2018 FIFA Rejects Cup

[Klon]

Yeah, I didn't even properly start my last game, but it's not like anyone actually expected that to work out ... I am as reliable as Patrick Ewing in the NBA Finals...

So yeah, let's try again and this time around with something new: soccer!

Both in order to make more money and give small nations some exposure, the FIFA has started a new international competition: the FIFA Rejects Cup, held every two years. The first time around is this year, coincidentally enough.

Any team at position 125 or lower in the FIFA ranking (see here) is eligible to be invited to this supreme competition.

Basically, the story is simple: you pick your team and manage it through this competition.

As no World Cup video game was released for 2018 (DLC can drive a Forti FG01), we will use the 2014 World Cup game to simulate these divegrass wars.

Alright, here is how you enter: simply pick a nation from 126-211 in the list linked above. There are 16 entries, of which at most 10 may belong to a single confederation; and each confederation (except CONMEBOL, as they have no eligible candidates) must be represented with at least one squad. If the 16 slots are not filled up as quickly as I like, I will allow users to pick a second team.

I will inform you about the rest once we have sixteen teams ready. This time for real...

SCHEDULE
Group A
1. San Marino - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0:0 - 0
2. Cook Islands - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0:0 - 0
3. Nepal - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0:0 - 0
4. St. Kitts & Nevis - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0:0 - 0

Matchday 1:
San Marino vs. Nepal
Cook Islands vs. St. Kitts & Nevis

Matchday 2:
Cook Islands vs. Nepal
San Marino vs. St. Kitts & Nevis

Group B
1. Dominican Republic - 1 - 0 - 0 - 1:0 - 3
2. Andorra - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0:0 - 0
3. Bangladesh - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0:0 - 0
4. Somalia - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0:1 - 0

Matchday 1:
Andorra vs. Bangladesh
Somalia vs. Dominican Republic - 0:1
Somalia: A. Qalid - S. Anwar - S. Saad - A. Yasin - A. Dek (-> X. Rahim, 79') - S. Mohamed (-> H. Mohamed, 84') - M. Abdiaziz - M. Imran (-> C. Cisman, 60') - A. Kasim - A. Shermake - A. Isse
Dominican Republic: M. Lloyd - R. Ramírez - J. Cruz - C García - F. Ubiera - D. Peralta - I. Navarro (-> K .Severino, 60') - E. Ozuna - V. Espinal - J. Faña - K. Rodríguez (-> F. Casanova, 79')
Goals:
1:0 F. Casanova (90')

Matchday 2:
Somalia vs. Bangladesh
Andorra vs. Dominican Republic

Group C
1. Liechtenstein - 0 - 1 - 0 - 1:1 - 1
2. Mongolia - 0 - 1 - 0 - 1:1 - 1
3. Liberia - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0:0 - 0
4. Suriname - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0:0 - 0

Matchday 1:
Liechtenstein vs. Mongolia - 1:1
Liechtenstein: P. Jehle - F. Vogt - I. Quintans - M. Stocklasa - F. Burgmeier - S. Wieser (-> D. Hasler, 97') - M. Polverino - M. Büchel (-> N. Hasler, 57') - T. Beck - M. Christen - M. Frick (->N. Kieber, 86')
Mongolia: G. Tseveensuren - B. Garidmagnai - L. Donorovyn - O. Olzvoi - T. Khurelbaatar - D. Gongorjav - A. Chinzorig (-> T. Tsedenbal, 53') - T. Ganbaataryn - N. Tsedenbal - P. Altantulga - M. Altankhuyag
Goals:
1:0 M. Frick (12')
1:1 T. Ganbaataryn (49')

Liberia vs. Suriname

Matchday 2:
Liberia vs. Mongolia
Liechtenstein vs. Suriname

Group D
1. Hong Kong - 1 - 0 - 0 - 1:0 - 3
2. Angola - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0:0 - 0
3. St. Vincent & The Grenadines - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0:0 - 0
4. Macao - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0:1 - 0

Matchday 1:
Hong Kong vs. Macao - 1:0
Hong Kong: Yapp Hung Fai - Lee Chi Ho - Li Hang Wui - Chan Wai Ho - Cheung Kin Fung - Lee Wai Lim - Leung Chun Pong - Kwok Kin Pong (-> Ye Jia, 85') - Lo Kwan Yee (-> Lee Hong Lim, 66') - Chan Siu Ki - Chao Pengfei
Macao: Ho Man Fui - Lam Ka Pau - Loo Pak Kin - Ko Chon Lam - Cheang Cheng - Hercolano Soares - Leon Chong Im (-> Chan Man Hei, 68') - Mon Che Chi (-> Kwok Siu Tin, 66') - Ho Man Hou - Niki Torrao - Geofredo Cheung (-> Leong Ka Hang, 85')
Goals:
1:0 Chao Pengfei (5')

Angola vs. St. Vincent & The Grenadines

Matchday 2:
Angola vs. Macao
Hong Kong vs. St. Vincent & The Grenadines

Quarter-finals
Winner Group A vs. Winner Group B
Winner Group C vs. Winner Group D
Runner-Up Group A vs. Runner-Up Group B
Runner-Up Group C vs. Runner-Up Group D

Semi-finals
Winner Quarter-final 1 vs. Winner Quarter-final 2
Winner Quarter-final 3 vs. Winner Quarter-final 4

Final
Winner Semi-final 1 vs. Winner Semi-final 2

[Gertrand Bachot]

I'll take Somalia in CAF.

[Dom_Wings]

I will take the Dominican Republic.

[Salamander]

I believe it is now time for the second Mongolian Empire.

[Ataxia]

May I take Liechtenstein?

[Bobby Doorknobs]

Me and one of my mates have just taken the Cook Islands to the World Cup in FIFA 98* on World Class difficulty, so naturally I shall try to replicate this success here.

*You can choose up to 8 teams to manage at once in Road to World Cup mode. Liechtenstein, the Maldives, Tonga, Swaziland, Venezuela, Haiti and the Cayman Islands all failed.

[This Could Be You]

As I know relatively little about international football, and like a challenge, I will lead 173rd ranked St. Vincent and the Grenadines to World Cup glory, by virtue of their weird name (and their frankly hilarious nickname, the "Vincy Heat")

[DemocalypseNow]

San Marino, please. Hopefully with Andy Selva still involved somewhere.

[Dexter249]

Let's hope you Recognise Kosovo, because I'm taking them (141st)

[Klon]

Let's hope you Recognise Kosovo, because I'm taking them (141st)

I am terribly sorry, this is one of the very few teams not featured in the game I simulate the tournament with. Can I interest you in any other country?

[Bleu]

Since Suriname is actually in South America (although member of CONCACAF insted of CONMEBOL) I take it.

[takagi_for_the_win]

I shall steer Andorra to mighty glory.

[AcesCalifornia]

I would like to take Macau please

[Nessafox]

Bhutan please.

[kevinbotz]

Hong Kong shall acquit itself proudly at the Rejects Cup.

[Klon]

On behalf of Wazzle, I confirm his interest in managing Bangladesh.

[Normal32]

I for one, will take the Portuguese colony of Angola to it's rightful glory.

[Klon]

Now we wait for one more manager and for Dexter to pick an alternative nation and we are good to go.

[novitopoli]

I'll take King George's Liberia.

[Dexter249]

As Kosovo broke, I'll take 135th St.Kitts and Nevis

[Klon]

Alright, with 16 teams ready, now we get to the meat of the game. First, let me introduce you to the tournament format: we will use a slightly modified version of the infamous format of the 1954 FIFA World Cup!

The sixteen invited teams are divided into four groups of four teams each (this has already happened, as you can see in the opening post). Each group contains two European/African teams (+ Hong Kong, who were set as the head of Group D) and two Asian/Oceanic/Carribean teams. Only four matches are scheduled for each group, each pitting a European/African team against an Asian/Oceanic/Carribean team.

Unlike in 1954, three points are awarded for a win and one for a draw. The two teams with the most points from each group progressed to the knockout stage. In another change, should the first and second placed teams be level on points, the tie-breaker is goals against with a coin toss deciding which team shall win the group if that number is identical. However, should the second and third placed teams be level on points, there shall be a play-off to decide which team would progress to the next stage - if that play-off is tied after 90 minutes, a replay match is played until a team advances. The four group-winning teams are drawn against each other in the knockout stages to produce one finalist, and the four second-placed teams are drawn against each other to produce the second finalist. In any knockout game tied after 90 minutes, 30 minutes of extra time shall be played. Should the scores still be level after extra time, a penalty shoot-out decides the winner.

Each game will be simulated in the official game of the FIFA World Cup 2014 for PS3 with the AI on the lowest setting and half-time length 8 minutes and the sliders on the standard setting.

I will proceed to let you have the squad lists in the next days. Once all 16 teams have a squad list, your task will be to determine the starting line-ups for each matchday as well as the strategy and the set piece takers. I will demonstrate to you how I expect each line-up card to look like once everything else is ready. For now, I shall leave the arena to you for massive trash-talk.

[Nessafox]

@Klon, yeah i read your message, this is fine by me.

[AcesCalifornia]

Woohoo! Lets do this then! Hong Kong v Macau...That'll make a good derby. I hope I know enough about football however xD

[Klon]

All teams in Group A have received their squads. The other teams will receive theirs within the next two weeks with the target of starting our tourney around the time of the real life quarter-finals.

[Klon]

All teams in Group C now have received their squads. I think I won't match my target time for starting the tourney, but the game will happen at all cost.

[Klon]

I finally have sent out all rosters for this tournament.

Now, on to the main event. You may, either for each match or a general squad that will be automatically adjusted by me to account for red cards, send me a line-up for your squad per private message - alternatively, you can just send me nothing, then I will take the default tactics and lineups.

What you must pick, if you do send me a hand-picked lineup:
Formation: Basically, how many guys do what on which part of the field - I can arrange pretty much any formation described here. Other options may be possible, but try to be sensible about it.

Starting Eleven: The eleven players which compete for your team at the start of the match.

Bench: You can place seven players on the bench which your team may use if needed. It is suggested to always have at least one GK on the bench.

What you can pick, if you do send me a hand-picked lineup:
Sliders: If you know what they do, you don't need me to explain it to you. Please only send me manual sliders if you know what you are doing and are certain that those sliders are the best for the squad you want. I am not going to change sliders each match.

Captain: Which player is supposed to lead your squad into battle?

Penalty Taker: Who gets to shoot the penalty kicks?

Free Kick Taker: Who gets to shoot the free kicks?

Corner Taker: Who gets to shoot the corners?

With that cleared, we will start the tournament once a full group has handed in their line-ups. That group will earn the privilige of the opening contest of the FIFA Rejects Cup. For your information, contrary to my earlier statement, the games will be simulated using AI difficulty "Semi-Pro".