While this is Floros first national team job, he came close to being

The most satisfying aspect of the 2-0 series lead for India will be that they havent always had their best XI available. They have played only one of the three Tests with first-choice openers. They lost their No. 1 wicketkeeper after the second Test, and the leading fast bowler has been fighting a niggle through the series. When they went into a week-long break, thanks to an early finish to the Mohali Test, India had a dodgy M Vijay added back to the catalogue.Two days before the Mumbai Test, though, India took to training with fewer doubts than they had in Mohali. KL Rahul, who took a blow on the arm when fielding in Visakhapatnam, was back in the nets, taking the first hit. Vijay looked in a better space as he had a long net session too. While Mohammed Shami didnt train on Tuesday, India dont have a major concern over him right now. Indias coach Anil Kumble addressed a press conference before the start of their training session at Wankhede Stadium, but he was confident about Rahuls fitness. I am sure Rahul will have a hit today and will be fine, lets see how it goes, Kumble said.Kumble did speak about managing Shamis workload, though. Workload is something that we monitor, especially Shami, because he came back after 18 months after being away from the game, Kumble said. It is not easy for any cricketer so that is something we are constantly monitoring. It is quite a challenge when you only have a three-to-four day gap between Test matches. And this series has gone till the last day so it is important that these guys are given enough breaksCredit to the way Shami and Umesh [Yadav] have bowled, not just with the new ball but also the way they have been able to come back and bowl in the last hour of the day. Coming back in the third spell or probably sometimes the fourth spell, and rattling the batsmen and picking up wickets is something I am pleased about.If Shami is indeed rested, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took a five-for in his last Test, is not a bad replacement to be waiting in the wings. It is not just the two of them [Shami and Umesh] but Bhuvi, Ishant [Sharma], all of them have contributed significantly, Kumble said. To have someone like Bhuvi and Ishant sitting out is a credit to the way Umesh and Shami have bowled.Ishant wont be available for this Test because he is getting married on December 9. A sign of Indias confidence in Shamis fitness could be that they have not asked for a replacement for Ishant. In Mohali, India had four quicks in the squad because Shami was not a certain starter.The one compromise India will have to make is to go in without the first-choice wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, but his replacement Parthiv Patel more than made up for Sahas absence, especially by volunteering to open when Rahul aggravated his injury from Visakhapatnam. Kumble was all praise for his wicketkeeper for the Mumbai Test.He came in as a 16 or 17-year-old and now - when he still looks 16 without the beard - he has showed a lot of maturity, Kumble said. He saved the [Trent Bridge] Test match for India. It certainly shows that if you are really putting in the hard yards in domestic cricket, never losing your faith and believing that you can come back into the Indian team, then it is possible.I was really pleased that he could walk into the match and not just keep wicket and bat at six or seven but when he was asked to open, he put his hand up and did that really well. That goes to show not just the individual but the character of the player and to say - team comes above self. He was not worried about failing. When you are coming into the team, making a comeback after eight years, you always want to do well for yourself but here was Parthiv who was willing to put his hand up and said I dont mind opening. And he did that really well.If all goes to plan, India are set to make just the one change to the side that won in Mohali: Rahul coming in, Parthiv dropping down in the order, and Karun Nair being asked to wait for a longer run. India should continue with five bowlers because the pitch at Wankhede Stadium didnt look exceptionally dry although it is expected to turn eventually, as Indian pitches are.Wholesale Jordans Free Shipping . By having more great seasons. Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. Wholesale Real Jordans . In the lead up - which seemed to begin the moment Mike Geiger blew the whistle in Houston last Thursday night - the Impact rumour mill went into overdrive. The speculation went into meltdown mode, of the golden nugget variety. http://www.wholesaleairjordanchina.com/ . JOHNS, N. Authentic Air Jordan From China . Hey!" The lower tier of the School End of Queens Park Rangers Loftus Road was packed solid with a very festive-sounding Chelsea choral section in this particular part of South Africa Road London, W12. Air Jordan Outlet . -- Brandon Jennings made the most of his first game with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. TORONTO -- Benito Floro has more than a few treasured memories of managing Real Madrid. But one stands out for the 61-year-old Spaniard, who was in charge of the Spanish giant from 1992 to 1994 and served as director of football at the Bernabeu in 2006. "The best was when we beat Barcelona, playing well," Floro said through an interpreter. Having once managed what is currently the worlds most valuable soccer club team, Floros brief now is to help Canada beat the likes of Honduras, Panama and others in CONCACAF and move closer to an elusive World Cup berth. In addition to serving as Canadian manager, Floro also takes over a national Olympic (under-23) team which has failed to qualify for the Games since 1984. For some, taking over a country ranked 88th in the world, 10th in CONCACAF and with just three pro teams -- largely stocked with foreigners -- and turning it into a winner would be mission impossible. But Floro seems to relish the challenge that is Canadian soccer. "Muchisimo," he said Friday. "A lot," said his interpreter. He succeeds Stephen Hart, who stepped down in October following the national teams humiliating exit from World Cup qualifying via an 8-1 loss in Honduras. In getting Floro, the Canadian Soccer Association has landed a career coach who has managed club sides in Spain, Ecuador, Japan, Mexico and Morocco. Floro turned heads some 20 years ago when he led Albacete Balompie from the third division to Spains elite league in three seasons. Real Madrid subsequently hired him, with Floro taking the team to a second-place league finish and Copa del Ray triumph. Real went on to win the Spanish Supercup but Floro was fired the following season. He then coached Sporting Gijon, Villareal and Mallorca in Spain, Vissel Kobe in Japan, Monterrey in Mexico, Barcelona SD in Ecuador, and Wydad Casablanca in Morocco. Away from the pitch, he has served as a TV analyst and was a member of FIFAs technical group at the 2012 Club World Cup. "We felt that at this time in our country, that the person (getting the job) needed to be not just a coach. But also a person that brought vast experience from all over the world to a country that has been quite frankly lacking in that type of personality," said CSA president Victor Montagliani. The CSA boss might have been forgetting Holger Osieck, who took over the Canadian team in 1999, having been part of the German coaching staff that won the World Cup in 1990. Osieck had managed in Germany, Japan and Turkey before taking over Canada. On Friday, Floro spoke enthusiastically in Spanish, English and French at an introductory news conference. He used an interpreter during a question-and-answer session but was able to communicate in English -- which he called his third language. Floros contract includes several options and could run through the next two World Cup qualifying rounds -- for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Canada, which has only ever made it to the 1986 World Cup, will be a spectator against in 2014. "You havve to walk before you can run," Montagliani said.dddddddddddd "The first objective is obviously to get us to the Hex (the final round of qualifying in CONCACAF). You cant get into the World Cup if you dont get into the Hex ... once you get into the Hex, as weve seen this year, anything can happen." Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama and the U.S., are currently competing in the Hex or Hexagonal final round of qualifying. The top three will qualify for the 2014 World Cup, with the fourth-place team taking on New Zealand in a playoff to join them from CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean. Floro ticks off more than a few boxes, leaving Canadian soccer officials beaming at Fridays news conference. He has extensive managerial experience around the globe, including time in CONCACAF powerhouse Mexico. Having Real Madrid on your resume is impressive, even if 19 managers have followed him there since. Admit it. When was the last time you heard Real Madrid and the Canadian Soccer Association in the same sentence? Being from Spain, which currently rules the soccer roost, doesnt hurt either. Its like the Spanish ice hockey federation signing a Canuck. In hiring the charismatic Floro, Canada also likely gets access to some excellent connections. One doesnt manage as long as Floro without assembling an impressive Rolodex. "It changes the ability and the accessibility of Canada to a different world," said Montagliani. "A lot of doors are now open." In fact, Floro -- who considers himself a coach of coaches -- came to the CSAs attention through Montaglianis friendship with his Spanish counterpart. While this is Floros first national team job, he came close to being named manager of Spain after Inaki Saez resigned following Spains failure to advance past the first round of Euro 2004. Asked about it, Floro paused and took his time before responding. "It was a difficult situation for the (Spanish federation) president," he said. "He chose me but the media was pressuring him to (choose) another." Floro backed down to take the pressure off Angel Maria Villar, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, who was a friend. Luis Aragones got the Spain job instead. Montagliani downplayed Floros lack of national team coaching experience. "Lets be honest. Look at the clubs hes coached," he said. "When you stand on the sidelines of (the 85,000-seat stadium) Bernabeu and youre coaching El Clasico (against FC Barcelona), Im not sure coaching the national team is that intimidating." Floro, who plans to make his home in Toronto, will be assisted by his son Antonio Floro. The Canadian men are currently at the Gold Cup, the championship for North and Central America and the Caribbean, under interim coach Colin Miller. Floro will officially start Aug. 1 but will be at the Gold Cup as an observer. Montagliani said the CSA received more than 100 applications, with 15 getting serious consideration. ' ' '