11^th November 1999

See what Dimitar Dimitrov says

10^th November 1999

SOFIA, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's Hristo Stoichkov is going through possibly the biggest -- and hardest -- change of his life. The change involves nothing less than going from the biggest star in his country to a new career as an assistant coach. Of course he should not remain anyone's assistant for too long and will soon be his own boss somewhere. But right now, at the age of 33, its a tough step to make. It's also a tough step during a week like this when many of Europe's teams are preparing for the play-offs for the Euro 2000 finals -- or playing in friendlies preparing for those finals. Bulgaria, long since eliminated from the competition, are on the sidelines for the time being -- but Stoichkov more mature and less explosive than in his playing days, told Reuters the time was perfect for him to make the move. He says he has been "working flat out" to accumulate the knowledge he needs to help Bulgaria regain the form which made the national team, which he captained, the biggest suprise of the 1994 World Cup when it reached the semifinals for the first time. Stoichkov now divides his time between the Bulgarian national side and Spain where he watches training sessions and analyses matches with his former coach, Dutch master Johan Cruyff. "Almost every week I meet Johan. We watch matches together and discuss different issues. I do not think I can find a better teacher than him," Stoichkov said. The Bulgarian forward who won the European Cup in 1992 with Barcelona -- then coached by Cruyff -- plans also to attend a coaching school in Germany or Italy. He waved good-buy to international soccer in June in the presence of Cruyff after Bulgaria's Euro qualifier against England, his 83rd appearance for the national team. After 17 years and 37 goals for his country, Stoichkov vows: "The experience I have piled up playing abroad will help me now in my work." He marked his debut as assistant coach under Dimitar Dimitrov in October when Bulgaria beat Luxembourg 3-0 in a Euro 2000 qualifier which unfortunately was just an academic exercise as Bulgaria were already eliminated from group five. The 1994 European Footballer of the Year, who has refused to accept a salary in his new job, said he faced an uphill battle as "Bulgarian soccer is plunging down each day." So one immediate target is to improve the players' professional standards their lack of discipline and low training-load. "I think they want to get money first and then play while it should be vice versa", he said. Stoichkov made a local history in 1990 when he was transfered from then champions CSKA Sofia to Barcelona for almost $4.0 million -- an astronomic sum in immediate post-communist eastern Europe. And while he has been at the very top of the soccer pyramid, he believes the revival of Bulgarian soccer must start at grass-roots level. "The revival of children's and junior's soccer could give a boost to local soccer. But it is hard. Unfortunately, only a handful of clubs work to develop junior soccer," he said. Ambitious but down to earth, Stoichkov said he knew what he had to do and would do it. "I have always said: soccer is a simple game -- but for clever people," he said. There were few clever on the pitch than Stoichkov. If he can recreate that innate understanding off the pitch, Bulgarian soccer should be especially grateful.