With their steadfast refusal to shake hands after Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea in the Community Shield on Sunday, the highly-successful managers proved one thing, they both think that they are above the game of soccer.

From day-one as footballers we are taught that after the game, regardless of the result, you shake hands with your opponents. Managers do likewise, but not these two.

And why?

Because they think they don’t need to. They both think that because they are so successful as managers and so rich because of their managing capabilities that they don’t need to be held to the same expectations as everyone else.

And that is where both Mourinho and Wenger are failing the game of soccer – big time. At a time when the sport is trying to snuff out racism and verbal assaults on referees, Mourinho and Wenger have to step up and take the higher ground on this one.

Sure it makes for great drama and it leaves us all wondering what will happen next but it is disrespectful to the game of soccer to ignore the other manager after the match and it sets an incredibly poor example for the whole world to take notice.

No matter what happens during a match, even if you kick another player until their ankles bleed, it is always customary to shake hands with them after the game. It’s a sign of mutual respect in the spirit of competition and whether you believe in it at that moment or not, you do it.

But not so with these two arrogant managers.

So what if their dislike for each other is legendary? They are not above the game and somebody from either club or both clubs needs to tell them that. They can hate each other as much as they want. I’m not saying they have to get along and do a “spa-day” together. But out of respect to the game of soccer, which includes billions of people around this world, they need to do what grown men do after games – win, lose or draw.

Shake hands and show the game of soccer that you respect it.

Mark Vincent Lincir is the author of A Soccer Life in Shorts.

If you think for one minute that Ghana, Portugal or Germany will be anywhere near the hopeless level of the Philadephia Union, think again. I give Landon Donovan credit where credit is due. He absolutely dominates Major League Soccer. Always has and always will. But after watching his Los Angeles Galaxy dismantle an utterly useless Union squad on Sunday evening 4-1, I have come to the conclusion that if I get fit and am willing to live off of $35,000 a year, I too can play for the Union.

And therein lies the biggest problem in MLS. The bad teams are so horrible that we all think we can just get fit and play for them. And we might be right!

So the Union were the perfect partner to launch Landon’s revenge. He had a good assist and two goals from open play goals, and then broke the MLS all-time scoring record. He is the King of MLS, that I do not dispute. But that is also what kept him off Jurgen’s roster for World Cup 2014.

The way the Union played Sunday evening at the Stub Hub Center, there wasn’t a player amongst them that could make Ghana, Portugal or Germany’s under 16 national team rosters. And that is how Jurgen looks at all this. The things that Landon did Sunday don’t work in top flight international play. The game doesn’t open up that much. Philly looked like they were playing with each other for the first time. They have no clue how to play a flat-four. But did they ever adjust during the game? Of course not!

It almost looked like they were setting it all up for Landon’s heroic night, but that would be giving the Union players way too much credit. Tearing up pathetic MLS defenses does not get you onto World Cup squads. Just look at last year’s regular season MLS MVP Mike Magee.

Who?

Exactly! He was never even in Jurgen’s mix and he was voted the league MVP last year. How, I don’t know. But it happened.

This article isn’t meant to rip MLS. The league has come very far, and is here to stay. But when you have a world-class player as your international team coach now, it takes more than slicing up incredibly unorganized defenses to get you to the most elite sports tournament in the world.

Landon owns MLS, and probably will for many more years because his domination of the league comes so easy for him. And that, ultimately, is his downfall with the national team. Jurgen doesn’t want guys in his mix who like things to come easily. And unfortunately, Landon is the epitomy of that.

Editor’s note: Mark Vincent Lincir is the author of The Gift of Stoppage Time and A Soccer Life in Shorts.