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| Tuesday, July 2, 2002 19:49 EST |
Chat wrap: Hristo Stoitchkov
[ESPN.com]
After a legendary international club career, spent mainly with Spanish giants Barcelona, Hristo Stoitchkov joined MLS on March 15, 2000 and was allocated to the Chicago Fire.
Hristo Stoitchkov talked with fans on June 28.
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In his first year with Chicago in 2000, he helped the Fire to its second MLS Cup final and led the team to its second Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title in three years in 2000. Heading into this season he has appeared in 35 MLS matches, scoring 15 goals and 12 assists for 42 points.
Stoitchkov was a fixture on the Bulgarian National Team for many years and helped lead the team to a best-ever fourth place finish at the 1994 World Cup. He earned 84 caps and scored 37 goals during his international career, his 37 goals rank second all time only 10 behind leader Hristo Bonev with 47.
He was voted Best Bulgarian Football Player of the Year five times (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994) and received the Golden Boot two times -- 1990 for top scorer in Europe; 1994 for top scorer of the World Cup in the United States.
The original chat with Hristo Stoitchkov was on ESPNdeportes.com on June 28, if you missed it, here are a few excerpts:
Felipe (Monterrey): What does Barcelona need to obtain the championships it has not been able to achieve in the last years?
Hristo Stoichkov: First of all, they need a winning attitude. Each and every time there are less of those players because anyone who comes to Barcelona comes for the money. He doesn't know what it is like to wear the shirt. In Barcelona, you could live very well. It's a fantastic environment. For trainers as well. In the last few seasons, that winning mentality has not been possible because of constant changes between players, management, trainers, presidents, etc. That influences negatively for Barcelona football.
José Angel Ramírez, Venezuela: As a talented player, do you think that because of the anxiety to make more money, football players don't complain as much for playing so many games where they have to give it their all? Thanks.
Hristo Stoichkov: It has to be that, but for a lot of players, it is the same if they win one game and lose three games. That is because their contract is well structured and they don't suffer if that is the case. So they don't sacrifice themselves. Each time there are less and less who really love soccer. Today, it is merchandise. They are interested more in the money they have in the bank than playing soccer well, without abandon.
MEXICO: Hristo Stoichkov, is it true that in USA '94 World Cup when you were playing against Mexico and you saw that Hugo Sanchez was warming up to come into the game against Bulgaria, did you think that the game could have ended up tied or even loss because Hugo would do something for the team?
Hristo Stoichkov: I have a great friendship with Hugo Sanchez. I talked to him recently. He played in (Real) Madrid and I played with Barcelona. Our friendship isn't broken by anybody. That day we played Mexico, we knew who we were going to play against. I knew from the start that Hugo wasn't going to play. So we were sure we were going to take that game. When Hugo Sanchez was warming up, we were a little bit nervous to see if in fact he would go in, because with a corner kick, he can score a goal on you. I told him that thank goodness he didn't come in the game in those last 10 or 15 minutes because he could have scored that goal. He was a sure goal scorer. The outcome of that game was tough on Mexico.
Omar Enrique_El Salvador: What is the most spectacular play that you remember with the Bulgarian National Team?
Hristo Stoichkov: Spectacular there are not many. But in beautiful goals, there was the one against Mexico in World Cup USA '94. By the movement, the strike, I think it was a spectacular goal that easily can be drawn in a soccer book.
Carlos Alberto-Venezuela: Do you think the MLS in the United States can turn out to be as competitive as one of those leagues in Europe, taking into account that there is financial backing? Also, how is the new generation of Bulgarian players coming about?
Hristo Stoichkov: Everybody believes in MLS, that is why I am here. Young players mature in a young league. In the last World Cup, you saw how the young players from USA - Beasley, Donovan, McBride - with their image and developing skills can become important players in the soccer world stage.
In my country we need a big time coach and some directors who don't steal. That there not be any corruption because in Bulgaria that is what is happening now. You know which team is going to win beforehand. And so there we are. We won't be in any championships. So we lose time. If that tendency isn't broken soon, then the Bulgarian soccer players will settle for 5 thousand dollars and think they are rich.
Robby: You have played with Ronaldo in Barcelona. How do you compare his skill level back then, with what he exhibits today?
Hristo Stoichkov: It is very difficult for Ronaldo to go back to that level when he played with me at Barcelona. Maybe it's because of the injuries. But the lack of scoring goals won't be missing. Surely we will love when he scores goals, but for him to have that skill level from before is very difficult.
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