Adabian Domestic Sports Reports (CLOSED)

by **Adab** » Sat Dec 25, 2021 10:27 am

OOC: Still under construction. Do not post here unless you are OP (Adab), a moderator, or have been granted permission by either of them.

Adabian Domestic Sports Reports
All the latest information from Adabian sports

A project of several bored interns at the Ministry of Youth and Sports

O come, all ye sports fans, and read these Adabian Domestic Sports Reports, where the latest news and reports on domestic sports in this great country will be posted for the consumption of sports fans across the multiverse. All information here is provided for national and international consumption by news sources from across Adab and have been checked, rechecked, and fact-checked to ensure there are no inaccuracies.

Leave all the sadness behind, for this is the time to rejoice in the news and statistics of Adabian sports (if you even care enough about Adabian sports to read them). May Allah protect His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and this great nation. Ameen.

Sports competitions in Adab:

Association football:
League:
-Adabian Premier League
The top-tier league in the Adabian football system. League champions qualify for the IFCF Champions League. League champions and runners-up qualify for the FFI League of Victors. Teams placed second to fourth qualify for the IFCF Challenger's Cup. Third-placed team qualifies for the FFI Confederations Trophy. (List of champions)

Cup:
-Emperor Tizqar III's Cup (Emperor's Cup)
The country's premier cup competition. Top eight finishers of the previous season compete for the cup. Winners qualify for the IFCF Cup Winners' Cup. (List of champions)

-Adab Football Association Community Classic (AFA Community Classic, or simply the Community Classic)
Annual match at the start of each season, contested between Premier League champions and holders of the Emperor's Cup. If the league champions also won the cup, the cup winners' spot is taken over by the league runners-up. All proceeds go to charity.

International club competitions history, transfer statistics

by **Adab** » Sat Dec 25, 2021 10:36 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2035-2036 season

With the Adab senior and youth national teams showing increasing promise over the years, breaking into the knockout rounds of the Independent Associations Championship (IAC) and the Under-18 and Under-21 World Cups, the Adab Football Association (AFA) decided that the time has come for Adab to break its longstanding absence from international club competition. A new generation of stars is on the rise – personified among others by Emma Arthur, Alulim Sinmuballit, and Kastiliasu Akaptaha – and the AFA decided that they, along with legends of the Adabian game such as Enlilbani Yargab and Taymour Frangieh, are very much deserving of the chance to compete with clubs abroad. Only time will tell if the Adabian clubs can truly make their mark in international competitions, but at this point the future doesn’t seem all that bleak.

The Adabian Premier League, the country’s top league, features 20 teams, each playing every other team twice for a total of 38 matches for each team. The Adabian football system currently does not feature promotion and relegation at any level, although it used to in the past. While this has been the subject of much discussion, there are no plans to reintroduce promotion and relegation in the near future.

Final results of the season:

Adabian Premier League   Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Baghdad City           38   28   4   6   115   62  +53    88
 2 Adab United            38   25   9   4    94   52  +42    84
 3 Uruk Imperials         38   24   7   7   116   69  +47    79
 4 Mosul                  38   24   5   9    84   47  +37    77
 5 Beirut                 38   22   4  12    97   70  +27    70
 6 Yerushalayim           38   19  10   9    82   61  +21    67
 7 Royal Sennacherib      38   19   6  13    71   61  +10    63
 8 Faraby                 38   19   5  14    78   60  +18    62
 9 Baghdad United         38   19   5  14    80   71   +9    62
10 Adab City              38   18   7  13    68   72   −4    61
11 Damascus Steelers      38   15  13  10    92   65  +27    58
12 Urim                   38   16   9  13    78   64  +14    57
13 Sharm el-Sheikh        38   12   8  18    68   72   −4    44
14 Eridu                  38   11  10  17    61   64   −3    43
15 Babilim                38   11   9  18    51   67  −16    42
16 Amel-Marduk            38    9   5  24    41   75  −34    32
17 Ninua City             38    6   8  24    68  110  −42    26
18 Petra Camels           38    6   6  26    25   76  −51    24
19 Assur                  38    4   6  28    30   93  −63    18
20 Kuwait City            38    3   4  31    43  131  −88    13

by **Adab** » Mon Dec 27, 2021 3:08 pm

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2036-2037 season

PREVIEW (PART 1)
Age as of August 1, 2036, the official start of the 2036-2037 season
All players and managers hold Adabian nationality unless otherwise noted

Adab City
Nickname: Firsties, City Kids
Ground: Adab City Stadium (Adab City, National Capital District)
Capacity: 76,500
Owner: Salim Assurbanihabal Enterprises
Chairman: Salim Assurbanihabal
Manager: Khalid al-Husaini (since November 20, 2034)
Previous season finish: 10th

Preview:
One of the country’s premier clubs in its heyday, the downturn of the 2020s saw Adab City, the self-styled “flagship club” of the capital, slip down to the middle of the table and increasingly overshadowed by their “noisy neighbors” Adab United. A 10th place finish in the 2035-2036 continued this middling trend, but Salim Assurbanihabal, owner of the club and distant relative of the Emperor has promised to overturn this trend and bring the club back to its former glory. Assurbanihabal regularly denies receiving funding from the imperial house, pointing out that they are very distant relatives and that his grandfather had given up his princely titles more than five decades ago.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Ahmad al-Tamimi – Male (age 27)
2 – LB – Sarrugi Adadnirari – Male (age 29)
3 – CB – Elias Bennett – Male (age 25)
4 – CB – Aruru Adamu – Female (age 28)
5 – RB – Sagkaldumu Ninua – Male (age 30)
6 – LM – Kishar Asharid – Female (age 30)
7 – CM – Faisal al-Qahtani – Male (age 25)
8 – CM – Jennifer Jefferson – Female (age 20)
9 – RM – Alulim Sarrugi – Male (age 24)
10 – ST – Ovadia Mordechai – Male (age 21)
11 – ST – Jamal al-Salaman – Male (age 32)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Asharidapalekur Kala – Male (age 30)
13 – GK – Hasan Ben Ali – Male (age 19)
14 – LB – Laila Mustafa – Female (age 21)
15 – CB – Shadiya al-Baghdadi – Female (age 24)
16 – CB – Tayyip Ertugrul – Male (age 34)
17 – RB – Danya Ali – Female (age 30)
18 – LM – Alulim Akshak – Male (age 19)
19 – CM – Tukultininurta Ashuriddin – Male (age 18)
20 – CM – Vivian Nabuaplausur – Female (age 22)
21 – RM – Nabusumlisir Sinahhieriba – Female (age 23)
22 – ST – Jamal Adnan – Male (age 34)
23 – ST – Ally Sinsariskun – Female (age 20)

Adab United
Nickname: The Silver Devils
Ground: Adab West Stadium (Adab City, National Capital District)
Capacity: 60,500
Owners: Tamas Haln, Zenyatta, J. Jamal al-Jamal
Chairmen: Tamas Haln, Zenyatta, J. Jamal al-Jamal
Manager: Rang Nick (since May 25, 2027)
Previous season finish: 2nd

Preview:
Adab United are back and regularly challenging Baghdad City for the league title. This was quite the progress, since as late as a few seasons ago the club was occupying sixth to ninth on the table, quite the fall from their years of glory in the late 2010s. Yet some wise spending on young talents, promotion of academy prospects, and the coolheaded management style of Rang Nick have enabled them to return to the top of the table. On the financial front the club’s position was helped greatly by its sensational acquisition by A-list actors Tamas Haln and Zenyatta and newspaper proprietor J. Jamal al-Jamal. Close friends (and rumored couple) Haln and Zenyatta had met al-Jamal at a yoga retreat, where they discovered a shared love of Adab United and hatched a plan to purchase the club. Haln and Zenyatta are the public face of the club but it is rumored that al-Jamal is the power behind the throne, financing the players’ and staff’s salary from the wealth amassed from his newspaper business; his paper The Daily Trumpet has been accused of effectively being the club’s mouthpiece.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Odysseus Packard – Male (age 27) (Nephara)
2 – LB – Joseph Sassoon – Male (age 18)
3 – CB – Alulim Sumuabum – Male (age 26)
4 – CB – Yousif Issou – Male (age 31)
5 – RB – Taymour Frangieh – Male (age 35)
6 – LM – Emma Arthur – Female (age 23)
7 – CM – Alulim Sinmuballit – Male (age 23)
8 – CM – Kayla Kassaya – Female (age 20)
9 – RM – Simone Bozzelli – Female (age 20) (The 14 Stars)
10 – CF/RAM – Rebekah Yissakar – Female (age 23)
11 – CF – Amarutu Ibilasumna – Male (age 27)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Serj Dolmayan – Male (age 30)
13 – GK – Kudurru Marrutas – Male (age 31)
14 – LB – Ulamburias Nadinahe – Male (age 20)
15 – CB – Meskalamdug Aban – Male (age 19)
16 – RB – Fatima al-Hamimi – Female (age 25)
17 – LM – Kurigalzu Nabuaplaiddina – Male (age 33)
18 – CM – Zaynab al-Habshi – Female (age 20)
19 – CM – Gordon Young – Male (age 29)
20 – RM – Adaguppi Ammati – Female (age 19)
21 – CF – Istar Zabala – Female (age 17)
22 – CF – Pionel Pessi – Male (age 17)
23 – GK – Binyamin Lavon – Male (age 18)
24 – RM – John Tankian – Male (age 28)

Amel-Marduk
Nickname: Children of Marduk, Warriors of Marduk, Marduk’s Warriors
Ground: Marduk Field (Babylon, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 30,000
Owner: The Witnesses of Marduk
Chairman: Gandas Adasi
Manager: Umar Assad (since February 19, 2034)
Previous season finish: 16th

Preview:
Previously named Babilim West, Gandas Adasi changed the club’s name to Amel-Marduk (“man of Marduk” in Babylonian) upon his purchase of the club in 2021. According to his own account, businessman Adasi had undergone a near-death experience following surgery a few years before, during which, teetering between life and death, he saw a vision of Marduk and a myriad of other Babylonian deities. Adasi promptly converted to Babylonian neopaganism and started a second career as a religious leader, erecting a lavish temple in Babylon and establishing The Witnesses of Marduk to propagate Babylonian neopaganism; it is this organization that is legally registered as the owner of Amel-Marduk (the club still employs non-pagans as staff and players). Since the club’s purchase its fortunes have fluctuated, with a 10th place finish in 2034-2035 followed by 16th in 2035-2036. The club is hoping for another respectable mid-table finish this season but perhaps Marduk has better things in store for the club.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Belsarusur Hammurabi – Male (age 25)
2 – LB – Naqia Sinahhieriba – Female (age 24)
3 – CB – Alim Sulayman – Male (age 30)
4 – CB – Labasimarduk Utu – Male (age 26)
5 – RB – Tashmetusharrat al-Maliki – Female (age 21)
6 – LM – Petros Tawadros – Male (age 29)
7 – CM – Natalie Barak – Female (age 23)
8 – CM – Assur Ahaiddina – Male (age 32)
9 – RM – Arda Mulissi – Male (age 25)
10 – ST – Abirattash Tiptakzi – Male (age 34)
11 – ST – Shemush Hussain – Female (age 26)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Omar Khoury – Male (age 25)
13 – GK – Esarhaddon Bukhari – Male (age 27)
14 – LB – Istar Enlilki – Female (age 22)
15 – CB – Ereshkigal Badtibira – Female (age 30)
16 – CB – Nadia Hasan – Female (age 19)
17 – RB – Dumuzid Amarsin – Male (age 32)
18 – LM – Yoannes Matheos – Male (age 29)
19 – CM – Bursin Lipitistar – Male (age 28)
20 – CM – Ismedagan Aradsuen – Male (age 35)
21 – RM – Kazallu Bashar – Male (age 19)
22 – ST – Ashurina Ava – Female (age 23)
23 – ST – Shira Ben Gurion – Female (age 24)

Assur
Nickname: The Lions, The Sun-Chariots
Ground: Assurbanihabal Stadium (Nineveh, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 35,000
Owner: Abdullah Khabbazi
Chairman: Abdullah Khabbazi
Manager: Rashid al-Bakr (since March 10, 2036)
Previous season finish: 19th

Preview:
Last season was, quite simply, an unmitigated disaster for Assur, finishing 19th with 4 wins, 6 draws, and 28 defeats. It was only the even more unmitigated disaster that was Kuwait City that kept Assur from finishing last. Owner and chairman Abdullah Khabbazi went on twii.tur and Instantgram to proclaim that “this will not stand”, sacking manager Alex Saddam and replacing him with Rashid al-Bakr. At least they can take consolation in the fact that the system of promotion and relegation is suspended for now. With the coming of the new season al-Bakr has a daunting task ahead of him: achieve a much more respectable final result in the league with the quality of players that he has now.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Samuel Agassi – Male (age 29)
2 – LB – Ishtar Assuretililani – Female (age 23)
3 – CB – Sinsumulisir Nabuaplausur – Male (age 30)
4 – CB – George Hadad – Male (age 31)
5 – RB – Larsa Makko – Female (age 24)
6 – LM – Umati Salmanuasared – Female (age 25)
7 – CM – Sarrukin Tukulti – Male (age 34)
8 – CM – Anna Kanna – Female (age 26)
9 – RM – Emanuel Atoraya – Male (age 29)
10 – ST – Ahmad al-Hawazini – Male (age 28)
11 – ST – Raina Kelemechi – Female (age 22)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Mustafa Alptekin – Male (age 30)
13 – GK – Narsai Khofri – Male (age 18)
14 – LB – Estiphan Adadnirari – Male (age 20)
15 – CB – Sammuramat Belbani – Female (age 25)
16 – CB – Muttakil Nusku – Male (age 27)
17 – RB – Claudia Cheikho – Female (age 19)
18 – LM – Khawa Assuruballit – Female (age 25)
19 – CM – Marnita Esarra – Female (age 24)
20 – CM – Marbitiaplausur Barsip – Male (age 32)
21 – RM – Georgios Eshaq – Male (age 30)
22 – ST – Naftali Herzog – Male (age 22)
23 – ST – Tiras Keldani – Male (age 25)

Babilim
Nickname: The Kings, The Stars
Ground: King Hammurabi Stadium (Babylon, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 35,500
Owner: Kandalanu Iskibal
Chairman: Kandalanu Iskibal
Manager: Kurigalzu Enlil (since May 20, 2034)
Previous season finish: 15th

Preview:
A disappointing 15th place finish last season did not deter chairman Kandalanu Iskibal’s faith in maverick manager Kurigalzu Enlil, who is renowned for his harsh, sometimes unconventional training methods. Enlil, for his part, is confident the team’s rebuilding is going well and he is the right man to carry the team forward. The mismanagement under previous chairman Halil al-Kufa has left its mark, however, with the team deeply in debt and unable to do much in the transfer market and fans increasingly driven mad by the club's insistence of playing "Weird Al" Yankovic's "Polka Face" after every goal scored by the team, a legacy of the notoriously eccentric al-Kufa. Only time will tell if the city of Hammurabi can breach the middle or even upper part of the league table, but Iskibal and Enlil believe they have the tools to do it.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Merodach Baladan – Male (age 32)
2 – LB – Kalumtum Melishipak – Female (age 24)
3 – CB – Naram-Sin Nadinahi – Male (age 25)
4 – CB – Sarrukin al-Tamimi – Male (age 30)
5 – RB – Binyamin Bel Ibni – Male (age 32)
6 – LM – Shala Kalumtum – Female (age 28)
7 – CM – Khalid Nouri – Male (age 23)
8 – CM – Nergalsarusur Belsimanni – Male (age 29)
9 – RM – Dariamus Sinmuballit – Male (age 22)
10 – ST – Brigitte Chamoun – Female (age 27)
11 – ST – Samsuiluna al-Askari – Male (age 31)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Nadine Hakimi – Female (age 19)
13 – GK – Rimush Eshuh – Male (age 34)
14 – LB – Levon Sarkissian – Male (age 19)
15 – CB – Sarrugi Amarsin – Male (age 23)
16 – CB – Shala Ebisum – Female (age 20)
17 – RB – Koresh Eliya – Male (age 24)
18 – LM – Dinkha Hammurabi – Male (age 22)
19 – CM – Naram-Sin Marbitiaplausur – Male (age 24)
20 – CM – Taymour Simbarsipak – Male (age 29)
21 – RM – Anatu Zabala – Female (age 30)
22 – ST – Ishtar Sinsarikun – Female (age 21)
23 – ST – Eliyahu Mar Zutra – Male (age 22)
24 - LM - Hafez Jafar - Male (age 19)

by **Adab** » Tue Dec 28, 2021 10:28 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2036-2037 season

PREVIEW (PART 2)
Age as of August 1, 2036, the official start of the 2036-2037 season
All players and managers hold Adabian nationality unless otherwise noted

Baghdad City
Nickname: The Black Wolves, Yo’s Army
Ground: Kazimiyyah Stadium (Baghdad, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 55,000
Owner: YOOZY
Chairman: Kanu East
Manager: Erisum Rimus (since May 20, 2025)
Previous season finish: 1st

Preview:
The kingpins of Adabian football. Adab United knocked them off their perch in the 2034-2035 season but Baghdad City came back up the very next season, winning the league and the Emperor’s Cup. Rapper and entrepreneur Kanu East – who goes by “Yo” nowadays and has commenced legal proceedings to officially change his name – has poured much of his wealth into the club’s operations since his purchase of the club through his company YOOZY in 2024, financing the seemingly ever-increasing salaries of the staff and players in exchange for the use of his shoes – currently the YO PRO X7 – by all players during matches. They certainly deserve the money; the squad features some of Adab’s best players, such as the adept defender Shania Enmerkar, explosive young striker Kastiliasu Akaptaha, and of course Enlilbani Yargab, regarded by many as the greatest footballer in Adabian history. Adab United remain a threat, along with several other teams, but for now Baghdad City remain comfortably on the top of Adabian football.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Marian Clut - Female (age 33) (Brenecia)
2 – LB – Kastiliasu Adamu – Male (age 29)
3 – CB – Monique Tangradi – Female (age 22) (Quebec and Shingoryeo)
4 – CB – Shania Enmerkar – Female (age 28)
5 – RB – Adadsalulu al-Tikriti – Male (age 30)
6 – LM/LAM – Dasia Khoury – Female (age 19)
7 – CM – Meskigal Nabunaid – Male (age 23)
8 – CM – James Reynolds – Male (age 30)
9 – RM – Elia Sarru – Female (age 28)
10 – ST – Kastiliasu Akaptaha – Male (age 22)
11 – ST – Enlilbani Yargab – Male (age 37)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Adamu Ashur – Male (age 17)
13 – GK – Sarrugi Lugaldalu – Male (age 30)
14 – LB – Ali Adasi – Male (age 33)
15 – CB – Esther Reuben – Female (age 18)
16 – CB – Rania al-Basri – Female (age 19)
17 – RB – Muhammad Tafsir – Male (age 29)
18 – LM – Yohannes Zam – Male (age 31)
19 – CM – Jan Johansen – Male (age 33)
20 – CM – Enmerkar Abdulmahrim – Male (age 36)
21 – RM – Ishtar Eannatum – Female (age 21)
22 – ST – Yehuda Rivlin – Male (age 19)
23 – ST – Quinta Karahardas – Female (age 18)
24 – CB – Manishtushu Sharkalisharri – Male (age 22)
25 – GK – Hayley Presley – Female (age 22)

Baghdad United
Nickname: The White Wolves
Ground: Sadr City Stadium (Baghdad, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 45,250
Owner: Foundation for the Maintenance of Veterans, Widows, and Children
Chairman: Mustafa Abdul Karim
Manager: Ali al-Habshi (since October 27, 2033)
Previous season finish: 9th

Preview:
Finishing ninth last season was a great disappointment for Baghdad United as it struggled to step out of the shadows of its more illustrious neighbor Baghdad City, but the Foundation for the Maintenance of Veterans, Widows, and Children – the Armed Forces-run charity which owns the club and to whom a significant portion of the club’s profits go – has decided to give Ali al-Habshi a chance to rectify the situation. On paper they have some good players, including members of the national team; now is the time to prove that they are actually still good.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Melanie Jamerson – Female (age 27)
2 – LB – Tamir Hussain – Male (age 25)
3 – CB – Assurnasirapli Ninua – Male (age 17)
4 – CB – Muqtada al-Azd – Male (age 29)
5 – RB – Nadia al-Maliki – Female (age 24)
6 – LM – Mahmud Inimabakesh – Male (age 28)
7 – CM – Malik Aminuddin – Male (age 36)
8 – CM – Naram-Sin Samanu – Male (age 18)
9 – RM – Amara Emmita – Female (age 20)
10 – ST – Vivian Nabunaid – Female (age 26)
11 – ST – Abdullah Rashid – Male (age 34)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Umar Haddad – Male (age 29)
13 – GK – Laila al-Assad – Female (age 20)
14 – LB – Salman Nabukudurriusur – Male (age 34)
15 – LB – Shamsidad Nahmoud – Male (age 36)
16 – CB – Moise Belilios – Male (age 24)
17 – CB – Aylin Buyuk – Female (age 29)
18 – RB – Manishtushu Lugaldalu – Male (age 20)
19 – LM – Elvis Nasser – Male (age 30)
20 – CM – Nabuaplausur Urugki – Male (age 18)
21 – CM – Azra Gandas – Female (age 21)
22 – RM – Mayra Nouri – Female (age 22)
23 – ST – Burnaburiyas Apilsin – Male (age 28)
24 – ST – Pristiano Penaldo – Male (age 19)

Beirut
Nickname: The Sailors, The Western Warriors
Ground: Berytus Field (Beirut, Lebanon Governorate)
Capacity: 31,250
Owner: Fald Braud
Chairman: Fald Braud
Manager: Fald Braud (since January 30, 2036)
Previous season finish: 5th

Preview:
Beirut legend-turned-motivational speaker Fald Braud surprised more than a few when he and several businessman friends bought the club in 2029, then further endeared himself to the club by hiring a competent manager – Usman Kahlil – and instituting a “winning culture” which saw Beirut slowly rise back up the table, then surprised many when, following Kahlil’s sudden resignation citing “exhaustion” in early 2036, he took the managerial mantle himself despite concerns that he would not be able to juggle his duties as owner, chairman, and manager all at once. Nevertheless Braud seems to be doing well so far, taking the team to a fifth-place finish last season, and this time he looks to further solidify Beirut’s status near the top of the table.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Hiranur Aslan – Female (age 23)
2 – LB – Murad Helou – Male (age 30)
3 – CB – Eannatum Sharkalisharri – Male (age 28)
4 – CB – Shadrach Enmerkar – Male (age 25)
5 – RB – Sally Thomas – Female (age 20)
6 – LM/LAM – Said Anwar – Male (age 22)
7 – CM – Mushezibitu Agukakrimi – Female (age 24)
8 – CM – Georgios Frangieh – Male (age 28)
9 – RM – Munib al-Uruki – Male (age 33)
10 – ST – Farrukh Manoogian – Male (age 25)
11 – ST – Nadje Barzani – Female (age 19)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – William Johnson – Male (age 20)
13 – GK – Tayyip Alptekin – Male (age 34)
14 – LB – Arishaka Akshak – Male (age 23)
15 – CB – Burnaburyas Sinnasir – Male (age 19)
16 – CB – Vivianne Lahoud – Female (age 24)
17 – RB – Marion Sansour – Female (age 26)
18 – LM – Enmerkar Alulim – Male (age 32)
19 – CM – Muhammad Bishara – Male (age 30)
20 – CM – Avisa Khouri – Female (age 19)
21 – RM – Lugalanemundu al-Tikriti – Male (age 20)
22 – ST – Jibril Abbas – Male (age 28)
23 – ST – Unzi Shuturul – Male (age 18)

Damascus Steelers
Nickname: The Steelers, The Sharp-Swords
Ground: Abbasiyyin Stadium (Damascus, Syria Governorate)
Capacity: 50,750
Owner: Mustafa al-Qadri
Chairman: Mustafa al-Qadri
Manager: Warka Jauhar (since May 20, 2033)
Previous season finish: 11th

Preview:
A shocking 11th-place finish in the previous season has plunged the Steelers into a crisis and suddenly put Warka Jauhar’s position as manager in jeopardy. Owner and chairman Mustafa al-Qadri is understood to be willing to allow Jauhar one season to return the Steelers to the top five but is also reported to be “rapidly running out of patience”; his relationship with the manager has been stormy to begin with, marked by a series of public disagreements as the Steelers rose to and then fell from the upper reaches of the table. There is concern over whether national team stalwart Jushur al-Kufa is still capable of playing at the highest level. Nevertheless Jauhar is confident of turning the situation around; last season, he insists, is merely an aberration.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Bashar al-Muntafiq – Male (age 30)
2 – LB – Adnan al-Tikriti – Male (age 20)
3 – CB – Kendrick Given – Male (age 33) (Brenecia)
4 – CB – Nicholas Shimun – Male (age 29)
5 – RB – Tayyip Demir – Male (age 25)
6 – LM – Naftali Strauss – Male (age 24)
7 – CM – Malika Husayn – Female (age 22)
8 – CM – Laila Abbas – Female (age 23)
9 – RM – Maria Boullata – Female (age 24)
10 – ST/LM/LAM – Jushur al-Kufa – Male (age 33)
11 – ST – Hakim al-Amin – Male (age 27)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Akurgal Shulgi – Male (age 19)
13 – GK – Anunit Durigalzu – Male (age 19)
14 – LB – Rami Habash – Male (age 25)
15 – CB – Theodoros Shorrosh – Male (age 35)
16 – CB – Salman al-Qahtani – Male (age 22)
17 – RB – Emmanuel Sliwa – Male (age 16)
18 – LM – Jane Emerson – Female (age 16)
19 – CM – Hana Shamsuiluna – Female (age 23)
20 – CM – Yaakov Dangour – Male (age 28)
21 – RM – Mesannepada Simbarsipak – Male (age 18)
22 – ST – Zuuthusu Gadatas – Male (age 19)
23 – ST – Eva Lugalmarada – Female (age 23)
24 – CB – Eannatum al-Tikriti – Male (age 36)

Eridu
Nickname: The Elders, The Lions
Ground: Birthplace of Civilization Stadium (Eridu, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 36,275
Owner: Amarsin Alulim
Chairman: Amarsin Alulim
Manager: Naram-Sin Kalhu (since June 19, 2032)
Previous season finish: 14th

Preview:
14th clearly was not where Naram-Sin Kalhu and his team were hoping to finish at the end of the season. Nevertheless, despite calls from a not insigifcant portion of fans to sack Kalhu, chairman Amarsin Alulim still has faith in the manager, with whom he goes back a long way, and is confident that, with enough time, the cradle of Mesopotamian civilization will soon be a permanent presence in the Premier League top ten.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Abzu Akurgal – Male (age 29)
2 – LB – Asma Hastun – Female (age 27)
3 – CB – Bashar Inimabakesh – Male (age 29)
4 – CB – Adanirari Lugalzagesi – Male (age 25)
5 – RB – Matilda Brown – Female (age 27)
6 – LM – Enmerkar Adamu – Male (age 34)
7 – CM – Miqdad Sadat – Male (age 26)
8 – CM – Gulkishar Akurduana – Male (age 23)
9 – RM – Alittum Amnanu – Female (age 28)
10 – ST – Enmenluana Belshudu – Male (age 32)
11 – ST – Jacob Halevi – Male (age 23)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Enlilbani Amartu – Male (age 31)
13 – GK – Umar al-Kuwaiti – Male (age 23)
14 – LB – Shamsu Khalid – Male (age 30)
15 – CB – Tizqar Hunhalbida – Male (age 16)
16 – CB – Ninsar Maliki – Female (age 18)
17 – RB – Kastiliasu Puzur-Amurri – Male (age 21)
18 – LM – Aisha al-Halqi – Female (age 26)
19 – CM – Zahra Khamis – Female (age 19)
20 – CM – Amir Kubburum – Male (age 34)
21 – RM – Nadine al-Khoury – Female (age 23)
22 – ST – Gamilninip Puzur-Ishtar – Male (age 29)
23 – ST – Shamash Hazir – Male (age 25)

by **Adab** » Wed Dec 29, 2021 11:09 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2036-2037 season

PREVIEW (PART 3)
Age as of August 1, 2036, the official start of the 2036-2037 season
All players and managers hold Adabian nationality unless otherwise noted

Faraby
Nickname: The Prince’s Army, The Islanders
Ground: Faraby City Stadium (Faraby, Principality of Faraby)
Capacity: 30,000
Owner: Principality of Faraby
Chairman: Prince Jafar, Hereditary Prince of Faraby
Manager: Emirhan Aydemir (since May 7, 2029)
Previous season finish: 8th

Preview:
Representing the island principality of Faraby, the team was established in 2018 following Faraby’s accession into Adab as a highly autonomous “associated state” and admitted into the re-formed Adabian Premier League just in time for the new Premier League’s inaugural 2018-2019 season. Their stint in the league has mostly seen them occupy the midfield, but lately they have been making forays into the top five. An eighth-place finish last season capped off a not great, not terrible season, but manager Emirhan Aydemir believes the team can once again reach the top five and indeed even beyond.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Abdullah Hamid – Male (age 24)
2 – LB – Tayyip Aydoğdu – Male (age 30)
3 – CB – Samir Kemal – Male (age 26)
4 – CB – Eva Deniz – Female (age 24)
5 – RB – Bihter Cevahir – Female (age 25)
6 – LM – Birsen Günay – Female (age 30)
7 – CM – Muhammad al-Baghdadi – Male (age 32)
8 – CM – Lugalzagesi Manishtushu – Male (age 19)
9 – RM – Rashid Ilkan – Male (age 29)
10 – ST – Sonia Fraşerli – Female (age 22)
11 – ST – Bashar al-Hashimi – Male (age 32)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Gizem Solak – Male (age 34)
13 – GK – Afet Altin – Female (age 25)
14 – LB – Vito Caruso – Male (age 19)
15 – CB – Naram-Sin Sarlagab – Male (age 30)
16 – CB – Laila al-Attar – Female (age 23)
17 – RB – Inanna Yarlaganda – Female (age 29)
18 – LM – Samir al-Sharaa – Male (age 18)
19 – CM – Murad Yavas – Male (age 32)
20 – CM – Suleyman İnönü – Male (age 31)
21 – RM – Lugalbanda Tirigan – Male (age 20)
22 – ST – Sokratis Papandreou – Male (age 25)
23 – ST – Vivianne Emerson – Female (age 24)

Kuwait City
Nickname: The Falcons
Ground: Unity of the Empire Stadium (Kuwait City, Kuwait Governorate)
Capacity: 33,500
Owner: Jafar al-Sabah
Chairman: Jafar al-Sabah
Manager: Georgios Mikati (since June 25, 2036)
Previous season finish: 20th

Preview:
A total loss, there was no other way to put in words Kuwait City’s 2034-2035 season, in which they won three times, drew four times, and lost the other 31 matches. Owner Jafar al-Sabah, having sacked the previous manager and his entire staff, has hired the no-nonsense Georgios Mikati as manager in an attempt to turn things around, promoting several young players from the bench to the starting eleven and instructed the board to look for foreign coaching staff and free agents to make up for the deficiencies of local staff and players, who al-Sabah had openly dubbed “incompetent” at one point during the previous season (he apologized afterwards). But will anyone even come to Kuwait City, or must the current players and staff be the change they want to see?

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Samir al-Barrak – Male (age 23)
2 – LB – Salim Mustafa – Male (age 24)
3 – CB – Enlilbani Alalngar – Male (age 20)
4 – CB – Khadijah Kameel – Female (age 25)
5 – RB – Fahad al-Khatib – Male (age 24)
6 – LM – Kullassina Nangishlishma – Male (age 29)
7 – CM – Nadira Ibrahim – Female (age 20)
8 – CM – Sinahhieriba Assurahaiddina – Male (age 27)
9 – RM – Rashid al-Maktum – Male (age 25)
10 – ST – Aruna Belbani – Female (age 22)
11 – ST – Shejoun Youssef – Female (age 23)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Khalil al-Kufa – Male (age 30)
13 – GK – Yunus Khalaf – Male (age 28)
14 – LB – Fatima Abdul Razzak – Female (age 25)
15 – CB – Georgios Nasr – Male (age 31)
16 – CB – Alittum Mezizi – Female (age 25)
17 – RB – Dumuzid Ahikibani – Male (age 29)
18 – LM – Vitellius Gibran – Male (age 24)
19 – CM – Fatih al-Mansur – Male (age 28)
20 – CM – Amira al-Ghamdi – Female (age 23)
21 – RM – Ninhursag Utnapishtim – Female (age 20)
22 – ST – Elvis Johnson – Male (age 22)
23 – ST – Inanna Zamaranum – Female (age 24)

Mosul
Nickname: The Golden Plains
Ground: Mosul Central (Mosul, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 30,500
Owner: Al-Taghlibi Group
Chairman: Mustafa al-Taghlibi
Manager: Sulaiman al-Ghatafani (since April 6, 2029)
Previous season finish: 4th

Preview:
Mosul had looked set to finish third the previous season, but eventually found themselves pipped to the final spot on the podium by the fast-rising Uruk Imperials. A semifinal loss at the Emperor’s Cup meant that Mosul concluded the season without a trophy, but new owner Mustafa al-Taghlibi, famous for his al-Taghlibi chain of supermarkets, has put his faith in al-Ghatafani and the players – including national team mainstays Tansu Altun and Ephraim Orlev – to reach the top three and once again upset the Baghdad City-Adab United duopoly.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Gloria Evans – Female (age 25)
2 – LB – Tansu Altun – Female (age 27)
3 – CB – Warda Khanania – Male (age 29)
4 – CB – Ela Baid – Female (age 26)
5 – RB – Riman al-Khalil – Male (age 30)
6 – LM – Adanirari Uhwan – Male (age 35)
7 – LM/CM – Frantzes Bensoa – Male (age 24) (Astograth)
8 – CM – Yakunashar Nur – Male (age 29)
9 – RM – Ephraim Orlev – Male (age 37)
10 – ST/RW – Rineke Jaarsma – Female (age 19) (Vrijrijke)
11 – ST – Iblinum Hudulibbi – Male (age 23)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Shamsu Dakiya – Male (age 30)
13 – LB – Meskigal Barsalnuna – Male (age 34)
14 – CB – Matakki Sigersetim – Male (age 29)
15 – CB – Binyamin Yosef – Male (age 21)
16 – RB – Ashurina Tibira – Female (age 19)
17 – LM – Malgum Liblut – Male (age 28)
18 – CM – Omar Abbas – Male (age 16)
19 – CM – Eliezer Bakshi-Doron – Male (age 23)
20 – RM – Farah Salem – Female (age 20)
21 – ST – Ali al-Fatih – Male (age 29)
22 – ST – Salma Hasyim – Female (age 27)
23 – ST – Shamsuiluna Zambiya – Male (age 36)
24 – CM – Ninurta Waradishtar – Male (age 33)

Ninua City
Nickname: The Golden Arrows
Ground: Sennacherib Stadium (Mosul, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 29,500
Owner: Shukutum Puzur-Assur
Chairman: Shukutum Puzur-Assur
Manager: Tawadros Yousif (since November 20, 2035)
Previous season finish: 17th

Preview:
Finishing 17th had led to much soul-searching within the Ninua City board, but despite the swirling rumors owner Shukutum Puzur-Assur elected to retain the services of interim manager Tawadros Yousif and even promote him to permanent manager status, believing that he is the right man to steer the ship in these trying times. Despite the recent trials and tribulations Puzur-Assur believes that, with the right management, Ninua City may rise to become one of the league’s leading contenders and even eclipse cross-city rivals Mosul over on the western bank of the Tigris.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Sultan al-Habshi – Male (age 26)
2 – LB – Ilusuma Malki – Male (age 31)
3 – CB – Sardanapal Marbail – Male (age 27)
4 – CB – Eliana Haddad – Female (age 23)
5 – RB – Markus Touma – Male (age 29)
6 – LM – Eamukinzeri Mandaru – Male (age 32)
7 – CM – Belbani Adasi – Male (age 30)
8 – CM – Larsa Samsiadad – Female (age 23)
9 – RM – Murad al-Hasyim – Male (age 25)
10 – ST – Ismedagan Enlilnasir – Male (age 34)
11 – ST – Maria Abizaid – Female (age 24)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Eannatum Alalngar – Male (age 30)
13 – GK – Aida Zed – Female (age 19)
14 – LB – Salmanuasared Assurdan – Male (age 28)
15 – CB – Livia Chagoury – Female (age 24)
16 – CB – Tukulti Sinsariskun – Male (age 31)
17 – RB – Iskandar Nouri – Male (age 22)
18 – LM – Ahmad Adasi – Male (age 25)
19 – CM – Simona Bashir – Female (age 20)
20 – CM – Assur Adad – Male (age 34)
21 – RM – Samsiadad al-Baghdadi – Male (age 29)
22 – ST – Fahad Libaia – Male (age 25)
23 – ST – Lullaya Assursadduni – Male (age 19)

Petra Camels
Nickname: The Camels
Ground: Nabataean Ground (Petra, Syria Governorate)
Capacity: 24,000
Owner: Pasha Hasan
Chairman: Pasha Hasan
Manager: Musa al-Tamimi (since February 27, 2036)
Previous season finish: 18th

Preview:
The Camels’ long struggle to penetrate the upper reaches of the league table continue, with an 18th-place finish in the 2035-2036 showing that there is still a lot to do. Mercurial owner Pasha Hasan has reportedly mulled sacking Musa al-Tamimi, who had just been in his post for six months, but so far nothing has come out of those reports. But it is clear that something must be done lest the Camels continue to languish at the bottom of the league.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Ka’b al-Idlibi – Male (age 29)
2 – LB – Hawari al-Walid – Male (age 25)
3 – CB – Maria Khoury – Female (age 29)
4 – CB – Ubarsin Etana – Male (age 33)
5 – RB – Taribat-Sin Shallurum – Male (age 24)
6 – LM – Stella Mitchell – Female (age 22)
7 – CM – Saad al-Dawalibi – Male (age 30)
8 – CM – Muhammad Ali Askari – Male (age 25)
9 – RM – Ninki Tibira – Female (age 23)
10 – ST – Said Bashir – Male (age 34)
11 – ST – Peter Mourani – Male (age 28)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Shamreta Ashuruballit – Female (age 22)
13 – GK – Sawrina Zaheil – Female (age 19)
14 – LB – Aramsen Uphakum – Male (age 27)
15 – CB – Roger Waters – Male (age 30)
16 – CB – Burrukam Ibniamurru – Male (age 21)
17 – RB – Bashar al-Husaini – Male (age 29)
18 – LM – Safiya Zuabi – Female (age 19)
19 – CM – Abdul Aziz Galawanji – Male (age 28)
20 – CM – Rachel Savir – Female (age 31)
21 – RM – David Gilmour – Male (age 27)
22 – ST – Hana Morad – Female (age 23)
23 – ST – Ali al-Ansari – Male (age 28)

by **Adab** » Thu Dec 30, 2021 6:42 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2036-2037 season

PREVIEW (PART 4)
Age as of August 1, 2036, the official start of the 2036-2037 season
All players and managers hold Adabian nationality unless otherwise noted

Royal Sennacherib
Nickname: Sennacherib’s Soldiers
Ground: House of Sennacherib (Nimrud, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 42,375
Owner: Assurnasirapli Sharrukin
Chairman: Assurnasirapli Sharrukin
Manager: Tukulti Shamir (since October 26, 2029)
Previous season finish: 7th

Preview:
When the flamboyant textile businessman Assurnasirapli Sharrukin bought Nimrud FC in 2026, he promptly renamed the club Royal Sennacherib and enlarged the stadium – which he also renamed House of Sennacherib – to honor the great Neo-Assyrian king who was born in Nimrud. Under his ownership the club has seen a few ups and downs but nevertheless retains its position around the middle of the table. Now, Sharrukin and manager Tukulti Shamir, the time has come for the club to reach greater heights.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Danya al-Atrash – Female (age 24)
2 – LB – Tukulti Adadrabu – Male (age 33)
3 – CB – Pasha Raheem – Male (age 30)
4 – CB – Domarina Ilushuma – Female (age 25)
5 – RB – Tudiya Ashur-Damiq – Male (age 21)
6 – LM – Walid al-Harrani – Male (age 27)
7 – CM – Shamiram Tukultininurta – Female (age 25)
8 – CM – Erishum Malik – Male (age 33)
9 – RM – Katya Mordechai – Female (age 20)
10 – ST – Aram Murad – Male (age 29)
11 – ST – Samia Haddad – Female (age 23)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Lena Youssef – Female (age 30)
13 – GK – Zaynab al-Zahawi – Female (age 25)
14 – LB – Muhammad Enmerkar – Male (age 17)
15 – CB – Imsu Nasir – Male (age 26)
16 – CB – Enlilbani Belsarusur – Male (age 34)
17 – RB – Ally Mousa – Female (age 19)
18 – LM – Danila Nisheshu – Female (age 27)
19 – CM – Kushi Ashurban – Male (age 25)
20 – CM – Evonne Boutros – Female (age 18)
21 – RM – Belbani Mutashkur – Male (age 32)
22 – ST – Didanu al-Masri – Male (age 25)
23 – ST – Khalifa Ishaq – Male (age 26)

Sharm el-Sheikh
Nickname: The Sharks
Ground: Sharm el-Sheikh Stadium (Sharm el-Sheikh, Sinai Governorate)
Capacity: 25,000
Owner: Government of Sharm el-Sheikh
Chairman: Muwaffaq al-Atassi
Manager: Mustafa al-Mansur (since November 6, 2033)
Previous season finish: 13th

Preview:
A significant part of the efforts by the government of Sharm el-Sheikh to further promote the Red Sea resort has been its ownership of the eponymous football club. While tourists certainly have continued to stream into the city at a high rate, generating healthy profits for the city government, the club itself has not seen much success in the Premier League, but chairman Muwaffaq al-Atassi and Mustafa al-Mansur believe that, with a promising cohort of young players at their disposal, this will not be the case forever.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Abdel Moneim Karim – Male (age 29)
2 – LB – Nadine Moussa – Female (age 25)
3 – CB – Kastiliasu Naptar-Ili – Male (age 23)
4 – CB – Evita Kamaal – Female (age 24)
5 – RB – Ishtar Gamelat – Female (age 23)
6 – LM – Semiramis Ishmedagan – Female (age 29)
7 – CM – Nasr El-Din – Male (age 30)
8 – CM – Sania al-Faiz – Female (age 21)
9 – RM – Shiptu Inkishush – Female (age 32)
10 – ST – Georgios Effendi – Male (age 25)
11 – ST – Avraham Moussaieff – Male (age 20)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Joseph Stillwater – Male (age 30)
13 – GK – Layla Yacoub – Female (age 26)
14 – LB – Ahmad Fawzi Khaled – Male (age 29)
15 – CB – Sulaiman al-Ghazzi – Male (age 23)
16 – CB – Ihsan Sakal – Male (age 19)
17 – RB – Amurritum Sinnasir – Female (age 19)
18 – LM – Salma al-Attar – Male (age 20)
19 – CM – Jabar Inimabakesh – Male (age 34)
20 – CM – Bilal Hisham – Male (age 18)
21 – RM – Ishtar Aradegi – Female (age 29)
22 – ST – Aretha Laboud – Female (age 21)
23 – ST – Abraam Eflaq – Male (age 34)

Urim
Nickname: The Troops of Sin, The Soldiers of Sin
Ground: Urim Stadium (Ur, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 39,275
Owner: Amarsin Irrara
Chairman: Amarsin Irrara
Manager: Nasir al-Hamdi (since June 16, 2031)
Previous season finish: 12th

Preview:
Having established themselves as top ten contenders over the last few seasons, Nasir al-Hamdi and his team found themselves having to settle for 12th last season, although the team did make a run to the semifinals of the Emperor’s Cup. The Troops of Sin are determined to return to the top ten this season, but can they do it?

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Kastiliasu Amarsin – Male (age 28)
2 – LB – Sinahhieriba Narubtum – Male (age 27)
3 – CB – Michel Haddad – Male (age 24)
4 – CB – Ninlil Entana – Female (age 26)
5 – RB – Fawaz al-Urim – Male (age 34)
6 – LM – Ibranum Lugalazida – Male (age 29)
7 – CM – Anunit Enmebaragisi – Female (age 22)
8 – CM – Shulpae Ismail – Male (age 25)
9 – RM – Meskalamdug Khairul – Male (age 19)
10 – ST – Jeanne Rassam – Female (age 31)
11 – ST – Gewargis Yelda – Male (age 27)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Eannatum Lipitishtar – Male (age 32)
13 – GK – Yohannes Harsu – Male (age 21)
14 – LB – Ilumer Apiashal – Male (age 34)
15 – CB – Kammani Iblinum – Female (age 17)
16 – CB – Ray Charles Kattan – Male (age 22)
17 – RB – Bilal Shimun – Male (age 29)
18 – LM – Shania Malick – Female (age 21)
19 – CM – Basil Dolabani – Male (age 35)
20 – CM – Lilith Barsalnuna – Female (age 18)
21 – RM – Ishtar Ubaratutu – Female (age 25)
22 – ST – Ennugi Lugalngu – Male (age 34)
23 – ST – Yusuf Mandaru – Male (age 20)

Uruk Imperials
Nickname: The Imperials
Ground: Uruk Stadium (Uruk, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 35,500
Owner: Lugalzagesi Enmendurana
Chairman: Lugalzagesi Enmendurana
Manager: Gamaliel Pharoh (since January 10, 2032)
Previous season finish: 3rd

Preview:
Lugalzagesi Enmendurana’s investment in his players and manager Gamaliel Pharoh has paid off, with the Imperials rising from the middle of the table to finish third in the league last season, overtaking more well-established clubs such as Mosul and Damascus Steelers, and missing out on the Emperor’s Cup final only on penalties against eventual champions Baghdad City. Enmendurana and Pharoh are convinced this season may be the Imperials’ opportunity to break the Baghdad City-Adab United stranglehold in the league. But they – along with Mosul and the Steelers, among others – remain formidable opponents and the Imperials have their work cut out for them.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Jafar al-Fatih – Male (age 26)
2 – LB – Lugalbanda Inkishush – Male (age 30)
3 – CB – Iltani Shamash-Gamil – Female (age 24)
4 – CB – Michel Geraigiry – Male (age 28)
5 – RB – Ludari Dagon – Male (age 21)
6 – LM – Samia al-Atassi – Female (age 23)
7 – CM – Lorencio Uriostegui – Male (age 29) (Farfadillis)
8 – CM – Angelo Libera - Male (age 29) (Audioslavia)
9 – RM – Lugal-Ure Ersetim – Male (age 25)
10 – ST – Ilku Inimshara – Male (age 28)
11 – ST – Marina Feldman – Female (age 24)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Taymour Kafarneh – Male (age 18)
13 – GK – Vivianne Zarlagab – Female (age 27)
14 – LB – Enkidu Lipitishtar – Male (age 33)
15 – CB – Abdellatif Mansour – Male (age 24)
16 – CB – Asha Belessunu – Female (age 18)
17 – RB – Michel Aflaq – Male (age 25)
18 – LM – Semiramis Anunnaki – Female (age 21)
19 – CM – Kurhitti Mushtesher – Male (age 34)
20 – CM – Rania Wassef – Female (age 19)
21 – RM – Sania Williams – Female (age 23)
22 – ST – Ghina Di Mauro – Female (age 20)
23 – ST – Enmebaragisi Puzur-Assur – Male (age 18)
24 – CM – Radjni Ishtarmuti – Female (age 19)
25 - CM - Sidu Qabbani – Male (age 32)

Yerushalayim
Nickname: The Menorahs
Ground: Jerusalem Stadium (Jerusalem, Jerusalem Special District)
Capacity: 34,000
Owner: Yerushalayim Supporters’ Co-operative
Chairman: Evgeny Sokolnikov
Manager: Nathan Rosenthal (since May 18, 2030)
Previous season finish: 6th

Preview:
The Menorahs’ sixth-place finish was satisfying enough for chairman Evgeny Sokolnikov and manager Nathan Rosenthal as well as a significant portion of the supporters who owned the club. Nevertheless, with the inroads that the club had made over the last few years, there is a growing sense that the club is destined for more and that they have the tools necessary to achieve that destiny.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Mansour Salam – Male (age 25)
2 – LB – Miriam Ben-Zvi – Female (age 27)
3 – CB – Eliot Lindenstrauss – Male (age 34)
4 – CB – Shalmaneser Sharrum-Iter – Male (age 26)
5 – RB – Daniel Lieberman – Male (age 23)
6 – LM – Nadira Sharif – Female (age 28)
7 – CM – Zaninum Eikuppi-Adad – Male (age 30)
8 – CM – Larisa Zayad – Female (age 25)
9 – RM – Abdullah Sarsur – Male (age 29)
10 – ST – Ofra Shaked – Female (age 22)
11 – ST – Avraham Eitan – Male (age 30)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Belbani Assurnarari – Male (age 20)
13 – GK – Moshe Levy – Male (age 33)
14 – LB – Yarden Shamir – Female (age 19)
15 – CB – Aham-Nishi Yarlaganda – Male (age 20)
16 – CB – Georgios Keyrouz – Male (age 24)
17 – RB – Eliezer Weiss – Male (age 34)
18 – LM – Muammar al-Jaafari – Male (age 18)
19 – CM – Natalie Leibovitch – Female (age 19)
20 – CM – Jafar Mansur al-Fadl – Male (age 28)
21 – RM – Lea Dushinsky – Female (age 24)
22 – ST – Bakshishum Lipitishtar – Male (age 30)
23 – ST – Esther Smotrich – Female (age 18)

Foreign players currently in the Premier League
Angelo Libera - (Audioslavia, CM) - Male (age 29) - Uruk Imperials
Frantzes Bensoa - (Astograth, LM/CM) - Male (age 24) - Mosul
Kendrick Given – (Brenecia, CB) – Male (age 33) – Damascus Steelers
Lorencio Uriostegui (Farfadillis, CM) - Male (age 29) - Uruk Imperials
Marian Clut (Brenecia, GK) – Female (age 33) – Baghdad City
Monique Tangradi (Quebec and Shingoryeo, CB) – Female (age 22) – Baghdad City
Odysseus Packard (Nephara, GK) – Male (age 27) – Adab United
Simone Bozzelli (The 14 Stars, RM) – Female (age 20) – Adab United
Rineke Jaarsma (Vrijrijke, ST/RW) – Female (age 19) – Mosul

by **Adab** » Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:20 pm

AFA Community Classic
Association Football
2036-2037 season

Baghdad City 3–3 Adab United (5–4 AET)

Karahardas (3’), Akaptaha (64’, 83’), Yargab (115’, 119’) | Yissakar (18’, 107’), Bozzelli (40’), Arthur (89’)
Red card: Akaptaha (85’) | Sinmuballit (118’)

The new season opened in dramatic fashion as Baghdad City twice overturned an Adab United lead, first in normal time and then again in extra time, culminating in a last-minute Enlilbani Yargab strike to take the Community Classic at the Adab City Stadium and open a new chapter in the longstanding rivalry between the two clubs.

Baghdad City won both the Premier League and the Emperor’s Cup last season, resulting in league runners-up Adab United taking the cup winners’ spot for this season’s curtain-raiser. With a sizable number of key players from both teams fresh off their IAC triumph and participation in the Eagle’s Cup with the national team, the Community Classic largely featured a mixture of promising youngsters, fringe players, and new signings from both sides, although national team stalwarts from both teams also participated – and indeed would play a key part – in this match.

Baghdad City manager Erisum Rimus had raised more than a few eyebrows when he put the 18-year-old Quinta Karahardas at the front alongside Manishtushu Sharkalisharri but his faith in the youngster paid off as Karahardas, in her very first appearance with the senior team, blasted a volley into the side of the net only three minutes into the match, much to the fury of debutant Adab United keeper Odysseus Packard.

Adab United manager Rang Nick, for his part, continually shouted at his side to charge forward, pressing high on the Baghdad City side. City’s 33-year-old keeper Marian Clut, also making her debut in Adabian land having come as a free agent from Brenecia, saved Amarutu Ibilasumna’s attempts in the 13th and 15th minutes but could not prevent Rebekah Yissakar from sending in a curved shot from right outside the box in the 18th minute to tie the score.

For all their attacking play, Baghdad City had their moments of splendid defending, spearheaded by Shania Enmerkar and Monique Tangradi, but ultimately could not stem the United tide as the match went on. In the 40th minute, City midfielder Gordon Young’s pass instead found United’s new signing Simone Bozzelli, who sashayed her way past a series of scrambling City players before slotting the ball into the lower right of the net with City defenders hot on her trail. A VAR check which lasted three minutes found she was less than an inch away from being offside.

Finding themselves falling behind, City did not fare much better in the second half, with United’s quick movement and positioning strangling City’s attempts at an offensive. United increasingly dominated possession as the match, much to the satisfaction of owners Tamas Haln and Zenyatta in the stands (fellow owner Jamal al-Jamal was unavailable due to a “scheduling conflict”) with Zenyatta even taking the time to shout at the nearest City supporters, “If you expect disappointment, then you can never be disappointed.”

A visibly frustrated Rimus decided to bring striker Sharkalisharri and midfielder James Reynolds out in the 60th minute, replacing them with star player Kastiliasu Akaptaha at the front and veteran midfielder Enmerkar Abdulmahrim. The decision almost immediately paid off, with Baghdad City regaining initiative and Akaptaha netting the ball in off an Ishtar Eannatum corner in the 64th minute to make it 2-2 to the joyous shouts and singing of the City supporters in the stadium.

City owner Kanu East was not in the stadium but nevertheless made his presence known in the 66th minute when a helicopter owned by his company YOOZY overflew the stadium carrying a banner with the title of his upcoming album Christ Is King.

Akaptaha put City on the driving seat with a sharply-angled strike in the 83rd minute as United wilted in the face of City’s pressing but was then sent off a minute later for an egregious tackle on United midfielder Kayla Kassaya which ignited a war of words between Akaptaha and several United players; Akaptaha claimed the tackle was “accidental”. Kassaya was unscathed but Nick – needing to regain control over midfield – nevertheless brought her out along with Young in the 87th minute, replacing them with the power duo of Emma Arthur and Alulim Sinmuballit whose entry was greeted with a mixture of cheers and boos from across the stadium.

Arthur gave hope to the Adab United supporters in the 89th minute when she received the ball from Bozzelli, who found her way forward blocked by City defenders, and produced a daring long-range strike, flying just over the head of Enmerkar on its way into the net, with Clut reduced to onlooker as the ball found the inner top of the net. Although down to ten men, City nearly regained the lead through Karahardas in the 91st minute but the ball deflated as she marched into the box, and the score remained 3-3 at the end of normal time.

Rimus ordered City to go “all out” at extra time, finally replacing Karahardas with the legendary Enlilbani Yargab to the cheers and chants of City fans. Yargab – who was supposed to sit out the entire match in favor of the youngsters – needed time to make his impact on the match, however, and indeed when Yissakar added to her goal tally in the 107th minute with a header off Ibilasumna, it seemed that United would go home with the trophy after all, with the 10-men City unable to overcome the 3-4 score in time.

But they did. Summoning all the speed and brilliance that made him the greatest goalscorer in Adabian history, the 37-year-old Yargab blasted his way past the United defenders, feinting a pass to Eannatum to his right in the 115th minute only to push forward to the left, leaving United in the dust as he sent the ball in to make it 4-4, with Packard jumping the wrong way.

For a while it seemed that the game would be heading to penalties, but Yargab rendered that possibility moot in stunning fashion in the 119th minute. Sinmuballit pushed Abdulmahrim down as he tried to block the City midfielder then proceeded to argue with the referee over the yellow card he received, earning himself an upgrade to red. Yargab took the free kick – which he fired right off into the net, leaving Packard shaking his head in disbelief as City players surrounded the Adabian legend, with staff and substitutes jumping in the benches and supporters singing in delirious celebration.

Such is the Beautiful Game.

by **Adab** » Tue Feb 08, 2022 11:14 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2036-2037 season

Matchday 1-10

Damascus Steelers got off to a lightning start this season, winning seven games, drawing two, and losing just one as they stormed their way to first place at the end of Matchday 10. The main story was 33-year-old Steelers forward Jushur al-Kufa’s battle to prove that he was still capable of competing at the top of Adabian football, with his position in the national team under threat from Baghdad City’s Kastiliasu Akaptaha. At least that’s what the media said; al-Kufa, for his part, was philosophical, saying that “no one can turn back the tide of age”, he was happy that Akaptaha had found a place in the national team, and that he was simply doing what he had done best all these years: score goals and keep on scoring.

Steelers’ ascent to the top of the table, however, did nothing to repair the stormy relations between manager Warka Jauhar and owner Mustafa al-Qadri, with al-Qadri still refusing to firmly guarantee that Jauhar would keep him in the job and the manager fearing – not without reason – that the owner would finally follow through on his threat and fire him, especially if the Steelers fell off as the season dragged on.

Defending champions Baghdad City found themselves in fourth place for now, pipped to third by Yerushalayim on goal difference. Yerushalayim forward Avraham Eitan had gone on a rampage, scoring eight of the Menorahs’ 25 goals so far and providing seven assists. Over in Baghdad, some began to question whether the time had come for the 37-year-old Enlilbani Yargab to retire, even though he and Akaptaha had formed a productive partnership, sharing 14 league goals between them at this point in the season, and were continuing to drive the national team forward through the World Cup qualifiers. Finding himself in the midst of an acrimonious divorce from model Maria Khachatryan, owner Kanu East devoted his full attention to the team, publicly backing Yargab and manager Erisum Rimus and privately promising Rimus “all the money in the world which that [expletive] can’t take from me” should he need it in the next transfer window.

Adab United and Uruk Imperials finished second and third last season but had had a shocking start to the season, placing 12th and 10th, respectively, at this point. Uruk’s foreign signings, Lorencio Uriostegui and Angelo Libera, held the midfield well but were let down by a spotty defense which lost them crucial matches. Ditto for Adab United’s Alulim Sinmuballit and Emma Arthur, with many wondering if all the hoopla over their relationship had taken a toll on their performance on the pitch.

Occupying second place were Beirut, led by the eccentric club legend-turned-motivational speaker-turned owner, chairman, and manager Fald Braud. Braud still had not hired a manager following Usman Khalil’s resignation earlier this year and insisted on continuing to shoulder the managerial duties himself, even though many close to him feared that Braud would fall victim to the same exhaustion which led to Khalil’s exit. So far that hadn’t happened, and Braud continued to bask in the fans’ acclaim with Beirut perched near the top of the table. The owner-chairman-manager made headlines when he publicly admitted to playing the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe” and Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time” at a “respectable volume” in the dressing room whenever the team found themselves behind at half time; he said it was motivation, others – including, reportedly, some of the players – saw it as a threat. Either way it worked pretty well; Beirut won six games, drawing three and losing only one.

Nadje Barzani was only 19, yet the star of the Under-18 World Cup was now a permanent member of the first team, scoring nine of Beirut’s 20 goals so far. Some began wondering if the Baghdad City-Adab United duopoly was coming to an end and, if so, whether the future was Beirut – and Barzani.

Table at the end of Matchday 10

Adabian Premier League   Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Damascus Steelers      10    7   1   2    20   15   +5    22
 2 Beirut                 10    6   3   1    20   11   +9    21
 3 Yerushalayim           10    6   2   2    25   14  +11    20
 4 Baghdad City           10    6   2   2    21   15   +6    20
 5 Baghdad United         10    4   6   0    18   10   +8    18
 6 Eridu                  10    5   3   2    18   13   +5    18
 7 Mosul                  10    5   3   2    15   14   +1    18
 8 Sharm el-Sheikh        10    4   4   2    11    7   +4    16
 9 Royal Sennacherib      10    4   3   3    20   15   +5    15
10 Uruk Imperials         10    4   3   3    17   16   +1    15
11 Adab City              10    4   1   5    17   20   −3    13
12 Adab United            10    3   3   4    21   20   +1    12
13 Urim                   10    3   3   4    17   18   −1    12
14 Amel-Marduk            10    2   4   4    13   17   −4    10
15 Ninua City             10    2   3   5    13   21   −8     9
16 Babilim                10    1   5   4     9   14   −5     8
17 Kuwait City            10    1   4   5    14   22   −8     7
18 Faraby                 10    1   3   6    13   20   −7     6
19 Assur                  10    0   5   5     8   18  −10     5
20 Petra Camels           10    0   3   7     4   14  −10     3

by **Adab** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:51 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2036-2037 season

All my love I give gladly to you
All your love you give gladly to me
Tell me why then, oh why should it be that

We go on hurting each other
We go on hurting each other
Making each other cry
Hurting each other
Without ever knowing why
-Carpenters, “Hurting Each Other”

Matchday 11-20

Damascus Steelers were at the top of the table entering Matchday 11. Their season would go to hell almost immediately.

A 2-2 draw with 14th-placed Amel-Marduk would only a harbinger of the coming disaster. A 2-5 beatdown of Assur the next week was the last flickering of the light as the darkness rapidly set in. There had been rumors of strife within the club throughout the beginning of the season, with manager Warka Jauhar’s future still in doubt and his relationship with Mustafa al-Qadri as stormy as ever. Some club insiders were reportedly in favor of phasing out the aging Jushur al-Kufa, who, in turn, was apparently feeling threatened by his younger partner at the front Hakim al-Amin and suspected that the club was building around al-Amin with no place for himself. All these couldn’t have come as much comfort to Steelers fans, who had to bear witness as the team fell to four defeats in a row from Matchday 13 to 16 against Babilim, Baghdad City, Baghdad United, and Beirut and dropping to eighth place. They recovered their winning ways on Matchday 17 against Yerushalayim, but they had lost twelve points and the damage was done. If Jauhar’s future was in doubt before, now it wasn’t; al-Qadri had sacked him after the Beirut match, elevating Jauhar’s assistant Enlilbani Sarrugi to caretaker manager as the Steelers scrambled to find anyone willing to salvage the wreck. Jauhar proceeded almost immediately to sue al-Qadri, claiming the owner had blackmailed him and made advances to his wife in an attempt to get him to resign, firing him only when Jauhar refused to back down. As of Matchday 20 the case was still ongoing. By then the club had returned to third place, but seven points adrift of the leaders. Their title challenge appeared over for now.

As one case was beginning, another was coming to its end, with Baghdad City owner Kanu East finalizing his acrimonious divorce from the model Maria Khachatriyan, agreeing to joint custody and parting with a fraction of his wealth to satisfy the ex, but not so much so as to threaten the rapper and team owner’s financial stability. With the case behind him, East was able to devote his full attention to supporting Erisum Rimus and the team as they sought to regain pole position. Baghdad City had in fact returned to first place, winning 2-0 against Yerushalayim as the Steelers were held to the aforementioned draw by Amel-Marduk, but Beirut were hot on their trail. On Matchday 13 the two teams met at Beirut’s Berytus Field and the home team ran out 4-1 winners before a raucous crowd to elevate themselves to the top of the table. Kastiliasu Akaptaha scored the lone goal for Baghdad but they had no answers to Nadje Barzani’s hat-trick and Farrukh Manoogian’s impressive goal from a tight angle. Beirut’s mercurial manager Fald Braud was sent off in the 89th minute after arguing with officials and Baghdad staff, which only brought him more acclaim from the adoring home crowd.

Meanwhile, the previous season’s runners-up Adab United entered Matchday 11 languishing in 12th place but continued trying to claw their way back to the top. A 3-3 draw against Kuwait City on Matchday 13 was followed by a 1-2 loss to Mosul, but nevertheless the Adab United train marched on, spearheaded by the indefatigable Rebekah Yissakar, no doubt feeling that an impressive showing with the club was the key to maintaining her place in the national team. On Matchday 19 they went down 3-1 to 13th-placed Urim, then drew 1-1 with the Uruk Imperials the next week, but they had racked up enough wins to occupy sixth place, pipping Yerushalayim and Adab City to that spot on goal difference and the number of goals scored (they all had 32 points, Yerushalayim had a goal difference of +4, the Imperials and Adab City +9, but the Imperials had scored 49 goals to Adab City’s 40). As for the Imperials, who finished fourth last season, a mixture of draws and narrow losses meant they were stuck in 11th place, with owner Mustafa al-Taghlibi now reportedly wondering whether manager Sulaiman al-Ghatafani, who had been in his post for seven years, had run his course.

Beirut might be riding high for now, but their grip on first place was never secure. On Matchday 14 both Beirut and Baghdad City won their matches. Beirut were at the top with 29 points. The third-placed City’s victory against the second-placed Steelers saw them take over that very position… with 29 points, separated from Beirut only by goal difference. From Matchday 15 to 18 Beirut and City won all their matches, Beirut holding on to first place with a goal difference of +22 compared to City’s +17. A wide gulf had appeared between them and everyone else; the Steelers, at third place, were nine points behind. As things stood it seemed the title race would involve the top two teams and no one else.

On Matchday 19, disaster struck for Beirut.

They had been leading 1-0 at Kuwait City, sitting in 17th place. But then home team struck back; Aruna Belbani scored from a free kick in the 49th minute, then midfielder Rashid al-Maktum scored what was widely dubbed a “freak goal” in the 66th minute; apparently intending to cross to either Belbani or Shejoun Youssef, al-Maktum’s shot instead hit the upper crossbar… and bounced into the net, and Beirut suddenly found themselves trailing the Falcons. Farrukh Manoogian equalized for Beirut in the 79th minute, but Youssef delivered the finishing blow for Kuwait in the 89th minute. It was Beirut’s first loss in six weeks, and they found themselves stuck at 41 points.

Baghdad City made the most of this opportunity, but they nearly didn’t. Facing off against 16th-placed Ninua City, they found the opponents much tougher than expected. Starting the 18-year-old Quinta Karahardas over Enlilbani Yargab initially appeared to be a good decision, with the teenager providing an assist to Akaptaha in the 29th minute and then adding her own name to the scoreboard with a right-footed strike fifteen minutes later. Ninua’s Maria Abizaid did score in the 35th minute, but otherwise City appeared to have the upper hand, if only barely; although they led 1-2, they had been struggling throughout the first half against Ninua’s sturdy defense, and in the second half the Golden Arrows counterattacked. Abizaid scored off Belbani Adasi’s corner in the 57th minute, then Ismedagan Enlilnasir produced a goal from long range ten minutes later, and City were behind 3-2. James Reynolds got another back for City in the 70th minute, only to have Enlilnasir put Ninua back in the lead in the 77th.

With City again falling behind at 4-3, Erisum Rimus decided he had had enough and made the maximum three substitutions simultaneously, with defender Adadsalulu al-Tikriti, Reynolds, and Karahardas withdrawn to make way for Muhammad Tafsir, Jan Johansen, and, of course, the one and only Enlilbani Yargab. In the end, the 37-year-old made the difference, and stunningly: receiving the ball off a Meskigal Nabunaid corner in the 92nd minute and heading it into the net to tie the game at 4-4 before blitzing past the scrambling Ninua defenders and tapping the ball in in the 95th minute to make it 4-5 to deafening roars from the traveling fans. The three points meant that City now pulled ahead of Beirut with 44 points on the halfway point of the season, with another 19 matchdays still ahead of them.

Matchday 20 did not go very well for City as they were held to 3-3 by Yerushalayim, but it was even worse for Beirut, who were outplayed by Mosul in a 2-1 defeat as the Golden Plains fought to stay in the top four, having dropped from third following a 4-2 defeat against City on Matchday 18.

City remained first with 45 points. Beirut were second, stuck at 41 points, but only four points behind and still within striking distance of City. Enlilbani Yargab and Kastiliasu Akaptaha’s City seemed more formidable than ever but Nadje Barzani’s Beirut were still a dangerous threat. One misstep could change the whole thing.

The title race was far from over.

Managerial changes
Warka Jauhar (Damascus Steelers): Sacked, replaced by assistant manager Enlilbani Sarrugi as caretaker.

Table at the end of Matchday 20

Adabian Premier League   Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Baghdad City           20   14   3   3    50   32  +18    45
 2 Beirut                 20   12   5   3    46   26  +20    41
 3 Damascus Steelers      20   12   2   6    46   37   +9    38
 4 Mosul                  20   11   5   4    31   25   +6    38
 5 Royal Sennacherib      20    9   7   4    37   28   +9    34
 6 Adab United            20    9   5   6    49   40   +9    32
 7 Yerushalayim           20    9   5   6    40   31   +9    32
 8 Adab City              20   10   2   8    40   36   +4    32
 9 Sharm el-Sheikh        20    8   7   5    25   19   +6    31
10 Eridu                  20    9   4   7    32   33   −1    31
11 Uruk Imperials         20    8   6   6    34   29   +5    30
12 Baghdad United         20    7   8   5    40   36   +4    29
13 Urim                   20    6   7   7    26   27   −1    25
14 Ninua City             20    4   6  10    34   44  −10    18
15 Faraby                 20    4   5  11    29   41  −12    17
16 Babilim                20    3   7  10    25   36  −11    16
17 Amel-Marduk            20    2   9   9    20   31  −11    15
18 Kuwait City            20    3   6  11    29   45  −16    15
19 Petra Camels           20    3   6  11    12   28  −16    15
20 Assur                  20    0   9  11    13   34  −21     9

by **Adab** » Wed Feb 23, 2022 11:43 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2036-2037 season

And so she woke up
Woke up from where she was lyin' still
Said I gotta do something
About where we're goin'

Step on a fast train
Step out of the driving rain, maybe
Run from the darkness in the night
Singing ah, ah la la la de day
Ah la la la de day
Ah la la de day
-U2, “Running to Stand Still”

Matchday 21-30

The interval between Matchday 21 and 22 brought the second managerial sacking of the season. Assur had finished 19th in the previous season and, truth be told, had not expected much this season. But neither did they expect to do even worse. A staggering run of zero wins, nine draws, and eleven defeats left them in 20th place, the very bottom of the group, and led to calls from supporters for both owner Abdullah Khabbazi and manager Rashid al-Bakr to go. Khabbazi, however, stayed on, convinced that he still could turn things around. And to turn things around, something had to give. Or, well, someone. Al-Bakr was let go, with assistant manager Hasan Qays replacing him.

Baghdad City began this period in first place with 45 points, four points clear of second-placed Beirut. Damascus Steelers had recovered somewhat from their disastrous run earlier in the season and had clawed their way back to third place with 38 points, edging out an energetic Mosul side – spearheaded by Vrijrijke’s Rineke Jaarsma – on goal difference. Adab United had expected to once again challenge City for the title but a series of draws and defeats meant they instead fell out of the top ten, although by now they returned to sixth, separated from Yerushalayim once again on goal difference, and were continuing what they believed to be a slow yet inexorable march back to the top.

Only nine points – three matches’ worth of points – separated the Steelers and Mosul on third and fourth from 12th-placed Baghdad United. There was little room for error as a multitude of teams vied for spots in international competitions and the Emperor’s Cup, involving the top eight teams of the previous season.

Baghdad City quickly enough found their four-point cushion reduced to one on Matchday 21, losing 0-1 to a 90th-minute goal from Royal Sennacherib’s Samia Haddad as Beirut eked out a 3-2 win over Ninua City. Mosul handed out a comprehensive 0-3 defeat to the Steelers, allowing them to take over third place. The next week the defending champions found themselves held to a 3-3 draw by Sharm al-Sheikh as Beirut regained first place with a dull, but effective, 0-1 victory over 19th-placed Petra Camels. Then came Beirut’s turn to falter 0-1 against Royal Sennacherib – with Haddad once again scoring the winning goal – and City again took the lead.

And again City failed to consolidate their lead, being defeated 3-2 by the Uruk Imperials on Matchday 25. The Imperials, who had ended Matchday 20 in 11th, had returned to the top ten, reaching seventh before falling somewhat, but their win over City allowed them to hold on to ninth place. More importantly, it also paved the way for Beirut to again lead by just one point – not a very safe lead – as they put down Urim 2-1. In the meantime, the Steelers were once again back in third place with 50 points, but Mosul were still hot on their trail with 48. Adab United won big against bottom-placed Amel-Marduk, Assur, and Babilim but were held back by a 1-0 loss to Yerushalayim. Nevertheless they held on to fifth place with 44 points. Royal Sennacherib, Baghdad United, Eridu, the Imperials, and Yerushalayim completed the top ten in that order, separated from fourth place – the final spot for international competition - by no more than nine points.

Baghdad City and Adab United, the winners and runners-up of the previous season, met on Matchday 26, although now City were in second place and United were down in fifth. The match, while featuring all-out attacking from both sides, ended without a goal. The real winners were, of course, Beirut, who increased the gap to three points with a 1-3 thumping of the Imperials which left the latter hanging on to tenth place. Mosul retook third place with a scintillating 3-4 win over Ninua City, with Jaarsma scoring a brace to erase an early Ninua lead. The Steelers dropped to fourth following an even more epic 5-4 loss to Urim, having held on to a 4-4 scoreline as late as the 93rd minute only for Gewargis Yelda to slam in a free kick. Beirut then, on Matchday 27, proceeded to lose 3-4 to Adab City, enabling Baghdad City to yet again occupy the top by virtue of number of goals scored. The two teams were tied on 56 points with a goal difference of +24, but City had scored 69 goals to Beirut’s 59. Mosul and the Steelers continued their battle over third place, with both teams drawing on this matchday to keep the gap between them at just one point, Mosul with 52 points and Damascus 51. Adab United solidified their hold on fifth with 48 points, while Baghdad United – who were languishing in twelfth place on Matchday 20 – now rose to sixth, with young midfielder Naram-Sin Samanu – already a fixture of the national team – drawing plaudits for his poise and skill. Matchday 27 also saw some good news for Assur, who finally achieved their first victory of the season, 0-2 against Babilim, with Raina Kelemechi scoring both goals.

City increased their lead to three points on Matchday 28 as Beirut went down 4-3 to Adab United. Beirut keeper Hiranur Aslan’s heroics were ultimately not enough to keep United away, with Rebekah Yissakar scoring two goals and Amarutu Ibilasumna and Simone Bozzelli one each. Yerushalayim and Baghdad United were tied at 48 points, with goal difference allowing Yerushalayim to secure sixth place, just three points away from fifth-placed Adab United. The top twelve remained unchanged on Matchday 29, but United’s hold on fifth were suddenly under threat. Their 3-2 loss to Faraby, combined with Yerushalayim and Baghdad United’s victories, meant that three teams now all had 51 points. Adab United’s goal difference of +22, compared to Yerushalayim’s +16 and Baghdad United’s +15, gave them a lifeline, but their position was suddenly much more fragile. With the Steelers six points clear in fourth place, some within those clubs began wondering if the time had come to let go of their dream of international competition. But with nine matchdays remaining, the top four clubs might still falter and anything was possible.

City’s 1-1 draw with Yerushalayim on Matchday 30 allowed Beirut to narrow the gap to just one point, Nadje Barzani’s hat-trick powering them during their 0-4 beatdown of Assur. City nevertheless held on to the top with 63 points. The Steelers escaped a tough Amel-Marduk side to take over third place with 60 points as Mosul fell 5-4 against Urim. Adab United held on to fifth place with 54 points, a result which brought mixed feelings inside the club; they had returned to the top five, but had made no further progress. They were four points away from fourth place, and nine from first place; unless some miracle happened, their title challenge, which truthfully never really began, was by all means over. Their best hope now was to reach the top four and qualify for international competitions. Which was still possible, but also a tall order.

Yerushalayim were in sixth place with 52 points, with Baghdad United just one point behind them in seventh. Royal Sennacherib occupied eighth place and the final spot for next season’s Emperor’s Cup, and Uruk Imperials and Eridu completed the top ten. The entire season so far had been extremely underwhelming for the Imperials, who finished third last season but now found themselves struggling to even stay inside the top ten. Rumors began circulating that Uruk’s foreign players Lorencio Uriostegui and Angelo Libera were demanding to leave and that Lugalzagesi Enmendurana was considering firing manager Gamaliel Pharoh, who by now had been in charge for five years.

The club issued no response to those rumors.

Managerial changes:
Rashid al-Bakr (Assur): Sacked, replaced by assistant manager Hasan Qays.

Table at the end of Matchday 30

Adabian Premier League   Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Baghdad City           30   19   6   5    79   49  +30    63
 2 Beirut                 30   19   5   6    69   40  +29    62
 3 Damascus Steelers      30   19   3   8    81   62  +19    60
 4 Mosul                  30   17   7   6    58   42  +16    58
 5 Adab United            30   16   6   8    80   55  +25    54
 6 Yerushalayim           30   15   7   8    57   41  +16    52
 7 Baghdad United         30   14   9   7    69   56  +13    51
 8 Royal Sennacherib      30   13  10   7    57   47  +10    49
 9 Uruk Imperials         30   13   7  10    59   49  +10    46
10 Eridu                  30   13   5  12    50   55   −5    44
11 Adab City              30   13   3  14    56   60   −4    42
12 Urim                   30   10  11   9    49   50   −1    41
13 Faraby                 30   11   7  12    51   51    0    40
14 Sharm el-Sheikh        30    9   8  13    35   41   −6    35
15 Babilim                30    7   7  16    40   57  −17    28
16 Amel-Marduk            30    5   9  16    43   65  −22    24
17 Ninua City             30    5   7  18    53   74  −21    22
18 Kuwait City            30    4  10  16    49   70  −21    22
19 Petra Camels           30    4   9  17    21   50  −29    21
20 Assur                  30    1  10  19    23   65  −42    13

by **Adab** » Sun Feb 27, 2022 10:05 am

Emperor’s Cup
Association Football
2036-2037 season

Say it ain’t so
Your drug is a heartbreaker

Say it ain’t so
My love is a life taker
-Weezer, “Say It Ain’t So”

Quarterfinals

The Emperor Tizqar III's Cup, commonly known as the Emperor's Cup, is the premier cup competition in Adab, contested by the top eight finishers of the previous season. Thus, this season, the competition saw participation by Baghdad City, Adab United, Uruk Imperials, Mosul, Beirut, Yerushalayim, Royal Sennacherib, and Faraby, who finished the previous season in that order. Winners of the competition would qualify for the IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup.

Quarterfinal 1
Uruk Imperials 4–2 Beirut

Quarterfinal 2
Faraby 1–0 Royal Sennacherib

Quarterfinal 3
Baghdad City 2–2 Mosul (2–3 AET)

Quarterfinal 4
Adab United 2–0 Yerushalayim

The Imperials’ Marina Feldman was in imperious form, scoring two goals as she led her team to a surprising 4-2 win over Beirut, a much-needed morale boost for them as they continued to slip in and out of the top ten in the league. Nadje Barzani scored both of Beirut’s goals but in the end were unable to stop a rejuvenated Imperials side. Royal Sennacherib proved to be an unexpectedly tough opponent for Faraby, and at times appeared on the brink of scoring and knocking the superior team out of the tournament. In the end, however, Faraby midfielder Rashid Ilkan settled matters with a volley in the 88th minute to a raucous reception from the island team’s supporters.

Baghdad City and Mosul were the hardest-fought match of this stage. Mosul gained an early lead by virtue of Rineke Jaarsma’s goal just before the half-time break. Enlilbani Yargab equalized for City in the 57th minute and Elia Sarru doubled the lead twenty minutes later, only for Mosul’s Iblinum Hudulibbi to tap the ball in in the 85th minute and force an additional thirty minutes. Hudulibbi eventually emerged as the hero of the day, throwing the previous season’s league and cup winners out of the tournament with his second goal in the 114th minute. Adab United, meanwhile, cruised to an easy 2-0 victory against Yerushalayim in a relatively unexciting fixture. Amarutu Ibilasumna put United ahead with a bicycle kick in the 40th minute and Rebekah Yissakar adding her name to the scoreboard in the 81st minute; otherwise United were content to spend long portions of the match soaking up the pressure from Yerushalayim before launching counterattacks.

Semifinals

Semifinal 1
Uruk Imperials 1–1 Faraby (1–2 AET)

Semifinal 2
Mosul 2–4 Adab United

The Imperials were heavily favored to win over Faraby, and when Feldman sent the ball into the back of the net in the 54th minute it seemed that things would go according to script. But Faraby, who spent much of the match backed into their own half and unable to coordinate a prolonged offensive, found a lifeline in the 88th minute, as a lapse in concentration from Michel Geraigiry enabled Bashar al-Hashimi to find a way forward and blast the ball in from just outside the penalty box in the 79th minute. The Prince’s Army held on to force extra time. Playing with increasing confidence, they turned the tide and went on the attack, culminating in al-Hashimi scoring a tap-in to knock the Imperials out of the cup in the 117th minute, leaving many of Uruk’s fans in visible disbelief.

Mosul gained an early lead in their match through a Hudulibbi goal in the seventh minute but Adab United were soon in control, dominating possession and overpowering Mosul’s midfield. Rebekah Yissakar put the ball past Mosul keeper Gloria Evans in the 42nd minute, and again just after the start of the second half. A long-range goal by Simone Bozzelli in the 70th minute solidified United’s hold on the game. Although Jaarsma managed to score for Mosul in the 83rd minute, Ephraim Orlev’s last-minute volley capped the match in stunning fashion for United as they advanced to the final.

Final

Final
Faraby 0–4 Adab United

And after all that, the final proved to be an oddly anticlimactic occasion, particularly for Faraby. After an early period in which the two teams traded possession, Yissakar fired the ball in in the 18th minute and United never looked back. Emma Arthur and Kayla Kassaya proved an imposing presence in the midfield, cutting off Faraby’s supply of balls to Sonia Fraşerli and al-Hashimi at the front. Yissakar added a second goal from a tight angle in the 40th minute in a showing which surely strengthened her case for remaining in the national team amid increased competition from the likes of Kastiliasu Akaptaha and Nadje Barzani. Simone Bozzelli’s goal from outside the box in the 59th minute further widened the gulf between the two teams, as Faraby found themselves unable to ever really get into the game. United pressed on, and a late surge allowed veteran defender Yousif Issou to become the final goalscorer of this season’s tournament, slipping past an out-of-position Warda Khanania to tap the ball in in the 82nd minute.

And so Adab United emerged as the winners of this season’s Emperor’s Cup and would represent Adab in the IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup. With the team underperforming so far in the league, there was still cause for celebration after all.

by **Adab** » Tue Mar 01, 2022 11:36 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2036-2037 season

So tell me what I see
When I look in your eyes
Is that you, baby
Or just a brilliant disguise?
-Bruce Springsteen, “Brilliant Disguise”

Matchday 31-38

Baghdad City came into Matchday 31 holding an extremely precarious lead with 63 points, separated by only one point from second-placed Beirut, three from a resurgent Damascus Steelers, and five from Mosul at fourth place. Mosul themselves were four points clear of Adab United at fifth, and by now many pundits were predicting the current top four would stay at the top four through the end of the season and qualify for IFCF and FFI competitions (Adab United would eventually qualify for the Cup Winners’ Cup as winners of the Emperor’s Cup). At City, Erisum Rimus and his team were cautiously confident that they could maintain their form all the way to the finish line. Beirut under the ever-enigmatic Fald Braud believed they could retake the lead; they had a match coming up with City and were determined to make the most of the opportunity to get back on top. The Steelers, having recovered from a chaotic early part of the season with the stewardship of caretaker Enlilbani Sarrugi, were yet to face off against both City and the Steelers for the second time this season. They set a realistic target for top three, never forgetting, however, that mathematically the title was still within their reach. Mosul targeted top four, keenly aware that the likes of Adab United or even Yerushalayim at sixth could still overtake them.

This final phase of the season did not start on a good note for Baghdad City, who were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw against intercity rivals Baghdad United, whose one point meant they remained on seventh between Yerushalayim and Royal Sennacherib; all three teams had 52 points and were separated only by goal difference. But it was even worse for Beirut, whose early 1-0 lead was overturned by Babilim as the latter team found themselves triumphing 1-2 on the back of Samsuiluna al-Askari’s brace. Braud was expelled from the pitch for the second time this season after arguing with the fourth official over a VAR call. The Steelers, on the other hand, ran away 7-2 winners over a hapless Assur, leading to calls for manager Hasan Qays to go, which would have made him the second Assur manager to leave in this season alone. The Steelers’ win catapulted them to 63 points; now they were the ones just one point away from City.

Matchday 32 saw the long-awaited second meeting between City and Beirut; two points adrift of City, winning this match would enable Beirut to take back first place. Instead their woes continued, Enlilbani Yargab (two goals), Kastiliasu Akaptaha, and Elia Sarru combining to put four past Beirut keeper Hiranur Aslan. Nadje Barzani’s goal was the only bright spot in a match where Beirut were otherwise totally outclassed and outmaneuvered by their opponents. Still at 62 points, Beirut were now five points adrift of City and four behind the Steelers, whose 0-4 win at Babilim strengthened their hold on second place. Publicly the team declared they would “fight on”; privately Braud accepted their title challenge was over and they would likely have to settle for top three. In the days following the match, Barzani had to deny rumors she was considering a transfer to City.

If there were still hopes – no matter how small – within the Beirut camp that they could still win the championship, they were quashed on Matchday 33 when they fell to a third successive defeat against Baghdad United, who now overtook Yerushalayim for sixth place on the number of goals scored (both United and Yerushalayim had 55 points and a goal difference of +14, but United had scored 72 goals to Yerushalayim’s 61). The top two – the Steelers and City – met at the Steelers’ Abbasiyyin Stadium. The Steelers were more determined than ever to put their disastrous start to the season behind them. Akaptaha’s early goal was quickly rendered irrelevant by two goals from Beirut, one each from Jushur al-Kufa and Hakim al-Amin, in the first half alone. The two Beirut strikers had worked together in an uneasy alliance all season, al-Kufa still suspicious that the younger al-Amin was trying to sideline him, but today there was nothing to indicate any tension between them on the pitch. Yargab equalized for City in the second half, but a brilliant al-Kufa pulled off an 88th-minute winner which had originally been declared offside only for the decision to be overturned by VAR, much to the jeers of the visiting City fans. Rimus had to be held back from the Steelers staff by his own men, only for his own assistant to earn himself a red card after shouting profanities at VAR and the opposing staff. That win catapulted the Steelers to pole position with 69 points. City were second with 67 and Beirut languished in third with 62, and even there their position was still very much under threat as Mosul had tied them on points, with only Beirut’s superior goal difference allowing them to keep third. Adab United, at fifth, were just two points behind them.

Baghdad City might have been unable to stop the Steelers, but Baghdad United did just that on Matchday 34. It was a 1-1 draw, but it might as well have been a loss to the Steelers; City’s 4-2 beatdown of Eridu put them back at first by virtue of goal difference (City +34 to the Steelers’ +29), with both teams collecting 70 points, and the hard work of the Steelers’ previous match was as good as undone. Adab United, having languished as low as 12th earlier in the season, now found themselves in fourth after their 4-2 win against Ninua City, leapfrogging Mosul yet again on goal difference at 63 points. Beirut eked out a narrow 1-2 win at Yerushalayim to stay third at 65 points, five points behind the top two. Barring an unlikely late-stage collapse by City or the Steelers, the title race was now between the two of them with four matchdays remaining. Beirut, Adab United, and Mosul turned their focus on the top four and a spot at IFCF and FFI tournaments. Mosul had established a healthy seven-point lead over Uruk Imperials in sixth place; the top five seemed all but fixed.

Mosul retook fourth from Adab United on Matchday 35 and pulled away points-wise, winning 4-2 against Assur as United shockingly went down 2-0 against 18th-placed Petra Camels; Mosul fans heartily celebrated the brace by the Camels’ Petra Mourani on social media. Baghdad City were lucky to escape as 3-4 winners against an unexpectedly rampant Faraby side, Yargab, Akaptaha, Sarru, and Quinta Karahardas (who came in as a substitute for Yargab in the 65th minute) scoring one goal each for City in a match which saw all-out attacking from start to end. More happy news was to come from the Steelers-Beirut match this day; Beirut’s 2-4 victory enabled them to cut the gap between them and the Steelers to just two points, but most importantly for City, it kept the Steelers at 70 points whereas City increased their tally to 73, one whole win’s worth of points ahead with just three matchdays remaining. The Steelers knew they could not afford a loss.

Which was precisely what they did in their next match.

Much has been said about the Steelers’ 4-3 loss to Yerushalayim and much will be said in the future, especially the defensive mistake by Michel Geraigiry in the 80th minute which allowed Avraham Eitan to run amok through the Steelers’ defense and turn a 3-3 draw into a Yerushalayim victory with a shot right from the penalty box line, further securing their rather tenuous hold on eighth place (Royal Sennacherib were just three points behind) and the final spot on next season’s Emperor’s Cup. The defeated side were now a full six points behind the league leaders; with two matchdays remaining, they would have to win both of their matches and count on City to lose both of their own matches to even equal their number of points, and even then the gap in goal difference (City had +39 to the Steelers’ +26 as of the end of this matchday) would realistically be far too insurmountable for the Steelers to overcome. The Steelers magnanimously accepted this situation, caretaker manager Sarrugi congratulating City “should they win the title”. In the meantime, Mosul rose to third place with a 1-3 win at Babilim, as Beirut fell to fourth – albeit only one point under Mosul – in the wake of a shocking 1-6 thrashing by 11th-placed Eridu. Both staff and players alike, having pushed so hard for the title for much of the season, appeared on the brink of mental and physical exhaustion; some suggested the strain of being owner, chairman, and manager at the same time had finally caught up to Braud.

Mosul maintained third place on Matchday 37 with a 2-1 win against none other than league leaders City, but by this time such results did not perturb the latter, who knew that, for all intents and purposes, the title was already theirs. The Steelers cut the gap in points to three as they emerged victorious over Eridu, but the wind had been taken out of their sails and they appeared dejected and uninterested at times as they cruised to a comfortable 1-4 win. Beirut held on to fourth place, just a single point behind Mosul, with their win at Faraby. Adab United were four points behind Beirut in fifth place but had won the Emperor’s Cup, meaning their participation in international competition – the Cup Winners’ Cup – was assured.

Eventually, it would be Beirut who were destined to occupy third place at the end of the season. On the final matchday, Mosul fell 3-2 to Baghdad United, bringing them back to fourth with Beirut producing a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Kuwait City. The Steelers won their match (against Faraby), but so did Baghdad City (against Ninua City), bringing the now-official champions’ final points tally to 79, three points clear of the Steelers at 76. Third and fourth places – and with them the final league spots for international competition – were taken by Beirut and Mosul, respectively. Adab United were fifth but could content themselves with the Emperor’s Cup and with it participation in the Cup Winners’ Cup. Uruk Imperials, Baghdad United, and Yerushalayim completed the top eight; these eight teams would participate in next season’s Emperor’s Cup.

Teams qualifying for international competitions:
IFCF Champions League: Baghdad City
IFCF Challenger's Cup: Damascus Steelers, Beirut, Mosul
IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup: Adab United

FFI League of Victors: Baghdad City, Damascus Steelers
FFI Confederations Trophy: Beirut

Managerial changes:
None

Table at the end of the season

Adabian Premier League   Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Baghdad City           38   24   7   7   103   64  +39    79
 2 Damascus Steelers      38   24   4  10   109   79  +30    76
 3 Beirut                 38   23   5  10    86   60  +26    74
 4 Mosul                  38   21   9   8    78   59  +19    72
 5 Adab United            38   21   7  10    99   64  +35    70
 6 Uruk Imperials         38   19   9  10    84   60  +24    66
 7 Baghdad United         38   18  11   9    83   66  +17    65
 8 Yerushalayim           38   18   7  13    73   62  +11    61
 9 Royal Sennacherib      38   16  10  12    67   63   +4    58
10 Adab City              38   18   3  17    76   75   +1    57
11 Eridu                  38   15   7  16    65   71   −6    52
12 Urim                   38   13  12  13    63   68   −5    51
13 Faraby                 38   13   7  18    66   71   −5    46
14 Sharm el-Sheikh        38   12  10  16    45   52   −7    46
15 Babilim                38   11   8  19    53   70  −17    41
16 Amel-Marduk            38    7  14  17    53   73  −20    35
17 Petra Camels           38    6  12  20    28   61  −33    30
18 Kuwait City            38    6  11  21    59   94  −35    29
19 Ninua City             38    6   9  23    65   91  −26    27
20 Assur                  38    2  12  24    29   81  −52    18

by **Adab** » Tue Apr 05, 2022 7:33 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2037-38 season

There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He’s ordinary
-Foo Fighters, “My Hero”

PREVIEW (PART 1)
Age as of August 1, 2037, the official start of the 2037-38 season
All players and managers hold Adabian nationality unless otherwise noted

ADAB CITY

Nickname: Firsties, City Kids
Ground: Adab City Stadium (Adab City, National Capital District)
Capacity: 76,500
Owner: Salim Assurbanihabal Enterprises
Chairman: Salim Assurbanihabal
Manager: Khalid al-Husaini (since November 20, 2034)
Previous season finish: 10th
Style modifier: +3

Honors:
Premier League (3):
2000-01, 2004-05, 2005-06
Emperor’s Cup (3):
2000-01, 2002-03, 2024-25

Preview:
Another year, another 10th place finish for Adab City, leaving them with nothing to do but watch as noisy neighbors Adab United continue to assert their status as the capital city’s premier club. For a side with the closest thing possible to imperial backing, it was a surprise that they did absolutely nothing in the last transfer window, selling no one and acquiring no one (not even for free), but owner Salim Assurbanihabal is reported to be confident in the quality of his players and already directing manager Khalid al-Husaini to start reforming the team. Reliable striker Jamal al-Salaman was surprisingly demoted to the benches in favor of the young Ally Sinsariskun. In the midfield Alulim Akshak finds himself replacing the aging Kishar Asharid. Will this be the year they finally manage to recapture some of their lost glory?

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Ahmad al-Tamimi – Male (age 28)
2 – LB – Sarrugi Adadnirari – Male (age 30)
3 – CB – Elias Bennett – Male (age 26)
4 – CB – Aruru Adamu – Female (age 27)
5 – RB – Sagkaldumu Ninua – Male (age 31)
18 – LM – Alulim Akshak – Male (age 20)
7 – CM – Faisal al-Qahtani – Male (age 26)
8 – CM – Jennifer Jefferson – Female (age 21)
9 – RM – Alulim Sarrugi – Male (age 25)
10 – ST – Ovadia Mordechai – Male (age 22)
23 – ST – Ally Sinsariskun – Female (age 21)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Asharidapalekur Kala – Male (age 31)
13 – GK – Hasan Ben Ali – Male (age 20)
14 – LB – Laila Mustafa – Female (age 22)
15 – CB – Shadiya al-Baghdadi – Female (age 25)
16 – CB – Tayyip Ertugrul – Male (age 35)
17 – RB – Danya Ali – Female (age 31)
6 – LM – Kishar Asharid – Female (age 31)
19 – CM – Tukultininurta Ashuriddin – Male (age 19)
20 – CM – Vivian Nabuaplausur – Female (age 23)
21 – RM – Nabusumlisir Sinahhieriba – Female (age 24)
22 – ST – Jamal Adnan – Male (age 35)
11 – ST – Jamal al-Salaman – Male (age 33)

ADAB UNITED

Nickname: The Silver Devils
Ground: Adab West Stadium (Adab City, National Capital District)
Capacity: 60,500
Owners: Tamas Haln, Zenyatta, J. Jamal al-Jamal
Chairmen: Tamas Haln, Zenyatta, J. Jamal al-Jamal
Manager: Rang Nick (since May 25, 2027)
Previous season finish: 5th
Style modifier: +3

Honors:
Premier League (11):
1992-93, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2007-08, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2031-32, 2033-34
Emperor’s Cup (7):
1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2007-08, 2023-24, 2031-32, 2034-35

Preview:
For Adab United’s standards, last season was, quite simply, a huge disappointment. Expecting as usual to challenge Baghdad City for the league title, the club instead found themselves dumped to fifth place, overtaken by resurgent Damascus Steelers, Beirut, and Mosul sides. They did win the Emperor’s Cup, only to be denied entry to the IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup since the entire structure of the Emperor’s Cup was apparently against IFCF rules (which has led to much debate within Adabian football regarding the cup’s structure, although that is another matter altogether).

Manager Rang Nick is convinced last season was nothing more than a blip and the club will soon bounce back. Owners Tamas Haln, Zenyatta, and J. Jamal al-Jamal share his view, but the club’s performance did worry them enough to cause them to splash some money on the transfer window. Alulim Sinmuballit is gone and Emma Arthur is off to Chromatika’s Tihon in one of the transfer window’s most sensational deals, so there was a gaping hole in the midfield to fill. Naomí Schutzán (Jaguares de Santa Teredonia, Montana Verde), Iuri Balan (Brantisvogan, Squornshelan Remnant States), Erle Sartini (Mancodas City, Poafmersia), and Antoine de Crèvecœur (The Apprentice School, Oberour Ab Moro) were all brought in – Crèvecœur for free – as United look to reestablish themselves on their rightful spot at the top of the table. Sartini has reportedly already found himself competing with academy girl Kayla Kassaya for the central midfielder spot, but the club is quick to deny all reports of friction.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Odysseus Packard – Male (age 28) (Nephara)
2 – LB – Joseph Sassoon – Male (age 19)
3 – CB – Alulim Sumuabum – Male (age 27)
4 – CB – Yousif Issou – Male (age 32)
5 – RB – Taymour Frangieh – Male (age 36)
6 – LM/DM - Naomí Schutzán – Female (age 18) (Montana Verde)
7 – CM – Iuri Balan – Male (age 28) (Squornshelan Remnant States)
18 – CM – Erle Sartini – Male (age 20-21) (Poafmersia)
9 – RM – Simone Bozzelli – Female (age 21) (The 14 Stars)
10 – CF/RAM – Rebekah Yissakar – Female (age 24)
11 – CF – Amarutu Ibilasumna – Male (age 28)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Serj Dolmayan – Male (age 31)
13 – GK – Kudurru Marrutas – Male (age 32)
14 – LB – Ulamburias Nadinahe – Male (age 21)
15 – CB – Meskalamdug Aban – Male (age 20)
16 – RB – Fatima al-Hamimi – Female (age 26)
17 – LM – Kurigalzu Nabuaplaiddina – Male (age 34)
8 – CM – Kayla Kassaya – Female (age 21)
19 – CM – Antoine de Crèvecœur – Male (age 22) (Oberour Ab Moro)
20 – RM – Adaguppi Ammati – Female (age 20)
21 – CF – Istar Zabala – Female (age 18)
22 – CF – Pionel Pessi – Male (age 18)
23 – GK – Binyamin Lavon – Male (age 19)
24 – RM – John Tankian – Male (age 29)

AMEL-MARDUK

Nickname: Children of Marduk, Warriors of Marduk, Marduk’s Warriors
Ground: Marduk Field (Babylon, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 30,000
Owner: The Witnesses of Marduk
Chairman: Gandas Adasi
Manager: Umar Assad (since February 19, 2034)
Previous season finish: 16th
Style modifier: +1

Preview:
Once again the Children of Marduk had to content themselves with a 16th-place finish. Gandas Adasi, club chairman and High Priest of the Witnesses of Marduk (the religious organization which legally owns the club), responded by channeling even more funds into upgrading the club’s stadium and training facilities as well as holding a lavish ceremony in which seven calves were thrown into a fire on the center circle of Marduk Field to gain Marduk’s favor, even as fans were clamoring for Adasi to bring someone, anyone new into the club. Adasi then claimed to receive divine revelation that “the playing field shall be leveled and the faithful will be victorious”. Perhaps this will be the season where Marduk will give the victory to his faithful, who knows?

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Belsarusur Hammurabi – Male (age 26)
2 – LB – Naqia Sinahhieriba – Female (age 25)
3 – CB – Alim Sulayman – Male (age 31)
4 – CB – Labasimarduk Utu – Male (age 27)
5 – RB – Tashmetusharrat al-Maliki – Female (age 22)
6 – LM – Petros Tawadros – Male (age 30)
7 – CM – Natalie Barak – Female (age 24)
8 – CM – Assur Ahaiddina – Male (age 33)
9 – RM – Arda Mulissi – Male (age 26)
10 – ST – Abirattash Tiptakzi – Male (age 35)
11 – ST – Shemush Hussain – Female (age 27)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Omar Khoury – Male (age 26)
13 – GK – Esarhaddon Bukhari – Male (age 28)
14 – LB – Istar Enlilki – Female (age 23)
15 – CB – Ereshkigal Badtibira – Female (age 31)
16 – CB – Nadia Hasan – Female (age 20)
17 – RB – Dumuzid Amarsin – Male (age 33)
18 – LM – Yoannes Matheos – Male (age 30)
19 – CM – Bursin Lipitistar – Male (age 29)
20 – CM – Ismedagan Aradsuen – Male (age 36)
21 – RM – Kazallu Bashar – Male (age 20)
22 – ST – Ashurina Ava – Female (age 24)
23 – ST – Shira Ben Gurion – Female (age 25)

ASSUR

Nickname: The Lions, The Sun-Chariots
Ground: Assurbanihabal Stadium (Assur, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 35,000
Owner: Abdullah Khabbazi
Chairman: Abdullah Khabbazi
Manager: Alex Saddam (since June 1, 2037)
Previous season finish: 20th
Style modifier: +2

Preview:
There is nothing good to say about the previous season, everyone at Assur knows that. Dropping from 19th to 20th was a disaster, to put it mildly, and owner Abdullah Khabbazi knows something must be done to turn the ship around. With the league now run in a more professional manner and once again attracting increasing crowds and international players, there has been talk of reintroducing promotion and relegation. If that happens, then unless something is done Assur are as good as toast. Hasan Qays, who replaced Rashid al-Bakr at the managerial helm in the midst of Assur’s disastrous season, shocked Khabbazi by asking for his contract to be canceled as soon as the season ended, claiming that he wanted to spend more time with his family. With virtually no good managerial candidates willing to come anywhere close to Assur, Khabbazi was forced to ask al-Bakr’s predecessor Alex Saddam to return. Saddam believes Assur’s defensive tactics, which he himself espoused in his first stint, had failed the team and seeks to reorient Assur towards a more attacking playing style, going as far as bringing in ex-Army servicemen to help build the team’s mentality.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Samuel Agassi – Male (age 30)
2 – LB – Ishtar Assuretililani – Female (age 24)
3 – CB – Sinsumulisir Nabuaplausur – Male (age 31)
4 – CB – George Hadad – Male (age 32)
5 – RB – Larsa Makko – Female (age 25)
6 – LM – Umati Salmanuasared – Female (age 26)
7 – CM – Sarrukin Tukulti – Male (age 35)
8 – CM – Anna Kanna – Female (age 27)
9 – RM – Emanuel Atoraya – Male (age 30)
10 – ST – Ahmad al-Hawazini – Male (age 29)
11 – ST – Raina Kelemechi – Female (age 23)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Mustafa Alptekin – Male (age 31)
13 – GK – Narsai Khofri – Male (age 19)
14 – LB – Estiphan Adadnirari – Male (age 21)
15 – CB – Sammuramat Belbani – Female (age 26)
16 – CB – Muttakil Nusku – Male (age 28)
17 – RB – Claudia Cheikho – Female (age 20)
18 – LM – Khawa Assuruballit – Female (age 26)
19 – CM – Marnita Esarra – Female (age 25)
20 – CM – Marbitiaplausur Barsip – Male (age 33)
21 – RM – Georgios Eshaq – Male (age 31)
22 – ST – Naftali Herzog – Male (age 23)
23 – ST – Tiras Keldani – Male (age 26)

BABILIM

Nickname: The Kings, The Stars
Ground: King Hammurabi Stadium (Babylon, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 35,500
Owner: Kandalanu Iskibal
Chairman: Kandalanu Iskibal
Manager: Kurigalzu Enlil (since May 20, 2034)
Previous season finish: 15th
Style modifier: -1

Preview:
A 15th-place finish for the second season in a row did not lessen Kandalanu Iskibal’s faith in maverick manager Kurigalzu Enlil. The team at least avoided plunging to rock bottom, and if they can just improve the players’ technique and physicality, breaching the midtable is a possibility. Enlil, for his part, retains full faith in himself and his team, believing that while the process is sometimes “painful”, the team’s rebuilding is nevertheless on the right track and they may soon become a force to be reckoned with.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Merodach Baladan – Male (age 33)
2 – LB – Kalumtum Melishipak – Female (age 25)
3 – CB – Naram-Sin Nadinahi – Male (age 26)
4 – CB – Sarrukin al-Tamimi – Male (age 31)
5 – RB – Binyamin Bel Ibni – Male (age 33)
6 – LM – Shala Kalumtum – Female (age 29)
7 – CM – Khalid Nouri – Male (age 24)
8 – CM – Nergalsarusur Belsimanni – Male (age 30)
9 – RM – Dariamus Sinmuballit – Male (age 23)
10 – ST – Brigitte Chamoun – Female (age 28)
11 – ST – Samsuiluna al-Askari – Male (age 32)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Nadine Hakimi – Female (age 20)
13 – GK – Rimush Eshuh – Male (age 35)
14 – LB – Levon Sarkissian – Male (age 20)
15 – CB – Sarrugi Amarsin – Male (age 24)
16 – CB – Shala Ebisum – Female (age 21)
17 – RB – Koresh Eliya – Male (age 25)
18 – LM – Dinkha Hammurabi – Male (age 23)
19 – CM – Naram-Sin Marbitiaplausur – Male (age 25)
20 – CM – Taymour Simbarsipak – Male (age 30)
21 – RM – Anatu Zabala – Female (age 31)
22 – ST – Ishtar Sinsarikun – Female (age 22)
23 – ST – Eliyahu Mar Zutra – Male (age 23)
24 - LM - Hafez Jafar - Male (age 20)

by **Adab** » Wed Apr 06, 2022 1:23 pm

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2037-38 season

Here in some stranger's room, late in the afternoon
What am I doing here at all?
Ain't no doubt about it
I'm losing you, I'm losing you

Somehow the wires have crossed, communication's lost
Can't even get you on the telephone
Just got to shout about it
I'm losing you, I'm losing you
-John Lennon, “I’m Losing You”

PREVIEW (PART 2)
Age as of August 1, 2037, the official start of the 2037-38 season
All players and managers hold Adabian nationality unless otherwise noted

BAGHDAD CITY

Nickname: The Black Wolves, Yo’s Army
Ground: Kazimiyyah Stadium (Baghdad, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 55,000
Owner: YOOZY
Chairman: Kanu East
Manager: Erisum Rimus (since May 20, 2025)
Previous season finish: 1st
Style modifier: 4

Honors:
Premier League (18):
1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2021-22, 2025-26, 2027-28, 2028-29, 2029-30, 2030-31, 2032-33, 2033-34, 2035-36, 2036-37
Emperor’s Cup (8):
1994-95, 1995-96, 2001-02, 2005-06, 2021-22, 2026-27, 2027-28, 2035-36

Preview:
2036-37 delivered a record 18th Premier League title to Baghdad City. With the nation’s premier club also making progress in international competitions, life is good at Kazimiyyah Stadium, with owner Kanu East and manager Erisum Rimus at the peak of their power and popularity with fans, who are willing to overlook East’s more controversial behavior (notably delivering a speech in which he denounced his ex-wife, model Maria Khachatriyan, as “dumb and bankrupt” at the Adabian Film Awards) as long as his money keeps the trophies coming. Yet, as East and Rimus are well aware, they are facing an aging problem, with multiple key members of the squad now in their thirties. Enlilbani Yargab is still as deadly as ever at the front and has shown no signs of retiring anytime soon, but with the legendary striker now 38, Rimus is preparing Quinta Karahardas to take over for Yargab when the great man finally yields to Father Time, although that moment still seems so far away. Marian Clut is still a reliable goalkeeper at 34, but it is clear to everyone that 23-year-old Hayley Presley is on the rise, making a good impression whenever she is selected for the starting lineup. With Clut expected to hang on for a few more years, Presley is expected to be more than ready to become the first-choice keeper when Clut decides to hang up her boots.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Marian Clut - Female (age 34) (Brenecia)
2 – LB – Kastiliasu Adamu – Male (age 30)
3 – CB – Monique Tangradi – Female (age 23) (Quebec and Shingoryeo)
4 – CB – Shania Enmerkar – Female (age 29)
5 – RB – Adadsalulu al-Tikriti – Male (age 31)
6 – LM/LAM – Dasia Khoury – Female (age 20)
7 – CM – Meskigal Nabunaid – Male (age 24)
8 – CM – James Reynolds – Male (age 31)
9 – RM – Elia Sarru – Female (age 29)
10 – ST – Kastiliasu Akaptaha – Male (age 23)
11 – ST – Enlilbani Yargab – Male (age 38)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Adamu Ashur – Male (age 18)
13 – GK – Sarrugi Lugaldalu – Male (age 31)
14 – LB – Ali Adasi – Male (age 34)
15 – CB – Esther Reuben – Female (age 19)
16 – CB – Rania al-Basri – Female (age 20)
17 – RB – Muhammad Tafsir – Male (age 30)
18 – LM – Yohannes Zam – Male (age 32)
19 – CM – Jan Johansen – Male (age 34)
20 – CM – Enmerkar Abdulmahrim – Male (age 37)
21 – RM – Ishtar Eannatum – Female (age 22)
22 – ST – Yehuda Rivlin – Male (age 20)
23 – ST – Quinta Karahardas – Female (age 19)
24 – CB – Manishtushu Sharkalisharri – Male (age 23)
25 – GK – Hayley Presley – Female (age 23)

BAGHDAD UNITED

Nickname: The White Wolves
Ground: Sadr City Stadium (Baghdad, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 45,250
Owner: Foundation for the Maintenance of Veterans, Widows, and Children
Chairman: Mustafa Abdul Karim
Manager: Ali al-Habshi (since October 27, 2033)
Previous season finish: 7th
Style modifier: +4

Honors:
Premier League (1):
2006-07
Emperor’s Cup (4):
2003-04, 2004-05, 2006-07, 2028-29

Preview:
Investment in a young squad has long been thought necessary to ensure long-term success, and it was in accordance with this view that Baghdad United signed Natalie Van der Saar from Dalaris Sports FC in Poafmersia and South Newlandia’s Betty Collins – the latter as a free agent – to bolster their lineup and increase their chances of breaking into the top five and even challenge for the title, which would allow them to step out of the shadow of their more illustrious neighbors Baghdad City. So it was to much surprise and even confusion when United announced that they had signed the Indussean legend Baskar Kumar. The prospect of United’s attack being spearheaded by the 45-year-old caused consternation among fans and experts. Yet Kumar is still in top physical form, and United see a role for him in not just scoring goals but also mentoring younger members of the squad. His years of experience will no doubt prove invaluable as United prepare to make a push for the title, or at least qualification for IFCF and FFI competitions.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Melanie Jamerson – Female (age 28)
2 – LB – Tamir Hussain – Male (age 26)
3 – CB – Assurnasirapli Ninua – Male (age 18)
4 – CB – Natalie Van der Saar – Female (age 21-22) (Poafmersia)
5 – RB – Nadia al-Maliki – Female (age 25)
6 – LM – Mahmud Inimabakesh – Male (age 29)
7 – CM – Betty Collins – Female (age 24) (South Newlandia))
8 – CM – Naram-Sin Samanu – Male (age 19)
9 – RM – Amara Emmita – Female (age 21)
10 – ST – Vivian Nabunaid – Female (age 27)
25 – ST – Baskar H Kumar – Male (age 45) (Indusse)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Umar Haddad – Male (age 30)
13 – GK – Laila al-Assad – Female (age 21)
14 – LB – Salman Nabukudurriusur – Male (age 35)
15 – LB – Shamsidad Nahmoud – Male (age 37)
16 – CB – Moise Belilios – Male (age 25)
17 – CB – Aylin Buyuk – Female (age 30)
18 – RB – Manishtushu Lugaldalu – Male (age 21)
19 – LM – Elvis Nasser – Male (age 31)
20 – CM – Nabuaplausur Urugki – Male (age 19)
21 – CM – Azra Gandas – Female (age 22)
22 – RM – Mayra Nouri – Female (age 23)
11 – ST – Abdullah Rashid – Male (age 35)
23 – ST – Burnaburiyas Apilsin – Male (age 29)
24 – ST – Pristiano Penaldo – Male (age 20)

BEIRUT

Nickname: The Sailors, The Western Warriors
Ground: Berytus Field (Beirut, Lebanon Governorate)
Capacity: 31,250
Owner: Fald Braud
Chairman: Fald Braud
Manager: Fald Braud (since January 30, 2036)
Previous season finish: 3rd
Style modifier: +2

Honors:
Premier League (1):
2024-25
Emperor’s Cup (3):
1992-93, 2020-21, 2033-34

Preview:
So close, yet so far. The lead had shifted back and forth between Beirut and Baghdad City for long stretches of the season, and as late as the 31st matchday they were still in second place, just one point behind City. But in chasing the title, Fald Braud and his players had pushed themselves to the absolute limit, mentally and physically, and as they came towards the end of the road they collapsed, falling victim to three successive defeats – to Babilim, Baghdad City, and Baghdad United – and having to settle for third behind City and a reinvigorated Damascus Steelers side. Third wasn’t bad, but Fald Braud and everyone else knows they could have – maybe should have – won the title. Could have, should have, whatever. Braud continually denies that serving as owner, chairman, and manager simultaneously has taken a toll on his health and so far has dismissed suggestions that he ease a workload by searching for a new manager. “I feel good and I still believe I can do my job to my best,” he reportedly told close friends.

Beirut largely stayed quiet during the transfer window, trusting in the talent of their homegrown players. Two exceptions were made, however, for Liselotte Koelewijn of the Cordian Isles and Michael de Caours of Oberour Ab Moro as Braud seeks to strengthen his midfield for the coming season. At 20, Nadje Barzani has already proven herself to be one of Adab’s best forwards, and there is a sense among insiders that Beirut’s – and Braud’s – hopes rest too much on the young talent as they prepare to have another go at the title. On the other hand, there is no doubting that Barzani will rise to the occasion, because she always has.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Hiranur Aslan – Female (age 24)
2 – LB – Murad Helou – Male (age 31)
3 – CB – Eannatum Sharkalisharri – Male (age 29)
4 – CB – Shadrach Enmerkar – Male (age 26)
5 – RB – Sally Thomas – Female (age 21)
6 – LM/LAM – Said Anwar – Male (age 23)
7 – CM – Mushezibitu Agukakrimi – Female (age 25)
8 – CM – Georgios Frangieh – Male (age 29)
9 – RM – Liselotte Koelewijn – Female (age 31) (The Cordian Isles)
10 – ST – Farrukh Manoogian – Male (age 26)
11 – ST – Nadje Barzani – Female (age 20)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – William Johnson – Male (age 21)
13 – GK – Tayyip Alptekin – Male (age 35)
14 – LB – Arishaka Akshak – Male (age 24)
15 – CB – Burnaburyas Sinnasir – Male (age 20)
16 – CB – Vivianne Lahoud – Female (age 25)
17 – RB – Marion Sansour – Female (age 27)
18 – LM – Enmerkar Alulim – Male (age 33)
19 – CM – Muhammad Bishara – Male (age 31)
20 – CM – Avisa Khouri – Female (age 20)
21 – RM – Lugalanemundu al-Tikriti – Male (age 21)
22 – ST – Jibril Abbas – Male (age 29)
23 – ST – Unzi Shuturul – Male (age 19)
24 – RM – Michael de Caours – Male (age 24) (Oberour Ab Moro)

DAMASCUS STEELERS

Nickname: The Steelers, The Sharp-Swords
Ground: Abbasiyyin Stadium (Damascus, Syria Governorate)
Capacity: 50,750
Owner: Mustafa al-Qadri
Chairman: Mustafa al-Qadri
Manager: Enlilbani Sarrugi (since December 7, 2036)
Previous season finish: 2nd
Style modifier: +5

Preview:
Unfinished business is theme of the season for the Steelers. They had ended the 2036-37 season in second place, just three points behind Baghdad City, and might very well have won the league had they not lost four consecutive matches earlier in the season. After the disarray which marked their start to that previous season, it was somewhat of a miracle that they even managed to climb back to second. Caretaker manager Enlilbani Sarrugi, who replaced Warka Jauhar after his acrimonious firing, has now signed a long-term contract, a show of confidence from owner Mustafa al-Qadri that Sarrugi is the right man for the job. On the pitch, the trials and tribulations of last season have brought the team closer, but there is allegedly still an undercurrent of tension at the front between Jushur al-Kufa and Hakim al-Amin. Al-Kufa is reportedly suspicious that the team is phasing him out in favor of the younger al-Amin; everyone involved, of course, denies all reports to this effect.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Bashar al-Muntafiq – Male (age 31)
2 – LB – Adnan al-Tikriti – Male (age 21)
3 – CB – Kendrick Given – Male (age 34) (Brenecia)
4 – CB – Nicholas Shimun – Male (age 30)
5 – RB – Tayyip Demir – Male (age 26)
6 – LM – Naftali Strauss – Male (age 25)
7 – CM – Malika Husayn – Female (age 23)
8 – CM – Laila Abbas – Female (age 24)
9 – RM – Maria Boullata – Female (age 25)
10 – ST/LM/LAM – Jushur al-Kufa – Male (age 34)
11 – ST – Hakim al-Amin – Male (age 28)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Akurgal Shulgi – Male (age 20)
13 – GK – Anunit Durigalzu – Male (age 20)
14 – LB – Rami Habash – Male (age 26)
15 – CB – Theodoros Shorrosh – Male (age 36)
16 – CB – Salman al-Qahtani – Male (age 23)
17 – RB – Emmanuel Sliwa – Male (age 17)
18 – LM – Jane Emerson – Female (age 17)
19 – CM – Hana Shamsuiluna – Female (age 24)
20 – CM – Yaakov Dangour – Male (age 29)
21 – RM – Mesannepada Simbarsipak – Male (age 19)
22 – ST – Zuuthusu Gadatas – Male (age 20)
23 – ST – Eva Lugalmarada – Female (age 24)
24 – CB – Eannatum al-Tikriti – Male (age 37)

ERIDU

Nickname: The Elders, The Lions
Ground: Birthplace of Civilization Stadium (Eridu, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 36,275
Owner: Amarsin Alulim
Chairman: Amarsin Alulim
Manager: Naram-Sin Kalhu (since June 19, 2032)
Previous season finish: 11th
Style modifier: -1

Preview:
14th to 11th was an upgrade. A modest upgrade, but an upgrade nonetheless. Still, the general mood at the Birthplace of Civilization Stadium is that the team has the talent and commitment to do more and breaking into the top ten should be the target. Naram-Sin Kalhu’s defensive football has generated mixed reactions among fans, with more than a few wishing the team would take the initiative and attack more. Nevertheless Kalhu has kept the team floating in the Premier League, laying down a solid foundation if little else. Progress has been gradual rather than explosive, but Eridu supporters can at least take solace in the fact that their players are well-equipped for Premier League football, and should promotion and relegation be reintroduced their team will not be at any great risk of going down.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Abzu Akurgal – Male (age 30)
2 – LB – Asma Hastun – Female (age 28)
3 – CB – Bashar Inimabakesh – Male (age 30)
4 – CB – Adanirari Lugalzagesi – Male (age 26)
5 – RB – Matilda Brown – Female (age 28)
6 – LM – Enmerkar Adamu – Male (age 35)
7 – CM – Miqdad Sadat – Male (age 27)
8 – CM – Gulkishar Akurduana – Male (age 24)
9 – RM – Alittum Amnanu – Female (age 29)
10 – ST – Enmenluana Belshudu – Male (age 33)
11 – ST – Jacob Halevi – Male (age 24)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Enlilbani Amartu – Male (age 32)
13 – GK – Umar al-Kuwaiti – Male (age 24)
14 – LB – Shamsu Khalid – Male (age 31)
15 – CB – Tizqar Hunhalbida – Male (age 17)
16 – CB – Ninsar Maliki – Female (age 19)
17 – RB – Kastiliasu Puzur-Amurri – Male (age 22)
18 – LM – Aisha al-Halqi – Female (age 27)
19 – CM – Zahra Khamis – Female (age 20)
20 – CM – Amir Kubburum – Male (age 35)
21 – RM – Nadine al-Khoury – Female (age 24)
22 – ST – Gamilninip Puzur-Ishtar – Male (age 30)
23 – ST – Shamash Hazir – Male (age 26)

by **Adab** » Thu Apr 07, 2022 1:09 pm

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2037-38 season

If teardrops could be bottled
There'd be swimming pools filled by models
-Billie Eilish, “idontwannabeyouanymore”

PREVIEW (PART 3)
Age as of August 1, 2037, the official start of the 2037-38 season
All players and managers hold Adabian nationality unless otherwise noted

FARABY

Nickname: The Prince’s Army, The Islanders
Ground: Faraby City Stadium (Faraby, Principality of Faraby)
Capacity: 30,000
Owner: Principality of Faraby
Chairman: Prince Jafar, Hereditary Prince of Faraby
Manager: Emirhan Aydemir (since May 7, 2029)
Previous season finish: 13rd
Style modifier: +1

Honors:
Emperor’s Cup (1):
2029-30

Preview:
Going from eighth to 13th was certainly not what the Prince’s Army expected, and as soon as the season ended rumors started circulating across the island that Emirhan Aydemir would be shown the door by Prince Jafar. With every passing season the prospect of going back to their 2029-30 peak – capped off by an Emperor’s Cup – seemed even further away. Nevertheless Prince Jafar, reportedly after consulting his father the Sovereign Prince, chose to retain Aydemir’s services for this season, although the island-wide sentiment is that another middling season will be the end of the road for the manager. Goalkeeper Abdullah Hamid was arrested in Faraby City during the off-season after falling asleep on the wheel and ramming his car onto the back of a taxi; fears within the club that they would lose their number 1 to prison proved unfounded as Hamid agreed to do 240 hours of community service and had his driver’s license revoked, but otherwise remained a free man.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Abdullah Hamid – Male (age 25)
2 – LB – Tayyip Aydoğdu – Male (age 31)
3 – CB – Samir Kemal – Male (age 27)
4 – CB – Eva Deniz – Female (age 25)
5 – RB – Bihter Cevahir – Female (age 26)
6 – LM – Birsen Günay – Female (age 31)
7 – CM – Muhammad al-Baghdadi – Male (age 33)
8 – CM – Lugalzagesi Manishtushu – Male (age 20)
9 – RM – Rashid Ilkan – Male (age 30)
10 – ST – Sonia Fraşerli – Female (age 23)
11 – ST – Bashar al-Hashimi – Male (age 33)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Gizem Solak – Male (age 35)
13 – GK – Afet Altin – Female (age 26)
14 – LB – Vito Caruso – Male (age 20)
15 – CB – Naram-Sin Sarlagab – Male (age 31)
16 – CB – Laila al-Attar – Female (age 24)
17 – RB – Inanna Yarlaganda – Female (age 30)
18 – LM – Samir al-Sharaa – Male (age 19)
19 – CM – Murad Yavas – Male (age 33)
20 – CM – Suleyman İnönü – Male (age 32)
21 – RM – Lugalbanda Tirigan – Male (age 21)
22 – ST – Sokratis Papandreou – Male (age 26)
23 – ST – Vivianne Emerson – Female (age 25)

KUWAIT CITY

Nickname: The Falcons
Ground: Unity of the Empire Stadium (Kuwait City, Kuwait Governorate)
Capacity: 33,500
Owner: Jafar al-Sabah
Chairman: Jafar al-Sabah
Manager: Georgios Mikati (since June 25, 2036)
Previous season finish: 18th
Style modifier: +5

Preview:
Jafar al-Sabah put his trust in homegrown talent, promoting several young players who had risen through the academy and junior teams to the first-team squad, as well as manager Georgios Mikati to take the team out of the doldrums and into the midfield at least. They repaid his trust with an astonishing rise from 20th to 18th. Al-Sabah, who had ruthlessly fired the previous manager and his entire staff, has reportedly been at odds with the no-nonsense Mikati all the way from the beginning of the latter’s tenure and considered sacking him several times, only stopped by the fact that no other good managers appeared remotely interested in the prospect of managing Kuwait. So al-Sabah and Mikati will have to put up with one another for at least another season, or until al-Sabah decides to just go for it and remove Mikati anyway. Nevertheless, despite all their personal and professional differences, al-Sabah does appreciate Mikati’s managerial credentials and has acknowledged that Kuwait’s young talent may need more time to gel as a team and start competing for midfield.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Samir al-Barrak – Male (age 24)
2 – LB – Salim Mustafa – Male (age 25)
3 – CB – Enlilbani Alalngar – Male (age 21)
4 – CB – Khadijah Kameel – Female (age 26)
5 – RB – Fahad al-Khatib – Male (age 25)
6 – LM – Kullassina Nangishlishma – Male (age 30)
7 – CM – Nadira Ibrahim – Female (age 21)
8 – CM – Sinahhieriba Assurahaiddina – Male (age 28)
9 – RM – Rashid al-Maktum – Male (age 26)
10 – ST – Aruna Belbani – Female (age 23)
11 – ST – Shejoun Youssef – Female (age 24)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Khalil al-Kufa – Male (age 31)
13 – GK – Yunus Khalaf – Male (age 29)
14 – LB – Fatima Abdul Razzak – Female (age 26)
15 – CB – Georgios Nasr – Male (age 32)
16 – CB – Alittum Mezizi – Female (age 26)
17 – RB – Dumuzid Ahikibani – Male (age 30)
18 – LM – Vitellius Gibran – Male (age 25)
19 – CM – Fatih al-Mansur – Male (age 29)
20 – CM – Amira al-Ghamdi – Female (age 24)
21 – RM – Ninhursag Utnapishtim – Female (age 21)
22 – ST – Elvis Johnson – Male (age 23)
23 – ST – Inanna Zamaranum – Female (age 25)

MOSUL

Nickname: The Golden Plains
Ground: Mosul Central (Mosul, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 30,500
Owner: Al-Taghlibi Group
Chairman: Mustafa al-Taghlibi
Manager: Sulaiman al-Ghatafani (since April 6, 2029)
Previous season finish: 4th
Style modifier: 1

Honors:
Emperor’s Cup (2):
1993-94, 2025-26

Preview:
Mosul finished fourth for the second season in a row. A satisfying finish in the sense that they proved that they had a fair chance at breaking the Baghdad City-Adab United duopoly and managed to qualify for international competitions, but owner Mustafa al-Taghlibi, manager Sulaiman al-Ghatafani, and the players all agree that the time has arrived to become something more than fourth-best. Mosul’s main problem is their aging squad, with much of the first team either already in or rapidly approaching their thirties. As much as al-Taghlibi and al-Ghatafani still trust in the capabilities of Riman al-Khalil, Adanirari Uhwan, and Ephraim Orlev, among others, it is clear that the squad is in need of some new blood. Expect a rotating lineup with backup players given more time in the spotlight, as well as some activity in the next transfer window.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Gloria Evans – Female (age 26)
2 – LB – Tansu Altun – Female (age 28)
3 – CB – Warda Khanania – Male (age 30)
4 – CB – Ela Baid – Female (age 27)
5 – RB – Riman al-Khalil – Male (age 31)
6 – LM – Adanirari Uhwan – Male (age 36)
7 – LM/CM – Frantzes Bensoa – Male (age 25) (Astograth)
8 – CM – Yakunashar Nur – Male (age 30)
9 – RM – Ephraim Orlev – Male (age 38)
10 – ST/RW – Rineke Jaarsma – Female (age 20) (Vrijrijke)
11 – ST – Iblinum Hudulibbi – Male (age 24)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Shamsu Dakiya – Male (age 31)
13 – LB – Meskigal Barsalnuna – Male (age 35)
14 – CB – Matakki Sigersetim – Male (age 30)
15 – CB – Binyamin Yosef – Male (age 22)
16 – RB – Ashurina Tibira – Female (age 20)
17 – LM – Malgum Liblut – Male (age 29)
18 – CM – Omar Abbas – Male (age 17)
19 – CM – Eliezer Bakshi-Doron – Male (age 24)
20 – RM – Farah Salem – Female (age 21)
21 – ST – Ali al-Fatih – Male (age 30)
22 – ST – Salma Hasyim – Female (age 28)
23 – ST – Shamsuiluna Zambiya – Male (age 37)
24 – CM – Ninurta Waradishtar – Male (age 34)

NINUA CITY

Nickname: The Golden Arrows
Ground: Sennacherib Stadium (Mosul, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 29,500
Owner: Shukutum Puzur-Assur
Chairman: Shukutum Puzur-Assur
Manager: Tawadros Yousif (since November 20, 2035)
Previous season finish: 19th
Style modifier: +3

Preview:
Finishing 19th has not dimmed Shukutum Puzur-Assur’s faith in Tawadros Yousif, with the former still believing – for whatever reason – that Yousif is the right man to guide Ninua City to the midfield. Saddled with an attacking-oriented squad which however lacks the firepower to make it count nor the tactical awareness and flexibility required to respond to counterattacks, Yousif is determined to continue working with what he has, focusing on polishing the defense and training the team to remain calm and retain possession under pressure,

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Sultan al-Habshi – Male (age 27)
2 – LB – Ilusuma Malki – Male (age 32)
3 – CB – Sardanapal Marbail – Male (age 28)
4 – CB – Eliana Haddad – Female (age 24)
5 – RB – Markus Touma – Male (age 30)
6 – LM – Eamukinzeri Mandaru – Male (age 33)
7 – CM – Belbani Adasi – Male (age 31)
8 – CM – Larsa Samsiadad – Female (age 24)
9 – RM – Murad al-Hasyim – Male (age 26)
22 – ST – Fahad Libaia – Male (age 26)
11 – ST – Maria Abizaid – Female (age 25)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Eannatum Alalngar – Male (age 31)
13 – GK – Aida Zed – Female (age 20)
14 – LB – Salmanuasared Assurdan – Male (age 29)
15 – CB – Livia Chagoury – Female (age 25)
16 – CB – Tukulti Sinsariskun – Male (age 32)
17 – RB – Iskandar Nouri – Male (age 23)
18 – LM – Ahmad Adasi – Male (age 26)
19 – CM – Simona Bashir – Female (age 21)
20 – CM – Assur Adad – Male (age 35)
21 – RM – Samsiadad al-Baghdadi – Male (age 30)
23 – ST – Lullaya Assursadduni – Male (age 20)

PETRA CAMELS

Nickname: The Camels
Ground: Nabataean Ground (Petra, Syria Governorate)
Capacity: 24,000
Owner: Pasha Hasan
Chairman: Pasha Hasan
Manager: Musa al-Tamimi (since February 27, 2036)
Previous season finish: 17th
Style modifier: -3

Preview:
Obviously everyone at Petra would have liked to finish higher than 17th. Yet considering the caliber of the squad compared to others in the league, even the most diehard Petra fans found it hard to see how they could have done better. Musa al-Tamimi remains optimistic, believing things will pick up for his team this season. Yet expectations for – and in – the club remain low, and it seems the club will have to start looking for potential signings in the next transfer window to buff up their squad.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Ka’b al-Idlibi – Male (age 30)
2 – LB – Hawari al-Walid – Male (age 26)
3 – CB – Maria Khoury – Female (age 30)
4 – CB – Ubarsin Etana – Male (age 34)
5 – RB – Taribat-Sin Shallurum – Male (age 25)
6 – LM – Stella Mitchell – Female (age 23)
7 – CM – Saad al-Dawalibi – Male (age 31)
8 – CM – Muhammad Ali Askari – Male (age 26)
9 – RM – Ninki Tibira – Female (age 24)
10 – ST – Said Bashir – Male (age 35)
11 – ST – Peter Mourani – Male (age 29)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Shamreta Ashuruballit – Female (age 23)
13 – GK – Sawrina Zaheil – Female (age 20)
14 – LB – Aramsen Uphakum – Male (age 28)
15 – CB – Roger Waters – Male (age 31)
16 – CB – Burrukam Ibniamurru – Male (age 22)
17 – RB – Bashar al-Husaini – Male (age 30)
18 – LM – Safiya Zuabi – Female (age 20)
19 – CM – Abdul Aziz Galawanji – Male (age 29)
20 – CM – Rachel Savir – Female (age 32)
21 – RM – David Gilmour – Male (age 28)
22 – ST – Hana Morad – Female (age 24)
23 – ST – Ali al-Ansari – Male (age 29)

by **Adab** » Fri Apr 08, 2022 1:26 pm

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2037-38 season

On a weekend wanna wish it all away
And they called and I said that I want what I said
And then I call out again
And the reason, oughta leave her calm, I know
I said, I don't know whether I'm the boxer or the bag
-Pearl Jam, “Yellow Ledbetter”

PREVIEW (PART 4)
Age as of August 1, 2037, the official start of the 2037-38 season
All players and managers hold Adabian nationality unless otherwise noted

ROYAL SENNACHERIB

Nickname: Sennacherib’s Soldiers
Ground: House of Sennacherib (Nimrud, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 42,375
Owner: Assurnasirapli Sharrukin
Chairman: Assurnasirapli Sharrukin
Manager: Tukulti Shamir (since October 26, 2029)
Previous season finish: 9th
Style modifier: -1

Preview:
Dropping from seventh to ninth did not deter Sennacherib’s Soldiers, who freely acknowledge that their fellow top ten contenders were simply stronger and more competitive and Sennacherib still need to improve if they are ever to compete for top five and reach international competitions. Nevertheless they managed to hang on to top ten, and the general mood around the House of Sennacherib right now is upbeat, with manager Tukulti Shamir convinced he has the tools to reach those lofty targets. Assurnasirapli Sharrukin, for his part, fully backs the manager and is content to let Shamir do his thing as long as he keeps delivering results.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Danya al-Atrash – Female (age 25)
2 – LB – Tukulti Adadrabu – Male (age 34)
3 – CB – Pasha Raheem – Male (age 31)
4 – CB – Domarina Ilushuma – Female (age 26)
5 – RB – Tudiya Ashur-Damiq – Male (age 22)
6 – LM – Walid al-Harrani – Male (age 28)
7 – CM – Shamiram Tukultininurta – Female (age 26)
8 – CM – Erishum Malik – Male (age 34)
9 – RM – Katya Mordechai – Female (age 21)
10 – ST – Aram Murad – Male (age 30)
11 – ST – Samia Haddad – Female (age 24)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Lena Youssef – Female (age 31)
13 – GK – Zaynab al-Zahawi – Female (age 26)
14 – LB – Muhammad Enmerkar – Male (age 18)
15 – CB – Imsu Nasir – Male (age 27)
16 – CB – Enlilbani Belsarusur – Male (age 35)
17 – RB – Ally Mousa – Female (age 20)
18 – LM – Danila Nisheshu – Female (age 28)
19 – CM – Kushi Ashurban – Male (age 26)
20 – CM – Evonne Boutros – Female (age 19)
21 – RM – Belbani Mutashkur – Male (age 33)
22 – ST – Didanu al-Masri – Male (age 26)
23 – ST – Khalifa Ishaq – Male (age 27)

SHARM EL-SHEIKH

Nickname: The Sharks
Ground: Sharm el-Sheikh Stadium (Sharm el-Sheikh, Sinai Governorate)
Capacity: 25,000
Owner: Government of Sharm el-Sheikh
Chairman: Muwaffaq al-Atassi
Manager: Mustafa al-Mansur (since November 6, 2033)
Previous season finish: 14th
Style modifier: +2

Preview:
While the good people of Sharm el-Sheikh are proud to have a Premier League side in their city, results have not been very satisfying so far and fans are calling for a myriad of measures, ranging from buying new players to privatizing the entire club and selling it to someone who would actually devote more attention to the club instead of treating it as just another tool to attract tourists to the resort city. The Sharm el-Sheikh government, for its part, insists that “things will improve” and the club will soon break into the top ten and maybe even become a contender for the Emperor’s Cup.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Abdel Moneim Karim – Male (age 30)
2 – LB – Nadine Moussa – Female (age 26)
3 – CB – Kastiliasu Naptar-Ili – Male (age 24)
4 – CB – Evita Kamaal – Female (age 25)
5 – RB – Ishtar Gamelat – Female (age 24)
6 – LM – Semiramis Ishmedagan – Female (age 30)
7 – CM – Nasr El-Din – Male (age 31)
8 – CM – Sania al-Faiz – Female (age 22)
9 – RM – Shiptu Inkishush – Female (age 33)
10 – ST – Georgios Effendi – Male (age 26)
11 – ST – Avraham Moussaieff – Male (age 21)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Joseph Stillwater – Male (age 31)
13 – GK – Layla Yacoub – Female (age 27)
14 – LB – Ahmad Fawzi Khaled – Male (age 30)
15 – CB – Sulaiman al-Ghazzi – Male (age 24)
16 – CB – Ihsan Sakal – Male (age 20)
17 – RB – Amurritum Sinnasir – Female (age 20)
18 – LM – Salma al-Attar – Male (age 21)
19 – CM – Jabar Inimabakesh – Male (age 35)
20 – CM – Bilal Hisham – Male (age 19)
21 – RM – Ishtar Aradegi – Female (age 30)
22 – ST – Aretha Laboud – Female (age 22)
23 – ST – Abraam Eflaq – Male (age 35)

URIM

Nickname: The Troops of Sin, The Soldiers of Sin
Ground: Urim Stadium (Ur, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 39,275
Owner: Amarsin Irrara
Chairman: Amarsin Irrara
Manager: Nasir al-Hamdi (since June 16, 2031)
Previous season finish: 12th
Style modifier: +3

Preview:
The official line, trotted out by players and staff, is that Urim are “better than ever” and that a 12th-place finish for the second season in a row did not faze them and will not haunt them as they look forward to a new season. But sources are saying that Amarsin Irrara’s patience with manager Nasir al-Hamdi is hanging by a thread and that while he appreciates al-Hamdi’s service to the club over the last six years, the time might have to come to search for a new figure who will take the Troops of Sin to the next level.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Kastiliasu Amarsin – Male (age 29)
2 – LB – Sinahhieriba Narubtum – Male (age 28)
3 – CB – Michel Haddad – Male (age 25)
4 – CB – Ninlil Entana – Female (age 27)
5 – RB – Fawaz al-Urim – Male (age 35)
6 – LM – Ibranum Lugalazida – Male (age 30)
7 – CM – Anunit Enmebaragisi – Female (age 23)
8 – CM – Shulpae Ismail – Male (age 26)
9 – RM – Meskalamdug Khairul – Male (age 20)
10 – ST – Jeanne Rassam – Female (age 32)
11 – ST – Gewargis Yelda – Male (age 28)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Eannatum Lipitishtar – Male (age 33)
13 – GK – Yohannes Harsu – Male (age 22)
14 – LB – Ilumer Apiashal – Male (age 35)
15 – CB – Kammani Iblinum – Female (age 18)
16 – CB – Ray Charles Kattan – Male (age 23)
17 – RB – Bilal Shimun – Male (age 30)
18 – LM – Shania Malick – Female (age 22)
19 – CM – Basil Dolabani – Male (age 36)
20 – CM – Lilith Barsalnuna – Female (age 19)
21 – RM – Ishtar Ubaratutu – Female (age 26)
22 – ST – Ennugi Lugalngu – Male (age 35)
23 – ST – Yusuf Mandaru – Male (age 21)

URUK IMPERIALS

Nickname: The Imperials
Ground: Uruk Stadium (Uruk, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 35,500
Owner: Lugalzagesi Enmendurana
Chairman: Lugalzagesi Enmendurana
Manager: Gamaliel Pharoh (since January 10, 2032)
Previous season finish: 6th
Style modifier: +4

Honors:
Emperor’s Cup (3):
1997-98, 2018-19, 2032-33

Preview:
After the highs of their 2035-36 season, in which they finished third and looked primed to take the top spot from Baghdad City and Adab United the next season, ending up in sixth place proved to be the underwhelming conclusion to their 2036-37 campaign. Competent, even exciting to watch, but ultimately outclassed by the top five teams, many felt that it was a big missed opportunity for the Imperials to take the league title and the Emperor’s Cup. Gamaliel Pharoh reportedly considered resigning and had to be persuaded to stay by chairman Lugalzagesi Enmendurana and the players, who pledged their full trust in him. Things are still looking bright for Uruk, though; most of their first-team players are in the prime of their career. Marina Feldman is as dangerous as ever at the front, while Lorencio Uriostegui and Angelo Libera have done a great job holding the midfield together and look set to continue doing it this season. If they play their cards well, don’t rule them out for top three and maybe even the Emperor’s Cup.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Jafar al-Fatih – Male (age 27)
2 – LB – Lugalbanda Inkishush – Male (age 31)
3 – CB – Iltani Shamash-Gamil – Female (age 25)
4 – CB – Michel Geraigiry – Male (age 29)
5 – RB – Ludari Dagon – Male (age 22)
6 – LM – Samia al-Atassi – Female (age 24)
7 – CM – Lorencio Uriostegui – Male (age 30) (Farfadillis)
8 – CM – Angelo Libera - Male (age 30) (Audioslavia)
9 – RM – Lugal-Ure Ersetim – Male (age 26)
10 – ST – Ilku Inimshara – Male (age 29)
11 – ST – Marina Feldman – Female (age 25)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Taymour Kafarneh – Male (age 19)
13 – GK – Vivianne Zarlagab – Female (age 28)
14 – LB – Enkidu Lipitishtar – Male (age 34)
15 – CB – Abdellatif Mansour – Male (age 25)
16 – CB – Asha Belessunu – Female (age 19)
17 – RB – Michel Aflaq – Male (age 26)
18 – LM – Semiramis Anunnaki – Female (age 22)
19 – CM – Kurhitti Mushtesher – Male (age 35)
20 – CM – Rania Wassef – Female (age 20)
21 – RM – Sania Williams – Female (age 24)
22 – ST – Ghina Di Mauro – Female (age 21)
23 – ST – Enmebaragisi Puzur-Assur – Male (age 19)
24 – CM – Radjni Ishtarmuti – Female (age 20)
25 - CM - Sidu Qabbani – Male (age 33)

YERUSHALAYIM

Nickname: The Menorahs
Ground: Jerusalem Stadium (Jerusalem, Jerusalem Special District)
Capacity: 34,000
Owner: Yerushalayim Supporters’ Co-operative
Chairman: Evgeny Sokolnikov
Manager: Nathan Rosenthal (since May 18, 2030)
Previous season finish: 8th
Style modifier: +3

Preview:
Yerushalayim are still a top ten team, and that’s what matters to Evgeny Sokolnikov and Nathan Rosenthal, even though eighth place in the 2035-36 season was a drop of two places from the season before that. Yet they held on to top ten, and it certainly could have been much worse had it not been for the wily old defender Eliot Lindenstrauss and the goalscoring heroics of Avraham Eitan. Lindenstrauss is most likely at the back end of his career, but Yerushalayim have a pool of young talent to fall back on, with central midfielder Zaninum Eikuppi-Adad, for example, now also rotating with the younger Natalie Leibovitch and Lea Dushinsky.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Mansour Salam – Male (age 26)
2 – LB – Miriam Ben-Zvi – Female (age 28)
3 – CB – Eliot Lindenstrauss – Male (age 35)
4 – CB – Shalmaneser Sharrum-Iter – Male (age 27)
5 – RB – Daniel Lieberman – Male (age 24)
6 – LM – Nadira Sharif – Female (age 29)
7 – CM – Zaninum Eikuppi-Adad – Male (age 31)
8 – CM – Larisa Zayad – Female (age 26)
9 – RM – Abdullah Sarsur – Male (age 30)
10 – ST – Ofra Shaked – Female (age 23)
11 – ST – Avraham Eitan – Male (age 31)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Belbani Assurnarari – Male (age 21)
13 – GK – Moshe Levy – Male (age 34)
14 – LB – Yarden Shamir – Female (age 20)
15 – CB – Aham-Nishi Yarlaganda – Male (age 21)
16 – CB – Georgios Keyrouz – Male (age 25)
17 – RB – Eliezer Weiss – Male (age 35)
18 – LM – Muammar al-Jaafari – Male (age 19)
19 – CM – Natalie Leibovitch – Female (age 20)
20 – CM – Jafar Mansur al-Fadl – Male (age 29)
21 – RM – Lea Dushinsky – Female (age 25)
22 – ST – Bakshishum Lipitishtar – Male (age 31)
23 – ST – Esther Smotrich – Female (age 19)

by **Adab** » Sat Apr 16, 2022 12:28 pm

AFA Community Classic
Association Football
2037-38 season

These stand for me
Name your god and bleed the freak
-Alice in Chains, “Bleed the Freak”

Adab United 2–2 Baghdad City (2–3 AET)

Bozzelli (79’), Balan (90’+1) | Rivlin (30’), Karahardas (59’), Yargab (118’)
Yellow card: Aban (117’)

The curtain-raiser to the new season saw both sides fielding several young and second-string players. Baghdad City, the league champions, stationed young strikers Yehuda Rivlin and Quinta Karahardas at the front, with Enlilbani Yargab and Kastiliasu Akaptaha watching from the benches. Second-choice keeper Sarrugi Lugaldalu also found himself in the starting lineup. Emperor’s Cup winners Adab United immediately provided a playing opportunity for new signings Naomí Schutzán, Antoine de Crèvecœur, and Erle Sartini in what would prove to be their “baptism of fire’ in Adabian football.

The match was relatively balanced throughout the first thirty minutes, with both teams having more or less the same amount of possession and struggling to break through. That delicate balance was destroyed in the 30th minute, however, as a lapse in the United midfield allowed City to surge forward, with veteran midfielder Enmerkar Abdulmahrim providing a fine cross which Rivlin promptly headed into the net. From then on City were on attacking mode, overwhelming United with high pressing and allowing their opponents barely any room to breathe. It was only the heroics of United keeper Odysseus Packard which kept City from increasing their lead for the rest of the first half.

Yet, having withstood City’s offense for so long, United’s defense finally gave way in the 59th minute. Meskigal Nabunaid’s strike hit the crossbar but bounced back to Karahardas in the box, who forced her way past a scrambling wall of United players to send the ball in. With City now leading by two goals, United decided to send in the veterans, replacing de Crèvecœur and right midfielder Adaguppi Ammati with Iuri Balan – the oldest of the new signings at 28 – and Simone Bozzelli.

The tactic bore fruit, with Bozzelli getting one back for United in the 79th minute, capitalizing on an error by City’s Shania Enmerkar to slip away with the ball and deliver it almost entirely unguarded into the net. City were still leading but it was clear the tide was turning against them. Manager Erisum Rimus made his own set of substitutions in the 85th minute, pulling Rivlin and Abdulmahrim out in favor of Akaptaha and James Reynolds. It still did not prevent Balan from slamming the ball in with a poised left-footed strike from well outside the box in the 91st minute to force extra time as City players shook their heads in disbelief at the audacity of the shot.

The momentum remained with United for much of extra time, with City keeper Lugaldalu making several excellent saves as his team found themselves on the back foot. Unwilling to go to penalties, Rimus made his final substitution of the night in the 109th minute; Karahardas walked off to the benches as none other than Enlilbani Yargab took her place.

United stayed on the offensive, but in the end the 38-year-old forward would decide for the match for City, although in a manner which no one had expected. In the 117th minute, United’s Meskalamdug Aban was given a yellow card for his forceful tackle on Akaptaha and City were awarded a free kick. Yargab took the free kick, and promptly blasted the ball into the top left corner of the net. His goal, with only two minutes remaining, were enough to secure City their second Community Classic title in a row and allow them to begin the new season with yet another triumph.

by **Adab** » Fri Apr 22, 2022 11:27 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2037-38 season

These are the ways when you come from America
The sights, the sounds, the smells
These are the ways when you come from America
I don't want to die and she's gonna take good care of ya
I just want to thrive and there's gonna be hystеria
-Red Hot Chili Peppers, “These Are the Ways”

Matchday 1-10

League champions Baghdad City began their title defense in an unremarkable way, drawing 1-1 against Petra Camels who had finished 18th in the previous season. What was widely seen as an aberration turned out to mark the beginning of an unremarkable, and yet nightmarish, start to the season. City would draw their next two matches – to Royal Sennacherib and Sharm el-Sheikh – and then fall 3-0 to Urim of all teams, who had placed 12th last season and was widely seen as a good midtable team but little more. Coming into the season with great confidence, nerves began to fray at Kazimiyyah Stadium, with manager Erisum Rimus controversially dropping first-choice keeper Marian Clut after the Urim match in favor of Sarrugi Lugaldalu. Though everyone in the club tried their best to ignore it, there were increasing whispers both inside and outside the club that the time had come for the 38-year-old Enlilbani Yargab to retire, or at least step aside and relegate himself to the benches. Yargab insisted that he was still in fine form and the team would “rediscover their spirit”. Yet, after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Uruk Imperials, the team were held to an exciting quality-wise, yet depressing result-wise, 3-3 draw against inter-city rivals Adab City, then fell 0-1 to title rivals Adab United, then were beaten 1-3 by a dominant Beirut side. There was a bright spot when they clobbered Assur 7-1, and even that was followed by a lackluster 1-1 match away at Babilim, which saw a sizable number of the traveling City fans boo their own players. At the end of their tenth match, City sat at a shocking 11th in the table, as rumors swirled of squabbles between owner and manager, manager and players, owner and players, owner and staff, and staff and players. As for owner Kanu East himself, he was mostly missing in action during this time, occupying himself with a lawsuit against ex-wife Maria Khachatriyan for defamation over an article she wrote for the Adab City Enquirer in which claimed East was an “unavailable husband” who made her feel “worthless” and “less than his mixtapes” and denied East’s claims that he had suffered “physical and emotional abuse” from her during their marriage.

City’s stuttering start made life easier for their title rivals. Beirut, having come tantalizingly close to winning the league last season, were eager to make it count this season. Spearheaded by the generational talent that was 20-year-old Nadje Barzani, and benefiting from the stabilizing presence of the Cordian Liselotte Koelewijn – purchased from Meadow Ridge Maples – at midfield, the team sped off to a successful start; of their first eighth matches, they won six, drew one, and lost one. Yet after all that, they remained second in place, held off from pole position by Adab United, who won seven matches and lost one. Having bought a whole bunch of players – Naomí Schutzán, Iuri Balan, Erle Sartini, and Antoine de Crèvecœur – they were determined to reclaim their throne, especially with City now on the verge of a full-fledged collapse (at least if multiple unnamed sources were to be believed). On Matchday 8 the two teams met at Beirut’s Berytus Field in a thrilling match which saw United run out 4-2 winners, with United’s Rebekah Yissakar and Amarutu Ibilasumna each scoring two goals to allow United to leapfrog Beirut on top of the table. Having done double duty as owner and manager for more than a year and a half, Beirut’s Fald Braud was finally persuaded to start looking for a new manager on the back of requests from friends concerned at Braud’s increasingly worn-out appearance. Over at Beirut, Rang Nick and his team were on top of the world, with the manager defiantly proclaiming after Matchday 10 that “we are clearly the best team in the league right now”. At that point they remained in first place with 25 points, three points ahead of United who – following their match with Beirut – were held to a goalless draw by Damascus Steelers.

What of the Steelers anyway? They had finished as runners-up last season, but a lackluster run of three wins, three draws, and four defeats left them stranded in 13rd. Manager Enlilbani Sarrugi had assumed his post following the acrimonious sacking of his predecessor, and now reports were swirling that he, too, was heading for the same fate. Sarrugi could at least take comfort in the fact that he had signed a long-term contract, which owner Mustafa al-Qadri obviously agreed to, and although his predecessor’s own contract had not prevented al-Qadri from firing him, the fact remained that al-Qadri still had enough confidence in Sarrugi to offer him a long-term contract. On the player side, relations between Jushur al-Kufa and Hakim al-Amin were reportedly still tense, with the older al-Kufa still suspicious that al-Amin was there to remove him and eager to prove that he still had what it took to compete in the highest echelon of Adabian football.

Baghdad United raised eyebrows during the transfer window when they made an audacious bid for the Indussean legend Baskar Kumar, who, despite being a legend of the game, was also 45. Although armed with not an insignificant amount of talent – Naram-Sin Samanu and Amara Emmita at midfield had both received call-ups to the national team, and of course there was Kumar at the front – the team had a rather quiet start to the season, winning three matches, drawing two, and losing three and placing 11th as of the end of Matchday 8. Things picked up from that point, however, with two wins in a row over Amel-Marduk and Assur, allowing them to rise to seventh.

The biggest surprise of the season so far were Urim. Their reputation as a good midtable team meant no one seriously expected them to compete for anything more than another midtable spot in the table this season. Yet something clicked in the team and they went on a run of six wins, two draws, and two defeats, most notoriously downing Baghdad City 3-0 to put another dent on their title defense. They also narrowly defeated Beirut, Gewargis Yelda scoring the lone goal in their match, and suddenly the middling team found themselves in third place. The team’s good form came as a relief to manager Nasir al-Hamdi at a time when owner Amarsin Irrara was reportedly mulling over whether to seek a new manager who could take the Troops of Sin to the next level.

Managerial changes:
None

Table as of the end of Matchday 10

Adabian Premier League    Pld   W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Beirut                 10    8   1   1    20    9  +11    25
 2 Adab United            10    7   1   2    19   10   +9    22
 3 Urim                   10    6   2   2    15    8   +7    20
 4 Yerushalayim           10    6   1   3    20   14   +6    19
 5 Mosul                  10    5   3   2    17   10   +7    18
 6 Eridu                  10    5   2   3    11    9   +2    17
 7 Baghdad United         10    5   2   3    14   13   +1    17
 8 Adab City              10    4   4   2    14   13   +1    16
 9 Amel-Marduk            10    4   2   4    15   13   +2    14
10 Petra Camels           10    4   2   4     9   11   −2    14
11 Baghdad City           10    2   6   2    15   12   +3    12
12 Royal Sennacherib      10    2   6   2    11    9   +2    12
13 Damascus Steelers      10    3   3   4    14   15   −1    12
14 Faraby                 10    3   3   4    16   19   −3    12
15 Assur                  10    3   2   5    15   16   −1    11
16 Uruk Imperials         10    2   2   6    10   14   −4     8
17 Kuwait City            10    2   2   6    19   25   −6     8
18 Ninua City             10    1   3   6     6   15   −9     6
19 Sharm el-Sheikh        10    1   3   6     5   16  −11     6
20 Babilim                10    0   4   6     4   18  −14     4

by **Adab** » Sat Apr 23, 2022 9:59 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2037-38 season

She wore a raspberry beret
The kind you find in a second-hand store
-Prince and the Revolution, “Raspberry Beret”

Matchday 11-20

Yerushalayim on the Rise
In a city divided along religious and sectarian lines, the presence of Yerushalayim Football Club is a uniting force, and their unexpectedly strong showing this season has been a source of pride for all citizens there. Even as they finished eighth the previous season, chairman Evgeny Sokolnikov and manager Nathan Rosenthal knew they got a good thing going on. Of all the clubs in the Premier League, Yerushalayim are perhaps where relations between owner (Yerushalayim Supporters’ Co-operative), chairman, staff, and players are the most harmonious. It helped that, entering this season, there was a feeling they would remain a top ten side for years to come. Mansour Salam was a consistently reliable, if unspectacular goalkeeper; Eliot Lindenstrauss held firm control over the defense even at 35; and over at midfield and the front there were no shortage of old workhorses (Zaninum Eikuppi-Adad, Avraham Eitan) and bright young talents (Natalie Leibovitch, Lea Dushinsky, Esther Smotrich). Yet even they did not expect to enter Matchday 11 sitting in fourth place and actually in contention for a spot in international competition. And things would only get better from there. They scored a 1-2 victory over league leaders Beirut on Matchday 15, midfielder Dushinsky coming off the bench to produce a powerful strike from outside the box in the 90th minute which propelled the ball past a gap in the Beirut defense and keeper Hiranur Aslan, who found it beyond her powers to stop the ball hitting the back of the net. A 1-4 loss to Urim raised some alarms but they followed it up with a stunning 1-5 demolition of Damascus Steelers, Hakim al-Amin’s goal the only consolation as Eikuppi-Adad and Nadira Sharif ran roughshod over the Steelers midfield and Avraham Eitan and Ofra Shaked scored two goals each (Larisa Zayad scored the other one). A 0-1 win over Eridu on Matchday 19 launched them to second place, where they remained on Matchday 20 after a 1-0 win against Adab City. League leaders Beirut’s goalless draw against Mosul, on the back of a stunning 5-3 defeat against Kuwait, meant their lead is now suddenly extremely precarious, with only one point separating them (40 points) from Yerushalayim (39 points).

Assur Improve (Somewhat), But Things Are Not All Rosy
Assur ended Matchday 10 in 15th place with three wins, two draws, and five defeats. Their form was obviously not remarkable, but they finished dead last in the previous season, a staggering nine whole points behind 19th-placed Ninua City, and surely things can’t get much worse from there. It is no secret that owner and chairman Abdullah Khabbazi and manager Alex Saddam has a stormy relationship, Khabbazi having sacked Saddam previously before asking him to come back following Hasan Qays’ resignation at the end of the previous season, and this time around Khabbazi is attempting to be more patient with the manager, although there are still widespread rumors that he intends to sack Saddam again anyway if the results at the midway point of the season are not to his satisfaction. Saddam, for his part, has been espousing an attacking philosophy to cover up Assur’s defensive woes, and although the team still conceded more goals than they would have liked, things began to improve after Matchday 10. A highlight of the season came on Matchday 12 when they destroyed the Steelers 5-1, with Raina Kelemechi scoring two goals, the second with a bicycle kick from right on the penalty box line. A 5-0 loss to Kuwait City on Matchday 15 dampened the mood somewhat but they themselves destroyed Royal Sennacherib 1-6 on Matchday 19. At the end of Matchday 20 they overtook Amel-Marduk to assume 13th place, holding Sharm el-Sheikh to a goalless draw as the Children of Marduk fell 1-0 to Urim. 13th is already a great improvement from last season; now they must maintain their form, even as there is talk there Kelemechi might be looking to advance her career elsewhere.

At City, a Saturday Night Massacre
Languishing in eleventh place at the end of Matchday 10 was clearly not what everyone at City had expected, but after a run of two wins, two defeats, and a staggering six draws, they could at least thank themselves that things hadn’t gotten even worse. Only it got worse from then on. A lackluster 1-1 draw against Yerushalayim on Matchday 11 was followed by another with intercity rivals Baghdad United on Matchday 12, the eternally young Baskar Kumar scoring the equalizer in the 89th minute. Questions were already raised over Erisum Rimus’ fitness to continue leading the team, as well as whether certain players deserved to remain on the starting lineup. But there was still cautious optimism within the club that they could turn things around and it was not too late to do so. The first quarter of the season was lost, but they would make the next three count.

Then came the breaking point.

On Matchday 13, City had been leading 0-3 away at rivals Beirut in the 65th minute when the Sailors decided to stage a comeback. The ever-energetic Nadje Barzani opened the floodgates with an impressive volley goal, before following it up with a header off Mushezibitu Agukakrimi’s assist in the 73rd minute. The City defense suddenly found themselves torn to shreds, as Beirut, inspired by their taliswoman at the front, were possessed with newfound energy and determination. Berytus Field cheered and sang when Liselotte Koelewijn blasted in the equalizer from long-range in the 79th minute, and by the time Farrukh Manoogian finally put the home team ahead in the 88th minute with an outrageously accurate free kick to send the whole venue into pandemonium, the away side were as good as routed. The loss pushed them down to 14th in the table, with a tough fixture against an also (but not overly) down-on-their-luck Damascus Steelers side immediately ahead. At least this time City were playing at home.

It was a nightmare: Enlilbani Yargab’s goal for City in the 15th minute were a false mirage as the Steelers proceeded to blast five past the hosts. Hakim al-Amin produced two goals and Jushur al-Kufa, Maria Boullata, and Laila Abbas one each before a stunned audience at Kazimiyyah Stadium, the silence broken only by rounds of boos and shouts of, among others, “Shame! Shame!” and “You’re not fit to wear the shirt”. Having expected to mount a defense for their title this season, City instead found themselves stranded in 16th. Despite reports to the contrary, manager Erisum Rimus actually still enjoyed quite the amount of support from fans, with many blaming the squad and owner Kanu East for allegedly favoring the star players and putting Rimus under pressure not to give the other players some game time, even as the starting lineup appeared increasingly exhausted as the season wore on.

East had been preoccupied with his defamation trial against ex-wife Maria Khachatriyan, but he did take time off to make a decision that would have far-reaching consequences for his club. On a cool, clear, moonless Saturday night following the Steelers match, Erisum Rimus, City’s manager for the last twelve years, who won them nine league titles and three Emperor’s Cup titles, was fired.

In truth, the decision to fire Rimus was perfectly understandable considering the team’s poor form, but it was the manner in which Rimus was fired and what happened next that would cause lasting damage to the club. East asked assistant manager Bashar Abdul Aziz to assume the mantle of caretaker manager, but Abdul Aziz was angered by what he felt was the disrespect East showed in firing Rimus through a phone call without even bothering to meet Rimus and, out of solidarity with his former superior, tendered his own resignation. East next turned to first-team coach Esarhaddon Sarrugi, only to find that Sarrugi himself had resigned. Under-23 manager Muqrin al-Saad was the next choice, but instead of accepting the post he got into an argument with East in which he accused the latter of using the club only for publicity and to “sell shoes” and dared East to fire him, which East promptly did. As a last resort, East turned to none other than Enlilbani Yargab. Yargab, upon hearing of what was unfolding, mulled going on strike with several other players but was persuaded by Rimus to serve as player-manager “for the good of the club”.

But the damage was done; by the next morning the “Saturday Night Massacre” had made headlines across the country and fans marched in droves to Kazimiyyah Stadium demanding East’s ouster. East’s popularity among the supporters immediately nosedived, with many criticizing the manner in which he sacked the club’s longtime manager and drove the rest of the staff out. Some even turned up in front of the court where the defamation trial was being held to show their support for Khachatriyan, although many were driven more by opposition to East than genuine love for his ex-wife. As the club’s greatest player, Yargab retained the loyalty of fans, helped by the fact that under his tenure the squad did recover their form somewhat, winning their next five matches in a row and ending Matchday 20 (a goalless draw with Petra Camels) in the relative comfort of seventh place. But something had changed; things will never be the same again at City.

Managerial changes:
Erisum Rimus (Baghdad City). Sacked, replaced by Enlilbani Yargab as caretaker manager.

Table as of the end of Matchday 20

Adabian Premier League    Pld   W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 Beirut                 20   12   4   4    38   25  +13    40
 2 Yerushalayim           20   12   3   5    39   29  +10    39
 3 Urim                   20   11   5   4    35   22  +13    38
 4 Adab United            20   11   3   6    35   20  +15    36
 5 Mosul                  20   10   5   5    23   14   +9    35
 6 Baghdad United         20    9   5   6    36   27   +9    32
 7 Baghdad City           20    7   9   4    32   26   +6    30
 8 Adab City              20    8   6   6    32   31   +1    30
 9 Eridu                  20    8   6   6    21   20   +1    30
10 Damascus Steelers      20    8   4   8    40   36   +4    28
11 Uruk Imperials         20    8   3   9    31   29   +2    27
12 Petra Camels           20    6   6   8    13   17   −4    24
13 Assur                  20    6   5   9    32   32    0    23
14 Amel-Marduk            20    7   2  11    20   29   −9    23
15 Royal Sennacherib      20    5   7   8    19   25   −6    22
16 Babilim                20    5   7   8    14   29  −15    22
17 Faraby                 20    5   5  10    30   38   −8    20
18 Sharm el-Sheikh        20    5   5  10    19   27   −8    20
19 Kuwait City            20    5   2  13    39   53  −14    17
20 Ninua City             20    3   6  11    17   36  −19    15

by **Adab** » Fri Apr 29, 2022 11:28 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2037-38 season

I need to know
How long have you loved another
While I'm dreamin' of us together?
How long?
-Tove Lo, “How Long”

Matchday 21-30

The Fall and Rise of Uruk Imperials
Uruk Imperials had finished sixth last season, and many believed they could have won the title had it not been for the quality of the top five teams. Gamaliel Pharoh and his team entered the new season believing they had learned their lessons from the previous one, and so were left befuddled when they ended their first ten matches with two wins, two draws, and a whopping six defeats which left them adrift in 16th. Pharoh, having considered resigning following what he felt to be his underperformance last season, again came close to abandoning his post (it didn’t help that, this time around, there were also a lot more people calling for his exit), and again he had to be persuaded to stay by the Imperials’ owner Lugalzagesi Enmendurana. Several players were also reportedly questioning their future with the club (or if they even had a future here at all), including – but not limited to – defensive powerhouse Michel Geraigiry, star forward Marina Feldman, and the two foreign players Lorencio Uriostegui and Angelo Libera.

Now knowing that he still had the owner’s full backing, Pharoh began to pick up the pieces, leading the Imperials to six victories between Matchdays 11 and 20 to lift them to 11th, with a better-looking – if not wholly impressive – overall record so far of eight victories, three draws, and nine defeats. The trials and tribulations of the first half of the season had permanently damaged their title hopes, but the Imperials were determined to put on a better showing in the second half. An uninspiring 1-1 draw at Amel-Marduk on Matchday 21 was not what they wanted, but wins over Assur and Babilim were very much welcome as they headed towards a meeting with league champions Baghdad City, who – under the careful guidance of caretaker player-manager Enlilbani Yargab – had recovered somewhat to 11th place (the Imperials were now at eighth) following a disastrous start to their title defense and the “Saturday Night Massacre” sacking and resignation of the staff. Two would-have-been, should-have-been title contenders, now adrift somewhere around the midtable, were poised for a showdown in less-than-ideal circumstances.

The Imperials came in prepared at their home stadium. Not City, however, who fell victim to a stunning 7-1 demolition. Player-manager Yargab scored the opening goal in the 14th minute, then was reduced to a powerless bystander as Feldman scored three goals over the next eighty minutes, Ilku Inimshara two, and Libera and Lugal-Ure Ersetim one each as the City defense was rendered completely useless. Not even Yargab replacing himself and Shania Enmerkar with Quinta Karahardas and Esther Reuben could turn things around, and as the final whistle was blown the defending champions were visibly stunned and shell-shocked. As for the Imperials, they could take solace in the fact that they were getting back into form. While they lost their next match – a hard-fought 5-3 against Baskar Kumar’s Baghdad United – they did follow it up with a 1-0 win over current leaders Beirut – courtesy of Feldman’s 45th-minute volley – a 6-0 destruction of Eridu, and a 0-3 win against Faraby. A 1-1 draw with Kuwait City meant the Imperials ended Matchday 30 in seventh place with 48 points, two points ahead of Adab City in eighth, admittedly a long way from the title, but an even longer way from 16th.

Beirut Keep Marching On, and a Change for Braud
Fald Braud was a man on a mission. After last season’s near-miss, he was determined that this season would be Beirut’s. Gone were the days of Baghdad City-Adab United duopoly, Beirut was the future and Braud made it his mission to make sure everyone knew that.

And, at the end of Matchday 30, everyone knows that. Beirut had been on top of the league table since Matchday 9, and now they are still in first place with 61 points. It is by no means a safe lead; an impressive Yerushalayim side are second with 57 points, Nathan Rosenthal having inspired them to, among others, a 1-6 demolition of Faraby, a 3-0 grinding down of Adab United, and a 1-5 flattening of Kuwait City. On the other hand, however, they were also beaten 0-3 by an unimpressive Amel-Marduk side and 0-5 by a Babilim team who were languishing in 15th. Yerushalayim had come to the Babilim match on Matchday 28 just separated by one point below Beirut (Beirut had 55 points, Yerushalayim 54). Beirut were narrowly beaten 3-2 by Adab United, and Yerushalayim proceeded to squander their golden opportunity to overtake them, turning into toothless “opposition” against a suddenly rampant Babilim side as Samsuiluna al-Askari blasted in four goals and Nergalsarusur Belsimanni the other one. Yerushalayim’s inconsistency, and Beirut’s steadiness throughout, allowed the latter to retain first place as the season heads for the final stretch.

But there would be a change at the top for that final stretch.

Fald Braud had simultaneously been owner, chairman, and manager for more than a year by now, and as early as last season some around him began to notice the tall it was taking on him. Publicly, Braud insisted everything was fine. He was “more optimistic than ever”, confident that this season would be Beirut’s season and the title would be theirs. Beirut missing out on the title last season had given Braud, in his own words, a “renewed purpose in life” to give to his club the title they deserved. And, judging from the results, it seemed that Braud was fully at the wheel.

But his closest associates noticed that Braud was becoming a completely different man. Bright, calm, and confident in public, he was becoming increasingly cold, distant, and prone to outbursts in private. When a close friend died from cancer, Braud did not attend his funeral. His expression of grief was limited to a brief phone call with his friend’s widow, which Braud suddenly ended by hanging up on her after stating he had “matters to attend to” at the club. Hosting a neighborhood barbecue, he spent an inordinately great amount of time detailing Beirut’s tactics and relishing the “downfall” of Baghdad City. One day, after a training session, he launched into a tirade about City and Adab United, shocking many with his unusually strong language. On their wedding anniversary, Braud spent virtually the entire day at the office, telling his wife he “must focus on keeping Beirut at the top of the league”. Much more concerningly, having sworn off alcohol in his youth, he had begun consuming them again, particularly after defeats.

Concerned and terrified at Braud’s increasingly erratic behavior, his family and friends decided the time had come to act. Following Matchday 30, Braud’s wife, along with several friends, coaching staff, and even players including Eannatum Sharkalisharri, Liselotte Koelewijn, and Nadje Barzani, arranged an intervention, during which Braud raged against Baghdad City and Adab United and scorned the intervention for taking time out of his work to “keep Beirut on top of the league”, but eventually conceded that he was “troubled” and agreed to undergo an alcohol treatment and rehabilitation program. Braud’s wife, all too aware of how her husband’s workload had affected him, persuaded him to finally give up the managerial post and “just relax and sit back” as owner and chairman.

To Braud’s credit, he was at least still clear-minded enough to decide on his successor as manager; in fact it seemed he already had one candidate in mind for a long time. Erisum Rimus’ firing by Baghdad City had taken Adabian football by shock, including Braud himself, and as much as he despised Rimus’ role in entrenching City’s domination in the league, he did respect Rimus’ abilities and thought he deserved another chance in management. And what better way to get back at City – aside from taking away their league title – than hiring their former manager?

Managerial changes:
Fald Braud (Beirut): Stepped down as manager, remained as owner and chairman. Replaced as manager by Erisum Rimus.

Table as of the end of Matchday 30

Adabian Premier League    Pld   W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 Beirut                 30   19   4   7    61   38  +23    61
 2 Yerushalayim           30   18   3   9    60   46  +14    57
 3 Baghdad United         30   15   8   7    70   41  +29    53
 4 Urim                   30   15   7   8    47   38   +9    52
 5 Mosul                  30   14   9   7    36   18  +18    51
 6 Adab United            30   16   3  11    55   43  +12    51
 7 Uruk Imperials         30   14   6  10    59   39  +20    48
 8 Adab City              30   13   7  10    49   46   +3    46
 9 Baghdad City           30   12   9   9    55   44  +11    45
10 Eridu                  30   12   8  10    32   40   −8    44
11 Damascus Steelers      30   12   7  11    61   50  +11    43
12 Faraby                 30   10   7  13    43   52   −9    37
13 Babilim                30   10   7  13    30   44  −14    37
14 Royal Sennacherib      30    8  11  11    26   37  −11    35
15 Petra Camels           30    8   9  13    21   29   −8    33
16 Assur                  30    9   5  16    40   51  −11    32
17 Amel-Marduk            30    9   4  17    32   57  −25    31
18 Sharm el-Sheikh        30    7   7  16    24   37  −13    28
19 Ninua City             30    5   9  16    22   46  −24    24
20 Kuwait City            30    6   6  18    55   82  −27    24

by **Adab** » Fri May 27, 2022 10:57 am

Emperor’s Cup
Association Football
2037-2038 season

So take, take me home
Cos I don't remember
Take, take me home
Cos I don't remember
Take, take me home, oh lord
-Phil Collins, “Take Me Home”

Some bureaucratic snafu means that the winners of the previous Emperor’s Cup (Adab United) were unable to participate in the Cup Winners’ Cup, the reason being that the Emperor’s Cup was too exclusionary, being restricted to only the top eight league finishers of the previous season. The scandal played right into the hands of the smaller Premier League clubs who had long desired an expanded cup, which would give them additional opportunity to win silverware. Thus, starting from this season, all 20 Premier League clubs will take part in the Emperor’s Cup, with last season’s 13th-20th finishers playing a preliminary round to secure access to the 16-strong main draw. Winners qualify for the Cup Winners’ Cup.

Preliminary Round

Petra Camels 2–0 Sharm el-Sheikh
Assur 2–1 Ninua City
Faraby 2–2 Amel-Marduk (2–2 AET) (3–1 pen.)
Kuwait City 1–1 Babilim (2–2 AET) (5–6 pen.)

Round of 16

Royal Sennacherib 3–1 Beirut
Uruk Imperials 0–0 Yerushalayim (0–1 AET)
Assur 1–1 Baghdad City (1–1 AET) (3–0 pen.)
Adab City 1–3 Urim
Mosul 1–0 Adab United
Damascus Steelers 3–5 Eridu
Faraby 0–4 Baghdad United
Petra Camels 1–2 Kuwait City

Quarterfinals

Royal Sennacherib 1–1 Yerushalayim (1–2 AET) 
Assur 1–1 Urim (2–2 AET) (4–5 pen.) 
Mosul 1–1 Eridu (2–2 AET) (3–2 pen.) 
Baghdad United 1–0 Kuwait City

Semifinals

Yerushalayim 0–0 Urim (1–1 AET) (8–7 pen.)
Mosul 0–0 Baghdad United (0–0 AET) (3–4 pen.)

Final

Yerushalayim 1-4 Baghdad United

by **Adab** » Sun Jun 12, 2022 11:46 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2037-38 season

'Cause love is love, it never ends
Can we all be as one again?
'Cause love is love, it never ends
Can we all be as one again?
-Kylie Minogue, “Say Something”

Matchday 31-38

The Unexpected Emergence of Urim
Before this season, Urim were a decidedly midtable team, having finished 12th in the previous season, and no one seriously expected them to break into the upper reaches of the table. Not even the team hoped for much better than another stint somewhere around tenth place; the consensus was that while Urim had quite the amount of talent, the top teams were simply too strong and better-funded for Urim to stand a chance of going toe-to-toe against them. It is no secret that owner and chairman Amarsin Irrara has ambitions of making his club one of the best in Adab, and that he had spent the early part of the season pondering whether current manager Nasir al-Hamdi was the right man to take Urim to the next level.

Yet, entering Matchday 31, Urim were in fourth place and al-Hamdi was still at the helm, with Irrara showing no indications of firing him anytime soon. So how did they do it?

While Urim’s players might not necessarily be the most naturally talented in the league, they had the ambition. Al-Hamdi had grown tired of pundits underestimating his team – and, although he will never acknowledge it publicly, reports that Irrara was on the verge of dismissing him – and he knew his players felt the same. So he instilled in them a siege mentality, an “us-against-the-world” view, spurring them on to prove all the critics wrong. And so for the duration of the season Urim played like a team possessed, stunning many with their newfound energy, determination, and cohesion in the face of vastly superior opposition. Having been expected to finish in the middle of the table for yet another season, instead they now found themselves in contention for a spot in international competition. Perhaps al-Hamdi was the right man after all.

The final stage of the season began rather terribly for the Troops of Sin with a 7-1 clobbering by 19th-placed Ninua City, Maria Abizaid scoring four of the goals, which brought Urim down to sixth and left some wondering whether Urim would falter near the finish line. Nevertheless the team were determined to fight on. A 2-1 win over Petra Camels on Matchday 32 calmed their nerves somewhat, paving the way for a 1-6 demolition of Royal Sennacherib on Matchday 33 to allow them to return to fourth with 58 points, tied on points with Baghdad United and Yerushalayim who prevailed on goal difference. Gewargis Yelda had established himself as one of the best strikers of the season and his quality was once again on display, producing three goals and two assists (for Meskalamdug Khairul and Jeanne Rassam).

Unfortunately for them, however, they did falter after this point, suffering three losses in a row against Urim, Yerushalayim, and Uruk Imperials to go down to seventh and end their challenge for a place in international competition. They recovered their form somewhat on Matchday 37 with a 5-1 win over Adab City, but ended their season with a 3-0 loss to Adab United. Nevertheless it is now evident that Urim do have the talent and ability to trouble the top five, and they will be a side to watch next season. Irrara clearly sees this, for he has decided to keep al-Hamdi in his job for the foreseeable future.

The Guiding Hand of Baskar Kumar
Baghdad United’s signing of Indussean legend Baskar Kumar before the start of the season was greeted with widespread confusion. Yes, he was an Indussean legend, and he was still in good shape, but he was also 45. United, eager to emerge from the shadow of their more successful neighbors Baghdad City, had signed promising young players Natalie Van der Saar from Poafmersia and Betty Collins, the South Newlandian free agent, both in their early twenties, so it stunned many when the final piece of the puzzle appeared to be… a 45-year-old man? What could this possibly be other than one last payday for an over-the-hill football legend? But chairman Mustafa Abdul Karim and manager Ali al-Habshi knew Kumar could be a useful asset to the club. Not only was he actually still in great condition, especially for his age, but his wisdom, experience, and reputation enabled him to be a mentoring presence and inspiration for the younger players.

And Kumar did exactly just that. He did not start every game, being rotated with Burnaburiyas Apilsin and Pristiano Penaldo, but whenever he was on the pitch he was still an explosive presence, becoming United’s top goalscorer of the season and leading them to victory in the Emperor’s Cup, their 1-4 victory over Yerushalayim (a game which Kumar did start in and in which he scored three goals to add to Vivian Nabunaid’s one) securing them a spot in the IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup, so that regardless of what happened to them in the league they would still get a taste of international football anyway. Most importantly, younger members of the squad looked up to him, with even the likes of national team mainstays Amara Emmita and Naram-Sin Samanu crediting Kumar with improving their mindset and mentality.

To add to their strong showing in the Emperor’s Cup, United began Matchday 31 in third place with 53 points, behind only league leaders Beirut with 61 points and Yerushalayim with 57. United had no expectations of winning the title, barring an unexpected Beirut collapse, but hoped they could continue battling Yerushalayim for second. Nevertheless, a third-place finish would already be a success for United, particularly in a season where cross-city rivals Baghdad City were languishing in ninth place.

The Final Stretch
At the end of Matchday 30, the top seven were separated by only 13 points (see Matchday 30 table above). Beirut, leading with 61 points, were still favorites to win the title but nevertheless were under threat from Yerushalayim, just four points away with 53. Yerushalayim, on the other hand, found Baghdad United, Urim, Mosul, and Adab United – all just four to six points behind – hot on their heels. Sitting in seventh place with 48 points, Uruk Imperials had made a good recovery from their lackluster start to the season and had an outside chance – small chance, but not impossible – of making it into the top four and thus a spot in IFCF or FFI competitions. Placing eighth to eleventh, Adab City, Baghdad City, Eridu, and Damascus Steelers could still finish in the top four but would realistically have to hope for the clubs above them to collapse.

The Imperials’ bid to go further up the table met a roadblock on Matchday 31 as they were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Mosul thanks to a Frantzes Bensoa brace in the 82nd and 92nd minutes. The Imperials dropped to eighth while Mosul rose to fourth. Elsewhere, Adab United won 1-3 at Faraby to take over fifth place, overtaking Urim who fell to sixth following their aforementioned 7-1 defeat against Ninua City. Baghdad United strengthened their hold on third place with a scintillating 7-3 derby win against Baghdad City. Caretaker player-manager Enlilbani Yargab scored two goals and Kastiliasu Akaptaha put one in for City but even their best efforts were unable to prevent a spirited United side from running roughshod over them. Kumar scored two goals before he was taken off at the half-time break and replaced by Pristiano Penaldo, who scored from a penalty in the 65th minute after he was fouled in the box. Vivian Nabunaid also produced two goals in the seventh and 75th minute, and Amara Emmita and Naram-Sin Samanu each fired the ball into the back of the net once to complete the rout. Elsewhere, league leaders Beirut stunned many by going down 0-4 to Babilim in the first match of Erisum Rimus’ reign following Fald Braud’s intervention, resignation as manager (although he remained as owner and chairman), and retreat to a rehabilitation facility. Down in second place, Yerushalayim failed to take advantage, instead themselves capitulating 2-1 to Royal Sennacherib. Thus there would be no changes in the top three.

The Imperials returned to seventh on Matchday 32 with a 7-0 beatdown of Ninua City. Adab City were forced down to eighth thanks to their goalless draw with Mosul, who remained in fourth. Beirut returned to winning ways as they convincingly triumphed 1-4 over Baghdad City. Nadje Barzani put Beirut in control with her hat-trick and Farrukh Manoogian scored once to hand City their second successive defeat and dump them to tenth, seemingly putting top four out of their reach. Yerushalayim and Baghdad United, separated by only one point in second and third, battled to a 5-5 draw in an emotionally-charged match which saw fans from both sides throwing flares onto the pitch, Yerushalayim’s Ofra Shaked and United’s Mahmud Inimabakesh sent off at different points in the match, and Yerushalayim manager Nathan Rosenthal fined after criticizing the referees in his post-match interview, and in the end resulted in both sides leaving with only one point each and left them both nowhere closer to breaking Beirut’s hold on the top with 65 points; Yerushalayim and United had 58 and 57, respectively.

The first- and second-placed teams met on Matchday 33. Beirut gained a commanding lead in the first half thanks to a Barzani tap-in and a stunning Liselotte Koelewijn free-kick goal which many lauded as one of the best goals of the season. Baghdad United fought back in the second half, however, Burnaburiyas Apilsin scoring in the 67th and 91st minutes to force Beirut to settle for a draw. Beirut remained on top but United climbed to second with 58 points, overtaking Yerushalayim on goal difference as the latter surprisingly fell 3-1 to an energetic Sharm el-Sheikh side. Urim rose from sixth to fourth with a comprehensive 1-6 win over Royal Sennacherib, while Mosul fell from fourth to fifth after a 2-2 draw against Adab United, who in turn dropped from fifth to sixth. The Imperials dropped from seventh to eighth thanks to a lackluster 1-1 draw at Petra Camels. Baghdad City prevailed 3-5 away at Damascus Steelers thanks to two late Akaptaha goals, enabling them to rise from tenth to ninth while the Steelers fell from ninth to 11th, tenth place being taken by Eridu with their 3-0 victory against Babilim.

Matchday 34 saw Yerushalayim’s turn to meet Beirut, and this time they took full advantage. Before a noisy home crowd, Zaninum Eikuppi-Adad and Larisa Zayad ran a masterclass in controlling the midfield, denting many of Beirut’s attacks. Lapses in Yerushalayim’s operation did enable Beirut to fire in three goals (two from Barzani, one from Georgios Frangieh), but those goals did not matter when Yerushalayim scored eight of their own. Eitan was in imperious form, finding the back of the net four times. Esther Smotrich scored two, and Zayad and Abdullah Sarsur one each. This, combined with Baghdad United’s own 7-3 destruction of the Steelers, meant that both Yerushalayim and United now amassed 61 points – United still edging ahead on goal difference – putting them within striking distance of Beirut just four points in front. Mosul overtook Urim for fourth place after winning 0-2 to Amel-Marduk while Urim went down 1-2 to Sharm el-Sheikh. The Imperials went back to seventh, brushing aside Royal Sennacherib 1-0 thanks to a 70th-minute Marina Feldman goal, while Adab City went down to eighth after narrowly losing to Petra Camels 0-1.

Baghdad United would lose second place on Matchday 35, losing 3-2 to Eridu with Enmenluana Belshudu’s 77th-minute volley putting the home side ahead and forcing United to leave having gained no points. Stuck with 61 points, United could only watch as Yerushalayim pulled ahead, winning 3-5 at Urim – who dropped from fifth to sixth – to make their total point tally 64. But more importantly for Nathan Rosenthal and his players, the number-one side collapsed. Playing away at Damascus Steelers, Beirut could be forgiven for thinking they could take the match against an erratic Steelers side but instead found themselves on the losing end by five goals, Hakim al-Amin and Jushur al-Kufa each putting two past them and Laila Abbas adding another one to reduce the visiting side – who themselves did not score a single goal – to helpless bystanders. Beirut remained first with 65 points but now found themselves just separated by a single point from Yerushalayim. Rosenthal’s side started the season hoping they could at least stay in the top ten, maybe break into the top five; suddenly they were now likely to win it all. Elsewhere, Adab United went up from sixth to fourth with a win over Petra Camels, while Mosul shockingly went down to fifth losing 1-3 to Assur. Adab United’s 60 points put them just a point behind Baghdad United’s 61. Not only were Baghdad now in an uphill battle for second, they were now dangerously close to dropping to fourth or worse. Mosul lurked in fifth place with 59 points, themselves just one point behind Adab United. Urim were in sixth with 58, and Uruk Imperials seventh with 56.

And yet again Yerushalayim failed to take advantage, promptly being demolished 0-4 by the Steelers on the next matchday as Beirut pulled ahead with a hard-fought 3-2 win against Eridu to put four points between them and Yerushalayim. Adab United, meanwhile, rose to third with 63 points as Amarutu Ibilasumna’s 39th-minute goal saw them run out 1-0 winners against Royal Sennacherib, while Baghdad United’s 3-3 draw with Faraby resulted in the former dropping to fourth, still with 62 points and saved only by goal difference from being overtaken by Mosul. In the battle for sixth place, Uruk Imperials won out with the sole goal of the match against Urim to take over sixth from the latter, but still only one point separated them (the Imperials had 59, Urim 58). But the most stunning result of the day was Baghdad City’s 11-0 demolition of Kuwait City. Caretaker player-manager Enlilbani Yargab scored four goals before being substituted near the end of the first half. Kastiliasu Akaptaha came up with three goals. Yehuda Rivlin, who replaced Yargab, scored two. Meskigal Nabunaid and Elia Sarru completed the scoreboard with one goal each as Kuwait’s defense completely dissipated. Having languished in or near last place for virtually the entire season, the loss was the final straw for owner and chairman Jafar al-Sabah, who dismissed manager Georgios Mikati with immediate effect and appointed his assistant Alalngar Adasi caretaker manager.

Beirut however did not consolidate their lead, instead falling 3-2 to Faraby on Matchday 37 to remain with 68 points. Adab United’s comfortable 1-3 win against Sharm el-Sheikh propelled them to second place with 66 points. Baghdad United and Mosul drew against Kuwait City and Baghdad City, respectively, to remain fourth and fifth. Both had 63 points, but United had a comfortable lead on goal difference (+36 to Mosul’s +22). As for Yerushalayim, they suffered their second loss in a row, this time a 1-0 against Uruk Imperials, to find themselves stuck in third with 64 points. Four points behind Beirut with only one matchday remaining, their title challenge – along with everyone else below them – was over. Nevertheless Baghdad United and Yerushalayim would both finish in the top four. United won 1-0 over Mosul to leapfrog Yerushalayim to third place on Matchday 38, while Yerushalayim themselves were defeated 0-1 by Eridu and had to be content with fourth place. But the most important thing was that they both finished the season in the top four, securing international competition when many had expected them not to.

And so, entering the final matchday, only Beirut and Adab United could win the title.

United faced an uphill struggle; they would have to win and hope for Beirut to either draw or lose. A win would earn United a total of 69 points. A Beirut loss would leave the latter with only 68 points, losing the title to United by a single point. A Beirut draw would put both sides at 69 points, with United likely prevailing on goal difference (+21 to Beirut’s +13 entering Matchday 38) unless Beirut somehow managed to score at least nine more goals than United on the final matchday. If Beirut won their match, they would win the title with 71 points regardless of United’s results.

Playing at their own Adab West Stadium against Urim, United were comfortably in their element throughout the match. Rebekah Yissakar slotted the ball home in the 27th minute – the only surprise being that she had not done it earlier, considering United’s dominance over the match – and did it again in the 59th minute. Amarutu Ibilasumna put in the finishing touch with a tap-in in the 76th minute. But as the match neared its end, not even the 3-0 result was enough cause for celebration by the home fans as the news filtered across the stadium.

Compared to United, Beirut found their own match – also at home, Berytus Field – a struggle, with Kuwait City offering unexpectedly tough resistance despite being dead last and having virtually nothing to play for. The fact that both teams were attacking-oriented meant there was plenty of box-to-box action from start to finish, with only goalkeeping heroics from both sides preventing goals from being scored for much of the match. In the 75th minute, seeing that his side’s midfield was faltering under the pressure, manager Rimus pulled his right midfielder Liselotte Koelewijn out, replacing the Cordian with Oberour Ab Moro’s Michael de Caours. The 24-year-old de Caours had spent the season in the bizarre position of constantly alternating between being a bench-warmer for entire matches, a super-sub called in in the later stages of matches, and on the starting lineup, playing many games while never completely sure if he was truly considered a starter or a backup midfielder. Nevertheless, he was a consistently reliable presence whenever he was called upon, and if he was ever discontent with his club, he never aired out his grievances publicly.

In the 90th minute, amid a late, desperate surge by Beirut, de Caours found himself in the Kuwait box. Barzani had swept forward through the center and right into the box, surrounded by Kuwait players. Behind her and to her left was Farrukh Manoogian, acting as second striker in case Barzani was unable to break through. Finding her way blocked, Barzani passed the ball to Manoogian, whose own shot at goal hit the crossbar and bounced across the mouth of the net towards de Caours. As the Kuwait players rushed to converge around de Caours, he threw his left foot at the falling ball, volleying it right back at the net. Kuwait keeper Samir al-Barrak scrambled to catch the ball but crumbled onto the grass as the ball found the upper left corner of the net.

And that was it. Berytus Field erupted in celebrations, Beirut fans invading the pitch and celebrating with the players as soon as the final whistle was blown. Barzani fell to her knees. Liselotte Koelewijn looked around her and at the sky, wondering if this was all true or just a dream. De Caours, for his part, was lifted and paraded around the pitch by jubilant fans. Erisum Rimus, after his personal rollercoaster of a season, found himself winning the league yet again as manager, albeit this time with a different club.

Up there in the directors’ box, a familiar face returned. Having just completed his rehabilitation program, owner and chairman Fald Braud was back, now at peace with himself and his family and content to let someone else take care of the managerial reins. As the celebrations continued and the pitch turned into a sea of Beirut fans, Braud’s face was shown on the giant screens hanging over the seats and towering over a corner of the pitch. The resulting cheers were deafening, as were the shouts and chants that followed, all shouting out the name of one man.

And from the box, Fald Braud bowed and shed a tear.

Teams qualifying for international competitions:
IFCF Champions League: Beirut
IFCF Challenger's Cup: Adab United, Baghdad United, Yerushalayim
IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup: Baghdad United

FFI League of Victors: Beirut, Adab United
FFI Confederations Trophy: Baghdad United

Awards:
Manager of the Season: Fald Braud (Beirut)
Player of the Season: Nadje Barzani (Beirut)

Managerial changes:
Georgios Mikati (Kuwait City): Sacked, replaced by Alalngar Adasi as caretaker manager.
Enlilbani Yargab (Baghdad City): Stepped down as caretaker manager, remained as player. Replacement to be announced soon.

Table at the end of the season

Adabian Premier League    Pld   W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Beirut                 38   22   5  11    76   63  +13    71
 2 Adab United            38   21   6  11    74   53  +21    69
 3 Baghdad United         38   18  12   8    98   61  +37    66
 4 Yerushalayim           38   20   4  14    80   68  +12    64
 5 Mosul                  38   17  12   9    45   26  +19    63
 6 Uruk Imperials         38   18   8  12    74   47  +27    62
 7 Urim                   38   18   7  13    65   59   +6    61
 8 Adab City              38   17   9  12    63   56   +7    60
 9 Baghdad City           38   16  11  11    83   63  +20    59
10 Eridu                  38   16   8  14    45   50   −5    56
11 Damascus Steelers      38   15   8  15    81   67  +14    53
12 Babilim                38   13  10  15    42   52  −10    49
13 Assur                  38   14   6  18    63   65   −2    48
14 Faraby                 38   12  10  16    56   69  −13    46
15 Petra Camels           38   11  12  15    28   35   −7    45
16 Amel-Marduk            38   13   5  20    41   64  −23    44
17 Royal Sennacherib      38    9  14  15    31   52  −21    41
18 Sharm el-Sheikh        38    9   9  20    33   48  −15    36
19 Ninua City             38    6  12  20    38   74  −36    30
20 Kuwait City            38    7   8  23    65  109  −44    29

by **Adab** » Wed Jun 15, 2022 9:46 am

THE ADAB TIMES
The Most Trusted Voice in the Nation, Est. 1878

NEWS | FOOTBALL
Thursday, June 3, 2038

Man Throws Shoes at Ramos at Mosul Unveiling

By Elymur Amwan

MOSUL – Controversial Quebecois player Wilton Ramos’ unveiling by the Mosul football club went awry today when, after facing protestors on his way to Mosul Central stadium, Ramos found himself narrowly avoiding a pair of shoes thrown at him by a journalist when he was taking questions from the media.

Ramos, 24, who was suspended and then sold by Tumbra’s Lakewood United amid allegations of sexual assault, was bought by Mosul for five million NSD in a deal touted by Mosul chairman Mustafa al-Taghlibi as the “deal of the century” and largely popular among the Mosul fanbase but condemned across sectors of Adabian society, including by members of the Privy Council.

Ramos cut an upbeat figure as he emerged from his limousine and walked towards the stadium entrance for his unveiling, flanked along the way by masses of enthusiastic Mosul fans scrambling to have their photograph taken with the former Quebec national team player and holding banners saying, among others, “Welcome Wilton” and “Mosul Loves You”.

Across the street, however, a sizable crowd protested Ramos’ presence, booing and jeering as his limousine came into view, denouncing Mosul for signing him, and calling for Ramos to be released from the club and imprisoned.

“It’s shocking that a man like him can walk around freely here,” said women’s rights activist Nayla Hussein, who led the anti-Ramos crowd in chants of, among others, “Lock him up!” and “Shame, shame”.

“We are supposed to believe that women are equal to men here, that we are human beings just like them,” Hussein continued. “Yet we’re supposed to tolerate the presence of a man who is clearly and openly a threat to all women everywhere?”

Police had been deployed around the stadium since early this morning in the anticipation of the protest, helping to control the situation as the protestors engaged in a shouting contest with Mosul supporters, many of whom pointed out that Ramos has not been found guilty in a court of law.

But the worst would still come for Ramos inside the stadium. After he was officially unveiled as a Mosul player by al-Taghlibi and remained on the podium to answer questions from the members of the media, with al-Taghlibi alongside him, Eddy Sfeir, who works for The Mosul Herald, rose to his feet and hurled his shoes at the ex-Lakewood United man.

A video recording of the event shows Sfeir shouting “You should be in jail, you lowlife” as he threw the first shoe at Ramos, who managed to just narrowly duck the shoe. As he threw the second shoe, Sfeir continued, “This is for all the girls and women in the world.”

Al-Taghlibi nearly lunged at Ramos, seemingly either to push him away or catch the shoe, but in any case Ramos again ducked the shoe. Sfeir was then restrained by several of the journalists around him before security guards took him away.

The Adab Times understands that Sfeir has been turned over to Mosul Police and is currently in detention awaiting a date of trial. He is in contact with his family and has access to legal assistance.

Ramos and al-Taghlibi, for their part, appeared to take things in stride. “It’s a free society and it’s normal for us to have different opinions,” the Mosul chairman stated. “That’s what makes us a democracy.”

“Definitely,” Ramos added.

by **Adab** » Fri Aug 05, 2022 11:17 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2038-39 season

Woke up this morning, the house was cold
Checked out the furnace, she wasn't burnin'
Went out and hopped in my old Ford
Hit the engine but she ain't turnin'

We've given each other some hard lessons lately
But we ain't learnin'
We're the same sad story, that's a fact
One step up and two steps back
-Bruce Springsteen, “One Step Up”

PREVIEW (PART 1)
Age as of August 1, 2038, the official start of the 2038-39 season
All players and managers hold Adabian nationality unless otherwise noted

ADAB CITY

Nickname: Firsties, City Kids
Ground: Adab City Stadium (Adab City, National Capital District)
Capacity: 76,500
Owner: Salim Assurbanihabal Enterprises
Chairman: Salim Assurbanihabal
Manager: Khalid al-Husaini
Previous season finish: 8th
Style modifier: +3

Honors:
Premier League (3):
2000-01, 2004-05, 2005-06
Emperor’s Cup (3):
2000-01, 2002-03, 2024-25

History:
One of Adab’s oldest football clubs, Adab City – based in, well, Adab City, the nation’s capital – dominated pre-Premier League Adabian football but have struggled ever since the new league started in the 1990s. Aside from a brief renaissance in the early-to-mid 2000s, anguished fans and players have had to watch as rivals such as Baghdad City, Mosul, Uruk Imperials, and most worryingly inter-city rivals Adab United rose to prominence. Wealthy entrepreneur Salim Assurbanihabal is the club’s owner and believes that it is his mission to return the club to its rightful place at the top of the pecking order.

Preview:
An eighth-place finish last season represented a marginal improvement from the season before that, in which the club finished tenth. Both Assurbanihabal and manager Khalid al-Husaini believe that the team are capable of far more than that, with quite the amount of talent in their twenties. A young striker named Fahd al-Baghdadi has made it to the first team after an impressive performance with the youth squad – although for now he is likely to be warming the benches – and al-Husaini is looking to give him some game time as many fans wonder if this kid is exactly what this club are in need of right now.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Ahmad al-Tamimi – Male (age 29)
2 – LB – Sarrugi Adadnirari – Male (age 31)
3 – CB – Elias Bennett – Male (age 27)
4 – CB – Aruru Adamu – Female (age 28)
5 – RB – Sagkaldumu Ninua – Male (age 32)
18 – LM – Alulim Akshak – Male (age 21)
7 – CM – Faisal al-Qahtani – Male (age 27)
8 – CM – Jennifer Jefferson – Female (age 22)
9 – RM – Alulim Sarrugi – Male (age 26)
10 – ST – Ovadia Mordechai – Male (age 23)
23 – ST – Ally Sinsariskun – Female (age 22)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Asharidapalekur Kala – Male (age 32)
13 – GK – Hasan Ben Ali – Male (age 21)
14 – LB – Laila Mustafa – Female (age 23)
15 – CB – Shadiya al-Baghdadi – Female (age 26)
16 – CB – Tayyip Ertugrul – Male (age 36)
17 – RB – Danya Ali – Female (age 32)
6 – LM – Kishar Asharid – Female (age 32)
19 – CM – Tukultininurta Ashuriddin – Male (age 20)
20 – CM – Vivian Nabuaplausur – Female (age 24)
21 – RM – Nabusumlisir Sinahhieriba – Female (age 25)
22 – ST – Fahd al-Baghdadi – Male (age 17)
11 – ST – Jamal al-Salaman – Male (age 34)

ADAB UNITED

Nickname: The Silver Devils
Ground: Adab West Stadium (Adab City, National Capital District)
Capacity: 60,500
Owners: Tamas Haln, Zenyatta, J. Jamal al-Jamal
Chairmen: Tamas Haln, Zenyatta, J. Jamal al-Jamal
Manager: Rang Nick
Previous season finish: 2nd
Style modifier: +3

Honors:
Premier League (11):
1992-93, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2007-08, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2031-32, 2033-34
Emperor’s Cup (7):
1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2007-08, 2023-24, 2031-32, 2034-35

History:
Originally playing second fiddle to inter-city rivals Adab City, Adab United gained the upper hand during the late 1990s and early 2000s with victories in the Premier League and the Emperor’s Cup. This was followed by a relatively fallow period, although United’s status as the premier club in the capital was secure as Adab City sank even further into irrelevance. The arrival of manager Rang Nick in 2027 solidified United’s position as a powerhouse in Adabian football and the greatest rivals to Baghdad City in the early-to-mid 2030s. The ownership triumvirate of Tamas Haln, Zenyatta, and J. Jamal al-Jamal are fully committed to the club, devoting a not-so-insignificant amount of their obscene collective wealth towards buying players and improving the club’s facilities.

Preview:
United were rather quiet during the transfer window. The arrival of right-back Kristin de Booij (from Montfort Wanderers in the Licentian Isles) to replace the retiring Taymour Frangieh and the Eastfielder left-winger Kenzo Gibson-Hindle (from Tikariot’s Baraldhur AFC) was of course very much welcomed, but that was the end of United’s activity in the market. Their squad is not in need of much strengthening anyway, with stars such as Rebekah Yissakar, Simone Bozzelli, Iuri Balan, and Naomi Schutzán in or approaching their prime and poised to help maintain United’s position as one of the league’s best sides for years to come. As always, the target is clear: win everything. Baghdad City may be in a period of decline but Beirut have replaced them as enemy number one, a status only reinforced by last season’s down-to-the-wire title race, where United missed out on the league title by a mere two points. This season offers an opportunity to erase that tragic memory, but the question is, will they be able to do it?

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Odysseus Packard – Male (age 29) (Nephara)
2 – LB – Joseph Sassoon – Male (age 20)
3 – CB – Alulim Sumuabum – Male (age 28)
4 – CB – Yousif Issou – Male (age 33)
5 – RB – Kristin de Booij – Female (age 28) (The Licentian Isles)
6 – LM/DM - Naomí Schutzán – Female (age 19) (Montana Verde)
7 – CM – Iuri Balan – Male (age 29) (Squornshelan Remnant States)
18 – CM – Erle Sartini – Male (age 21-22) (Poafmersia)
9 – RM – Simone Bozzelli – Female (age 22) (The 14 Stars)
10 – CF/RAM – Rebekah Yissakar – Female (age 25)
11 – CF – Amarutu Ibilasumna – Male (age 29)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Serj Dolmayan – Male (age 32)
13 – GK – Kudurru Marrutas – Male (age 33)
14 – LB – Ulamburias Nadinahe – Male (age 22)
15 – CB – Meskalamdug Aban – Male (age 21)
16 – RB – Fatima al-Hamimi – Female (age 27)
17 – LW – Kenzo Gibson-Hindle – Male (age 28) (Eastfield Lodge)
8 – CM – Kayla Kassaya – Female (age 22)
19 – CM – Antoine de Crèvecœur – Male (age 23) (Oberour Ab Moro)
20 – RM – Adaguppi Ammati – Female (age 21)
21 – CF – Istar Zabala – Female (age 19)
22 – CF – Pionel Pessi – Male (age 19)
23 – GK – Binyamin Lavon – Male (age 20)
24 – RM – John Tankian – Male (age 30)

AMEL-MARDUK

Nickname: Children of Marduk, Warriors of Marduk, Marduk’s Warriors
Ground: Marduk Field (Babylon, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 30,000
Owner: The Witnesses of Marduk
Chairman: Gandas Adasi
Manager: Umar Assad
Previous season finish: 16th
Style modifier: +1

History:
Gandas Adasi, High Priest of the Witnesses of Marduk, claimed that he was alone in the inner sanctum of the Adab City Temple when, amid the thick smoke and smell of incense, Marduk made His presence known. “Go forth and establish a football team,” Adasi said Marduk told him, “and play the beautiful game in my name.” Critics claim Amel-Marduk (“man of Marduk”) are little more than a vanity project and publicity stunt by Adasi – who also doubles as club chairman – and the Witnesses; staff are hired and players bought reportedly at Adasi’s whim, and staff are fired and players relegated to the benches just as easily if they are deemed to have let the club down with their job performance or offended Adasi and the Witnesses for reasons that are not even related to football. Adasi denies this, pointing out that no one has publicly come forward to declare their dissatisfaction with the way the club is being run, that the club openly employs non-Witness staff and players, and stating that he has cultivated an “environment of peace and tolerance” within the club “in accordance with the will of our Lord Marduk”.

Preview:
A second season in a row with a 16th-place finish might have weakened the faith of lesser men, but Adasi claimed last season to have received a revelation in which Marduk told him that “the playing field shall be leveled and the faithful shall be victorious”. While waiting for the hour of deliverance to come, Adasi set for himself the task of strengthening the squad. Manager Umar Assad was granted a contract extension, with the unspoken understanding that this might be his last season if the team continued to underperform. Frantziska Robertson’s arrival from Tähti Roverit JK for NS$4.5 million took Adabian football by surprise. Many wondered why Robertson would willingly move from beautiful Gortolekua to what is widely claimed to be a theocracy in the disguise of a football club. Even more shocking was the coming of Pemecutan’s Komang Yudha Artawan, Pyazhnaya’s Valentin Sechenov, and Cabo Azure’s Bartolomeu Coelho, with Adasi stating that he chose them based off of a vision he had of Marduk, in which the Great God purportedly decreed that these three (none of whom are actually Witnesses) “will help fulfill My mission on earth”.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Komang Yudha Artawan – Male (age 20) (Pemecutan)
2 – LB – Naqia Sinahhieriba – Female (age 26)
3 – CB – Frantziska Robertson – Female (age 24) (Gortolekua)
4 – CB – Labasimarduk Utu – Male (age 28)
5 – RB – Valentin Sechenov – Male (age 17) (Pyazhnaya)
6 – LM – Bartolomeu Coelho – Male (age 20) (Cabo Azure)
7 – CM – Natalie Barak – Female (age 25)
8 – CM – Assur Ahaiddina – Male (age 34)
9 – RM – Arda Mulissi – Male (age 27)
10 – ST – Shira Ben Gurion – Female (age 26)
11 – ST – Shemush Hussain – Female (age 28)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Omar Khoury – Male (age 27)
13 – GK – Esarhaddon Bukhari – Male (age 29)
14 – LB – Istar Enlilki – Female (age 24)
15 – CB – Ereshkigal Badtibira – Female (age 32)
16 – CB – Nadia Hasan – Female (age 21)
17 – RB – Tashmetusharrat al-Maliki – Female (age 23)
18 – LM – Yoannes Matheos – Male (age 31)
19 – CM – Bursin Lipitistar – Male (age 30)
20 – CM – Ismedagan Aradsuen – Male (age 37)
21 – RM – Kazallu Bashar – Male (age 21)
22 – ST – Ashurina Ava – Female (age 25)
24 – LM – Petros Tawadros – Male (age 31)

ASSUR

Nickname: The Lions, The Sun-Chariots
Ground: Assurbanihabal Stadium (Assur, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 35,000
Owner: Abdullah Khabbazi
Chairman: Abdullah Khabbazi
Manager: Alex Saddam
Previous season finish: 13th
Style modifier: +2

History:
Priding themselves as the representatives of the center of Assyrian civilization, the Lions (or Sun-Chariots as they are also called) have tended to bounce between the midfield and rock bottom in the league, with relatively little to back up the high opinion they hold of themselves. Abdullah Khabbazi, a native of Assur, is determined to change this, but so far – despite a revolving cast of managers – his efforts have still fallen short of his target: to become a mainstay in the upper part of the league table.

Preview:
After finishing 19th and then 20th in a span of two seasons, Assur’s performance finally showed a remarkable improvement last season, which ended with the Lions securing a respectable 13th place. Perhaps rehiring Alex Saddam isn’t a bad decision after all. It certainly helped that Saddam had had some sort of epiphany, shifting from ultra-defensive tactics which resulted in a drought of goals and got him fired the first time around to more aggressive tactics which fit the Assur players better. Their lack of activity during the transfer window may come back to haunt them, however, especially with rumors that striker Raina Kelemachi is seeking a move.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Samuel Agassi – Male (age 31)
2 – LB – Ishtar Assuretililani – Female (age 25)
3 – CB – Sinsumulisir Nabuaplausur – Male (age 32)
4 – CB – George Hadad – Male (age 33)
5 – RB – Larsa Makko – Female (age 26)
6 – LM – Umati Salmanuasared – Female (age 27)
7 – CM – Marnita Esarra – Female (age 26)
8 – CM – Anna Kanna – Female (age 28)
9 – RM – Emanuel Atoraya – Male (age 31)
10 – ST – Tiras Keldani – Male (age 27)
11 – ST – Raina Kelemechi – Female (age 24)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Mustafa Alptekin – Male (age 32)
13 – GK – Narsai Khofri – Male (age 20)
14 – LB – Estiphan Adadnirari – Male (age 22)
15 – CB – Sammuramat Belbani – Female (age 27)
16 – CB – Muttakil Nusku – Male (age 29)
17 – RB – Claudia Cheikho – Female (age 30)
18 – LM – Khawa Assuruballit – Female (age 27)
19 – CM – Sarrukin Tukulti – Male (age 36)
20 – CM – Marbitiaplausur Barsip – Male (age 34)
21 – RM – Georgios Eshaq – Male (age 32)
22 – ST – Naftali Herzog – Male (age 24)
23 – ST – Ahmad al-Hawazini – Male (age 30)

BABILIM

Nickname: The Kings, The Stars
Ground: King Hammurabi Stadium (Babylon, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 35,500
Owner: Kandalanu Iskibal
Chairman: Kandalanu Iskibal
Manager: Kurigalzu Enlil
Previous season finish: 12th
Style modifier: -1

History:
Babilim’s supporters have long been known as among the most fanatic in the entire league. Kandalanu Iskibal has owned the club for some years now, and while under him Babilim have not exactly sunk to the bottom of the table, they have not really presented a consistent threat to the clubs above them either. A win against a bigger club would be followed by yet another struggle the next match and they would end up fighting just to float around 15th place. Despite skepticism from some fans, Iskibal has pressed forward with his project, putting his faith in maverick manager Kurigalzu Enlil, with whom he has forged a friendly relationship.

Preview:
Babilim rose three places last season from 15th to 12th, but both Iskibal and Enlil know that the fans – and they themselves – will never settle for midfield mediocrity. No matter how hard things may seem, they must make an assault for the top ten, and the time is now. A bunch of younger players performed well last season, usually as substitutes, and now Enlil began promoting them to the starting lineup. Babilim, he feels, now have the momentum to break into the top ten, and who better do it than the young players?

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Nadine Hakimi – Female (age 21)
2 – LB – Kalumtum Melishipak – Female (age 26)
3 – CB – Naram-Sin Nadinahi – Male (age 27)
4 – CB – Sarrukin al-Tamimi – Male (age 32)
5 – RB – Binyamin Bel Ibni – Male (age 34)
6 – LM – Shala Kalumtum – Female (age 30)
7 – CM – Khalid Nouri – Male (age 25)
8 – CM – Nergalsarusur Belsimanni – Male (age 31)
9 – RM – Dariamus Sinmuballit – Male (age 24)
10 – ST – Brigitte Chamoun – Female (age 29)
11 – ST – Samsuiluna al-Askari – Male (age 33)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Merodach Baladan – Male (age 34)
13 – GK – Rimush Eshuh – Male (age 36)
14 – LB – Levon Sarkissian – Male (age 21)
15 – CB – Sarrugi Amarsin – Male (age 25)
16 – CB – Shala Ebisum – Female (age 22)
17 – RB – Koresh Eliya – Male (age 26)
18 – LM – Dinkha Hammurabi – Male (age 24)
19 – CM – Naram-Sin Marbitiaplausur – Male (age 26)
20 – CM – Taymour Simbarsipak – Male (age 31)
21 – RM – Anatu Zabala – Female (age 32)
22 – ST – Ishtar Sinsarikun – Female (age 23)
23 – ST – Eliyahu Mar Zutra – Male (age 24)
24 - LM - Hafez Jafar - Male (age 21)

by **Adab** » Tue Aug 09, 2022 12:23 am

Adabian Premier League
Association Football
2038-39 season

Perteneciste a una raza antigua (You belonged to an ancient race)
De pies descalzos y de sueños blancos (With bare feet and wet dreams)
Fuiste polvo, polvo eres (You were dust, dust you are)
Piensa que el hierro siempre al calor es blando (Think that iron is always soft with heat)
-Shakira - Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos

PREVIEW (PART 2)
Age as of August 1, 2038, the official start of the 2038-39 season
All players and managers hold Adabian nationality unless otherwise noted

BAGHDAD CITY

Nickname: The Black Wolves, Yo’s Army
Ground: Kazimiyyah Stadium (Baghdad, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 55,000
Owner: YOOZY
Chairman: Kanu East
Manager: Titor Hlinka (Squornshelous Remnant States)
Previous season finish: 1st
Style modifier: +3

Honors:
Premier League (18):
1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2021-22, 2025-26, 2027-28, 2028-29, 2029-30, 2030-31, 2032-33, 2033-34, 2035-36, 2036-37
Emperor’s Cup (8):
1994-95, 1995-96, 2001-02, 2005-06, 2021-22, 2026-27, 2027-28, 2035-36

History:
One of the most illustrious clubs in Adabian history, Baghdad City long dominated pre-Premier League football and easily continued their dominance once the new league was set up in the 1990s, winning five titles in a row from 1993-94 to 1997-98, and then another three consecutive titles from 2001-02 to 2003-04. The suspension of league football put an end to that and they would take some time to recover once the league, but they returned to winning ways under manager Erisum Rimus in the late 2020s and early-to-mid 2030s. With maverick rapper and entrepreneur Kanu East (now legally known as Yo) owning the club, the club is looking to further solidify its place as the best in Adab, but the road isn’t always smooth.

Preview:
Chaos, fucking chaos. Having won the last four titles in a row, the magic just simply dissipated from Baghdad City in 2037-38. The league quickly became the battle between the likes of Beirut, Adab United, Baghdad United, and Yerushalayim, while City languished around the middle of the table after a series of lackluster results. East controversially fired Rimus, only to see his chosen successors (all part of Rimus’ staff) opt to go out the door with the ex-manager in what was quickly termed the “Saturday Night Massacre”. With virtually no other viable option, East resorted to appointing Enlilbani Yargab as player-manager. Yargab salvaged a ninth-place finish for the team, who had to watch as Rimus accepted the post of Beirut manager and won the league with them. For this season, East hired Titor Hlinka of Squornshelous Remnant States, hoping the first foreign manager in the history of the Adabian Premier League – who last managed Lhor in Chromatika – will be able to bring in some much-needed fresh air. East and Hlinka also brought in several experienced foreign players – Mickie Everson, Brianna McPherson, and most notably Frank Lundrigan – to reinforce the squad. The road back to glory will be long but it is one that they must take.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Hayley Presley - Female (age 24)
2 – LB – Kastiliasu Adamu – Male (age 31)
3 – CB – Monique Tangradi – Female (age 24) (Quebec and Shingoryeo)
4 – CB – Shania Enmerkar – Female (age 30)
5 – RB – Mickie Everson – Female (age 32) (Chromatika)
6 – LM/LAM – Dasia Khoury – Female (age 21)
7 – CM – Meskigal Nabunaid – Male (age 25)
8 – CM – Frank Lundrigan – Male (age 32) (Quebec and Shingoryeo)
9 – RM – Brianna McPherson – Female (age 26) (Cassadaigua)
10 – ST – Kastiliasu Akaptaha – Male (age 24)
11 – ST – Enlilbani Yargab – Male (age 39)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Adamu Ashur – Male (age 19)
13 – GK – Sarrugi Lugaldalu – Male (age 32)
14 – LB – Sarrikun Ishtar – Male (age 19)
15 – CB – Esther Reuben – Female (age 20)
16 – CB – Rania al-Basri – Female (age 21)
17 – RB – Muhammad Tafsir – Male (age 31)
18 – LM – Yohannes Zam – Male (age 33)
19 – CM – Jan Johansen – Male (age 35)
20 – CM – James Reynolds – Male (age 32)
21 – RM – Ishtar Eannatum – Female (age 23)
23 – ST – Quinta Karahardas – Female (age 20)
24 – CB – Manishtushu Sharkalisharri – Male (age 24)
25 – GK – Marian Clut – Female (age 35) (Brenecia)
26 – RM – Elia Sarru – Female (age 30)

BAGHDAD UNITED

Nickname: The White Wolves
Ground: Sadr City Stadium (Baghdad, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 45,250
Owner: Foundation for the Maintenance of Veterans, Widows, and Children
Chairman: Mustafa Abdul Karim
Manager: Ali al-Habshi
Previous season finish: 3rd
Style modifier: +4

Honors:
Premier League (1):
2006-07
Emperor’s Cup (5):
2003-04, 2004-05, 2006-07, 2028-29, 2037-38

History:
If Baghdad City tends to draw their supporters from the city’s upper and middle classes, then Baghdad United attracts much of its following from those with a humbler socioeconomic background. From time to time this has led to tension between the two Baghdad clubs, with United positioning themselves as the “people’s club” and heroic underdogs going up against their wealthier neighbors. Indeed, for much of its history, United has tended to be in City’s shadow, aside from a brief period of success in the league and Emperor’s Cup in the early-to-mid 2000s. But with the club now taken over by the Adab Army-run Foundation for the Maintenance of Veterans, Widows, and Children, more funds are rolling in as the people’s club aims to become the number one club in Baghdad – and the country.

Preview:
When chairman Mustafa Abdul Karim authorized the purchase of 45-year-old Indussean legend Baskar Kumar last season, the entire Adabian footballing world laughed at him. How in the world would a 45-year-old contribute to the club? But Karim and manager Ali al-Habshi believed Kumar would be a worthwhile addition and a beneficial mentoring presence to the club’s younger players. And they were right. One third-place in the league and an Emperor’s Cup later, who’s laughing now? Kumar, despite his age, is still a fearsome presence on the pitch whenever he plays, although his increasing involvement in Indussean politics does leave some wondering if he still has passion for football. Whenever Kumar is not played, Burnaburiyas Apilsin and Pristiano Penaldo have proven to be more-than-adequate deputies. Naram-Sin Samanu and Amara Emmita – both part of the national team – run a water-tight midfield that has been instrumental to so many of United’s wins, and at the back Natalie Van der Saar is a stabilizing presence. Surely there is nowhere to go but up?

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Melanie Jamerson – Female (age 29)
2 – LB – Tamir Hussain – Male (age 27)
3 – CB – Assurnasirapli Ninua – Male (age 19)
4 – CB – Natalie Van der Saar – Female (age 22-23) (Poafmersia)
5 – RB – Nadia al-Maliki – Female (age 26)
6 – LM – Mahmud Inimabakesh – Male (age 30)
7 – CM – Betty Collins – Female (age 25) (South Newlandia))
8 – CM – Naram-Sin Samanu – Male (age 20)
9 – RM – Amara Emmita – Female (age 22)
10 – ST – Vivian Nabunaid – Female (age 28)
25 – ST – Baskar H Kumar – Male (age 46) (Indusse)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Umar Haddad – Male (age 31)
13 – GK – Laila al-Assad – Female (age 22)
14 – LB – Salman Nabukudurriusur – Male (age 36)
15 – LB – Shamsidad Nahmoud – Male (age 38)
16 – CB – Moise Belilios – Male (age 26)
17 – CB – Aylin Buyuk – Female (age 31)
18 – RB – Manishtushu Lugaldalu – Male (age 22)
19 – LM – Elvis Nasser – Male (age 32)
20 – CM – Nabuaplausur Urugki – Male (age 20)
21 – CM – Azra Gandas – Female (age 21)
22 – RM – Mayra Nouri – Female (age 24)
11 – ST – Abdullah Rashid – Male (age 36)
23 – ST – Burnaburiyas Apilsin – Male (age 30)
24 – ST – Pristiano Penaldo – Male (age 21)

BEIRUT

Nickname: The Sailors, The Western Warriors
Ground: Berytus Field (Beirut, Lebanon Governorate)
Capacity: 31,250
Owner: Fald Braud
Chairman: Fald Braud
Manager: Erisum Rimus
Previous season finish: 1st
Style modifier: +2

Honors:
Premier League (2):
2024-25, 2037-38
Emperor’s Cup (3):
1992-93, 2020-21, 2033-34

History:
Beirut was where football first arrived in what is now part of the Empire of Adab, brought to these shores by English sailors and from there to the expanding Adabian polity. There have been several Beirut football clubs but the current incarnation was only established in 1980. When the Premier League started, the club quickly established itself as one of the league’s best, but for a long time would be unable to achieve the highest prize of all: the league title (although it did win the Emperor’s Cup in 1993). That changed from the 2020s onward, with their second Emperor’s Cup in 2021 and their first Premier League title in 2025 being the highlights of a period of Beirut renaissance. After another fallow period, former Beirut player-turned-motivational speaker Fald Braud took over as owner and chairman, and under his leadership the club would win another Emperor’s Cup in 2033-34 and yet again reestablish itself as league contenders.

Preview:
They’ve won it. They’ve finally won the league. It was the culmination of all the hard work the club – its players, its staff, and its board – had put in over the decades, and it was what Fald Braud had promised when he bought the club. But success came at a terrible cost; Braud, who, in addition to being owner and chairman, had also served as manager for the last few seasons after the previous one resigned, became increasingly cold and erratic and abused alcohol as the pressure piled on him to deliver a league title. Braud’s family and players finally convinced him to go to rehab, and he stepped down as manager (while remaining as owner and chairman). Erisum Rimus – who had been fired by Baghdad City that same season – was hired as manager, guiding Beirut on the final stretch to that long-elusive title. The momentum is on their side now, and with the addition of Mickey Bethea from Chardonnay Rangers they hope that momentum will be able to carry them to a second consecutive title.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Hiranur Aslan – Female (age 25)
2 – LB – Mickey Bethea – Male (age 25) (Chromatika)
3 – CB – Eannatum Sharkalisharri – Male (age 30)
4 – CB – Shadrach Enmerkar – Male (age 27)
5 – RB – Sally Thomas – Female (age 22)
6 – LM/LAM – Said Anwar – Male (age 24)
7 – CM – Mushezibitu Agukakrimi – Female (age 26)
8 – CM/RM – Michael de Caours – Male (age 25) (Oberour Ab Moro)
9 – RM – Liselotte Koelewijn – Female (age 32) (The Cordian Isles)
10 – ST – Farrukh Manoogian – Male (age 27)
11 – ST – Nadje Barzani – Female (age 21)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – William Johnson – Male (age 22)
13 – GK – Tayyip Alptekin – Male (age 36)
14 – LB – Arishaka Akshak – Male (age 25)
15 – CB – Burnaburyas Sinnasir – Male (age 21)
16 – CB – Vivianne Lahoud – Female (age 26)
17 – RB – Marion Sansour – Female (age 28)
18 – LM – Enmerkar Alulim – Male (age 34)
19 – CM – Muhammad Bishara – Male (age 32)
20 – CM – Avisa Khouri – Female (age 21)
21 – RM – Lugalanemundu al-Tikriti – Male (age 22)
22 – ST – Jibril Abbas – Male (age 30)
23 – ST – Unzi Shuturul – Male (age 20)
24 – CM – Georgios Frangieh – Male (age 30)

DAMASCUS STEELERS

Nickname: The Steelers, The Sharp-Swords
Ground: Abbasiyyin Stadium (Damascus, Syria Governorate)
Capacity: 50,750
Owner: Mustafa al-Qadri
Chairman: Mustafa al-Qadri
Manager: Enlilbani Sarrugi
Previous season finish: 11th
Style modifier: +5

Honors:
Premier League (1):
2026-27

History:
Named after the famous Damascus steel used in swords, Damascus Steelers were for a long time perhaps the best and most illustrious club in the country never to have won either the Premier League or the Emperor’s Cup. That is, of course, no longer the case after the Steelers won in the league in 2027, although the Emperor’s Cup remains beyond their grasp. After that brief flash of glory, the Steelers’ performance have been a bit more uneven although they remain regular top five contenders.

Preview:
Disappointing does not begin to describe the Steelers’ performance last season. After a promising second-place finish in the 2036-37 season (which came following a terrible first half of the season), the Steelers could only finish 11th in 2037-38. Mustafa al-Qadri is rumored to be wondering if the long-term contract he gave to Enlilbani Sarrugi is a bad idea after all, but publicly he has continued to back the manager. Tensions linger in the dressing room, where Hakim al-Amin feels he is overshadowed by the older – and still unwilling to retire – striker Jushur al-Kufa, whose every need, al-Amin believes, is catered to by the club while his own needs are ignored. Al-Amin actually requested a transfer but no one was willing to buy him, so for now he is stuck here for at least one more season.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Bashar al-Muntafiq – Male (age 32)
2 – LB – Adnan al-Tikriti – Male (age 22)
3 – CB – Kendrick Given – Male (age 35) (Brenecia)
4 – CB – Nicholas Shimun – Male (age 31)
5 – RB – Tayyip Demir – Male (age 27)
6 – LM – Naftali Strauss – Male (age 26)
7 – CM – Malika Husayn – Female (age 24)
8 – CM – Laila Abbas – Female (age 25)
9 – RM – Maria Boullata – Female (age 26)
10 – ST/LM/LAM – Jushur al-Kufa – Male (age 35)
11 – ST – Hakim al-Amin – Male (age 29)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Akurgal Shulgi – Male (age 21)
13 – GK – Anunit Durigalzu – Male (age 21)
14 – LB – Rami Habash – Male (age 27)
15 – CB – Theodoros Shorrosh – Male (age 37)
16 – CB – Salman al-Qahtani – Male (age 24)
17 – RB – Emmanuel Sliwa – Male (age 18)
18 – LM – Jane Emerson – Female (age 18)
19 – CM – Hana Shamsuiluna – Female (age 25)
20 – CM – Yaakov Dangour – Male (age 30)
21 – RM – Mesannepada Simbarsipak – Male (age 20)
22 – ST – Zuuthusu Gadatas – Male (age 21)
23 – ST – Eva Lugalmarada – Female (age 25)
24 – CB – Eannatum al-Tikriti – Male (age 38)

ERIDU

Nickname: The Elders, The Lions
Ground: Birthplace of Civilization Stadium (Eridu, Adab Governorate)
Capacity: 36,275
Owner: Amarsin Alulim
Chairman: Amarsin Alulim
Manager: Naram-Sin Kalhu
Previous season finish: 10th
Style modifier: -1

History:
The oldest city in Adab is always keen to remind people of the fact, down to the name of its football stadium: the Birthplace of Civilization Stadium. After a period as a top 10 contender in the early 2000s, Eridu have mostly been content to remain a midtable side, but with the quality of players breaking into the first team, the fans are increasingly demanding more. So is owner and chairman Amarsin Alulim, who believes he can once again make Eridu a consistent top 10 side – and even more.

Preview:
Last season brought with it a marginal improvement for Eridu, rising from 11th the previous season to 10th. Even though they only rose one place, it was by no means an insignificant development, for Alulim and manager Naram-Sin Kalhu had indeed realized their aims to return Eridu to the top 10. The question now is can Eridu maintain their place there on a consistent basis? Many fans are aggrieved by Kalhu’s defensive tactics and are urging him to adopt a more attacking approach, but they are willing to give him more time to see if he can take Eridu to greater heights.

Starting lineup:
1 – GK – Abzu Akurgal – Male (age 31)
2 – LB – Asma Hastun – Female (age 29)
3 – CB – Bashar Inimabakesh – Male (age 31)
4 – CB – Adanirari Lugalzagesi – Male (age 27)
5 – RB – Matilda Brown – Female (age 29)
6 – LM – Enmerkar Adamu – Male (age 36)
7 – CM – Miqdad Sadat – Male (age 28)
8 – CM – Gulkishar Akurduana – Male (age 25)
9 – RM – Alittum Amnanu – Female (age 30)
10 – ST – Enmenluana Belshudu – Male (age 34)
11 – ST – Jacob Halevi – Male (age 25)

Substitutes:
12 – GK – Enlilbani Amartu – Male (age 33)
13 – GK – Umar al-Kuwaiti – Male (age 25)
14 – LB – Shamsu Khalid – Male (age 32)
15 – CB – Tizqar Hunhalbida – Male (age 18)
16 – CB – Ninsar Maliki – Female (age 20)
17 – RB – Kastiliasu Puzur-Amurri – Male (age 23)
18 – LM – Aisha al-Halqi – Female (age 28)
19 – CM – Zahra Khamis – Female (age 21)
20 – CM – Amir Kubburum – Male (age 36)
21 – RM – Nadine al-Khoury – Female (age 25)
22 – ST – Gamilninip Puzur-Ishtar – Male (age 31)
23 – ST – Shamash Hazir – Male (age 27)

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