Buying Into Local, Thinking Global

Why should we take notice of the FIFA Club World Cup currently taking place in Tokyo? Because it's an honest attempt to encourage clubs from the not so well known footballing nations to play against some of the big boys. That is fundamentally a good thing. Like many others, I personally will forget very quickly who actually wins this tournament (probably AC Milan if they can be bothered) but that does not mean we shouldn't at least take note. After all, it's hardly an easy money spinner for FIFA when the likes of Iranian club Sepahan take on the mighty Waitakere United of New Zealand but no matter. You can bet these players will be fighting to play the likes of Kaka et al. We can always fall back on our ethnocentric view of things. My first reaction today was to check out the mighty Gills against Port Vale (they miserably lost 2-1 at home) but I at least like the idea behind this tournament. This is the only global game after all. As Beckham and his entourage so recently found out when they packed them to the rafters in rugby mad nations New Zealand and Australia.