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.
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.
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."
20th April 2000 17th April 2000
After Fire's successful home opener versus Fusion,leading US soccer magazine "Soccer America" included Hristo for the third time in its 'Team of the Week'.
The Dagger does not stop scoring since his his arrival in Chicago and it won't be a surprise,if we start talking of his returning in the national team soon.With his four goals in four matches Hristo proved that he hasn't gone to the American Championship on an excursion and is taking his new challenge professionally.
16th April 2000
After losing three of four road games and accumulating four red cards,the Fire rewarded 20,169 Soldier Field fans with a 1-0 victory over the Miami Fusion. It snapped a six-game unbeaten streak for the Fusion (1-1-3) in Major League Soccer regular-season games going back to last year.The only offense the Fire (2-3) needed came off a three-man sequence in the 48th minute.
Diego Gutierrez' long ball to Ante Razov set up a long cross by Razov to Hristo Stoitchkov. The Bulgarian striker, making his first Soldier Field appearance since Bulgaria's romp over Greece in the 1994 World Cup finals, caught up to Razov's ball and slipped it inside the right post. It was Stoitchkov's fourth goal in as many MLS games.
"When you get a tremendous pass like Ante made, it's very easy to score," Stoitchkov said. "I was unmarked, and I'm happy I was able to finish it." "You see what Stoitchkov brings us," midfielder Chris Armas said. "His understanding of us and us of him is only going to get better. He's a great player.We've got to get him the ball. He can put a 60-yard kick on a dime. If we can raise our level to his level, we'll all be better."
16th April 2000
Two rare things happened in the Fire's home opener against the Miami Fusion on Saturday night.First, the Fire won. Its 1-0 victory before 20,169 was the team's second win in five games this season. Even with the victory, the Fire remained at the bottom of the Central Division with six points.
The other rare event: The Fire ended the game with 11 players on the field. That's a first this season. The Fire had a player ejected with a red card in the first four games.
The lone goal came from Hristo Stoitchkov in the 48th minute. Ante Razov made a run down the left side and sent the ball to the far post and out of the reach of Miami goalkeeper Jeff Cassar. It would have rolled wide of the goal, but Stoitchkov kept his run down the opposite flank, got the outside of his left foot on the ball and deftly redirected it for his fourth goal of the season.
In the 37th minute, Stoitchkov instructed Miami's Heaps of proper on-field etiquette. After a Miami foul, Heaps tossed the ball away from the where it should have been played. Stoitchkov grabbed the ball, presented it to the Duke product in the manner of a school teacher and instructed Heaps to throw the ball back to where it belonged.
The Fire had the first scoring chance , coming in the third minute.Ante Razov drew a foul just outside the Miami penalty area.Stoitchkov took the free kick and whipped it toward the goal, but Cassar knocked it right to Jesse Marsch, whose rebound attempt was knocked over the bar.
15th April 2000 14th April 2000
Stoichkov's goal in the 48th minute brought Fire a 1:0 win over Miami Fusion.
Hristo Stoitchkov never will forget his first game at Soldier Field. The Bulgarian national team posted the country's first World Cup victory with a 4-0 thrashing of Greece on June 26, 1994.That memory can only help Saturday when the star striker makes his Soldier Field debut for the Fire in the home opener vs. Miami (7 p.m., Fox Sports Net,1030-AM in Polish, 560-AM in Spanish).Major League Soccer allocated Stoitchkov to the Fire a week before the season started. The Fire (1-3) lost all three games Stoitchkov has played, winning only two weeks ago at Columbus when he sat out a red-card suspension."I have to take in the same mentality as when we played Greece," Stoitchkov said through translator and assistant coach Denis Hamlett. "We have to play with everything to break this streak."Bulgaria was winless in a World Cup-record 17 games before beating Greece."It was not a surprise," Stoitchkov said. "We thought we were much better than Greece. We knew how they played, and we dominated them. That game will always be in my head. It's very important in the history of Bulgarian soccer and brings good memories for all Bulgarians."The team celebrated at Michael Jordan's Restaurant."The whole team had a drink there," Stoitchkov said. "Going there was very important because everybody wanted to know what that place was like, and not a lot of people could get in. There was a lot of security and police, but the World Cup organizers got us in. Then we took a plane to Dallas."Bulgaria went on to reach the semifinals, and Stoitchkov finished as the leading goal scorer in the tournament.Since joining MLS at 34, Stoitchkov hasn't let up on his scoring. He has three goals in three games and delivered several brilliant passes his teammates couldn't finish off.His most spectacular plays came Saturday in a 3-2 loss at D.C. United. Stoitchkov drilled a 30-yard free kick, a boot deputy commissioner Ivan Gazidis called "one of the best goals I've ever seen in MLS." Stoitchkov also sent a 50-yard pass directly to the head of forward Ante Razov in front of the net, but Razov couldn't convert."The arrival of Hristo turned our world upside down a bit," Razov said. "He's shown his quality. He's a great player. Everyone feeds off him. He's still not in game shape yet, but I'm glad he's here.""He sees things," midfielder Chris Armas said. "We know we have to get him the ball."Stoitchkov didn't play for nine months before joining the Fire. The D.C. game was the only one in which he went the full 90 minutes. With Josh Wolff and DaMarcus Beasley on duty with the U.S. Olympic team, it's likely Stoitchkov will have to go the route almost every game.He has no problem with that, but he is having major problems with MLS officiating."The league should talk more with them," said Stoitchkov, one of four Fire players to be sent off with red cards in the first four games. "They should let us play more soccer. Here the whistle blows too much. It's stop-stop-stop. That takes away from the spectators, it's not good for soccer and it kills the game."Soccer is a contact sport. There will be contact. If these referees worked games in Europe, the games would never end."
14th April 2000
The only current Fire player without a decent grasp of English is Hristo Stoitchkov. A Bulgarian, Stoitchkov is fluent in Spanish from his days at Barcelona, and he also speaks Italian. He plans on adding English to his repertoire soon."Until I'm totally fluent in English, I won't stop taking lessons," Stoitchkov said, in Spanish, through Diego Gutierrez.Even without a full understanding of each other's language,Stoitchkov and Bradley have had some conversations, albeit limited ones."Hristo is very smart," Bradley said. "He's very attentive, so when you speak English he doesn't tune you out. He looks at you and listens."Thus far there have been no problems understanding one another on the field, and Stoitchkov knows why."On the field, there is just one language—the language of soccer," Stoitchkov said in Spanish. "It's spoken all over the world."
12th April 2000
In an interview for 'El Mundo Deportivo',Hristo Stoitchkov accused the president of Barca,Nunes in unloyalty to his manager Mingea.Hristo criticized the Catalan boss,because of his words,that showed Mingea to be guilty for the failed transfer of the player of Valensia-Gerard Lopez in Barca.
Hristo also says that he feels very well in the USA and that he has given his wife Mariana a 'Wrangler' jeep as a gift,with which both of them are traveling around Chicago.See what Hristo says
9th April 2000
6th April 2000
Despite the goal of Hristo Stoitchkov in the end of the first half, Chicago Fire lost to DC United by 2:3.
Chicago Fire forward Hristo Stoitchkov will be available for selection in the first XI for Saturday's game
31th March 2000
29th March 2000
Bob Bradley talks about the signing of Bulgarian superstar Hristo Stoitchkov
The interview is from the 29th.
Stoichkov interview for 'El Mundo Deportivo'
28th March 2000
Krassimir Balakov,who is returning to play in the Bulgarian national football team,denied reports that he had quit the national side two years ago after being at odds with Hristo Stoichkov who now plays for Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire.See what Balakov says.
27th March 2000
27th March 2000 (In Spanish)
About Stoichkov's red card by Hristo,Fire coach Bob Bradley,Mo Johnson and Fire defender C.J.Brown
Ya han visto a Stoichkov
Redacción - BARCELONA.En sólo diez días, Hristo Stoichkov ha firmado por los Fire (15 de marzo), debutado con el conjunto de Chicago (18 de marzo), marcado dos goles en su estreno, jugado su segundo partido (25 de marzo) y visto, en el minuto 66 de ese duelo contra Kansas City, una roja “por comportamiento poco noble”, según reza el acta.
Descanso forzoso
El ex barcelonista, que como tal fue expulsado 8 veces en Liga, se perderá por sanción el tercer partido de su equipo en la MLS (Campeonato Profesional de Estados Unidos), previsto para el 1 de abril ante Columbus. Chicago lo afrontará sin su estrella y con su peor balance inicial en cuatro años: en ninguna de las tres temporadas previas había arrancado con dos derrotas consecutivas (4-2 en Dallas y 4-3 en Kansas City).
Con 3-1 en contra en el feudo de los Wizards, el ex internacional búlgaro le entró por detrás al centrocampista local Mo Johnston y, siempre según el colegiado Noel Kenny, “planeó sobre el futbolista que yacía en el sueño durante varios segundos”. Corría el minuto 66 y pese a estar en inferioridad numérica, sus compañeros lograron dos tantos más. Razov (m. 45), el colombiano Gutiérrez (m. 68) y Kovalenko (m. 90) fueron los artilleros del once de Bob Bradley, quien no se ensañó con Hristo.
“Para mí la tarjeta debía haber sido amarilla, nunca roja”, señaló el técnico de los Fire, “justo antes Molnar (ex Sevilla y ahora 'dinamita danesa' de Kansas City) había cometido una falta idéntica y sólo vio una amarilla”.
Curiosamente el pasado lunes los periodistas le habían preguntado al ex azulgrana por qué estuvo “tan tranquilo” en su primer encuentro en EE.UU. “Va como va, lo importante es no perder la concentración”, había sido la lacónica respuesta de '8' de Chicago.
Mientras Hristo causará baja el próximo sábado, Bradley recuperará a Nowak y Armas, ausentes anteayer por sendos compromisos personales. Habrá un partido más fuera de casa (ante el vigente campeón DC United, el día 8 de abril), antes de que los Fire se estrenen ante su público. Será el día 15, cuando Miami gire visita al Soldier Field. De momento las parroquias hispana y polaca -muy nutridas en Chicago- deben seguir los encuentros por radio a través de las emisoras WOJO/WIND y WNVR, respectivamente.
Ante los Wizards, a Hristo se le contabilizaron una asistencia y un centro excesivamente abierto. El meta anfitrión Tony Meola sumó su encuentro número 100 y Lalas (ex jugador de Kansas) cantó el himno antes del pitido inicial
26th March 2000
Stoichkov:History repeating itself...
26th March 2000
Sloppy defense keeps Fire burning for 1st victory;Stoitchkov ejected
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Poor defending and
goalkeeping cost the Fire again Saturday night as it
fell to the Kansas City Wizards 4-3 in front of 7,540
at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Fire is now 0-2 with its next two games on the
road, in Columbus on April 1 and April 8 in
Washington, where it has yet to win. The Fire is the
only team in the Central Division not to have a point.
Hristo Stoitchkov was sent off in the 68th minute with
a red-card ejection after fouling Mo Johnston and
then starting a confrontation with the Wizards
forward.
Stoitchkov will be suspended for the Columbus match
and is the second Fire player to be ejected this season.
Peter Nowak was ejected last week.
