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It was closing on Midnight and still we waited. Cheap NBA Jerseys . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends. Media stand in one spot and hold their position tighter than moms in line for that Black Friday special at Target. One by one the Brazilian players came out, many with enormous headphones on, looking down to the ground and heading straight for the bus entrance. The star of the team was undoubtedly Neymar and his presence was felt even before he appeared, with screaming and awkward shuffling starting around me. The new king of Brazilian football is a show man, he smiled for the ladies, said a few words for the men holding microphones and ran to his seat on the bus. Right behind him stood a large man whose presence was just as big for the Brazilian travelling media. Julio Cesar was smiling ear-to-ear. He had just completed another successful match, in a 2-1 win over Chile, for his country and the joy of playing again couldnt be hidden. The aggressive Brazilian media wanted a part of him and he was happy to oblige. More than any player he took the time to answer questions, hug media friends and talk his way through his evening. For the 34-year-old there was some joy in talking about the game. That Tuesday night he would board a bus, take a charter flight back to London and head to training for Queens Park Rangers by Thursday, knowing full well he wouldnt be playing for the Championship club on Saturday. The Brazilian number one, in a World Cup year, was stuck on the bench at a non-Premier League team and didnt know when he would play again. It is a unique story and one that got even more mysterious when the transfer window closed in England last Friday and the goalkeeper remained a QPR player. QPR manager Harry Redknapp had made no secret at why the Brazilian wasnt playing. Stuck in the second tier of English football with many players on Premier League size contracts, the London club had a situation where they had two good net minders. Julio Cesars competition was Rob Green, who just happens to be playing one of the best seasons of his career and is more affordable long-term. Knowing he couldnt play him, and just importantly not afford him going forward, Redknapp wanted Julio Cesar to leave back in November saying: "We wouldnt stand in Julios way and we arent asking a fee for him. He needs to play and he could play anywhere for any team. Hes just been unlucky. Robs been fantastic and I cant take him out of the team. "However, Julios a great guy and he needs to play soon, so he can play in the World Cup." Still the Brazilian waited. And waited. January came and with it came the obligatory Redknapp in a car interview on transfer deadline day. "Hes a fantastic goalkeeper and thats not just a sale pitch to try and move him on," Redknapp told Sky Sports News. "Hes not only a great keeper but also an amazing professional and a great guy. But I think hes a goalkeeper for any big club in the world. He has got every medal there is to win, the Champions League, the lot." "I cant believe one of the big clubs havent come in and taken him to be honest," declared Redknapp. None of the big clubs came knocking. This was not an indictment on Julio Cesar. His wages? Quite possibly. His talent? Absolutely not. Julio Cesar became the victim of circumstance. Signing a goalkeeper in January is extremely rare. As he can only play one position out of 11 you have to be convinced that the goalkeeper you started the season with is worth disrupting and you have to convinced that the money being spent on the wages is worth it. Goalkeepers are a not always easy analyse, in terms of their significant impact on wins and losses, and, perhaps, more than ever are looked at in terms of actual value. Are they worth what they are being paid or can someone on far less money do a similar job? Pepe Reina was idolized at Anfield but the moment his wages got close to one hundred thousand pounds per week, when they could get Simon Mignolet for almost half that they felt that was excellent business. Mignolet has been excellent at times, and has made some blunders at times as well, very similar to Reina. Liverpool, meanwhile, used the money saved in that position to strengthen elsewhere. Julio Cesar remained a QPR player on February 1st. And still he trained and trained again. His agents continued to work on deals with Brazilian clubs, trying to secure a six month loan to help him get ready for a World Cup on home soil. However, in Brazil the same issues as Europe came up. Big clubs had established goalkeepers like Jefferson, Victor and Fabio. The other clubs are slashing costs and now is not the optimum time to buy, with many of the most important games in their season coming post World Cup. Five months and counting. On Julio Cesars calendar inside his London home the harsh reality stares right at him. He knows what Luiz Felipe Scolari thinks of him and owes him to be at his best. Former Brazilian coach Mano Menezes had pushed him aside, yet when the 2002 World Cup winning coach returned, so did a real, surprise chance for Julio Cesar to put aside the blunder he made against the Dutch in the 2010 World Cup Quarter Finals. Brazilian fans hadnt let him forget that, yet all of a sudden he was in pole position to be the starting goalkeeper in a home World Cup. "I was as surprised as you," a happy Julio Cesar said back in September when he got an international recall. "Now I need to keep working hard and maintain my form over the next eight months." Tick, tick, tick, tick... And now it is five months. Ryan Nelsen started 16 games with Julio Cesar at QPR last season in the Premier League. The first ten came under Mark Hughes and they didnt win a game. Yet, the very first match, Julio Cesars Premier League debut, saw them draw 0-0 against Chelsea and the pair were outstanding against the Blues that day. Under Harry Redknapp, results remained similar but when Julio Cesar returned from injury, he was in the starting XI, with Nelsen, to play at Chelsea in January of 2013. QPR achieved a shock 1-0 win and the pair had once again helped keep a clean sheet against a formidable Chelsea attack. Its a bond that appears to have helped hand Toronto FC, previously the laughing stock of Major League Soccer, an opportunity to get the Brazilian number one before he plays at the World Cup. No financial details have been reported and we will have to wait and see how TFC can pull this off under the cap but to have an opportunity to get Julio Cesar for around ten games before he joins the Brazilian team is an incredible opportunity. Julio Cesar is a winner and can help play a significant role in changing the culture of that dressing room, a mandate that GM Tim Bezbatchenko has spoken about often this winter. He can help Gilberto, the clubs new Brazilian striker, settle in and can make a huge impact on the clubs goalkeeper Joe Bendik. The 24-year-old American is highly thought of by Toronto FC, having recently been rewarded with a new contract, and this signing is in no way a slight against him. What an opportunity he has to work for three months with one of the best goalkeepers of this era, to watch and learn how he prepares and goes about his business. When Julio Cesar departs for the Brazil camp in the middle May, Bendik will be the clubs number one again and will be better for having the Brazilian next to him. And so it appears there are many winners in all of this but, incredibly, the biggest winner of all is Julio Cesar. The odds are 3-1 for him to be one of 23 Brazilians lifting the World Cup in Rio on July 12. Less than two months before that it now appears he will be playing at BMO Field in Toronto. It is another remarkable chapter in the offseason of this football club. It shows just how far they have come that when the news broke on Friday morning it was now believable. It appeared to be a deal this team would do. Who thought they could sign a proven Premier League goalscorer at aged 31 or bring back from Europe the heartbeat of the US team at age 26? "Well be doing alright if we get World Cup stars, wont we?" Ryan Nelsen told me last October when I asked if his DPs would have to take time away from the MLS season to play in Brazil. Alright is likely to be a massive understatement. TFC have yet to kick a ball in 2014 but the knock-on effect is in full effect. The signing of Jermain Defoe got Michael Bradleys attention and both of them got Julio Cesars attention. Now Toronto FC have everyones attention. Wholesale Jerseys From China . The Calgary Stampeders announced both moves on Wednesday. Parker played 17 regular season games with the Stampeders in 2013, setting career-highs in catches (21) and yards (217). Cheap NFL Jerseys China .Y. - Alex Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs didnt flinch in the face of adversity. http://www.nfljerseyscheapwholesalechina.com/ . Just as the meeting was beginning, Major League Baseball unveiled Rule 7.13, an experimental rule for the 2014 season aimed at eliminating what the league calls “egregious” runner/catcher collisions at home plate.TORONTO -- Tanner Marsh didnt need any late-game heroics to win his first CFL start. The rookie quarterback threw for 309 yards and a touchdown to lead the Montreal Alouettes past the Toronto Argonauts 20-9 on Tuesday night. Marsh did a solid job of managing the game, surrendering just one interception after throwing four and losing two fumbles coming off the bench last week to rally the Als past B.C. 39-38. Marsh received plenty of help Tuesday night from a Montreal defence that held Toronto (5-4) to just one point from two impressive early drives, then forced four turnovers, including linebacker Shea Emrys 38-yard first-half fumble return for a TD. "When youre a young quarterback trying to get into a groove and you see your defence make huge stops, that gives you a lot of confidence," Marsh said. "Our defence did nothing but that, they did a great job, an amazing job. "I have to get hit a few times in order to get into and I got hit and I was into it, I just got into a groove. Its an awesome feeling winning your first start. Its a great start to a career." Marshs 57-yard completion to Eric Deslauriers set up Sean Whytes game-winning 15-yard field goal against B.C. The 23-year-old Texan finished 18-of-27 passing versus Toronto and got the better of Argos sophomore Zach Collaros before a Rogers Centre gathering of 18,863 consisting mostly of enthusiastic university students. They witnessed a contest that felt more like a pre-season game given the seven combined turnovers, 19 penalties and 18 punts. But Marshs calm demeanour impressed Alouettes veteran receiver S.J. Green, who had eight catches for 143 yards, both game highs. "Tanner came out very poised and took control of the game," he said. "He made the plays and kept us moving. "We already believed in him and its great how he showed up and played well." Montreal interim coach Jim Popp said Marshs biggest attribute is his ability to always look downfield. "He keeps his eyes upfield, thats the biggest thing and he gives us a chance," Popp said. "He gives us a chance to make plays." Collaros, Torontos starter with incumbent Ricky Ray (shoulder) out six weeks, was 21-of-32 passing for 261 yards with a TD but threw an interception and had a costly fumble. The former Cincinnati star was hurt at 9:59 of the second when taken down by an illegal Chip Cox horse-collar tackle. He was replaced briefly by Trevor Harris but returned on Torontos next possession. Montreal (4-5) doesnt have time to enjoy the win. The Alouettes host Toronto on Sunday to complete the home-and-home series. Montreal is tied with Hamilton (4-5) for second in the East Division after improving to 2-0 with veteran Anthony Calvillo (concussion) sidelined. The Argos certainly had their chances. Their best opportunity to get back into the game came late in the third when Dontrelle Inmans 10-yard catch put them at the Montreal 13-yard line. But Popp successfully challenged the play, correctly contending Inman fumbled and Alouette Byron Parker recovered. Marsh then hit Duron Carter -- the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter -- on a 477-yard completion to end the third to set up Sean Whytes 14-yard field goal at 1:50 of the fourth for a 20-8 advantage. Cheap Jerseys 2018. "That (challenge) was a big play because had they scored it wouldve been a different game," Popp said. "Im just glad we were able to get the ball and move it up the field." Toronto also opened the game with two impressive drives but only managed Noel Prefontaines single off a missed 30-yard field goal at 2:39 of the first. Prefontaine set up for a 30-yard boot on the Argos second drive but holder Harris bobbled the snap and was held short of the first down, giving Montreal possession at its own three-yard line. Collaros hit John Chiles on a 34-yard TD pass at 10:01 of the first to put Toronto ahead 8-0 but Argos head coach Scott Milanovich said the missed early chances were big. "I felt like we couldve had a much larger lead there late in the first quarter," he said. "We didnt and thats part of football games and weve got to be able to continue play. "But I felt we left some opportunities out there." Predictably, Milanovich didnt pin the loss on Collaros. "Its never all on one guy," he said. "You cant turn the ball over as many times as we did and have the penalties. "We started off decently, we werent able to finish drives. We got into a little bit of a funk and werent able to get out of it." Montreal tied the season series 1-1 as the Argonauts won the first meeting 39-13 on Aug. 8. The two teams play their regular-season finale Nov. 1 at Rogers Centre. Prefontaine booted the convert and two singles. Arland Bruce III scored Montreals other touchdown. Whyte kicked two field goals and two converts. Emrys 37-yard return of a Collaros fumble and Marshs 28-yard TD strike to Bruce in the second quarter staked the Alouettes to an unlikely 17-8 lead in a sloppy opening half of missed opportunities. Emry scored at 13:31 less than five minutes after Bruce gave Montreal its first lead of the game. "He just wants to be that guy," Bruce said of Marsh. "You can see that in the classroom, you can see that at practice. "He doesnt get flustered. If he doesnt make a play, hell stand up as a man and say, Hey, thats my fault guys, Ill get better, and thats what you want from a quarterback. I think hes going to get better." NOTES -- Astronaut Chris Hadfield performed the ceremonial opening kickoff . . . Bruces first-half TD catch was the 90th of his CFL career, making him just the sixth player to reach that lofty plateau . . . Torontos next four games are on the road. The Argos return to Rogers Centre on Oct. 4 to host Hamilton . . . . Between them, Calvillo and Ray have a combined 446 CFL starts (277 for Calvillo, 169 for Ray). Theyve also won three Grey Cups apiece . . . Cox came in leading the CFL in tackles with 62, nine ahead of Torontos Robert McCune, who was in second . . . Montreal linebacker Kyries Hebert, the clubs second-leading tackler who was tied for fifth overall with 42, was one of the four players scratched from the contest . . . Ottawa Redblack GM Marcel Desjardins was in attendance. ' ' ' |
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