retired_w0lfpack1

It does go noticeably slow, but I'm not too impatient with it yet.

retired_hern1001

Well feck this looks interesting

retired_w0lfpack1

Hope it stays so!

retired_w0lfpack1

Expectations weren't high at the Icelandic F.A.

"We hope you can be competitive during the qualifiers," the President told Gunnar, "But honestly, you'll need to build for the future. I'm convinced of Iceland's potential as a footballing nation, and I expect you to nurture the country's young talent to fulfil this promise."

Looking at the draw for Group 8, could see why the President was pessimistic. On the other hand, he was a philosophical man; there were points both good and ill to it.

They'd been lucky, in one sense, avoiding the Englands, Germanys, and Italys of the world. They'd paid for it, however, with a group that was strong through the middle. There would be just one 'easy' fixture, against Malta. It would be a struggle to take points from any of the other sides, hardest of course against Sweden and Croatia, but Hungary and Bulgaria were no slouches.

We'll be lucky to finish higher than sixth, Gunnar thought.

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> P Team W D L GF GA GF PTS - Iceland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Bulgaria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Croatia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Hungary 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Malta 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Sweden 0 0 0 0 0 0 0</pre>
The first match wouldn't be until September, but for budgetary reasons, he wasn't allowed to schedule any friendly matches in preparation. A less pragmatic man might have complained about it; Gunnar simply shrugged, and, contemplating the weather outside, filled up the date that was available to him.

November?

Let's go to Tahiti.

retired_w0lfpack1

I still can't believe I can just, call France, and schedule a match!

Peter thought to himself.

He was the youngest of the five, and consequently, both the one who knew the least and the one who was enjoying himself the most.

The faxes had all come in: Belgium, France, Ireland, Cameroon, and Germany had all accepted friendly matches with Nigeria over the next two years.

He smiled.

Of course, he wasn't about to start that ambitious.

His first match would be a home friendly, against Benin in March; it would be a good chance to familiarize himself with the squad. The President of the F.A. had been very clear that nothing less than victory would suffice, but the day was two months off yet, and he wouldn't even get to meet his players for a time.

I still can't believe they're going to pay to fly me all over Europe and watch matches!, he thought to himself with glee.

His World Cup Qualifying wouldn't begin until June: Zimbabwe and Algeria that month, Gabon in July, Angola in September, and Rwanda in October.

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> P Team W D L GF GA GF PTS - Nigeria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Algeria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Gabon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Rwanda 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Zimbabwe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0</pre>
His smile grew even bigger.

We're going to own that group.

retired_w0lfpack1

Alan Pardew was a busy, busy man.

He had just two and a half weeks to find an apartment whilst simultaneously preparing Japan for the first game of their World Cup Qualifying campaign - and two thirds of his squad, including every defender, had just quit in protest over his appointment, as had every member of his staff.

And he didn't speak a word of Japanese.

At least Shinji Ono, Hidetoshi Nakata, Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, and Junichi Inamoto had stayed on; they each had at least forty caps. He was grateful, and they would slot straight into his starting XI. Three other players had at least twenty caps, and should form the core of his lineup.

The rest of the side - including every single defenseman - looked like fringe players, hangers-on in search of their first cap, who were suddenly given that opportunity by the departure of their betters.

Fortunately, he had the two easiest opponents in his group first, and would start at home.

Japan had been drawn in Group 3, with India, Singapore, and Oman. They would have to win the group to advance to the next round of Asian qualifying; the task would start with a home match against Oman in February, followed by a visit to Singapore in March. The big challenge would be the home-and-away series against India over the summer.

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> P Team W D L GF GA GF PTS - Japan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - India 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Oman 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Singapore 0 0 0 0 0 0 0</pre>
Optimistically assuming that the side would advance - if they didn't, it would certainly be a quick end to his management career - Pardew took the opportunity to schedule some friendlies.

Scotland agreed to visit in early September, which should raise the bar in terms of quality opposition. Since they had to visit the Persian Gulf region in October for the second match with Oman, he scheduled a visit to Saudi Arabia as well. Belgium accepted a November date, and he arranged fixtures with Australia and Germany in 2005. The latter, he was particularly happy with, as it would let his players get used to at least one of the venues for the 2006 World Cup.

Assuming he could assemble a squad with which to get there.

retired_w0lfpack1

Placing Colombia third in the South American qualifying, ahead of Argentina, hadn't been good enough for his predecessor?

Claude duBois shook his head.

I'm a dead man.

He thought it again when he saw the stretch of matches they were entering next: home against Brazil in March, then at Paraguay and Argentina in June. Without any friendlies to prepare his team with.

No, seriously, I'm a dead man.

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> P Team W D L GF GA GF PTS 1 Chile 4 0 0 11 4 + 7 12 2 Brazil 3 1 0 7 4 + 3 10 3 Colombia 2 1 1 7 5 + 2 7 4 Paraguay 2 1 1 5 6 - 1 7-------------------------------------------------- 5 Peru 2 0 2 7 5 + 2 6-------------------------------------------------- 6 Argentina 2 0 2 7 7 0 6 7 Ecuador 1 1 2 6 8 - 2 4 8 Uruguay 1 0 3 4 6 - 2 3 9 Bolivia 1 0 3 5 9 - 4 310 Venezuela 0 0 4 3 8 - 5 0</pre>
After considering the rigors of the South American schedule, he decided he would need some easy friendlies to blood his fringe players with. Assuming he lived that long.

There was one bright side, at least; he had cash to throw around as .. enticement .. to visit Colombia. Kazakhstan and Malta accepted for the September dates, and Estonia would play a visit in November.

That should be three easy wins, he thought to himself, looking over the schedule again.

Assuming I survive those first three games.

Literally.

retired_w0lfpack1

I guess I don't have work to do.

Tobias Möller thought to himself.

The U.S.A. didn't have any matches scheduled, yet, but the F.A. had blocked off all of the dates he might have wanted to schedule a friendly for.

The Super Bowl was over, and the M.L.S. hadn't started yet.

He wouldn't have a game until August.

Guess I'll go vacation in California, he decided, tossing aside the incomprehensible M.L.S. rule book.

Drafts? Trades? Player allocations?

Incomprehensible.

retired_manragh

As always an interesting read Amaroq

retired_gabachitalinda

great start