As another year in the soccer world comes to an end, it is important to note it does so without a real feud between the internat

As another year in the soccer world comes to an end, it is important to note it does so without a real feud between the international and club game. Stitched New York Jets Jerseys . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Although it is has always been this way, it does not make it right. Playing for your country in any sport should be an honour, yet it is on this premise that the international game has gotten away with so much in recent years. Should it really be an honour to have to leave your team in the middle of an important part of the season to head to some foreign land to play an international match that may or may not mean anything? Never mind the middle of the season, what about the start of it? Is that still an honour that should force players to go? Once again at the start of this European club season, a nonsensical international window was put in by FIFA, allowing countries to claim their players away from their clubs just hours before they kicked off a new campaign. At the moment, the relationship between the international game and the club game could be described as moderate. It is a high-profile game of chess being played out in front of billions of people using millionaire players as pieces on the board. Too many high-profile managers are afraid to speak out against governing bodies such as UEFA and FIFA while on the other side of the table sits the governing bodies plotting their next move. Chess players know how important it is to think three moves ahead and, although the 2014 calendar will be dominated by images of the World Cup in Brazil, the years to follow will feature a long list of international games that will mean very little. UEFAs decision to move to 24 teams for the 2016 European Championships in France mean even fewer qualifiers will matter. Countries like Spain, Germany and Italy, for example, could send their under 21 teams to all their qualifiers and easily reach the tournament. And these will be the games that matter. Sprinkled amongst them will be friendly games arranged for international managers to see their players close up and try things with them in a game. These are the matches the governing bodies know they need to change. As we move into 2014, the sports consumer is demanding something important all of the time. A tell me it matters attitude is forcing sports all over the world to come up with tournaments and formats that stop as many meaningless games being played as possible. And then there is soccer. A sport dominated by club teams that, in 2013, still allow countries to take their players all over the globe to play games that mean nothing. It simply cannot continue down that path for much longer. Players like Sami Khedira and Christian Eriksen picked up bad injuries in recent international friendlies that significantly affected their club teams. Imagine Lionel Messi breaks his leg playing one of these friendly games for Argentina? One of two things need to happen, and will happen sooner rather than later. FIFA/UEFA will come up with a format to make these games matter, to put countries in league tables – similar to their world rankings – where they will get benefits of seeding for major tournaments and play more teams within their league. This is likely to happen soon because if it doesnt, the clubs will eventually have every right to put pressure on their players to not go for meaningless international matches. A World Cup year is magnificent for the international game but the four years in between are dangerous for FIFA/UEFA, even moreso now that the major tournaments – Euro 2016, Copa America – feature very little serious qualification, if any, for the major countries. Here in Canada, of course, we watch as outside observers. As 2013 turns into 2014, the sport again reaches new heights in terms of popularity. More people than ever are watching Premier League, Champions League and MLS games on television. With the lack of success of the Canadian mens national team, it is little wonder why most conversations about the professional game in Canada surround club football. The international game remains popular and Canada will be a wonderful place to sit and watch the 2014 World Cup amongst so many people from different countries. It is, indeed, one of the many things that make this country so great. However, we must remember it is still Canada. The mens national team has a long way to go to get back on peoples radar but, as we head into 2014, it is clear the same cannot be said about the womens game. In 2014 and 2015 Canada are ready to welcome the world. The 2014 Womens Under 20 World Cup will be a great dress rehearsal for when the main event comes to these shores a year later. The challenge for all international teams is to come close to the cohesion – on and off the pitch – displayed by club teams. That is already an advantage for Canada, as one of their star players, Diana Matheson, recently told me. "We really are like a family, the core of the team has been together for a long time and as we get older, we are making sure that everyone new into the camp feels part of it," she said. Matheson and some of her teammates are not far away from seeing their faces everywhere across Canada during the 2015 World Cup. "We have a hope of how big we want it to get," she said. The Canadian Soccer Association is blessed to have the Under 20 World Cup in 2014 as a way of gathering excitement for the big tournament the following summer. However, as national team defender Carmelina Moscato told me, it is more than just a promotional tool and those playing for Canada in that event will benefit tremendously. "The tournament in 2002 was what changed our lives – eight or nine of us on the team right now, thats the core group. It was such a kickstart to our careers that its exciting to know that opportunity is here again and see the next generation of players blossom in their own country." "Playing at home is an incredible experience," added captain Christine Sinclair.If you wish to watch those games, you should know that venue packs for the FIFA U-20 Womens World Cup Canada 2014 are on sale now and start as low as $40 plus fees. Of note, purchased venue packs in host cities that will also be part of the FIFA Womens World Cup Canada 2015™ will give purchasers an opt-in opportunity to be placed on a priority list to purchase venue packs to the 2015 competition in the same official host city. The full pricing chart is available online at FIFA.com/Canada2014. Stitched Detroit Lions Jerseys .com) - The Utah Jazz look to put an end to their five-game losing streak when the Denver Nuggets visit Salt Lake City Monday night. Stitched Chicago Bears Jerseys . His recovery time is expected to be six to eight months. Seidenberg was injured in the third period of Fridays 5-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators, when he got his leg tangled with forward Cory Conacher. http://www.stitchednfljerseys.us.com/Stitched-Seattle-Seahawks-Nike-Jerseys-Cheap/ . Ryan Callahan trade talks caught a lot of people off guard. Details are now emerging about why the Rangers would consider such a move. Darren Dreger: He wants a lot of money. Its been widely reported that Callahan is looking for a seven-year term around $6 million per year. That is not accurate. Im told that it is more than $6. KAMLOOPS, B.C. -- Calgarys Kevin Koe did it the hard way again. After struggling a little to make the final game, Koe emerged with his second Canadian mens curling championship, after a dominating 10-5 win over John Morris and British Columbia. "Thats the way we kind of do it sometimes," Koe said. "We cant seem to get firing on all cylinders all the time." Koe could have finished first at the Tim Hortons Brier this week but he lost his last round-round game to Quebec and created a three-way tie for top spot with B.C. and Manitoba. The tiebreaking formula gave B.C. hammer and choice of rocks in the 1-2 Page playoff game, which they won. Koe then had to play Quebec again, after they beat Manitoba in the 3-4 game to get into the final. Hes used to it, since he had to fight even harder to win his first title in 2010 when he came up from the 3-4 game. Alberta capitalized on B.C.s mistakes to score three big three-enders. If not for the needs of television, the handshakes would likely have come in eight but they played nine ends. It was a crushing end to a Cinderella week for Kamloops native son Jim Cotter, who throws fourth stones for B.C. and had been solid all week but made some of those mistakes that cost his team the game Sunday. "Jimmy had some uncharacteristic misses there and we were fortunate and when it did happen, we really capitalized," said Koe. "The first three was the big one." The numbers told the tale. Koe shot 92 per cent, Cotter 82 and B.C. skip and third stone Morris was at 72 per cent. "We just missed a couple of too many shots early," said Morris. "We were just a little bit fooled by the ice." This is the second loss in the big game in four months for the Morris-Cotter rink. They also lost the final at the Olympic trials to Brad Jacobs in December in Winnipeg. "Whether its in front of your home fans or in front of Winnipeg fans or wherever, its no fun," said Cotter. "Obviously you want to win, but thats curling, thats the way it goes. "They were bang on. They were making everything. Its tough to come back from that." As for what the future holds, he couldnt say. "I really havent thought too much about the future. . . I guess over the next few weeks or what not well reflect a little bit and kind of see wwhere things are at and go from there. Stitched Philadelphia Eagles Jerseys. " Uncertainty also hangs over Alberta, which, with the win, is now only one behind Manitobas record 27 Brier victories. Second Carter Rycroft, whose wife is pregnant, has said hes taking a year off curling and the win didnt change his mind. He was also named the most valuable player and shot 96 per cent in the final game. "This is it as far as me not curling next year," he said emphatically. Koe doesnt know what he future holds either. "I dont know what will happen with that, we havent talked about it, we havent even thought about," he said. "Nows the time to celebrate this win and well look forward to (being) Team Canada (at the world championship) in China and whatever happens, happens." Canadian Curling Association rules require that Team Canada retain at least three players to return to the Brier. Next year in Calgary is the first year Team Canada will automatically get a berth in the Brier. Its also the first year the bottom finishers will have to play their way in. Over the last three years, thats Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, as well as new entrants Nunavut and a separate Yukon team. The Brier went well for B.C. until Sunday night, although they finished in a three-way 9-2 tie with Manitoba and Alberta at the top of he round robin. They beat Alberta in the 1-2 game to move straight to the final and opened well with a deuce in the first end, setting the sellout home-town crowd into a frenzy. But Alberta responded with a three in the second end after Morris was heavy and rolled through. Cotter did the same thing in four when he flashed on a freeze attempt, had to draw for one and accomplished that only by a slim margin. In five, with rocks scattered around the 12, Cotter lost his shooter, letting Koe gently tap a B.C. rock back to score another three. A final three in the sixth end made it 9-4. Earlier in the day, Manitobas Jeff Stoughton took the bronze medal winning 9-5 in nine ends after scoring two in the first and stealing two in the second on a missed Quebec runback. But both Stoughton and Quebec skip Jean-Michel Menard said it was a game they dont even think should be part of the Brier. "Ill try to be nice, but this game shouldnt exist," said Menard. "Its useless." 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