[Nogrod]

The AKM’s journalists have been where they need to be and we are proud to present the interviews of some of the leading minds behind the scenes aka. the ones behind these shadowy investment groups that have taken a firm hold of the tournament this year.

So it was that the Arda Cup Finance Committee – an organization no one had heard about before this year – announced the salary-gaps already a year ago and thus defined the room within which the financiers could move, but it has only recently been issuing the rules as to how to share the revenue from the tournament. Many affluent sites have protested to the redistribution of the wins gathered from the ticket sales and the merchandise sold, and some even boasted they could have made better Palantir-deals themselves without the ACFC. But be that as it may, AFA (the Arda Fotball Association) stood behind the rulings of the ACFC and that seems to be how it is going to be.

The low compensation of 60 millions for the teams that were left in the group-phase has raised some discussions as whether the rules favour the rich and oppresses the poorer ones, or whether the rich are exactly the ones that mistreated if their big-money-teams didn’t produce, or whether it is plain unsporty to make that huge gaps between the different achievements as it is after all the Arda Cup where all should flourish together…

Having that as the background, the AKM is proud to offer it’s readers the interviews of three main actors behind three investment groups they have been able to follow more closely. We didn't aim to those philosophical questions, but got many interesting answers anyway.



The Evil House, an interview with Morgoth

The AKM: It looks your investment group is losing a lot of money unless team Angband goes all the way, twenty to forty millions that could be. How are you prepared to take that kind of loss?

Morgoth: Money is the meter of power for the weak and the faint-hearted. Money is not something I care a lot about, you know it comes and goes, and if you lack it, you grab it… And you forget that if team Angband wins the tournament we are going to gain about 20 million.

The AKM: But you have to be disappointed with Anfaughlith’s performance, I mean The Evil House spent over 90 million to that team and they only brought you back 60. Thirty millions should not be an insignificant sum even to someone like you?

Morgoth: That was an annoying result I must admit. Anfaughlith won their game against Doriath who qualified! They ended up in even points and just this ridiculous rule that more goals scored is better than less goals allowed made them go through… Be that as it may, we had, I must admit, counted for Anfaughlith to qualify in our economic schemes, but no can do. We’ll find a way to make that better if not in this year, then the next one. Getting financed, after all, is not our main problem or concern.

The AKM: But aren’t the finances, well the restriction on them, just your concern as comes to the salary gaps and luxury taxes?

Morgoth: Ahh, in that respect you’re quite right. Eru, you know, is a socialist. I hate socialists who seek for equality. I mean where do you put excellence then, where do you put individual cababilities and their rewards; why can’t one stand out from the crowd, higher, brighter, if he’s more cabable than the others? Why this cutting and basically cursing of talent? Without limits forced by the ACFC and the AFA, and in the last instance Eru himself, my team would look veruy much different than it looks now.

The AKM: You’re bitter, aren’t you?

Morgoth: Shove off you nerd!

The AKM: I was just to ask you about your plans for the next year…

Morgoth: Just get out before…



Meneltarma Capital, an interview with Tar Atanamir

The AKM: You ended up with a decent saving percentage of 71,4%. Why is it you didn’t qualify?

Tar Atanamir: I’m surprised you have the nose to ask that kind of a question. Have you yourself tried keeping the goal against the forwards of FC and Real Valinor and Tirion? If not, then shut up. I thought this interview was about something else altogether.

The AKM: Please excuse me… I just tried to start this with an easier question. But well, it looks like Meneltarma Capital is going to take a blow of 20 millions. What is your take on that?

Tar Atanamir: Meneltarma Capital wished to invest carefully this first year even if some yelled for a more aggressive tactics, but we think that as a wealthy nation and as a wealthy investment group we made it better we worked in a bit more conservative fashion and looked around this year. And the groupings we and The Sea were placed were just frivolous acts of partiality and / or lopsided thinking, something we will demand will get changed come the next year. Otherwise we might pull off the tournament.

The AKM: Númenor would pull out from the Arda Cup?

Tar Atanamir: There has to be another solution to the Ainur not playing it fair than punishing a few ME teams for it. Honestly. We’re going to raise the issue, to be sure.

The AKM: Now you might be losing some 24 millions if The Sea loses to Rea Valinor – which wouldn’t surprise anyone. How does that affect your plans for AC 13?

Tar Atanamir: Like I said, Meneltarma capital is a wealthy group and it can take in some losses without losing it’s chances of an active role in the player-market for AC 13. But yes, that’s no pocket money and it does hurt. Yes, we’re going to demand a different system for the next year as regard to the Westerners. If they can’t play it fair then let us shut them out of the competition, or make them have their own groups in there, or – which we would see as the best option – let their players be spread to different groups for the highest bidders. This year’s grouping was just plain unfair… So if our idea doesn’t go forwards, maybe the teams could be divided into kind of “baskets” based on their strength from where they would then be picked into the groups? We’ll be active with this issue after the tournament ends.

The AKM: Will you be playing for Armenelos – or basically a Númenor-based team the next year?

Tar Atanamir: Most certainly… that is in case we play the next year. This issue must be resolved before you can see a real Númenorian site at the pitch. This year's tom-foolery can't be repeated!

The AKM: Thank you for the interview.

Tar Atanamir: No problem.



Oath & Blood Alliance, an interview with Maglor

The AKM: FC Valinor is sailing under a bright sky and strong winds. How does it feel?

Maglor: My brothers have played well and we have a great team, so thank you for asking. But I was told this interview would be about the Oath & Blood Alliance and not about FC Valinor… even if it is nice to be complimented.

The AKM: Sure. Just warming up here… Well, the Oath & Blood Alliance, of which you are one member of, is financing four teams and it seems you are coming more or less to a zero result. How do you look at the finances?

Maglor: Well… with three teams still up and running, isn’t it a pretty premature to speculate on the financial results? I mean the gap between the best and worst scenario is quite wide as yet: we might lose some, come to a balanced budget or win big time…

The AKM: How about AC 13? What are the plans for Oath & Blood Alliance?

Maglor: Let’s see this year first…

The AKM: Any chances of seeing all of you brothers playing together, with your dad even?

Maglor: Hah! No way! You know, it would be fun, but look at the price tags, and the positions we like to play… there’s no point in having five or more star-forwards, whatever. You know there is this story about a seventh age kingdom called Holland who had a team full of great finishers and superstars but put into a team they lost all their games. That’s what would happen to a team Fëanor & Sons, let me tell you.

The AKM: But any more concentration of you guys in one team then? Would that be possible, like your youngest brothers and you perhaps dealing with the defence and then maybe Maedhros, Curufin and Celegorm going forwards? And Huan of course as the keeper… Would that be possible? It would be quite a team!

Maglor: If dad would finance it without willing to intervene or, Valar forbid, join the team, then maybe, but otherwise… I think no way. We are not playing for free and the salary cap with the luxury tax takes care you will not see us playing together all of us – unless miracles happen, or there is a totally different kind of a tournament.

The AKM: But how come an alliance like yours can be so divided? Why couldn’t you just join together and win it all? Accept smaller purses and go for it?

Maglor: That’s easier said than done, like I told you already.We’re bound by an oath and by blood, but other than that we’re not bound. And some of the things some of us have done in the name of that oath do still haunt us and our relations as a brotherhood. We can and even wish to keep together in certain things but it would take more than money or a tournament based on these mediocre salaries to get us together once again. There would need to be blood or honour to defend for that to happen or something real at stake, like the Silmarils...

The AKM: Uhh… erm… *gasp* Thank you Maglor, and all the best for FC Valinor.

Maglor: You’re welcome, human.



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The AKM analysis, predictions & suggestions for the phantasy-players concerning the first play-off round are coming tomorrow, or soon enough! Stay tuned to the Barrow Downs and to your computer / pad / smart-phone!