TORONTO - Soccer was not kind to Rob Friend the last few months but the Canadian international striker leaves the sport with plenty of fond memories and good friends. Derrick Johnson Jersey .Friend announced his retirement earlier this month after a championship season with the Los Angeles Galaxy cut short by concussion-related problems. The 33-year-old native of Kelowna, B.C., missed more than five months of action in 2014.Its a bit bittersweet going out as champions here in the MLS, to be honest with you, he said in a recent interview. But obviously Ive struggled a lot with this injury, had a lot of bad symptoms — headaches, what not.Its bittersweet but at least I was fortunate enough to have played the places Ive played, that I can go out with my head held high and be proud of what Ive done. And move on to the next chapter.Friend, a formidable figure at six foot five, was originally drafted by the Chicago Fire in 2003 but opted to sign with Moss FK and then Molde FK in Norway. He spent a year with SC Heerenveen in the Netherlands before embarking on a successful stretch in Germany.Friend signed with Borussia Moenchengladbach for the 2007 season, scoring 18 goals to help the team earn promotion to Germanys top flight. He scored 28 goals in his three seasons with the storied club — the pinnacle of his career — before moving on to Hertha BSC, Eintracht Frankfurt and TSV 1860 Munchen.He joined the Galaxy in January, seeing action in 10 games.Its been an amazing journey ... its been unbelievable, Friend said. Ive met a lot of amazing people, played for some amazing organizations and clubs. At Heerenveen alone, he played with Toronto FC star Michael Bradley, fellow Canadian and Portland Timbers captain Will Johnson and Galaxy teammate Robbie Rogers. Friend, who made his debut for Canada in 2003, won more than 30 caps for his country.Unfortunately, Friend still is not completely over his health issues.Its a very funny animal, the brain. You go through waves of a lot of headache-like symptoms and fogginess, just kind of not feeling 100 per cent. Ive definitely passed that stage of struggling every day. The only issue I have at the moment now is when I do an intense workout I feel the headache coming on again.Ive been able to manage it. Now Im just going to take a little bit of time to really take care of the symptoms so hopefully they dont bother me long term.Friend was hurt in a freak training-ground practice. He was running and a hard-hit ball caught him in the temple, really unexpectedly, caught me totally off guard and knocked me to the ground.For two days, he felt foggy and out of it.Then probably by Day 3 it just went into a straight headache that I couldnt kick for about two months.The injury, along with numerous past knocks, forced him to evaluate his soccer future.Friend was always a target man, physical and good in the air. His head was as important as his boot and he absorbed plenty of abuse going for goal.Ive taken a lot of hits to my head over the years and its serious issue now, the concussions, he said. Theres a lot of former athletes that are struggling long-term. I dont want that. I have to be a good husband and a good father to three kids and take care of my family so I kind of made that decision that it wasnt worth trying to push it another couple of years.Friend says he absolutely had prior concussions.Diagnosed, Ive probably had a few. Undiagnosed Ive definitely had my fair share as well. Ive been to a lot of experts round North America, talked to a lot of different doctors ... They all say accumulation of hits to your head — whether thats constant heading, hard knocks to your head — all take its toll. So I think thats got a lot to do with why my symptom is lasting as long as it is.The symptoms had not been as severe in the past. But Friend says over the last few years, he noticed he felt a little bit out of it for 24 hours or so if he took a harder blow to the head or had done a lot of headers in practice.It left him with a lingering headache for a day or two.Then it would go away. I never thought much about it. I just chalked it up as I just got kind of my bell rung a little but and itll go away. Then as the years went on, I started noticing the symptoms more and more and just didnt think much of it. Then it was just this one kind of freaky hit to the side of my head unexpectedly that really brought the long-terms symptoms on.Concussion aside, Friend has fond memories of his year in Los Angeles and MLS.Its an exciting league and I wanted to be part of it, he said. To be part of the best organization like the Galaxy, thats something Im proud of.It was also a homecoming of sorts.Friend played two years of college soccer at UC Santa Barbara where he met wife Mari, a Los Angeles native who was the setter on the volleyball team. The family — which includes a five-year-old boy and one- and three-year-old girls — plans to move to Vancouver where he hopes to stay involved in soccer.Having endured the hardships of a Canadian playing abroad, he remains a big booster of Canadian soccer.Canada is on the right track, he said, predicting more talent will flourish overseas. Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter Eric Berry Jersey . The England international raised his middle finger toward Manchester City supporters during Saturdays game at Etihad Stadium, which Arsenal lost 6-3. The incident was not seen by match officials at the time but the FA charged Wilshere retrospectively after a study of video footage. Phillip Gaines Jersey . Now he can be had by any team willing to pay his salary. According to a report from ESPN, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are shopping the veteran CB and plan on releasing him Wednesday if they cant find a trade partner. http://www.thechiefsshoponline.com/Youth-Mitchell-Schwartz-Chiefs-Jersey/ . -- During Kansas shootaround on Wednesday before the Jayhawks faced Oklahoma, coach Bill Self told Wayne Selden Jr.TORONTO, Cananda - Veteran head referee Glen Johnson is the CFLs new vice-president, officiating. The Winnipeg native retired Monday after 24 years as an official to assume the position with the leagues head office. He replaces Tom Higgins, whose contract wasnt renewed. "While Glens talents as an on-field official will be sorely missed, we are absolutely thrilled he has agreed to take on this tremendously important role within the league office," CFL commissioner Mark Cohon said in a statement. Johnson appeared in 416 career games and earned 111 Grey Cup appointments. Bennie Logan Jersey. That included the historic 100th game in 2012, which saw the Toronto Argonauts beat the Calgary Stampeders 35-22 at Rogers Centre. "It has been an honour to officiate alongside trusted colleagues who are dedicated and passionate about our great game, its integrity and their important role within it," Johnson said. "I welcome this opportunity to work with them in a new way at a time that the CFL is entering an exciting modern era marked by new stadiums, expansion and business growth." Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '