Subject: National Team

I'm still waiting on a few updates and have yet to complete the future mids and strikers

The key players in the squad just now are still young enough to feature next season and with some decent looking 24/25 year olds coming through we may even be a bit stronger. It'll probably be next week before I can answer that question in depth, a certain Mr Claus is hampering my progress a little this week :)

I have however noticed a slight weakness in the squad and it was also noticed by Uber but I'll post more about that in the Association once I have a fuller picture.

Do you think rtg is up to putting player height in NTDB?

It would be great if it updated with the player form. We'd need to lobby the devs to put height in the XML though.

Would make it easier to match players with their positions, and tune tactics for height (particularly for positioning players in the box for offensive/defensive crosses).

rtg has height implemented into the Scotland db which he runs from his own web space. I'm not sure if he's actually running the ntdb now though as I thought he'd passed it on to somebody else. Not sure though but I'll ask him for further info.

Saturday see's my first match in charge of the NT and we are away to Hayastan, they look quite confident of getting a result looking at the tv studio link.

Game kicks off at 9.44 sk time according to their last home friendly.Hopefully we can get a result.

The team line up has been posted in the Association for all those interested.

Fingers crossed.............
(edited)

Go Willis&Maras. :P

2 Goals for Maras :)

3-1 victory today which I'm happy with all thing considered.

Next week see's the start of the mini wc and we should know our opponents by Sunday evening sk time.

Good start...
I guess it could have been expected but it's nice to start your tenure with a win :)

Australia did a very good game today, and the victory is fully deserved.Good luck Auldreekie, my friend, and I hope we meet again during the Mini WC group stages, so I can have my revenge....Just kiddin', my friend..:P

p.s: considering that winter holidays have just begun, I wish you , and to all the people in Australia,the best, and make all your dreams come true!

Respect,

Rafa.
(edited)

Thanks Rafa, same to you :)

How good was Stephenson for the 3rd goal?!? Amazing solo effort.

Yeah, I agree. Fantastic first touch with his head!

I notice that he got injured today playing for his club.It's just a short one though and hopefully his form will jump up a bit once he's back playing.

The mini wc groups will be drawn in a few hours. This is I believe the seedings that will be used.

Pot 1
Bulgaria
Israel
Uruguay
Perú
Chile
Australia
Slovenija
Makedonija

Pot 2
Ireland
Nippon
Ísland
South Africa
Malaysia
Portugal
Cymru
República Dominicana

Pot 3
Costa Rica
Hong Kong
Ukraina
Venezuela
Nigeria
Honduras
India
Sénégal

Pot 4
Hayastan
Shqipëria
Malta
Latvija
Zhōngguó
Lëtzebuerg
Việt Nam
Al Maghrib

3 or 4 decent outfits in pot 2 but the matches against the 3rd and 4th seeds we should be expected to win.

Australia have been drawn in group E

Group A
1.Perú
2.Cymru
3.Honduras
4.Al Maghrib


Group B
1.Israel
2.Malaysia
3.Hong Kong
4.Lëtzebuerg


Group C
1.Bulgaria
2.South Africa
3.Venezuela
4.Shqipëria


Group D
1.Makedonija
2.Ireland
3.Nigeria
4.Latvija


Group E
1.Australia
2.Portugal
3.Costa Rica
4.Việt Nam


Group F
1.Chile
2.Nippon
3.Sénégal
4.Zhōngguó


Group G
1.Uruguay
2.República Dominicana
3.India
4.Malta


Group H
1.Slovenija
2.Ísland
3.Ukraina
4.Hayastan

Portugal will provide a very stiff test and in all honesty will be favourites for this match, we'll give it a good go though.

Costa Rica, Could be close but we should be good enough to edge them out.

Vietnam, with respect, they look like finishing the group pointless.

Next week should have seen us with a match up v Vietnam but they have already booked a friendly with the Kiwi's. Awaiting further news but I guess we get a walkover....shame it wasn't Portugal :)

Edit to say that we are given a 5-0 walkover so I'm now looking to arrange a match for this week.
(edited)

This week we will play against one of sokker's lowest ranked nations in Kypros (Cyprus).Because of the big gulf in class we will use only players aged 23 or under so can I ask all if you have any players aged 22 or 23 in the db then please update them or send their skills to me via sk mail.
If any of you have a 22/23 y/o who isn't in the db and you're not sure if he can make it or not then please send me his skills and I'll let you know.

I had hoped to organise a friendly against one of the top 20 or so ranked teams but none accepted my invite. My thinking was that with the world cup starting the following week they may have rested one or two of their better players and evened the playing field somewhat. It would have have been a good situation to field a team and tactic with the Portugal match in mind.

Anyway, U23's...updates please :)

Bolton and Nesic are updated and available. Hope they can be of use.

Thanks, quite a few managers have updated their players or mailed me today. Nice to see :)

Nesic and Bolton are both in my preliminary squad, hopefully the form fairy is kind to Bolton on Thursday.

I've booked him a session with the sports psychologist, so he'll be good.