At Tuesdays pre-match press conference, Toronto FC Head Coach Ryan Nelsen attempted to explain to the English media the difficulty of having to play a mid-season friendly against Tottenham Hotspur at this particular time of the year.
[b]Air Max Pas Cher[/b] . “It would be like us playing a game in the Christmas period when youre third in the league and youve got Man City to play on Saturday,” he said. The timing couldnt be much worse. The Champions – Sporting Kansas City - are due in town on Saturday, as Nelsens team moves through its busiest month of the MLS season with seven league games during the month of July. Hes already without some of his key players through injury, including captain Steven Caldwell and starting right back Mark Bloom. But whatever problems are posed by playing the extra game, I agree with Michael Bradleys assessment of the situation. International friendlies are of benefit to Major League Soccer and the growth of the game in North America. While they are certainly far from ideal, they are here to stay, and they have an important role to play. For a start, Wednesdays game against Tottenham is about much more than welcoming international opposition. This match is part of a four-year marketing and commercial deal struck between the two clubs as part of Jermain Defoes transfer. For both Toronto FC and Spurs, its about the bigger picture. Soccer is a global game, and a big part of achieving success is about building and managing relationships, not just within your own league, but around the world. As Toronto FC – and MLS as a whole – aims to continue its rapid growth, international friendlies are an important piece of the puzzle as they provide an opportunity to get a wider circle of attention both in the local community, across North America, and in other countries as well. From a playing perspective it can also have a positive impact. Its a chance for some of the squad players to get a competitive game, and for some of the clubs youngsters to test themselves against a standard of opposition they wouldnt usually face. In 2010 when Toronto FC played Bolton Wanderers at BMO Field, the Man of the Match was a young teenager who hadnt even signed a professional contract at that stage. Doneil Henry has gone on to become a first team regular with the club who has aspirations of playing in Europe. That Bolton match was an early stepping stone for the Canadian international. As he sat alongside Spurs star Christian Eriksen and manager Mauricio Pochettino at BMO Field on Tuesday, Henry said: “This is where I want to be and where I want to play one day. I just want to learn and show what I can do.” So this match is another opportunity for him to prove himself. We likely wont see much of Torontos leading players against Spurs. Ryan Nelsen needs to be cautious, and rightly so. He will give some of his starters 45 minutes, and rest others completely. But for a number of men within his squad this game will provide a chance to shine and it will be interesting to see if they can take it. Tottenham arrived in Toronto on Monday direct from Seattle where they tied the Sounders 3-3 in an entertaining game in the first game of their three-match North American tour. They are without their World Cup players who have been given extra time to rest, and last years leading scorer Emmanuel Adebayor who is recovering in London following a mild bout of malaria. But young Danish star Christian Eriksen is expected to see his first action of preseason as Spurs continue to prepare for the Premier Leagues opening weekend in mid-August. Last year Spurs finished sixth in the English top flight, but are under new management with a new direction after Mauricio Pochettinos arrival from Southampton. Eriksen was pretty blunt when asked what Tottenham will need to improve upon this season, with consistency the theme. “We had some really good games and some really bad games,” he said. “For us its about being more stable and also getting points against the big teams.” Watch Toronto FC vs. Tottenham Hotspur live tonight on TSN at 7pm et/4pm pt.
[b]Air Max Pas Cher Livraison Rapide[/b] . Speaking on TSN Radio 1050s TSN Drive with Dave Naylor on Monday, Colangelo said he had no intention of tanking the shortened 2011-12 season, but definitely wanted a high pick in the draft. "I wish that word wasnt used for headline reasons," said Colangelo, "but the story behind it was: how can we fix the system? How can we tweak the system to make it less likely that teams are rewarded for losing records? "I do believe that if youre as transparent as we were at the time - with our season seat holders, our fans, the market place and the media - everybody knew what the plan was and what we were going through.
[b]Air Max Pas Cher En Ligne[/b] . Power had a two-lap average of 218.896 mph in qualifying Friday at the high-banked, high-speed 1 1/2-mile track for his 34th career pole. LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears agreed to a one-year contract with two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Tillman on Friday, retaining one of their cornerstone players as they try to revitalize a struggling defence. Tillmans status was one of the biggest questions hovering over the team this off-season after the Bears went 8-8 and missed the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years. But they answered that by announcing he will be back for a 12th season. The Bears have been overhauling a defence that struggled in a big way last season, releasing eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers. They decided to bring back Tillman even though he is 33 and coming off a season in which he was limited to eight games because of a torn right triceps. "Charles is one of the NFLs great players and a true leader on and off the field, and were happy he will be staying in Chicago," general manager Phil Emery said in a statement. "He remains the best in our game at forcing turnovers and always has brought a tough, physical presence to our secondary. Charles also has a special connection to the people and community across Chicago and were excited for that to continue." The Bears saw enough good things before he went down to re-sign Tillman. He haad three interceptions, four pass breakups and three forced fumbles, but his injury in a loss to Detroit on Nov.
[b]Acheter Air Max Pas Cher[/b]. 10 cut short what had been another solid season. The Bears had already lost defensive tackle Henry Melton (ACL tear) and linebacker D.J. Williams (torn pectoral muscle) to season-ending injuries. Star linebacker Lance Briggs (shoulder fracture) was also sidelined at the time. Quarterback Jay Cutler suffered a high left ankle sprain against the Lions and missed the next four games. Tillmans 42 forced fumbles are the second most in the league and most among cornerbacks since the Bears drafted him in the second round in 2003. He is also tied for fifth in interceptions, fifth in interception return yards and tied for second in interception return touchdowns during that span. Now, Tillman is returning to a defence that will have a different look up front, personnel-wise. The Bears have two new ends in Willie Young and Lamarr Houston, and theyve also added Ryan Mundy and M.D. Jennings to the mix at safety. Whether Melton, a free agent, will be back remains unclear. But the Bears appear to be set at cornerback for next season after retaining Tillman and giving Tim Jennings a four-year deal.
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