Hello to all:

I realize there has been some debate as to what teams should represent the Olmec Cup from the SESL. I would like to say that MOT is not interested in returning to playing in the Olmec Cup this season. It is only fair that two other teams, whomever they maybe, be given a chance to participate. Also, with MOT currently at the bottom of the D-1 standings, we have to concentrate on moving up the ladder. Participating in the Olmec Cuo again this season would only serve to distract from this. MOT enjoyed the experience and it was a lot of fun but I want MOT to improve their lot in the SESL this season. Good luck to whomever may represent the SESL this season.

Len L.

Very Noble thoughts, Len, and they support my longstanding view that the OLMEC cup should be run as an adjunct to the Main leagues with full strength teams with no feedback of EL loss to the leagues themselves. Otherwise some teams are in their off season at the time, some are just starting the season, and some are busy fighting for promotion etc, the playing field is just not level.

In Len's case as a winning team, he really should "go to the ball" but if its going to cost hom dearly in EL or injuries then I can quite understand the resistance to take part. It's something that I will have to consider carefully as I will be representing PSFA nest season.

Currently EL or injuries do NOT come back to host league.
EL goes from host league TO Olmec Cup, but not vice versa.
This can be seen as another problem though, as every team in Olmec Cup can go top 11 on aggressive and not care as a fresh roster bursting with EL will appear from host league roster before next Olmec Cup game!
MOT though, from what I saw, won Olmec Cup on merit though with clever team tactics.

OLMEC teams that play aggressive receive harsh consequences compared to regular league play. In previous seasons, teams indeed played "T11 aggressive" without regard for EL. Since the implementation of the harsher aggression rules, teams now just trot out their top 11 for the most part. In my opinion, OLMEC Cup would be more realistic if EL, DP, and injuries came back to impact the league in which you play. Your volunteers for OLMEC, unfortunately, would probably dwindle to nearly none.

As it is, OLMEC Cup automatically favors teams from leagues with larger average SL compared to teams with lower average SL. Even with "compensation" players, the disparity among the teams is kind of crazy. For instance, FLATNZ has different policies which result in fewer stars with lower SL's than you'll find in other leagues such as SESL. That doesn't make one league "better" than the other, it is just the variance in league resources gives an overwhelming edge to certain teams. That being said, however, Mighty Mighty MOT suffered a humbling loss to meager MLB from FLATNZ in this year's OLMEC Cup.

So, I feel that OLMEC could use some tweaking. As pointed out above, it would be impossible to completely level the playing field for all leagues. That being said, OLMEC is a great competition, and Adam Meney does a great job of running it. If you have an opportunity to compete, I urge you to do so.

I am not sure if you are correct in that assumption.
I would still volunteer to play on the Olmec even if the EL, DP and injuries carried back to the leagues. Think about the Europeans cups, teams still participate even when it might effect their league performances. Newcastle is a very good example, legging it behind on the premiership but fighting hard on the Eufa cup.

"Nearly none" includes you, Yoav. And me. I'd still play. I think many would not, when it came down to it.

Would you really play, Yoav? Or tank it like CECIL Cup?

STJ were down 2-0 away in 1st leg and could easily have turned tie around at home.
STJ in CECIL CUP last Saturday:-

GK Craig Nelson 17 10 n
DF Grant Murray 6 10 n
DF Jack London 7 8 n
DF Justin McSkinner 6 10 n
DF Jackie McNamara 12 6 n
MF Stuart Taylor 11 8 n
MF Kevin Fotheringham 11 10 n
MF Tony Costa 10 8 n
MF Paul Bernard 10 10 n
MF Ed Goalwards 13 10 n
FW Mixu Paatelainen 10 10 n

As Chandler in tv's Friends may say: Could that defence BE any weaker?
Doubt STJ will be getting asked to participate in any CUP play on behalf of the SESL!

I realise that this defense might seem weak to just about everyone.

But, the sad truth of it is that Saint Johnstone has only 1 good defender, Tomi Petrescu 4\31 and I had to rest him because he was already on 6 EL. Imagine what would getting him injured would have done for my club.

These are my defensive players:

5\6 SD Grant Murray
4\31 DF Tomi Petrescu
1\11 DF Harry Back
3\7 DF Jack London
6\6 DF Justin McSkinner
5\12 DM Jackie McNamara

I am about to face Sesl giants this weekend - both Cletic and Rangers - what do you suppose would have happened had Petrescu been forced to sit on the bench? My guess is that the end results could have easily been me conceeding 10+ goals on each of these matches.
But with Petrescu playing a reasonable Stall would help to spare my club the humiliation of huge defeats.

Besides,
CLY has a strong roster and I am sure Phil will surprise a lot of people with a promotion. So easily turn around the 1st leg result was not going to be an easy task at all.

I realise i am not a great team or anything, but i would jump at any oppurtunity to participate in the OLMEC Cup regardless of what effect it had on my league run, but then i would say that the host league possibly offers you somesort of performance incentive, maybe 5 TP for knockout stages or something

Tyron

Tell me more about this Olmec Cup.

When is it played?

A few years ago i organized an interleague cup between a few MSWL software leagues, as far as i can remember SESL, MSWL, MCFSL and another one. This was with the old MSWL software, which was replaced by Olmec. I have no idea which teams were present at the time, but know that the bloke who runs The Manager was the organizer of the Olmec Cup.
The whole interleague play was introduced to add some extra fun.

PSFA was probably the other league - they had a couple of representatives in the Olmec cup before I joined them I believe.

Okay , so this idea has existed. I have been thinking that it would be really if there was a purpose to finishing high in the league, or winning the cups.

Qualfying for "Europe" would be just that purpose, would be brillant if it came back.

Will the real PT manager please stand up

The main problem was that the different leagues had different skill levels.

Before I joined PSFA T11 and T17 were pretty low as it was only their 3rd season. But there's loads of money in that league and so everyone could usually afford 50 CP - I even paid the equivalent of over 2000k for a 4/34 FW. The top team finished the la-*test*-('") season with over 500 SL.

At this time SESL had a 400 total SL limit. Now HEA is at 484.

MSWL is lower, the 5th best T17 in MSWL wouldn't survive in SESL's Division One.

The weaker teams had to have extra players to try and balance things out.

The main rule I remember was that SL and EL carried over from your league to the Olmec cup but not back.

Agree,
would be brilliant if inter-league play came back.