15th May 2000
Bulgarian striker Hristo Stoitchkov built a world-class reputation before he joined
the Fire this season. He was to be the Fire's biggest offensive weapon. Something's missing, though.The Fire hit the 10-game mark in its season Saturday, routing the San Jose
Earthquakes 4-1 without him to improve to 5-4-1. With Stoitchkov, 34, on the field, the Fire is 3-2.The victory in his fifth game was earned after Stoitchkov left early with the groin
strain that has bothered him for nearly two months.Without Stoitchkov, the Fire is 2-2-1. The Fire is improving without him, going 2-0-1 in its last three Major League Soccer matches. That doesn't include the 3-3
draw with Mexican champion Toluca, achieved last week with Stoitchkov sidelined.Young stars Josh Wolff and DaMarcus Beasley provided the offense needed in that
one.In Saturday's win over San Jose, the key offensive effort came from Dema Kovalenko, just two years removed from Indiana University. "Sure, we miss Hristo," Fire coach Bob Bradley said. "He's a terrific player. But we
still believe we've got a very good roster top to bottom. My schedule isn't just games and dates. It's who is not going to be there. "When someone isn't there, it's an opportunity for someone else. I look at the
schedule, and the U.S. Cup [involving U.S. national team players, of which the Fire has four] isn't far away. There'll be friendlies for the Olympic team [before the
Games begin in Australia in September], and World Cup qualifying starts in July." The Fire will definitely need Stoitchkov then. He hasn't played for the team since
April 28.He traveled independent of the team to Miami to watch a 3-0 victory over the Fusion two weeks ago, and his influence was not lost in Saturday's win over San
Jose. Stoitchkov has been a longtime hero for Kovalenko, 12 years his junior, and has become his mentor."Hristo says I run too much, that I spend too much energy and that I've got to pick
my runs," Kovalenko said. "To be in the same locker room with a guy like that is a big privilege. I told him I'd score [against San Jose], but I also missed too many
chances."
15th May 2000
Bob Foltman answers a question about Stoitchkov
12th May 2000
Hristo Stoitchkov will chat with
CNNSI.com users Thursday at 2
p.m. ET.
The "Mad Bulgarian" is in his first season with Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire after joining the team in March. He already has four goals in the team's first nine games, after playing in just five due to injury. Stoitchkov has won at all levels, with top clubs including Spain's Barcelona (1996-98, 1990-1995) and with the Bulgarian national team. To add to his team honors, the fiery left-footed genius has his fair share of individual
awards, highlighted by the European Footballer of the Year trophy in
1994.
The 34-year old forward recently retired from the Bulgarian national team
with 84 caps and 37 goals. His goal total ranks second all-time for
Bulgaria.
He has been voted Bulgarian Football Player of the Year five times (1989,
1990, 1991, 1992, 1994) and he was also named Bulgarian Athlete of the
Year in 1994. Among his greatest accomplishments came on U.S. -- and
Chicago -- soil (Bulgaria vs. Greece June 28, 1994, at Soldier Field), as
he led Bulgaria to a third place finish during the 1994 World Cup.
11th May 2000
'Mad Bulgarian' lights Fire
7th May 2000
A lingering groin strain prevented Hristo Stoitchkov from being on the Fire's travel roster for Saturday's game, but it didn't keep him from watching it. The Bulgarian striker and his wife made the trip to see the sites as well as watch the game.
6th May 2000
Stoitchkov didn't make the trip to South Florida for Saturday's game against the Miami Fusion in Ft. Lauderdale.
6th May 2000 5th May 2000
Josh Wolff on replacing Hristo Stoitchkov.
The outlook isn't so encouraging for forward Hristo Stoitchkov and midfielder Chris Armas. Stoitchkov (groin strain) is doubtful and Armas (left hamstring strain) didn't make the trip.Fire forward Josh Wolff will get the call up front until Stoitchkov returns. The Bulgarian striker was dearly missed against the Rapids--especially on penalty kicks.Apparently noone feels good about taking the shot,except Stoitchkov, who scored four goals in five games before his injury but has yet to try a penalty kick in MLS.See what coach Bradley says
5th May 2000 5th May 2000
MLS player of the week Ante Razov about Stoitchkov.
Hristo Stoitchkov has a Grade 1 groin strain. He will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis. He is doubtful for Saturday's match at the Miami Fusion.
4th May 2000
Forward Hristo Stoitchkov had an MRI on Monday which revealed a grade one groin strain ... Stoitchkov re-aggravated the groin injury on Friday night against Tampa Bay and came out in the 37th minute .. The groin injury has plagued him for roughly four weeks.
4th May 2000 3rd May 2000 3rd May 2000
Without Stoitchkov Fire lost 2:1 to Rapids.
Hristo Stoitchkov was not included in the Fire squad for the game versus Colorado.
Hristo Stoitchkov, who has battled a groin strain for four weeks, will be out when the Fire plays Colorado at 7:30 tonight at Soldier Field.Wolff is the likely replacement at forward tonight and Saturday at Miami.
2nd May 2000
Fire coach Bradley said Stoitchkov is "week-to-week" with a groin injury.
29th April 2000
Hristo Stoitchkov aggravated his groin injury and had to leave the match in the 37th minute. John Wolnyiec came in for Stoitchkov and scored his first Fire goal in the 47th minute. That gave the Fire a 2-1 lead and opened the floodgates against a Tampa Bay team that played at home Wednesday and traveled to Chicago on Thursday.
TAMPA BAY MUTINY--Scott Garlick, Kalin Bankov, Steve Trittschuh (Chris Houser 48+), Joseph Addo, Ritchie Kotschau, Josh Keller, Steve Ralston, Eric Quill, Manuel Lagos (Dominic Kinnear 58), Carlos Valderrama, Raul Diaz Arce (Mamadou Diallo 58)
CHICAGO FIRE--Chris Snitko, Lubos Kubik, C.J. Brown, Carlos Bocanegra (Andrew Lewis 79), Mike Sorber, Jesse Marsch, Diego Gutierrez, Dema Kovalenko (Evan Whitfield 68), Peter Nowak, Hristo Stoitchkov (John Wolyniec 37), Ante Razov
Referee: Gerry Corrie; Referee's Assistants: Nathan Clement, Kari Seitz
Scoring Summary:
April 28
1
2
F
Tampa Bay
1
0
1
Chicago
1
4
5
TB --Trittschuh (Ralston) 15
CHI--Nowak (Marsch) 26
CHI--Wolyniec (Kubik, Sorber) 47
CHI--Razov (Gutierrez, Bocanegra) 53
CHI--Kubik (Razov) 71
CHI--Razov (Whitfield, Nowak) 86
TOTAL SHOTS: 5 (five players with 1); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Ralston 1, Trittschuh 1, Diaz Arce 1); FOULS: 8 (Keller 2, Quill 2, Diaz Arce 2); OFFSIDE: 4; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: Garlick 6; CAUTIONS: Keller 30, Quill 55; EJECTIONS: none; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 47%
TOTAL SHOTS: 25 (Kubik 6, Razov 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 11 (Razov 3); FOULS: 8 (Kubik 2, Marsch 2); OFFSIDE: 5; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: Snitko 2; CAUTIONS: Brown 85; EJECTIONS: none; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 53%
Attendance: 9,090; Weather: Partly Cloudy, 55F, Slight Breeze, Cold
28th April 2000 27th April 2000
Chicago Fire:Tampa Bay-5:1
Hail to Hristo
Up front, the Fire's persona is now that of Stoitchkov, once nicknamed "Raging Bull" for his strength and volatile stubborness. What the moniker neglects is his impeccable touch, unerring passes and fearsome shot.Put this bull in a china shop, and he's equally capable of nimbly dodging every obstacle as he is smashing through them.In three of four games prior to that against the Fusion, Bradley deployed Stoitchkov as one of three forwards. Stoitchkov scored three goals, but the Fire lost all three games.Against the Fusion, Kovalenko dropped back into midfield, from whence he often charged forward blindly. Stoitchkov, inevitably it seems, scored a goal, and just as inevitably, presented a teammate with a juicy scoring chance that was wasted.He drilled a free kick that Fusion keeper Jeff Cassar parried right to the feet of Jesse Marsch, who bludgeoned it wide.A week earlier in the heartbreaking 3-2 loss
to D.C. at RFK, Stoitchkov curled an amazing 40-yard cross right onto the head of Ante Razov, who apparently was so astonished at the pace and precision of the pass he headed the ball right to keeper Tom Presthus. Everything about him is amazing," said Armas. "He plays with such passion, he can pass the ball 30, 40, 50, 60 yards on a dime, he scores incredible goals." After scoring on a feed from Razov three minutes into the second half against Miami, Stoitchkov ran straight over to a section of Bulgarian fans and saluted them. As he did,he stared into a huge photo of his face - four feet tall, four feet high - that fans had displayed in tribute.A crowd of 20,184 watched the Fire's opener, a figure that Wilt said included about 7,000 walk-ups. "I was really happy with the crowd until a few people asked me if I was disappointed," said Wilt.Many will worship at the Shrine of Hristo this season. Yet the faces and the persona of this team will soon be starkly different.
27th April 2000 24th April 2000
The Tribune's Bob Foltman answers e-mails about Hristo Stoichkov
On Tuesday, April 25 from 6-8:30 p.m.Hristo Stoitchkov is going to attend the Corporate Reception at Signature Room on 95th Floor of John Hancock Centre, which Chicago Fire is hosting.All media are welcome to attend, and 200 guests are expected.
23rd April 2000
Ailing Stoitchkov misses contest with groin strain
FOXBORO, Mass.--The Fire played without Bulgarian striker Hristo Stoitchkov for the second time in six games Saturday night.Stoitchkov, who has four goals, sat out one game on a red-card suspension and missed Saturday's game against the New England Revolution because of a groin strain.
"He had a little problem after the D.C. game [on April 8], but he wanted to play against Miami [in last weekend's home opener]," coach Bob Bradley said. "He was a little worse this week, but we don't think it's anything major."
Stoitchkov didn't practice this week and didn't travel with the team."You don't want a player missing training, then playing in a game," Bradley said. "Possibly by being smart we can get him back in full training on Monday."
22nd April 2000 22nd April 2000
Stoitchkov missed Fire's game versus Revolution due to a groin strain. New England Revolution-Chicago Fire 1:1
Fire's Stoitchkov sidelined for game at New England
Hristo Stoitchkov, the scoring hero of last week's 1-0 decision over the Miami Fusion, will not play tonight when the Fire visits the New England Revolution.Stoitchkov suffered a groin strain that has kept him out of practice all week. He did not work out again Friday in the Fire's short practice before heading to Foxboro, Mass. "It doesn't look like he will be able to go this week," Fire coach Bob Bradley said. "We had an MRI on Monday, and he has a Grade 1 strain of the groin. We don't think it is bad, but we don't want to have this where every week he plays, then he is out and can't train. "He feels very strongly that, moving forward, he wants to be in training day in and day out. I think it makes sense to hold him back this week and get him ready for next week." After last week's games, Stoitchkov was tied for the league lead in goals scored with 4, getting those in just four games. He missed one game due to a red card.
21st April 2000
Mad Bulgarian fires up Chicago
How proud is Hristo Stoitchkov? On his first day with the Chicago Fire last month,the legendary Bulgarian midfielder and 1994 world player of the year brought a videotape to the team's practice facility. As his curious new teammates watched,Stoitchkov fiddled with a VCR for several minutes, then cursed in frustration. The machine wasn't working, which was a shame, for his audience would have been treated to an introduction far more impressive than a simple hello -- the compilation tape of Stoitchkov's greatest goals.
No matter. The Mad Bulgarian is busy creating a new highlight reel in MLS,where he has easily been the best foreign signing of 2000 (sorry, Lothar Matthäus). Stoitchkov has already scored the best free-kick goal in league history and is tied for the league lead in goals with four in four games. "The city and team have been phenomenal," Stoitchkov, 34, says in Spanish. "We have several international-level players and young guys who have played on the under-21 national team. I'm learning something new about my teammates each day in training, and as long as this team is strong and mentally prepared, we have a great chance of winning the championship."
After scoring against Miami in last week's 1-0 Fire victory, he leaped the signboards and saluted the 2,000 Bulgarians who had built a Stoitchkov shrine, replete with a three-by-four-foot poster of his mug,in the southwest corner of Soldier Field. "He's on this level of superstardom," says Fire midfielder Jesse Marsch, who notes that Stoitchkov wears gear from his own Puma HS8 signature clothing line."He'll walk into the room wearing a Barcelona UEFA Cup jacket, and we'll be like, 'Dude, that is awesome!I'll give you 500 bucks for that!' "
For his part, Stoitchkov has only one discouraging word about soccer in MLS. "The referees are not prepared enough for games that are a little more physical," he says. "Fouls are part of soccer, but every time there is contact they take out their cards or call fouls. The fans don't enjoy this.This is what happened in Kansas City,where the referee gave me a red card for simply touching another player."
The scary thing is that Stoitchkov only figures to get better. He's not in top physical shape yet, and his communication with teammates on the field has room to improve. "We feel like he's going to continue to get sharper," says Fire coach Bob Bradley . "Hristo can play a great ball, but he can't play it to himself. We tell him that we want him to be on the receiving end, too, and that requires his trust of the other guys on the team." Earning his teammates' trust is less of a challenge. Recently some of the Fire players finally saw his highlight tape,and they fully understand the Mad Bulgarian's pride, the same pride that erupts when you ask him if he's at all surprised by his success in MLS."Surprised?" he asks, chuckling. "No, no, no."
