<![CDATA[Simulation Soccer League - All Forums]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/ Wed, 26 Aug 2026 01:16:51 +0000 MyBB <![CDATA[Stockholm Squad (so far)]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10651 Tue, 25 Aug 2026 23:37:20 +0100 Frantik]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10651 ]]> ]]> <![CDATA[Interview]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10650 Tue, 25 Aug 2026 22:38:01 +0100 McLumberjack]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10650
He had been assured that it will only be a formality and that he basically has the position, but what if he flubs the interview? Thoughts of everything that can go wrong race through his head. To get his mind of it he rehearses his answers again:

"What kind of community culture do you hope to build? I want to create an competitive environment... no that sounds too hostile. I would like to create a culture of winning? No thats too much"

He is so lost in thought he does not hear the door open and his name called, only the second time does he look up.

"Oh yes Bob Berendsen thats me!" He gets up and gives a handshake to the board member.

They sit down in a spacious office with a large oak desk in the middle of the room.

"So Bob Berendsen, you would like to apply for organisational manager of USP. What experience do you have that would be beneficial for the role?"]]>
He had been assured that it will only be a formality and that he basically has the position, but what if he flubs the interview? Thoughts of everything that can go wrong race through his head. To get his mind of it he rehearses his answers again:

"What kind of community culture do you hope to build? I want to create an competitive environment... no that sounds too hostile. I would like to create a culture of winning? No thats too much"

He is so lost in thought he does not hear the door open and his name called, only the second time does he look up.

"Oh yes Bob Berendsen thats me!" He gets up and gives a handshake to the board member.

They sit down in a spacious office with a large oak desk in the middle of the room.

"So Bob Berendsen, you would like to apply for organisational manager of USP. What experience do you have that would be beneficial for the role?"]]> <![CDATA[In The Foothills Above Cape Town]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10649 Tue, 25 Aug 2026 21:52:22 +0100 nckkss]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10649
The sun is starting to set and is spreading a golden hue over the scenery, like the earth itself is shimmering with delight.

On a stony path, a red faced, helmeted cyclist is trundling uphill, our hero Nick Kasak, Kaapstad midfielder, is trying yet another way of training before the season starts. Mountain biking is not always known for its great cardio workouts, and the risk of injury may be of some concern to the club’s medical team, but Nick is hovering on air, hoovering up the scenery and loving every minute.

Screeching around bends and kicking up dust, he skids to a halt on the path

He checks the phone mounted to his handlebars, the blue dot indicating his location has a large circle around it, and zero bars of signal.

LOW BATTERY pops up the screen.

While the scenery may be delightful, Nick is now starting to worry. He’s not entirely sure now which direction is the way down. Cape Town starting to look very far away indeed. Now, in this situation he could just call the club. They have always been very understanding, and sends out a car in 6 hours or less now.

But if his battery died, no one would know he was missing until he didn’t turn up for training tomorrow. This was pretty bad, and could get worse. He looks one way and then the other, then heads off back the way he emerged from.

________


No no, this can’t be right, night is rapidly falling and all of the paths look identical. Nick’s phone is now completely without battery. He flicks the lights on his mountain bike and prepares for what will either be adventure or failure.

He pedals hard, pushing himself around corners, the small circle of light ahead now his only target – the only things he can see in front of him.

Trees and bushes are thicker now he is further down but the noise of Cape Town seems a distant memory.

He hopes he can find home before the wildlife can get him, he swerves at the last moment to avoid a tree branch, he laughs nervously to himself – this was kind of fun after all.

He hears a rustling in the undergrowth and turns his head to see – a figure!

He cranes to look, seeing a dark skinned man in robes?

when-

BAM

________


“So welcome in, folks to the SSL season 127! We’ve just enjoyed another expansion and we’re now up to a whopping 19 teams competing.”

Nick’s vision is black, but he is no longer in the night time, he is seated at a Stadium. Kaapstad’s very own Nelson Mandela Stadium, but it looks… different. The crowd are dressed up in neon, many of them lighting up in Kaapstad green, seemingly at will.

Overhead, lots of strange looking aircraft glide seamlessly through the sky one after the other.

“Your Kaapstad team isssss….”

The announcer has been whipping the home fans into a frenzy, floating screens in front of the stands project three dimensional images of players.

“He always gives you what you want, it’s AL GORITHM.” A heavily tattooed figure with gloves that are lit up appears on the screen and flexes his muscles.

“Your wingbacks are ALAIN QUAY and ARMAND HAMMER.” Two heavily moustachioed men appear to the delightful roar of the crowd. Nick furrows his brow at the names… what is going on?

“In central defence, they’re not placeholders at all, it’s FIRSTNAME LASTNAME and PERSON PERSON,” two completely featureless, but somehow still distinctly person shaped, humans appear enthusiastically waving and giving thumbs up. A boy next to Nick in the stands activates the lights on his replica shirt and LASTNAME goes bright yellow on his back.”

“Your midfield isssss….RAMSAY McIRNBRU and TWELVE ANTS.” Sure enough, twelve very large ants are somehow sharing one kit, and the other figure looks like a viking, complete with Axe and horned helmet.

Kasak is more confused and becomes aware that no one has acknowledged his presence yet. Is he really here? Is this…

“DUNCAN DISORDERLY and BILL CLINTON on the wing,” this time the figures are a very animated man with a shaved head, who cracks open a can of lager and downs it immediately and alongside them, not even in kit, is former US President Bill Clinton, complete with navy blue presidential suit and saxophone. Bill looks especially pleased to be here.

“And finally…….”

Kasak clocks someone walking onto the pitch towards him…

“Your strikers…”

The figure from the trees, looking directly at him and walking at pace…

“the best Cape Town has to offer…”

He’s almost halfway to Nick, who can only stare, seemingly rooted to the spot.

“The smoothest man in the business…”

The figure is still staring, but has a small smile – but why has no one else noticed this?

“And the most unpredictable player we’ve ever seen…”

The robes he is wearing look like something he’d seen before. Traditional, southern African? Nick didn’t know exactly where he had seen this but he couldn’t help but trust…

“Its DOLPH DOLPHIN and BAG O’CATS”

A completely hairless grey man and a little bag of domestic cats appear on the big screen as the Kaapstad team in the flesh start trotting out somewhere on Nick’s right.

But now the tall dark skinned figure is nearly with him, he reaches out a hand to Nick’s head and then-

________

Nick drops to the floor, catching himself before falling on his face. His finger feel the stones and the dirt of the forest floor he’d been in moments before, but the dawn light is now shining upon it. He looks up, the dim still hurting his eyes as if he’d been asleep for hours. He is by the side of a road next to his car and his bike is propped neatly up against it.

He feels a pain in his head and reaches up to it – and finds a bandage in its place.

He moves quickly to his car’s wing mirror and checks – he has a black eye and bandaged head but is otherwise looking none the worse. He looks around for someone – anyone – to explain, but the area is deserted.

Confused but relieved, he reaches for his car keys, delighted to find them still there, and loads his bike ready to go - to training.



*All player names plus many more available £4.50 + postage each]]>
The sun is starting to set and is spreading a golden hue over the scenery, like the earth itself is shimmering with delight.

On a stony path, a red faced, helmeted cyclist is trundling uphill, our hero Nick Kasak, Kaapstad midfielder, is trying yet another way of training before the season starts. Mountain biking is not always known for its great cardio workouts, and the risk of injury may be of some concern to the club’s medical team, but Nick is hovering on air, hoovering up the scenery and loving every minute.

Screeching around bends and kicking up dust, he skids to a halt on the path

He checks the phone mounted to his handlebars, the blue dot indicating his location has a large circle around it, and zero bars of signal.

LOW BATTERY pops up the screen.

While the scenery may be delightful, Nick is now starting to worry. He’s not entirely sure now which direction is the way down. Cape Town starting to look very far away indeed. Now, in this situation he could just call the club. They have always been very understanding, and sends out a car in 6 hours or less now.

But if his battery died, no one would know he was missing until he didn’t turn up for training tomorrow. This was pretty bad, and could get worse. He looks one way and then the other, then heads off back the way he emerged from.

________


No no, this can’t be right, night is rapidly falling and all of the paths look identical. Nick’s phone is now completely without battery. He flicks the lights on his mountain bike and prepares for what will either be adventure or failure.

He pedals hard, pushing himself around corners, the small circle of light ahead now his only target – the only things he can see in front of him.

Trees and bushes are thicker now he is further down but the noise of Cape Town seems a distant memory.

He hopes he can find home before the wildlife can get him, he swerves at the last moment to avoid a tree branch, he laughs nervously to himself – this was kind of fun after all.

He hears a rustling in the undergrowth and turns his head to see – a figure!

He cranes to look, seeing a dark skinned man in robes?

when-

BAM

________


“So welcome in, folks to the SSL season 127! We’ve just enjoyed another expansion and we’re now up to a whopping 19 teams competing.”

Nick’s vision is black, but he is no longer in the night time, he is seated at a Stadium. Kaapstad’s very own Nelson Mandela Stadium, but it looks… different. The crowd are dressed up in neon, many of them lighting up in Kaapstad green, seemingly at will.

Overhead, lots of strange looking aircraft glide seamlessly through the sky one after the other.

“Your Kaapstad team isssss….”

The announcer has been whipping the home fans into a frenzy, floating screens in front of the stands project three dimensional images of players.

“He always gives you what you want, it’s AL GORITHM.” A heavily tattooed figure with gloves that are lit up appears on the screen and flexes his muscles.

“Your wingbacks are ALAIN QUAY and ARMAND HAMMER.” Two heavily moustachioed men appear to the delightful roar of the crowd. Nick furrows his brow at the names… what is going on?

“In central defence, they’re not placeholders at all, it’s FIRSTNAME LASTNAME and PERSON PERSON,” two completely featureless, but somehow still distinctly person shaped, humans appear enthusiastically waving and giving thumbs up. A boy next to Nick in the stands activates the lights on his replica shirt and LASTNAME goes bright yellow on his back.”

“Your midfield isssss….RAMSAY McIRNBRU and TWELVE ANTS.” Sure enough, twelve very large ants are somehow sharing one kit, and the other figure looks like a viking, complete with Axe and horned helmet.

Kasak is more confused and becomes aware that no one has acknowledged his presence yet. Is he really here? Is this…

“DUNCAN DISORDERLY and BILL CLINTON on the wing,” this time the figures are a very animated man with a shaved head, who cracks open a can of lager and downs it immediately and alongside them, not even in kit, is former US President Bill Clinton, complete with navy blue presidential suit and saxophone. Bill looks especially pleased to be here.

“And finally…….”

Kasak clocks someone walking onto the pitch towards him…

“Your strikers…”

The figure from the trees, looking directly at him and walking at pace…

“the best Cape Town has to offer…”

He’s almost halfway to Nick, who can only stare, seemingly rooted to the spot.

“The smoothest man in the business…”

The figure is still staring, but has a small smile – but why has no one else noticed this?

“And the most unpredictable player we’ve ever seen…”

The robes he is wearing look like something he’d seen before. Traditional, southern African? Nick didn’t know exactly where he had seen this but he couldn’t help but trust…

“Its DOLPH DOLPHIN and BAG O’CATS”

A completely hairless grey man and a little bag of domestic cats appear on the big screen as the Kaapstad team in the flesh start trotting out somewhere on Nick’s right.

But now the tall dark skinned figure is nearly with him, he reaches out a hand to Nick’s head and then-

________

Nick drops to the floor, catching himself before falling on his face. His finger feel the stones and the dirt of the forest floor he’d been in moments before, but the dawn light is now shining upon it. He looks up, the dim still hurting his eyes as if he’d been asleep for hours. He is by the side of a road next to his car and his bike is propped neatly up against it.

He feels a pain in his head and reaches up to it – and finds a bandage in its place.

He moves quickly to his car’s wing mirror and checks – he has a black eye and bandaged head but is otherwise looking none the worse. He looks around for someone – anyone – to explain, but the area is deserted.

Confused but relieved, he reaches for his car keys, delighted to find them still there, and loads his bike ready to go - to training.



*All player names plus many more available £4.50 + postage each]]> <![CDATA[Majors Seasons Predictions]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10648 Tue, 25 Aug 2026 19:23:25 +0100 Pelochyta]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10648
Once again a reminder: I know nothing. Don't even own the sim.

Division 1

1. Shanghai
Average TPE: 1786
Record: 8 - 2 - 2 (26 points)

Shanghai was recently promoted to Majors Division 1 and have the second best TPE in the division. I'm projecting them first because they just won the cup, which gives me faith in their performance this season. I think it will be a very tight race for first against Tenochtitlan who just edge them out for best average TPE.  Their strong offensive group should be able to slot in goal after goal against the bottom teams, but their one weakness might be their fourth defender. Obviously they can cover pretty well with their two other defenders over 2000 TPE, but teams might be able to get some lucky runs against the weak link.

EDIT: I've been informed that i was LIED TO, DECEIVED, and DOUBLE CROSSED and Shanghai didn't win the cup but whatever

2. Tenochtitlan
Average TPE: 1829
Record: 8 - 1 - 3 (25 points)

Coming in second place by the slimmest of margins is Tenochtitlan. They're the TPE leader and I expect a lot of wins from them as well, but what's more fun than a 1 point difference between the top two teams?? This team should thrive on their defense again this season and can hopefully take some strides of offense. Last season they finished tied for third in goals and I think can move up in that category, especially facing some of the lower rated teams but they've bulked up a bit in the TPE department there. There's no major weaknesses on the roster as every player is over 1500, with all but one over 1700, so it'll come down to tactics and the sim for how high they can fly.

3. Liffeyside
Average TPE: 1515
Record: 6 - 2 - 4 (20 points)

Liffey out-performed their TPE last season by a pretty good margin, and I see no reason why they couldn't do it again. It'll be another tie in points with Sao Paulo as well, just like last season. They're a couple hundred TPE behind Shanghai/Tenochtitlan but I'm sure they can eke out a draw or something. They're pretty well at the same TPE as last season when they put up 22 points (1.47 per match), and they keep a similar pace here with 1.66 points per match, aided by beating a lot of the teams below them with their strong tactics. They played a low scoring style last season, both for and against, and I expect that to continue here.

4. Sao Paulo
Average TPE: 1640
Record: 6 - 2 - 4 (20 points)

Goalie. Cancelo has only 1259 TPE at the time of writing, the second lowest mark of any org. They have some strong defenders but I think the lack of strong goaltending will sink them again, similar to last season, and they'll end up middle of the pack. They have one strong striker, and then a collection of attacking midfielders in the 1400s - 1600s. They finished at 0 GD last season and I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same again - probably beating up on the three teams below them but getting beat up by Shanghai and Tenochtitlan's strong offenses.

5. Reykjavik
Average TPE: 1497
Record: 4 - 0 - 8 (12 points)

The defense will probably struggle for Reykjavik. Really the whole team, with only one player over 1800 TPE, but the defense especially. The four defenders don't inspire confidence, most especially Rashford IV with only 769 TPE (the lowest in the entire division). Overall it's just a team with no real highs and only one real low; I can't see them pulling any upsets off the top 2, so they're gonna have to try and find points against the teams lower on the totem pole, or pulling off a close one against Liffey/Sao Paulo. But they're my team so I believe in them. You know how it goes.

6. Hollywood
Average TPE: 1490
Record: 3 - 2 - 7 (11 points)

You can probably repeat everything I said about Reykjavik here, except Hollywood will probably have a slightly better offense (and a better goal keeper). They have a 2k TPE Striker which should buoy their offense some, even if nobody else is a superstar, and their 1800 TPE goalie should be able to help shore up the deficiencies in their defence. Bad Wolf, at 861 TPE, I think is the second lowest TPE player in the division. With better defensive play I think they can turn some losses into draws, but I got drafted by Reykjavik and I'm a homer so I'll give them the one point edge. Sorry Hollywood, it is what it is.

7. Romana
Average TPE: 1382
Record: 2 - 1 - 9 (5 points)

Rome was a surprise promotion as most people I talked to expected them to lose their match against Catalunya and remain in Majors Division 2. They're down a solid 100 TPE over the next tier of teams, and feature 3 players under 1,000 TPE right now. This includes their goalie. They will have a formidable offense and midfielder group but the defense leaves a lot to be expected, and I expect them to give up a lot of goals - probably the most by a good amount. They'll sneak some wins, and score well enough, but the defense seems like something that is just a recipe for losses. So, I don't think it will be a great season for Rome and think they'll probably be facing relegation once the season wraps up. Their best hopes for wins are against Liffeyside, Hollywood and Reykjavik and maybe stealing one with a strong offensive performance against Sao Paulo and their low TPE goalie.

Division 2

1. Catalunya
Average TPE: 1586
Record: 10 - 0 - 2 (30 points)

Catalunya easily has the strongest roster in division 2, approaching almost 1600 average TPE. They lost the relegation match to endup down here, but would have the fourth highest average TPE in division 1. I'm not sure if it was just a bad match or a longer-standing problem of poor tactics. Hopefully the latter or I'll look silly. Catalunya should be able to steamroll the trio of Xelaju/Dakar/Casablanca (more on Xelaju later) for 6 easy wins. Their defense should be formidable, especially against some of the lower TPE offenses. It's a well balanced roster that should, frankly, just beat most other teams on attributes.

2. Black Forest
Average TPE: 1456
Record: 9 - 1 - 3 (25 points)

I'm still not super great with which positions contribute the most to scoring (in-sim), but assuming it's CAM/RAM, Black Forest should put up a lot of goals. They have a CAM, Powers, over 2,000 TPE and Bonito at RAM over 1600. The defense should also be sturdy enough especially when combined with a roughly average division 2 goalie, around 1000 TPE. Again, it's hard not to see this team picking up a lot of wins - at least 5? - against the bottom three squads which helps their point totals. Then it's a matter of how they do against the other middle of the road teams (and Catalunya), where I think there'll be a lot of 1W/1L type stuff.

3. Buenos Aires
Average TPE: 1407
Record: 8 - 1 - 3 (21 points)

Just imagine I said, essentially, the same thing again here as for Black Forest. They're slightly lower in TPE - which runs the increased risk of dropping a surprise against the bottom teams, or Tokyo - but still have a pretty sizeable advantage. They're a pretty well balanced team, but a little weaker on the defensive side of things. Their top earning midfielders are all on the attacking side, which should help them score, though.

4. Tokyo
Average TPE: 1245
Record: 7 - 1 - 4 (18 points)

With Xelaju indisposed, Tokyo sits in a tier of their own. They're 300 average TPE above the expansion teams, but 200 TPE below the top dogs. It would be an uphill climb to swipe games off Catalunya/Black Forest. Their goalkeeper, Woof at 813 TPE, is a point of concern but what can you do. I'm not sure their offense will be able to score much against the top half of the table, either, but we'll see.

5. Xelaju
Average TPE: 1196
Record: 3 - 2 - 7 (11 points)

Xelaju does not currently have a goalie. That is kind of an important position. These rankings are working on the assumption that they are forced to use their 462 TPE goalie from the minors since I have no clue what's available on the market (or if there's even anything available on said market). The team is roughly on par with Tokyo otherwise, but it's hard to look past such a bad goalie. Sometimes the team will play well enough to offset that low TPE goalie thing, but more often than not they won't. I'm guessing they get all of their wins and draws off Tokyo/Dakar/Casablanca (heavy on the Dakar/Casablanca) and avoid being in the absolute cellar.

6. Dakar
Average TPE: 969
Record: 1 - 1 - 10 (7 points)

7. Casablanca
Average TPE: 919
Record: 1 - 0 - 11 (6 points)

Both Dakar and Casablanca are in rough spots for their first season so I got lazy and lumped them both together. they both sit under 1000 average TPE, meaning that every other team has 200 or more average TPE (roughly) than the two expansion squads. The top three teams have almost, or over, 500 more TPE. I don't know anything about the tacticians on either team, admittedly, so I might be missing something - but they would need to be very impressive tactics indeed to out perform the TPE deficit.  Casablanca at least has a high-point of an almost 1600 TPE midfielder to maybe spur them to something, but not much else. Both teams have an uphill battle to winning a game against anybody except each other.  I gave Dakar an extra point via a tie because why not, life's short.



Excited to revisit this after the season and see how wrong I am! Minors coming next week.]]>
Once again a reminder: I know nothing. Don't even own the sim.

Division 1

1. Shanghai
Average TPE: 1786
Record: 8 - 2 - 2 (26 points)

Shanghai was recently promoted to Majors Division 1 and have the second best TPE in the division. I'm projecting them first because they just won the cup, which gives me faith in their performance this season. I think it will be a very tight race for first against Tenochtitlan who just edge them out for best average TPE.  Their strong offensive group should be able to slot in goal after goal against the bottom teams, but their one weakness might be their fourth defender. Obviously they can cover pretty well with their two other defenders over 2000 TPE, but teams might be able to get some lucky runs against the weak link.

EDIT: I've been informed that i was LIED TO, DECEIVED, and DOUBLE CROSSED and Shanghai didn't win the cup but whatever

2. Tenochtitlan
Average TPE: 1829
Record: 8 - 1 - 3 (25 points)

Coming in second place by the slimmest of margins is Tenochtitlan. They're the TPE leader and I expect a lot of wins from them as well, but what's more fun than a 1 point difference between the top two teams?? This team should thrive on their defense again this season and can hopefully take some strides of offense. Last season they finished tied for third in goals and I think can move up in that category, especially facing some of the lower rated teams but they've bulked up a bit in the TPE department there. There's no major weaknesses on the roster as every player is over 1500, with all but one over 1700, so it'll come down to tactics and the sim for how high they can fly.

3. Liffeyside
Average TPE: 1515
Record: 6 - 2 - 4 (20 points)

Liffey out-performed their TPE last season by a pretty good margin, and I see no reason why they couldn't do it again. It'll be another tie in points with Sao Paulo as well, just like last season. They're a couple hundred TPE behind Shanghai/Tenochtitlan but I'm sure they can eke out a draw or something. They're pretty well at the same TPE as last season when they put up 22 points (1.47 per match), and they keep a similar pace here with 1.66 points per match, aided by beating a lot of the teams below them with their strong tactics. They played a low scoring style last season, both for and against, and I expect that to continue here.

4. Sao Paulo
Average TPE: 1640
Record: 6 - 2 - 4 (20 points)

Goalie. Cancelo has only 1259 TPE at the time of writing, the second lowest mark of any org. They have some strong defenders but I think the lack of strong goaltending will sink them again, similar to last season, and they'll end up middle of the pack. They have one strong striker, and then a collection of attacking midfielders in the 1400s - 1600s. They finished at 0 GD last season and I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same again - probably beating up on the three teams below them but getting beat up by Shanghai and Tenochtitlan's strong offenses.

5. Reykjavik
Average TPE: 1497
Record: 4 - 0 - 8 (12 points)

The defense will probably struggle for Reykjavik. Really the whole team, with only one player over 1800 TPE, but the defense especially. The four defenders don't inspire confidence, most especially Rashford IV with only 769 TPE (the lowest in the entire division). Overall it's just a team with no real highs and only one real low; I can't see them pulling any upsets off the top 2, so they're gonna have to try and find points against the teams lower on the totem pole, or pulling off a close one against Liffey/Sao Paulo. But they're my team so I believe in them. You know how it goes.

6. Hollywood
Average TPE: 1490
Record: 3 - 2 - 7 (11 points)

You can probably repeat everything I said about Reykjavik here, except Hollywood will probably have a slightly better offense (and a better goal keeper). They have a 2k TPE Striker which should buoy their offense some, even if nobody else is a superstar, and their 1800 TPE goalie should be able to help shore up the deficiencies in their defence. Bad Wolf, at 861 TPE, I think is the second lowest TPE player in the division. With better defensive play I think they can turn some losses into draws, but I got drafted by Reykjavik and I'm a homer so I'll give them the one point edge. Sorry Hollywood, it is what it is.

7. Romana
Average TPE: 1382
Record: 2 - 1 - 9 (5 points)

Rome was a surprise promotion as most people I talked to expected them to lose their match against Catalunya and remain in Majors Division 2. They're down a solid 100 TPE over the next tier of teams, and feature 3 players under 1,000 TPE right now. This includes their goalie. They will have a formidable offense and midfielder group but the defense leaves a lot to be expected, and I expect them to give up a lot of goals - probably the most by a good amount. They'll sneak some wins, and score well enough, but the defense seems like something that is just a recipe for losses. So, I don't think it will be a great season for Rome and think they'll probably be facing relegation once the season wraps up. Their best hopes for wins are against Liffeyside, Hollywood and Reykjavik and maybe stealing one with a strong offensive performance against Sao Paulo and their low TPE goalie.

Division 2

1. Catalunya
Average TPE: 1586
Record: 10 - 0 - 2 (30 points)

Catalunya easily has the strongest roster in division 2, approaching almost 1600 average TPE. They lost the relegation match to endup down here, but would have the fourth highest average TPE in division 1. I'm not sure if it was just a bad match or a longer-standing problem of poor tactics. Hopefully the latter or I'll look silly. Catalunya should be able to steamroll the trio of Xelaju/Dakar/Casablanca (more on Xelaju later) for 6 easy wins. Their defense should be formidable, especially against some of the lower TPE offenses. It's a well balanced roster that should, frankly, just beat most other teams on attributes.

2. Black Forest
Average TPE: 1456
Record: 9 - 1 - 3 (25 points)

I'm still not super great with which positions contribute the most to scoring (in-sim), but assuming it's CAM/RAM, Black Forest should put up a lot of goals. They have a CAM, Powers, over 2,000 TPE and Bonito at RAM over 1600. The defense should also be sturdy enough especially when combined with a roughly average division 2 goalie, around 1000 TPE. Again, it's hard not to see this team picking up a lot of wins - at least 5? - against the bottom three squads which helps their point totals. Then it's a matter of how they do against the other middle of the road teams (and Catalunya), where I think there'll be a lot of 1W/1L type stuff.

3. Buenos Aires
Average TPE: 1407
Record: 8 - 1 - 3 (21 points)

Just imagine I said, essentially, the same thing again here as for Black Forest. They're slightly lower in TPE - which runs the increased risk of dropping a surprise against the bottom teams, or Tokyo - but still have a pretty sizeable advantage. They're a pretty well balanced team, but a little weaker on the defensive side of things. Their top earning midfielders are all on the attacking side, which should help them score, though.

4. Tokyo
Average TPE: 1245
Record: 7 - 1 - 4 (18 points)

With Xelaju indisposed, Tokyo sits in a tier of their own. They're 300 average TPE above the expansion teams, but 200 TPE below the top dogs. It would be an uphill climb to swipe games off Catalunya/Black Forest. Their goalkeeper, Woof at 813 TPE, is a point of concern but what can you do. I'm not sure their offense will be able to score much against the top half of the table, either, but we'll see.

5. Xelaju
Average TPE: 1196
Record: 3 - 2 - 7 (11 points)

Xelaju does not currently have a goalie. That is kind of an important position. These rankings are working on the assumption that they are forced to use their 462 TPE goalie from the minors since I have no clue what's available on the market (or if there's even anything available on said market). The team is roughly on par with Tokyo otherwise, but it's hard to look past such a bad goalie. Sometimes the team will play well enough to offset that low TPE goalie thing, but more often than not they won't. I'm guessing they get all of their wins and draws off Tokyo/Dakar/Casablanca (heavy on the Dakar/Casablanca) and avoid being in the absolute cellar.

6. Dakar
Average TPE: 969
Record: 1 - 1 - 10 (7 points)

7. Casablanca
Average TPE: 919
Record: 1 - 0 - 11 (6 points)

Both Dakar and Casablanca are in rough spots for their first season so I got lazy and lumped them both together. they both sit under 1000 average TPE, meaning that every other team has 200 or more average TPE (roughly) than the two expansion squads. The top three teams have almost, or over, 500 more TPE. I don't know anything about the tacticians on either team, admittedly, so I might be missing something - but they would need to be very impressive tactics indeed to out perform the TPE deficit.  Casablanca at least has a high-point of an almost 1600 TPE midfielder to maybe spur them to something, but not much else. Both teams have an uphill battle to winning a game against anybody except each other.  I gave Dakar an extra point via a tie because why not, life's short.



Excited to revisit this after the season and see how wrong I am! Minors coming next week.]]> <![CDATA[[HIRING] USP/ASP Organizational Manager]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10647 Tue, 25 Aug 2026 14:46:18 +0100 Zoone16]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10647 Organizational Manager  
@Summerstood has let us know of his intention to step down from the role of OM at Uniao Sao Paolo/AS Paris.

The BoD is looking to hire a replacement as soon as possible.

An Organizational Manager is responsible for the entire organization and can hire up to two (2) assistant managers and one (1) tactician to help in fulfilling the responsibilities. The Organizational Manager is the main point of contact for the organization. A Manager Guide has been written to detail the procedures and some tips to successfully complete the various responsibilities.

[Image: hE7l3K1.png]
The responsibilities include:
  • submit tactics for games
  • maintain an active locker room
  • keep up to date with league rules
  • keep track of organizational players and draft assets

If you would like to apply for the position or have any questions, please message a BoD member on discord.

As part of your application we would like it to include at least the following points:

Code:
Forum Username:
Player Name:
- What experience do you have that would be beneficial for the role?
- What would be your short and long term plans for the organization?
- What kind of community culture do you hope to build?
- How will you engage new users and build the community?
- How would you resolve any potential conflict that can arise within the community?
- What would you say makes a good sim league manager?
- Is there someone specifically you look up to as a sim league manager and why?
- Are there any obligations in your life or in sim leagues that we should be aware of that may limit your time or availability?
- Do you have any letters of recommendations?
Other things you would like to add:

Applications will close on Wednesday September 2nd.

Job pay is a weekly PT Pass + $3.5 million per season.]]> Organizational Manager  
@Summerstood has let us know of his intention to step down from the role of OM at Uniao Sao Paolo/AS Paris.

The BoD is looking to hire a replacement as soon as possible.

An Organizational Manager is responsible for the entire organization and can hire up to two (2) assistant managers and one (1) tactician to help in fulfilling the responsibilities. The Organizational Manager is the main point of contact for the organization. A Manager Guide has been written to detail the procedures and some tips to successfully complete the various responsibilities.

[Image: hE7l3K1.png]
The responsibilities include:
  • submit tactics for games
  • maintain an active locker room
  • keep up to date with league rules
  • keep track of organizational players and draft assets

If you would like to apply for the position or have any questions, please message a BoD member on discord.

As part of your application we would like it to include at least the following points:

Code:
Forum Username:
Player Name:
- What experience do you have that would be beneficial for the role?
- What would be your short and long term plans for the organization?
- What kind of community culture do you hope to build?
- How will you engage new users and build the community?
- How would you resolve any potential conflict that can arise within the community?
- What would you say makes a good sim league manager?
- Is there someone specifically you look up to as a sim league manager and why?
- Are there any obligations in your life or in sim leagues that we should be aware of that may limit your time or availability?
- Do you have any letters of recommendations?
Other things you would like to add:

Applications will close on Wednesday September 2nd.

Job pay is a weekly PT Pass + $3.5 million per season.]]> <![CDATA[Training with a twist]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10646 Tue, 25 Aug 2026 10:06:25 +0100 ChiefVito]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10646 His training begins early in the morning, not with agility ladders, but by lifting heavy wooden kegs to build raw, functional strength. He views beer as his primary fuel source, treating the heavy carbohydrates as the ultimate pre-match energy load. Martin claims that a few pints before hitting the pitch completely numbs his muscles to pain, allowing him to shrug off aggressive defenders with ease. During intense running drills, his teammates sprint past with water bottles, while Martin leans against the goalpost, casually cracking open a cold lager. He firmly believes the alcohol thins his blood just enough to make his spatial awareness sharper and his decision-making completely unpredictable. Surprisingly, it works. When match day arrives, his unorthodox conditioning manifests as sheer brute force, leaving opponents baffled by a striker who smells of hops and possesses the unstoppable momentum of a runaway freight train.(beer is good, was in prague, wery cheap wery good xD)]]> His training begins early in the morning, not with agility ladders, but by lifting heavy wooden kegs to build raw, functional strength. He views beer as his primary fuel source, treating the heavy carbohydrates as the ultimate pre-match energy load. Martin claims that a few pints before hitting the pitch completely numbs his muscles to pain, allowing him to shrug off aggressive defenders with ease. During intense running drills, his teammates sprint past with water bottles, while Martin leans against the goalpost, casually cracking open a cold lager. He firmly believes the alcohol thins his blood just enough to make his spatial awareness sharper and his decision-making completely unpredictable. Surprisingly, it works. When match day arrives, his unorthodox conditioning manifests as sheer brute force, leaving opponents baffled by a striker who smells of hops and possesses the unstoppable momentum of a runaway freight train.(beer is good, was in prague, wery cheap wery good xD)]]> <![CDATA[S27 Banner Competition]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10645 Tue, 25 Aug 2026 03:35:20 +0100 anjro]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10645 ]]> ]]> <![CDATA[SSL MacGuffin - S12]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10644 Tue, 25 Aug 2026 02:30:32 +0100 TubaDeus]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10644 here.

The short version is that the winner of the first ever SSL game is awarded the initial MacGuffin trophy, which is then passed on whenever the current title holder loses in competition play (Friendlies don't count). I will track how many games each team starts with the MacGuffin in order to determine the true best team in SSL history (because everyone knows the MacGuffin points are the true measure of greatness).

You can see previous entries in this series here:
S1-2
S3
S4
S5
S6
S7
S8
S9
S10
S11

With the introductions out of the way, let's take a look at where we left off last time!

All Time Standings:
1) Tokyo S.C. TSC - 46
2) Hollywood FC HFC - 26
3) Reykjavik United RKV - 24
T-4) CF Catalunya CFCat - 20
T-4) CA Buenos Aires BA - 20
T-6) Inter London LON - 12
T-6) Cairo City CFC - 12
T-8) Athenai F.C. AFC - 11
T-8) Uniao Sao Paulo USP - 11
10) Seoul MFC SEO - 10
11) Montreal United MTL - 7
T-12) AS Paris Paris - 4
T-12) A.C. Romana ACR - 4
T-14) Schwarzwalder FV  SFV - 2
T-14) F.C. Kaapstad KAP - 2
16) Red Star Laos RSL - 0

I could once again wax poetic about the ridiculousness of Tokyo S.C.'s lead over the rest of the field, but I think everyone is pretty well aware at this point. Suffice to say, Tokyo could once again not record a single MacGuffin point and they wouldn't even have to begin sweating about losing their title. Focusing on more intriguing matters, there is actually a battle for second being set up. After falling to Division 2 for a single season, Hollywood FC made it back up just in time to try to defend their position against a surging Reykjavik United. And, of course, they've got CF Catalunya and CA Buenos Aires hot on their heels. Looking further down the list, Uniao Sao Paulo is finally pushing their way through the lower division opponents, forcing their way toward the top of the MacGuffin leaderboard. Will they catch up to the leaders? Who will take control of second? Will anyone be able to look forward to even contending Tokyo's title next season? Let's dive in and find out!
S12
Season Start: CA Buenos Aires BA
Total Games Held: 2
Next Loss: 2-4 @ Tokyo S.C.

New Title Holder: Tokyo S.C. TSC
Total Games Held: 2
Next Loss: 1-4 vs Uniao Sao Paulo

New Title Holder: Uniao Sao Paulo USP
Total Games Held: 4
Next Loss: 0-4 @ A.C. Romana

New Title Holder: A.C. Romana ACR 
Total Games Held: 1
Next Loss: 0-5 @ Reykjavik United

New Title Holder: Reykjavik United RKV
Total Games Held: 13
Next Loss: 2-3 @ Hollywood FC

New Title Holder: Hollywood FC HFC
Total Games Held: 0
Next Loss: N/A

End of Season

Season Standings:
1) Reykjavik United RKV - 13
2) Uniao Sao Paulo USP - 4
T-3) CA Buenos Aires BA - 2
T-3) Tokyo S.C. TSC - 2
5) A.C. Romana ACR - 1
6) Hollywood FC HFC - 0

On the one hand, Tokyo S.C. did strike again. It's only two points, but they did make it back on the board after a goose egg in S11. Maybe it's because they felt the pressure from Reykjavik United's 13 points! I'm not going to go back and verify, but I'm fairly certain that's the most points any one team has ever scored in a single season. A few other teams scored a pittance, but S12 was thoroughly dominated by Reykjavik. What a way to usher in the new Majors and Minors split.

All Time Standings:
1) Tokyo S.C. TSC - 48
2) Reykjavik United RKV - 37 +1
3) Hollywood FC HFC - 26 -1
4) CA Buenos Aires BA - 22
5) CF Catalunya CFCat - 20 -1
6) Uniao Sao Paulo USP - 15 +2
T-7) Inter London LON - 12 -1
T-7) Cairo City CFC - 12 -1
9) Athenai F.C. AFC - 11 -1
10) Seoul MFC SEO - 10
11) Montreal United MTL - 7
12) A.C. Romana ACR - 5
13) AS Paris Paris - 4 -1
T-14) Schwarzwalder FV  SFV - 2
T-14) F.C. Kaapstad KAP - 2
16) Red Star Laos RSL - 0

Tokyo S.C. retains a substantial lead, but one more season like that out of Reykjavik United could erase it. Still, that was quite literally a historic MacGuffin season out of Reykjavik. If the only thing Tokyo immediately has to worry about is another historic season out of the one and only team who is even capable of threatening them, I think they're still in good shape. Further down the list, CA Buenos Aires solidifies its grasp on the 4th spot over a sluggish CF Catalunya team that hasn't shown up much in the MacGuffin standings lately. Just below them, Uniao Sao Paulo continues to surge, now rising nine spots in the rankings in just two season. It's a bit of a jump to catch up to the lead group now, but if they can continue with their current momentum then I think they'll be mingling with the leaders sooner rather than later.

More critical to note, with the new advent of the Majors and Minors system instead of just Division 1 and Division 2, the leagues are locked. Sure, they can still play each other during Cup play, but there's no more promotion and relegation to help move the MacGuffin along. The only way the MacGuffin is making back to the Minors teams is if they can best the Majors teams in Cup play. That's quite the tall task. Will a minors team be able to pull off the monstrous upset in S13? Will Reykjavik be the team to finally dethrone mighty Tokyo? Will my PM I'm traveling with stop rubbing it in my face that he was paid to play golf today while I worked from the office? Tune in next week to find out!]]> here.

The short version is that the winner of the first ever SSL game is awarded the initial MacGuffin trophy, which is then passed on whenever the current title holder loses in competition play (Friendlies don't count). I will track how many games each team starts with the MacGuffin in order to determine the true best team in SSL history (because everyone knows the MacGuffin points are the true measure of greatness).

You can see previous entries in this series here:
S1-2
S3
S4
S5
S6
S7
S8
S9
S10
S11

With the introductions out of the way, let's take a look at where we left off last time!

All Time Standings:
1) Tokyo S.C. TSC - 46
2) Hollywood FC HFC - 26
3) Reykjavik United RKV - 24
T-4) CF Catalunya CFCat - 20
T-4) CA Buenos Aires BA - 20
T-6) Inter London LON - 12
T-6) Cairo City CFC - 12
T-8) Athenai F.C. AFC - 11
T-8) Uniao Sao Paulo USP - 11
10) Seoul MFC SEO - 10
11) Montreal United MTL - 7
T-12) AS Paris Paris - 4
T-12) A.C. Romana ACR - 4
T-14) Schwarzwalder FV  SFV - 2
T-14) F.C. Kaapstad KAP - 2
16) Red Star Laos RSL - 0

I could once again wax poetic about the ridiculousness of Tokyo S.C.'s lead over the rest of the field, but I think everyone is pretty well aware at this point. Suffice to say, Tokyo could once again not record a single MacGuffin point and they wouldn't even have to begin sweating about losing their title. Focusing on more intriguing matters, there is actually a battle for second being set up. After falling to Division 2 for a single season, Hollywood FC made it back up just in time to try to defend their position against a surging Reykjavik United. And, of course, they've got CF Catalunya and CA Buenos Aires hot on their heels. Looking further down the list, Uniao Sao Paulo is finally pushing their way through the lower division opponents, forcing their way toward the top of the MacGuffin leaderboard. Will they catch up to the leaders? Who will take control of second? Will anyone be able to look forward to even contending Tokyo's title next season? Let's dive in and find out!
S12
Season Start: CA Buenos Aires BA
Total Games Held: 2
Next Loss: 2-4 @ Tokyo S.C.

New Title Holder: Tokyo S.C. TSC
Total Games Held: 2
Next Loss: 1-4 vs Uniao Sao Paulo

New Title Holder: Uniao Sao Paulo USP
Total Games Held: 4
Next Loss: 0-4 @ A.C. Romana

New Title Holder: A.C. Romana ACR 
Total Games Held: 1
Next Loss: 0-5 @ Reykjavik United

New Title Holder: Reykjavik United RKV
Total Games Held: 13
Next Loss: 2-3 @ Hollywood FC

New Title Holder: Hollywood FC HFC
Total Games Held: 0
Next Loss: N/A

End of Season

Season Standings:
1) Reykjavik United RKV - 13
2) Uniao Sao Paulo USP - 4
T-3) CA Buenos Aires BA - 2
T-3) Tokyo S.C. TSC - 2
5) A.C. Romana ACR - 1
6) Hollywood FC HFC - 0

On the one hand, Tokyo S.C. did strike again. It's only two points, but they did make it back on the board after a goose egg in S11. Maybe it's because they felt the pressure from Reykjavik United's 13 points! I'm not going to go back and verify, but I'm fairly certain that's the most points any one team has ever scored in a single season. A few other teams scored a pittance, but S12 was thoroughly dominated by Reykjavik. What a way to usher in the new Majors and Minors split.

All Time Standings:
1) Tokyo S.C. TSC - 48
2) Reykjavik United RKV - 37 +1
3) Hollywood FC HFC - 26 -1
4) CA Buenos Aires BA - 22
5) CF Catalunya CFCat - 20 -1
6) Uniao Sao Paulo USP - 15 +2
T-7) Inter London LON - 12 -1
T-7) Cairo City CFC - 12 -1
9) Athenai F.C. AFC - 11 -1
10) Seoul MFC SEO - 10
11) Montreal United MTL - 7
12) A.C. Romana ACR - 5
13) AS Paris Paris - 4 -1
T-14) Schwarzwalder FV  SFV - 2
T-14) F.C. Kaapstad KAP - 2
16) Red Star Laos RSL - 0

Tokyo S.C. retains a substantial lead, but one more season like that out of Reykjavik United could erase it. Still, that was quite literally a historic MacGuffin season out of Reykjavik. If the only thing Tokyo immediately has to worry about is another historic season out of the one and only team who is even capable of threatening them, I think they're still in good shape. Further down the list, CA Buenos Aires solidifies its grasp on the 4th spot over a sluggish CF Catalunya team that hasn't shown up much in the MacGuffin standings lately. Just below them, Uniao Sao Paulo continues to surge, now rising nine spots in the rankings in just two season. It's a bit of a jump to catch up to the lead group now, but if they can continue with their current momentum then I think they'll be mingling with the leaders sooner rather than later.

More critical to note, with the new advent of the Majors and Minors system instead of just Division 1 and Division 2, the leagues are locked. Sure, they can still play each other during Cup play, but there's no more promotion and relegation to help move the MacGuffin along. The only way the MacGuffin is making back to the Minors teams is if they can best the Majors teams in Cup play. That's quite the tall task. Will a minors team be able to pull off the monstrous upset in S13? Will Reykjavik be the team to finally dethrone mighty Tokyo? Will my PM I'm traveling with stop rubbing it in my face that he was paid to play golf today while I worked from the office? Tune in next week to find out!]]> <![CDATA[User Vulfzilla is BACK; Vegetable Lasagna]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10643 Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:23:49 +0100 Vulfzilla]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10643
But now he's received the opportunity of a lifetime.  To head off to neighboring Sweden, and ply his trade as a footballer, hoping to God on high that he will make it to the top, in an effort to remove himself from a path in life that only smells of lutefisk.

He started as a winger from a young age, but was recently dropped deeper to give a new attacking dynamic from a defensive position.  He combines the tenacity of a young Gary Neville with the abliity to bound forward and drop crosses to the far post like a prime Trent AA.

Who knows if he will meet those high expectations, or if he'll flame out after a few seasons like his user's players that came before... but one thing is for certain...]]>
But now he's received the opportunity of a lifetime.  To head off to neighboring Sweden, and ply his trade as a footballer, hoping to God on high that he will make it to the top, in an effort to remove himself from a path in life that only smells of lutefisk.

He started as a winger from a young age, but was recently dropped deeper to give a new attacking dynamic from a defensive position.  He combines the tenacity of a young Gary Neville with the abliity to bound forward and drop crosses to the far post like a prime Trent AA.

Who knows if he will meet those high expectations, or if he'll flame out after a few seasons like his user's players that came before... but one thing is for certain...]]> <![CDATA[Expectations for myself and Rova/Celtic]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10642 Mon, 24 Aug 2026 23:37:21 +0100 DarkViper2]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10642

As for the team expectations for Rova, I know they were a dominate force in the minors 2nd division last season with an impressive record of 13-1-1 with 40 points. They won the D2 title with ease. Now they are in the top division for this season and it's a completely different beast. Coming into the season I keep saying to myself "if we can finish top 5, I'll be happy with that." The ultimate goal is to win the D1 titles and that will take some time. I have full faith in @Bayley, @Nol15736, and our masterful tactician @Crunk. I think I'm going to fit in with the organization well because there are a number of users that I'm familiar with and I know these users are familiar with me by this point

As for Celtic, last season they finished in a 4 way tie for 2nd place with 22 points. Celtic wound up finishing in 5th after getting the short end of the stick because of tiebreakers, tied USP on GD, but USP won the head-to-head 2-0-1. Most of the main roster from that team is returning and two players, Jay Cue Jr. (name sounds familiar, just can't put finger on where I've heard a name like that before) and Lisfor ilovezeagLe, have been called up to the team. This team has the pieces to compete for a D1 titles, but I don't think that'll happen this season. If all goes well they should finish 2nd or 3rd in the standings and next season would have to be the s=year that Celtic wins their first D1 in the team's short history


I'm excited to play in my first matches for Rova this week, even though they are just friendly matches and I'm also excited to have my PRFC teammate, Ahmad Ampharos, to be on the team with me. This should be an exciting season

Code:
502 words
]]>

As for the team expectations for Rova, I know they were a dominate force in the minors 2nd division last season with an impressive record of 13-1-1 with 40 points. They won the D2 title with ease. Now they are in the top division for this season and it's a completely different beast. Coming into the season I keep saying to myself "if we can finish top 5, I'll be happy with that." The ultimate goal is to win the D1 titles and that will take some time. I have full faith in @Bayley, @Nol15736, and our masterful tactician @Crunk. I think I'm going to fit in with the organization well because there are a number of users that I'm familiar with and I know these users are familiar with me by this point

As for Celtic, last season they finished in a 4 way tie for 2nd place with 22 points. Celtic wound up finishing in 5th after getting the short end of the stick because of tiebreakers, tied USP on GD, but USP won the head-to-head 2-0-1. Most of the main roster from that team is returning and two players, Jay Cue Jr. (name sounds familiar, just can't put finger on where I've heard a name like that before) and Lisfor ilovezeagLe, have been called up to the team. This team has the pieces to compete for a D1 titles, but I don't think that'll happen this season. If all goes well they should finish 2nd or 3rd in the standings and next season would have to be the s=year that Celtic wins their first D1 in the team's short history


I'm excited to play in my first matches for Rova this week, even though they are just friendly matches and I'm also excited to have my PRFC teammate, Ahmad Ampharos, to be on the team with me. This should be an exciting season

Code:
502 words
]]> <![CDATA[Stockholm Honcho]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10641 Mon, 24 Aug 2026 22:41:52 +0100 Frantik]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10641 ]]> ]]> <![CDATA[Stockholm's First S28 Academy Students]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10640 Mon, 24 Aug 2026 20:15:11 +0100 Zoone16]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10640 Stockholm's First S28 Academy Students
- Jan Fotbol, Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm. Home of the one of the oldest SSL Academies. One that has produced many legends of the game past and preset. The gates of the training grounds of the Stockholm Idrottsklubb were open today to welcome to new class of draft hopefuls from across all of Europe. This year would be no different. Five early arrivals, five hopeful students of the game would call the Swedish capital their home until the S28 SSL Draft. The objective? To win the SSL Academy league. But also, to win over professional organizations in order to be selected by the most prestigious teams in the world.

Franco Maestro (@Zoone16 ), a striker from Milan who ha shown incredible athleticism for his age and a knack for shooting hard. The young man is a very raw gem who could stand to polish his technical attributes more to complement his gifted physical traits. Teams looking at him will see a player who models his game after SSL legend Mikko Rashford II, especially when it comes to finishing with a clutch goal. Between him and Honcho, the offensive capabilities of this Stockholm team will certainly be present from matchday 1.

Michele Honcho (@Frantik ), another Italian striker hailing from Fiorano. Born of an American father and Italian mother, Michele has a strong finishing ability, notably when it comes to his left foot. A great player when it comes to following up the actions of his teammates, he will look to complement Maestro in the final third of the pitch. As of today, it’s hard to say which striker between the two is ahead of the other but both look full of energy.

Coming from Scotland, Katherine Valar (@Revari ) is a central midfielder who has a bit of a ‘swiss army knife’ feel to her. She has the ability to do everything decently well but does not excel in any particular area as of today. A playmaker at heart, she enjoys dictating the tempo on the field, and making the game revolve around her in order to liberate space for her teammates. Between herself and Van Schneider, there is potential for a dynamic duo that can transition the ball from defence to offensive in the blink of an eye.

Diehauser Van Schneider (@Ouroboros ) is a German central midfielder who enjoys moving up and down the field, notably on the right flank. What he lacks in physical ability, he more than makes up in mental & technical attributes, notably decisions, vision and a solid first touch. He likes to switch the ball to the other flank, catching the opposition off guard and creating space on his own flank. With some time at the gym, he could prove to be a solid addition to any team in the SSL. His teamwork with Valar should prove to be fruitful and hopefully they do endf up making one another better players.

Lastly, from neighbouring Norway comes Vegetable Lasagna (@Vulfzilla ), a right wingback who likes to get forward whenever possible. Lasagna is a player that at first glance can look a bit ordinary but there are many layers to his game. Whilst being a good defensive player is there, it’s really the ability to carry the ball forward and getting those early crosses that sets him apart from other academy hopefuls at that position. In order to get to that SSL level Lasagna will have to get faster to keep up with the opposition.

As the sun sets on the training camp, Stockholm will have their fair share of legends joining the prospects on the field. These will present golden opportunities for the youngsters to learn from their experiences, understand where they’re supposed to be and hone their mental, technical & physical attributes to SSL standards. Soon the matches against other academies across the world will begin. The dawn of a new academy season is upon us.

(658 words)]]> Stockholm's First S28 Academy Students
- Jan Fotbol, Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm. Home of the one of the oldest SSL Academies. One that has produced many legends of the game past and preset. The gates of the training grounds of the Stockholm Idrottsklubb were open today to welcome to new class of draft hopefuls from across all of Europe. This year would be no different. Five early arrivals, five hopeful students of the game would call the Swedish capital their home until the S28 SSL Draft. The objective? To win the SSL Academy league. But also, to win over professional organizations in order to be selected by the most prestigious teams in the world.

Franco Maestro (@Zoone16 ), a striker from Milan who ha shown incredible athleticism for his age and a knack for shooting hard. The young man is a very raw gem who could stand to polish his technical attributes more to complement his gifted physical traits. Teams looking at him will see a player who models his game after SSL legend Mikko Rashford II, especially when it comes to finishing with a clutch goal. Between him and Honcho, the offensive capabilities of this Stockholm team will certainly be present from matchday 1.

Michele Honcho (@Frantik ), another Italian striker hailing from Fiorano. Born of an American father and Italian mother, Michele has a strong finishing ability, notably when it comes to his left foot. A great player when it comes to following up the actions of his teammates, he will look to complement Maestro in the final third of the pitch. As of today, it’s hard to say which striker between the two is ahead of the other but both look full of energy.

Coming from Scotland, Katherine Valar (@Revari ) is a central midfielder who has a bit of a ‘swiss army knife’ feel to her. She has the ability to do everything decently well but does not excel in any particular area as of today. A playmaker at heart, she enjoys dictating the tempo on the field, and making the game revolve around her in order to liberate space for her teammates. Between herself and Van Schneider, there is potential for a dynamic duo that can transition the ball from defence to offensive in the blink of an eye.

Diehauser Van Schneider (@Ouroboros ) is a German central midfielder who enjoys moving up and down the field, notably on the right flank. What he lacks in physical ability, he more than makes up in mental & technical attributes, notably decisions, vision and a solid first touch. He likes to switch the ball to the other flank, catching the opposition off guard and creating space on his own flank. With some time at the gym, he could prove to be a solid addition to any team in the SSL. His teamwork with Valar should prove to be fruitful and hopefully they do endf up making one another better players.

Lastly, from neighbouring Norway comes Vegetable Lasagna (@Vulfzilla ), a right wingback who likes to get forward whenever possible. Lasagna is a player that at first glance can look a bit ordinary but there are many layers to his game. Whilst being a good defensive player is there, it’s really the ability to carry the ball forward and getting those early crosses that sets him apart from other academy hopefuls at that position. In order to get to that SSL level Lasagna will have to get faster to keep up with the opposition.

As the sun sets on the training camp, Stockholm will have their fair share of legends joining the prospects on the field. These will present golden opportunities for the youngsters to learn from their experiences, understand where they’re supposed to be and hone their mental, technical & physical attributes to SSL standards. Soon the matches against other academies across the world will begin. The dawn of a new academy season is upon us.

(658 words)]]> <![CDATA[Ekon's Idols (Part 3)]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10594 Mon, 24 Aug 2026 19:02:44 +0100 rrf_1]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10594

Onwa Ayo
“Onwa” – Born in Lagos, Nigeria
My older sister and an ophthalmologist in training

Always working on number games and puzzles, my sister Onwa is a very analytical person.  She is strategic, practical, and reasonable, and although my family has learned not to ask her questions relating to probability or logic unless we are prepared for a very thorough reply back, we all value her rational thinking.  It definitely balances out my more sensitive side, but that doesn’t mean Onwa lacks a sensitive side herself.  She actually struggled the most with our emigration from Nigeria, not prepared for life to take on a totally different rhythm beyond just new language and food.  Her analytical roadmap of the world no longer served much use in the Canary Islands, but she learned to manage challenges without resorting straight to logic.  We grew together because of it, and she is now more sentimental, even keeping a secret binder of pressed leaves from the places she’s lived.

She is also pretty resilient when her strategy for her life doesn’t go exactly the way she calculated.  Her path to becoming a doctor has evolved a lot as a result of setbacks, like struggling with anatomy class in college or getting rejected from her top choice medical school.  She just pivoted to focus on ophthalmology only and enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh instead, fully embracing her new plan.  Eyes require extreme mathematical precision to examine and treat, so it seems like a good fit anyway.  Her specialty is in retinal imaging, where the scans conceal deeper patterns of subtle abnormalities that resemble the puzzles she has always loved more than anything.

One thing that inspires me most about Onwa is her decisiveness and clarity of purpose.  Pursuing a career in medicine is an idea that started at a really young age for her, primarily inspired by our mom’s nursing night shifts before we moved to Tenerife.  She has always stayed committed to that goal without any distraction.  Meanwhile, I didn’t decide to pursue professional football until halfway through college, and I still wonder whether my decision was the right one, even after finding some early success in Cairo City.  I hope I can grow my confidence and certainty in my decisions like Onwa.

It is funny to remember that Onwa has absolutely no interest in sports.  She still supports me in my quest for glory, but she doesn’t get what makes football entertaining in the slightest, or why someone would want to make playing it their full time job.  At least she has found a way to keep matches interesting for herself.  She doesn’t understand football concepts like offensive schemes or set pieces, but she can see the shot distance, the ball speed, and the positional grid of players without any technical knowledge, and with this graphical snapshot of the play, she computes the xg value for each shot attempt during matches.  Unfortunately, her assessment usually backfires… “Hey Ekon, your 0.12 xg and 0.06 xg goals to start season 26 that the experts were calling ‘unbelievable’ and ‘impossible’ were really more like 0.7 xg and 0.6 xg – there really wasn’t anything in your way”.  Thank you for that reality check, Onwa.  And yes, she really insists she doesn’t like football despite how much she gets into the stats.  Her bruises to my ego aside, I do appreciate that she calls it how she sees it, and her criticism is never with the intent to degrade.  Besides, her analytical eye also works in my favor sometimes.  Onwa can easily dismantle any claim from my critics with a fully-coherent, inarguable rebuttal.  The media hates when she is around, but I couldn’t be who I am today without her.]]>

Onwa Ayo
“Onwa” – Born in Lagos, Nigeria
My older sister and an ophthalmologist in training

Always working on number games and puzzles, my sister Onwa is a very analytical person.  She is strategic, practical, and reasonable, and although my family has learned not to ask her questions relating to probability or logic unless we are prepared for a very thorough reply back, we all value her rational thinking.  It definitely balances out my more sensitive side, but that doesn’t mean Onwa lacks a sensitive side herself.  She actually struggled the most with our emigration from Nigeria, not prepared for life to take on a totally different rhythm beyond just new language and food.  Her analytical roadmap of the world no longer served much use in the Canary Islands, but she learned to manage challenges without resorting straight to logic.  We grew together because of it, and she is now more sentimental, even keeping a secret binder of pressed leaves from the places she’s lived.

She is also pretty resilient when her strategy for her life doesn’t go exactly the way she calculated.  Her path to becoming a doctor has evolved a lot as a result of setbacks, like struggling with anatomy class in college or getting rejected from her top choice medical school.  She just pivoted to focus on ophthalmology only and enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh instead, fully embracing her new plan.  Eyes require extreme mathematical precision to examine and treat, so it seems like a good fit anyway.  Her specialty is in retinal imaging, where the scans conceal deeper patterns of subtle abnormalities that resemble the puzzles she has always loved more than anything.

One thing that inspires me most about Onwa is her decisiveness and clarity of purpose.  Pursuing a career in medicine is an idea that started at a really young age for her, primarily inspired by our mom’s nursing night shifts before we moved to Tenerife.  She has always stayed committed to that goal without any distraction.  Meanwhile, I didn’t decide to pursue professional football until halfway through college, and I still wonder whether my decision was the right one, even after finding some early success in Cairo City.  I hope I can grow my confidence and certainty in my decisions like Onwa.

It is funny to remember that Onwa has absolutely no interest in sports.  She still supports me in my quest for glory, but she doesn’t get what makes football entertaining in the slightest, or why someone would want to make playing it their full time job.  At least she has found a way to keep matches interesting for herself.  She doesn’t understand football concepts like offensive schemes or set pieces, but she can see the shot distance, the ball speed, and the positional grid of players without any technical knowledge, and with this graphical snapshot of the play, she computes the xg value for each shot attempt during matches.  Unfortunately, her assessment usually backfires… “Hey Ekon, your 0.12 xg and 0.06 xg goals to start season 26 that the experts were calling ‘unbelievable’ and ‘impossible’ were really more like 0.7 xg and 0.6 xg – there really wasn’t anything in your way”.  Thank you for that reality check, Onwa.  And yes, she really insists she doesn’t like football despite how much she gets into the stats.  Her bruises to my ego aside, I do appreciate that she calls it how she sees it, and her criticism is never with the intent to degrade.  Besides, her analytical eye also works in my favor sometimes.  Onwa can easily dismantle any claim from my critics with a fully-coherent, inarguable rebuttal.  The media hates when she is around, but I couldn’t be who I am today without her.]]> <![CDATA[SSL Paintify Week 12 - Krung Thep (memory)]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10639 Mon, 24 Aug 2026 18:34:40 +0100 CamGoldenGun]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10639 [Image: keK3DPC.png]]]> [Image: keK3DPC.png]]]> <![CDATA[New Player, New Team]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10638 Mon, 24 Aug 2026 18:09:19 +0100 Squid]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10638
Stephen noticed that the training facility was beginning to get a bit more busy as a few athletic trainers and staff had begun making their way around the stadium with their morning coffees in hand. Eustaquisquid decided to finish out his early morning session with a quick sprint down and back before jogging off the field. Not working on ball control or anything yet, he was satisfied by getting out there and moving around for now.]]>
Stephen noticed that the training facility was beginning to get a bit more busy as a few athletic trainers and staff had begun making their way around the stadium with their morning coffees in hand. Eustaquisquid decided to finish out his early morning session with a quick sprint down and back before jogging off the field. Not working on ball control or anything yet, he was satisfied by getting out there and moving around for now.]]>