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The United Isles of Myrtannia and the MAFC officially welcome all 16 participants to the inaugural Atlantian Oceania Under-21 Football Cup! With all the teams level, who knows who will walk out with the Cup when all is said and done? Can the Starblaydis dominate in the U-21 field as well as they have in the conventional AOCAF? Will Vilita & Turori make it 2 for 2 in regional footballing competitions? Or will Pacitalia, Lamoni, or Nedalia rise to the challenge to hoist a regional cup for the first time? Perhaps Bettia's Young 'Uns will take the Cup home. Or can the Myrtannia Nymphs run the guantlet and win one for the home crowd? In a short time, we will find out for certain. |
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In Nos-Tf's office
"President Nos-Tf," began Jee-Wilikers "it seems we've signed up for the AOU21 competition. Do you know what it is?"
"Yeah. I wasn't really planning on sending a team, but I guess they needed us to make numbers." Football Federation President Nos-Tf replied.
"So what kind of a tournament is it."
"Football."
"Yeah, I got that part. But didn't the AOCAF, just finish."
"Yeah but this is the U21 tournament. It's for people under 21 kilograms, IE little kids"
"Are you sure about that? It seems kind of strange."
"Yeah I thought it strange too. I guess people in Atlantian Oceania just love their babies."
"Well we do too. Our cute little baby gnomes will blow them away."
"How are we going to choose the team?"
"That's easy. Photo contest. Have parents and guardians send pictures of their tykes playing football. We choose the 20 cutest and they get to go."
"Good idea. What about a coach?"
"A coach. They're kids. We'll send all the parents and when we get their we'll have a meeting and choose from them. We don't need a real coach. They're little kids."
"Alright. I'm sure we'll bowl the other nations over with our cuteness."
"For sure. You should see the pink & green jammies we've got made up. They're absolutely adorable."
"If you say so boss."
"Just wait till you have kids Jee-Wilikers"
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Az-cz |
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James Gaines looked over his material on his desk, in depth analysis of the BazaB's performance in the latest AOCAF.
"Stuff it! Tell the BazaB's it's not worth continueing a National 'B' Squad they are just not performing. Tell the U21's that they are going to the AOCAF." After spending hours trawling through half-hearted reports and repeated statements 'the team is going to get better'. James was just had it with the Bazalonian B side. The only problem is that the U21's have not seen much action only that u21's World Cup that was held ages ago... maybe In Jerusalem. Who knows it was so long ago.
Either way. The u21's needed some action and soon if they where eve3r going to be considered a serious threat in the AOCAF... And then finally he noticed a letter from the Myrtannians. A region-wide U21 tournament. Just the thing that the Bazacubs needed, e looked at the date... noticed it was a few months old and yelled.
"How come I didn't see this before" to his secretary which shrugged and said
"If you had kept your desk clean you might have noticed it." and went on about her business.
She was right of course and James knew it, He opened the letter and read the contents..
"Hot damn, just the thing the Bazacubs need... Ursula, get in here I need to dictate a letter to Myrtannia"
Of course Ursula was his secretary and with all the enthusiasm that exudes from a sloth took down the letter to the Myrtannians and after much grammatical editing she finally had a letter accepting the Bazacubs entrance into the AO u21 tournament.
Many months later, James had practically forgotten about it, he was a busy man trying to keep the national team sponsors happy and trying to oversee the A and B leagues. However one thing had changed, his desk was now somewhat tidy. Well, enough for him to notice a new letter from Mryrannian giving the details of the upcoming tournament. The draws and matchdays... James looked over the document.
Group D, with the hosts, the Gnomes from Az-Cz and Lamoni. All nations that we are at least friendly politically with Myrtannia and Lamoni are allies and Az-Cz would almost be a de-facto ally. All that asside, facing the hosts and Lamoni in the one group is always going to be tough. And with those gnomes of Az-Cz anything is possible. He didn't want to use the old cliche'd term "Group of Death", but well it fitted. Lamoni, a soccer stalwart of the AOCAF, Mrytannia the hosts who are never to be written out of a home tournament and Az-Cz who seem to be able to pull upsets out of the air.
This was going to be one tough group. Even with no idea of the teams the other nations where sending. Though James did wonder what it would take to get a top 2 spot in the group, and he shuddered.
The Next week the Bazacubs flew on BazAir to Myrtannia for the tournament, no one really cared back home noting that it is not a world cup or even a good AOCAF. It had no history behind it, but for the Bazacubs it was like they where prepared to make history. To the Winner goes the spoils and they were aiming not only to get to the knockout stage. They were planning to win. The first AO u21 tournament in Bazalonian hands... but the tournament had yet to even start and in a group like this anything could happen. |
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Eating A Bazalope Burger |
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V&T Off to Scandon Island
Recent acquisition Misrantis awaits!
Fresh off their triumph in their first joint entry into the Atlantian Oceania Cup of Association Football, The Vilita and Turori Jungle Eels / Eel Cat things will bounce back into action in the first ever Atlantian Oceania Under 21 Championships to be held in Myrtannia.
The Vilita & Turori side will take a very similar appearance to the fairly young side that took the AOCAF title. At the request of the Vilitan Football Assocation, the brothers Mumamba, Lorenzo and Malaino, well once again coach the side. Another familiar face will be dual-nationality phenom Kristofer Kilpter, who has yet to commit his future to either Vilita or Turori, but his star quality performances en route to the AOCAF title have certainly indicated that whichever nation he does finally choose to represent in the World Cup will certainly be gaining a quality footballer in the process. Despite his age, the Mumamba brothers have opted to give Kilpter the captains armband for the tournament, citing his maturing experience in the AOCAF competition as the main influence in this result.
Vilita and Turori will have an extra reason to secure qualification from their first group stage, which will be held in the Myrtannian province of Scandon Island, due to the opposition they will be facing. While the history between Vilita & Turori and their main opposition in the group, Nedalia, as well as Neu Amerika is more than amicable, the makings of a brand new rivalry come from the fourth and final team drawn into the proceedings. If the Jungle Eels are to advance to the next stage of the competition, they will have to overcome the recently incorporated nation of Misrantis to do so. And to add yet another story line to the already inter-twined equation, It is widely expected that Rahman Omer Hilali, captain of the Vilita & Turori AOCAF winning side will be named head coach of the Misrantian U-21 squad within the coming days. Hilali, a Misrantian citizen, benefitted from a ruling that, as there was no formal senior Misrantis Football/Soccer team, the experienced footballer would be able to compete on the Vilita & Turori squad as a result of the automatic visas received as a result of the acquisition of Misrantis by Vilita & Turori.
But now, Misrantis will be fielding a team for the first time in their history, and it will be Vilita & Turori, the nation that perhaps allowed them the chance to do so that will square off with them on the final day of group play.
The format of the Group stage is not favorable to Vilita & Turori however. With all matches being played on neutral ground at Mari City Park in Mari City, each of the four teams will play each other just once resulting in a total of three qualification matches. While head coach Lorenzo Mumamba is confident that Vilita & Turori can qualify from Group A, he has admitted that one shock result, especially in the Misrantis derby match which will be uncharted territory for Vilita & Turori, could put the Jungle Eels in a less than desirable position come the end of matchday 3. |
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The junior national team was warming up on the bright, sunny pitch in Ionia, shouts and cries echoed around the forested perimeter of the large grass pitch as the team performed shuttle runs around purple cones laid out in rows on the grass. Jaime Oberlander, Head Coach of the Starblaydi Under-21 team, stood with his arms crossed steadfastly in front of him tapping a ball back and forth with his right foot as he watched the proceedings.
"I take it you haven't called me here to tell me what line-up for these under twenty-ones I should be using," Jaime Oberlander didn't change his expression for a moment as he squinted in the bright sun, "because I'd get very irritated if you tried to do that again."
"We certainly haven't, Jaime," said the suited, sunglassed man standing just to the side and behind him. The suit didn't quite fit his obviously overweight frame, jacket unbuttoned so as not to increase the look of his paunch. "What I've come to tell you is that you're in the hot seat for the national team spot. You're the number-one contender."
"I'm the only contender," Jaime said quietly, before yelling, "Kaz, Kaz! Kaza! Pick those knees up or get off my pitch!"
"We have other candidates in mind."
"Bull-explicitive removed-."
"You just see to your under twenty-ones here, Jaime," the man went to turn away, "because if you screw this up that job title isn't going anywhere near your two-time Cup-winning hide."
"If Khim, Geraint and I could have picked our own substitutions," Jaime said, "we'd have a third one in the bank."
"You reckon." The man said under his breath as he walked away from the training pitch.
"Alright, pick it up, one more run each!" |
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Lamoni in a U-21 tourney?????
It's true. For the first time, there is a Lamonian team at an international U-21 tournament. These high school, and college bound kids will be facing their counterparts from around AO, and learning more about other cultures as well. This will also be a chance to come back from the humiliating defeat of our AOCAF squad at the hands of Vilita and Turori.
The Lamonian U-21 Eagles have been placed in group D, with such teams as Az-Cz, Bazalonia, and the hosts; Myrtannia. Group D will be playing at Halosen National Stadium, in the Myrtannian capital itself. The political outlook on all of these teams is good; all but Az-Cz being SDL members, and relations between the Free Republic and Az-Cz are generally good as well.
The format for this competition is a little odd, each team in the group will only face each other once, with only three matchdays. Lamoni has a very good chance of being the head of the group, but so do the other three teams. We will have to watch our steps, and play as well as we know how.
******BREAKING NEWS******
In a new announcement, the coach for the Lamonian U-21 Eagles has just been announced. Everyone in Lamoni should be pleased by the decision to place Graham Hill as the coach of the new Lamonian U-21 squad. |
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Lamoni |
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Democratic Maniac |
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And now we know why....
The Lamoni Hawks lost so brutally in the AOCAF final against Vilita and Turori. It seems that no one has clued in the Lamoni Hawks as to what it actually means to be playing a certain formation! Somehow, Lamoni was able to reach the AOCAF final, but with their plans outlined for the Under-21 Regional Championships, pundits around Atlantian Oceania. Duran Hopps of the Casari Non-Chalant reports that Lamoni is fielding a team suited for a zero-modifier style of play, yet is confusing the players by making them think they are playing a +5 style, which will only serve to neutralize any tactical plans they had going into their matches. Likewise, here in Vilita, reports of the tactical ineptity of the Hawks Under-21 manager have reached the newswires.
"Do they not grasp the concept of All-Out Attack?"
One bypasser exclaimed when interviewed.
"All Out Attack means exactly that. If you are running a +5, that means all you are doing is Attacking. It's the very extreme. What part of extreme don't people understand? Maybe... just maybe a +3 at the very most. But +5 just makes you look like you don't have a clue what you are doing, which is probably the case"
Clearly, the Vilitan and Turorian public has little sympathy for the nation they recently upended to take the AOCAF title.
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Yihsrael Enters U-21 Tourney
Salahadin City, Myrtannia - For the first time in its breif history, the Federation of Yihsrael will be entering an international sporting competition. Even as the nation prepares for the rededication of the Great Temple, 22 young Yihsraelis are headed to neighboring Myrtannia. The prupose of the visit is the AO Under-21 Football Cup, the first of its kind in AO.
Being so new to competition, Yihsrael really doesn't look too favorable to get past the group stage, especially considering the competition in its group. Despite everyone starting off on an 'even foot', Yihsrael is overmatched in Group C. The Lowland Clans are a perrenial footballing nation, and their still nameless U-21ers should teach Yihsrael a thing or two. Fellow Jews Milchama have more experience, so another loss there. Finally, there's the powerful Starblaydis. Even though their U-21 side hasn't seen action for a long time, you can bet they'll be dangerous on the pitch.
Well, everyone has a beginning, right? Even if that beginning is painful. |
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Myrtannia Set To Host the Region, Nymphs Ready For Bazacubs
HALOSEN - Armed with youngsters who played as reserves for the AOCAF XVI Dryads and new kits provided by MRH Athletic, the Myrtannia Nymphs will make their debut tonight in the opening action of the First AO U21 Cup. Where foreign interest in the tournament has been in many cases mild, the United Isles are very excited to be hosting a football tournament. Let alone inaugurate one. After hosting two AORBCs, Myrtannia is ready to host some of the foremost footballing nations in all of AO.
Of course, this being the first Under 21 Cup in AO history, it's not certain exactly how anyone will do. Most of these teams have never played at an international/interregional level. The exceptions in this case are Vilita & Turori and Bettia, and possibly Starblaydia. All should make runs at the Cup, but none are in Myrtannia's group this time around.
This group of teenage girls, dubbed the Nymphs, will attempt to continue the momentum Myrtannian football has been building up over the past few years. As far as we know, they will be the only all-female side in the AO U21 Football Cup, but that's nothing new for Myrtannia. In every AOCAF, Myrtannia has fielded a majority female side, and has enjoyed success to a point. The U21 girls want more, though.
"We want to do something really special for the fans now that we're playing to a home crowd," said the team's coach at a press conference, "It's important that we get off to a good start against Bazalonia, and continue that through the rest of the tournament."
Playing in front of not just the home crowd but in the nation's capital at the Halosen National Stadium, the Nymphs will no doubt have the full weight of the Myrtannian fans on their side. If anything outside the all-out attacking offense can give Myrtannia success, it will be the vast sea of orange and blue in the stands. Every group stage match for the Nymphs is already sold out, according to MAFC officials.
Despite the odd group stage setup (only three matchdays, one match against each other side), Myrtannia certainly hopes this competition will be a positive experience for each of the entrants. Now, for the official Halosen News-Times outlook for the Group Stage:
Group A - "AOCAF Champs Take the Group, Then What?"
1. Vilita & Turori
2. Misrantis
3. Nedalia
4. Neu Amerika
We have no doubt that the Vilita & Turori side can run away with this group, especially considering who their side will have on the pitch. The rest of the group will play catchup the whole time as the Jungle Eels or whatever they call themselves go unbeaten. Nedalia might seem a lock for second in the group, but something tells us they might get a souvenier wooden spoon early. Neu Amerika made the knockouts of AOCAF XVI by luck, and their U-21 side will fare worse. Misrantis, then, will beat the Pioneers, then shock the Nedalians on their way to a Quarterfinals berth.
Group B - "Group of Death No. 1 in B Flat"
1. Pacitalia
2. Bettia
3. Hypocria
4. Demot
In Group B, any one of the four teams could certainly take first place, as all have the neccessary talent to do so. Pacitalia is our pick to pull it off, since they've done well in past NS U21 competitions, and also in AOCAF. They'll be followed closely by Bettia, who could overtake them if they slip up at any point. Hypocria will be another close contender, and could pull off wins enough to sneak past both Pacitalia and Bettia. Demot made the KOs in their first AOCAF, and may well have the talent to contend for a slot in them here.
Group C - "Purple Peril Minors Dominate"
1. Starblaydia
2. Milchama
3. The Lowland Clans
4. Yihsrael
Starblaydia, as we all know, is the top team in regular AOCAF play, and we think they will contend for that position in the U21 field as well. They'll cut through this group as easily as V&T will through Group A, and the Clans and Milchama will battle for the scraps. Milchama might have the advantage this time around, but both they and TLC will beat newbie Yihsrael, who will be home in time for tea.
Group D - "Group of Death No. 2 in C Major"
1. Myrtannia
2. Bazalonia
3. Lamoni
4. Az-Cz
Another group of death in this competition, but one we feel the Nymphs will end up on top of due to homefield advantage. Bazalonia will edge out Lamoni by a goal differential tie breaker, which may cause the Eagles to cry foul. Az-Cz, who misunderstood the term 'Under-21', will just... well, it won't be pretty. But Bazalonia, Myrtannia, and Lamoni all have the talent to win this group. It should be fun to watch. |
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Demot Daily ~ Young Guns?
With the start of the inagural AO Under 21 tournament, the faces of the Demot squad are quite unknown. Many of these talented youngsters are on club rosters, but rarely get the time to show off their skills with soo many crafty and respected veterans on their squads. However under the guidance of the newly appointed Youth Development Manager, this squad will be able to show why many of them have bright futures ahead of them, and may perhaps earn their way onto the main national team with good performances here.
But the challange is not easy, as the team has been drawn into a rather difficult group. Pactalia, whom the national team faced off with in the AOCAF, are join along with Bettia, who will be enraged on their matchday with Demot due to Demot's national and kit colors being black and red, along with another established nation of Hypocria. The group is being dubbed "The Group of Death" for this tournament, and righfully so. Each of these squads deserve to advance past the groupstage, and each match will be a hard fought affair. In the end, this reporter sees Bettia and Demot pulling through, each with a 2-1 record in group play. Reporting from Myrtannia, this is Jasmine Olyvander signing off.
Article released 9/26/06 |
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"What did the Myrattanians say?"
"That we would lose to Starblaydia."
"Pfft, we beat them last U21 WC and we'll do it again too."
"I bet."
Milchama News-Today-Tommorow-Chronicle-Telegraph-Journal-Update -Register-Sun-Enquirer-Post-Gazette-Times-Picayune-Herald
Sports Section
Predictions! Yeh?
Well we have good news and bad news. The good news is that the U21s are playing again and for the first time since WC 24 they are being coached by a Milchamian. This is the first time that a Milchamian has coached a major squad since WC 25. Anyway, getting away from history, its in AO where our sporting tradition sucks. We haven't broke at a tournament in AO in a long time and we don't want to ruin the streak of the U21s. Also this is an unorthodox team that relies heavily on speed but seems to have a lack of passing talent. While Lans has defended this strategy some have not as he clearly to take the physical specimen over the more established people who understood the finer points of the game. Will it work? Time will only tell. Wow! I just realized we're also against TLC bloody bastards are going to die. 5-0 victory here we come.
Onto the infamous Milchamian predictions:
Starblaydia- The men in Mauve are always dangerous but we think our next generation is better than them. Heck our current generation are better than their next generation if U21s are anything to go by. With this said it will still be a hard match but we still expect a victory or at least a draw from this match.
Milchama- That's us. With a bunch of new players with a different strategy than any past coach has employed we have no idea how well we will do. Our U21s are our most successful consistent squad and we certainly don't want that ruined to watch out ya'll.
The Lowland Clans- Our rivals. They suck at U21s. (they suck at regular older football as well) The only question I'm asking about this game, is how much? As in, how much are we going to win by? because that's the only real question in a blowout throwaway match like this.
Yihsrael- Our fellow Jews. We already exchanged an embassy with them and have representatives at the reopening for the third temple. All is looking well. Which is why despite the absolute thrashing we're going to give to them it will be nice to play against fellow Jews and doing well only makes it better.
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"Take that, you little bitch."
Kaza Matranga picked herself up off the muddy turf and rubbed her left calf muscle where Aleksandr Rekeseski had clattered her. Being from a long line of famous footballers was no help to her here. Whether it was Aiden, Nick, Itechton or Jade who had been the deciding factor in why Aleks had such an instant dislike for her, Jade could only pull up her socks, quite literally, and carry on. Aleks was the worst of them, but more than a few glared at her as she jogged back to her position on the pitch. This short training session of a twenty-minute eleven-a-side match was certainly proving painful for her.
"Don't need to worry about them," a friendly voice said behind her, Stracinho opening his mouth again, "offense is where it's at, without us they're nothing, bunch of big slow dumb idiots."
"Yeah," said Kaza, with no real commitment behind her statement, "I got four goals in the AOCAF last year."
"I'll get more, way more," Stracinho said, "only I'll be doing it in the World Cup. I'll fire us all the way to the Final, if you make it on the team too."
"I hope so."
"STRAY!" The call from the Boss on the touchlines was unmistakable. "Shut your mouth, play the game."
"When did he ever score a goal?" Stracinho said under his breath as he jogged away, calling for Betanii Marrones to pass him the ball. She didn't, and swiftly received a verbal dressing down from the seventeen year-old striker. Again Oberlander yelled at him. Suddenly Kaza felt a sharp pain on her left foot and cried out, jumping back.
"Looks like those trademark Matranga fast-feet aren't quite so fast at all." Aleks sneered at her. |
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"Say what?!?! The tournaments not for under-21 kilograms but for under 21 years of age?!? Who in their right mind would want a tournament like that?!?!" complained the mother of Flo-Ma.
"Yeah. It's so unnecessary. Kids that age who would be good enough to make the team are already playing in the -League. And a lot of them earned caps for the national side in the Cup of Harmony or even the World Cup Qualifying proper." responded Youn Ji-Hyun's father.
"Not to mention high school, university and youth club teams. Older kids have plenty of chances to play. But little kids, nothing." added in Mo-El's mother.
Mo-El's other mother continued on, "Yeah it'd be like having a separate tournament for women or something."
"Good. So we all agree it's a bad idea for a tournament. So when we get back to Az-cz we'll ask Nos-Tf to petition asking for a change to the Under-21 kilogram idea, which is actually a good one. But what are we going to do now?" queried Lo-Rdr's grandmother.
"Well," began Juan Valdez's father "we're here, the kids are here, they've got those cute soccer jammies. And they all seem to enjoy soccer, even if they don't really seem to grasp the point of the game yet. I see no reason to give up and go home."
"Neither do I." seconded Swt-Ht's mother. "We ought to be able to trust Bazalonia and Lamoni and Myrtannia as hosts to treat our children well."
Sa-Ra's mother chimed in with the last word on the subject, "Yeah. It's not like this is the AOCAF and has to be taken that seriously." |
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Senator in Training |
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"Alright, you lazy capitalists! Move it!" came the shout from Marcellus Demchok, manager of the SUNA Pioneers, and former Crimson Army drill sergeant.
The young men of the Neu Amerikan U21 team began to push harder and harder as they scrimmaged. It was to be expected that this new manager would make them drill as if this was the Army. He'd been in the Army, and much was expected of this team as well. No less than Chief Socialist Kaminska had informed Demchok that he wanted the Pioneers to reach the Quarterfinals of this U21 tournament. Making the round of 16 in their first AOCAF was one thing, but it was only the beginning for SUNA soccer/football.
"Kernodle! Stay with your man, for Mosser's sake!" Demchok screamed and blew his whistle as the defender was outmaneuverd by a reserve forward.
"Sorry, Comrade Manager," Kernodle responded, only to get a slap from Demchok.
"If we're going to live up to our Chief Socialist's expectations, we need to play defense! We beat Misrantis and Nedalia and we're through! Now get your head in the game so we'll be ready for these bloodsucking capitalist pigs! Move it!" Demchok hollered even though the young man was right in front of him.
"Right away, Comrade Manager Demchok," Kernodle saluted, and returned to the pitch.
It was only a scrimmage, but it had become full-contact as the reserves found themselves generally pushed around by the starting formation. Time after time, Autovino and Gorychka scored goals on the reserve keeper, and Kernodle finally starting playing well enough to suit Demchok. Then, one of the reserve forwards somehow got back in the starters' back third, and got past Kernodle before scoring on Baumiester.
"KERNODLE! What did I just say?! That's it, drop and give me 30! You too Baumiester!" Demchok barked, then went up to the young woman who had just scored, "What's your name, Comrade?"
"Scarlett Gorychka, Comrade Manager," the raven-maned teenager responded eagerly.
"Any relation to H. Gorychka in the starting 11?" the manager asked emotionlessly.
"His sister, Comrade Manager. 13 years of age," she added, "No club affiliation yet, Comrade."
"Good.. you play like that and I'll have you replace Autovino or somebody," Demchok added, then turned back to Kernodle and Baumiester to ensure they were doing their pushups.
This post has been edited by Neu Amerika on Sep 27 2006, 06:47 PM |
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Here is PSN's prediction for the Group Stage of AOCAF-U21!
Group A
1. Nedalia
2. Vilita & Turori
3. Neu Amerika
4. Misrantis
The Lions are traditionally a form team in international under-21 competition so we expect it should be no different. V&T have combined their under-21 squads like they did their AOCAF effort (which paid off handsomely with a championship in Lamoni), but Vilita's drop from the top echelon of the international ranks into a mid-range position will most likely prevent them, provided Nedalia doesn't slip up flukishly, from topping the group. SUNA and Misrantis will finish in the bottom two spots as a result.
Group B
1. Pacitalia
2. Bettia
3. Hypocria
4. Demot
Three of four teams have previous U21 World Cup experience, and lots of it, while the fourth squad, Demot, is making its first appearance in an under-21 tournament, whether regional or international. The U21 Blue Foxes are perenially strong, led up front by a strong forward core in veteran striker Massimo da Scupeta, superstar youngster Afino Boranogunta, captain Bertrando Massimatto and talented wingmen Marco Fanazori and Gianluca Marti. Meanwhile, Bettia's traditionally strong offence will possibly pose a challenge for the junior Hyppos and definitely for the Demot squad. Expect it to be close with the U21 Blue Foxes taking the Group of Death by a hair.
Group C
1. Starblaydia
2. Milchama
3. The Lowland Clans
4. Yihsrael
The top two teams in this group at the end of the primary stage are obviously going to be the two that have U21 experience, and those two teams are Starblaydia and Milchama. Give TLC credit as they attempt to upset the Warriors into giving up that second qualifying spot but in the end the red-and-whites advance alongside the Starblaydis.
Group D
1. Bazalonia
2. Myrtannia
3. Az-Cz
4. Lamoni
Group D is characterised by the fact that only one team has previous U21-level experience. In fact, it could be an easy ride to the finish for the Bazacubs who face an inexperienced Hawks side, a newcomer Az-Cz side composed of kids under the age of five (which seems an insult to the sport and competition itself), and a host Nymphs side which has to deal with added pressure to win something and have it mean something as well -- after Myrtannia bowed out a bit early in the knockouts of AOCAF16.
Note that these are approximate standings and based on the slight modification of even one factor of our own calculation of these ranks, the entire final standings could change dramatically. Therefore, they are simply predictions and not scientifically-verifiable. This seems especially true in Group B.
This post has been edited by Pacitalia on Sep 27 2006, 11:41 PM |
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