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The Return To Treasure Island: The Ultimate Rivalry Lives Again!


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Jerome Le Quack

A loan move to 2nd Division side Tourizense provided this youngster with ample oppurtunity to show his goalscoring touch as he bagged 25 goals in 36 games before being recalled to Academica due to an injury crisis. Belenenses have taken note of his form and are said to be considering a bid for the stiker.

Cool :D did he play well for Académica?

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July 2013 Transfer News

The Gold Cup is nearly upon us (or nearly upon STI at least :p) but before we get started with that, time for a quick transfer update as a few of our intrepid Treasure Islanders have been on the move already....

First up, as widely predicted at the end of the season, Tom Hamilton has left Frankfurt just a year after joining the Bundesliga side. Having made an impression as a key player in their relagtion battle, Hamilton picked up some interest from around Europe and when a bid of 9.75mil came in from Ajax, he jumped at the chance to join on a 4 year deal worth a whopping 95k a week!

Next up was another NTIer: Jonathan. Having started in Portugal before taking in Bulgaria and Romania, it seems this guy just loves going east! Following that trend, he has now joined Israeli side Hapoel Tel-Aviv in a 1 million pound move. The player himself has stated that the oppurtunity to play in Europe (Hapoel will play in the Europa League next season) was a major factor in his decision.

The final done deal invloves another Northerner: Benat fernandez Iglesias, for so long desperate to leave Chivas USA, has finally done so and crossed the Atlantic to join Austrain side Salzburg, a deal costing something in the region of 2.5mil.

On the Southern side, there are no done deals yet but there has been some transfer activity. Loic Philippens is now officially a free agent having walked out on Osnabrück at te end of his deal. No defiite apporaches have been made yet but Bundesliga sides Nürnberg and Gladbach appear to be favourites to win his signature. The STI strikeforce has also been the subject of bids. J.D. Dodgson has made his intention to leave relegated Hull clear and Liverpool have taken the plunge and activated a 9.75mil relegation release clause in his contract. The player is currently discussing personal terms with them. Heinrich Kroeger Jnr. has also been the subject of a firm offer from Scottish Premeir side Hibernian, which the Levski management are currently considering. It is thought they may be holding out for a higher offer from another interested party, however.

STI Gold Cup squad news coming up shortly.

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2013 Gold Cup: STI Squad News

The STI management today named its squad for the forthcoming Gold Cup. After reacing the quarter final stage last time, STI fans will be hoping that 2 years more experience will help their team go even further this time.

The 23 man squad has most of the big names present. Tom Smith of Barcelona will undoubtedly be a key player for the STIers as will topscorer and captain Gwilym J. James II. Paul Hart Jnr returns to the squad after being suspended for the World Cup Qualifiers last month. Three familair faces will be missing though: Rufio van Pieters is left out despite being cleared to play by the physios at his club Arsenal. Clearly, his lack of match fitness is a concern and the STI management have said his long term recovery takes priority at this time. Craig Healy and Gus Crazy are also left out, victims of lack of first team action at their clubs...

The tournament kicks off with STI v Guatemala in a couple of days' time. With the Southerners struggling to find wins as of late, they will be looking for a confidence booster in that opening game before taking on Mexico and Panama.

Here's the squad in full:

2013GoldCupSTISquad.jpg

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July 2013 Transfer News

First up, as widely predicted at the end of the season, Tom Hamilton has left Frankfurt just a year after joining the Bundesliga side. Having made an impression as a key player in their relagtion battle, Hamilton picked up some interest from around Europe and when a bid of 9.75mil came in from Ajax, he jumped at the chance to join on a 4 year deal worth a whopping 95k a week!

Awesome! :cool::D

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In case you were wondering, the Gold Cup reports are on the way. I wasn't able to do it earlier as I spent a few days in Istanbul (so I could attend last night's Besiktas-Man U game ;) - in with the Besiktas supporters! :eek:)

Anyway, to make up for lost time, rather than match-by-match reports, I'll do a round-up of all STI's group games tomorrow. :thup:

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2013 Gold Cup: Group Stages

STI’s Gold Cup campaign kicked off with in Group A alongside Guatemala, Mexico and Panama. Here’s a brief overview of each team’s current form and recent history with STI.

STI Form: DDDLD| World Ranking: 81st | 2011 Gold Cup: Quarter finals

Guatemala Form: LLLLW| World Ranking: 155th | 2011 Gold Cup: Group Stage

Mexico Form: WWDWW| World Ranking: 19th | 2011 Gold Cup: 3rd place

Panama Form: WWWWD| World Ranking: 82nd | 2011 Gold Cup: Group Stage

Previous Meetings:

STI 7, Guatemala 0 (WCQ 2nd Phase Group 2, 13.10.12)

Mexico 2, STI 1 (WCQ 3rd Phase, 08.06.13)

Panama 1, STI 1 (WCQ 1st Phase 2nd Round Leg 2, 14.06.08)

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Matchday 1: Guatemala v Southern Treasure Islands

Date: 17.07.2013

Competition: 2013 Gold Cup, Group A

Venue: Citrus Bowl, Orlando

Match Report: STI got to start off with the easiest game against a Guatemala side whose only recent victory had come in a friendly against St. Vincent. It soon became apparaent that this was not a matter of if STI would win but how many would they score. The answer was 5 and it could have been even more. Loic Philippens got the scoring started on 15 minutes as he was first to react when the keeper could only parry a strike from J.D. Dodgson. 10 minutes later Tom Smith doubled the lead with a low shot from the edge of the area after some fine set up play by Philippens and Gingerbread Jnr. Smith added a third almost immediately from exactly the same spot. This time, however, he received the pass from Hasek and struck a curling shot which hit the far post before going in. A 4th goal came before half time as Dodgson latched onto a long ball from Hasek before rounding the keeper and tapping into an empty net. The Guatemalan defence tried to avoid embarrasment in the second half but couldn’t quite manage it as the 5th goal was an own goal, bouncing off a defender after a goalmouth scramble. The only problem for STI was an injury to Smith. Early reports suggest a groin strain which will rule him out for the remaining group games.

Final Score: Guatemala 0, STI 5 | STI Player Ratings & Stats

Other Result: Mexico 4, Panama 0

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Matchday 2: Mexico v Southern Treasure Islands

Date: 20.07.2013

Competition: 2013 Gold Cup, Group A

Venue: Citrus Bowl, Orlando

Match Report: This was always going to be STI’s toughest game. Two previous clashes with Mexico had resulted in two defeats and this was no different. Without Smith, STI struggled in midfield and some neat passing play through the centre led to Mexico’s first goal from Carlos Vela. STI managed to pull level early in the second half when Dodgson was fouled in the box and James II converted the spot kick but, inevitably, Mexico were too strong in midfield and attack and restored their lead 4 minutes later though a looping Giovanni dos Santos shot. STI pressured for late equaliser but were hit by a counter-attacking goal in stoppage time with Vela setting up Marquez to seal a win for Mexico.

Final Score: STI 1, Mexico 3 | STI Player Ratings & Stats

Other Result: Panama 1, Guatemala 1

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Matchday 3: Southern Treasure Islands v Panama

Date: 23.07.2013

Competition: 2013 Gold Cup, Group A

Venue: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu

Match Report: Panama’s somewhat surprising failiure to beat Guatemala meant a point would be enough for STI to take 2nd place in the group. Nevertheless, the game was a nervy affair for the Southerners, who were without Tom Smi,th and Paul Hart Jnr through injury. Blackbeard had to be alert in the STI goal to make some fine saves as Panama created some good chances. The game was settle by a single goal midway through the first half. Philppens collected the ball from a throw in and played a short pass to James II, who hit it first time with the ball taking a deflection on the way in, wrong-footing the keeper in the process. James II could have scored a second with a late penalty but he hit the shot straight at the keeper, who was able to save easily. The win secured STI’s passage to the quarter finals but a slight dampener came with another injury as J.D. Dodgson taking a knock. That means Smith, Hart Jnr and Dodgson all face a race to be fit for the first knockout match.

Final Score: STI 1, Panama 0 | STI Player Ratings & Stats

Other Result: Guatemala 1, Mexico 3

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Group A Final Table – Mexico top the group with three wins out of three. STI will join them in the quarter finals but neither Panama nor Guatemala did enough to go through.

Group B Final Table - a tough group with three teams from the World Cup Qualifying 3rd Phase battling it out. In the end, all three (U.S.A., Jamaica and Honduras) made it through with Belize finishing rock bottom.

Group C Final Table – a tight group that Canada managed to top on goal difference ahead of Netherlands Antilles. Trinidad & Tobago just did enough to reach the next round with three draws. Costa Rica had an awful tournament though and finshed bottom with just a single point.

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Quarter Final Draw

Jamaica v. Mexico

Southern Treasure Islands v. U.S.A.

Trinidad & Tobago v. Canada

Honduras v. Netherlands Antilles

A tough draw for STI there as they face the host nation and joint favourties, the U.S.A. If they manage to win that game, they will face the winner of the Jamaica-Mexico match in the semis! :eek:

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Hi all.

Apologies for leaving you hanging in the middle of a tournament but life has been unbelievably hectic in the last couple of weeks, what with returning to work, starting my MA and having visitors over from England. :eek:

I will get back to this soon but updates are likely to be infrequent for the time being. So, my question to you is, should I knock this on the head after the 2014 World Cup? Or should I let this run for longer, possibly at the expense of any FM10 based sign-up? The decision, as they say, is yours! ;)

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I'd like it to continue for a little while longer, it was getting to the point where both nations would start rising up the world rankings as the players were developing well :thup:

There's plenty of time to do an FM10 sign-up, a year or so, and for those reasons i'd like to see this run for a few more seasons DodgeeD :thup:

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Hmm, well after considering the above posts, this will run on (maybe at a slower pace though). I too would like to see this one go all the way (my original aim was up to the end of the 2022 World Cup) so, even if it takes until FM11, that's what will happen! :thup: (Oh, and as long as enough people keep posting of course ;)).

Anyway, if you're lucky, I may even get a match report or two up tonight. :)

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Southerners Make U.S.A. Pay The Penalty For Missed Chances

Southern Treasure Islands v. U.S.A.

Date: 28.07.2013

Competition: 2013 Gold Cup, Quarter Final

Venue: McAfee Coliseum, Oakland

Previous Meeting: STI 0, U.S.A. 0 (World Cup Quals 3rd Phase, 03.04.2013)

STI Line-up (4-4-2): Blackbeard; Castagnoli, Toscani, Cardiovascular, Hasek; Bobinho Jr, Ogden, James II ©, Gingerbread Jnr; Dodgson, Philippens

Subs: Brookes, Burrows, Hayward, Kroeger Jnr., Stigarakis, Hart Jnr, Smith

Match Report: STI came into this game as underdogs with the absence of Tom Smith a major blow. Their opponents had been impressive in their group games against Belize and Jamaica but a goaless draw with Honduras had again raised questions over the Americans’ form. The Southerners started brightly, taking advantage of a home side suffering under the high expectations of the crowd. James II had a couple of early efforts before Ogden, in the side because of Smith’s injury and making only his 5th appearance, tested Howard in the American goal with a fierce shot from outside the area. STI’s positive early play paid dividends as they were able to open the scoring on 23 minutes. Cardiovascular rose to head a Tim Howard goal kick into the path of J.D. Dodgson, who ran forward before playing a ball straight through the middle to Philippens. With a burst of pace, the forward got ahead of the defence before smashing a shot past the advancing keeper to put the Southerners in front.

A shell-shocked U.S.A. side were unable to respıond before half-time but they came out for the second half all guns blazing. Adu and Edu started to cut in from the wings and cause the STI defence problems with a number of shots. It was to be substitute Eddie Gaven who drew the scores level though as he was first to a corner on 76 minutes. The U.S.A. then continued to pile on the rpessure as they sought a winner but they were to be frustrated time and time again by an STI back 4 that only missed 1 tackle between them in the entire game.

That meant the game went to extra time. Both teams tried to run down the clock with a couple of atacks coming form the hosts. Again, the STI defence stood firm though with Toscani, Cardiovascular and Hasek all dominant in the air and Hasek making several vitl interceptions as the long balls stared to come in. In the end, neither side could get the breakthrough and the game came down to penalties. The Americans looked tired and nervous as they prepared for the shoot-out but, by contrast, the STI boys seemed happy just to have held on for the draw. That showed as James II, Castagnoli, Dodgson, Hasek and Hart Jnr all netted their spot kicks. Backary Soumare was the unfortunate one who sent the U.S.A.’s 4th penalty wide allowing the Southerners to make it to the final.

Final Score: STI 1, U.S.A. 1 (a.e.t., STI win 5-4 on penalities) | STI Player Ratings & Stats

Attendance: 47,409

Man of the Match: Ondrej Hasek (7.5)

In the other games, Honduras breezed past Netherlands Antilles, Canada triumphed on penalties after an enthralling 3-3 draw with Trinidad & Tobago and Mexico turned in an efficient performance to see off Jamaica. If STI are to make the final, they’ll have to do it the hard way as they face Mexico next! :eek:

QFResults.jpg

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STI Turn Up The Heat In Hawaii

Southern Treasure Islands v. Mexico

Date: 31.07.2013

Competition: 2013 Gold Cup, Semi Final

Venue: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu

Previous Meeting: STI 1, Mexico 3 (2013 Gold Cup Group A, 20.07.2013)

STI Line-up (4-4-2): Blackbeard; Castagnoli, Stigarakis, Cardiovascular, Hasek; Hart Jr, Smith, James II ©, Burrows; Dodgson, Philippens

Subs: Brookes, Gingerbread Jnr, Hayward, Kroeger Jnr., Toscani, Bobinho Jr, Ogden

Match Report: And so the STIers found themselves in the biggest match of their lives to date with a place in the Gold Cup final at stake. But there was a big obstacle in their way – Mexico. STI had faced Mexico three times before and lost each time with two of those losses coming in the last 6 weeks. STI took heart though from the return of Tom Smith in the midfield, the Barcelona player being declared fit after picking up a groin strain in the 5-0 over Guatemala on the opening day of the tournament. Mexico were heavy favourites and almost everything in the first half went their way, except for a goal. Stigarakis was almost unbeatable in the air, Cardiovascular and Hasek were making interceptions for fun and the entire back 4 hardly missed a tackle.

The second half saw a turn around though as STI came out on the attack and pegged their opponents back. It looked like their ascendency would be brief though as Tom Smith showed some signs of a reccurence of his injury and was taken off. Any concerns about being overrun in the centre of the park were soon dispersed though as STI took the lead seconds after Smith left the field. James II swung in a corner and J.D. Dodgson rose above the defence to head in from point blank range. That produced a predictable onslaught from Mexico and they managed to equalise just 9 minutes later as Carlos Vela hit a shot from long range that beat Blackbeard at his near post. STI were not about to give up, however, and within 7 minutes, they had re-taken the lead. This time Gingerbread Jnr, on for the injured Smith, made a break down the left and crossed into the box. It seemed he had overhit the ball but nobody had seen the run from deep of Paul Hart, who arrived just in time to smash the ball across the keeper and into the back of the net. Mexico once again responded with an attacking flourish and managed to draw the scores level for a second time, this time Rafael Marquez heading home from a wide free kick. Both sides had chances to win in normal time with Dodgson forcing Ochoa into a fine save with 5 minutes to go and Blackbeard denying Vela and Guardado in stoppage time.

With the score tied at 2-2 after 90 minutes, extra time was needed. Despite this being their 2nd match with extra time in 3 days, the STI boys looked delighted with their efforts so far and determined to finish the job. Mexico, on the other hand, looked frustrated at their struggle to cope with an opponent they had been expected to beat easily. With both teams tiring, the chances were fewer and the game would ultimately be decided by a penalty. Not a shoot-out but a regular penalty that came STI’s way in the 103rd minute. Castagnoli played a beautifully weighted ball down the right flank which was picked up by Kroeger Jnr, who ran into the box. It looked as if he might create the space to score but he was brought down by a clumsy challenge and James II stepped up to convert from the spot. STI struggled a bit in the 2nd period as Paul Hart Jnr was taken off with a knock (later revealed to be nothing serious). Having used all of the subs, the Southerners played out the final 10 minutes with 10 men. Despite some heavy pressure from Mexico, they held on thnks in no small part to some sturdy defending and a couple of top notch saves from Blackbeard. As the final whistle was blown, the STI players were estactic – they had just reached their first ever final!

Final Score: STI 3, Mexico 2 (a.e.t.) | STI Player Ratings & Stats

Attendance: 49,995

Man of the Match: Blackbeard (8.1)

In the other semi, there was late drama as, with the scores tied at 0-0 on 86 minutes, Honduras had a man sent off. Canada were able to capitalise with an injury time goal to knock out the defending champs and set up a final with the Southern Treasure Islands.

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Hoorah! What a game! Shame about me getting injured again though, but who cares?! we're in the final. Any chance i'll be fit by then? Hope it wasn't a major knock. That would be bad.

Smith has one of those orange injury tabs and is out for 5 to 7 days so he may be fit for the final or he may be able to play with a knock.

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