ever seeing them up close,” he says. There are FC Teussen Stelburg fanclubs in almost every major city in Prinz-Eugens-Land, where they are by far the most popular team.

Internal estimates figure that merchandise sales in Prinz-Eugens-Land make up a significant number of Teussen’s total profits in that realm. And so, for a club that is typically so rooted in its home base of old imperial Stelburg, this year they have decided to make a journey out to the former colony. “We are eager to meet all of our loyal fans,” said Thorsten Kramer in the video message prepared announcing the trip. Teussen will spend a week and a half here, using the facilities of local Kapstadt club Asgardia for a pre-season camp before taking on a mini-tour of the country for some friendlies: first against the hosts Asgardia, then heading to the northern sapphire mining capital of Mariahilf for an exhibition with Sapphirus Mariahilf, before coming back to Kapstadt to take on Ritter von St. Ida, a football club with its name clearly a holdover from the time of the Teus Empire’s domain over this land.

By the time I finally get to my hotel bed, I’m ready to sleep for a week - but it’s an 8am call the next morning for breakfast with the Teussen squad. All of the names you know are here - with, of course, a few exceptions. Koloman Bodeker is on the verge of finalizing a transfer to Raynor City United and was not included on the tour, while Elias Schwefel is still negotiating his own future and was given permission to remain in Stelburg. Furthermore, the 5 Teussen players representing Siovanija & Teusland at the Di Bradini Cup are, of course, not in attendance. Many youth players - including Santutxo Kramer - have joined the team instead for this trip. There is an excitement, however, around one man in particular at breakfast: Reto Zschokke.

“It’s been great to meet all the lads so far - I mean, you learn a lot about people during a 14 hour flight, haha. I’m really, really excited to be here.” The transfer of Zschokke, who spent last season playing for FC Kaiserhaven, was announced just 2 days before the trip, and so this is really young Reto’s first taste of what it means to wear the black and gold. The 23 year old winger was bought for a total of T2.5 million, and Teussen fans are very excited about him - he was the dominant player for Kaiserhaven last season.

“Getting through these matches, getting to know the team, all of it is going to make me a better player when we get back to Stelburg.” It seems immediately that Zschokke is fitting in quite well with the group. Just too old to qualify for the U21 team, he’s joined in that regard by a group of players around his age including Hans Gruber, Seb Rosler, Josef Weber and goalkeeper Sepp Kranz. At breakfast, the group are clearly a unit already, sharing videos on each other’s phones and discussing their impressions of Prinz-Eugens-Land so far. “It’s so cool to see how many people here support us,” says Gruber.

I get a chance to chat with Sepp Kranz on the way over to the training facility. He’s one many Teussen supporters have an eye on - always a highly-touted prospect, but now with Bodeker the latest Teus star to cross the Westsee to Vanorian shores, he’s Teussen’s new #1 at the age of 23. “Honestly, I’m quite lucky in that nervousness isn’t something that affects me too much. There’s obviously some new pressures, some unique things that come with playing this role for this club. But that’s what Hochzoll prepared me for, and that’s what my entire career has been building up to.” Kranz is certainly a confident young man - and he looks that way under the bar, too.

The Teussen squad are put through their paces by Thorsten Kramer in their training session. There are plenty of drink breaks - temperatures in Kapstadt are significantly higher than back home in Stelburg - but it’s quite an intense session. It ends with a friendly competition - the group are split up into teams and play 5 a side football. The winning unit is the one led by Hans Gruber and Reto Zschokke, who has clearly made an impression on his teammates in his first real training session with the club.

That night, I’m offered the opportunity to dine with Thorsten Kramer and his coaching staff. Thorsten is always an interesting interview, and tonight was no different. We chatted on a number of different topics:

Memories from his playing days: “#1 of course is winning the Champions’ League. We had such a good squad that year with Cathair. But I’ll never forget the reception I got in my final game in Stelburg, too.”

Emotions after the final-day draw with Felsenkirchen saw 1912 Stelburg win the league: “Gutted. Of course. There’s not really words, it felt the same way losing during my playing career did. But that’s our motivation for this year.”

Reforming the squad for this season: “I’m a big believer in Hochzoll, and the players we have coming through are incredible - I mean, look at the Di Bradini Cup team. The history of Teussen is the history of a club that puts faith and trust in its youth - and is rewarded for it. Our starting XI this year is probably going to be one of the youngest ever in the country, but that’s because I trust these boys to do the job.”

Being here in Prinz-Eugens-Land: “Amazing. I took a vacation here once when I was younger, with Elsa (his wife) and the children - beautiful country, but now being here in this role is unique too and getting to meet all of these fans who are so dedicated to us.”

Finally, on his son Santutxo: “I try to give him advice to prepare him the best way possible, so he has the best chance possible to succeed. But I’ve never forced him into this - he’s made his own way. I’m incredibly proud of him, and I think he’s probably more talented at that age than I ever was. One day he’ll be in the first team, for sure, and I’ll be the hardest coach he’ll ever have, hahaha.”

After a late night, the next morning is a bit more straightforward - a tactical walkthrough for the squad at the Asgardia stadium, before preparing for the match later that evening with the host team. The game itself, played under the lights to avoid the hot Kapstadt summer sun, is played with about as much intensity as you would expect from a preseason friendly - Teussen defeats Asgardia in the end, 2-1, in front of a sold out crowd who sing ‘Glory Glory Teussen Stelburg’ and other Teussen chants long into the night. Reto Zschokke and Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta have the goals for the gold and black.

The rest of the tour is a bit of a whirlwind: the next day is a day off for players, at least from training - many of them are enlisted into various autograph sessions around the city, or make appearances at local youth football clubs. It’s the veterans, like Dietrich Traeger and Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta who really get to enjoy the day off - and the pair go together to Kapstadt’s vibrant downtown and eat at a local restaurant. “It’s interesting, because it wasn’t so long ago I was on the other end of it,” says Traeger when asked about now being a veteran leader in a squad full of young players. “But of course, I’m more than happy to help out these guys with anything they need.”

The next morning, we’re shuttled to Kapstadt Hauptbahnhof - a train station, by the way, that rivals any back home in beauty. We’ll make the 4-hour trip to Mariahilf by train, passing through the interesting landscape of Prinz-Eugens-Land. The landscape is marked with almost endless green grass fields in this part of the country, and crossed by a number of rivers. Rock formations are also all over the visible land - unfortunately, we aren’t going to get a chance on this trip to visit the wild jungle of northern PEL. Colonized by the Teus in the 1500s and named for the brother of the Kaiser of the day, who had died in battle, Prinz-Eugens-Land was truly the sapphire jewel in the imperial crown. A beautiful landscape, and rich natural resources.

That second part in particular is very noticeable as we arrive in Mariahilf, one of the most important towns for the country’s abundant sapphire industry. The sign as we leave the Mariahilf Bahnhof reads ‘Welcome to the Sapphire Capital of the World,’ and while such a claim is difficult to prove, you really do feel it could be true with the number of mines in the area, and the number of stores in the downtown carrying sapphire products. The team is given a few hours free to explore the city, and most stop in to pick something up for their wives and girlfriends back home.

Later that night is an evening gym session at the hotel, before a quick session in the morning prior to the match that night. Just like in Kapstadt, the Stadion Mariahilf is completely full, and the Teus flag banners read the names of plenty of far-away cities where support for the black and gold is just as loyal and true as it is in Stelburg. Kaiseraue, Gjollshut, Neu-Marzig, Saphirkirchen - they all, it seems, love FC Teussen Stelburg. The fans are treated to a much better performance from Teussen here, as they dismantle the home side Sapphirus in a 5-1 result. Josef Weber had a hat-trick for Teussen, while Hans Gruber and late sub Bastian Boltzmann added another.

Basti. Here’s a man coming to the end of his career, and he knows it all too well. The next morning, on the train back to Kapstadt, we have the chance to speak with him - a real Teussen legend. “I’m grateful Thorsten gave me the chance to come on the tour and hopefully get my name out there” he says. He’s scored over 150 goals for Teussen, but that one today against Sapphirus may have been his last. Boltzmann has lost a lot of the pace that made him such a special player when he was younger, and while shades of it are still visible, he’s become a different player - an excellent leader, and one all of the squad looks up to. “I try to point things out or give help wherever I can.” What is in the cards for his future? “I’d like to play at least one more season as a starting player. But if it’s not possible - I’m proud of what I’ve achieved in my career. I’d be happy to see out my contract here, one final year, and then retire afterwards.”

A few days of training in Kapstadt follow, with the squad looking really improved from their first arrival in this tropical country. On Saturday night, Teussen take on Ritter von St. Ida - a football club named for a historic military order of Teus Catholic knights who fought in Crusades during the colonial era. St. Ida actually strike first, but this one goes similarly to the match in Mariahilf - 4-1 the final score. WHZ gets two and Reto Zschokke also has two. 3-0 on the tour, and while results are not exactly what matters, it’s a positive way to start the season.

The players are given Sunday totally off to explore Kapstadt, before the flight home on Monday. I’m not on the same flight as the Teussen players, who will use the club’s jet to return home, but we do arrive at the airport at the same time. I get to hear from Thorsten Kramer one final time on this trip: “The preparation was excellent. Once we get back our players from the U21, we still have a few weeks of training in Stelburg before the season. But I’m really impressed by what I’ve seen from the lads here.”

I’m sure the Teussen boys had fun on their flight home - mine was even more boring than the first. This time, it was a documentary about Prinz-Eugens-Land’s independence that took up the first hour, before I actually managed to sleep for quite a while. Finally, I was able to put some of my notes for this article together just as we landed back into Stelburg. This time, there was no security team preventing me from my bed, and although it was a really wonderful trip, I was certainly happy to see the River Drai once again.

All in all, things at FC Teussen Stelburg seem very, very positive heading into the new season - and following this successful trip to Prinz-Eugens-Land, Thorsten Kramer and his team have only one thing on their mind: avenging the end to last season, and bringing home the national title.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Wed Aug 07, 2024 1:23 pm

Borograd Dnevnik

Transfer Shock of the Century: Marjan Trstenjak joins FK Metropola Borograd

BOROGRAD - It was not supposed to be like this.

When Marjan Trstenjak made his debut in the green and white of Olympia Borograd, there was a real expectation upon him. One day, it was thought, he could go on to be the next Ivo Romanov. A legend for the famous club from the capital, who would bring trophies to the Olimpski-Stadion. This dream, however, has turned into a nightmare.

This paper reported earlier this month on the financial struggles facing Olympia Borograd. Since then, the club have sold Klaud Zorko (T3m), Patrik Mrazek (T1.5m) and Matyas Hayek (T1.5m). However, most of these fees have gone to covering the club’s debt, and they have not been able to re-invest in the squad. The club are still without a manager, as Ivo Romanov is quite hesitant to take over the club in its current state despite his strong performance to end the season last year.

Looming for Olympia, however, was the contract renewal for their star young winger. Trstenjak has succeeded for the Goldhorns at the Di Bradini Cup in the past, and is very much expected to be part of the World Cup 97 Qualifying setup for the national team. He was the gem, the biggest star, the one the fans could count on even though everything else at the club seemed to be in trouble. But the contract negotiation was clearly going to be tough.

Trstenjak was out of a contract before this upcoming season, but chose to not declare for the international transfer window and instead sought to renew his contract with Olympia Borograd. It is understood that the Greens offered a contract with significant bonuses available for achievements such as IFCF qualification or winning a trophy. Marjan and his agent, while understanding Olympia’s current state, wanted a bit more guaranteed money - after all, with the state the club was in, IFCF qualification seems a long way off for a 3 year contract.

While Olympia clearly felt they did not need to worry, as negotiations were still in progress as of two days ago, it’s clear that their cross-town rivals in purple FK Metropola Borograd were waiting in the wings and had prepared a 5-year contract with significant guaranteed money for Trstenjak. This paper understands that while Trstenjak presented the Metropola offer to Olympia and asked them to match it, the Olympia board walked away.

“Olympia Borograd announced today it has not been able to reach a contract agreement with Marjan Trstenjak.” With those 17 words, the association that began when Trstenjak was just 11 years old came to an end. No well wishes for the future, and no announcement of his next club. Metropola’s statement, of course, is a much happier tone: “FK Metropola Borograd are pleased to announce the signing of winger Marjan Trstenjak to a five-year contract at the club. Marjan is one of the top wingers in the country at the moment and will be an excellent addition for the club. We can’t wait to see him in Violet!”

For many, it recalls the story of Valko Tinchev. Tinchev spent the better part of 7 years with Olympia, before being transfer listed by the club. When Metropola came calling, he was more than happy to join them - becoming a Judas-level traitor to the Olympia faithful, and a hero to the Metropola ultras, especially when he proceeded to score several key goals in future Borograd derbies.

One should expect a similar reception for Trstenjak when he returns to the Olimpski-Stadion. “It’s not going to be very welcoming, no,” said one Olympia fan we spoke to on the street earlier. On social media, accounts associated with the hardcore Olympia ultras have been repeatedly calling the man who started today as their hero a rat and a traitor. Borograd derby fixtures this season will have an extra tension to them without a doubt, and there are already discussions about the police presence the match will require - up to 7 times this season, depending on results of the Regionalliga/Meisterschaft/President’s Cup.

Trstenjak himself has not spoken to the media, but sources close to the player say he is ‘disappointed there was no possible deal with Olympia.’ “Marjan wants to be a Green, he wants to spend his whole career here,” said his agent publically a few weeks ago. There will be disappointment from everyone involved here that that did not happen.

What does it mean for these clubs on the pitch? For Olympia, it’s a huge hole. The understanding, with Vladimir Vladimiric on the transfer block, was that Rolando Cutter would move to CF with Tomas Kohout and Marjan Trstenjak operating as wingers behind him, each one capable of playing either flank. Now, Cutter and Kohout will be expected to carry the team and young Valdemar Buran - Olympia’s only signing of the transfer window, who came over on a free from FK Pomorie after his contract expired - is expected to step up at right wing. Buran has plenty of talent, but isn’t exactly on Trstenjak’s level just yet. Olympia have lost several key players in this window, and Trstenjak is certainly the one that will hurt most of all.

For FK Metropola Borograd, meanwhile, it’s a huge piece to add into a squad the club are hoping can challenge for the title. The duo of Trstenjak and Veljko Vadimic on the wings is arguably the most dangerous in the country, and Trstenjak can bring an extra x-factor that the club has been missing in recent years. With legendary forward Blahoslav Zak up top, Metropola certainly have one of the best groups of attackers in the country and can certainly be considered title challengers.

It’s another moment that shows the power shift that has happened in the national capital’s football scene in the last 15 years - the best player of Olympia has moved to Metropola on a free transfer. A dark day for Olympia Borograd, and one Metropola supporters will be savoring for quite a long time. The full ramifications of this move are yet to be fully felt, of course, but it is a seismic moment for Siovanijan football.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Wed Aug 14, 2024 3:17 pm

Felsenkirchener Zeitung

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 Honour Lothas Ludwig

FELSENKIRCHEN - On a bright, sunny day at Mollin Park, a sold-out stadium watched as FC Felsenkirchen 1879 honoured one of the club’s all-time legends.

“The contribution he made to our club, the fantastic memories our fans will one day be telling their grandchildren about, Lothas Ludwig will always be a legend in Felsenkirchen,” said a Felsenkirchen legend in his own right, manager Leonard Wagner, about the Vanorian forward.

When Lothas Ludwig announced his retirement from football after the completion of the most recent season of the Vanorian Premiership, there was almost immediate action from the supporters of FC Felsenkirchen 1879: let’s give our legend the proper tribute he deserves. Some strings were pulled, hands shaked, and in the end, it was agreed to play a testimonial match at Mollin Park: FC Felsenkirchen 1879 vs Soldarian FC, Ludwig’s first club against his final, one last match for the Vanorian maestro.

“Of course I remember it,” says one Felsenkirchen fan en route to the stadium when asked if he can recall Ludwig’s first goal for the club. Brought in as a young talent for the future, and sent to the academy, Lothas managed to earn some minutes here and there off the bench in his first season with the Cogs - season 4 of the Republikaliga. When forward Johannes Mandl went down to injury early in a Northeastern derby against Rotmunde, Ludwig was called upon - and he would make his first career goal a well-timed one, giving Felsenkirchen a 1-0 leg up on their rivals. It was quite fitting, given the performances Ludwig would go on to have in the derby match with Rotmunde.

The first time Felsenkirchen supporters realized that they potentially had a true future star on their hands, however, was the next season as Felsenkirchen’s U19 squad kicked off a campaign in the IFCF Rising Stars’ Cup. The squad list for Felsenkirchen’s line-up at this tournament was practically a who’s who of future stars for both the club and the national team: Per Holz, Helmet Kadelberg, Paul Steinhausl, Jesper Porsche, Florian Krukenberg. When you added Ludwig to that lineup, something incredible was sure to come out of it. Felsenkirchen did not enter the tournament as favourites, and in fact were nearly out of the competition during the group stage, but instead managed to push on and get all the way to the Semifinal. That’s where Ludwig truly shined: 2 goals in a 3-1 semifinal victory over Vilitan side Alikki-Corra sent them to a final against Kota Jembal Youth.

Down 2-0 at halftime, it seemed that the trophy would be on its way to Sharktail. Instead, however, it was a magical Felsenkirchen evening that supporters would get so used to in the coming years. Florian Krukenberg’s corner kick was perfectly timed for Ludwig, who knocked in the 2-1, before Jesper Porsche evened things up. Then, one more time: Lothas Ludwig, with an assist from Florian Krukenberg. 3-2, and the first-ever IFCF title for a club from Siovanija & Teusland.

Krukenberg and Ludwig were linked in the national media together after that, as Felsenkirchen’s next generation of top talents. Ludwig would even go on to be named the Young Galactico for his incredible performance in the victory. The link between Florian and Lothas would grow even stronger in the next season, when the two made their senior debut as starters together in the same match: another Northeastern derby against Rotmunde.

14 seconds. That was all it took for the lethal combination between the right winger and the forward to pay off in the Republikaliga: a Krukenberg run down the wing, a cross, and a powerful header from Ludwig. The match itself is one that will be remembered forever: a crazy game where Felsenkirchen led both 2-0 and 5-3 before Rotmunde pegged them back to equalize. Ludwig added another in the second half, while Krukenberg also got one of his own. It’s the final moment that is the most memorable, however: Lothas Ludwig, with an assist from Florian Krukenberg. 6-5, Ludwig’s first career Republikaliga hat-trick, and instant stardom.

It was only fitting, then, that it was Florian Krukenberg who met his teammate and friend at the centre circle of Mollin Park prior to the match. A bouquet of blue flowers, as well as a painting done by a local artist of that 6th crowning goal, were gifts from the club to Ludwig. Krukenberg then accompanied his old teammate in a lap around the stadium, receiving a salute from fans as they chanted his name. In front of Felsenkirchen’s ultras behind the home goal, blue torches were waved as well as a banner that depicted key moments of Ludwig’s career and carried the words ‘Arrived a boy, leaving a legend.’

All in all, Ludwig spent 8 seasons on the north coast with the Blues, graduating to the senior squad after 2 years in the academy. 5 of those seasons were as the main forward for Felsenkirchen, and in that time he had some truly incredible achievements. 3 Golden Boots were won, and Ludwig set a record for goals in a top-flight season in Siovanija & Teusland that is quite likely going to stand forever: 32 goals in the final 38 game Republikaliga campaign. With the new Superklasse seemingly committed to 16 teams (thus 30 game seasons) it would take something truly out of this world to break such a record. The only years he did not win the Golden Boot, he finished 2nd. It was a total of 135 goals in 170 Republikaliga matches for Lothas, and many more in President’s Cup and IFCF matches. It puts him second all-time in total goals for Felsenkirchen, only behind Johannes Mandl - however, Mandl played nearly twice as many games to score his 225. Ludwig ranks as the Republikaliga’s all-time leading goalscorer when it comes to goals per game.

Not only individual success but team success followed Ludwig during his time in Siovanija & Teusland. In each of Ludwig’s first three seasons starting for the club, they finished first or second in the table, and Felsenkirchen qualified for IFCF football in every season Ludwig played for the club. While the modern Felsenkirchen squad is considered one of the best in the club’s history, those ‘Galaktiko’ teams featuring Ludwig, Ciriko Useternix, Falcon Case and Florian Krukenberg was arguably its most successful. The league title in season 11 - the season in which Ludwig scored 32 goals and received the Golden Ball - was followed up by a Champions’ League Quarterfinal appearance, as well as several IFCF group stage appearances. It was the most consistently successful era in the club’s history. It was the ‘glory days’ of the Republikaliga: the fierce Felsenkirchen-FC Teussen Stelburg rivalry was in full swing, IFCF deep runs started to become a yearly occurrence, and some of the finest players in the world played in Siovanija & Teusland. Lothas Ludwig was very much the face of it all, leading the Valanora national team as one of its premier players of the World Cups of the early 90s.

Unfortunately, with isolation, Felsenkirchen were forced to sell their beloved forward. The kid they had once taken a gamble on and brought over at age 16 had turned into the club’s biggest star, and had brought glory to both the first team squad and the academy. He then spent a few years playing at Crisisbless in Nephara, and rounded out his career with a few years at home with Soldarian FC - including a wonderful final league title in the Premiership two seasons ago.

All of these achievements were recounted by Leonard Wagner, the manager who gave Ludwig his debut, in front of the crowd before the match. “When you think of the number 9 shirt, at Felsenkirchen, you immediately think of Lothas,” he began. While there are no jersey retirements, many of Ludwig’s shirts from his most important matches with the club can be found in the club’s museum, which also has the replica IFCF Rising Stars’ Cup on display. The honour the club chose to give Ludwig, in the end, may be much greater than a simple jersey retirement: the 3500 seat stadium in the north of Mollin Park, which hosts the academy matches for Felsenkirchen U19s, will be renamed to the Lothas-Ludwig-Stadion, in recognition of his legacy at the club and “how, as its greatest product, he will remain an inspiration for all of the Felsenkirchen youth.”

As for the testimonial itself, there were some heartwarming moments. Soldarian’s squad featured major new signing Toshitsugu Hiraide at forward out of Ko-oren, while other stars included Quebecois defender Isidore Tekawitha-Meloche. For Felsenkirchen, there was a bit of a mix: players from the current day squad and those who had spent time playing with Ludwig. Lothas himself spent the first half of the match wearing the shirt of Soldarian, and actually scored the first goal of the game for the visiting club. It was 2-2 at halftime when the teams went down the tunnel, the goals for the visitors from Ludwig and Narciso Giovanni while Isak Harju and Dieter Rosberg scored for Felsenkirchen.

At the start of the second half, there was a huge roar from the crowd as the teams came back out from the tunnel: leading the way for Felsenkirchen was a triple-substitution: Linus Segert at left wing, Florian Krukenberg at right wing, and Lothas Ludwig at forward.

This attacking trio had created so many wonderful moments together in their years at Felsenkirchen, and were so crucial to the league title victory. Getting a chance to see them all together - of course, no longer the young men they were back then, but still heroes - was incredibly emotional for the Felsenkirchen faithful who reacted with a full standing ovation.

Soldarian would take the lead 3-2 off a goal from Hiraide, which was answered soon after by a goal from Jesper Porsche to make things 3-3. Alessandro Nyman had one more for the visiting side to put them up 4-3, and as the second half ticked on, it looked like this might be the final score in the match. There was still one more moment of brilliance left, however.

Florian Krukenberg took the ball down the right wing, bringing almost everyone at Mollin Park out of their seats. It was a move that was almost a mirror reflection of so many moments that had brought joy to the supporters, and as he advanced forward Ludwig made a run into the box. Then it was an excellently-timed cross nearly perfectly onto the head of Ludwig. The duo that had linked for the IFCF Rising Stars’ Cup final, for so many a Northeastern derby goal, for wins in IFCF competition, for a league title, linked one final time. Lothas Ludwig, with an assist from Florian Krukenberg. 4-4.

There wasn’t a dry eye left in the place as Ludwig did one final lap of Mollin Park after the final whistle. Chants of “There’s only one Lothas Ludwig” continued long into the night, as Felsenkirchen supporters reveled in the opportunity to see one of their club’s greatest legends on the pitch one final time.

With the closing chapter of his story in Felsenkirchen now written, one of the greatest players to ever wear the blue shirt can now ride off into one final Felsenkirchen sunset.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Thu Aug 15, 2024 9:02 pm

Meisterschaft Cycle 21 - Regionalligas and Qualifying

The three best words supporters can hear across the country? Football is back. Did it ever really leave, though? With the Regionalligas starting just a month and a half after the previous season's President's Cup Final, and IFCF preliminary round football also in the swing of things, football supporters across the country have not had to go without for too long. This will be the final season of the Regionalliga - which is both welcomed but bittersweet. Everyone is excited for the start of the Superklasse, of course, but for clubs with special derbies and rivalries that will likely now get lost in the mix of divisions, there's an extra motivation to get one over on the rivals. 12 teams will once again qualify for the Meisterschaft, the winners of each league plus 2 play-off winners from each Republic. The format will be the same as last season for qualification, with the 2nd and 3rd placed team in each Regionalliga being seeded for playoffs. There's no more relegation, however, as these divisions won't exist next season. The full seeding of clubs across the top 4 Superklasse divisions will be conducted after the season. Teams will also qualify for the Superklasse or its playoffs. The qualification for the Superklasse tournament will be played at the end of this season. We know, confusing - we'll point it out for you in the review!

Regionalliga Alpisko

# 1. Regionalliga Alpisko  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
1 Energija Chernovets       28   18   5   5    88   34  +54    59     Meisterschaft
2 Vrnovo Mesto              28   16   7   5    64   36  +28    55     Playoff
3 FK Raketa Bukovets        28   14   7   7    52   33  +19    49
4 Arsenal Bukovets          28   10  11   7    52   39  +13    41
5 NK Siovanska Gora         28    8   9  11    47   60  −13    33
6 NK Vrnovo                 28    8   6  14    35   49  −14    30
7 Admiral Severno           28    6   5  17    39   85  −46    23
8 Trojlistek Boleslav       28    2  10  16    26   67  −41    16

Derby We'll Miss: We're not going to write off FK Raketa Bukovets vs Arsenal Bukovets quite yet, as both teams could end up in the same Superklasse tier - but Vrnovo Mesto vs NK Vrnovo in the Vrnovo city derby is not one that looks likely to return anytime soon. Vrnovo Mesto won both home matches this season, 4-1 and 2-0, but NK Vrnovo managed to hold their neighbours to a 0-0 draw both times they met in NK Vrnovo's stadium - including what will, for now, be the final Vrnovo derby for quite some time.
Superklasse Qualifiers: Energija Chernovets (automatic), Vrnovo Mesto (playoff)

# 2. Regionalliga Alpisko  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Slavija Karapelit         28   14   9   5    61   28  +33    51
2 Ljublanski Lihovar        28   14   7   7    57   44  +13    49
3 FK Sinemorets             28   14   5   9    62   53   +9    47
4 Stari Trg                 28   10   9   9    29   33   −4    39
5 NK Vojnik                 28   10   8  10    36   33   +3    38
6 Crveno-Zeleni             28    8  10  10    31   41  −10    34
7 Lipica Konjibor           28    5   9  14    33   44  −11    24
8 Olimpija Topolovgrad      28    7   3  18    28   61  −33    24

Regionalliga Borograd

# 1. Regionalliga Borograd  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
1 FK Metropola Borograd      28   17   4   7    74   30  +44    55     Meisterschaft
2 SK Republika Borograd      28   14   8   6    56   26  +30    50     Playoff
3 Olympia Borograd           28   11  11   6    56   37  +19    44
4 FK Orlovska Bistrica       28   11   8   9    39   34   +5    41
5 FK Venkovets               28   10   7  11    52   47   +5    37
6 FK Kushovo                 28    9   8  11    38   57  −19    35
7 Jaromirgrad                28    9   6  13    39   73  −34    33
8 Atletik Orlovets           28    3   4  21    21   71  −50    13

Derby We'll Miss: Do you know how funny it is to say 'the Borograd derby'? Olympia's horror season has genuinely put it at risk going forward, after the club missed out on automatic Superklasse qualification and will now need playoff wins to reach both the Meisterschaft and the Superklasse. In case it is the end, it went out with FK Metropola Borograd defeating Olympia 2-1 at the Stadion Razdrto - Metropola also won the first fixture of the season, 2-0, with the two other matches being draws. But come on, you can't count out the Greens - surely they will win in the playoffs. In that case, FK Venkovets fierce matches with the three capital clubs will surely be missed, as they did not have a good year and could end up as low as the 3. Klasse.
Superklasse Qualifiers: FK Metropola Borograd, SK Republika Borograd (automatic), Olympia Borograd (playoff)

# 2. Regionalliga Borograd  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Rudar Draijagrad           28   13  13   2    48   22  +26    52
2 NK Karjaska Gora           28   14  10   4    39   18  +21    52
3 SK Sparta                  28   13   8   7    41   22  +19    47
4 Ljubljanska                28    9   7  12    30   35   −5    34
5 NK Krakovo                 28    9   7  12    34   42   −8    34
6 Zelena Vlaijka             28    9   6  13    25   42  −17    33
7 NK Kaskada                 28    9   5  14    21   33  −12    32
8 SK Dialikov                28    6   4  18    22   46  −24    22

Regionalliga Korjava

# 1. Regionalliga Korjava  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 TSV Marzig                28   20   4   4    83   34  +49    64     Meisterschaft
2 FK Pomorie                28   16   8   4    85   34  +51    56     Playoff
3 NK Prevala                28   16   4   8    27   17  +10    52
4 Traktor Stavropol         28   13   6   9    54   50   +4    45
5 TSV Sankt Gustaf          28    8   5  15    25   40  −15    29
6 NK Gabropol               28    7   5  16    31   74  −43    26
7 Hechingen                 28    7   4  17    31   52  −21    25
8 1807 Vettweis             28    4   6  18     8   43  −35    18

Derby We'll Miss: Thank God that Pomorie and Marzig both qualified for the Superklasse, and thus their storied rivalry will remain a top-division fixture. This season also saw some fireworks, with a 3-3 draw on the second last matchday and one win for each side at home: Marzig 3-1 over Pomorie, and Pomorie 5-0 over Marzig in their biggest derby win for 35 years. Elsewhere, we'll miss the battles between the Teus clubs in the area: Hechingen, Vettweis and Sankt Gustaf never really had the friendliest of relationships and these games were always quite chippy. They'll continue in the lower tiers, but certainly without as many eyes on them as in recent years.
Superklasse Qualifiers: TSV Marzig, FK Pomorie (automatic), NK Prevala (playoff)

# 2. Regionalliga Korjava  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 VfL Reichmannsdorf        28   16   8   4    41   20  +21    56
2 FC Ternau 05              28   13  12   3    29   11  +18    51
3 Draija Debelets           28   13   7   8    35   22  +13    46
4 FK Stavropol              28    9   9  10    25   20   +5    36
5 NK Sveti Ivan             28    9   8  11    23   31   −8    35
6 1907 Kronenbruck          28    6  11  11    21   36  −15    29
7 NK Kamenovo               28    6   7  15    17   31  −14    25
8 FK Shivechevo             28    7   4  17    18   38  −20    25

Regionalliga Nordkuste

# 1. Regionalliga Nordkuste  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879       28   17   5   6   100   42  +58    56     Meisterschaft
2 Marlesee 97                 28   15   8   5    60   36  +24    53     Playoff
3 FC Rotmunde 1932            28   14   6   8    61   51  +10    48
4 Rot-Blau Altona             28   11   9   8    52   59   −7    42
5 VfB Marlesee                28   10   9   9    47   44   +3    39
6 1884 Felsenkirchen          28    8   5  15    36   51  −15    29
7 Turbine Immengries          28    7   3  18    35   73  −38    24
8 SVG Bainitz                 28    5   5  18    32   67  −35    20

Derby We'll Miss: The Northeastern derby is at risk for the Superklasse, with Rotmunde needing a playoff to get to the top tier - so of course, that would be answer #1. Ironically, it was actually Rotmunde who won the derby battles this season: 2 wins, 3-1 and a wild 5-1 match. Felsenkirchen would defeat their eternal rivals in Rotmunde, 3-1, while the final match between the sides ended 5-5, perhaps a fitting way to put it to bed for a few years if that is the case. Should Rotmunde qualify, the biggest rivalry to miss will be the Felsenkirchen derby - and while 1879 got a 9-1 win in the early part of the season, 1884 Felsenkirchen fans will be remembering their 2-1 win over the city rivals for quite some time.
Superklasse Qualifiers: FC Felsenkirchen 1879, Marlesee 97 (automatic), FC Rotmunde 1932 (playoff)

# 2. Regionalliga Nordkuste  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Adler Rotmunde              28   20   5   3    40   18  +22    65
2 TSV Prattsee                28   18   3   7    37   24  +13    57
3 FC 1. Norsay                28   16   5   7    51   24  +27    53
4 FC St. Adelheid             28   11   7  10    27   25   +2    40
5 Kreuzritter Loningen        28   11   6  11    27   30   −3    39
6 Wolfstadt 98                28    9   5  14    30   38   −8    32
7 SV Sogel                    28    5   4  19    23   43  −20    19
8 SV St. Kunigunde            28    1   7  20    14   47  −33    10

Regionalliga Stelburg

# 1. Regionalliga Stelburg  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 FC Teussen Stelburg        28   19   4   5    71   30  +41    61     Meisterschaft
2 1912 Stelburg              28   13   9   6    69   41  +28    48     Playoff
3 SW Stahlberg               28   11  13   4    55   32  +23    46
4 Krutenau Kickers           28   10   8  10    48   52   −4    38
5 Teufelsberg 97             28   10   6  12    39   41   −2    36
6 Stahl Sterzing             28    8   8  12    44   56  −12    32
7 VfB Launitz                28    3  12  13    30   62  −32    21
8 SV Charlottenberg          28    5   6  17    41   83  −42    21

Derby We'll Miss: With both big Stelburg clubs reaching the Superklasse with no real problems, it's the Westmark derby that will unfortunately be missing from the calendar next season. SW Stahlberg and Stahl Sterzing have enjoyed some great derby moments in recent years, ever since the start of the Regionalliga competition, but given their respective finishing positions we could be waiting a while for the next one. Stahl Sterzing managed to draw both of the home matches this season, but the Miners from Stahlberg were victorious in the Stadion Michael Ribbeck twice: 1-0 and 3-1, to close out this chapter of the rivalry for now.
Superklasse Qualifiers: FC Teussen Stelburg, 1912 Stelburg, SW Stahlberg (automatic), Krutenau Kickers (playoff)

# 2. Regionalliga Stelburg  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 VfL Bamerntal              28   16   5   7    44   24  +20    53
2 VfB Truiselwald            28   16   4   8    39   22  +17    52
3 Velden-Villach 07          28   11  11   6    25   23   +2    44
4 Oststahlberg 08            28   10  10   8    27   20   +7    40
5 FC Kaldenkirchen 1901      28    8   8  12    19   24   −5    32
6 TSV Horstmar               28    8   8  12    21   30   −9    32
7 Schneemanner Eibsee        28    8   5  15    18   31  −13    29
8 FC Blauwald                28    6   7  15    19   38  −19    25

Regionalliga St. Jakob

# 1. Regionalliga St. Jakob  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 VfL Reinbronn               28   16  10   2    71   25  +46    58     Meisterschaft
2 FC St. Jakob                28   15   9   4    58   31  +27    54     Playoff
3 SV Preisfeld                28   12  10   6    54   34  +20    46
4 Rulandea Karlsbrunnen       28   11   7  10    47   33  +14    40
5 FC Einheit Marnau           28   11   7  10    55   49   +6    40
6 VfL Prutseren               28    5  10  13    31   54  −23    25
7 Lokomotive Lensbruck        28    6   7  15    25   58  −33    25
8 FC Lahnnenbruck 98          28    2   8  18    27   84  −57    14

Derby We'll Miss: Everyone will be hoping that SV Preisfeld can qualify for the Superklasse through the playoff, and thus the Neuteussen derby between them and Reinbronn can be a fixture at the highest level. This fierce battle between the two market town clubs has been a major story in this division in recent years. This season, things looked to be trending the way of the Hunters as Reinbronn won the first two matches between the sides. However, in the final match in Reinbronn, it was actually SV Preisfeld who would get some bragging rights over the Regionalliga winners, 5-3 in an exciting match.
Superklasse Qualifiers: VfL Reinbronn, FC St. Jakob (automatic), SV Preisfeld (playoff)

# 2. Regionalliga St. Jakob  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 TSV Tarnitz                 28   16   4   8    46   32  +14    52
2 1888 Runsen                 28   15   6   7    42   23  +19    51
3 Marianfelde Lions           28   14   8   6    34   20  +14    50
4 1894 Tarnitz                28   13   6   9    33   25   +8    45
5 TSV Konsford                28    8  10  10    41   41    0    34
6 Rot-Weiss Wilhelmsburg      28    8   8  12    28   39  −11    32
7 Metropolitan CFC            28    4  10  14    25   44  −19    22
8 1920 Reinbronn              28    6   4  18    20   45  −25    22

Regionalliga Sud

# 1. Regionalliga Sud   Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Taifun Vorstock        28   15   8   5    67   37  +30    53     Meisterschaft
2 FC Kaiserhaven         28   15   6   7    57   37  +20    51     Playoff
3 TSV Georg-Blocher      28   14   7   7    67   39  +28    49
4 1828 Pomen             28   13   9   6    44   34  +10    48
5 Gegenpapst Pomen       28   10   6  12    38   52  −14    36
6 1. FC Vaihingen        28    9   6  13    48   57   −9    33
7 Fortuna Emmerich       28    4   9  15    35   59  −24    21
8 VfB Giesenau           28    4   5  19    35   76  −41    17

Derby We'll Miss: Either of the two city derbies fit well here: the Kaiserhaven derby (FCK vs Georg-Blocher) or the Pomen derby (1828 vs Gegenpapst), however, these clubs are all around a similar level and will likely face each other again quite soon regardless of how the playoff works out. Instead, it's Taifun Vorstock vs Fortuna Emmerich, which has been one of the better rivalries in the lower divisions in recent years, that will certainly be missed for quite some time. Taifun took 2 of the matches, 2-1 and 3-0, while both matches in Emmerich saw Fortuna hold on for the draw.
Superklasse Qualifiers: Taifun Vorstock (automatic), FC Kaiserhaven (playoff)

# 2. Regionalliga Sud   Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Luttow-Vognitz         28   18   4   6    46   22  +24    58    
2 TSV Posenford          28   17   5   6    47   20  +27    56     
3 Eintracht Aumuhle      28   11  10   7    42   31  +11    43
4 Lintfort               28   12   6  10    42   33   +9    42
5 Ladbergen 1894         28    9   6  13    30   38   −8    33
6 FC Giesenau            28    6  10  12    28   36   −8    28
7 VfL Magesbach          28    8   4  16    20   41  −21    28
8 SV Shoringen           28    7   3  18    17   51  −34    24

Regionalliga Velikzahod

# 1. Regionalliga Velikzahod  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Zvezda Vlaikograd            28   19   3   6    77   28  +49    60     Meisterschaft
2 Rudar Trkev                  28   18   3   7    70   29  +41    57     Playoff
3 Karakanovski Fabrika         28   15   5   8    63   35  +28    50
4 FK Vlaikograd 1896           28   14   6   8    45   27  +18    48
5 FK Kostinbrod                28   10   3  15    36   51  −15    33
6 Slavija Chotevice            28    8   6  14    16   40  −24    30
7 NK Piran                     28    6  10  12    23   45  −22    28
8 FK Cerknica                  28    2   4  22    13   88  −75    10

Derby We'll Miss: The Vlaikograd derby will surely return soon - FKV are likely to enter the 2. Superklasse as one of the favourites for promotion - but, with all of its theatrics and the passion of these two fanbases, we'll certainly miss it while it's gone. The sides traded wins in the opening half of the season, 1-0 for each club at home - but then it was one of Vlaikograd's finest-ever wins over Zvezda: 4-0 in the Stadion Ivo Balikov will be eternal bragging rights for the black half of the city. The red half, however, would have its revenge - a 4-3 win thanks to a last minute winner in the final match of the season.
Superklasse Qualifiers: Zvezda Vlaikograd (automatic), Rudar Trkev (playoff)

# 2. Regionalliga Velikzahod  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
1 NK Kraljgrad                 28   17   8   3    37   14  +23    59
2 Listany Prevnost             28   12   8   8    38   22  +16    44
3 FK Dragizhevo                28   11   8   9    27   27    0    41
4 SK Pnetluky                  28   10   7  11    29   30   −1    37
5 NK Divaca                    28    9   8  11    28   28    0    35
6 FK Skalna                    28    7   9  12    18   32  −14    30
7 Sezana                       28    7   8  13    26   32   −6    29
8 Hrusevje 99                  28    7   8  13    22   40  −18    29

Playoff - Siovanija

The 8 clubs who qualified for the playoff were seeded based on the following criteria: league position, points, goal differential. The result of the seeding was as follows:

1. Rudar Trkev
2. FK Pomorie
3. Vrnovo Mesto
4. SK Republika Borograd
5. NK Prevala
6. Karakanovski Fabrika
7. FK Raketa Bukovets
8. Olympia Borograd

In the playoffs, #1 will face #8, and so on. In the second round, the winner of the match between #1 and #8 will face the winner of the match between #4 and #5. The two second round winners will each qualify for the Meisterschaft.

First Round

Rudar Trkev 2–2 Olympia Borograd (2–3 AET)
FK Pomorie 1–1 FK Raketa Bukovets (1–1 AET) (3–1 pen.)
Vrnovo Mesto 2–1 Karakanovski Fabrika
SK Republika Borograd 0–1 NK Prevala

Second Round

NK Prevala 0–1 Olympia Borograd
FK Pomorie 1–0 Vrnovo Mesto

Two cagey matches - but in the end, Olympia Borograd have survived the gauntlet and reach the Meisterschaft, while FK Pomorie also got the job done at home against Vrnovo Mesto - Siovanija's qualifiers for the final season of the Meisterschaft are set.

Playoff - Teusland

The 8 clubs who qualified for the playoff were seeded based on the following criteria: league position, points, goal differential. The result of the seeding was as follows:

1. FC St. Jakob
2. Marlesee 97
3. FC Kaiserhaven
4. 1912 Stelburg
5. TSV Georg-Blocher
6. FC Rotmunde 1932
7. SW Stahlberg
8. SV Preisfeld

In the playoffs, #1 will face #8, and so on. In the second round, the winner of the match between #1 and #8 will face the winner of the match between #4 and #5. The two second round winners will each qualify for the Meisterschaft.

First Round

FC St. Jakob 2–1 SV Preisfeld
Marlesee 97 1–0 SW Stahlberg
1912 Stelburg 4–2 TSV Georg-Blocher
FC Kaiserhaven 1–1 FC Rotmunde 1932 (2–1 AET)

Second Round

FC St. Jakob 0–0 1912 Stelburg (1–1 AET) (3–4 pen.)
Marlesee 97 0–3 FC Kaiserhaven

The defending champions require penalties to do it, but 1912 Stelburg are back to the Meisterschaft! Joining them will be FC Kaiserhaven, as the most southeastern club in Teusland defeated its most northwestern club in the other semifinal: a 3-0 win over Marlesee 97.

And thus the field for the final season of the Meisterschaft is set! 1912 Stelburg, Energija Chernovets, FC Felsenkirchen 1879, FC Kaiserhaven, FC Teussen Stelburg, FK Metropola Borograd, FK Pomorie, Olympia Borograd, TSV Marzig, Taifun Vorstock, VfL Reinbronn, Zvezda Vlaikograd. Stay tuned for the season previews for each team as we race to declare a national champion!

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat Aug 17, 2024 9:01 am

Meisterschaft Cycle 21 - Previews

Home kit

Away kit
1912 STELBURG

Basic Information

Colours: Light blue and white
Stadium: Oststelburg Stadion (40,000)
Manager: Theodor Seidl
Captain: Egon von Stein
Last Season: Champions
Prediction: 4th
Nicknames: Die Drosseln, (the Bluebirds), Zwolf (twelve, colloquial)
Rivals: FC Teussen Stelburg (Stelburg derby)
Legends: Jasno Odonelec, Raphael Klopfer, Pierre-Louis Lotbiniere

Club Honours

Historic Era
3x Teus champions
1x President’s Cup

Republikaliga Era
2x Republikaliga winners (S5, 18)
1x President’s Cup (S7)

Modern Era
1x Meisterschaft winner (C20)

International
None

Founded on New Years’ Day 1912, hence their name, 1912 Stelburg are one of the biggest clubs in all of Siovanija & Teusland.

Fan Profile

Members: 77,600
Average Ticket Price: T38
Political affiliation: Left-wing
Supporter Groups: Ultras 1912, Bluebird Boys, Curva Ost
Away Support: Always sold out
Calimero Index: Off the charts: ‘Teussen are big and we are small and it’s an injustice’
Arrogance Index: Very low
Style: Pyro, drums
Cult Hero: Currently Alois Heineken, all-time Jasno Odonelec
Current Status: Hoping to build on last season’s league title

The club’s roots come out of the days of post-war struggle across the country. When one thinks of Stelburg, they think of the cafes, the tree-lined boulevards, and a certain air of arrogance. In the eastern districts of the city in the years following the Great War, however, it was a completely different story: a fight for survival amongst those who grew up in poverty, those who were left behind by the new Republic, and those returning soldiers who had little chance to begin with. In Stelburg’s middle and upper classes, the eastern districts became an afterthought. In neighbourhoods like Kreuzfeld, Sanssouci and Kronprinzvorstadt, however, the community banded together. Church fundraisers helped the local impoverished, local business owners contributed to charity campaigns, workers organized in unions and protests - and in this climate, the Bluebirds were born.

East Stelburg is an interesting mix of palaces and working-class apartment blocks. The famous Sanssouci Palace, a residence of the Teus Kaisers for many years, is located in the district - and just a few streets over, you find the smaller, rowed houses typical of the Imperial industrial era. Strewn amongst it all are plenty of parks - Stelburgers are famous for their love of the outdoors, and the city has plenty of greenspace. The famous song ‘Springtime in Stelburg’ opens with the line ‘when the bluebirds are singing again,’ which turned the little bird that is commonly seen in the city’s parks into a symbol of the city. 1912’s supporters have adopted the song, and the symbol, and the eastern districts are key to the club’s identity.

True to their east Stelburg roots, 1912 have remained a ‘people’s club.’ Low ticket prices, heavy community involvement, and a bit of a puritan air around making sure the club ‘does what’s right.’ 1912 was the founding year by which the club are known, and 1919 was a year that will live in the club’s history: the first-ever Teus championship, defeating the hated rivals across town. It’s obvious to see where that rivalry comes from - while 1912 are the opposite of Stelburg’s image, FC Teussen Stelburg suit it perfectly - cafes in the stadium, and arrogant supporters. Worst of all, for any Bluebird, they represent the upper class in Stelburg. It would be fair to say there is a bit of an inferiority complex here, too - 1912 have won 8 trophies in their history, while FC Teussen Stelburg have doubled that in the Republikaliga era alone. “STFA loves Teussen” and “the ref was wearing gold & black instead of white & black” are commonly heard refrains, especially after a derby day loss. 1912 detest Teussen - which makes the fact that modern Teussen supporters consider Olympia Borograd and even FC Felsenkirchen 1879 as bigger rivals really sting.

1912 had bridesmaid syndrome for most of the pre-Republikaliga era. There are a lot of second places in their history, or ‘just missing that one last piece’ stories. The triumphs are a bit fewer in number - one President’s Cup, and a gap of 70 years until the 2nd Teus championship in 1989. 1912 were one of the clubs who pushed hard for a national league, believing it would allow them to reach their full potential - and they proved exactly that after just a few seasons in the Republikaliga. Jasno Odonelec’s arrival from Mytanijan shores was something of a coup for the club, and he brought so many glorious moments to the Bluebird supporters as they won the title in season 5. Two years later, it was heartbreak as a title fight went down to the very last day against Teussen, this time the Bluebirds coming out empty handed - however, they would defeat their hated rivals in the President’s Cup final a few days later to prevent the double. The Odonelec-era 1912 side is considered by most fans the finest in the club’s history.

The club spent a few years in the wilderness following the loss of Odonelec, and new stars like Gerold Tegeler and Delbin Kasekende Jr couldn’t quite lead them back to the promised land. 1912 were impacted by the isolation, but not nearly as much as some of the other clubs. Strong investment into the youth program, along with the fact the club managed some incredible timing on the construction of their new stadium (just before the economy really went into trouble) enabled them to bounce back from the initial shock: in season 18, the last for club hero Raphael Klopfer, he commanded one of the finest defensive performances of any side in the league’s history as the Bluebirds captured a 2nd Republikaliga title.

The national leagues going back into the Regionalliga system was met with harsh protest from the club’s fans, who felt that the Regionalliga Stelburg was quite clearly the most competitive in the country and it would mean some of the best clubs in the land would not even have a chance at IFCF football. Some of these protests were heard by the STFA, resulting in the increase in teams for the Meisterschaft from 8 to 10.

The Meisterschaft era was initially a mixed bag for the Bluebirds - they failed to qualify for a few seasons when only one team per region reached the final tournament, causing them to miss out on the money of IFCF football. However, as the tournament expanded, 1912 Stelburg became a regular force in competing for the title - and snatched the title in Cycle 20 on the final day of the season with a win in Kaiserhaven, granting them a famous win over their Stelburg rivals.

1912 remain in the modern day as strongly connected to their local community as they were in the year of their founding. The club logo can be found on numerous football courts in parks and outside apartment buildings all around East Stelburg, and when the new Oststelburgstadion was built the club committed to turning its old facilities into places for local youth to play football. 1912’s supporters, too, contribute to these campaigns and are responsible for several social programs in the eastern districts. The ultras, fittingly, occupy the eastern stand of the stadium behind the goal, and Ultras 1912 in particular are famous for excellent pyro displays before home matches. The Ultras have an alliance with those of FK Metropola Borograd, and banners are regularly seen supporting both clubs.

Ahead of this next season, 1912 Stelburg have unveiled a new club badge. The colour is a much lighter blue, similar to the original colours that were worn by the club upon their founding - and the colour of the current checkerboard-style kits. The badge also greatly resembles the club’s original badge, with the depiction of Sanssouci Palace quite prominent. The difference from the 1912 badge till now? The original club crest featured an edelweiss flower at the bottom, an ode to the city flower of Stelburg. Of course, over nearly 140 years, symbols change, and the club identifies quite closely with its ‘bluebirds’ nickname. Thus, you now see a bird at the bottom of the crest.

Proud of their roots, building for the future, 1912 Stelburg are always fighters at the top level.

Squad

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Robert Ganz (34), LB - Andrej Berkel (19), CB - Laurens Seuper (TAX, 27), CB - Kaspar Drexler (28), RB - Rolf Gellner (22); CM - Egon von Stein (25), CM - Victor Osswald (30), LW - Alois Heineken (25), CAM - Xôrgé Lé Méjî (22) , RW - Stephen Lorber (27); CF - Damien Gannot (MYT, 34)

Bench: GK - Frank Auspitz (22), DF - Oskar Raupach (28), DF - Lars Dohl (32), MF - Simone Teuscher (22), MF - Erwin Lubeck (33) , MF - Marcel Grunberg (19), CF - Liam Merz (19)

Total Squad Value (from @STLTransferMarkt): T51.25m (+8.5m) (highest player Egon von Stein T9m)
Average Age: 26.6
New Faces: Le Meji (transfer, T4m), Teuscher (transfer, T1.5m), Merz (academy)

Preview

Academy

1912’s academy, also known as Oststrasse
after the street it is headquartered on,
is one of the best-known in the country and
has produced excellent players such as Raphael Klopfer,
Edgar Steimle, Pierre-Louis Lotbiniere and more recently
Egon von Stein, all of whom have represented
their country internationally. With a catchment area
including not only Stelburg but also much of the
hinterland to the south, 1912’s coaches are renowned
nationally particularly for their ability to develop
good defenders. Rafa Klopfer is the true 1912 product -
the sturdy, ball-playing centre back - and an icon for all
those at Oststrasse. Fullbacks are also a speciality, with
the national team having a long line of former 1912 players
wearing its #2 and #3 shirts. Currently, the
biggest hopes for the future are defender Dominik Bauer,
Pyazhnayan midfielder Lev Engelhardt and forward Linus Weber

The defending champions enter the new season with a squad that has seen a solid amount of overhaul.

Oststelburgstadion

Capacity: 40,000
Away End: 4,000
Status: Brand New

One of the newest stadiums in the country,
the Oststelburgstadion replaces the old
1912-Stadion. Built with two
free-standing tiers behind each
goal, it’s a stadium that has managed to
preserve the atmosphere of the old.
Built about 2km south of the old stadium,
the stadium is in a residential neighbourhood
in the Kronprinzvorstadt district and just a few
minutes’ walk away from the Stelburg
Ostbahnhof train station. The walk from station
to stadion shows off east Stelburg’s unique
charm, as you pass parks and residential areas.
For 1912 fans, this is their holy place - and
away fans, too, have been known to enjoy the
stadium so far. The 4000-strong away box is
located in the northeast corner of the stadium,
and provides a good view of the pitch.

Prior to the start of the season last year, while many thought 1912 Stelburg had a strong squad, almost nobody would’ve predicted a championship. Instead, the addition of Laurens Seuper worked like a charm, Egon von Stein had the greatest season of his career so far, and the Bluebirds lifted the national title for the 4th time in their history. Not content with resting on their laurels, 1912 have significantly upgraded the squad. There were lots of rumours of potential foreign transfers, but in the end the club have settled for 2 big domestic moves: Simone Teuscher joins from Kaiserhaven, and will add solid depth to the lineup - and then, one of the most intriguing moves of all. Xorge Le Meji, who was so dominant for the Goldhorns at the Di Bradini Cup, is picked up for T4 million from Rulandea Karlsbrunnen. Alois Heineken will thus shift back to his natural position of left wing to free up the middle of the park for the Farf/S&T dual national. Andrej Berkel is also thought of as mature enough to earn the #3 shirt full time, while Liam Merz has graduated Oststrasse and will be one to watch off the bench.

Egon von Stein. What can you say about the season he had last year? In a league with players like Jesper Porsche, Arne Repnik, Hans Gruber, he rose above them all and delivered a performance that will be talked about in east Stelburg for generations to come. He’s managed to perfect his game, particularly his distribution of the ball, and if he can continue from last season it’s going to be an incredible season again for the Bluebirds. With IFCF football, and World Cup Qualifiers, it may be difficult, however, for his legs to last the entire season.

Tactically, almost everything went right for Theodor Seidl’s side last season. Laurens Seuper came in and immediately made big improvements to the defence, while Egon von Stein often seemed to simply will his side to victory. There was concern in the early part of the season about goalscoring, and while Damien Gannot ended up putting in a very strong performance for the Meisterschaft run-in, the Bluebirds have taken actions already to improve this side of their game. Erwin Lubeck is deemed too old and heads to the bench, sending Alois Heineken back out wide in his preferred role as a winger - and in comes Xorge Le Meji at CAM. Le Meji has been making headlines ever since putting on the gold jersey for the national team, and this was a great pickup for the Stelburgers over the offseason - there will be many excited to see just what he can do. There’s some youth coming into the squad at the back, too, as young Andrej Berkel looks set to start at left back, another academy grad at the fullback position coming into the first team.

Zwolf struggled to balance IFCF Champions’ League football and the Regionalliga Stelburg this year, but this may have been a calculated decision - reaching the CL group stage brings far more money than any Regionalliga success, and just a top 3 finish was required to guarantee Superklasse football. No-one would ever admit that, of course, but you could almost see it on the pitch as 1912 struggled in the first half of the Regionalliga campaign. Losses to Teufelsberg 97 and home draws with Launitz and Sterzing were not quite on the agenda - but then, midweek, 1912 would go out and dominate some of the world’s finest clubs. First off, it was a 6-1 aggregate victory over Galaxy SC of Xanneria, before one of the most remarkable comebacks in the club’s history against Independence 1975 of Saint Eleanor.

Having lost 2-0 at the Oststelburgstadion, and seemingly down and out, Xorge Le Meji scored twice and Damien Gannot added the winner in a crazy second half to see the Bluebirds advance. The 4-1 loss that weekend in the Stelburg derby was perhaps the biggest setback of all, but the Bluebirds responded well: a 5-2 home win over Maethoru SC of Ko-oren, and then a 1-1 draw away, saw 1912 Stelburg become the first club from this country to reach the Champions’ League group stage since the end of isolation. That is a huge achievement, and everyone in east Stelburg is looking forward to those midweek evenings under the lights and far-off away days. The Bluebirds are in Group A, alongside some big names in global football: CA Paulinthal of Pasarga, Lakewood United of Tumbra and Capitol Athletic of Sylestone. On paper it won’t be easy for the Bluebirds, who were by far the lowest-seeded team of any in the group stage - but the wins to get here were not easy on paper, either.

The rest of the Meisterschaft campaign unfolded quite well for 1912, as they had a number of strong wins against good competition, including a 6-1 win over the Krutenau Kickers. Le Meji really excelled as a second striker, scoring 25 goals in the Meisterschaft campaign - and the club hit 69 in total, just 2 behind their neighbours in Stelburg. However, there was one key problem for 1912 all season: they just could not defeat FC Teussen Stelburg. Teussen won 3-1 at the Oststelburgstadion, and then repeated the trick at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion. The final match between the sides was a 0-0 draw, with 1912 probably looking the better side on the day - but by that point, the league was wrapped up, and the 10 points Teussen gained just from derby matches alone made up most of the difference between the sides. Forced to go through a playoff, Zwolf had no problem with TSV Georg-Blocher in the first round but then needed a penalty shootout against FC St. Jakob to get here - Damien Gannot shooting in the winning spot kick.

As defending champions, 1912 are certainly going to be an interesting team to follow this year. Remember, at this point last season we had them finishing 4th as well, and they went on to win the league. However, with clear evidence that Teussen have surpassed them this season, and the club also putting a great amount of focus on their IFCF campaign, it’s going to be a very challenging task to ask them to be champions again. The most likely result for the Bluebirds is a top 4 finish, and that’s also the club’s internal expectations for the season. Key indicators to look out for will be the if the offense continues to stay red-hot, and how Egon von Stein deals with playing perhaps upwards of 70 matches this season - another reason we’re glad the Superklasse is coming.

1912 Stelburg would love nothing more than to pip their city rivals to the title one more time, and this young squad should be one of the most exciting in the league.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat Aug 17, 2024 11:55 am

Home kit

Away kit
ENERGIJA CHERNOVETS

Basic Information

Colours: Green and yellow
Stadium: Energija-Arena (35,000)
Manager: Tomislav Karapic
Captain: Kamil Krziz
Last Season: 7th
Prediction: 6th
Nicknames: Atomi (the Atoms), Kanarčetata (the Canaries)
Rivals: FK Raketa Bukovets (local), Olympia Borograd (competitive)
Legends: Miroslav Dinev, Viktor Dimitrov, Apostol Manevski, Enigma Armageddon, Taras Maksimov

Background

Club Honours

Historic Era
9x Siovanijan champions

Republikaliga Era
3x Republikaliga winners (S1, 10, 12)

Modern Era
None

International
2x AOCL winners (37, 38)

Energija Chernovets capitalized on the Republikaliga era to become a world-renowned club - now they must chart a new course in the modern era.

Fan Profile

Members: 63,900
Average Ticket Price: T45
Political affiliation: None
Supporter Groups: Atomska, Closed City Ultras
Away Support: Always sold out
Calimero Complex: Somewhat there, towards the Borograd clubs, but not terrible
Arrogance: Medium, they love to brag about
having more international trophies than any
other club
Style: Full ultra style with capos/drums
Cult Hero: Currently Jarozlav Jezek, all-time Miroslav Dinev
Current Status: Just want to get the Meisterschaft overwith and begin the Superklasse era

Chernovets and its football club are linked heavily together, and its very unique history plays a key role in this. The city now called Chernovets was once a crusader outpost, and the little town on the Ljubljanica was once called ‘Karnowitz.’ Prior to the Great War, the majority of the population was Teus-speaking, but following the end of the conflict most Teus speakers in the area headed east. The former FC Karnowitz had some minor success in the pre-war Siovanijan leagues, winning the Dialikov Cup tournament twice. Following the war, however, the club fell upon hard times and it folded by 1920.

The little town was practically an afterthought in the early years of the United Republics - one of a number of towns one might pass on the highway from Borograd to Stelburg. In 1947, however, this all changed. The government of the day embarked on an ambitious plan to massively increase the country’s technological sector - that was the public reasoning, of course. Behind the scenes, the military was working on developing nuclear weapons and other secret projects they didn’t want anyone getting too close to. ‘Karnowitz’ as it had been no longer existed, and the new Chernovets was born - home of a technological university, research facilities by the dozen, and in certain grey buildings that suspiciously had fencing and armed guards all over the place, military weapons development areas.

The population boomed by the mid-1950s as scientists and their families from across Siovanija & Teusland were moved into the community, as well as soldiers assigned to its defence. In 1956, a football club was founded to provide some entertainment for the residents - Chernovets remains to this day one of the most famously-boring cities in the country. This club, known in its first season as Atomska, later became known as Energija Chernovets. The team struggled to gain a following - most of the residents were not originally from the region, and the city’s demographic wasn’t the best for football fanatics. In 1958, Chernovets was declared a closed city - you needed an official government permit to get in. Away fans were no longer allowed, and Chernovets’ stadium was widely considered a library. The club’s first Siovanijan title came in 1975, somewhat out of nowhere, and they followed it up with another triumph in 1977, after local rivals Raketa Bukovets won the title in ‘76. The fierce local rivalry between these clubs started in that era, although at the time, Raketa were certainly the bigger club in terms of fanbase and success.

In the 1980s, however, the closed city label was removed - and Chernovets gained a new role as the nation’s tech hub, with the end of the century technological boom seeing a great number of new companies founded - bringing new residents to the city. These fans, this time, readily adopted Energija as their club, and suddenly the stadium was full every weekend. The tech boom meant Chernovets rapidly became the 2nd biggest city in Siovanija, behind only Borograd, and embraced its unique past. On the pitch, too, Energija became known for competing with the big Borograd clubs, and oftentimes coming ahead. Throughout the 1990s, Chernovets were extremely competitive, winning 3 titles during the decade and reaching 2 President’s Cup finals - both lost, in ‘94 to Olympia Borograd and in ‘97 to Teussen. Success at the national level had not been achieved.

Insert Apostol Manevski and Miroslav Dinev. Manevski, the former winger for the club in the early 90s turned manager, and Dinev, the young academy protege - it was a match made in heaven, and the timing couldn’t have been better: Chernovets won the first-ever season of Republikaliga competition. Manevski brought an exciting brand of football to the pitch that made Chernovets the darling of neutrals everywhere, and Dinev kept knocking in the goals. The club remained in the top levels of the Republikaliga throughout its entire existence: by season 10, the club were champions again, and the 3rd title followed in season 12. By this time, players like Taras Maksimov, Enigma Armageddon and Emiliano Gallegas were key members of the squad - and they brought home the AOCL trophy twice in these years as well.

And then came isolation. Good-bye to their foreign heroes, and back to the drawing board for Chernovets, who were caught off guard by it. They slipped up in the final few years of the Republikaliga, and by the time Apostol Manevski retired, there was some concern the club’s glory days had passed them by. Dominating performances in the Regionalliga, however, and the rebuilding of a strong squad under Technical Director Miro Dinev, mean Chernovets are back on track again and have a future to look forward to.

Chernovets’ fans, the passionate bunch who have lifted their club to so many a win, will tell you there is a ‘curse’ on the club when it comes to the President’s Cup. It’s the one trophy in Siovanija & Teusland football the club has never won - and they have lost 7 times in the final. The only thing the fans hate more than that cursed Cup, possibly, is Olympia Borograd. The capital club call themselves the ‘pride of Siovanija,’ and Chernovets have gotten creative about reminding them how little success Olympia have had in recent years compared to Energija. It’s the typical ‘core vs periphery’ divide, and although there is something of a local rivalry with FK Raketa Bukovets, renewed in recent years thanks to the regional league system, any true Chernovets fan would rather die than support Olympia. The Raketa rivalry was a big deal in the 1970s, with both clubs competing for the Siovanijan title, but Chernovets’ increased status since then plus Raketa’s own city derby with Arsenal Bukovets have calmed tensions.

A golden past, a unique history, and a bright future: Energija Chernovets want to become the pride of Siovanija for themselves.

Squad

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Kamil Krziz (33), LB - Radovan Liposcek (26), CB - Brian Kilcullen (KSK, 29), CB - Boris Vykukal (26), RB - Dejan Mesko (19) ; CM - Isak Ilcic (25), CM - Igor Lovrec (21), LW - Aengus Gosling (KSK, 22), CAM - Dusan Lypotal (26), RW - Jarozlav Jezek (32), CF - Veselin Oresnik (20)

Bench: GK - Bogodon Jelenko (21), DF - Emilijan Skubic (26), DF - Stanislav Golja (33), MF - Andrej Pesek (27), MF - Marcel Skrlj (30), MF - Silvestr Pavlicek (19), CF - Vladimir Vladimiric (25)

Total Squad Value (from STLTransferMarket): T45.5m (+4.65m) (highest player: Dusan Lypotal T5m)
Average Age: 25.36
New Faces: Kilcullen (transfer, T2m), Gosling (transfer, T1.8m), Vladimiric (transfer, T1m)

Preview

Academy

Energija’s academy, once an afterthought,
has become an excellent developer of talent within Siovanija.
It was once difficult to attract talent here, given the city’s status
as a closed city, but that has since changed and with the boom
came a great amount of new residents. As the biggest club in
eastern Siovanija, Chernovets also has a large recruitment area.
Miro Dinev, the club’s biggest legend, was one of the first examples
of a great, home-grown player, and Vsevolod Hristov, Jarozlav Jezek
and Kazimir Karatanov, among others, have since followed in his
footsteps. The club seems to have a knack for producing talented
forwards, with Bogdan Kubica, a national team forward now plying
his trade for Zvezda, spending some years here before moving to
his current club. At this time, the top prospects are considered to
be defender Leo Horak, midfielder Oto Dohnal and
forward Karel Burian

Energija Chernovets have pulled the trigger on a number of significant moves that should set the club up well for the future.

Energija-Arena

Capacity: 35,000
Away End: 3,500
Status: Aging - no plans for new build

The Energija-Arena was built in the context of
the boom-time in Chernovets, and for a long time was
one of the most modern stadia in the country - the club
went all-in on the city’s image of innovation to create something
special. The club had long since outgrown the previous stadium,
and the new home has seen most of the glorious moments in
the club’s history. The stadium itself is located downtown, in
between all of those important buildings, and has its own station
linked to the stadium on the Chernovets U-bahn. Getting off the
train and into your seat takes only about 10 minutes - but if one
chooses to walk from the downtown, one can pass the headquarters
of some of the most important companies in the tech industry in
the country. No, it’s not quite a walk through the park - but it’s
Chernovets, and that’s what matters for the fans. The stadium, once
the most modern, is aging rapidly as other big clubs get new builds.
There are no plans set just yet, but the board is known to prefer
renovating over a new build. The club’s fans associate the current
location with some of the most important moments in their history.
Away fans have complained their end is too cramped, and has poor sightlines.

This summer, it was finally time for Energija Chernovets to enter the ‘painful rebuild’ that technical director Miro Dinev had been calling for for some time now. And indeed, it is definitely going to be a painful year for the club: legendary defender Taras Maksimov has retired, Kazimir Karatanov and Marcel Mrazek have both departed the club, and there are plenty of new faces around the Canaries. Dejan Mesko is given the trust to enter the starting lineup, while there’s been some interesting changes to the squad via the transfer market. Two Kelssekians have been brought in: Brian Kilcullen, a former Champions’ League winner, is the direct replacement for Maksimov, while Aengus Gossling comes in as a young prospect with plenty of potential. Vladimir Vladimiric was brought in on a bargain deal at the end of the transfer window, and should serve as a good backup for Veselin Oresnik.

Looking for an x-factor, the first option is certainly the club’s most valuable player at the moment, Dusan Lypotal. Lypotal is now one of the club’s veteran playmakers, and has come up big for the club many times in recent years. However, injuries have probably held him back from becoming a true dominant #10, like Viktor Dimitrov once was for the club. The new name on everyone’s lips this season is Dejan Mesko. Capable of playing both CB and RB, it’s not entirely clear where Mesko will end up - look for him to likely spend plenty of minutes next to Brian Kilcullen at the back. Mesko has been one Chernovets supporters have been hyping up for ages as their next great defender, and with him getting his first real opportunity in the starting XI this season, it will be one of the big stories to follow for the club.

The first injection of youth players into the squad last year actually worked out quite well for Chernovets. The midfield duo of Ilcic and Lovrec showed great potential at times, and in particular Veselin Oresnik put in plenty of strong performances when called upon in the Regionalliga and Meisterschaft. The next phase of the plan is now here, and it’s going to be interesting to see how it all fits together. Most in Chernovets expect this to be a year where the team is going to take some time to gel together, to really hit the ground running in the Superklasse next season. From the squad a few years ago that was deemed too old, the only remaining members are goalkeeper Kamil Krziz and winger Jaro Jezek - who will both play a part in leading this team into the new era, Krziz as the captain.

Perhaps a reflection of the changing eras at the club, their campaign in the Regionalliga Alpisko was the closest-run yet. The first two matchdays spelled potential problems for the club: a loss to Arsenal Bukovets on the first day, followed by a defeat to rivals FK Raketa Bukovets, were definitely not what fans had hoped for. The big reaction came at home against Admiral Severno: a 7-0 final score, a Veselin Oresnik hat-trick, and an easing of the nerves around the Energija-Arena. Energija looked to be on their way from that point, but then came a setback: a 4-3 loss on the road to Vrnovo Mesto.

For the first time in the Regionalliga era, it looked like Vrnovo potentially had a squad that could challenge Chernovets’ dominance over the league. Chernovets threw away points at poor moments, and actually sat 4 points behind the island club by the time they matched up for the third time this season. A wild fixture would end in a 5-3 Chernovets victory, giving them confidence to take into the final run of the season. The title was very much up for grabs on the second-last day of the season, as Chernovets hosted Vrnovo - but it was the Canaries who were simply superior on the day. Aengus Gosling scored twice, while Oresnik and Vladimiric each had one, and Energija won by a 4-0 score to take the regional title and enter the Meisterschaft again.

Heading into the Meisterschaft, Chernovets have plenty of areas to work on. Their attack was characteristically dominant in the Regionalliga, as they scored 88 goals - second in the country. Veselin Oresnik, Aengus Gosling, Jaro Jezek - you name them, they scored the goals. The question, as always, is if they can keep it up against the much more disciplined backlines of the Meisterschaft. It’s clear Chernovets are still sorting out their tactics, and there could be some difficult moments against some of the bigger clubs. Overall, however, there is a hope that this season will see some positive development heading into the Superklasse.

With a fresh-looking squad, and lots of hope for the future, Energija Chernovets will be hoping to lay some solid groundwork in the final season of the Meisterschaft.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat Aug 17, 2024 2:42 pm

Home kit

Away kit
FC FELSENKIRCHEN 1879

Basic Information

Colours: Blue and white
Stadium: Molin Park (45,000)
Kit sponsor: Felsenkirchen Nordstern (national, maritime shipping)
Manager: Leonard Wagner
Captain: Jesper Porsche
Last Season: 2nd
Prediction: 2nd
Nicknames: Das Blauen (the Blues), Die Koggen (the Cogs)
Rivals: FC Rotmunde 1932 (Northeastern derby), FC Teussen Stelburg (competitive), 1884 Felsenkirchen (Felsenkirchen derby)
Legends: Leonard Wagner, Ciriko Useternix, Johannes Mandl, Lothas Ludwig, Florian Krukenberg

Background

Club Honours

Historic Era
15x Teus champions
6x President’s Cup winners

Republikaliga Era
2x Republikaliga winners (S8, 11)
1x President’s Cup winners (S19)

Modern Era
2x Meisterschaft winners (Cycle 18, 19)
2x President’s Cup winners (Cycle 19, 20)

International
None

A city and club with a proud, storied past, FC Felsenkirchen 1879 have become one of the finest clubs in the country.

Fan Profile

Members: 129,400
Average Ticket Price: T44
Political affiliation: Anti-isolation, pro-unions
Supporter Groups: Fourth Generation Felsenkirchen, Nordtribune
Away Support: Always sold out
Calimero Complex: A bit, mainly in the Teussen rivalry, but not too bad
Arrogance: High, especially regionally: they call themselves ‘Pride of the North’
Style: No ultras, incredibly loud + reactive, tifos and fireworks
Cult Hero: Currently Florian Krukenberg, all-time Lothas Ludwig

The city first developed as its own independent duchy, one of the last to be united - forcefully - with the rest of Teusland. As the Teus Empire grew and expanded across the world, Felsenkirchen became one of its most important cities: an incredibly important harbour for explorers, shipping, and global trade. Felsenkirchen’s golden period especially came in the 1800s, as the city challenged the wealth of even Stelburg.

In this climate, the original FC Felsenkirchen was formed to compete in the imperial league of the time. This club would not be long lived - in 1879, a dispute between members over what day the club should play on led to a schism and the founding of FC Felsenkirchen 1879. The new club was almost instantly a success, winning the imperial league within its first 2 seasons. The boys in navy blue became a true force in the early years of the post-war league as well, winning 7 of the first 30 Teus championships, behind only, of course, FC Teussen Stelburg. 3 President's Cup titles in 4 years (1918, 1920, 1921) cemented Felsenkirchen as a national powerhouse.

In these early post-war years, a new character for the city was developing, which would later be adopted by its club. Without imperial gold on every building, Felsenkirchen adopted a grittier character. No longer the city of merchants and traders, now the city of dockworkers and sailors. It makes the modern city one of contrasts: in some neighbourhoods, including around the club’s stadium, one can see the beautiful old homes of the traders who lived in this city. And downtown, around the port, one has the infamous red-light district with its bars and other entertainment spots where many a Felsenkirchen night out has ended at 6am. The city is one of the most cultured in the country, with something for everyone, but with 2 key values: fierce independence, from the time of the Duchy, and hard work.

For Felsenkirchen, football was a hugely important way to express these values. Every victory over clubs from Stelburg was widely celebrated, and when the Cogs came out of a long middling period to become one of the best teams in Teusland in the 1970s, there was a great hope that the mighty men in Blue could go on to dominate the country. Three times the Teus championship was won in that decade - in battles against their finest rivals, nonetheless. The early 70s saw Felsenkirchen and Rotmunde as perhaps the two best teams in the entire country, and Felsenkirchen took the Teus title in 1971, defeating Rotmunde to do so. In the late 70s, it was the Cogs against FC Teussen Stelburg for Teus supremacy. In Teus competition, Felsenkirchen took titles in 1977 and 79, beating Teussen in the final twice - but could not achieve the same success on a national level, losing to Teussen in the 1977 President's Cup final.

After the 1979 triumph, there were a few dark years in Felsenkirchen. The club watched as neighbours FC Rotmunde 1932 became regionally dominant in the 1980s, and won a much-coveted President's Cup in 1984. In 1994, Rotmunde won their 10th straight Regionalliga Nord title and became Teus champions as well - many newspapers predicted that 'the Cogs' era as the boss in the north is over.' A young, fresh squad led by midfielder Mathias Wurst, however, had other ideas. 1995 stands as one of the most magical years in the club's history - an underdog run through the President's Cup saw them defeat FK Metropola Borograd, 1912 Stelburg and TSV Marzig en route to winning their 6th national title, and the first for 51 years. The next year, 1996, Felsenkirchen finally knocked Rotmunde off their regional perch, and went on to win the Teus championship, their final prior to the Republikaliga era.

In the Republikaliga era itself, Felsenkirchen found themselves at first a mid-table club, often with the derby match against Rotmunde as the biggest point of the season. Smart financial decisions timed well with the influx of foreign money into the league, and investment from a local consortium of businessman, changed all of that. Strong investment in their youth facilities, and an ambitious recruitment policy saw incredible foreign talents such as Falcon Case, Ciriko Useternix and Lothas Ludwig join home-grown stars like Florian Krukenberg on the way to 2 league titles, a Champions’ League Quarterfinal, and a place among the world’s best. While those foreign stars went away during isolation, the success never did: Felsenkirchen have without a doubt been the most successful club of the post-isolation period, and managed some silverware during it, too. Arne Repnik, Valtteri Tirel and Jesper Porsche are the 'new generation' of Galacticos, and the dominant double win in Cycle 19's season proved Felsenkirchen are now a permanent powerhouse in Teus football.

Felsenkirchen vs Rotmunde. The two northeastern coastal cities have always had a rivalry, dating back as far as the 1200s when Felsenkirchen was its own Duchy and the peasants in Rotmunde revolted against their rule. As Felsenkirchen rose to glory, Rotmunde remained a provincial centre. Those of Felsenkirchen see Rotmunde as a city with a massive calimero-complex, and as their provincial cousins who speak with a strange accent and wouldn’t be able to handle being a global city like Felsenkirchen. Those of Rotmunde see Felsenkirchen as the rich kid who was handed his status, in this case by the Teus Empire, without ever having to work for it. This rivalry is full of insults and banter back and forth. They've each had successful periods - Rotmunde particularly in the early 1970s and 1980s, with Felsenkirchen coming to dominate the rivalry in the late 90s and into the Republikaliga era.

Felsenkirchen’s other rivalry is with FC Teussen Stelburg, dating all the way back to 1238 when an army of the Duchy resisted the King from Stelburg in the famous Battle of Monchengau. Felsenkirchen’s archers saved the day and to this day the battle is commemorated as a symbol of the city’s spirit: never laying down for anyone. It's a very obvious rivalry: the hard-working, fiercely independent port city against the aristocratic, arrogant cultural centre. In almost every golden age of Felsenkirchen football, they have had to battle with Teussen for supremacy, making victory even sweeter. In the modern day, the clubs fought fierce battles over the Republikaliga title, with several matches ending with more cards than a Euchre deck. There was symbolism here too, of course: Teussen the club with only Teus-born players, Felsenkirchen the cosmopolitan ‘Galaktiko-club.’

The post-isolation period marks a new beginning again for the club - now firmly the pride of the north, as they’ve always claimed, and ready to challenge the old foe. They’re doing it the Felsenkirchen way once again - an excellent squad of academy graduates mixed with big-money signings.

It’s time now for the Cogs to prove their status as a world club with, always, a Felsenkirchen heart.

Squad

Starting XI (3-4-2-1): GK - Per Holz (32), CB - Arnold Apel (22), CB - Paul Steinhausl (32), CB - Valtteri Tirel (SRS, 26); LWB - Otto Metzger (27), CM - Jesper Porsche (30), CM - Arne Repnik (MYT, 24), RWB - Helmut Kadelberg (32); CAM - Jochen Koegel (25), CAM - Dieter Rosberg (29); CF - Isak Harju (PIS, 28)

Bench: GK - Emanuel Backhaus (25), DF - Hermann Mohr (19), DF - Liam Hoferle (18), MF - Klaus Senger (19), MF - Niels Weigel (26), MF - Florian Krukenberg (33), CF - Janni Hohenstein (19)

Total Squad Value (from @STLTransferMarkt): T63.05 million (+3.5m) (highest player: Jesper Porsche, T10 million)
Average Age: 27.9
New Faces: Hoferle (academy), Senger (academy), Hohenstein (academy)

Preview

Academy

Felsenkirchen’s academy, colloquially known as
Der Park after the Molin Park stadium, is up there with the
best in the nation. The club has invested heavily in this facility, and
the Felsenkirchen academy has been a pioneer in many regards - even
the FC Teussen Stelburg academy has taken some pointers from them.
Felsenkirchen’s scouting network extends across Teusland, with a base
particularly in the north, and they are best known for picking up hidden
gems through their unique scouting methods: Jesper Porsche, rejected by
almost every other club, has become a star, while bringing Lothas Ludwig over
from Valanora was utter genius. In fact, the U19’s stadium has now come to
be named for him: the Lothas-Ludwig-Stadion. A ‘golden generation’ of sorts
won the IFCF Rising Stars Cup in Cycle 3, and many of those players are key
parts of the senior squad to this day. Felsenkirchen seem to have a particular
knack for developing midfielders with excellent technical skill: the undersized
Porsche has become a maestro on the ball, while Dieter Rosberg has a bag full of
tricks. Skilled defenders have also come in spades: Paul Steinhausl, Helmut Kadelberg
and Otto Metzger. Der Park ensures Felsenkirchen are set up for future success.
Currently, the highly-rated stars of the future are defender Fabian Hundertwasser,
midfielder Rafael Klammer and forward Bastian Bachrich.

A red-hot offensive output in the Regionalliga from a new-look Felsenkirchen side - can the Cogs make it 3 titles in 4 years?

Molin Park

Capacity: 45,000
Away End: 4,500
Status: Recently redeveloped

Molin Park, the large urban park in east Felsenkirchen, was
where the Cogs were originally born - and they’ve never since left.
The Park is now home to the club’s stadium, youth facilities, as well
as the club headquarters. The original Molin Park was very much on its
last legs when the club built the second edition, redeveloped a few years
prior to isolation after the club’s great success. For Felsenkirchen fans, this
is a temple - the blue seats, the uncovered south stand that is home to the
club’s most fanatical supporters, rain or shine, and the steep sides that
make you feel as if you’re sitting on top of the players. This is a truly
picturesque stadium, surrounded by one of Felsenkirchen’s oldest neighbourhoods
and the beautiful park. You can arrive by U-bahn at the Molinstrasse station, but
most Cogs supporters prefer to walk through the neighbourhood, stopping in at
the pubs and shops, on their way to the match. Always full and always loud, this
is one of the best stadiums in the country. Away fans, quite universally, agree -
Molin Park is one everyone wants to tick off their list.

Although Felsenkirchen made no moves in the transfer market this offseason, they are still going to look wildly different from how they did last year. This is due to a shift in tactics from Leonard Wagner. The legendary Felsenkirchen manager is in what are likely the final few years of his career, and he is bringing an old trick out of the bag. In Siovanija & Teusland, teams typically line up in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3. A formation with 3 at the back is rarely seen. Utilizing the excellent defensive talent at his disposal, however, Wagner is going to have his team set up in a 3-4-2-1. Arnold Apel moves full-time into the starting XI - a move long overdue, given he actually cracked the starting lineup of the national team first - and sits alongside Steinhausl and Tirel, the fierce duo at the back who have been such a huge part of Felsenkirchen’s success. Metzger and Kadelburg push up more to become wing backs, and up front, Rosberg and Koegel will have an interesting dynamic between them. The formation is generally thought to be more attacking, based on Felsenkirchen’s matches so far, and it will be very interesting to see how it works out for them.

The x-factor for the Cogs remains Jesper Porsche, even after his 30th birthday. He’s got the first name on the team sheet locked down for both his club and country, and has built quite a strong reputation for himself in this Felsenkirchen team. Excellent at getting the ball forward, and willing to have a shot from time to time - just look at his goalscoring record for the national team - he is a danger in all areas of the pitch. Porsche and midfield partner Arne Repnik complement each very well, with Repnik’s playmaking ability making them very much a double threat. In the new attack-minded tactic, Porsche is going to be the engine room of the team, with a responsibility to receive the ball from the back 3 and get it forward quickly in transition. Given the success he’s had in his career so far, there’s every reason to believe he will be excellent in this, too.

Up front, Dieter Rosberg and Jochen Koegel are splitting the ‘CAM’ duties, but it’s not quite the same role. Rosberg has always been an excellent playmaker, and will continue to operate in that pure #10 role. Koegel, meanwhile, has spent most of his career at left wing - his new role is something quite difficult to describe. Perhaps the closest role would be the takilante, common in Farfadillis, but it’s not quite a fit as Koegel will play higher up the pitch. Koegel, with his excellent endurance and willingness to press, will basically operate as a free agent in the upper midfield, pressing hard, making runs, and creating space for the wing backs to get involved.

It’s a big transition for Felsenkirchen this year in terms of personnel, too - Florian Krukenberg moves to the bench after nearly 13 seasons of starting full time for the club. With the new tactic, he simply doesn’t have the legs to play in Jochen Koegel’s role - although look for him to make appearances when Felsenkirchen needs to switch to a 4-2-3-1 at points, which manager Wagner insists they will. Academy prospects are also fighting to earn a first team spot - 4 players on the bench are under the age of 20. It gives Felsenkirchen a lot of youthful energy, but at the same time, plenty of the depth that was so important to their double-winning campaign has now left the club.

Felsenkirchen took a few matches to adapt to their new tactic - including a few surprising early season draws with Turbine Immengries and VfB Marlesee - but eventually, once they got it working, they showed that they are the same old Felsenkirchen machine. A 7-3 win over Rot-Blau Altona and an incredible 9-1 derby victory over 1884 Felsenkirchen were some of the highlights of when things worked out perfectly. Porsche and Koegel in particular looked quite good in their roles, although the backline took a bit more time to adjust to having 3 in their line.

There were still some concerns, however, as Felsenkirchen dropped important clashes midseason with eternal foes Rotmunde (3-1) and surprise regional title challengers Marlesee 97 (4-2). This was certainly the most the Cogs have been pushed in years in their own backyard, with Marlesee looking excellent against many of the minor teams in the division even if they didn’t quite have Felsenkirchen’s overall talent. Rotmunde, meanwhile, just seemed to have the Cogs’ number this season - beating them twice for the first time in many years, and with a wild 5-5 match meaning Felsenkirchen needed to go to Marlesee and win their game against 97 to get back on top. The Cogs, under pressure, would do just that - a 4-0 win, Harju (x2) and Koegel (x2) with goals, and the regional title was once again in hand.

The IFCF campaign was also a big focus for Felsenkirchen this season, with the club hoping to reach the Challengers’ Cup group stage for the second straight season. The first round matchup with Team IM of Damukuni was a very close one, with the Cogs winning on the road 2-1 before just holding onto a 1-1 draw at home to advance. Against debutants Schollevaar, from Transpolder, there was an explosion of goals: 4-0 wins at home and away meant an 8-0 aggregate victory. It was in these two games - albeit against quite inferior competition - that Felsenkirchen really looked most comfortable in their new tactic. Bay City United were the new club to fall, with Felsenkirchen again starting out with a big away win (3-1) before holding on at home. Arne Repnik’s late goal on the home leg put it out of site for the visiting club from the Kytler Peninsula, and Felsenkirchen were just one more victory away from the group stage. Alas, it was not to be: 102d Jr.s of Zwangzug were the better team in the second leg, and their goal in extra time to win the tie was certainly deserved, although Felsenkirchen fought hard to get one back. A fun worldwide adventure, then, with plenty of victories for their traveling fans - but in the end, no further IFCF football for the Cogs this season.

Last year saw the Cogs finish second and win the President’s Cup - how can we expect this season to go? They are of course going to be in the conversation to be champions, and many will have them pegged as the favourites. We see them coming in second again. They had great success in the Regionalliga, scoring a ridiculous 100 goals in the competition, but were not as typically dominant against clubs like Rotmunde and Marlesese as they usually are. In addition, the squad is a lot younger now and have many players who need a bit more experience. The expectation and hope, of course, will be to take home the title - and you can never count out the Blues - but for this season, we see 2nd place as the most likely spot for them, with one club surpassing them in our ranking.

The most successful club, certainly, of the post-isolation era so far, FC Felsenkirchen 1879 are out to claim one more Meisterschaft title before entering the Superklasse.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat Aug 17, 2024 7:16 pm

FC KAISERHAVEN

Home kit

Away kit

Basic Information

Colours: Blue and yellow
Stadium: Stadion Kaiserhaven (40,000)
Kit sponsor: Grosse Sudliche (insurance, regional)
Manager: Andreas Koller
Captain: Olaf Konz
Last Season: 11th
Prediction: 12th
Nicknames: Die Matrosen (the Sailors), FCK
Rivals: TSV Georg-Blocher (Kaiserhaven derby) 1828 Pomen (Derby of the South)
Legends: Paulus Leistner, Wolfgang Rieder

Background

Club Honours

Historic Era
2x Teus champions

Republikaliga Era
None

Modern Era
None

International
None

A fanbase known for their undying loyalty to the club, despite being so eternally unlucky, FC Kaiserhaven have returned to the top tier of football in this country. .

Fan Profile

Members: 55,700
Average Ticket Price: T28
Political affiliation: None
Supporter Groups: Ktown Fanatics, Curva Sud, Sektor H
Away Support: Always full
Calimero Complex: Off the charts, especially towards other Teus clubs of similar size
Arrogance: Some, regionally, but outweighed by the complex above
Style: Ultras, tifos, pyro
Cult Hero: Currently Wolf Wind, all-time Daragh Flotilla-Estrada
Current Status: Pleased to return to the Meisterschaft despite selling key players

When one reads a Teus history textbook, they’ll note historic cities like Stelburg, Felsenkirchen and St. Jakob from the earliest pages - cities founded when the Teus people were still pagans, that rose out of the early civilization. Kaiserhaven is not one of those cities - it only appears on the pages after the year 1253. The Southern territories of Teusland became part of the Empire swiftly following the unification in 1253, but they were mostly a wide collection of frontier towns and vast wilderness. No settlement existed on the southernmost tip of Teusland, and so in 1255, Kaiser Wilhelm gave the order to build ‘a town which will serve as the southern port of our Empire.’

Kaiserhaven, literally meaning ‘emperor’s harbour,’ was born. Unlike many of the classic cities of the Empire, it was built in a full grid pattern, centred around the lighthouse which was the first building built in the new city. Migrants from across the south, and later across Teusland, moved to the city, which rapidly grew up to become the 3rd biggest port in the country. The culture in the south was a bit different from the rest of the country, and they developed a unique identity. As the Teus Empire grew and grew, so did the city’s prospects. It became an important base for the nation’s navy throughout the imperial era, and also a centre of exploration. Georg Blocher famously set sail from here when he discovered Prinz-Eugens-Land, for example. Kaiserhaven boomed with the Empire, and so did its sporting culture. Cricket was the most popular game here for many years, thanks to the maritime history, but football caught on in the late 1860s when FC Kaiserhaven were founded. Thus, they remain one of the oldest clubs in the country.

When Kaiserhaven were founded, they were actually the 2nd club in the city - the Viktoria Cricket Club had begun playing football a few years before. Regional derbies were quite heated at the time, with the battle mainly between those in Kaiserhaven who were involved with the Navy (Viktoria) and the civilian population (FCK). Both clubs were admitted as 2 of the 3 southern clubs, alongside 1828 Pomen, into the imperial league when it began in 1875. FCK won the Kaiser’s Shield, the Cup competition, in the first season - while Viktoria took the league title the next year. Kaiserhaven would win the shield again in ‘79 and ‘86, establishing themselves as one of the biggest clubs in the country.

The Great War, however, did major damage to the city. Kaiserhaven was viewed as the gateway to the colonies and the outside world, while the port of Felsenkirchen in the north was the gateway to the rest of Arrosia. While Felsenkirchen also had to transform post-war, Kaiserhaven was really devastated. In the time of economic trouble, Viktoria closed its football division, leaving FCK as the only outfit in town. 1915 would be a glory year for the club, as they first stormed to the Southern regional title with an unbeaten season, before beating FC Teussen Stelburg in the final to become Teus champions. It would be 82 years before they would taste that level of success again.

Kaiserhaven’s football club become synonymous with ‘bottling,’ or as one supporter put it, ‘snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.’ The club competed regularly with 1828 Pomen as the two biggest clubs in southern Teusland to reach the national final, and either of the 2 clubs was in that final for 36 straight years between 1920 and 1956. While Pomen never really achieved great success, and faded away after those years, Kaiserhaen became basically the sole hope for the entire south. TSV Georg-Blocher had been founded as the city’s second club in 1920, but were much less prestigious than FCK. The list of blunders, then, for Kaiserhaven is a mile long: threw away a 3-1 lead with 20 minutes left in the 1960 Teus championship final. Lost on penalties in the 1972 President’s Cup Final after leading 2-1 going into stoppage time. In the most egregious case, they won the first leg of the Teus championship semi-final 4-0 in Kaiserhaven… and then lost 5-0 in Felsenkirchen in 1984. No trophies, no success, and a reputation as serial chokers.

Then came the famous year - 1997. A new squad with new ideas of how to play football, and a great manager in Werner Horlacher, who would go on to manage FC St. Jakob. In ‘96, FCK reached the President’s Cup semi-final, losing out to FC Teussen Stelburg, and there was high hopes for ‘97. They cruised through their regional league, and won the first leg of the national semi-final 2-0 away to Felsenkirchen. This time, they held on at home, 2-2, to advance to the grand final. Even the most confident of Kaiserhaven fans were not comfortable even with the scoreline at 3-0 at the half, leading St. Jakob, but at full time it ended 5-1 and Kaiserhaven were Teus champions again, after 82 years.

Perhaps it’s not a surprise that they failed to really build on that success. Horlacher left for the big city 3 years later, and they didn’t reach the Teus national final again for the rest of the pre-Republikaliga era. In the Republikaliga era too, the club never quite lived up to expectations. They did remain one of the clubs who had never been relegated during the IFCF era, but then were immediately relegated in the first season following isolation. Isolation was devastating for the city and club. Kaiserhaven was the worst off of Teusland’s major ports, and with the football club bleeding money, there were genuine fears that FCK would disappear. Luckily, enough money was made from the ensuing fire sale of players that the club could survive, plus some help provided by the municipality, who bought a share of the club’s Stadion Kaiserhaven. The club post-isolation is in a much stronger position, and have implemented policies to become financially self-sustaining. While one could argue this lack of big spending hurt them in the first years of the Regionalliga - where locals Taifun Vorstock held a monopoly over the qualification for the first years - it’s clearly an effort to put FCK on the right path for the future.

Kaiserhaven are famed for a great fan culture. Even with their lack of historic success, their fans are some of the best in the nation, and images of the Stadion Kaiserhaven during evening matches lit up only by pyro are some of the most famous in the country. Chants of ‘who isn’t jumping is from the north’ are known to make the entire stadium literally shake on its foundations - and despite being quite isolated, relatively speaking, from the rest of Teusland, they bring a sizeable army of away fans to every match. Their fans understand the value of self-deprecation, and have several chants poking fun at their own famous ‘southern accents.’ The regional rivalry was always with Pomen, despite the cities being separated by a 2.5 hours’ drive. The cities themselves were opposites, with Pomen the largest city in the south pre-conquest. In the early decades post-war, these two clubs regularly competed for the regional title, but Pomen soon fell away and left Kaiserhaven to dominate. FCK have by far the largest fanbase in the south of the country.

TSV Georg-Blocher is the more modern rival, with the club founded in Kaiserhaven and named for the city’s most famous son, the explorer who brought such glory to the Teus Empire. Founded 60 years after FCK, Georg-Blocher are very much the junior of the two clubs in the derby, and didn’t have much success to speak of until during the Republikaliga era when they earned promotion to the top tier. The derby has heated up more during the Regionalliga recently, as the clubs competed on more level ground, and as Georg-Blocher look to have firmly established themselves, the passion can only continue to develop. Typically, Kaiserhaven have been supported by the working-class of the city, your dockworkers and sailors. Georg-Blocher, meanwhile, was more the club of the upper class, those who owned the shipbuilding facilities. Ironically, according to this dichotomy, Blocher himself, as the son of poor dockworkers, likely would've been an FCK fan.

With a brilliant fan culture, despite less-than-stellar fortunes on the pitch, FC Kaiserhaven can look forward to a sustainable future.

Squad

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Alexander Lehner (36); LB - Arne Postler (PIS, 21), CB - Emil Bogen (27), CB - Olaf Konz (34), RB - Ralf Bruck (26); CM - Stephen Gessner (31), CM - Timo Geyer (28); LW - Alex Gering (33), CAM - Werner Stauffiger (26), RW - Norbert Stetter (17), CF - Wolf Wind (22)

Bench: GK - Fridolin Kaplan (22), DF - Konrad Bochinger (25), DF - Loris Dierauer (26), MF - Gotthard Benner (27), MF - Markus Lehner (23), MF - Konstantin Burger (20), CF - Erik Zippe (27)

Total Squad Value (from @STLTransferMarkt): T14.85m million (+0.85m) (highest player: Wolf Wind, T3 million)
Average Age: 26.5
New Faces: Geyer (transfer, T500k), Stetter (academy), Lehner (transfer, T100k), Burger (transfer, T150k)

Preview

Academy

With access to the best players in the south
of Teusland, Kaiserhaven’s academy is one that punches above its
weight for the relative size of the club. Known as Nordbrucke
after the neighbourhood in the north of the city it is based in, many
of the best players from the south of the country have come from here.
Paulus Leistner is the biggest name, who made several appearances for
the Goldhorns in the early years post-isolation, while Wolfgang Rieder
was the club’s biggest star of the Republikaliga era. Reto Zschokke excelled
for the club, its most recent player to suit up for the national team, and later
made a transfer to FC Teussen Stelburg. Each of those players were wingers
who loved shooting the ball, one of the Kaiserhaven academy specialties.
Nordbrucke is known for being something of a feeder for many clubs in
the south, taking players in from the various local clubs and sending
many back out on loan. However, the club have struggled with recruiting
players from the north of Teusland, where most of the population is, which
has held them back. Currently, the future stars developing here include
defender Reto Schoppi, who is really highly rated internally, midfielder
Josef Cella and forward Leon Motzinger.

Stadion Kaiserhaven

Capacity: 40,000
Away End: 4000
Status: Outdated

The Stadion Kaiserhaven is an interesting piece of history
along the south coast. Originally built a few seasons before the club’s
1997 Teus triumph, it was thought the new stadium would bring new
luck to the club. That wasn’t exactly the case, but it did become one
of the most-respected stadiums in the country for its unique atmosphere.
Years later, however, it’s a bit outdated, and the club will need to do something
about it. The calculus of that has changed, however, as the City of Kaiserhaven
now owns 33% of the stadium, bought up during isolation. The cashflow basically
saved the club, but also limits the potential for a new build. The box stadium is
typical of the 90s and features 4 separated stands, each with 2 tiers. The
stadium itself is located just north of Kaiserhaven’s urban core, and is served
by the Kaiserhaven-Nord TeusBahn station. The ultras sit behind the goal on
the east side of the stadium, while away fans find themselves in the upper tier
of the west side. Away fans highly rate the atmosphere here - but groundhopping
guides usually direct you to ‘ignore the fact that the stairs that seem to be falling apart.’

It’s the price of success. A great young squad comes together, develops together, wins a Regionalliga title and reaches the Meisterschaft for the first time in years, and then… the best players get sold. The story repeats itself all over the football world, and for FC Kaiserhaven supporters this season it’s no less heartbreaking. Reto Zschokke was, for the first time since arguably Paulus Leistner, a true star player on the south coast. His departure to FC Teussen Stelburg was expected, but sad nonetheless - as is the move of Simone Teuscher to 1912 Stelburg. Two of the key players of last side’s Kaiserhaven team are gone - and yet, they’ve made it to the Meisterschaft one more time.

The money from the transfers of Zschokke and Teuscher (a total of T4.5m) is a huge deal for the club, and much of the profit will be reinvested into the club’s facilities and academy - they are a long way away from the days of worrying about going under. Some of the budget, of course, has gone into the purchase of new players. Timo Geyer is the biggest name signing for sure, joining from Felsenkirchen where he sat on the bench for the last few seasons - he will now start in midfield on the south coast. Markus Lehner and Konstantin Burger were some of the better younger players in the Regionalliga Sud in recent years, and will now get the chance to prove their strength in the blue and yellow uniform.

The x-factor for the club, however, now that Zschokke is gone, is a role that has been transferred to Wolf Wind. The big forward served quite well as a target man up top, with good service from Zschokke in particular helping him score goals. Alex Gering on the left side will have to step up - or can Kaiserhaven count on their young product from Nordbrucke, Norbert Stetter, to fill in for Zschokke’s role? Stetter is quite highly thought of around the club, and is known to be incredibly quick, but naturally will need some time to adapt to the top division.

Going into the Regionalliga this season, there was certainly concern around FCK - this season will be hugely important for the club’s future, with qualification for the Superklasse on the line and only 1.5 spots available in the Regionalliga Sud. When Kaiserhaven lost to 1. FC Vaihingen 3-0 in their first home match, and then lost to Taifun Vorstock a week later, many supporters' worst fears seemed to be coming true - the club was most certainly not in a good position.

Things recovered quite well, however - a 5-2 win at home against Vorstock put Kaiserhaven back in a good position, as did an important late equalizer to draw 1-1 away with fierce rivals TSV Georg-Blocher. In the last round of matches, all 3 coastal clubs - FCK, Vorstock and Georg-Blocher - had a shot at the league title. Kaiserhaven’s draw with Vorstock was a big setback, but a 1-0 away win in the Kaiserhaven derby finally put the Sailors over their city rivals in the table. A 6-1 win on the final day over 1828 Pomen saw the club of blue and yellow doing everything to win the regional title, but Taifun Vorstock would win their own match at home in Vaihingen to secure first place. Kaiserhaven thus needed the playoff for both the Superklasse and the Meisterschaft - in the Meisterschaft playoff, they got past Rotmunde in the first round in extra time before a shock 3-0 win over Marlesee 97. It was quite a good response to the many supporters who have claimed that the southern league is weaker than all the others - sending 2 teams to the Meisterschaft in its final season.

Kaiserhaven will likely be in the basement of the Meisterschaft this season, with not much reason to expect much more of them. They have the potential to create some special moments, of course, but just comparing their quality to the other teams in this league, those will be hard to come by. The focus will be on preparing themselves for the Superklasse playoff at the end of the year - it’s going to be an important goal for the club to qualify for the first season of that competition, and all eyes will be set on the target.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sun Aug 18, 2024 11:15 am

Home kit

Away kit
FC TEUSSEN STELBURG

Basic Information

Colours: Black and gold
Stadium: Franz-Gorz-Stadion (70,000)
Kit sponsor: TeusBank (national, finance industry)
Manager: Thorsten Kramer
Captain: Dietrich Traeger
Last Season: 3rd
Prediction: Champions
Nicknames: Der Schwarz und Gold, (‘The Black and Gold’), Der Legendare (‘The Legendary’)
Rivals: Olympia Borograd (National derby), 1912 Stelburg (Stelburg derby), FC Felsenkirchen 1879 (competitive)
Legends: Thorsten Kramer, Kasper Knauer, Karl-Heinz Jager, Lukas Tauscher, Ludwig Reichwein, Gustaf Liechtenstein

Background

Club Honours

Historic Era
50x Teus champions
33x President’s Cup winners

Republikaliga Era
7x Republikaliga winners (S2, 6, 7, 9,
15, 16, 19)
5x President’s Cup winners (S5, 6, 8, 10,
13)

Modern Era
2x Meisterschaft winners (Cycle 16, 17)
1x President’s Cup winners (Cycle 16)

International
1x IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup winners (53)

Countless trophies to their name, a legacy of glory and an air of elegance, FC Teussen Stelburg are the greatest in the land.

Fan Profile

Members: 316,726
Average Ticket Price: T67
Political affiliation: Fanbase too big to fit in one; certain groups are Teus nationalist
Supporter Groups: Sektor T, 1893 Boys, Draiside Devils
Away Support: Always sold out
Calimero Complex: None. Teussen inspire this in others.
Arrogance: Off the charts: you aren’t a real Teussen fan if you haven’t used the
club’s total # of trophies in an online argument
Style: Ultras, drums in Sektor T, tifos
Cult Hero: Currently Hans Gruber, all time Thorsten Kramer

In the year 1865, with football a sport very much on the rise within the Teus Empire, several Stelburg aristocrats got together and met the Kaiser himself to discuss the founding of a new football club. Imperial Stelburg was born, playing originally out of the Stelburg Oval cricket ground, and quickly became one of the most successful teams in the Empire. A few years later, the club moved into its own Kaiser-Wilhelm-Stadion and took the name by which they are today known: FC Teussen Stelburg. At first, the club played in white and gold kits that resemble today’s away shirt.

Teussen were the biggest club of the pre-war leagues, and had the country’s first-ever household name footballer: Franz Gorz. The club’s captain, newspaper reports of the time would have you believe Gorz single-handedly willed Teussen to victory on many occasions. Some sources list him scoring 53 goals in the 1891 campaign, in a total of 22 games. By the end of 1893, the Great War was becoming more and more desperate for both Siovanija and the Teus, and Gorz, feeling a duty for his country, gave an emotional speech after Teussen’s championship announcing he would be retiring from football and joining the Teus army. 9 months later, Gorz was killed in action at the Battle of Debelets. The loss of their captain was a shock to the club and city - black was permanently added to the club’s badge and kit in memory, and even today, the statue of Gorz is the most prominent outside the stadium that bears his name.

In the post-war years, as the city of Stelburg adapted to its new role in the new country, its premier football club continued to establish itself as the finest in the country. Teussen were unassailable in their regional competition, and despite fierce competition from other parts of the country, where the dominant force in post-war football. By 1960, the club had managed 28 Teus championships and 13 President’s Cup national titles. Where Stelburg’s pride had once been drawn from its status as the premier city of an empire that spanned numerous regions, it was now channeled through an all-conquering football club.

Through all of that success, Teussen became by far the biggest club in the national lore. Comic books and short stories made playing for the club a top dream of any Teus child. During the days when RBC Teusland could only broadcast 1 match live per weekend, 99% of the time it was a Teussen match, creating a generation of fans who lived for watching their boys in black and gold. Any sporting goods store in the nation carried that year’s home kit for sale. Stelburg, the home to much of Teusland’s cultural industry, was enamored with their club, and famous movie stars and musicians often made appearances at games. A movie about the life of Franz Gorz made the club even more of a pop culture behemoth. And, frankly, on top of all this, they were winners, and winners with a certain style - Teussen built an ethos on playing beautiful football. These contributing factors have all helped the club become by far the biggest in the country, with over double the members of any other Teus club.

So, what exactly is the ‘Teussen way’? Club manager Horst Eckeler, who won 5 Teus titles and 4 President’s Cup during his tenure as manager in the late 1970s and early 80s, once said of Teussen: “We have a duty to win, and a responsibility to entertain.” Under Eckeler, the club was the first in the country to introduce a new style of play, based on fluid, attacking football in a 4-3-3 formation, You could turn up to the stadium knowing you were in for a show. The club’s famous academy, Hochzoll, played a key role in this as well: the academy’s strict coaching regimen developed technically excellent players who could dazzle with skill on the ball, and implanted the Teussen system from the earliest possible moment. Think of the modern stereotypes of Teus players: centre backs who are strong on the ball, technically-strong midfielders, wingers who beat their man with a bag of tricks and love to cut in for a shot. Teussen and Hochzoll were the origin of every single one. Furthermore, the club introduced a policy of only signing players with Teus heritage. “Winning, our way” became the watchword, and by the end of the first Regionalliga era the club had managed a total of 50 Teus championships and 33 President’s Cups.

The Teussen way, beloved by fans, is an oft-cited example by rival fans of ‘the Teussen arrogance.’ Almost every other club in Teusland has a bitter relationship with Teussen, a natural consequence of the club having fans in every little village of the country and being the best. Rotmunde fans, for example, will tell you it was their 1973-74 squad that brought the 4-3-3 to Teus football, while there would famously be chants of ‘nothing at all in Stelburg’ whenever the club were eliminated from national title contention. 1912 Stelburg is a major rival, the Stelburg derby being an important one for the fans of both clubs, and Teussen do love to put one over on the rival they view as an annoying little brother. Felsenkirchen have been bigger rivals lately, with plenty of clashes in recent years as it seems the club from the north are a rising star in terms of prestige. But for most Teussen fans, the main rival will always be Olympia Borograd, their National derby opponents. If Teussen are the national team for Teusland, Olympia are their equals in Siovanija, and in the pre-Republikaliga era the clubs regularly wound up facing each other in hugely-important President’s Cup matches. In the Republikaliga era, many thought these two would be destined to do titanic battle over the league title: instead, however, Olympia Borograd have struggled, with only 1 title in the period. In derbies, too, Teussen have had Olympia’s number: the infamous 5-0 victory in Borograd, the 4-3 win in the President’s Cup final, and 25 total wins in 42 derby matches in the 19 seasons of the Republikaliga. Olympia, by comparison, had only 10. It’s always an occasion when these clubs face off, particularly in the isolation era as tensions grew between the two nations they represented, and while there is a mutual respect, there is also great joy in getting one over on the rivals.

Heading into the Republikaliga era, many felt that the end of Teussen’s dominance over national football would soon arrive. Surely the national signing policy wouldn’t hold up in an era where foreign players were welcomed to the league, and new global exposure meant other clubs could rise to compete with them. That’s… not quite how it went. Kasper Knauer, the club’s new manager, helped bring a Thorsten Kramer-led team to title glory in season 2, and while Teussen struggled at first to replace Kramer when he left for 1830 Cathair, they would soon become a dominant force. With players like Karl-Heinz Jager and Lukas Tauscher in the lineup, Teussen won 3 titles in 4 years, including being the first club in the Republikaliga era to do the league and Cup double. Reaching an IFCF Challengers’ Cup Final, and winning the IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup, gave the club international glory as well. The return of legendary midfielder Thorsten Kramer after his time in Audioslavia saw the great help lead his team to 3 more titles, including the final season of the Republikaliga, Kramer’s last season. Der Kaiser, as the Teussen fans call him, won the Golden Ball twice in those years. With legendary manager Kasper Knauer calling time on his career, Der Kaiser has returned to the club once again - this time as its new manager, with a new opportunity to continue his legacy.

As much as the isolation was hated in Teusland, it was beneficial for their biggest club: the Teus-only signing policy meant that the team’s position only strengthened compared to their rivals. With the international transfer market now opened once again, however, Teussen will need to consider how to move forward and how to adapt their traditions to the modern era once again. It will certainly be interesting to watch how the club moves forward from here.

Teussen have unveiled a new club badge in advance of the Superklasse era, one the club claims ‘honours the past while also looking ahead to the future.’ Of course, it’s not straying too far from the classic - the black outside circle in honour of Franz Gorz remains, with the wording ‘FC Teussen Stelburg’ changing in font only. It’s inside the badge where there is the most change - the diamond pattern of gold/white has been replaced with stripes. The eagle from the city of Stelburg’s coat of arms has also been added to the badge - the 12 feathers in its plume represent the original 12 districts of the city. The eagle is, in this case, carrying a coat of arms with the flag of Teusland, representing the deep link between the nation and FC Teussen Stelburg. The club’s supporters have praised the badge, which, like the vast majority of modern badges in this country, was designed with the help of a consultancy firm from Txakhaxi.

FC Teussen Stelburg are the club that come to mind instantly when one thinks of football in this country, and are a sure bet to continue their heroic legacy in the new era.

Squad

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Sepp Kranz (23), LB - Leon Wimmer (20), CB - Sebastian Rosler (23), CB - Erwin Sanner (22), RB - Rolf Reichenbach (22); CM - Dietrich Traeger (31), CM - Hans Gruber (22), CM - Lutz Wolf (19); LW - Josef Weber (20), RW - Reto Zschokke (23), CF - Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta (AUD/STL, 34)

Bench: GK - Tobias Bruckner (33), DF - Benedikt Tannenberg (19), DF - Ralf Kaubach (22), MF - Henrik Martin (33), MF - Gustaf Liechtenstein (32), MF - Luca Goedde (28), CF - Falko Meier (19)

Total Squad Value (from @STLTransferMarkt): T61.75 million (+11.5m) (highest player: Hans Gruber, T10 million)
Average Age: 23.5
New Faces: Zschokke (transfer, T3m), Bruckner (transfer, T750k), Tannenberg (academy), Meier (academy)

Preview

Academy

Befitting the grand history
of the club, FC Teussen Stelburg’s academy is
generally considered the finest in the country.
Known as Hochzoll, after the west Stelburg
neighbourhood the club’s training facilities are hosted
in, the number of incredible players who have come
through its ranks is countless. Mario Kogler, Lukas Tauscher,
Karl-Heinz Jager, Ewald Heuser. Most famous of all, of
course, is Thorsten Kramer, the country’s greatest player
of all time and a true Teussen legend. Hochzoll is famous for
developing great players - but also being a true test of
one’s abilities, on and off the pitch. Its famously grueling
curriculum prepares players for the pressure of playing for
the biggest club in the land, but also offers them the freedom
to develop their own unique skills. Opportunities for
training with the first team are common, too, and as part
of the club’s identity is about developing youth, there are
always opportunities to break through. The top players from
across the nation always seem to find their way here. While the
academy is strong particularly in developing technically
skilled players, Kramer and others like Heinrich Bahr and Dietrich
Traeger proving this, there have been incredible players of all
positions coming out of Hochzoll. Many graduates have
earned the honour of representing their country internationally,
but even for those who never get to wear the black and gold
at the senior level, there are opportunities: Hochzoll has been
responsible for the development of countless lower-league and
mid-table stars. Currently, the ones to watch include defender
Emil von Tessin and forward Vito Reichmann.
Then, there is arguably the most talked-about prospect in the
country right now: midfielder Santutxo Kramer.
If Santutxo can live up to the immense pressure placed upon him,
he could be a generational talent.

Last year was a squad between eras, this season is a squad firmly committed to youthfulness.

Franz-Gorz-Stadion

Capacity: 70,000
Away End: 7,000
Status: New build

Teussen have come a long way from their days of
playing at a cricket ground in Stelburg - the Franz-Gorz-Stadion is a
behemoth that totally suits the club. The black and gold seats, the
gold gates at the entrance, and murals and statues of legendary
Teussen players - this stadium is a temple of the club. The new stadium
was built to be on par with the Nationalstadion as the largest in the country,
and its famous steep north stand is arguably the most atmospheric in the
country. It’s truly breathtaking to experience for the first time. Stelburg
Hauptbahnhof is only a 3 minute walk from the stadium, which is located
just on the edge of Stelburg’s imperial downtown core next to the River Drai.
U and S-bahn trains also stop here at an underground stop named for the
stadium. It’s a popular tourist attraction in the city, particularly the club’s
museum, where after passing through several rooms full of club artifacts and
a multimedia experience telling the club story, one enters the Hall of Trophies:
modeled off of the royal armoury in the Sanssouci Palace, it contains every
trophy the club has ever won. The area around the stadium is pleasant too,
with great spots to sit and drink before and after the game along the river.
Teussen fans, of course, will tell you this is the best stadium in the country -
and away fans agree, typically filling up the large away end and telling great
stories of their day out.

Thorsten Kramer’s first season in charge of FC Teussen Stelburg, in the end, went far better than anyone could’ve expected. Taking charge of a team that was solidly behind the top tier clubs in the nation, Kramer embarked on an ambitious move to integrate plenty of youth talent into the first team last season - and it so nearly paid off for them, as Teussen were only denied the title on the very final day of the season due to a draw with FC Felsenkirchen 1879. Kramer spoke of ‘learning a lot’ in his first season as manager, but also noted that his squad would come back stronger the next season.

The integration of youth talent paid off last season - and it’s gone from an integration to a revolution this year. Teussen are a club used to rotating in the top talents coming out of Hochzoll, and selling off their best players to major foreign clubs - this summer, they made big profits out of national teamers Koloman Bodeker and Elias Schwefel, both of whom headed across the Westsee to Valanora. Reto Zschokke, the talented winger who starred for Kaiserhaven last season, was the first purchase - Marlesee 97 goalkeeper Tobias Bruckner later joined as well to serve in a backup role - but otherwise, this is very much a Hochzoll-driven revolution. Sepp Kranz, Leon Wimmer, Lutz Wolff and Josef Weber are all in the starting XI now, and Teussen will line up with one of the youngest starting XI in the league - Reto Zschokke, by virtue of being born in January, is the third-oldest player in the starting group. He’s 23.

Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta was everything Teussen fans expected him to be last season, knocking in plenty of goals and winning the league’s Golden Boot. There’s always going to be the question of if he can keep it going one more year, especially now that he’s over a decade older than most of his teammates. He should have some great service on the wings, however, from Zschokke and Weber. It’s always sad to see club legends age out, and that’s what happened to Bastian Boltzmann (sold abroad) and Gustaf Liechtenstein (off to the bench) this season, but the energy and creativity brought by their young replacements is going to be very valuable for the black and gold.

The x-factor for Teussen is certainly Hans Gruber. It’s quite interesting to watch as his story unfolds - typically, the best midfielder at Teussen receives an incredible amount of hype from supporters and national media. In this case, Gruber actually seems to be underrated. Perhaps it’s the fact that he has yet to win anything with the club, but in conversations about ‘best midfielder in the division’ Jesper Porsche, Arne Repnik and Egon von Stein usually get mentioned before he does. Gruber, however, is statistically just as good as any of them and is a key part of Thorsten Kramer’s tactical system - a run for the league title again this season should earn him the praise he deserves. Speaking of the midfield - look out for Santutxo Kramer, who made a small series of appearances in the Regionalliga campaign last season. This season, he remains with the U19s, but will be expected to earn a few more minutes for the senior side too.

A preseason trip to Prinz-Eugens-Land, even with many of the club’s younger players missing due to their participation at the Di Bradini Cup, was immensely positive with 3 victories and very strong performances. Zschokke and Hielscher-Zendagorta seemed to link up quite well already on the trip. That fed into a solid start to the campaign in IFCF football, too. Faced with a very tough draw against KT Itzalovalle of Audioslavia, Teussen won 1-0 at home before a 1-0 loss on the road saw this one go to penalties. Audioslav national team forward Hielscher-Zendagorta slotted away the winning penalty, however, and Teussen moved on. Next up was Langmere Green Rovers - this time, a 2-0 win at home was followed up by hanging on for a 2-1 loss away to advance to the third round. Teussen hit their stride here - a 6-3 win over Raven Thoni of Taxhavn in the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, before getting the job done with a 2-2 draw in the away leg to advance, 8-5 on aggregate.

In the Regionalliga campaign, meanwhile, Teussen enjoyed a near-perfect run to start the season. With a 4-1 win over 1912 Stelburg in the Stelburg derby, and a 1-0 win over SW Stahlberg, the two strongest clubs in the division (besides Teussen of course) were put away. The only blemish in the first 8 matches was a 3-3 draw with the Krutenau Kickers. With the championship clearly wrapped up - an 11 point gap after 20 matches - Teussen eased up a bit in the closing stages of the season, dropping games away to Stahlberg and also a surprise loss to Teufelsberg 97. But in the end, it was a 13 point gap from Teussen in 1st to 1912 Stelburg in second. 71 goals were scored, with Reto Zschokke being perhaps the break-out star of the campaign with 15 of his own. The defending looked solid throughout the campaign as well, with Erwin Sanner in particular a real hero of the campaign.

What will make Teussen happier than just winning the regional league, however, is the dominance they showed over their city rivals. The reigning national champions, 1912 Stelburg seemed helpless against their neighbours all season. It started with a 4-1 in at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, which many Bluebirds supporters put up to their own IFCF campaign. However, the 3-1 loss at the Oststelburgstadion, and another 2-1 loss in Teussen’s home, make things quite clear - Teussen have certainly put a gap between themselves and their neighbours, which will give them great confidence going into the Meisterschaft.

Teussen are our predicted champions - with the quality they have shown, and the incredible dominance in the Regionalliga, as well as the motivation to avenge last season, it seems that all signs are pointing towards a first league title for Thorsten Kramer as the boss of the club. Of course, nobody is just going to allow that to happen - what are some factors that could derail Teussen this year? The biggest question mark is definitely a lack of experience. With such a young squad, there will be plenty of pressure on them to take home the title, and that can be difficult to manage. Now, many of these players were involved in the title race last year, or went to the DBC final in the offseason, but against a club like Felsenkirchen in a straight fight, a team with so much championship pedigree, it’s always going to be difficult. Those Teussen-Felsenkirchen matches will be hugely important to deciding where the title ends up. Still, the level of skill in this squad should be enough for them to be favourites to win it all.

With a successful season under his belt, Thorsten Kramer looks to lead FC Teussen Stelburg back to the national title.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sun Oct 13, 2024 8:30 am

Home kit

Away kit
FK METROPOLA BOROGRAD

Basic Information

Colours: Purple and white
Stadium: Stadion Razdrto ‘Vijolicni’
Kit sponsor: Ljubljanski vode (national, alcohol)
Manager: Alan Dzekov
Captain: Blahoslav Zak
Last Season: 5th
Prediction: 5th
Nicknames: Vijolicni (the Violets)
Rivals: Olympia Borograd (Borograd derby), SK Republika Borograd (local)
Legends: Viktor Venev, Alan Dzekov, Stanimir Ilev, Andrey Bunev

Background

Club Honours

Historic Era
21x Siovanijan champions
7x President’s Cup winners

Republikaliga Era
3x Republikaliga winners (S13, 14, 17)
1x President’s Cup winners (S17)

Modern Era
1x President’s Cup winners (Cycle 17)

International
None

FK Metropola Borograd are a club on the rise, who have managed to become the strongest club from the national capital in recent years.

Fan Profile

Members: 109,345
Average Ticket Price: T42
Political affiliation: Somewhat leftist, anti-isolation, anti-establishment
Supporter Groups: Violet Fanatics, Curva Jug, Metro Youth
Away Support: Always sold out
Calimero Complex: Once deep-seeded towards Olympia Borograd, has disappeared as the club achieved more success
Arrogance: Growing, specifically towards Olympia Borograd
Style: Ultras, smoke and flares, fireworks
Cult Hero: Currently Damir Prekmurje, all-time Valko Tinchev
Current Status: Excited about the club’s future and position compared to their rivals

In the years between the Siovanijan Revolution in 1808, and the outbreak of the Great War in 1898, the city of Borograd was the centre of a mini-enlightenment. New ideas, a freedom of thought and expression not found fully in the Teus Empire next door, and a growing metropolitan attitude. Borograd had for hundreds of years been second place to Vlaikograd under the Siovanijan Empire, and then for 400 years second to Stelburg in the Teus Empire. After the revolution, the city was the centre of Siovanija and began developing a new culture.

While in the cafes of Borograd politics were often debated, as the century progressed, so was the game of football. The Olympia Athletic Club, a multi-sport organization, and SK Republika Borograd were the clubs in the city at the time, but many felt they didn’t represent the city. Olympia presented themselves as the Siovanijan athletic club, while Republika was a club more for the elites. The working class of downtown Borograd were left out - and so, in 1886, FK Metropola Borograd were founded. Taking the colours of the city itself, and playing all matches downtown, the club got off to a quick start - and then the war started.

Siovanija suffered terribly during the Great War, and the working class of Borograd was no different. Many founding members of the club met their fate in the trenches, and by 1895 when peace was agreed, those who did get out were coming back to a devastated city. Borograd was the capital of the new United Republics - but while construction crews built new government offices, a few hundred metres to the east was some of the worst poverty in the country.

The people of Borograd stuck together, and the club was there for them, too. Matchday tickets served as a fund for the local youth, the club grew in membership, and was active in the community. Meanwhile, as all of this was going on, things were changing at the other city clubs as well: Olympia Borograd moved to the suburbs, something the Metropola fans have never let them forget, and Republika went basically bankrupt. That left Metropola as the club in the city itself, something their fans have always prided themselves on. When they won the first Regionalliga Siovanija title, in 1899, it was a joyful moment for every resident of the city.

While Metropola became the most successful club in the actual city limits of Borograd, the competition in Siovanija was a bit tougher than that. Olympia Borograd still were a dominant force, and the local rivalry between the two was incredibly fierce. In Vlaikograd, Crvena Zvezda were also a strong power, and it was difficult for the Violets to break through. There was a great run in the 1920s of 4 Siovanijan titles in 5 years, and another run in the mid-1950s when the club were the most dominant in the country: 4 Siovanijan and 2 national titles in a 6-year run. With Crvena Zvezda’s decline, however, the neighbours established themselves as the premier club in Siovanija, and Olympia Borograd went on to dominate the competition thereafter. Metropola won back to back titles in 1972 and 1973, and then had to wait 40 years for two more titles. There were other rising powers in Siovanijan football at the time, including Energija Chernovets and TSV Marzig, and Metropola was struggling to keep up.

When the Republikaliga era began, then, the two eternal rivals from the national capital were in very different positions. Olympia were predicted to go on to become a force, competing yearly for national championships. Many at Metropola instead worried for the club’s future, now needing to compete with clubs like FC Teussen Stelburg at the top. Indeed, the first few years of the Republikaliga were not particularly joyful for the Violets. Not much success in the table, watching excellent players move to foreign shores, and Olympia won the league in its 3rd season. The only bright spot was that Metropola could, at least, have Olympia’s number in the Borograd derby: the Violets in fact went undefeated in the first 5 derbies in the Republikaliga era.

Then came Alan Dzekov. The former Goldhorns manager was appointed Metropola boss and immediately set about turning the club around. Excellent talent from the youth academy, including Andrey Bunev, meshed well with foreign talents coming in such as Lukas Stonemoore, Andreas Sargent and Vincent Hicks to create an excellent squad. As Olympia’s star was falling, Metropola was rising, and they proved this with a league title in season 13. Metropola would go back-to-back the next year, and with the emergence of Blahoslav Zak as a goalscoring force went for a league and Cup double in season 17. In just 5 years, Metropola had managed to achieve far more in the Republikaliga than Olympia ever had - for the first time in many, many years, Metropola are now firmly the best club from the national capital.

The isolation hit Metropola more than most clubs, as they lost one of the best groups of foreign stars in the league. However, the investments put into the club’s youth system meant a preparedness to respond to the challenge - and the domestic double was achieved entirely with Siovanijan players. The systems Dzekov, who remains the club’s manager, put into place have made the club a powerhouse year in and year out, and with the re-opening of the international market, have the opportunity to truly cement themselves as the biggest club in Siovanija.

The main rivals, of course, are the neighbours who wear green, Olympia Borograd. The difference in fanbases is clear: Olympia’s fans are arrogant and see themselves as the team of Siovanija; Metropola’s fans were humble and are very much full of civic pride for their city. The Borograd derby is one of the fiercest in the country, perhaps only behind that in Pomorie/Marzig. It’s often a battle that splits apart families, friend groups and offices. Historically, the downtown core of Borograd was solidly violet, and the outer ring solidly green - but in recent years, of course, this has changed and you can find either colour in the other’s ‘territory.’ One of the biggest parts of the feud is Metropola’s claim that Olympia are not a real Borograd club. Olympia was founded as a multi-sport athletic union for all Siovanijans; Metropola was founded by real Borograders. Olympia moved away from the city and are no longer technically based in its borders; Metropola stayed with the city in its worst moments and carry its name and colours with pride. ‘Metropola is the club from Borograd’ is a common chant at derby matches, which are known for their intensity and atmospheric actions from both club’s fans. Famously, one-time Olympia man turned Metropola hero Valko Tinchev picked up and waved a purple flare at the Olympia fans after scoring a derby winner.

On the other hand, the SK Republika Borograd rivalry has never really fully heated up, although Republika fans do tend to have a distaste for both of the other clubs in the city. One interaction which has gotten plenty of attention in recent years, however, is a fan friendship between Metropola and 1912 Stelburg supporters. It makes a lot of sense: the clubs are from very similar roots, and both have a major rival in the same city who they find arrogant beyond belief. The Violet Fanatics and Ultras 1912 have often been pictured together, both clubs’ fans can from time to time be spotted in each other’s away ends to support the other, and before a Cup clash a few seasons ago a friendship tifo was displayed.

Having changed their story and asserted themselves as the best club in their city, FK Metropola Borograd look to continue their rise at home and internationally.

Squad

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Julijan Koprvic (35); LB - Sobislav Volf (29), CB - Gorka Araquistáin (TKT, 23), CB - Frantisek Polak (33), RB - Jiri Fiser (30); CM - Kazimir Mares (25), CM - Damir Prekmurje (24), LW - Veljko Vadimic (21), CAM - Rostislav Jagr (29), RW - Marjan Trstenjek (23), CF - Blahoslav Zak (30)

Bench: GK - Surány Kôvári (PAS, 17), DF - Drakon Zaikov (20), DF - Pavel Hanak (19), MF - Bonifaz Silkov (19), MF - Edvard Svejgar (20), MF - Vincent Hicks (TMB, 36), CF - Dusan Smires (19)

Total Squad Value (from @STLTransferMarkt): T58.5 million (+10.8m) (highest player: Veljko Vadimic, T10 million)
Average Age: 27.5
New Faces: Trstenjek (free transfer), Hicks (free transfer), Kovari (academy), Hanak (academy), Silkov (academy)

Preview

Academy

For a club like Metropola Borograd,
the development of youth players has always been crucial
to the club’s success. Based in the biggest city in Siovanija,
they have always been able to attract a great deal of local
talent to their ranks. The list of names coming out of Vratnik,
the neighbourhood in which Metropola’s training facilities remain,
is one lined with great talents such as Andrey Bunev, Blahoslav Zak,
Stanimir Ilev and Anton Dimitrov. Legendary goalkeeper Viktor Venev,
and his successor at the club Julijan Koprvic both came from the
Metropola academy. From these names, you can see exactly
what Metropola’s youth system excels at: excellent forwards.
Ilev and Dimitrov both ended up finding success abroad, while
Blahoslav Zak has been one of the best forwards in the country in
recent years. Whether it’s due to having to face down these kinds
of forwards daily, or excellent coaching (we think a bit of both), the
club have also developed some wonderful goalkeepers. Particularly
under Alan Dzekov’s watch the club have been known for a willingness
to promote youth players to the first team, and it’s helped make
Vratnik one of the best academies in the country. Currently, top talents
include defender Kvetoslav Oblak, midfielder Sergey Goranov
and young Delte forward Nyle Astericks.

Stadion Razdrto ‘Vijolicni’

Capacity: 61,000
Away End: 6000
Status: New build

A return to their roots, the Stadion Razdrto
is one of the newest stadiums in the country and is built
at a time the club is enjoying one of their greatest eras
of success. The district of Razdrto is just to the east of
the government district, and has long been a centre of
Borograd culture. The club’s previous stadium, the Metropola
Arena, was just on the outskirts of the district, where the
Vijolicni (Violet) is at its heart. Surrounded by plenty of
restaurants and pubs, it is the perfect place to walk around
and absorb the culture before a big match. The new build is
an architectural wonder, and is coloured purple just like the club.
At night, with the lights turned on, the purple glow can be seen
across the city. The Metropola fans were very excited about the
new build, with the old Arena not getting any younger, and they
have been very happy with how it has met expectations so far.
The stadium is built to encourage atmosphere, and the new section
behind the south goal, the favourite for the ultras, is a steep, free-standing
tier with plenty of standing room. The Borograd rivalry is represented
even here - the Razdrto is built to a capacity of 61,000, exactly 1000
more than at Olympia’s Olimpski-Stadion. Opened in the year of the
league and cup double, it’s place with plenty of special memories already
for Metropola fans. Away fans have complained a bit about being shoved
into the upper west corner of the stadium, with not the best view - but
few will complain about the facilities and atmosphere on offer here.

There’s been some major change to the look of this FK Metropola Borograd side, and the club had some very strong business in the summer transfer period. It’s not every year that a club can spend 0 dollars on their squad and yet still increase the value of it by T10 million, and yet that’s exactly what Metropola have done. The promotion of several highly-rated young academy players has played a role here - with their values for now based on potential - but also two major transfers for the club. Heading out the door were the retiring legend Andrey Bunev, who calls it a day after 18 seasons at the club. A symbol for Metropola supporters of the club’s most successful period, you have to imagine he will be back in an executive role at the club very soon. Young defender Simeon Bratkovic was also out the door, heading to Columbia City in Tumbra for a T1 million fee.

It was, however, the incomings that have everybody talking. One hero of the olden days was out the door, but another was brought in - legendary Tumbran midfielder Vincent Hicks returns to Borograd. As a much younger man, Hicks was part of the Metropola squad that captured two Republikaliga titles in a row prior to isolation. Forced to leave during isolation, much to the chagrin of the club’s fans, Hicks went on to become a legendary player for his country. 211 caps for the Black Eagles is the highest in his country’s history. He spent a few seasons with Couno Rangers most recently in his homeland, but with Hicks now aged 36, he’s moving back to Metropola Borograd to finish up his career. Let’s be clear, however - this is no sentimentality signing. Hicks can still play the game at a high level, with his skills of creativity and reading the game being ones you do not lose with age. He’ll come off the bench to start, but don’t be surprised to see him getting a full 90 minutes in some matches as well.

And then, there was the signing that had the city of Borograd going crazy. Marjan Trstenjek became the first player to cross the green-purple divide since Valko Tinchev, signing a five-year contract with Metropola Borograd. The story has been told in tabloids a million times by now - Trstenjek wanted to sign with his boyhood club Olympia, but due to their financial situation they simply could not offer him enough. The dynamic winger, who has been Olympia’s brightest spot in recent years and looked solid in the Goldhorns shirt at World Cup 97 Qualifying, thus moves to FK Metropola Borograd. It signals again the power shift between the clubs, but let’s focus on the on-field situation here: this signing is a massive boost for Metropola’s attack. Veljko Vadimic and Marjan Trstenjek are the two best Siovanijan wingers at the moment, and now they are joined together in one team. There will be plenty of pressure on Trstenjek to perform immediately, however, particularly in the Borograd derby.

Veljko Vadimic remains the squad’s x-factor, and its biggest star. His performances for the Goldhorns on all levels - the Di Bradini Cup, World Cup Qualifying, the World Cup Finals - have been incredible, and he is probably the best Siovanijan player at the moment. He’s got an argument for being the best player from this country, too. With an incredible season for Metropola last year, he will be expected to continue to step up and advance - after all, he’s just 21 years old. This is a player who is going to dominate as long as he is at this club. A dynamic winger who can shoot and pass, defenders truly fear having to mark him due to his powerful speed and bag of tricks that makes him completely unpredictable.

While the attack should be one of the best in the division, it’s at the back where there are some questions about Metropola’s status as a title contender. Metropola are the only major club in the country who did not have a single defender selected for Siovanija & Teusland’s World Cup Qualifying longlist squad, and many of the key players are getting older. The duo of Frantisek Polak and Gorka Araquistáin needed some time to gel last season, although once they did things looked quite strong. Furthermore, the young legion on the bench - Drakon Zaikov and Paval Hanak - are names to watch, and ones that Metropola fans are quite excited for for the future. Damir Prekmurje, the aggressive defensive midfielder who really had a great performance next to Jesper Porsche with the national team, should also play a key role in the defending this season.

While it wasn’t exactly a dream campaign, FK Metropola Borograd ended up winning the Regionalliga Borograd with relative ease. They were 5 points clear of second place finishers SK Republika Borograd, and 11 points clear of eternal rivals Olympia. There was no question about the force of nature that was Metropola’s attack: 74 goals in 28 matches, and the pair of Vadimic and Trstenjek had 47 of those between them. Once they understood each other’s tendencies, there was no stopping the duo. Blahoslav Zak also had a solid campaign, coming up big for the club when needed. The Borograd derby saw Metropola go undefeated in the league. The opening fixture, at the Olimpski-Stadion, was one everyone was looking forward to, and its off-field displays of pyro and fireworks almost matched the excitement of the game itself. Vadimic had a brace as Metropola got the away win over their rivals. Two draws followed, before Metropola took the final match of the Regionalliga campaign between the two with a 2-1 win at home.

We’re perhaps a bit too cautious about FK Metropola Borograd in our predictions - we have them finishing 5th again, despite the major acquisitions they’ve made. For this particular year, however, it is hard to see them above many of the clubs ahead of them - particularly as their defence still needs improvement. 5th is probably reasonable, but nobody should be surprised if they end up finishing higher in the end.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sun Oct 13, 2024 11:17 am

FK POMORIE

Home kit

Away kit

Basic Information

Colours: Red, black, green
Stadium: Narodnistadion Pomorie (35,000)
Kit sponsor: Pomorie AvtoFabrika (auto manufacturer, national)
Manager: Bernard Lukes
Captain: Bogdan Vacek
Last Season: 12th
Prediction: 11th
Nicknames: Gardisti (the Guards)
Rivals: TSV Marzig (Pomorie-Marzig derby)
Legends: Bozhidar Dimitrov

Background

Club Honours

Historic Era
4x Siovanijan champions
4x President’s Cup winners

Republikaliga Era
None

Modern Era
None

International
None

One of the most interesting and historic clubs in the country, FK Pomorie are back to compete in the highest level.

Fan Profile

Members: 63,900
Average Ticket Price: T24
Political affiliation: Siovanijan nationalist, some groups left-wing isolationist
Supporter Groups: Green Star Boys, Sektor 47
Away Support: Always full
Calimero Complex: Yes, towards TSV Marzig
Arrogance: Some, but mostly for off the pitch reasons
Style: Ultras, tifos, pyro, hooligans
Cult Hero: Currently Marian Hovlak, all-time Alan Tarakov
Current Status: Happy to have qualified for the Superklasse

As the Siovanijan Empire grew and grew, its domain began to reach the natural borders it shared with the Teus people - the Mittelgebirge mountains, and the River Drai. Where the Drai crossed the mountains and headed towards the sea, the land known in Siovanijan as the ‘Korjava,’ the two cultural groups both made settlements of their own. Castles and old villages line the river’s banks, and at its mouth, two opposing towns grew up. Marzig in the east, and on the west side, the Siovanijan city of Pomorie.

During the period when the Siovanijan Empire controlled all of Siovanija & Teusland, the town grew more and more important. This control would not be long-standing, and when the Teus gained their independence in the early 1200s, Pomorie became a frontier town and an important port for Siovanija. Its star was certainly higher than its neighbour across the river - and then, in 1417, came the Teus conquest of Siovanija. Now, the roles were reversed, and for the next 400 years the towns were actually governed as one, under the title of the Free City of Marzig within the Teus Empire.

National consciousness was rising in Siovanija throughout the 1700s, in places like Borograd and Vlaikograd. Revolutionary and nationalist ideals spread across Siovanija, which was becoming more and more of a problem for the Teus Empire to deal with. In 1808, when the protests began in Borograd, they soon spread to Pomorie as well. While in Borograd and Vlaikograd, the protestors quarreled between whether the Green faction or the Red faction (the Greens more nationalist, the Reds more socialist), in Pomorie, there was no debate - Siovanijan independence needed to be achieved above everything else. The Eight Days of Pomorie in 1809 saw an armed group of revolutionaries seize the town’s main square, and there was growing violence between the Teus in Marzig and the Siovanijans in Pomorie during this time. In 1810, the Teus Empire accepted Siovanija’s independence, and the new border line ran right down the River Drai, with Pomorie in the new Siovanijan Republic.

Under the Republic, Pomorie continued to develop and became an important symbol of the Siovanijan nation, a city who had resisted and been rewarded for it. Sport was in vogue across Siovanija at the time, with politicians seeing it as a way to prepare the youth for the inevitable future war with Teusland, and the first sports club founded in the city was actually the Olimpski Sportclub Pomorie, taking its name from the club founded in Borograd. Soon, however, a group of young people at the club decided that they liked football the best, and wanted to focus exclusively on it - FK Pomorie was then born. Prior to the Great War, the club achieved no remarkable results in the Siovanijan league system, a 3rd place result in 1884 being their highlight.

Throughout the last decades of the 1800s, tensions were rising between Siovanija and Teusland. In Siovanija, it was felt that a great war could build their prestige, and guarantee their independence. Gaining territory, too, was a possibility. In Teusland, the Siovanijans were viewed as too radical, and many in the Empire wanted to claim land west of the river and mountains so as to build a buffer between the two. Many crises passed in this era, before in 1888, it was simply one too many. A group of Siovanijan soldiers fired on patrolling Teus soldiers, killing two of them. Both sides engaged in a fight for nearly an hour before both retreated. While the Siovanijan government did formally apologize, the Teus felt it was time to end the conflict once and for all and declared war.

The early course of the war saw strong advances across the front by the Teus, before things got bogged down into the terrible trench warfare that would last the next 8 years. In the Korjava, however, without the mountains, armies were more mobile. The Teus swept across the River Drai in their first major offensive of the war, capturing many villages and towns - but significantly, not Pomorie. The city was defended by the 2nd Pomorie Guards regiment, made up of mostly local boys with little training. Totally under siege, facing naval and aerial bombardment, the defenders of the city held out for 96 days. The Guards had refused to surrender and were instead almost entirely annihilated when the Teus military finally entered the city. The 3-month hold in Pomorie shaped the entire course of the war - it gave the Siovanijans proper time to prepare their defenses along the route to Borograd, which otherwise would have been left wide open if Pomorie had quickly fallen. The Guards became a heroic symbol of the city - and were adopted by the club, too, who took it on as a nickname and also feature the unit’s famous caps on their badge.

FK Pomorie grew in prominence after the war, as the cities of Pomorie and Marzig struggled to adapt to the new era. While most of the rest of the country was able to simply move on, the economic benefit of unification outweighing anything else, in this region the benefits were slow to come and hundreds of years of scars held their effect. Neighbourhoods painted their curbs green or gold to signify which language was spoken there, criminal activity was rampant and soon turned into competing ethnic gangs, and the city as a whole was rundown. The only joy people had was football - and in particular, with FK Pomorie competing with neighbours TSV Marzig in the local regional league, getting one over on the enemies. Pomorie rapidly became one of Siovanija’s biggest clubs, although in terms of success trailed behind their neighbours.

Two eras defined the club’s history. The first was in the 1940s, when the club was led by star forward Stanislav Vojnik. Vojnik broke goalscoring record after record for the club, and in 1940 led them to their first-ever Siovanijan championship. This era would be defined by the contest between the two clubs in the Korjava - Pomorie and Marzig split the regional titles 6-4 in this decade, and each club won the Siovanijan championship twice. Pomorie also had an impact nationally, too - the club reached 3 President’s Cup finals during this era, winning in 1942 and 49. Vojnik scored twice in both finals. Following this period, however, Pomorie simply could not put together a competitive team for many years, and Marzig began to dominate the regional league.

One President’s Cup win in 1985, seemingly out of nowhere, was all the Pomorie fans could cling to as they watched Marzig win several Siovanijan and national titles - and then came the magical year 2008. Regionally, Marzig had won the last 14 regional titles in a row, and nationally, Olympia Borograd had won 7 of the last 8 Siovanijan titles. Betting T100 on a Pomorie title would’ve netted you around T900. Somehow, someway, with a never-say-die attitude the Guards managed to steal the regional league title on the final day, to joyous celebrations - then defeated Olympia Borograd and Energija Chernovets to claim their first Siovanijan title in nearly 50 years.

In the Republikaliga era, the club struggled to adapt to the new environment, and although they were a founding member of the league played more years outside of the top level than inside it. Furthermore, the darkest moment in the club’s history, the President’s Cup Final loss to Marzig, occurred during this era. The derby is a particular pain point for Pomorie in recent years, with the club having won only 3 of the 18 derbies in the Republikaliga era. With Marzig dominating the regional league and even achieving IFCF qualification in recent years, there is a feeling that the Guards have been left behind.

The club is defined by its fierce rivalry with Marzig, with derby day here one of the most intense in the country. Pages upon pages have been written upon this friction, and it is a clash that everyone pays attention to, with tickets selling out within minutes upon release. But Pomorie is more than just the rivalry. For years, along with Marzig, their fans had been stereotyped as violent brutes. While there is always a certain percentage of the ultras that will fall into this category, some groups, particularly the Green Star Boys, have tried to change this reputation in recent years. They have organized community events and have often taken to supporting Pomorie’s various youth teams where possible.

Many of the fans are certainly Siovanijan nationalists, in the same way as TSV Marzig tends to attract a Teus nationalist crowd. With Pomorie’s specific links to the Great War and the Revolution, you can see this represented even in the club’s badge. This makes them neutral’s favourites across Siovanija, with Zvezda Vlaikograd supporters in particular having a good relationship with their Pomorie colleagues.

There are glory days in Pomorie’s past, and despite struggles in recent years, their is always a feeling of hope around the club.

Squad

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Pravoslav Kozak (31), LB - Silvestr Dolezal (29), CB - Bogdan Vacek (28), CB - Niko Spacek (25), RB - Filip Kovar (21); CM - Jaromir Bednar (29), CM - August Zmestyl (23), LW - Ladislav Nistor (29), CAM - Dalibor Vykopal (24), RW - Drazen Peterka (27), CF - Marian Hovlak (34)

Bench: GK - Petr Dostal (25), DF - Stefan Smid (27), DF - Vratislav Hanus (29), MF - Gustav Misalko (23), MF - Borivoj Strnad (20), MF - Vilem Polak (26), CF - Bezdimir Kraljgrad (20)

Total Squad Value (from @STLTransferMarkt): T22.5 million (+5.5m) (highest player: Silvestr Dolezal, T2 million)
Average Age: 27.2
New Faces: Nistor (transfer, T750k)

Preview

Academy

FK Pomorie’s academy is one that is
highly underrated in Siovanija & Teusland. Perhaps it’s because
of the endless comparisons between the club and TSV Marzig,
who have one of the finest academies in the country just a few
kilometres away. It’s fair to admit that Pomorie aren’t quite on
that level, but they are certainly a strong developer of players.
One only needs to look at club heros Alan Tarakov and Bozhidar
Dimitrov, both academy products who ended up becoming first
team stars, to know that. While many academies in this country
are cited for their specialization of a specific position or style of
player, Pomorie have always produced broad talent, fitting the
needs of a club that has never had much financial resources to its
name. This allows them to send players into the first team and, if
necessary, sell them on for profit. Currently, 8 of 11 first team players
came through the club’s academy, including national team player
Silvestr Dolezal. Looking ahead, some of the brightest talents of
the future look to be defender Alois Urbanek, midfielder
Tsvetko Novak and forward Vaclav Bure.

Narodnistadion Pomorie

Capacity: 35,000
Away End: 3500
Status: Recent build

When Pomorie announced a new stadium build,
fans were at first outraged. How could the club replace the
Pomorie-Arena? It was an old stadium with real character, where
you picked up the scent of beer the second you passed the turnstile
and really felt on top of the action during the game. The Narodnistadion,
while modern and much more suitable for one of the biggest clubs in
Siovanija, hasn’t quite recaptured that feeling for Pomorie fans just yet.
On top of that, after the move, the club moved many of the ultras sections’
season tickets around the stadium, a move directed at fighting hooliganism
within the club’s fanbase. So while the Narodnistadion is certainly more
family-friendly now, the most hardcore of Pomorie fans are not impressed.
However, you cannot deny that the new build has raised the city’s prominence -
the Goldhorns played a World Cup Qualifier here, something that would never
have happened at the old stadium, and as the second biggest stadium in the
region, it has hosted a great number of concerts and events, making more money
for the club. The stadium is located just west of downtown, with its own dedicated
tram stop, and surrounded by residential buildings. Away fans disliked being moved
from the bottom left corner in the old stadium to the upper deck, but praise the
new facilities.

FK Pomorie supporters have had great reason for optimism in recent years, with the club getting back on track after a few years in the wilderness during the Regionalliga era. That optimism was proved correct as the club reached the Meisterschaft for the first time last season, and despite a last-place finish, it has come good again as Pomorie have once again secured Meisterschaft qualification and also a direct ticket to the Superklasse. For Pomorie supporters, this is one of the club’s best periods in recent years, and there’s real hope that this Meisterschaft campaign will be yet another building block for them.

There were very minor changes to the squad over the summer, with just one coming in and one going out. The outgoing is certainly a disappointing one - young Valdemar Buran was one of the top talents of Pomorie’s academy, but instead of signing a contract with the senior squad has instead signed with Olympia Borograd. Pomorie supporters had high hopes for the young midfielder, and expected him to be a rotation option off the bench this season. Even with their current struggles, however, the lure of Olympia proved too great and Buran can expect a frosty reception at his first match back in Pomorie. Coming in the other direction on the M4 highway was Ladislav Nistor. The FK Metropola Borograd winger found himself suddenly displaced with the arrival of Marjan Trstenjek, and Pomorie acted quickly to grab him. Nistor is a very strong attacking player who will be expected to have an immediate key impact for the club.

Pomorie’s struggles last season were mainly down to a defence that was just clearly not up to the Meisterschaft level. It came as something of a shock, really - the side conceded just 21 games in their Regionalliga campaign, and then gave away 52 in the Meisterschaft. Silvestr Dolezal didn’t quite look like the player that had played for the Goldhorns, captain Bogdan Vacek didn’t look up to it, and right back Vratislav Hanus was regularly causing issues for his side. As the season went on, however, things started to look up. There was a clean sheet in Chernovets, a 1-0 loss to high-scoring Felsenkirchen, and 1-0 win on the final day over SW Stahlberg that seemed to offer a bit of hope. This season, with young Filip Kovar stepping into the first team to replace Hanus, there is a feeling that this time around, Pomorie will be ready for the challenge in the top tier.

The bright spot of last season’s Meisterschaft campaign was most certainly Marian Hovlak, the forward who came home after a good few years in Valanora having an impact right away for his new club. Hovlak continued to score in the Meisterschaft even when the team was having struggles, and was voted the club’s best player of the season by the fans last year. Of course, Hovlak is 34 years old - there is always going to be a risk that ‘this’ is the year that Father Time ends up winning the age-old battle. There were no signs of a man slowing down last year, however, and Hovlak’s physical attributes and seemingly uncanny sense of urgency that has earned so many points for his side will remain important.

August Zmestyl is an interesting case, a player that one year ago not too many in the Narodnistadion were particularly excited about. Serviceable, sure, but as a key midfielder on a Superklasse-bound club? Zmestyl proved a lot of those doubters wrong with excellent performances in the Regionalliga, and his partnership with Jaroslav Bednar has been a good one. Zmestyl is still just 23 years old, and is showing big potential - this could be a key year in his career, and he will be hoping to have a break-out season.

The Regionalliga campaign was an interesting one for Pomorie this season. Pomorie actually ended up with the best attacking record in the division, a whopping 85 goals in the campaign, 2 better than eternal rivals Marzig. The clubs in fact conceded the same amount - 34 each. Pomorie, however, suffered a series of early-season draws that put them too far behind Marzig to ever truly recover. In the end, they were 8 points adrift - but securing spots in both the Meisterschaft and the Superklasse were the true goal for Pomorie this season. While Pomorie lost 3-1 to Marzig in the first clash of the season, there was a truly historic moment for the Guards in the derby: a 5-0 win at the Narodnistadion, a truly shocking result. Marian Hovlak had a hat-trick and it’s a moment the supporters will truly cherish. Of course, with 2 more derbies guaranteed in the Meisterschaft, there are still fireworks to come.

We have Pomorie slated to finish 11th this season, one better than last year. The club just don’t have the quality to compete with the biggest clubs in the country, but following last season’s lessons learned and an improved team this season, they should be able to do better in the battle of the clubs outside that top tiering.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sun Oct 13, 2024 1:51 pm

OLYMPIA BOROGRAD

Home kit

Away kit

Basic Information

Colours: Green and white
Stadium: Olimpski-Stadion
Kit sponsor: Telekom Siovanija (national, telecommunications)
Manager: Vaclav Rybar
Captain: Gustaf Machacek
Last Season: 8th
Prediction: 8th
Nicknames: Olimpski, Zelenice (the Greens), Zmaji (the Dragons)
Rivals: FK Metropola Borograd (Borograd derby), FC Teussen Stelburg (national), Zvezda Vlaikograd (historic)
Legends: Ivo Romanov, Lojze Kokalj, Krasimir Kynev

Background

Club Honours

Historic Era
47x Siovanijan champions
25x President’s Cup winners

Republikaliga Era
1x Republikaliga winners (S3)
1x President’s Cup winners (S2)

Modern Era
None

International
None

Olympia Borograd, the historic giant who took a tumble from their grace in the Republikaliga era, are hoping to write a new story as the club seek to return to international football. .

Fan Profile

Members: 198,237
Average Ticket Price: T65
Political affiliation: Too big to fall in one; some groups pro-isolation and Siovanijan nationalist
Supporter Groups: Divize 89, Green-White Loyalty, Ultras GB21
Away Support: Always sold out
Calimero Complex: A bit towards FC Teussen Stelburg, but not a great deal
Arrogance: Off the charts, however, they have been humbled in recent years
Style: Ultras, tifos
Cult Hero: Currently Rolando Cutter, all-time Ivo Romanov
Current Status: In revolt against the board, totally frustrated with the mismanagement of the club

In the years following the Siovanijan Revolution of 1808, sport and athletics were being heavily promoted by the Siovanijan republican government. “The strength of the youth of our republic,” as its first President, Lyubomir Dialikov, wrote, “will be the guarantor of its future.” As a result, various athletic clubs sprung up around Siovanija, mostly dedicated to preparing young men for the military and also regular sports. One of these clubs was the National Olympic Athletic Society, or in short just ‘Olympia.’ Founded in 1813, Olympia achieved early fame for its success in athletics and gymnastics. The amateur club remains Siovanija & Teusland’s biggest athletic union, and almost all Siovanijan Olympic athletes have been a part of it at some point.

In 1854, as football spread across Siovanijan territory, the first-ever organized game was played between members of the Olympia club and an XI from the Siovanijan army. Olympia won the match 3-1, a football division was created within the club, and the most successful club of Siovanijan history was born. In the pre-war era, led by legendary forward Ludvik Tarasov, Olympia were the most successful of any Siovanijan club, winning the 1. Division a total of 8 times before competition was suspended during the Great War.

Following the war, Borograd was the capital of the new United Republics, and the Olympia club had greatly risen in prominence. A new stadium was built on the outskirts of the city, and the club soon opened up divisions in ice hockey, water polo and basketball. Olympia had become the largest multi-sport union in the country. In the early years of the new football system, Olympia maintained their dominance - winning 10 of the first 18 Siovanijan championships. In the President’s Cup, too, Olympia found success - the team of the mid-1920s famously won 3 national titles in a row. The club found themselves competing mostly with rivals Crvena Zvezda from Vlaikograd, and occasionally also from their neighbours in Borograd, Metropola.

The 1960s, however, marked a divergence in path for the two ‘old rivals.’ Crvena Zvezda changed their name, becoming Zvezda Vlaikograd, and combined with a few other business decisions, fell out of the limelight. Meanwhile, in 1963, the football division of the Olympia Athletic Club officially became independent. NK Olympia Borograd was now its own entity, paying a small fee for use of the name, but was now able to transform into a behemoth of a club due to smart financial decisions. In 1968, 5 years after the separation, Olympia bought the land their stadium sat on and built a new 60,000 seat arena to host the club.

After some minor teething problems, Olympia in the late 1970s and 1980s truly became the club in Siovanija. 11 titles between 1978 and 1993, as well as 5 President’s Cup successes in the same period. What FC Teussen Stelburg was for the Teus nation, Olympia Borograd became for the Siovanijans. Wearing green, the national colour, and based in the national capital, it was only natural things would develop this way. Add to that a preference for fast, attacking football, Olympia captivated many generations in Siovanija and as a result have fans across the country. Entering the Republikaliga period, there was no doubt that Olympia would become a major player in the new era.

But things didn’t quite work that way, did they. There was an incredible title in season 3 - Ivo Romanov leading the club to what was at the time a record points haul in the Republikaliga. Olympia also became the first club from Siovanija & Teusland to reach the Champions’ League group stage. But the departure of many legendary players, and failure to capitalize on the early success, hurt Olympia for a long time. That league title was the last trophy Olympia has lifted. In the meantime, they have had to watch the cross-town enemies Metropola turn into a dominant force and rivals FC Teussen Stelburg become a name synonymous with football in this country for foreign audiences. Olympia were well and truly knocked off their perch.

Isolation brought them back near to the top of the league, and they managed two 2nd place finishes during this period - but in the Regionalliga era, have found themselves clearly behind their rivals.

Olympia’s most important rivalry these days is of course the Borograd derby with FK Metropola Borograd. Green vs purple is a rivalry that totally takes over the city for a week leading up to the match, with fan marches through the city common on the day of. While Metropola fans claim to be humble, against the arrogant Olympia, Olympia fans will tell you that they represent a ‘purer’ side of the game in terms of their origins and style of play, and that Metropola may claim to be the club of Borograd but Olympia dream bigger. It’s an intense derby, and probably the second most violent in the country after the famous Pomorie-Marzig derby.

FC Teussen Stelburg have also been a historic rival, with many important matches played between the sides in the pre-Republikaliga era. And of course, there is the fact that both teams are almost a national side for their respective half of the country. During the isolation, with animosity between Siovanija & Teusland, this rivalry grew more and more bitter, especially as the games became more competitive on the pitch. However, the National derby has suffered a bit in recent years as Teussen have for the most part outclassed Olympia on the pitch. Zvezda Vlaikograd were once the club’s biggest rivals, when Olympia and the old Crvena Zvezda fought over Siovanijan league titles, but today this is not as deeply felt and is more in Zvezda’s fans minds than their Borograd colleagues.

While the club’s downturn in the Republikaliga era stings, many feel that the new era is a second chance to get things right and bring the club back to where they belong.

Squad

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Nail Ageykin (PYZ/QUE, 29); LB - Tadeas Blinakov (28), CB - Gustaf Machacek (32), CB - Ji Wenwei (YZH, 22), RB - Dominik Sledzl (19); CM - Bozhidar Ornik (25), CM - Kvetoslav Kolar (30); LW - Tomas Kohout (19), CAM - Drahoslav Cernak (28), RW - Valdemar Buran (18), CF - Rolando Cutter (KSK, 22)

Bench: GK - Lazar Peterka (21), DF - Erik Macek (26), DF - Jozef Krejci (19), MF - Stepan Rypal (17), MF - Stanko Simon (20), MF - Hugo Cech (28), FW - Milan Marek (31)

Total Squad Value (from @STLTransferMarkt): T31.5 million (-9.25m) (highest player: Rolando Cutter, T5 million)
Average Age: 24.7
New Faces: Buran (free transfer), Sledzl (academy), Krejci (academy), Rypal (academy), Simon (academy)

Preview

Academy

One of the most famous academies
in the country, Zeleni vrt or ‘Green Garden’ holds a
special place in the lore of Olympia Borograd. Due to the club’s
historic status and ideal location in the capital city, they have
always attracted players from across Siovanija to join their ranks,
and the list of graduates is a who’s who of top Siovanijan talent:
Ivo Romanov, Krasimir Kynev, Yanko Zhelyaskov, Lojze Kokalj and Denis
Dezelac all came through the garden. Here, players are instructed to learn
and focus on skills they are interested in - with a broad set of highly-skilled
coaches, players of all positions and roles can develop strongly here.
What makes Olympia’s academy even stronger is the club’s commitment
to young players, and the interest fans take in the young squads. The
U19s are often hosted at the Olimpski-Stadion for matches, while there
is a well-trod path into the first team from the garden - particularly the
title-winning side of season 3 was almost entirely composed of academy
graduates. Olympia academy grads are known for their great skill on the
ball, and the academy is also noted for the great wingers that have developed
here. Currently, some of the top prospects include defender Ivan Kaluza,
midfielder Zhelyasko Cisek and forward Borek Krziz.

Olimpski-Stadion

Capacity: 60,000
Away End: 6000
Status: Outdated - no current plans

One of the most famous stadiums in the country, the
Olimpski-Stadion has been home to Olympia Borograd for many
years, ever since the club built it upon becoming independent from
the amateur athletic club. The Olimpski-Stadion has played host to
many of the most famous moments in the club’s history, and the fans
are deeply attached to it. The Borograd metro ‘Green Line,’ fittingly,
ends with the ‘Stadion’ stop, and you can always see a massive parade
of Olympia fans from the station to stadium on matchday. The stadium
isn’t famous just for the exploits of its main tenant, however. The national
football team have played many a game here, and it was even used for a
famous outdoor hockey game between HK Olympia Borograd and Stelburger SC.
It was even used as part of a Banijan football demonstration event in the Summer
Olympics. The stadium is quite old, and while there have been talks about a new
build, many fans aren’t quite ready to part with it just yet. With two tiers,
and a rounded shape, the stadium is well-regarded for the great sightlines
from every seat. The ultras here prefer the north stand, right behind the goal,
and the away fans usually end up in the second tier on the opposite side. A trip
here is always welcome by away fans, who appreciate the atmosphere one of the
temples of the Siovanijan game bring, even if they have complained for years
about the lack of facilities.

For Olympia Borograd, this was truly the offseason from hell. Seriously, most fans of Zmaji could not have imagined this even in their worst nightmares. An offseason that started with some optimism, following a good recovery at the end of the season under interim manager Ivo Romanov, quickly turned to dread when the Borograd Dnevnik released a bombshell article indicating that Olympia was on the verge of serious financial difficulties. As the squad was torn apart, dread turned to anger.

There were 5 key departures from the club in this offseason, all of them amongst players in the starting XI. With the club needing to sell to clear debts and improve their financial positioning, almost the entire core group of players other than a select few were up for sale. In the early days of the window, things happened fast. Left back Patrik Mrazek went to Zvezda Vlaikograd, national team right back Matyas Hayek departed for Kelssek. Midfield star Klaud Zorko was the biggest sale, at T3 million, and he’s off to Quebec. Fan favourite forward Vladimir Vladimiric was also sold to domestic rivals Energija Chernovets. A total of T8 million was raised in the fire sale, so at least Olympia fans could accept the pain now for better things to come… right?

And then, the Marjan Trstenjek saga. The club’s own youth product, the club’s brightest talent, in need of a contract - and getting it not from the Greens, but from their most hated rival. The fanbase is split on who it blames. Some view Trstenjek as a greedy traitor, who sold out the club of his youth and should’ve simply been loyal and taken a lower salary. Some view the board as totally incompetent, who should never have let things get to this point and should’ve done everything possible to match the Metropola offer. No matter which side you are on, it’s an incredible point of pain for these supporters, as the fact that they have slipped to being the #2 club in their city was cemented even further.

In the aftermath of that nuclear bomb, the club scrambled for replacements. Most of them came out of the academy, with the club being unwilling to spend big sums of money - especially after losing their most valuable asset, Trstenjek, for nothing. Of those promoted players, Dominik Sledzl and Stepan Rypal are probably the most interesting. Sledzl has been talked about for years as one to watch, and is probably ready for first-team football. Rypal is extraordinarily talented, but still quite raw. One hopes that the 17 year old can handle the situation he’s in, totally out of his own control, and thrive rather than falter. One good piece of business was the signing of Valdemar Buran. The young FK Pomorie academy winger chose to sign his first senior contract with the Zelenice, and he goes right into the starting lineup at the Olimpski-Stadion.

There’s also a new face behind the touchline for Olympia. The club didn’t have the money to pay for a big-name manager from abroad, or even domestically. And with the drama on and off the pitch at the moment, nobody wants Ivo Romanov’s name to be tarnished by being associated with what could become the biggest disaster in the club’s history. He’s been sent back for another year of coaching in the academy, then, and instead long-time assistant at the club Vaclav Rybar has been given the job. Rybar is known for his man management skills and ability to motivate, which could come in handy.

With all of those key departures, who is left? Olympia’s season will ride on two names - Rolando Cutter and Tomas Kohout. Cutter has been a machine since he arrived in Borograd, and has developed into one of the finest young players in the country at the moment. The Kelssek international is being moved from the wing to forward this season, a tactical shift following Trstenjek’s departure, but with the rate he scored from the wing, he should have no trouble doing it from up top as well. With Trstenjek gone, he is now the club’s most important player. Tomas Kohout saw plenty of minutes off the bench last season, but this season he will be a starting player and will need to step up even more. The left winger has done it at every level so far, but the Meisterschaft and a situation like Olympia’s will truly require a great mental fortitude.

The Regionalliga campaign was, simply, a disaster. Winning the division did not matter - Olympia, for financial reasons as well as to simply calm down the toxic atmosphere around the club, absolutely needed to finish in 2nd place and claim a guaranteed Superklasse spot. Instead, Olympia sputtered, with 11 draws on the season. 6 of those came at home, and 2 of them came after blown multi-goal leads. There wasn’t any expectation of beating Metropola, but it was an SK Republika Borograd side who came out of nowhere and challenged the Greens for that 2nd Superklasse spot. In the final match between the two sides, in the Olimpski-Stadion, Republika defeated Olympia 4-1 and went on to finish 6 points ahead of them in the table. The bright spots of the campaign were the contributions of Rolando Cutter and good performances by some of the substitutes - particularly Stanko Simon - but it’s hard to see those over the sense of doom at the club.

We have Olympia predicted to finish 8th - but really, nobody at the club really cares what the Meisterschaft finishing position is. The entire future of the club depends on the Superklasse Playoff at the end of the season. It's not going to be easy - clubs like Rudar Trkev, Vrnovo Mesto, FC Rotmunde 1932 and FC Kaiserhaven are waiting, and only 2 of the 8 teams can qualify. Should Olympia qualify, and earn all of the guaranteed TV money and safety that comes with it, it will be the deepest sigh of relief in history. Should Olympia miss out? Such a historic humiliation for this club could be a devastating blow.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sun Oct 13, 2024 3:44 pm

TSV MARZIG

Home kit

Away kit

Basic Information

Colours: Light blue, white, gold
Stadium: Vest-Marlebucht-Stadion
Kit sponsor: Marziger Volksbank (local, financial institution)
Manager: Georg Hertl
Captain: Bjorn Panzer
Last Season: 4th
Prediction: 3rd
Nicknames: Die Ritter (he Knights), Die Mowen (the Gulls)
Rivals: FK Pomorie (Pomorie-Marzig derby), Zvezda Vlaikograd (political)
Legends: Horst Hackl, Ludwig Reichwein, Josef Kosch-Kovarik

Background

Club Honours

Historic Era
8x Siovanijan champions
8x President’s Cup winners

Republikaliga Era
2x President’s Cup winners (S4, 11)

Modern Era
None

International
None

A club with a unique history and used to fighting for their future, TSV Marzig are hoping for a new dawn in the Meisterschaft.

Fan Profile

Members: 74,250
Average Ticket Price: T35
Political affiliation: Teus nationalist, some groups right-wing
Supporter Groups: Ultras 1414, Ostkurve, Immerdar, Crusader Boys
Away Support: Always sold out
Calimero Complex: Yes, but mostly towards the Siovanijan league system
Arrogance: Towards FK Pomorie yes, otherwise none
Style: Ultras, hooliganism, tifos, fireworks
Cult Hero: Currently Silvio Rodl, historically Frank Lundrigan
Current Status: Overjoyed at the club’s recent upturn in fortunes

Most clubs, wherever they come from, find themselves deeply linked to the community that surrounds them. Be it a region, a city, or even just a single neighbourhood, football clubs have a way of becoming a symbol for the people of an area. No top club in Siovanija & Teusland today represents this better, perhaps, than TSV Marzig. Founded in 1866 as ‘Sportverein Marzig,’ the club and city were at the time part of the Teus Empire. SV Marzig were a competitive team in the imperial first division, even after the war broke out - winning the Teus title in 1892.

The war. Ever since history began, it seems, Marzig has been fighting for survival. In 1157, peasants from Teusland settled at the mouth of the River Drai and established a small village. Around the same time, peasants from Siovanija did the same on the opposite side of the river. Separated by very little, the twin villages got along at first. Soon, the Siovanijan village, Pomorie, had risen to become a large town, while in 1283, knights of the crusading Order of St. Gustaf, tasked with converting the Siovanijan population to Catholicism by the Teus Pope, built a castle in Marzig. Marzig, the westernmost extent of the Teus Empire in those days, became the centre of the era of Crusades. When the religious wars ended, however, that did not mean peace. When Kaiser Ferdinand’s armies invaded Siovanija intending to conquer it for the Empire, it was the Battle of Marzig in 1414 that was their most famous victory. Marzig also rose to prominence, and became one of the empire’s most important cities.

For nearly 500 years following the Battle of Marzig, the region was united under the Teus crown. Then, with the Siovanijan Revolution in 1808, Pomorie and the rest of the Korjava split away. In 1888, tensions over who should control the region resulted in the beginning of the Great War. The brutal trench warfare that defined the struggle was at its harshest in this region, and many Marzig residents died during the 8 year long war. Following the war, to the worst fears of many residents of Marzig, they were administered together with the city of Pomorie as one. Pomorie-Marzig became a city in Siovanija. To which the Marzigers replied: “we will be Teus forever.” Years of nationalist violence between the communities, including assassinations and bombings, have followed. In the rest of the country, Pomorie and Marzig are viewed as the tragic story of ‘people who can’t get over a war that happened 150 years ago,’ but in the towns themselves - both of which saw a drastic decline in fortunes post-war - identity and the struggle for survival remain important.

The football clubs represent this. Sportverein Marzig quickly adopted a new title post-war: Teussische Sportverein, or ‘TSV.’ Light gold, the colour of the Teus Empire, was added as a common sight on the club’s away kits. In the year 1900, just 4 years after the painful war, TSV Marzig captured the President’s Cup title, a victory that was seen as a symbol of hope for the new nation. Early success in the Cup competition continued, as Marzig actually won 4 President’s Cup titles in the first 30 years it was contested - the second-most of any Siovanijan-based club, behind only Olympia Borograd. They also managed to become Siovanijan champions 4 times in the same period, and established local hegemony over their rivals in Pomorie.

Things gradually, however, became more difficult for the Knights. The club were isolated in Siovanijan football. With all of the political tension happening in Pomorie-Marzig, where Siovanijan and Teus nationalists battled in the streets, no Siovanijan player wanted to join the club - they would simply be labeled a traitor. At the same time, the best Teus players did not want to leave the Teus league system. Marzig’s base for player recruitment was the small Teus-speaking community in the city and the surrounding area - so, they put all of their resources into developing the club’s youth system. The academy soon became one of the finest in the country, thanks to large investments and the recruitment of great coaches. In addition to the academy, Marzig became pioneers of sports science and brought in new ideas on strength and conditioning as well as nutrition. It was the only way the club could compete against the big Siovanijan clubs.

Marzig, as a result, came to dominate their regional league and captured several more prizes. The club ended up as President’s Cup winners 8 times in the pre-Republikaliga era. Their finest period, however, was in the late 1980s and 1990s. After a few difficult years, Marzig captured the Siovanijan championship in 1986, and then embarked on a 15-year streak of winning the Regionalliga. They were Siovanijan champions back-to-back in 1998 and 1999, and lost the 1999 President’s Cup final to one of the greatest FC Teussen Stelburg squads of all time. Marzig became known as a club that could punch above their weight, always making a deep run in the Cup and always challenging for the Siovanijan title.

By the beginning of the Republikaliga era, there was great hope for Marzig to continue their status - and perhaps open up a gap to their rivals across the river. Things couldn’t have gone better for Marzig supporters: they were never once relegated from the Republikaliga, under manager Ole Sauer became a team that regularly competed in the upper midtable, and reached 3 President’s Cup finals, winning 2 of them. The club’s youth academy continued to produce gems such as Ludwig Reichwein and Josef Kosch-Kovarik, while foreign players like Frank Lundrigan and Heikki Vantarinen became solid Republikaliga players. Most importantly, Marzig dominated the derby against Pomorie. Pomorie bounced between the first and second tiers regularly, and in 18 matches, Marzig came out as winners 11 times - including the most important derby ever played, the President’s Cup final in season 11. That win on penalties is arguably the highest point in Marzig’s history. Marzig fans took great pride from winning 6 out of 8 matches in Pomorie’s stadium, and only lost 3 times across the 18 meetings.

Isolation impacted Marzig, who lost excellent players like Lundrigan to the new rules and heroes like Horst Hackl to retirement. However, the club’s dedication to ‘the Marzig way’ and using local players meant they had an advantage on many clubs. Despite the city of Marzig suffering greatly, the football club remained financially stable as well, and became an outlet for many in the community who suffered during this time.

The eternal, hated rivals are FK Pomorie - need we explain any more? All of the history, all of the tension, it is all released on matchday when these two clubs face off. Sadly, this often takes a violent turn, with both clubs’ ultras being noted for their violence. Away fans were banned in several derby matches, and rioting after the President’s Cup Final derby was some of the worst the city had seen in years. The history, and the conflict between Siovanijan and Teus nationalists, is obviously a huge part of the fire in this derby. But even if you took that away, these clubs would be rivals regardless: as the only two big clubs in northeastern Siovanija, they spent the entire pre-Republikaliga period battling each other for regional supremacy. 4 matches minimum per season, and every single one key to determining who would be the champion. Marzig came out on top most of the time, but Pomorie enjoyed some dominant periods too. Marzig pulled away, however, in the Republikaliga era and Pomorie have been trying to catch up ever since.

Zvezda Vlaikograd are a more recent rival of Marzig. The clubs had barely ever played each other prior to the Republikaliga era, being in different regional leagues and being successful in different periods. However, Zvezda’s fans are famously left-wing Siovanijan nationalists, and have a deep alliance with the fans of FK Pomorie. As a result, particularly in the years when Pomorie didn’t play in the top division, the match between Marzig and Zvezda was often approached with a similar intensity to the derby.

Marzig’s fans have a bit of a reputation for violence, but are also known as some of the most passionate supporters in the country. The whole stadium bounces for 90 minutes, and when Marzig are playing well, you can barely hear yourself think. They are famous especially for their intricate tifos and banners, and Ultras 1414 in particular are known for their creativity of chants. The famous tifo created for the 625th anniversary of the Battle of Marzig depicted the battle on a canvas that surrounded the entire stadium, with blue and gold flags and fireworks creating an incredibly intimidating atmosphere.

With a long and complicated history of fighting for relevance and survival, TSV Marzig are a club hoping to improve their fortunes in the new era.

Squad

Starting XI (4-3-3): GK - Ludwig Gottschall (32); LB - Ralf Grabner (28), CB - Tilmann Schorr (27), CB - Silvio Rodl (26), RB - Luciano Clotieri (TER, 25); CM - Bjorn Panzer (28), CM - Samuel McTavish (QUE, 32), CM - Mats Winter (19); LW - Wei Delan (YZH, 23), RW - Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik (26), CF - Einar Hackl (19)

Bench: GK - Arno Wernz (23), DF - Harald Neumark (19), DF - Ernst Marziger (24), MF - Karl Tauber (25), MF - Paskal Kaiser (21), MF - Eugen Wenzel (24), CF - Felix Feicke (30)

Total Squad Value (from @STLTransferMarkt): T56.25 million (+20.2m) (highest player: Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik, T8 million)
Average Age: 25.9
New Faces: McTavish (transfer, T3m), Feicke (transfer, T1m), Neumark (academy)

Preview

Academy

Hechingertor is the famous academy of TSV Marzig,
and is at the very heart of the club itself. Named for the city district it is based
in, Marzig are arguably the most youth-focused club in the country. With plenty
of influence from the famous FC Teussen Stelburg academy, and also a willingness
to take risks and innovate, Hechingertor quickly made a name for itself. Marzig’s
famous side of the late 1990s was entirely made up of academy graduates, and the
side that captured the President’s Cup in the Republikaliga era had the same
distinction. National team players like Ludwig Reichwein, Horst Hackl, Kurt Witzel
and Josef Kosch-Kovarik all had their starts here, and made use of the club’s excellent
facilities to develop even further. Club managers have always been encouraged to
look to the academy, where a ‘never say die’ attitude and positive, possession-based
football are taught. Under former manager Ole Sauer in particular, plenty of young
players were brought into the first team, and the current squad features 8 grads in
the starting XI, including Goldhorns’ stars Einar Hackl, Mats Winter and Aleksander
Kosch-Kovarik. The academy is currently home to several strong prospects coming in,
including defender Jonas Vogel, midfielder Heinz Oberlander, and forward
Peter Trimme.

Volksbankstadion

Capacity: 45,000
Away End: 4500
Status: New build

After years of construction, TSV Marzig officially move
into the new Volksbankstadion this season. A bigger and more
modern take on the club’s old ground, the West-Marlebucht-Stadion,
the club are quite excited about this one. The newest stadium in the
country, it is a fully modern stadium and truly brings the story of the
club to life with an all-new museum facility. Inside, the club have
significantly expanded the area available to the most fanatical
supporters behind the north goal, doubling the number of standing
places available. Supporters of the club appreciated that the stadium
was built very close to the old one, keeping the traditions alive, and a
new U-bahn station has been opened next to the ground. The area is
well-served with pubs and entertainment venues, and is close enough
to the sea to feel its breeze. Supporters were less happy about the
increase in ticket prices coming alongside the new stadium, and the
original increase proposed by the board of directors was voted down
by the club’s members. The biggest spectacle will of course be TSV
Marzig, but the club are also looking forward to hosting the IFCF Associations’
Trophy final here at the Volksbankstadion later in the season - the first time an
IFCF final has been played in Siovanija & Teusland since the end of isolation.

While TSV Marzig didn’t quite fight for the title last season, it was still far beyond anyone’s expectations of them. The Knights managed to qualify for IFCF football with ease, and there was even a little glimmer at the end of the season that they could shock the country: they finished only 3 points behind 1912 Stelburg, and were by far the best team in the league in the final 3 months of the season. Marzig, with young stars like Einar Hackl and Mats Winter having great rookie seasons, were viewed as a team that could, in a few years, be a force in the league.

A summer off can change perceptions - sometimes good, sometimes bad. For Marzig, it was undoubtedly good. They went from ‘force in a few years’ to ‘who is going to stop them’ in just a few short months. First was the signing of Quebecois midfielder Samuel McTavish, for a fee of T3 million. McTavish, a strong offensively-minded player, had captured 2 Tumbran titles with Lakewood City, after a spell in his homeland at St. John’s Arsenal, and was now looking for a move abroad. In him, Marzig sees a veteran leader with championship pedigree to join their squad of young exceptional talents, as well as an offensive force that should do well in the league. The other signing was veteran FC Teussen Stelburg forward Felix Feicke, who will serve as a back-up to Hackl. Not a glitz and glamour signing, no, but Feicke is a solid player who certainly adds something to this team.

And then, the World Cup. Qualifiers had been an incredible performance from the Goldhorns, and many Marzig players were at the forefront of that. The final tournament itself, however, was a masterful showing from the national team that was spearheaded by its Marzig legion. Einar Hackl had 6 (six) goals at the World Cup Finals, including a hat-trick in the opening 5-2 win over Delte. He was one of the top players in the tournament. Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik carried his great form in Qualifying over and scored 2 of his own, as well as assisting 4 more. Mats Winter, although not a starter, earned plenty of minutes at the final tournament and centre back Silvio Rodl became a regular starter for the Goldhorns and a key part of the roster. Add Ludwig Gottschall on the bench as the third choice keeper, and you have a total of 5 players from this squad that had a role in that magical World Cup summer.

The result can be seen immediately in the optimism and expectation surrounding this squad. For one thing, the squad value according to STLTransferMarket increased by T20.2 million, the most of any club in the country - and a growth of 55%. Einar Hackl is now the favourite to win the Golden Boot, Kosch-Kovark is the favourite for the Golden Ball, and Mats Winter is the favourite to be Young Player of the Year again. Predictions went from ‘this young squad will push on and have a solid campaign’ to ‘Marzig are the only team that can take the title away from Teussen this season.’ It’s good to have optimism, but you always run the risk of putting too much pressure on.

For someone like Einar Hackl, however, pressure is something to savour. The young man from Marzig, the son of club legend Horst, Hackl became the biggest sporting name in the country this summer with his incredible performances. He seemed able to do almost anything on the pitch in that tournament, and Goldhorns’ shirts with his name and number on the back were best-sellers. In one summer, he went from ‘a great prospect for the future’ to probably the man with the most expectation on him in this league. Anything less than a dominant season will be viewed as a failure. And how does this 19 year old kid feel about that? “It’s exciting. I just want to get out there, get the boots on and play. I’ve never felt more ready for a season, and while yes of course it’s a bit different from before, at the end of the day I only worry about putting the ball in the net, not anything that’s said or written about me.”

Mats Winter, the club’s dynamic defensive midfielder, seems to have a similarly stoic attitude. Winter came into the first team last season and immediately shone, earning a 10.0 match rating in his first game - the first to do so since Thorsten Kramer over 20 years ago. There’s pressure on Winter too, especially with Marzig shifting to a 4-3-3 formation to accommodate new signing McTavish. “All I can do is play my own game,” says the young man from Hechingen. “I know what I’m capable of.”

Entering the Regionalliga campaign with such high expectations, Marzig stormed out of the gate - a 7-0 win over Hechingen, and a 5-1 win over NK Gabropol, were signs that everything was in working order. Even in the derby against Pomorie, too, Einar Hackl’s brace led the Knights to a 3-1 win in the first meeting between the sides in the new Volksbankstadion. However, things weren’t quite as easy as they may have seemed, and Marzig had to overcome significant adversity in the campaign. Competing in the IFCF Challengers’ Cup, the Knights won the first leg against Patriotlandia’s Athletique Alexandrie 2-1 at home - Kosch-Kovarik with both goals. Things looked up - and then, the week after, a rash red card from Luciano Clotieri, a poor decision leading to a second yellow for Mats Winter, and 9-man Marzig went out of the tournament with a 5-1 loss. Two weeks later, Marzig fell 5-0 to Pomorie. However, it’s not about how heavy the losses are - it’s how you recover from them. Marzig recovered incredibly well, winning their next 9 matches in the Regionalliga in a row in order to guarantee the regional title. Marzig won it with a 20-4-4 record, the best of any side in the country.

Heading into the Meisterschaft, the question is clear: can Marzig really win the league? It’s certainly possible. They have all of the tools to do it, with Einar Hackl scoring 31 in the Regionalliga campaign, Samuel McTavish looking like a perfect fit, and the entire team having excellent seasons (other than those 2 matches in mid-September). However, it’s going to be tough fighting with experienced sides like Felsenkirchen, Teussen and 1912 Stelburg - and thus, we think Marzig will fall just short in the title fight while still claiming IFCF football.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Tue Oct 15, 2024 10:34 am

TAIFUN VORSTOCK

Home kit

Away kit

Basic Information

Colours: Red and blue
Stadium: Sudseestadion
Kit sponsor: Marijke (national, automobile company)
Manager: Tim Horn
Captain: Mario Kretschmer
Last Season: DNQ (2nd in Regionalliga, lost in playoff 1st Round)
Prediction: 10th
Nicknames: Der Rot und Blau (the red and blue), The Southerners
Rivals: Fortuna Emmerich (local)
Legends: Tim Horn

Background

Club Honours

Historic Era
None

Republikaliga Era
None

Modern Era
None

International
None

Perhaps the biggest example of the change this country underwent during isolation, Taifun Vorstock are now fighting at the very top of the national football scene.

Fan Profile

Members: 26,575
Average Ticket Price: T18
Political affiliation: None
Supporter Groups: United Generations Vorstock, Vorstocker Boys
Away Support: Mostly sold out
Calimero Complex: None, though it could develop in the future
Arrogance: None
Style: Ultras, flares
Cult Hero: Currently Elmo Sissel; all time Sandro Lorenz
Current Status: Excited about the club’s future following qualification for the Superklasse

For those who followed football in Siovanija & Teusland prior to isolation, you would have to be a true sicko to have even heard of the name FC Taifun Vorstock. In the last season prior to isolation, they played in what was basically the 6th tier of national football. Several years later, incredibly, they have now reached a President’s Cup Final and are about to start their second campaign in the Meisterschaft.

Vorstock is a town about 20 minutes away from Kaiserhaven along the Sudsee, one of the most important ports along the south coast. The town’s history is typical for that of southern Teusland. Following the unification of Teusland in the early 1250s, the lands south of the Teufelsberg forest, mostly uninhabited before that time, were quickly settled and built up. Kaiserhaven became the main port in the south, and Vorstock grew to local prominence as a safe harbour and an important secondary port in the region. Vorstock’s layout is typical for towns of the south, with a large square next to the harbour featuring the town’s rathaus and church, with a neat grid pattern of residential streets compared to the more confusing layouts of Teus towns in the north.

Vorstock had some riches during the era of the Teus Empire’s naval dominance and colonialism, and the explorer Georg Blocher, born in Kaiserhaven, actually departed for his 3rd voyage to Prinz-Eugens-Land from the port of Vorstock. With the decline of the naval age, and in the aftermath of the war, Vorstock once again became a laid-back port city, somewhat in the shadow of its bigger neighbour.

Sports have always been popular in Vorstock - first cricket, owing to the naval presence in the town, and then ice hockey. Football was never really top of mind. A ‘Vorstocker SC’ competed in the lower divisions of the Teus imperial leagues, but went defunct during the war. ‘Vorstock 05’ was founded in, well, 1905, but never really got anywhere and went bust by 1940. So, FC Taifun Vorstock is actually the third attempt at pro football in the city - founded in 1953 by dockworkers. Vorstock, famous for its good positioning for ships looking to avoid storms in the Sudsee, adopted the colours of the typhoon hazard flag - red and blue - as their own.

The pages of the history of Taifun Vorstock are, frankly, quite empty. Taifun managed to reach the top level of the Regionalliga Sud for a three year period in the 1980s, but quickly dropped back, and at the start of the Republikaliga era were playing in a league whose name roughly translates as “Southeastern District League - East Group IV.” But despite their low level, the club always had the potential for more, for two main reasons.

First was a dedicated group of fans. Vorstock, as a mid-sized town in the south, had a large population who loved football, and especially in the pre-Republikaliga era attracted a great deal of fans who wanted to support their local. The club had some of the best support in the lower divisions, famously bringing a full away section to almost every match they played and sometimes spilling over into the home section as well. Second was a competent ownership group - 50+1 by the fans, of course, and the remainder held by the Vorstock Port Authority, which had proved willing to invest in the club in the past, covering the large majority of the construction of the Sudseestadion.

By the time of isolation, the club had reached ‘Bezirksliga Sudost,’ and after winning it in the first season were into the 2. Regionalliga Sud. From here, the story is one of taking advantage at the right time. Port cities in Teusland were hit hard by isolation - Kaiserhaven was one of the worst in the country for unemployment at its peak. Vorstock’s economy, however, had diversified, and even the port itself wasn’t hit as hard: the specialized traffic arriving in Vorstock continued. The other key part of the story is the excellent job Tim Horn has done as manager, writing himself into legendary status at the club and beloved by the club’s supporters after many successful campaigns.

Several of the clubs Vorstock faced in the Bezirksliga went bust, while many in the 2. Regionalliga had to reduce operating costs. FC Kaiserhaven, by far the biggest club on the south coast, were relegated from the Republikaliga and had to slash player salaries just to stay afloat. Vorstock, meanwhile, who had always been a sustainable operation, carried on as normal, and won the 2. Regionalliga title in their first season to get to the top of the Regionalliga pyramid in the south. When the Republikaliga went bust a few years later, Vorstock all of a sudden found themselves at the top tier of Teus football, competing with FC Kaiserhaven, TSV Georg-Blocher, 1828 Pomen and many other sides that had been playing Republikaliga football when Vorstock were playing against fishermen.

Vorstock were able to pick up plenty of competent journeymen players, as well as young talents, both that they had developed and from the other clubs in the region, to build a squad that punched far above the club’s recent history. Their second season in the regional league, the club finished 3rd and had a legendary Cup run that saw them head all the way to the final in Stelburg. While the final was lost to FK Metropola Borograd, the Vorstock supporters sold out their end of the Nationalstadion and made quite clear that they were going to be something special going forward. The next season, the club surprised everyone again and won the Regionalliga, qualifying for the Meisterschaft. It’s not quite a rags to riches story, but it’s a story of what can be possible with good stewardship and fans who truly care for the club.

Those fans have an interesting dilemma on their hands now. Two groups have emerged on the terraces in recent years: United Generations Vorstock and Vorstocker Boys. UGV had been present since the very beginning, and are the ‘old guard’ so to speak. They were there when the club was at the very bottom and are around now that it’s at the top. Vorstocker Boys, meanwhile, are a newer group of fans, who did not experience the worst of times. Vorstocker Boys want to take the club more in the direction of ultra groups in other parts of the country, while UGV want to continue in the traditional manner of support. With the club being owned 50%+1 by its fans, they have a great say in how the club is run, and there is a great debate also in the boardroom at the moment about how to preserve the club’s success for the future.

The closest thing Vorstock have to a rival is Fortuna Emmerich, with Emmerich being a suburb of Kaiserhaven about 5 minutes northeast of Vorstock. There is some historic enmity there, but the clubs simply haven’t played enough to make something big out of it. It’s possible that rivalries with TSV Georg-Blocher or FC Kaiserhaven could develop in the coming years, as the clubs continue to compete in the Regionalliga Sud, but these games aren’t tension-filled just yet.

With the club confirming their place in the Superklasse, it’s clear that Taifun Vorstock will be the new force on the south coast in the years to come. .

Squad

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Paul Stelburger (27); LB - Caleb Gessler (29), CB - Wilhelm Seppelt (20), CB - Mario Kretschmer (30), RB - Fridolin Stoll (24); CM - Elmo Sissel (20), CM - Konrad Moritz (28); LW - Ole Jager (29), CAM - Tristan Littauer (26), RW - Per Freisler (30), CF - Reiner Werkner (23)

Bench: GK - Karlo Braker (32); DF - Kevin Rodan (26), DF - Horst Dietmeier (33), MF - Justus Korsch (26), MF - Marius Kiel (27), MF - Stefan Klinger (29), CF - Louis von Stroheim (34)

Total Squad Value (from @STLTransferMarket): T15.75 million (+2.1m) (highest player: Elmo Sissel, T2 million)
Average Age: 26
New Faces: Littauer (transfer, T1m), Werkner (transfer, T1m), Stoll (transfer, free)

Preview

Academy

While Taifun Vorstock’s academy doesn’t
have much historic prestige, there is a major debate currently
within the club about its future. Historically, Taifun maintained
a minor academy which mostly took in players from Vorstock itself,
or perhaps some from Kaiserhaven who really wanted to play football
and couldn’t cut it in the academies of either Georg-Blocher or FCK.
The biggest product of the club’s academy is Sandro Lorenz, who grew
up in Vorstock and was blessed with immense talent in the midfield. He
played a few seasons for the senior team before heading off to Valanora,
and has appeared for the national side as well. However, typically, the
best Vorstock academy players would quickly get snapped up by bigger
clubs in the south, or go on to become journeymen in the Bezirksligas.
With the club’s renewed success, a significant debate amongst the leadership
of the club has risen about the future. Taifun reached the top partially
thanks to smart transfers and picking up players from other clubs. Should
the club continue with such a strategy, or should money go into developing
the academy further? There are arguments for both sides and it will be
interesting to see where the club goes next. Currently, the academy’s top
names are defender Niklas Walter, midfielder Nico Wegmuller,
and forward Florentinus Gubler.

Sudseestadion

Capacity: 14,000
Away End: 1000
Status: Outdated - no current plans

The second Sudseestadion, located fittingly right
on the water in the east of Vorstock, is a rare sight in the
Meisterschaft these days: a stadium with below 30,000 capacity.
Completed when the club was playing in the top Regionalliga in
the 1980s, it originally sat just 8,000, but a series of upgrades
over the last few years to ensure the stadium was up to STFA
requirements means it now can hold 14,000. This is a real classic
ground, only one tier of seating all the way around the pitch and
it really gives you a feel for lower-division football. The stadium
is famously cold and windy, due to its location along the coast,
and ‘a cold and wet Friday night in Vorstock’ has recently entered
S&T football dictionaries to define if a player can perform on such
a stage. The goal horn is famously a ship’s horn, much to the chagrin
of away fans, who have complained about its volume since its installation.
The ultras seem to prefer the west stand, which can really bring a strong
atmosphere, while the away fans are relegated to the northeast corner.
Away fans from the big clubs complain about the small ticket allocations for
visiting fans, as well as the largely outdated facilities and services on offer.
There are no complaints, however, about the atmosphere here.

The last time Taifun Vorstock appeared in the Meisterschaft, it was with a squad of players whose names are quite well-known in Siovanija & Teusland football circles. Sandro Lorenz was undoubtedly the biggest name, earning a transfer to Valanora following his first season in the Meisterschaft and turning out several times for the Goldhorns. August von Teufelsberg, too, has appeared in the national shirt several times and earned a transfer to Tikariot after his time at the club, while young defender Bruno Baumer instead headed to Tumbra. Lots of money into the club’s bank account, for sure, but of course there were then the naysayers. ‘Vorstock have sold the greatest players they will ever have, it’s clear that their time is over.’

That wasn’t quite the case. Instead, the core of the team led by captain Mario Kretschmer remained, and a mix of young academy talents plus new signings has led Taifun Vorstock to the most important achievement in the club’s history: another Regionalliga title, and direct qualification for the Superklasse. Kretschmer remains an important player in the squad, not only for his excellent defensive instincts but for his leadership of the club. A Vorstocker himself, Kretschmer is a great link between the fans and the squad, and is always the first to applaud the fans after a victory, and to console his teammates after a tough defeat. There are few who conduct themselves with such grace, and he is a credit to the club.

The biggest name to debut in the first team squad in recent years has undoubtedly been Elmo Sissel. Once a member of FC Kaiserhaven’s youth setup before making the move over to Vorstock when he was just 15, Sissel was always highly rated amongst those in the know in Vorstock. When club hero Sandro Lorenz departed for Valanora, Sissel was just 18, but was already trusted by manager Tim Horn to step up into the first team. Sissel is not a direct replacement for Lorenz, however. Where Lorenz was a solid defensive midfielder, a real anchor for the club, Sissel is a more creative-thinking playmaker. His first season was full of flashes of brilliance, but also of course moments where lessons needed to be learned. He hit his sophomore season with a vengeance, looking like one of the best midfielders in the Regionalliga Sud, and the supporters in Vorstock are expecting even more from him this season.

The squad for this season, such an important one for the club with the Regionalliga Sud having only 1 direct qualification slot for the new Superklasse, was also boosted by incoming transfers. Vorstock, with plenty of money to spend following those three massive outgoing transfers in the past few seasons, were ready to strike immediately, and it really paid off. TSV Marzig needed to offload Tristan Littauer, and in him Vorstock saw the perfect #10 for their upcoming campaign. A quick deal brought him to the south coast, and was soon followed up by a pursuit of Reiner Werkner that was a bit more complicated. The former Felsenkirchen forward was wanted by a few clubs in the country, and there was also talk about the Blues keeping him around for another year - in the end, Vorstock put forward the best offer and got him over the line, too. That’s the starting #10 of an IFCF qualifying team and the backup forward with 3 national titles to his name joining Vorstock’s ranks.

There is excitement about Werkner in particular. Louis von Stroheim has been solid for the club ever since joining a few years ago, and was a key part of getting the club into the Meisterschaft a few seasons ago in the first place. Now aged 34, however, there was a need for a replacement. Academy product Gabriel Lorber unfortunately flamed out, now playing with Eintracht Aumuhle, and so there was no homegrown product waiting in the wings. Werkner is young, and many feel he should’ve had more of a chance at Felsenkirchen. He’s turned out for the Goldhorns at the U21 level in the past, and will certainly be motivated to have a great season with the Red & Blue.

The Regionalliga campaign itself was incredibly tight, with the Vorstockers having to fight all the way until the final minutes of the final day to confirm their title. Overall, the team seemed to perform quite well - Reiner Werkner scored a league-leading 24 goals, while Elmo Sissel was probably the best player in the south. Things seemed like they might go straightforward when Taifun defeated FC Kaiserhaven 2-0 and then derby rivals Fortuna Emmerich 2-1 in back to back weeks, but that would be too simple. A 5-2 loss to FCK put the club from Kaiserhaven right back into the race, and Vorstock suffered other setbacks such as a 3-2 loss to TSV Georg-Blocher that dragged them back into the fight. On the final day, Vorstock hosted 1. FC Vaihingen. Two points ahead of Kaiserhaven, all the home side needed was a victory to claim that Superklasse spot. Thanks to a brace from Werkner, they would do so, a 2-1 win being enough, and the fans invaded the pitch at the Sudseestadion to celebrate one of the best moments in the club’s history.

The Meisterschaft campaign, then, is a victory lap for Vorstock - there are no real expectations here, although getting to play against the biggest clubs in the country will be good preparation for the rigours of the Superklasse next season. With their improved squad, we do expect them to finish above neighbours Kaiserhaven and also FK Pomorie, but don’t expect too much more from the south coast club this season.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Tue Oct 15, 2024 1:42 pm

VFL REINBRONN

Home kit

Away kit

Basic Information

Colours: Green, black, gold
Stadium: Flughafenstadion
Kit sponsor: HansAir (international, airline)
Manager: Torsten Bohmer
Captain: Norbert Kessel
Last Season: 6th
Prediction: 9th
Nicknames: The Hunters
Rivals: SV Preisfeld (Neuteussen derby), 1920 Reinbronn (Reinbronn derby)
Legends: Torsten Bohmer, Tristan Schultz, Thomas Schalle

Background

Club Honours

Historic Era
None

Republikaliga Era
1x President’s Cup winners (S14)

Modern Era
None

International
1x IFCF Liga B Champions’ Trophy winners (Cycle 8)

One of those clubs you can’t help but root for, VfL Reinbronn have made an incredible return to the Meisterschaft.

Fan Profile

Members: 53,200
Average Ticket Price: T26
Political affiliation: None, some groups anti-isolation
Supporter Groups: Reinbronn Archers, Green-Black-Gold Connection
Away Support: Always sold out
Calimero Complex: Historically towards SV Preisfeld
Arrogance: None
Style: Ultras, tifos, fireworks
Cult Hero: Currently Thomas Schalle, historically Josh Meckler

A walk through the Reinwald is at the top of any hiker visiting eastern Teusland’s list: the beautiful trees, the many types of flowers that grow within, and some of the most picturesque forest trails in the country. The Reinwald has been at the centre of Teus fairytales, sing-alongs, and folklore for many years, and when you exit the forest at its north end, you reach the town of Reinbronn on the River Drai.

One of those fairytales, perhaps the most famous in the country, is even based in the town: a hunter from Reinbronn is down on his luck: his girlfriend has left him for his childhood rival, his mother is sick, and he has had no luck in the field. Just before he gives up entirely, a wolf appears to him and the hunter learns he has the ability to speak to animals. Together, the hunter and the wolf defeat an evil spirit that lives within the forest, and the ensuing hunt is so successful that the hunter’s mother is immediately cured and he marries the most beautiful girl in town.

You can see a bit of the character of Reinbronn, then, in this story. Located between the dominant Teus cities of Stelburg and St. Jakob, Reinbronn first grew as a trading post along the route, and was later famed for its market. A university was established here in the 1400s, and the town largely remained unchanged during the Teus Empire. Even today, its beautiful old town centre is often found on a list of ‘hidden gems’ for tourists to discover. In the decades before the Great War, there was a football club named 1880 Reinbronn from the city, but it folded during the war.

In 1900, the athletic association VfL Reinbronn was founded. In 1900, the town was about to undergo change. The Neuteussen region to the west of the metropolis of St. Jakob features a great deal of flat land, and alongside the Drai many of that great river’s tributaries also come through this area. These factors, as well as the easy access to the port of St. Jakob, made the area a perfect target for rapid industrialization in the post-war decades. While Reinbronn did see some economic benefit from this, it was nothing compared to the neighbours in Preisfeld, a city which became the economic hub of the region.

Matching the fortunes of the town, the football club’s history is largely a similar story. Reinbronn remained an average side for most of the pre-Republikaliga era. Two great periods of success are particularly notable. In the 1950s, VfL Reinbronn earned a reputation for pioneering the 4-2-4 formation, and were able to win 4 Regionalliga St. Jakob titles in the decade. A President’s Cup Final was lost to Olympia Borograd in 1956, and that was the closest Reinbronn would get for half a century. It was 53 years later, in 2009, that Reinbronn would make a cinderella run through the Cup, including beating the hated rivals SV Preisfeld in the semifinal - but the Hunters fell just short again, losing to FC St. Jakob.

If you consider the story of the club and the story of the fairytale, you can see that by the beginning of the Republikaliga era, the club was in a similar position to the hunter who features on their badge. Their hated rivals had managed much more success historically, the club was relegated all the way down to the 4th tier at one point, and many fans would’ve been willing to give up.

Then, while in the second tier, manager Torsten Bohmer was brought in. Famous for his hard-nosed attitude, Bohmer guided Reinbronn to a 2. Republikaliga title in his first season - but there was much more success to come. Season 14 of the Republikaliga proved to be the finest in the club’s history. Despite a difficult start, they managed to remain in the top division, but more importantly won the club’s first-ever set of major trophies: finally capturing the President’s Cup, and defying all the odds to become the first (and only) club from this country to win the IFCF Liga B Champions’ Trophy. Insert your ‘Torsten Bohmer is the wolf from the story’ analogy here.

The fairytale continued for Reinbronn in the years following, as they kept hold of the legendary manager and became a midtable Republikaliga team for the rest of the division’s existence. The first season in the Regionalliga was difficult, and the club finished behind both FC St. Jakob and the rivals in Preisfeld. With some players remaining from that gilded squad, and a manager who has truly become part of the furniture at the club, however, they are always a threat and in their third try captured the Regionalliga title.

Reinbronn are truly a community side, and the fans have a great deal of influence in how the club is run. Reinbronn’s supporters are well-regarded in Teusland, and videos of the celebrations upon the team’s double win quickly went viral. Neighbours, and twenty years their junior, 1920 Reinbronn are rivals but the city derby isn’t particularly fierce as the clubs have mostly played in separate tiers. The rivalry with SV Preisfeld, however, is one of the fiercest in Teusland. The Neuteussen derby sees the market town that stayed true to its roots in Reinbronn facing off against the industrial town that adapted to new realities with great success. More than just that, the towns aren’t too far apart, and it’s also a battle of civic pride. Preisfeld are historically the more successful side, but in recent years Reinbronn have had the balance of power, making the on-pitch rivalry just as good as the atmosphere off the pitch.

A story befitting a fairytale, VfL Reinbronn are eager to continue fighting their way up the ranks of football in Siovanija & Teusland.

Squad

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Thomas Mateschitz (31); LB - Niko Schenk (28), CB - Kasper Breslau (24), CB - Norbert Kessel (28), RB - Josef Dieterich (32); CM - Jacinto Coutinho (TER, 22), CM - Thorsten Strobel (25); LW - Federonise Alord (AUP, 30), CAM - Iztok Gavoda (MYT, 19), RW - Thomas Schalle (29), CF - Ben Bing (19)

Bench: GK - Bruno Furst (22); DF - Fabio Kresinger (26), DF - Jeremias Vetter (19); MF - Marko Eisner (28), MF - Erik Glas (19), MF - Florian Dalman (25); CF - Robin Haberlin (28)

Total Squad Value (from @STLTransferMarkt): T27.75 million (+9m) (highest player: Ben Bing, T4m)
Average Age: 26.1
New Faces: Coutinho (transfer, T600k), Mateschitz (transfer, T550k), Vetter (academy), Glas (academy)

Preview

Academy

While Reinbronn’s academy has perhaps been
undervalued by the club in the past, new approaches
and a new philosophy are ushering in change. Reinbronn
once upon a time had many solid players coming from
the academy: the side of the 1950s was made of players
born entirely in Reinbronn, while players who ‘know the club’
had often been sought after. Over the years, however, the
club saw many of the top talents moving away to St. Jakob
or Stelburg, and by the beginning of the Republikaliga era
the academy had been seriously neglected. There was some
concern from the fanbase over this, particularly in the early
days of the Torsten Bohmer era as he brought in several young
players on loan. In recent years, however, the club have invested
greatly in the academy in order to improve the club’s sustainability,
and this can be seen with a number of solid players coming through
the ranks recently. Ben Bing is perhaps the best recent example of this,
while the current academy generation is expected to be a fruitful one.
This includes players like defender Martin Sandmeier, midfielder
Joel Dorn and forward Emil Keuzen.

Flughafenstadion

Capacity: 33,000
Away End: 3000
Status: New build

It was always going to be bittersweet for
Reinbronn fans to say goodbye to the Hauser-Platz.
The old stadium, while largely falling apart, was pretty
much a church for Reinbronn fans and had played home
to generations of the club’s story. However, as it was
not owned by the club, and the town did not want to
invest in the necessary improvements, building a new
stadium was necessary. The location eventually chosen
was directly next to the Reinbronn Airport - fitting given
the club’s new sponsor HansAir. The new, modern stadium
has quickly become loved by Reinbronn fans both for its
faithfulness to the club’s traditions as well as its quirks -
it’s not every day that you can see airplanes taking off
and landing from your seat at the stadium. The
Flughafenstadion is well-connected to the town by S-bahn,
and the fans have quickly resettled with the ultras preferring
the south stand. Groundhoppers will love this stadium for
how closely it resembles the feel of an old-time stadium,
despite being built within the last decade. Away fans, meanwhile,
are seated in the upper tier of the north stand and have given the
new stadium great reviews for its facilities, sightlines and atmosphere.

An offseason of overhaul at VfL Reinbronn, but Torsten Bohmer has brought the Hunters back to the Meisterschaft one more time and secured qualification for the Superklasse as well.

Qualification for the Meisterschaft last season, after the losses of Michael Burger and Sven Fuchs, was almost unthinkable. Reinbronn did it, however, on the backs of some big players stepping up - Kasper Breslau and Ben Bing to name the key players behind that achievement. Breslau earned himself a call-up to the national squad during World Cup 97 Qualifiers as a result of his strong performances, while Bing became the starting forward as the Goldhorns went all the way to the Final of the Di Bradini Cup. Bing’s status has skyrocketed in the last 12 months, now thought of as a future national team forward, and he is now the most valuable player at the club, at least according to @STLTransferMarket.

This time around, with qualification for the Superklasse in the balance, there were also some changes to the group. Long time goalkeeper Martin Hepner - who was even under the bar for Reinbronn’s IFCF Liga B Champions’ Trophy victory all those years ago - retired, and will now pursue coaching badges with the goal of becoming a coach in the club’s academy. Replacing him is Thomas Mateschitz, who was bought at a value rate from VfB Marlesee. The 31 year old goalkeeper is expected to be first choice at the club for a few years, depending on how the development of academy product Bruno Furst proceeds in the next few years. With midfielder Wilhelm Nageler aging out of a starting role at the club, young Mytanar Iztok Gavoda is promoted to the first team squad after a solid season as a rotation option last year.

The biggest new addition, however, is Terense midfielder Jacinto Coutinho. The young man has turned out for his country at the U21 international level, and has also played two years in IFCF competition for former club Sportivo Caamano. Countinho is a midfielder noted for his excellent skill on the ball, capable of providing plenty of interesting through balls and setting up goals for his side. He also has plenty of speed about him. This is a player that the supporters in Reinbronn are very excited about, feeling they have pulled off a major coup with this signing. If Coutinho is able to step up right away and adapt to football in Siovanija & Teusland, he could become a hero on the north side of the Reinwald.

One area that was key to Reinbronn’s 6th-place finish in the Meisterschaft last season was the strong performances of the wingers. Club legend Thomas Schalle had a great season, as is expected of him by now by the Reinbronn supporters, contributing a lot en route to the club’s Regionalliga title. The Auprussian arrival Federonise Allord also had an impact, hitting the ground running with some key goals for the club in the Meisterschaft. In his second season for the club, there’s a hope that his consistent performances can continue. The duo of Schalle and Allord were also a big part of Ben Bing’s success, with plenty of great crosses being met by the young forward. If the trio can continue to build chemistry, it will be quite dangerous for the clubs that have to defend against them.

The Regionalliga campaign was always going to be a tough one, with rivals SV Preisfeld and FC St. Jakob also desperate to fight for Superklasse qualification. The Regionalliga St. Jakob had two automatic spots in addition to a third spot going to the Playoff, and it was quite clear by the midway point of the season that it would be Reinbronn and St. Jakob fighting for the #1 spot. Two derby victories over SV Preisfeld, 3-1 at home and 2-0 on the road, put plenty of distance on the old enemy and gave Reinbronn a big boost towards the end of the season. In the final matchup in the Draistadion against FC St. Jakob, with the home side needing to beat Reinbronn to have any chance of getting the Regionalliga title, the match ended with a 2-2 draw. Even a loss at home to Preisfeld, 5-3 on the penultimate matchday of the season, could not damper the mood - Reinbronn were going to both the Meisterschaft and the Superklasse. Ben Bing scored 27 goals in the campaign as Reinbronn were an offensive force, scoring 71 goals total compared to 58 for St. Jakob in second place. Jacinto Coutinho was a big part of that, averaging the most chances created per 90 of any midfielder in the division.

Heading into the Meisterschaft, we have Reinbronn ranked at #8. They finished 6th last season, and the squad has improved since then - but so have the clubs around them. It’s a prediction that several clubs that had poor seasons last year will return to normal. Expect the Hunters to still be a difficult opponent for every team in the division, and to perhaps make some noise heading into the Superklasse.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Wed Oct 16, 2024 3:43 pm

ZVEZDA VLAIKOGRAD

Home kit

Away kit

Basic Information

Colours: Red, white
Stadium: Stadion Ivo Balikov ‘Crvenski Grad’
Kit sponsor: ZeleznicaJezera (regional, rail company)
Manager: Ivan Batic
Captain: Arpad Pavlicek
Last Season: 10th
Prediction: 7th
Nicknames: Rdeci (the Reds), Komisari ('commisars,' jokingly amongst the club's supporters)
Rivals: FK Vlaikograd 1896 (Vlaikograd derby), TSV Marzig (political)
Legends: Leopold Bliznakov, Kvido Jaros, Nwabudike Ugonna

Background

Club Honours

Historic Era
22x Siovanijan champions
5x President’s Cup winners

Republikaliga Era
1x President’s Cup winners (S9)

Modern Era
None

International
None

Zvezda Vlaikograd were once one of Siovanija’s finest clubs, and with a legacy of success look to rise once again. .

Fan Profile

Members: 92,900
Average Ticket Price: T30
Political affiliation: Left-wing, Siovanijan nationalist, some groups communist
Supporter Groups: Red Army Vlaikograd, Curva Nord, CZ Fanatics
Away Support: Always sold out
Calimero Complex: Very much so, particularly towards the Borograd clubs
Arrogance: Yes, towards clubs with not as much history
Style: Ultras, drums, flags
Cult Hero: Currently Aleksej Jerek, historically Harald Larsson
Current Status: Pleased at new investment into the club heading into the Superklasse

One of the most important cities in the country, Vlaikograd’s status and history have helped shape its biggest club. Going back over a thousand years into history now, the city of Vlaikograd was once the most prominent in Siovanija. Located in one of the most beautiful regions in the country, between two of the Great Lakes, Vlaikograd was named after the pagan God of Water, Vlaiko, and became the first capital of a united Siovanija in 1124. Vlaikograd remained the capital until 1417, when it was sieged and captured by the Teus Empire as part of the Three Years’ War that saw Siovanija capitulate.

As a result, the city was the centre of both political and cultural life in old Siovanija. The largest pagan temples in the country can still be found here, and many of the great palaces of the Siovanijan kings were refurbished under the Empire and remain tourist sights today. Under the Empire, Vlaikograd saw a bit of a decline in prestige, as the city of Borograd to the south rose in population and economic importance. By the late 1700s, there was unrest in Siovanija, and many desired to be free from the Teus Empire. In the intellectual centre of Borograd, thinkers like Anton Dialikov came up with revolutionary ideas that promoted Siovanijan nationhood and many left-wing social principles. The ideas quickly spread to Vlaikograd - which ironically, given its princely past, became a hive for rebels. In 1806, in a precursor to the Siovanijan Revolution, workers from Vlaikograd rose up and formed the ‘Vlaikograd Commune’ in between barricades in the town centre, holding out 56 days before the Teus recaptured the streets. Influential thinker Vladimir Morikov, who took Dialikov’s ideas and adapted them into a sort of proto-communism, published his treatise in the city just 6 months later.

In 1808, the Siovanijan Revolution broke out as Siovanijans demanded independence from the Empire. In Borograd, rebels waved the green flag as a symbol of Siovanijan nationalism and Dialikovite thought, while in Vlaikograd it was the red flag of the Morikovite faction. While the parties formed an alliance during the fighting, when the Siovanijan Republic was established, the Dialikovites almost entirely excluded the Morikovite faction from the political structure of the new state. Borograd became the capital, the ‘hero city’ of the revolution, and Vlaikograd had to develop a new identity.

Shortly after independence, the athletic club Crvena Zvezda (‘Red Star’) was founded, by old fighters of the revolution. In the 1860s, Zvezda adopted football a few years after it had been introduced to the country, but they quickly became one of the republic’s top clubs: they were Siovanijan champions 3 times in the years of competition prior to the Great War. While the war devastated all areas of the country, following the war Vlaikograd was one of the cities that greatly benefitted from the new United Republics. As Vlaikograd’s fortunes rose, so too did its main football club.

Crvena Zvezda became one of Siovanija’s top football clubs, regularly competing for the top Siovanijan and national prizes. Their number of 18 Siovanijan titles by 1960 was second only to rivals Olympia Borograd, while their haul of 4 President’s Cup victories made them highly-respected across the country. The fierce rivalry with Olympia made for some of the best football in the country, and brought great innovation. Zvezda’s use of the W-M formation in the late 1930s saw them take 3 straight Siovanijan championships, while their excellent version of the 4-2-4 led by legendary forward Ivo Balikov in the early 50s saw them take another 3 straight and also defeat FC Teussen Stelburg 6-1 in the 1953 President’s Cup Final, a match that changed the way Teus sides approached the game. Zvezda, then, were one of the biggest clubs in the country.

However, a set of poor decisions at the club was beginning to catch up to them. Despite their reputation as a worker’s club, in the early 1950s they paid more money in salary than any other club in the country. A new stadium project was abandoned, and the club had lost all the money invested in it. By 1960, the club was truly in a crisis: many assets of the club needed to be sold off, and the association with the athletic club was ended as the club renamed itself to Zvezda Vlaikograd. This came along with a statement pledging the club would become more involved in its local community.

While the community feel did arrive, the success fell away. Zvezda would win the President’s Cup for the last time (pre-Republikaliga) in 1972, while their Siovanijan title in 1964 was the last for nearly 30 years. Zvezda was replaced at the top by FK Metropola Borograd, who became the new rivals of Olympia, and Zvezda spent some years even below their city rivals FK Vlaikograd 1896. The club did recover by the start of the Republikaliga era, but were nowhere near the heights of yore.

Zvezda’s greatest run of success since the name change would come during the Republikaliga era. After being promoted to the top division in season 5, Zvezda remained in the top division for every season afterwards, becoming challengers for the IFCF places. The club also won its first President’s Cup title in over 50 years after beating Vrnovo Mesto in the final in season 9, a great achievement for the club that also allowed them to play international football for the first time. Leopold Bliznakov became a legend at the club, while foreign players also came through the door such as Harald Larsson, the Savojar who was embraced by the club’s fans for both his play on the pitch and his politics and served as the club’s captain.

Isolation was a bit of a headache for Zvezda: while the club’s fanbase largely supported the move, with many of their fans being staunch supporters of Ruslan Karamov’s Republican Party, the club itself suffered a bit. Key foreign players like Larsson were lost, and the club was in decline as the Republikaliga ended. However, the Regionalliga was a boost to the club’s ambitions: Zvezda are by far the most dominant club of northwestern Siovanija, and they have had no trouble at all in qualifying for the Meisterschaft in recent years.

The club is famed not only for its long history but also its passionate supporters. While Vlaikograd drew from a nation-wide base of support in the pre-1960s, the fall from grace centered the base of support on the city of Vlaikograd. Vlaikograd remained a staunch left-wing city for many years, and as a result the club’s fans and ultras gained a reputation for these views. You will see plenty of red flags in the stands, and banners from the home end often protest ‘modern football.’ The club’s supporters were very much in favour of isolation, and can be broadly classified as Siovanijan nationalists. Zvezda have also become something of a hipster club in the nation - no college classroom in Siovanija could be complete without at least 1-2 Zvezda laptop stickers. Zvezda’s fans have a great say in how the club is run and the club often opposes actions by the STFA that it feel go against its values - for example, Zvezda were one of the only clubs to vote against reducing the number of clubs in the Republikaliga from 20 to 16.

Ask any Zvezda supporter who their biggest rival is, and you will get… plenty of different answers. Older fans will largely tell you that the biggest rival is and will always be Olympia Borograd. Olympia vs Crvena Zvezda in the old days was Siovanijan football at its best, and adding in the historic enmity between Borograd and Vlaikograd means this will always be a big match. For many Zvezda fans, Olympia are the biggest game on the calendar, and the history behind the red and green colours often comes out on matchday. For more modern fans, the rivals are the cross-town FK Vlaikograd 1896. Younger than Zvezda, and founded in the year the Great War ended, FKV are not as historically successful but do have a large fanbase within the city. Most importantly, they were in a much better position than Zvezda at the start of the Republikaliga era, meaning that for many young Zvezda fans beating the city rival was everything. Now, with the clubs facing off 4 times per year in the Regionalliga some of that tension has returned. For the political ultra who keeps Vladimir Morikov’s writings on his/her coffee table, the hated foe is TSV Marzig. This is a relatively new rivalry, formed only after Zvezda’s promotion to the Republikaliga. The club’s ultra group Red Army Vlaikograd have formed a relationship with similarly-aligned ultras at FK Pomorie, and the clubs have something of a fan friendship. As a result, Zvezda also began to hate Marzig. Mix in the fact that Marzig’s most hard-core ultras are right-wing Teus nationalists, the exact thing Zvezda fans hate the most, and you have a real bitter rivalry.

With plenty of history and one of the most passionate supporter groups in the country behind them, Zvezda Vlaikograd are hoping to bring back the glory years in the Meisterschaft.

Squad

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Valentin Pospisil (29); LB - Patrik Mrazek (26), CB - Zdeno Vadicek (19), CB - Evzan Zukal (26), RB - Guillaume Magill (KSK, 26); CM - Matous Krejci (27), CM - Aleksej Jerek (24); LW - Dusan Korlikov (20), CAM - Arpad Pavlicek (24), RW - Rogelio Chianese (TER, 22), CF - Bogdan Kubica (31)

Bench: GK - Ruslan Berkov (22), DF - Krasimir Bliznakov (21), DF - Boris Kubicek (26), MF - Svatoslav Dostal (27), MF - Otmar Jaros (19), MF - Cestmir Adamek (30), FW - Krasimir Buranov (27)

Total Squad Value (from @STLTransferMarkt): T36.5 million (+5m) (highest player: Dusan Korlikov, T6m)
Average Age: 24.9
New Faces: Pospisil (transfer, T750k), Mrazek (transfer, T1m), Chianese (transfer, T500k), Vadicek (academy)

Preview

Academy

Zvezda, historically, had one of the top
academies in the country in their early years.
The club was famed for developing talented midfielders,
and also powerful forwards. However, in the years
post-1960, the academy was one area of the club
that was neglected and eventually this reputation
fell away, as even city rivals FK Vlaikograd 1896 began
to dominate the local talent pools. Upon becoming more
sustainable in the Republikaliga era, a priority for the
club was once again investing in the academy. A generation
of players including Leopold Bliznakov brought the club
the President’s Cup title, and along with new coaching
principles and an excellent catchment area that covers
almost all of northwest Siovanija, Zvezda are once again
one of the better academies in Siovanija. The fans love
seeing players who have come from the academy to the top,
and in recent years many players have made the journey to
the first team, including stars Bogdan Kubica and Arpad Pavlicek.
The next big talents coming from Smichov, named for the
street it is on, are expected to be defender Borut Tomov,
midfielder Roman Zadikov and forward Gregor Andric.

Stadion Ivo Balikov ‘Crvenski Grad’

Capacity: 40,000
Away End: 4000
Status: New build

The ‘Red Castle’ as it is known, the new
Stadion Ivo Balikov remains a symbol of the club.
‘Crvenski Grad’ or ‘red castle’ was the name of Zvezda’s
original stadium when the club were at the top of
Siovanijan football, known for its distinctive red-bricked
exterior that, combined with good results, made it feel like
a fortress for the club. The Ivo-Balikov-Arena that was built
later was not as beloved by the fanbase, so when replacement
plans were announced many fans were quite happy. That
turned into joy when the red-brick exterior was returned,
and the new Stadion Ivo Balikov, named for the club’s greatest-ever
player, was given the additional title ‘Crvenski Grad’ in honour
of the original home. Red seats and red colouring all around the
ground really make the stadium the true heart of the club. It is
located in the west of the city, in the Brevnov district the club
have always called home. The new build was accompanied by a
new metro station to serve the stadium, and fans have praised
the ease of access. 40,000 fit into the Castle, and it is famous
for the north stand where the most fanatical supporters are located.
There are always red flags and smoke coming from this end, as well
as flares, and it has one of the best atmospheres in the country. Away
fans are stuffed away into the southeast corner, and were not too happy
about the sightlines and services on offer, but an away day to Zvezda is
viewed as a fun experience for every supporter to view the club’s unique
atmosphere.

Another club who overhauled their playing squad over the summer transfer period, and Zvezda Vlaikograd are very optimistic about the club’s fortunes heading into the final year of the Meisterschaft and especially the Superklasse era.

Last season’s Zvezda squad was one that was, on average, quite old - an average age of 27.1, while this season’s edition will turn out with a starting XI that has an average age of 24.9. That makes them the third-youngest squad in the league, with only FC Teussen Stelburg and Olympia Borograd coming in lower. There were some major departures for the club over the offseason. Longtime number 1 goalkeeper Mojmir Mach finally retired at age 39, while longtime captain Kvido Jaros was judged too old at 34 and sold to Karakanovski Fabrika. Ludvik Koci, a leftback who never quite met the potential of his youth, was also sold to Vrnovo Mesto. This left the Reds with several holes to fill in the starting XI.

Firstly, they turned to the domestic market to solve those problems. Just as Mach was once brought in from FK Metropola Borograd, his replacement comes from the same place. Valentin Pospisil was on the outs in the capital and finds a new home in the northwest instead, with Zvezda seeing him as a very capable #1 option. The biggest coup of the summer was undoubtedly the signing of Patrik Mrazek from Olympia Borograd. It’s been many, many years since Zvezda signed a player directly from the starting XI of Olympia, but this was made possible due to the Greens’ current poor financial position. Mrazek is one of the best Siovanijan fullbacks at the moment and will be a big addition to Zvezda’s left flank. To replace Jaros at CB, academy grad Zdeno Vadicek is given the nod, with the recognition that he’ll likely need time to fully ease into the role. However, he’s often made appearances with the Goldhorns’ U21 and U18 sides in the past, and there are high hopes for him around Vlaikograd.

Then came a big international signing as well. Cestmir Adamek has been a reliable face on the Reds’ right wing for a few years now, but there was an interest in younger, exciting options from the club for a few transfer windows. This time around, Rogelio Chianese caught the eye of Zvezda’s scouts and the deal was completed for T500k. With his former club Progreso relegated in the Terense league, the speedy winger was available for transfer and Zvezda made the move. He’s a player with experience starting for his country at the Di Bradini Cup, and is known at home for his excellent crossing ability. This is a transfer with sky-high potential for Zvezda, and it gives them hope of having dynamic options on both wings.

Left winger Dusan Korlikov is the other half of that equation. Korlikov was one of the most-discussed prospects coming out of Smichov for many, many years, and he more than lived up to that hype last season. He scored 20 in the Regionalliga campaign and was Zvezda’s best played in the Meisterschaft, quickly adapting to the senior level. In addition, he earned his first appearances for the national team as well. He managed two goals for the Goldhorns in World Cup Qualifying, but more than that was often relied on as a dynamic late substitute to help change the game for the national team. He’s more than ready to lead this team forward, and the question of where Zvezda will finish this season and for many more is likely answered by how he will perform. Without a doubt, Korlikov is the face of the squad.

Zvezda have been used to dominating the Regionalliga in the past few years - but it wasn’t a surprise that their strongest challenge came in the year that the #1 spot in the division also meant direct qualification for the Superklasse. Rudar Trkev put up a fierce fight against the Reds this season, in the end finishing just 3 points back of the Vlaikograd outfit. Trkev shocked the Reds in their first encounter of the season, a 4-2 victory at the Red Castle that saw the west coast side go top of the league. A 4-0 derby loss to FK Vlaikograd 1896 was also a moment to forget for the Zvezda faithful. However, a late season rally saw them push their way back to the top. A 2-1 win over Trkev away put the Reds 3 points clear, and then on the final day it was a derby day to remember forever. Down 3-1 at the half, Dusan Korlikov scored twice before Bogdan Kubica added a last-minute winner to secure the 3 points and the Regionalliga title. Zvezda’s attack really clicked, with 77 goals to their name, and Korlikov was naturally the best player in the squad. However, Rogelio Chianese adapted quite quickly to his role and had 13 of his own during the campaign. Zdeno Vadicek was another debutant who looked quite solid, as Zvezda conceded only 28 goals in the campaign.

For Zvezda, barring an unlikely go at IFCF qualification, the goal is really getting ready for the Superklasse season to come. We have the Reds slotted to finish 7th in the division. With a young squad, there are going to be difficult moments against the top teams and they don’t quite have what it takes to challenge the top 4. They’ll be in a battle with the other Siovanijan clubs, Energija Chernovets and Olympia Borograd, who are likely to fit into this area. We rank them just behind Chernovets and just ahead of Olympia in terms of talent and ability, and with the caveat that a Dusan Korlikov break-out campaign could add plenty of points to their total, find 7th to be the most realistic spot for the Reds.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Thu Nov 14, 2024 12:38 pm

Meisterschaft Final Season - Part I

Matchday 1

Taifun Vorstock 0–1 FK Pomorie
1912 Stelburg 2–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
Olympia Borograd 1–1 Energija Chernovets
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–3 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 6–2 VfL Reinbronn
FC Kaiserhaven 2–3 TSV Marzig

Here we go! There were some scintillating fixtures on the opening weekend - a Stelburg derby, and two of the biggest clubs in Siovanija going head to head - but we started off on the south coast as Taifun Vorstock hosted FK Pomorie. The Vorstockers looked strong early, with Reiner Werkner coming so close to opening his Meisterschaft account for the new club - but Pomorie hit back on the counter attack, Ladislav Nistor scoring for the Guards, and the visitors would hang on for the win. Olympia Borograd’s horror season seemed to be getting worse when Veselin Oresnik scored the opening goal for the visiting Canaries just 5 minutes into the match, but Rolando Cutter would beat his countryman Brian Kilcullen later on in the match to a header that gave Olympia a point. FK Metropola Borograd started the season well, with Marjan Trstenjek getting two goals in the 3-1 win over Zvezda - while Felsenkirchen’s start was even better. A hat-trick for Isak Harju, plus 2 from Jochen Koegel and another from Valterri Tirel added up to a 6-2 win over Reinbronn. On the other hand, for TSV Marzig, upon whom so much expectation has been placed going into this season, the start was much shakier. In probably the most exciting game of the week, FC Kaiserhaven went up 2-0 in the first 15 minutes of the match, Wolf Wind and Norbert Stetter getting the goals. However, the Marzigers recovered, with Wei Delan getting one just before halftime that brought them back into the game. In the second half, a brace from Einar Hackl gave Marzig all three points.

In east Stelburg, the season began with a very important Stelburg derby. Although 1912 Stelburg were national champions last season, the tables had clearly turned in the Regionalliga this year - FC Teussen Stelburg were derby winners 3 times out of 4, and finished with a 13 point gap to the Bluebirds. Thorsten Kramer’s men certainly look to be on the up again, and it was the debutant Reto Zschokke who got things going early in the derby. A great shot from outside the box made the away end go wild, and it looked like once again it would be Teussen’s day. The Bluebirds, however, did not give up so easily. Alois Heineken pulled one back before half-time to equalize, before new boy Xorge Le Meji, the Goldhorns’ World Cup hero, knocked in the 2-1 goal just 35 seconds into the second half. Teussen were hit, but not knocked down - a great ball from Josef Weber was just enough for Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta to get his first of the year, and make it 2-2. On paper, the result definitely favours the Bluebirds, while the performances on the pitch showed neither side really deserving to lose - the draw probably being the most fair result. It gives 1912 confidence that they can fight their city rivals this season, while for Teussen, they will know there is much more work to be done to achieve their goals.

Player of the Week: Isak Harju (FC Felsenkirchen 1879)

Matchday 2

FK Pomorie 1–2 TSV Marzig
VfL Reinbronn 1–0 FC Kaiserhaven
FK Metropola Borograd 5–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Energija Chernovets 4–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–3 Olympia Borograd
Taifun Vorstock 1–3 1912 Stelburg

And if the first weekend didn’t have enough derbies and big games for you, week 2 was absolutely packed with them. We’ll get to those later, however, as we start on Saturday afternoon with VfL Reinbronn hosting FC Kaiserhaven. While Reinbronn were on the receiving end of a beatdown from Felsenkirchen last weekend, this time around they looked much more structured as a unit - and in particular, the midfield. Jacinto Coutinho played an excellent through ball that Ben Bing turned into a goal, and that was all that was needed in this one - Kaiserhaven, perhaps recovering from the blown lead last week, didn’t show too much fight in this one. Energija Chernovets were also in fine form, with Jaro Jezek getting two goals and Aengus Gosling and Vladimir Vladimiric chipping in with the others in a big 4-1 victory over Zvezda Vlaikograd. In the weekend’s final match, Damien Gannot defied Father Time with a brace in the first half against Taifun Vorstock as 1912 Stelburg raced to a 3-1 win.

The first derby match of the weekend was the highly-anticipated Pomorie-Marzig derby. Famous for both on and off pitch antics, there would be none of the following as the decision was made to ban the away supporters from Marzig from attending the match. It’s now been a few years since away supporters were allowed at the derby, and one indeed wonders if it will ever be possible again given the current political tensions following the invasion of Sankt Konrad. Still, the atmosphere at Pomorie was incredible, with a 15-minute pyrotechnic show before kickoff, a massive tifo, and a spine-chilling rendition of the region’s anthem Vstala Pomorie. That was about as good as it would get, however, for the home side. Einar Hackl scored in the 10th minute off a goalkeeper error, before being hit with a barrage of beer cups from the home supporters that led to a temporary break. Hackl’s second of the game in the early minutes of the second half basically put the dagger in it, and while Pomorie would grab one back late, it was a big win for the Marzigers in the derby. Marzig supporters had showed up at the Pomorie train station afterwards to attempt to incite something, but police prevented anything more than low-level scraps.

While not a derby, the fixture between Metropola Borograd and Felsenkirchen definitely deserves to be highlighted here. Felsenkirchen have been a powerhouse in domestic football in recent years, regularly finishing at the top of the table - and they have not received a beatdown like this in quite a while. FK Metropola Borograd seem to have a lot of energy in them as the campaign gets underway, and they ran circles around the visitors particularly in the second half. Marjan Trstenjek proved why many consider him one of the best Siovanijan players at the moment, the new boy getting 2 goals and 3 assists in the 5-1 win. Veljko Vadimic had two of his own, while Blahoslav Zak scored the fifth. The result of course begs the question - is Felsenkirchen’s era coming to an end? And can Metropola seriously challenge for the league title? 20 more matches will give us the answer.

Finally, the biggest derby of them all - the National derby. When the schedule was released, some on the gold and black side of Stelburg noted back-to-back derbies to start the season with mixed reactions. For some, it was a good chance to get difficult fixtures out of the way early - for others, it meant the team would not be in mid-season form for either match. Today’s match between Teussen and Olympia, the renewal of this classic derby, was one filled with mistakes and was quite clearly not two clubs at their peak - but was exciting as always. The Teussen supporters spent 90 minutes poking fun at Olympia’s on and off field misfortunes recently: chants of ‘bankrupt, bankrupt’ came loud out of the home end while a tifo included fake paper money being dropped around the stadium. ‘Who isn’t jumping plays the second division,’ however, had to be the most hurtful for Olympia fans who are generally afraid of missing out on the top division next season. On the pitch, things seemed to be going well for Teussen when Josef Weber gave them the lead 10 minutes in - but Olympia would actually lead 2-1 at halftime. Tomas Kohout and Rolando Cutter had one each, and that gave the travelling supporters something to sing about. Cutter made it 3-1 off a very bad mistake from Teussen CB Erwin Sanner, but just 3 minutes later Bozhidar Ornik would get himself sent off after a poor challenge on Weber. It didn’t need to happen, and it threw the game away for Olympia: WHZ made it 3-2 from the penalty spot, and Weber himself got a second goal of the game late to even things out. Olympia would’ve been happy with a point from the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, had they not blown a 3-1 lead, while Teussen will not be happy with just 2 points from their 2 derbies.

Player of the Week: Marjan Trstenjek (FK Metropola Borograd)

President’s Cup First Round

SK Dialikov 3–2 Lintfort
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–2 Stahl Sterzing
Velden-Villach 07 0–1 FK Orlovska Bistrica
Rot-Blau Altona 3–1 Oststahlberg 08
SK Sparta 0–0 1888 Runsen (0–0 AET) (2–4 pen.)
FC Lahnnenbruck 98 4–3 Ljublanski Lihovar
FC Teussen Stelburg 2–0 NK Piran
Listany Prevnost 2–3 FK Raketa Bukovets
NK Vojnik 2–1 Admiral Severno
VfB Giesenau 1–0 Crveno-Zeleni
SV Preisfeld 5–4 NK Sveti Ivan
FC Einheit Marnau 1–1 TSV Horstmar (1–2 AET)
FK Kostinbrod 5–3 1884 Felsenkirchen
Krutenau Kickers 4–3 SV Sogel
FC Kaldenkirchen 1901 1–4 Ladbergen 1894
SW Stahlberg 3–1 FC St. Adelheid
FK Skalna 0–2 Atletik Orlovets
FC Giesenau 0–2 Draija Debelets
Jaromirgrad 1–1 Fortuna Emmerich (1–1 AET) (4–3 pen.)
Rudar Draijagrad 1–2 FK Stavropol
Trojistek Boleslav 0–0 Stari Trg (1–0 AET)
VfB Truiselwald 3–6 Rulandea Karlsbrunnen
SK Pnetluky 0–1 VfL Magesbach
FC St. Jakob 1–1 1920 Reinbronn (2–1 AET)
Zelena Vlaijka 4–3 NK Kamenovo
Slavija Chotevice 2–1 FK Kushovo
TSV Sankt Gustaf 2–1 FK Sinemorets
TSV Konsford 0–0 Rudar Trkev (1–0 AET)
VfL Bamerntal 1–1 NK Vrnovo (1–1 AET) (3–4 pen.)
FK Vlaikograd 1896 2–3 1. FC Vaihingen
Marlesee 97 4–0 NK Gabropol
Luttow-Vognitz 4–0 Metropolitan CFC
NK Krakovo 2–2 FC Kaiserhaven (2–4 AET)
1907 Kronenbruck 1–1 FK Venkovets (1–1 AET) (4–3 pen.)
1807 Vettweiss 1–0 NK Prevala
VfL Prutseren 2–2 Vrnovo Mesto (2–3 AET)
Kreuzritter Loningen 0–3 FC Ternau 05
Turbine Immengries 1–0 NK Krajgrad
FK Cerknica 0–0 SV St. Kunigunde (0–0 AET) (4–2 pen.)
TSV Marzig 2–1 Traktor Stavropol
FC 1. Norsay 3–1 Ljubljanska
VfL Reinbronn 2–0 FK Dragizhevo
Arsenal Bukovets 1–2 NK Siovanska Gora
Taifun Vorstock 2–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Gegenpapst Pomen 2–0 Marianfelde Lions
Energija Chernovets 2–1 1912 Stelburg
SV Shoringen 3–2 Lokomotive Lensbruck
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–0 Slavija Karapelit
NK Divaca 1–1 Olympia Borograd (1–2 AET)
SK Republika Borograd 1–0 TSV Georg-Blocher
FK Shivachevo 1–2 1894 Tarnitz
Lipica Konjibor 2–2 Adler Rotmunde (2–2 AET) (2–3 pen.)
TSV Posenford 3–1 Schneemanner Eibsee
FK Metropola Borograd 0–0 Olimpija Topolovgrad (1–0 AET)
Hrusevje 99 1–2 FC Blauwald
Wolfstadt 98 2–0 Eintracht Aumuhle
Sezana 0–3 NK Karjaska Gora
TSV Prattsee 1–0 TSV Tarnitz
1828 Pomen 2–2 VfB Marlesee (3–2 AET)
Teufelsberg 97 4–0 Rot-Weiss Wilhelmsburg
SVG Bainitz 2–2 Karakanovski Fabrika (2–3 AET)
NK Kaskada 2–2 VfL Reichmannsdorf (3–4 AET)
FK Pomorie 2–0 Hechingen
VfB Launitz 0–0 SV Charlottenberg (1–0 AET)

President’s Cup action returned as well midweek, as the 10 Meisterschaft clubs - and all 128 professional clubs in the country - played in the opening round. There were mixed results for the top division’s clubs. FC Teussen Stelburg had no trouble with NK Piran, a 2-0 win in which Santutxo Kramer scored his first senior goal for the club. TSV Marzig took on Regionalliga Korjava rivals Traktor Stavropol, and it was a hard-fought match, but in the end a rare goal from the fullback Luciano Clotieri was the difference maker for the home side. Marzig’s eternal rivals Pomorie are also safely into the second round, with a 2-0 win at home over Hechingen. FK Metropola Borograd needed 120 minutes to beat minnows Olimpija Topolovgrad, in one of the biggest surprises of the round - particularly given Metropola’s excellent performance in the league this season. Olympia Borograd also needed extra time, on the road at NK Divaca, with both of the ‘Big 2’ Borograd clubs struggling early. However, it was Stanko Simon who knocked in the winning goal and the Greens are moving on. FC Kaiserhaven scored two quick goals in extra time of their tie with NK Krakovo, while it was Taifun Vorstock that prevailed in the first of 2 all-Meisterschaft clashes. Per Freisler scored the winning goal as the Vorstockers knocked Zvezda Vlaikograd out of the Cup. The second all-Meisterschaft tie was quite an interesting one, involving two of the nation’s top clubs: Energija Chernovets hosted 1912 Stelburg. With the Canaries famous for being eternally cursed in this competition, the Stelburg outfit had to feel good about their chances - however, a last-minute winner from Aengus Gosling gave the Chernovets supporters new belief that perhaps this could finally be the year the club wins this historic trophy. Felsenkirchen recovered from the midweek shellacking to defeat Slavija Karapelit, 1-0 the final.

Matchday 3

1912 Stelburg 0–1 FK Pomorie
Olympia Borograd 1–2 Taifun Vorstock
Zvezda Vlaikograd 0–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 5–1 Energija Chernovets
FC Kaiserhaven 0–4 FK Metropola Borograd
TSV Marzig 3–0 VfL Reinbronn

If there’s one way to recover from a bad derby loss, an away win against the defending champions might just be it. FK Pomorie’s traveling supporters were certainly taking great joy in the away end at the Oststelburgstadion on Friday night, as a goal from Marian Hovlak was enough for the Gardisti to come away with a very impressive win in Stelburg. Speaking of impressive wins - Rolando Cutter had Olympia Borograd 1-0 up just 20 minutes in, and everything seemed smooth sailing for the Greens by the 80th minute. And then, disaster struck - in the form of a quick brace from Reiner Werkner that left the home fans stunned and silent. For FC Teussen Stelburg, it was a business victory against Zvezda Vlaikograd - not a match that will live long in the memory, but one that gave 3 points regardless. Hielscher-Zendagorta and Zschokke had the goals for the gold and black in that one. FK Metropola Borograd’s excellent run to begin the season continued, as this time it was Veljko Vadimic leading the charge - two goals for the young winger in the 4-0 win over Kaiserhaven. Also getting on the scoresheet for Metropola was Vincent Hicks in the late stages of the game, with the Tumbran getting a big reception from the away supporters after his goal. Metropola have looked excellent this season - and so have TSV Marzig, who defeated VfL Reinbronn 3-0. Samuel McTavish had the opening marker, while Einar Hackl scored the second-half brace that confirmed the victory. The only 2 teams in the division with 3-0-0 records, Marzig and Metropola will face off in Borograd next week in a huge match early in the season.

Felsenkirchen were looking for a big response back home at Mollin Park against Energija Chernovets after last week’s loss - and they got exactly that. The 3-4-2-1 formation that was much-criticized after the blowout was now reason for excitement, as the wing backs Metzger and Kadelberg created numerous chances down the wing. The real star today, however, was Arne Repnik. The Mytanar midfielder assisted the opening goal from Harju, assisted the second goal from Dieter Rosberg, and then knocked in 2 of his own as part of the 5-1 win. Vladimir Vladimiric had a consolation goal for Chernovets late in the game, but it was a day to quickly forget for the Canaries. Next week, in a huge match at the top of the table Felsenkirchen will travel to Stelburg to take on FC Teussen Stelburg.

Player of the Week: Arne Repnik (FC Felsenkirchen 1879)

Matchday 4

FK Pomorie 3–2 VfL Reinbronn
FK Metropola Borograd 1–3 TSV Marzig
Energija Chernovets 2–3 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–0 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Taifun Vorstock 0–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
1912 Stelburg 0–0 Olympia Borograd

The good times continued for FK Pomorie, who have now won 3 of the first 4 matches of the season following a 3-2 win over VfL Reinbronn. In front of a sold-out Narodnistadion, things were looking good as the home side went 2-0 up in the first half. Reinbronn fought back, however, with goals from Jacinto Countinho and Ben Bing bringing things back to 2-2. Drazen Peterka found the winner for the Guards in stoppage time. Chernovets fans recovering from last week’s loss were hoping a home tie with FC Kaiserhaven would be just the formula for a recovery… instead, it has probably made things even worse in the technology capital. The visiting Kaiserhaven side got an early fluke goal from Wolf Wind - but the rest of the match was certainly no fluke. Wind added another, Alex Gering had one, and even a late charge from the Canaries could not turn things around. Zvezda Vlaikograd finally picked up a win, Rogelio Chianese’s goal enough for the 3 points as they defeat Taifun Vorstock. Meanwhile, for a match between two of the biggest clubs in the country, 1912-Olympia ended up being the worst tie of the round - only 3 shots on goal between the sides, and a game both would rather forget.

It was a massive weekend in the Meisterschaft, with the 4 most likely protagonists of a title fight all facing each other. On Saturday afternoon, FK Metropola Borograd hosted TSV Marzig. The home side, fresh off an incredible start to the season, were hoping for a show of force - instead, it was the Marzigers who waltzed into the Stadion Razdrto and left the home crowd stunned. Einar Hackl scored 3 minutes in, and then again in the 12th minute. By minute 24, Hackl had completed the hat-trick, and it looked like this one could get out of hand. Metropola pushed back in the second half, and Veljko Vadimic did get one back for the Violets, but it was nowhere near enough. In the midfield, Marzig’s trio of Winter-McTavish-Panzer had almost total control of the ball and were certainly the force behind the massive win.

On Sunday, it was time for what could be labeled the ‘classic’ of Teusland: FC Teussen Stelburg vs FC Felsenkirchen 1879. These two storied rivals were both hoping for a win to keep themselves in touching distance of the high-flying Marzigers - particularly Teussen, who had struggled in earlier derbies against 1912 and Olympia. This one was filled with controversy - a goal scored by Teussen early called back for offside, Felsenkirchen penalty shouts after Isak Harju went down in the box falling on deaf ears, and the biggest moment of all: a controversial red card for Arnold Apel after a challenge on Reto Zschokke. After Apel’s dismissal, things went totally the way of Der Legendare, and Zschokke himself would knock in the winning goal. Felsenkirchen manager Leonard Wagner was apoplectic with the official post match, earning a T5000 fine for his post-match critique.

Player of the Week: Einar Hackl (TSV Marzig)

President’s Cup Second Round

President’s Cup action also returned midweek, with the remaining Meisterschaft clubs in action. This round was, to put it simply, a bloodbath for the top clubs. FC Teussen Stelburg avoided any surprises against FK Kostinbrod, a 1-0 win getting the job done - however, several heavy hitters fell. Felsenkirchen went all the way to penalties with lowly VfB Giesenau - and it was the Giesenauers who would win the shootout after young Janni Hohenstein missed his penalty for the Cogs. FK Metropola Borograd had nothing for Stahl Sterzing, with Uwe Seidl getting the winner in a historic match for the home side. Olympia Borograd went back and forth with SW Stahlberg in an exciting affair, however, despite two excellent goals from Valdemar Buran, it was the home side taking the win. That makes SK Republika Borograd the last side from the national capital in the competition, following their 2-0 win over TSV Sankt Gustaf. FK Pomorie were the best-performing Meisterschaft team of the round, with a 5-2 win over Adler Rotmunde. Energija Chernovets also won, 1-0 over TSV Konsford, while TSV Marzig overcame a 3-0 deficit at halftime to beat NK Orlovska Bistrica. Felix Feicke had 2 goals in the comeback, while highly rated young midfielder Heinz Oberlander made his senior debut for the club. Going into the third round, we only have 4 Meisterschaft sides remaining: Teussen, Chernovets, Marzig and Pomorie. The favourites have to be Teussen and Marzig, however, with so much chaos, this might just be Chernovets’ year, finally. FK Pomorie, meanwhile, have been in excellent form lately and cannot be counted out.

Matchday 5

Olympia Borograd 1–2 FK Pomorie
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–1 1912 Stelburg
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 6–3 Taifun Vorstock
FC Kaiserhaven 1–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
TSV Marzig 5–1 Energija Chernovets
VfL Reinbronn 0–3 FK Metropola Borograd

FK Pomorie. What a run they are on! With the exception of a defeat in the derby with Marzig, the red-black-green club have 4 wins in the first 5 matches, and have done it in style - also winning twice in the Cup during this period. Today, however, was probably the biggest prize of them all - an away win at the Olimpski-Stadion. Rolando Cutter opened the scoring for the home side, but as time went on you could see that Pomorie were asking too many questions of Olympia’s back end. Marian Hovlak scored the equalizer, and just 9 minutes later a surging Jaromir Bednar knocked in the winner. Pomorie are third in the league! Olympia, meanwhile, are winless. 1912 Stelburg’s early-season struggles continued, however, after trailing for 73 minutes following an early Bogdan Kubica goal, the Bluebirds’ supporters will be happy that Xorge Le Meji’s last-minute equalizer at least saved a point. Fresh off of two losses in a row for the first time in… quite a while, Felsenkirchen took it all out on Taifun Vorstock in a 6-3 win. Jochen Koegel had two goals and two assists, while the pick of the goals belonged to Jesper Porsche with a booming drive from 35 yards out. FC Teussen Stelburg picked up a good win on the road in Kaiserhaven, with Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta getting both goals - Reto Zschokke hit the post twice against his former club. In the final match of the weekend, goals from Vadimic and Trstenjek in the first half gave Metropola a big advantage over VfL Reinbronn - and late sub Dusan Smires added his first senior goal for the club in the 3-0 win.

What is going on at Energija Chernovets? There was an optimistic start to the season, and then… a massive loss to Felsenkirchen, a poor loss at home to Kaiserhaven and now a total humiliation at the hands of TSV Marzig. Marzig have been scoring early and often this season, and they pulled the same trick here - it was 4-0 at halftime, with 2 of the goals coming in the first 20 minutes. This time, Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik was the star, with 2 goals in the first half and completing the hat-trick in the second. Chernovets manager Tomislav Karapic might not have much more time to save his job. Meanwhile in Marzig, everything is going perfectly to plan - 5-0-0 so far, top of the league, their best players firing on all cylinders. Next week will be quite the test - in the Franz-Gorz-Stadion against FC Teussen Stelburg. A win there would be a real statement that Marzig intends to take this league title.

Player of the Week: Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik (TSV Marzig)

Matchday 6

FK Pomorie 1–1 FK Metropola Borograd
Energija Chernovets 1–3 VfL Reinbronn
FC Teussen Stelburg 0–0 TSV Marzig
Taifun Vorstock 0–2 FC Kaiserhaven
1912 Stelburg 2–5 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Olympia Borograd 2–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd

In just a few weeks, FK Pomorie have gone from ‘they’re having a good start’ to ‘can they reach IFCF football?’ FK Metropola Borograd came into the match with hopes of being able to take advantage of any slip-up from TSV Marzig against Teussen - and instead slipped up themselves on the north coast. Pomorie led 1-0 through former Metropola man Ladislav Nistor, and the home crowd roared them on to try to get another. However, Metropola really began pushing in the second half, and Marjan Trstenjek was able to get an equalizer for the visitors. It’s a result that keeps Pomorie 3rd in the table, while for Metropola, it is a missed opportunity. The Tomislav Karapic era has come to an end in Chernovets, with the manager being sacked after another crushing blow - this time, a 3-1 loss to VfL Reinbronn. Ben Bing scored twice, and added an assist on the third from Federonise Allord. Chernovets sit 11th in the table on just 4 points - IFCF competition is certainly out the door, and at this point the only goal for the remaining matches is just restoring the club’s dignity. That task falls to Kajetan Cerveny, the club’s U19 coach, who also played for them as a defender once upon a time, and will be given the interim role until the end of the season. In an all-Southern matchup, it was FC Kaiserhaven who came out victorious ahead of Taifun Vorstock. The Vorstockers missed a penalty in the opening stages, and Kaiserhaven took advantage with young Norbert Stetter putting them up 1-0 soon after. Later on, an own goal from Taifun’s Fridolin Stoll made it 2-0 and was all the insurance Kaiserhaven needed. 1912 Stelburg’s awful start to the year continued after FC Felsenkirchen 1879 handed them a 5-2 beating at the Oststelburgstadion. Janni Hohenstein, seeing the pitch for the first time since his penalty miss in the Cup a few weeks back, had two goals as a substitute in the victory.

The match of the week was billed as FC Teussen Stelburg against TSV Marzig. The Stelburgers needed a win to get back into the title race, the Marzigers looking for a win to put a big gap between them and the rest of the contenders. And in the end… this one fell flat. Marzig had some good chances early on, but Teussen weathered the storm and came pushing back by the end of the first half - it was a fingertip save from Ludwig Gottschall that kept things at 0-0 when Josef Weber knocked on the door. As the second half ticked on, however, it became obvious to both sides that ‘not losing’ was perhaps the best result on the table, and they were each happy to grab it. 1 point each keeps Marzig on top of the table, although still within touching distance of FK Metropola Borograd in second place. For Teussen, it’s another draw in an important match, something they will need to cut out in the second half if they truly want to win this title.

Player of the Week: Ben Bing (VfL Reinbronn)

With the first 6 matches of the season in the books, let’s take a look at the league table so far with the help of RBC Sports Videotext:

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Fri Nov 15, 2024 6:20 pm

Meisterschaft Final Season - Part II

Matchday 7

Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–2 FK Pomorie
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 5–0 Olympia Borograd
FC Kaiserhaven 0–2 1912 Stelburg
TSV Marzig 1–2 Taifun Vorstock
VfL Reinbronn 0–5 FC Teussen Stelburg
FK Metropola Borograd 4–6 Energija Chernovets

Zvezda Vlaikograd and FK Pomorie have had two very different seasons so far - the Reds struggling, with only 1 win in their first 6 matches, while Pomorie are flying high and having the best season in recent memory for the club. Today, however, they were equal: it was Bogdan Kubica who scored the goal that made it 2-2 in the 60th minute, and in the end the points are shared. Felsenkirchen eviscerated Olympia in a 5-0 massacre. The visiting Greens looked totally helpless against the Cogs, who got 2 goals early from Isak Harju in the win. That result brings Felsenkirchen back just 1 point off the top of the league, fully back in contention. 1912 Stelburg grabbed what is only their 2nd win of the season with a big 2-0 win over FC Kaiserhaven, it was Alois Heineken and Xorge Le Meji getting the goals in that one. The big shock of the weekend was TSV Marzig losing their first match of the season - and who could’ve predicted it to be Taifun Vorstock that delivered the blow? The Vorstockers used Marzig’s own playbook against them, with two ruthless counter-attacks in the first half ending in goals from Reiner Werkner and putting the visitors 2-0 up. Wei Delan would grab one back for the league leaders in the second half, but it was not enough, and all of a sudden things are very tight at the top. FC Teussen Stelburg crushed VfL Reinbronn, with Reto Zschokke scoring a hat-trick on the road. Santutxo Kramer played the entirety of the second half and looked quite comfortable in the Teussen midfield.

With TSV Marzig having lost, Metropola Borograd now had a chance to go top of the league on Monday night when they took on Energija Chernovets. It was the perfect time to play the Canaries, right? A reeling team who had just sacked their manager. It turned out to be a disaster for Metropola, as new boss Kajetan Cerveny oversaw his squad’s best performance of the season so far. Chernovets were up 4-2 at the half, after an opening 15 minutes saw 4 goals scored between the sides. Veselin Oresnik had 3 of them, and would add a 4th in the second half to put the Canaries up 5-2. Metropola fought back hard after that, however, with two goals from Veljko Vadimic making it 5-4 with 10 minutes still on the clock. Chernovets took advantage of the Violets’ desperation, however, and Aengus Gosling was able to knock in the sixth off a counterattack in the dying seconds. A shock win for Chernovets, and one they can try to build on for the rest of this season. The biggest beneficiaries, however, might be TSV Marzig, who don’t really lose all that much ground despite their loss to Vorstock.

Player of the Week: Reto Zschokke (FC Teussen Stelburg)

Matchday 8

FK Pomorie 1–0 Energija Chernovets
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–1 FK Metropola Borograd
Taifun Vorstock 5–1 VfL Reinbronn
1912 Stelburg 0–1 TSV Marzig
Olympia Borograd 2–3 FC Kaiserhaven
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

The question of if Energija Chernovets could turn last week’s big win in Borograd into a string and turn their season around was answered… quite quickly. FK Pomorie continued their amazing run so far this season with a big 1-0 win, thanks to excellent performances from the defenders and a great goal from Marian Hovlak, who is playing like a man 10 years younger this season. Pomorie are now 2nd - second! - in the division, a true shock. Taifun Vorstock built on last week’s surprise win over Marzig and crushed VfL Reinbronn, 5-1 was the final on the south coast. Amongst heavy rain, Per Freisler was the standout performer with 2 goals for the Vorstockers. TSV Marzig needed a recovery from last week’s home loss, and they would get it in the form of a win over last season’s champions 1912 Stelburg. The east Stelburg outfit continues to struggle in the first half of the season, they just could not seem to get anything going offensively against Marzig. Ludwig Gottschall was excellent in goal, but praise also must go to Silvio Rodl. The winning goal was made by Einar Hackl with a great finish from inside the box. Olympia Borograd’s struggles continued, as they blew a 2-1 lead in the second half to fall to FC Kaiserhaven. Zvezda Vlaikograd held Felsenkirchen to a draw, with Dusan Korlikov scoring the best goal of the weekend with a great run from his own half into the Felsenkirchen penalty area before chipping goalkeeper Per Holz for a great goal. It would be canceled out, however, by a header from Valterri Tirel as the sides shared the points.

Two sides looking to firmly announce themselves as title contenders met on Saturday afternoon in Stelburg as FC Teussen Stelburg hosted FK Metropola Borograd. With Teussen coming off a big 5-0 win last week, the gold and black were favourites on paper, especially after Metropola’s loss at home to Chernovets. But with both sides needing a win, neither would get it. There were more fouls in this game than good scoring chances, with both teams playing a very physical game - Damir Prekmurje almost getting sent off after a bad challenge on Josef Weber. The referee’s choice to give just yellow was taken about as well as you would expect in the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, and you felt like it was a certain make-up call when a penalty was given Teussen’s way a few minutes later. Hielscher-Zendagorta would bury that one, while Marjan Trstenjak scored the equalizer in the second half to keep this one at 1-1. Both sides lose ground, then, in the title race as Marzig and Felsenkirchen surge ahead.

Player of the Week: Silvio Rodl (TSV Marzig)

President’s Cup Third Round

More shocks in the President’s Cup! We are down to just 4 Meisterschaft teams remaining in the competition as we reach the Round of 16 - could this be the year that we see a lower-tier team take home the Cup? FC Kaiserhaven had a tough draw, an SW Stahlberg side at home in their famous high-altitude Stadion Michael Ribbeck fresh off a win over Olympia Borograd. In the end, it would require penalties, and it was the south coast club with the nerves of steel. VfL Reinbronn, who have struggled in the Meisterschaft this season, got a good away win over SK Republika Borograd as two goals from Ben Bing keep them in the competition. TSV Marzig had no trouble with Atletik Orlovets, and Energija Chernovets knocked out Taifun Vorstock in an all-Meisterschaft affair. FK Pomorie, who would’ve loved a nice Cup run alongside their great league performance, went out at home to Stahl Sterzing. That left FC Teussen Stelburg, drawn away to Stelburg cult club Krutenau Kickers. With the Kickers having a chance of reaching the Superklasse next season, and their stadium just 3km south of the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, there was a great optimism from the brown-white club that they could take down the gold and black. They did exactly that - an early goal left Thorsten Kramer’s side stymied, and when Falko Meier hit the post in a one-on-one opportunity with just minutes left, you got the feeling it was destiny. Teussen are out of the Cup. Of the 16 remaining sides, as mentioned, just 4 are from the Meisterschaft - but perhaps more interestingly, Energija Chernovets are the only Siovanijan club remaining. Sure, this season has seen plenty of upsets, but what does this say about the current state of Siovanijan football after the downfall of Olympia Borograd?

Matchday 9

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–2 FK Pomorie
FC Kaiserhaven 2–4 Zvezda Vlaikograd
TSV Marzig 1–1 Olympia Borograd
VfL Reinbronn 1–3 1912 Stelburg
FK Metropola Borograd 4–3 Taifun Vorstock
Energija Chernovets 2–2 FC Teussen Stelburg

Felsenkirchen are held to a draw by a very confident FK Pomorie at Mollin Park on Friday evening. The visitors went 1-0 up through Ladislav Nistor, before Felsenkirchen came back to make it 2-1. Marian Hovlak, however, continued his great campaign so far with the equalizer. Dusan Korlikov scored all 4 goals for Zvezda Vlaikograd in one of the greatest performances of the season so far - and despite Zvezda’s difficult start to the year, Korlikov has been without a doubt the best player. It looked like TSV Marzig were in the clear when Einar Hackl scored from the penalty spot 15 minutes into the match with Olympia Borograd, however, it was Rolando Cutter who brought one back for the visitors in the second half to secure a much-needed point and a bit of a confidence booster. Another much-needed result was 1912 Stelburg’s 3-1 victory over VfL Reinbronn. Damien Gannot scored the first one and Xorge Le Meji added two of his own, with the young midfielder giving his best performance in the 1912 shirt so far in the victory. FK Metropola Borograd emerged from a tight contest with Taifun Vorstock, coming out on top in the end thanks to a rare goal from defensive midfielder Damir Prekmurje.

It’s another draw, meanwhile, for FC Teussen Stelburg in our featured match of the week as they traveled across the mountains to take on Energija Chernovets. Teussen are the only team in the division who have not lost a match this season - however, they’ve only won 4. The draws keep piling up, and while this team has played some great football at times these early results are clearly costing them. They currently sit 3 points off TSV Marzig at the top - but imagine how far ahead they could be with a bit more clinicalness in these tight games. Today, it was the story once again - Teussen were up 2-1 on Chernovets, and seemed to have the Canaries totally out of the game. Then, a bad mistake from Leon Wimmer gave Jaro Jezek plenty of room to run, which he converted into a cross that Veselin Oresnik would smash into the back of the goal. An important point for the Canaries, who have at least overtaken Olympia Borograd in the standings in the last few weeks - but a missed opportunity for Thorsten Kramer’s men again.

Player of the Week: Dusan Korlikov (Zvezda Vlaikograd)

Matchday 10

FK Pomorie 1–0 FC Teussen Stelburg
Taifun Vorstock 1–3 Energija Chernovets
1912 Stelburg 1–4 FK Metropola Borograd
Olympia Borograd 0–3 VfL Reinbronn
Zvezda Vlaikograd 0–2 TSV Marzig
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 4–2 FC Kaiserhaven

Taifun Vorstock’s great run recently came to an end as they fell to an Energija Chernovets side who clearly took some inspiration from Veselin Oresnik’s equalizer against Teussen last week. Oresnik himself had two in this one as Chernovets secured a big win. There was nothing friendly about FK Metropola Borograd’s 4-1 win over 1912 Stelburg on Saturday afternoon, even as the two club’s ultra groups joined together with a tifo and pyro display pre-match. Instead, two goals from Blahoslav Zak put Metropola out of sight, with the wingers Vadimic and Trstenjak joining to make it 4 for the men from the capital. In the capital itself, however, disaster struck for Olympia Borograd. A 3-0 loss to VfL Reinbronn is certainly a new low this season, and the Greens are now sitting bottom of the table. For Reinbronn, meanwhile, their 3rd win of the season came from a great pair of goals off the boot of Ben Bing. It’s always fun when Zvezda Vlaikograd faces TSV Marzig, and the supporters were already clashing outside the ground before the match even kicked off. When Einar Hackl scored after a controversial penalty decision in the 10th minute, things went crazy, with Zvezda supporters throwing cups and garbage all over the pitch, while some of Marzig’s crazier ultras tried to get into the home section. We came to a pause of just over an hour in Vlaikograd while things got settled and some supporters were removed - but it wouldn’t change anything on the pitch. Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik got the second goal for the Marzigers who remain on top. In a battle of the country’s main port on the north coast and the south coast, Felsenkirchen prevailed over Kaiserhaven, 4-2. The pick of the goals was a great free kick punched in by Dieter Rosberg in the first half.

It took 10 matchdays, but there are no unbeaten teams remaining in the Meisterschaft. FC Teussen Stelburg finally fall, with FK Pomorie being the ones to knock them down. There was a lot of quiet confidence in Pomorie this week leading up to the fixture, with the club currently enjoying its best run of football in 40 years. On the pitch, it was a defensive masterclass from the Guards, as Pomorie survived wave after wave of Teussen attacks. Captain Bogdan Vacek was the hero of the first half, with a goal-saving tackle on Josef Weber and a number of good clearances. Pomorie started pushing forward in the second half, getting the ball out wide and making Teussen worried with each and every counter attack. Eventually, fullback Filip Kovar, who has been having a breakout campaign so far, knocked in a cross that was pinged in by the head of Marian Hovlak. Hovlak the hero again, and FK Pomorie take the glory. Now, the Guards sit 2nd place in the division, just 2 points behind eternal rivals TSV Marzig. Whether Pomorie can really take a title fight down to the wire, something that would come as a massive shock and be one of the biggest underdog stories in the history of the country, remains to be seen. What we do know is that the next Pomorie-Marzig derby, on matchday 13, is sure to be one of the most anticipated in years.

Player of the Week: Marian Hovlak (FK Pomorie)

Matchday 11

FC Kaiserhaven 1–4 FK Pomorie
TSV Marzig 1–0 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
VfL Reinbronn 1–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FK Metropola Borograd 2–0 Olympia Borograd
Energija Chernovets 1–4 1912 Stelburg
FC Teussen Stelburg 5–3 Taifun Vorstock

FK Pomorie went top of the league on Friday night as they hammered FC Kaiserhaven, 4-1 on the road. Marian Hovlak scored twice in the win, and Pomorie’s incredible run through the first half of the season looks set to continue. Although just for one night, it was the first time in the club’s history that they have sat on top of the national league table. Eternal rivals TSV Marzig would reclaim the spot 16 hours later, as they fought out a tough home win against Felsenkirchen. With the Cogs just 3 points behind Marzig going into this one, it was a huge opportunity for Felsenkirchen to gain an advantage in the title fight. Instead, it was Marzig who played defensively solid football for 90 minutes and found a winner late through Samuel McTavish, and keep themselves atop the Meisterschaft. Bogdan Kubica scored in the 88th minute to save a point for Zvezda Vlaikograd, while 1912 Stelburg exploded in a 4-1 win over Energija Chernovets. The dominant force in the win was Xorge Le Meji, who scored two and assisted the other two. Le Meji has seemingly fully settled into the Bluebirds’ setup in recent weeks, after the club had a tricky start to the year, and has been at the centre of their revival in recent weeks. Teussen got a bit more than they bargained for when they sat level 3-3 with Taifun Vorstock at halftime after a wild first half saw the teams trade goals throughout - in the second frame, however, it would be all Teussen. Josef Weber and Santutxo Kramer had the goals, and Teussen get a much-needed three points.

The most anticipated match of the round was, naturally, the Borograd derby. The sides faced each other several times in the Regionalliga already, of course, but those fixtures just don’t carry the same weight as in the Meisterschaft. Before the match, Metropola supporters taunted Olympia Borograd about Marjan Trstenjek’s defection last summer with several banners, and the kickoff was delayed due to the amount of purple smoke in the air. The match itself wasn’t too difficult for the home side. Veljko Vadimic had the opener, while it was Trstenjek himself who drove in the dagger to make it 2-0. The former Olympia man didn’t celebrate on this occasion - although one wonders if that will remain true after his return to the Olimpski-Stadion later this year, where he is sure to receive the reception of a criminal. Asked after the match about the away fans’ chants of ‘Judas,’ Trstenjek responded “What matters is that we got the win and the three points.”

Player of the Week: Xorge Le Meji (1912 Stelburg)

Matchday 12

FK Pomorie 0–1 Taifun Vorstock
FC Teussen Stelburg 0–1 1912 Stelburg
Energija Chernovets 2–1 Olympia Borograd
FK Metropola Borograd 1–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
VfL Reinbronn 0–6 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
TSV Marzig 3–1 FC Kaiserhaven

Oh, Pomorie… What is it with Taifun Vorstock being giantslayers this season? They have defeated TSV Marzig for their only loss, beat Olympia Borograd earlier this season, and now have defeated FK Pomorie away. Perhaps looking ahead to next week’s derby with Marzig, Pomorie just seemed lacking a bit of quality in all aspects today. Vorstock took advantage, with Ole Jager grabbing the winner, and that was that. In the battle of two underperforming Siovanijan sides, it was Energija Chernovets who came out on top. Former Olympia man Vladimir Vladimiric was the heartbreaker for his old club, who scored the winning goal with just 7 minutes remaining to secure the points for the home side. FK Metropola Borograd were hoping to put themselves in good position to take advantage of whatever happens in next week’s Pomorie-Marzig derby with a win over Zvezda Vlaikograd, but in a flat performance at home they trailed 1-0 for most of the match before super sub Vincent Hicks came to the rescue. Felsenkirchen dismantled Reinbronn on the road, with the Cogs scoring 4 goals in the first 30 minutes to secure their win. The goals came from a mix of Felsenkirchen players - Harju with 2, Koegel, Rosberg, Metzger and Repnik with the others - but the assists came from one man: Jesper Porsche recorded 6 assists in one match, the highest ever recorded in a domestic game for Felsenkirchen, with a 10/10 performance from the midfield to secure the dominating win. TSV Marzig defeated Kaiserhaven 3-1, meanwhile, with a brace from Einar Hackl to remain top of the league going into next week’s derby. The Marzigers are 5 points clear at the top right now, and have to be feeling really confident about their chances the rest of the way.

A rematch of the season’s opening round meant a rematch of the Stelburg derby - this time, with Teussen playing host at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion. Neither side has had the campaign they dreamed of when we kicked the season off a few months ago - 1912 sputtered for a while, with only 1 win in their first six matches, while Teussen have been left wondering what could’ve been as they trail in the title fight following several thrown away wins in the early going. This match was a chance to clean things up for the rest of the season - and it was the visitors from east Stelburg who would pick up on that. Xorge Le Meji knocked in a cross from Andrej Berkel to continue his purple patch, and the home side had no answer. Teussen now sit 9 points back of league leaders Marzig, and have it all to do in the final half of the season if they want to salvage something - currently, Thorsten Kramer’s side aren’t even in the IFCF places. For 1912, meanwhile, they have clawed their way back into the IFCF fight, sitting only 2 points behind their neighbours after this big derby day win.

Player of the Week: Jesper Porsche (FC Felsenkirchen 1879)

With over half the season in the books, let’s check in on the league standings, with help as usual from RBC Sports Videotext:

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat Nov 16, 2024 12:22 am

Meisterschaft Final Season - Part III

President’s Cup Fourth Round

Rot-Blau Altona 1–0 Turbine Immengries
Rulandea Karlsbrunnen 1–2 FC Kaiserhaven
TSV Marzig 3–2 Teufelsberg 97
VfL Reichmannsdorf 1–0 VfL Reinbronn
Krutenau Kickers 1–2 Marlesee 97
TSV Posenford 1–3 Stahl Sterzing
TSV Horstmar 1–1 1. FC Vaihingen (1–2 AET)
Energija Chernovets 2–2 FC St. Jakob (3–3 AET) (4–5 pen.)

And then there were two. Just 2 Meisterschaft sides remain in the President’s Cup as we head to the Quarterfinal stage, with this being one of the most upset-heavy editions of the competition in recent years. Some pundits have credited the fact that while the 10 Meisterschaft clubs have their league campaign to focus on, for the other 118 professional clubs in the country the Cup is all they have left this season, and thus can focus on it more - either way, it’s created an incredibly exciting spectacle. FC Kaiserhaven were the first Meisterschaft side to punch their ticket to the Quarterfinal, getting a 2-1 win away over Rulandea Karlsbrunnen. TSV Marzig had to dig deep after going down 2-1 to Teufelsberg 97, last year’s losing finalists, but they would come back thanks to goals from Felix Feicke and Wei Delan. VfL Reichmannsdorf pulled off the major upset last season when they knocked out FC Teussen Stelburg - and this season, they’ve done it again to a Meisterschaft club as they knock out VfL Reinbronn. The last standard carrier for Siovanija, meanwhile, fell on penalties as Dusan Lypotal missed his shot for Chernovets. FC St. Jakob move on in their place, and we have 8 Teus clubs in the Quarterfinal.

Matchday 13

TSV Marzig 1–3 FK Pomorie
FC Kaiserhaven 5–2 VfL Reinbronn
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–0 FK Metropola Borograd
Zvezda Vlaikograd 3–0 Energija Chernovets
Olympia Borograd 1–3 FC Teussen Stelburg
1912 Stelburg 4–2 Taifun Vorstock

A hat-trick from Wolf Wind was the story of the day on the south coast as FC Kaiserhaven defeated VfL Reinbronn 5-2. It’s been a tough campaign so far for the Sailors, with this just their 4th win of the season, however, this is a moment they can be proud of. Arne Repnik had the lone goal as FC Felsenkirchen 1879 got some revenge for their earlier loss in Borograd against Metropola - this time, they put a massive dent in Metropola’s title hopes. Zvezda Vlaikograd ran rampant at the Red Castle as they hosted an Energija Chernovets side still recovering from being knocked out of the Cup midweek - Dusan Korlikov had two goals and assisted Bogdan Kubica’s third. Alois Heineken had a brace, meanwhile, at the Oststelburgstadion that took 1912 Stelburg past Taifun Vorstock. The east Stelburg outfit have won 3 in a row since their loss at home to Metropola Borograd, and look to be in the fight for IFCF football in the later stages of the season.

It’s very, very rare that the National derby doesn’t take top billing on a weekend it is played, however, that was the case on matchday 13 as the eyes of the nation were very much on the Pomorie-Marzig derby with title implications instead. Perhaps that’s a reflection of how poorly Olympia Borograd are doing this season, that no-one even thought it possible that they could beat Teussen even in their own home. Unfortunately for the Greens, that was exactly how it played out on Sunday afternoon. Josef Weber and Hans Gruber - 2-0 for Teussen just 30 minutes into the game. While Rolando Cutter, who is really having a heroic season for Olympia despite… everything, managed to bring one back for the home side, Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta finished them off with a real poacher’s effort in the 65th minute. Olympia are dead last, and things just keep getting worse. For Teussen, it’s a much-needed win after last week’s loss to 1912, and one that should set them off on a good course for the remainder of the season.

The Pomorie-Marzig derby. Rich in history, in moments of triumph and glory, and in the darker side of football and humanity in general. There is no love lost between these sides, and when they play it’s more akin to war than football. There is an eerie silence in the city on a derby day, a quietness that is often broken, unfortunately, by violence and riots in its aftermath. And today was the most important derby in many, many years. With Marzig 1st in the league, and Pomorie 2nd, this match would have a huge impact on the title fight and could shape the rivalry for years to come. Hosted in Marzig’s brand-new Volksbankstadion, there was a real hope that the home side could win today and come away with a 6 point gap in the table. Instead, there was shock. Marian Hovlak scored 9 minutes into the match, and the eerie silence filled the Volksbankstadion, too. That wasn’t the end, of course - Marzig are too good a football side to be down and out after just one goal, and just before halftime Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik brought them level with a thundering shot. The second half was a beautiful display of aggressive, attacking football - each side desperate to find a way to beat their hated rivals. When Ladislav Nistor slid the ball past Ludwig Gottschall, there was silence once again. When Marian Hovlak added another just minutes later to make it 3-1, you could hear a pin drop on the Marzig side. Not on the Pomorie side - the rendition of Vstala Pomorie in Republika trg, the city’s main square, was bone-chilling following the final whistle. The biggest derby win in history, perhaps, for FK Pomorie - perhaps some revenge for having lost that Cup final to their eternal rivals all those years ago. Now the two rivals are split by just 2 points in the table. Can TSV Marzig hang on? And are FK Pomorie really title challengers? On this sunny spring day on the northern coast, their supporters certainly seemed to believe.

Player of the Week: Marian Hovlak (FK Pomorie)

Matchday 14

FK Pomorie 0–1 1912 Stelburg
Taifun Vorstock 0–1 Olympia Borograd
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–0 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Energija Chernovets 0–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FK Metropola Borograd 3–1 FC Kaiserhaven
VfL Reinbronn 1–1 TSV Marzig

Football is a funny game. One week, your club achieves its biggest result in 40 years, and looks to be competing for the title in the most unlikely underdog story of recent memory. And then… a totally uninspired performance at home ends in a 1-0 loss. Perhaps Pomorie bought into their own hype too much, perhaps this was always how it would eventually end. Either way, Xorge Le Meji’s goal breaks Pomorie hearts, and they need to rebound quickly. It was, honestly, a boring weekend in the Meisterschaft - only 10 goals total in the 6 matches played, 4 of them coming in one fixture. Olympia Borograd picked up win #2 of the season away to Taifun Vorstock, with Valdemar Buran getting the winning goal, while FC Teussen Stelburg rode out an early Reto Zschokke goal to beat Zvezda 1-0. Felsenkirchen got a business win on the road against Chernovets, with Isak Harju knocking in the winner off a late corner. FK Metropola Borograd were the only club in the country to score more than 1 goal this weekend. Veljko Vadimic had two of them, with the third coming off the unlikely boot of defender Gorka Araquistain in the 3-1 win over FC Kaiserhaven. TSV Marzig would’ve wanted a better response from last week’s derby defeat, but will have to settle for just 1 point as they traveled to Reinbronn. Jacinto Coutinho knocked in a free kick goal early, and Einar Hackl scored an unlikely effort later on in the game to equalize. “On the days you aren’t at your best, you just have to maximize what you can do,” said Hackl afterwards. One point keeps the Marzigers atop the table, but not by much - just 1 ahead of Felsenkirchen, and 3 ahead of Metropola and Pomorie.

Player of the Week: Veljko Vadimic (FK Metropola Borograd)

Matchday 15

VfL Reinbronn 1–0 FK Pomorie
TSV Marzig 1–0 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Kaiserhaven 2–4 Energija Chernovets
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–5 FC Teussen Stelburg
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–1 Taifun Vorstock
Olympia Borograd 1–2 1912 Stelburg

Oh no. It’s disaster for FK Pomorie, as they can’t build at all on that derby victory that seems so, so long ago now. The underdog dream of the title is probably over - but there’s still a fight for the IFCF places, which is not helped at all by today’s loss. Reinbronn will be quite happy with their performances in recent weeks, today it was Ben Bing who got the goal that put them over the line. On the other hand, TSV Marzig seem to have weathered the storm. Back at the Volksbankstadion, the home fans welcomed them with even more energy than usual, urging their team to pick up and carry on towards the ultimate goal. The crowd probably deserved an assist on Einar Hackl’s early goal, and they certainly deserved credit for the numerous Metropola attacks that dissolved into nothing as Ludwig Gottschall certainly earned his paycheque for the week with some great saves. Marzig remain on top. Veselin Oresnik had the winning goal for Energjia Chernovets, who came from 2-0 down to defeat FC Kaiserhaven on the road in their best performance of the second half so far. Rogelio Chianese rescued Zvezda Vlaikograd against Taifun Vorstock, a last-chance effort from the final kick of the game resulting in a huge goal. Damien Gannot scored the opener for 1912 Stelburg, who looked quite comfortable against Olympia Borograd, but it would require intervention from Alois Heineken late on to grab the 3 points. Heineken pulled the Bluebirds level on points with 4th place FK Metropola Borograd with that goal.

The match everyone had their eye on this weekend was in the northeast, as FC Felsenkirchen 1879 hosted old rivals FC Teussen Stelburg. Blue against gold again, as it has been so many times throughout the history of Teus football, and this time with the stakes as high as ever: both sides looking to chase down TSV Marzig for the title. Felsenkirchen went into the match 2nd on 29 points, Teussen behind them on 26. It was the home side who would claim an early advantage when Otto Metzger’s cross was knocked in by the boot of Jochen Koegel to make it 1-0. But Josef Weber had Teussen back level just 90 seconds later after a great run down the wing. Goals from Harju and another from Weber had it 2-2 at the half, with 45 minutes left for one side to claim as their own. It would be Thorsten Kramer’s men doing just that. Now Reto Zschokke chipped in with a brace of his own, one from a set piece and one from an action where he made Arnold Apel look amateurish. 4-2 now for Teussen, before Weber would put the seal on the game by completing his hat-trick with a tap-in following a poorly-timed pass by Paul Steinhausl. The Blues got one back from Harju to make it 5-3, but could do no more - Teussen were the winners today, and have been picking up steam in recent weeks. With momentum on their side, Der Legendare may be the only side left that can stop TSV Marzig.

Player of the Week: Josef Weber (FC Teussen Stelburg)

Matchday 16

FK Pomorie 1–3 Olympia Borograd
1912 Stelburg 1–2 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Taifun Vorstock 3–6 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–0 FC Kaiserhaven
Energija Chernovets 0–1 TSV Marzig
FK Metropola Borograd 1–3 VfL Reinbronn

Pomorie supporters watched on in stunned silence as their side dropped its 3rd match in a row, this time losing 3-1 to an Olympia Borograd side who have looked down and out for a while now, but found another gear today. Rolando Cutter had all three goals for the Greens, one from the penalty spot and two from open play in the win. 1912 Stelburg were also shocked at home, this time by Zvezda Vlaikograd. The visitors opened the scoring after just 45 seconds when Dusan Korlikov grabbed an excellent goal, while Zdeno Vadicek had the second from a corner later in the first half. Xorge Le Meji grabbed one back for the Bluebirds, but it was just not enough. Felsenkirchen go down to Vorstock and come away with a big win, 6-3 the final in that one as Jesper Porsche scored twice and had two more assists - it’s the third time this season Felsenkirchen have scored 6 goals in a match, and the team already have 52 goals to their name through just 16 matches. It’s been a team effort overall, with the goals being shared amongst the attacking group of players. Teussen needed some late heroics from Hans Gruber, who scored a direct free kick to help them defeat Kaiserhaven, in order to grab the 3 points and keep pace with Felsenkirchen and Marzig. Speaking of the Marzigers, they were in action against Energija Chernovets - and has been the story so often for them in their recent years of success, incredible defending was the story. Ludwig Gottschall made fine saves, Silvio Rodl marshaled the backline like a great General, and all the plaudits in the world would not be enough for the way Mats Winter has mastered the art of defensive midfield. Einar Hackl got the goal, and he’s the face of the team, but Marzig’s success is just as much due to him as it is that trio. “They are the heart of our team,” said Hackl after the match. “That goal is just as much theirs as it is mine.” Finally, it was a devastating loss for FK Metropola Borograd at home to VfL Reinbronn, as Ben Bing grabbed a brace. Veljko Vadimic tried to get the Vijolicni back into it, but Jacinto Coutinho had other ideas and a great assist from him to Federonise Allord made it 3-1. Luckily for Metropola, their rivals in the fight for place 4, 1912 and Pomorie, also lost on this matchday. With just 6 matches remaining for each team, the stakes have become clear: Marzig, Felsenkirchen and Teussen are going for the title, while Metropola, Pomorie and 1912 will battle it out for that final IFCF spot.

Player of the Week: Rolando Cutter (Olympia Borograd)

President’s Cup Quarterfinal

Marlesee 97 0–0 Stahl Sterzing (0–0 AET) (3–1 pen.)
FC St. Jakob 1–0 FC Kaiserhaven
1. FC Vaihingen 2–0 Rot-Blau Altona
VfL Reichmannsdorf 1–1 TSV Marzig (1–2 AET)

4 are left standing in the President’s Cup. Stahl Sterzing’s underdog run came to an end on penalties against Marlesee 97, after a tough match on a windy day saw the score knotted at 0-0 even after 120 minutes. The club from the country’s biggest city, FC St. Jakob, knocked out Kaiserhaven 1-0. The Saints have won this trophy 12 times, most recently during isolation, and would love to add another to their trophy case. In Vaihingen, it was a battle of two clubs who have never won the Cup - 1. FC against Rot-Blau Altona. The club from Vaihingen would prevail - one with a rich regional history, but having never done much on the national stage. This is the furthest they have ever made it in the Cup, and they are happy to be playing with ‘house money’ from here on in. In something of a local rivalry, VfL Reichmannsdorf looked at times like they were going to be able to pull off the upset, leading 1-0 with 25 minutes on the clock. Marzig, as they have done so often, pulled it back and Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik scored the goal to send the Knights to the semifinal. In that round, in a rare Marlebucht derby TSV Marzig will take on Marlesee 97, while FC St. Jakob will have the underdogs 1. FC Vaihingen.

Matchday 17

FK Metropola Borograd 4–1 FK Pomorie
VfL Reinbronn 0–3 Energija Chernovets
TSV Marzig 1–1 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Kaiserhaven 0–0 Taifun Vorstock
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–0 1912 Stelburg
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–0 Olympia Borograd

Four goals against, four losses in a row, and the dream of fourth place looks dead in the water for FK Pomorie. They were just helpless against FK Metropola Borograd, who saw Marjan Trstenjek score a hat-trick in the second half en route to the big win for the visitors in Violet. Pomorie have collapsed since that derby win, and from being 2nd place 2 points back of their rivals now sit 6th place 10 points back just 4 weeks later. Chernovets returned to winning ways with a good away win over Reinbronn. Aengus Gosling had been on a bit of a dry spell, but he put that to bed with 2 goals in the victory. The South Coast derby was a bore, neither side really offering much of anything, with the game perhaps affected by poor weather in the Kaiserhaven area. Felsenkirchen and 1912 Stelburg also appeared en route for a 0-0 draw, but super sub Florian Krukenberg made things happen for the Cogs. A great goal from the club legend gave them 3 points on a weekend where their title rivals faced off in Marzig - the best case scenario for the Blues. Finally, in Siovanija’s eternal classic, it was the Reds of Zvezda who defeated the Greens of Borograd. The lone goal came from the penalty spot after Bozhidar Ornik committed a bad foul on Dusan Korlikov; the winger promptly got up and blasted the penalty into the top corner before giving the ‘shhh’ to the away fans.

In the Volksbankstadion, there was a feeling of destiny around the beginning of the TSV Marzig-FC Teussen Stelburg fixture. If one of these teams could deliver a crushing blow to their opponent today, that would be enough to take home the title. Marzig seemed to be pushing for that knockout blow early, wave after wave of attack heading towards the Teussen goal. The black and gold, however, held firm for quite a while - but a forward like Einar Hackl is nearly unstoppable when he wants to be. A great ball by Wei Delan found the poacher in his favourite spot, and he blasted it past Sepp Kranz for the 1-0. From then, Marzig seemed comfortable in hanging on - they absorbed pressure well, and Mats Winter had the number of Hans Gruber. But in such high intensity moments, it only takes one moment of individual brilliance to flip everything around. Reto Zschokke was the man of the moment. He made a great run past Ralf Grabner, cut left, cut back right and then fired a shot that Gottschall had no chance to stop. 1-1. The sides left the stadium with points shared, but two distinct feelings: Marzig had let it slip out of their hands; Teussen now had momentum.

Player of the Week: Marjan Trstenjek (FK Metropola Borograd)

Matchday 18

FK Pomorie 4–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Olympia Borograd 2–0 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
1912 Stelburg 7–2 FC Kaiserhaven
Taifun Vorstock 0–3 TSV Marzig
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–1 VfL Reinbronn
Energija Chernovets 0–2 FK Metropola Borograd

FK Pomorie are finally back in the win column, after a hard-fought match with Zvezda Vlaikograd. Despite the two clubs being quite friendly with each other off the pitch, this match was anything but: plenty of fouls and yellow cards between the sides, and one penalty each. The difference in this match was that Pomorie’s Marian Hovlak converted his, and Zvezda’s Bogdan Kubica hit the bar. 1912 Stelburg responded to two straight losses with a massive win over FC Kaiserhaven, as their fight for IFCF football continues. Xorge Le Meji had his first hat-trick for the club, and assisted on another goal from Damien Gannot as part of the thrashing. Up 5-1 at the half, 1912 scored the most goals of any side in one match this season so far. TSV Marzig would not slip up again against Taifun Vorstock - the first tie between the sides remains one of only 2 defeats the Knights have suffered this season - and instead avenged that defeat a little bit with a 3-0 win. Another clean sheet for Ludwig Gottschall, and another brace for Einar Hackl. FC Teussen Stelburg kept the pace with a 3-1 win over VfL Reinbronn, Josef Weber getting an early goal that set the home side on their way before Hielscher-Zendagorta and Lutz Wolff added insurance. Finally, FK Metropola Borograd kept their hold on 4th place with a good 2-0 win in Chernovets, Vadimic and Trstenjek splitting the goals.

Going into the weekend, Olympia Borograd hosting Felsenkirchen may have been one that Greens fans made Saturday afternoon plans to avoid. After all, Felsenkirchen have made a habit of thoroughly thrashing poor teams in the division this season, and Olympia are one of those poor sides, sitting 11th in the table. And with Felsenkirchen in the hunt for the title, this one was a sure thing, right? Right? Certainly not! Olympia Borograd came out swinging. The club’s Meisterschaft campaign is all but over, but there is still the Superklasse Playoff to prepare for, one of the most important moments in the club’s history coming up. They are going to go down fighting until the very end, and today they just wanted it more than Felsenkirchen. Tomas Kohout, who has waited until the last few weeks to really start performing as expected on the left wing, had the opening goal before the Kelssek star Cutter knocked in the second. The Cogs had no answer, and seemed a bit stunned at the end of this one. Olympia put a huge blow in Felsenkirchen’s title hopes with the win.

Player of the Week: Xorge Le Meji (1912 Stelburg)

With just 4 matches to play, let’s take a look again at the table:

It’s going to be tight at the top. TSV Marzig hold the advantage, certainly - but it’s going to be the fight of their life to get this one over the line. Four points ahead seems like a safe cushion, until you look at Marzig’s remaining fixtures: 1912 Stelburg (H), Olympia Borograd (A), Zvezda Vlaikograd (H), FC Felsenkirchen 1879 (A). 1912 will be desperate for a win to keep up the IFCF battle, and always present a tricky challenge. Olympia, as we have seen this week, are still capable of special moments on their day, especially in their own stadium. Zvezda, while ostensibly the weakest of the clubs on this list, are a derby rival for Marzig and would love nothing more than to see the Knights fail to take home the title. And then, should they survive that gauntlet, there’s a potential title decider on the final day at Mollin Park against Felsenkirchen. You couldn’t ask for a tougher run-in than that. However, Marzig aren’t top of the table at this stage for nothing. They are an incredible squad made up of many of the best players in the country, and with just 14 goals against in 18 matches so far have put together one of the best defensive campaigns in the nation’s history. They are a brick wall. And up front, with World Cup hero Einar Hackl leading the charge? This is a team that deserves a happy ending, but they will need to fight for it.

FC Teussen Stelburg are the main challengers for Marzig to worry about. The Stelburgers have been in incredible form of late, with their big wins over Olympia and Felsenkirchen really inspiring them to push on towards the top. Remember, going into this season, it was predicted that this was Teussen’s title to lose - and if they have lost it, it’ll be because of all those drawn matches at the start of the year. The run-in for Teussen is significantly easier than for Marzig. First up is a tricky one in FK Metropola Borograd (A), but it’s followed by Energija Chernovets (H), FK Pomorie (H) and Taifun Vorstock (A). Chernovets don’t have the power to stop Teussen this year, particularly at home, while FK Pomorie… We’re never going to accuse any team of throwing a match, especially before it’s even happened. However, there is no doubt in the world that FK Pomorie supporters would do anything at all to prevent TSV Marzig winning the national title - even if that meant a big, heavy loss to FC Teussen Stelburg. If you know what we mean. On the final day it’s Taifun Vorstock away - Vorstock have made trouble for several top teams this season, but seem to have run out of gas lately. Teussen’s strength lately has been the excellent play of their wingers, Zschokke and Weber. The attack has been lethal, and everything seems to be going their way lately - champion’s luck, some call it. Gaining 4 points on Marzig over these 4 fixtures seems quite possible.

The third horse in the race is FC Felsenkirchen 1879. Down, but certainly not out, you can never count the Cogs out. Today’s loss to Olympia certainly complicates things, however. 5 points back of the Marzigers, Felsenkirchen face Zvezda Vlaikograd (H), FK Pomorie (A), FC Kaiserhaven (A) and TSV Marzig (H) in the final few rounds. Of all the title contenders, this is the easiest schedule. Vlaikograd and Pomorie, both rivals of Marzig, are as close to a sure thing as you can get, although Zvezda Vlaikograd are not likely to just roll over for the Cogs. It’ll be a fight, for sure, but Felsenkirchen are simply better equipped. In the best case scenario for Felsenkirchen, they get a chance to host Marzig on the final day at home with the league title on the line. 90 minutes at Mollin Park. With all of the success this club has had in recent years, would anyone bet against them in that scenario? Felsenkirchen have been lethal going forward this season, with 53 goals so far in this campaign. They have 3 players (Harju, Koegel, Rosberg) who have scored more than 10 goals, and are quite likely to add 2 more (Porsche and Hohenstein) before the end of the year. Their new 3-4-2-1 formation has been quite the success, despite early doubts, and they are the most feared attacking side in the league for a reason.

In the fight for the 4th and final IFCF place, it’s going to come down to a battle between FK Metropola Borograd and 1912 Stelburg. The two clubs with a friendly relationship will have to put that aside over the remaining matches, as plenty of $$$ is on the line. Metropola will face FC Teussen Stelburg (H), Taifun Vorstock (A), 1912 Stelburg (H) and Olympia Borograd (A) in the run in. The Bluebirds, meanwhile, face TSV Marzig (A), VfL Reinbronn (H), FK Metropola Borograd (A) and Energija Chernovets (H). Metropola have a tricky schedule, with title contenders Teussen and eternal rivals Olympia bookending their run-in - 1912 have to deal with Marzig as well, but the home matches should be a reliable 6 points for them. That means things are likely to come down to that matchday 21 clash in Borograd as these two sides meet again with 4th place on the line. FK Pomorie are ostensibly in this fight as well, sitting on 30 points - but realistically, the fight seems to have left them in the last few weeks. 4 losses in a row was a devastating blow, and barring miracles against Energija Chernovets (A), FC Felsenkirchen 1879 (H), FC Teussen Stelburg (A) and FC Kaiserhaven (H), they are all but assured of 6th place. The only match in that set you would call them favourites for would be against Kaiserhaven on the final day.

Four matches to play, and still so much action, so much to be decided in the Meisterschaft. It all comes down to this.

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