Eurobowl. Selection criteria for the teams

yashin · Post by **yashin** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 7:10 am

Here in Italy we are talking about the way to select the eight heroes that should form the National team, in order to have a general rule for years to come.
We would like to know how other Nations proceed in order to select team members.

How do you choose your captain?
Is the captain that selects the team members ?
Do you follow a selection criteria (i.e. NAF ranking, national ranking, trials...) ?

grotuk · Post by **grotuk** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 7:52 am

In spain happens the next:

For the first EB they were just 8, so they have preference to go to the next one...if its a place available anyone can go with the preference of people who went as Fan factor or similar in past years...

So, this year's team is the same as the last one. And the captain is Lupus cause he deserve it :p He always organized the trips to other countrys (eurobowl and the rest of the tourneys) so...Lupus is our captain. Long life to Lupus :p

Indigo · Post by **Indigo** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 7:53 am

It is a very "nation specific" way that teams are chosen.

In England we had it easy - for our first one, only 8 people could make it so the team "picked itself". For the second, the team that won it defended the trophy.

This year I THINK the system we are using is that everyone who wants to go is added to a mailing list then we discuss it until we are happy with the team. The most important criteria for us is that the coach is willing to travel to Europe and have a good time - although we do have good players, we are more concerned with meeting our European friends and having a good time!

Other countries have used different systems - Germany tried qualification tournaments but the general consensus is that it caused more problems than it solved. Remember, even if you can't play for your national team, come along and play NAF ranked games with other spectators! Eurobowl is about more than just playing for your country, come along and have fun at the side!

Geggster · Post by **Geggster** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 7:54 am

I'm not the captain if Team England but it looks like we are selecting on these criteria:

1) players known to the Euro scene - ie - they've travelled to foreign tournaments and aren't just wanting to play because it is close and convenient for them.

2) players that know how to have a laugh off the pitch

3) players that are proficient ON the pitch too.

In the UK, that might mean we only have about 15 or so possibles and several can't make it already so it means few are likely to be disappointed.

I guess in other countries, that might not be enough criteria but I think that is what Team England will be selected upon.

Glorian Underhill · Post by **Glorian Underhill** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 7:58 am

The criterias are as different as the nations.

So I can only give the example of germany which should been a warning to all the players out there. Also this is reported from a self perspective. For anywone who dont wann ahear my story of sorrow and heroism... just skip it.

2003 Amsterdam/Netherlands
The good old times, the first Eurobowl. The beginning of the european tournament scene. When I checked online if Blood Bowl is still played I only saw the orcidas boot from the NAF side for a while. The Eurobowl was the tournament I wanted to play in. So I grabed my brother, contacted Tim and also registered to the MMM03 Tourney to see how this all works.

The Team was in the end different as there where 10 persons for 8 places. So I dropped out to start as an Freebooter and Anke and Stephen shared a team.

2004 Germany

As the Eurobowl was held in germany several players wanted to be the part of the team. So the decision was to ask each member if he wanted to play again. As germany was last years vice champion the team was sure to have a good setup and each player stayed on his position. Again 10 players for 8 places and I had too make a Freebooter again. But uproar began in germany which was held down for this time as the game was still began to grow.

And after day one I was the best spanish player I also beginn to really like this style of life.

The team stayed as everyone was sure that the title was a fingertip away. Germany was again vice champion in the end. As they lacked a point in the final rankings. Well if I had let Anke win this could have ended a different way.

2005 Shrewsbury / England - the year of sorrow.

As some parts of the team already decided for themselfs that some other players should now step up, and the german community roared to make qualifikation tournaments the old team broke apart. The discussion where endless, and brought no end, as there where no real leader of the discussion, and even if there would have been one he may not have been accepted.
In the end quali tourneys where played in germany. One in Berlin hosted by Olaf, the German Open 05 and the Mogontia Masters in Mainz.

Each of the first 3 Players should form the team. The last two should been then decided. The tourneys went well but a lot of the players who qualified, some of them from the former team decided not to play. Also other qualified players droped out due to animosity between key players.
Again a leader or captain was lacking. 4 weeks before the game Marc Hohmann aka Planlos took over. He formed of the surviving players a squad. Unqalified players where took in and two Freebooters hired from italy.

The cost of the trip where as for this much higher than an earlier decission. Germany finished on place 5 or 6 with a huge gap to italy and spain the top teams. The two italian Freebooters where the two best players of germany. Even I was asked if I would like to play for germany. But my contracts stood at this moment.

2006 A new hope

After the 05 debacle I had the idea to make it a team captain decide tourney. One captain chooses a team, another one also 7 players. 5 games, after that the winning captain is the national captain for this year and can choose his final squad from all players, also from the players of the loosing team.

This idea was quite liked, but there is no contestant team captain. The mood is that most people want a firm captain for this year who chooses his team mates. He has then the absolute power above everything. And at most there are 2 or 3 candidates for this position. 2 of them already from the first two EBs. So if someone is complaining that only well known coaches can come into this squad and this is some kind of Blood Bowl lobby, then he is damn right! If you look at the other teams than every national team consist of the guys who travel the continent and even some to the new world to play Blood Bowl. And most times these guys have the spirit and the skill of this game.

So my advice is this. Decide a Captain, and choose someone who others will follow. He will have then the right, privilege and pain to choose a team. He has to choose his team wise and without any freindship ties. He is only the first servant of the nation.

Well this is more or less the idea of a roman dictator who gives the power back after the crisis and most of us know where such things lead to. Usually to an galactic empire and light saber duells in the throne room.

TuernRedvenom · Post by **TuernRedvenom** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 11:38 am

Belgium's criteria:
Any Belgian willing to play and travel to Italy.

Simple, isn't it.

Beppe#2 · Post by **Beppe#2** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:25 pm

Hi everybody!!!

I think that yashin made the question 'cause we're having the same problems Germany had last year...

There is an annual italian ranking the first 8 of that ranking should go to eurobowl. This criteria was adopted by fibb (italian federation of BB), but some members of the 2005 (like me

) did not agree with this method of selection.
Aramil left the role of team captain to Farina (for me farina is the right man to do the team capt.) and Farina would like to choose personally the members of team italy, so there is a lot of arguing now in italy (as usual...

) and we've not yet decided who will go to this year eurobowl.
Luckily the organization is ok: me, Farina and Panico have already done the most important things, so you haven't to get worry about that

.
As a member of the 2005 italian team i'd liked to have the chance to defend the trophy, but i think it will be difficult to have the same team of last year...
Ok, now you know the situation in italy and you can say what you think about that

cheers

Beppe

Indigo · Post by **Indigo** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:28 pm

I know that some nations, like France, take more than 8 coaches then change which coach uses which race every round. This is fine, but it means that the team for each round needs to be chosen before the games are decided.

Longshot · Post by **Longshot** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:35 pm

Lucy put me France Captain first year.
And now, French people still agree with that all those year long.

I choose how i pick up the French Players.
And it will go like that as long as i am the Captain of France and as long people want me to be the Captain.

yashin · Post by **yashin** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:38 pm

Thanks for your contributions...
I can see that the rule is simple:
1 nation = 1 method

Now in Italy we have a different story....

2003 and 2004 (I only speak about legends heard from bards

, because then I was not back into the game yet) there was Aramil (Fulvio CAvicchi) that put together 8 players that were willing to move into a Euro Tourney abroad.
This is the common part of all Nations as far as I understand.... the first experience is always 8 friends that travel far away

In 2004 Italian BB movement was growing up quickly, so a Federation of local leagues was created to put together exepriences.
This Federation (named FIBB that stands for Italian Federation of Blood Bowl) was an hobby for volunteers that wished to give help to organise balanced tourneys and try to avoid overlapping.
It was decided to create a national ranking (different from NAF one and based on ATP pro-tennis ranking) in order to increase competition and raise the quality of Italian BB game. Many people started travelling across Europe and it gave a big impulse to Italian coaches.

2005
The National team was sent to Shrewsbury selecting the best 8 players from the National ranking. Fulvio volunteered as non-playing captain and they came back with the trophy.
As soon as the victory arrived, there was the request of the winning team to defend the title. In the meanwhile the new season had started and there are many valiant coaches that gave their best in order to grab points around for the ranking and be part of the defending crew.
Fulvio (Aramil) was confirmed as the captain, but he claimed rights of deciding the 8 players of the team.
Since then, a lot of Forum virtual ink was used in order to decide which option should be adopted among:
1) Captain with full powers and responsibility
2) Captain with players chosen from the first places o the National Ranking
3) Captain with 2005 champions
It's not that easy, but I want to simplify it a bit, before you start sleeping

2006
Unfortunately Fulvio put BB aside for personal reasons and Gianluca Lazzeri (Farina) was appointed as playing captain (because he is widely recognized as one of the best Italian coaches and in all three options he would be part of the Italian team).
Now we are about to take the final decision...

yashin · Post by **yashin** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:38 pm

duplicated post... sorry

Indigo · Post by **Indigo** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:38 pm

I think that's a good system. To go you need to make friends with people, and to make friends you go to more tourneys and talk to people

Indigo · Post by **Indigo** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:43 pm

Sorry, to be clear - I always think a team that wins the trophy should be allowed to defend it on "home soil". That team made the effort to come to England, they should have first go to keep it.

For later years, a new system is needed.

Northernknight · Post by **Northernknight** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 1:05 pm

Wales... ermmm.... we'll let you know how it worled just as soon as it has.It will all fall into place by teh World Cup... trust me.

Longshot · Post by **Longshot** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 1:10 pm

Indigo wrote:Sorry, to be clear - I always think a team that wins the trophy should be allowed to defend it on "home soil". That team made the effort to come to England, they should have first go to keep it.

For later years, a new system is needed.

I disagree... but only cos the first year i selected some guys i didnt really know... and decide not select some of the Champion of the first year cos ... well, one of them was not a nice guy.