U.S., Scots Limber Up for Big Matches
For Steve Sampson, the road to World Cup ’98 in France begins today in, of all places, Willow Brook Park at New Britain, Conn.
There, the United States national team plays Scotland in what soccer folk term a “friendly” game that actually is of considerable meaning for both teams.
For the Scots, it is the first of two warmup games before they meet the Netherlands, England and Switzerland in the first round of the June 8-30 European Championship. Scotland also will play Colombia in Miami on Wednesday.
For the United States, it offers the chance to shake off the rust, try out a few new players and prepare for U.S. Cup ‘96, the June 8-16 tournament that also features Bolivia, Ireland and Mexico.
“The last time we played together was in the Gold Cup [in Los Angeles in January],” said Sampson, the U.S. coach from Agoura Hills. “The key to this game is we get back together, we begin to get back on the same page.
“A lot of players now have played in two different leagues, under two different coaches and now, in Major League Soccer, in a system where you have players coming in from all different cultures, backgrounds and systems of play.
“My main concern is whether we can adapt to Steve Sampson’s system of play quickly. So that will be the challenge. Certainly, we want to play well. Certainly, we want to play to win. But in the big picture, getting on the same page is the most important thing.”
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Two players who are sure to get a close look from Sampson today are Columbus Crew forward Brian McBride, the top draft choice and leading goal-scorer in MLS, and Tampa Bay Mutiny defender Martin Vasquez.
Vasquez is a local product. He was born in Mexico but grew up in West Covina, played for Cal State Los Angeles and for several professional teams locally before graduating to the Mexican first division.
Although he played 10 games for the Mexican national team in 1993-94, he is eligible to represent the United States, Sampson said, because those games were only “friendlies” and not part of any FIFA-sanctioned tournament.
Sampson sees Vasquez, 32, as a possible short-term backup or replacement for Thomas Dooley, 35.
“I think we have to look at Dooley’s role with the national team,” Sampson said. “He’s not going to last forever. Ideally, I would like to bring in someone who is much younger than a Martin Vasquez, but I have to seriously take a look at that position. However, Thomas Dooley is playing much better today [in the German Bundesliga] than he was a year ago. I’m just trying to cover my bases and cover it with someone with experience.”
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Eric Wynalda, the United States’ all-time leading scorer, is still bothered by the aftereffects of a separated shoulder and might remain on the sideline today. That will give Sampson the chance to see more of San Diego’s Jovan Kirovski, who plays his club soccer in England for Manchester United’s reserve team.
“I want to try to give Jovan more time going forward,” Sampson said. “I want to take a look at Tab Ramos, quite possibly, playing up top with Eric Wynalda. I might try some different combinations.
“And I must look at [Tampa Bay defender] Steve Pittman, if, in fact, he’s going to be any kind of a consideration for [World Cup] qualifying. At some point I must look at him for at least 45 minutes. So I’ll either start him or play him in the second half at the left back position.”
Sampson said the decision to play Wynalda will depend on his doctors. “I won’t take a risk with him,” he said. “I’d rather save him for U.S. Cup.”
Soccer Notes
U.S. midfielder John Harkes, assessing today’s game, which will be televised live by ESPN at 9 a.m.: “The talent is there in the Scotland squad, but it doesn’t always show through. I think if they peak then they have the potential to do well in [Euro ‘96] but we are capable of beating them.” . . . The Scottish team took a break from training at the Central Connecticut State College to see avid Scotland fan Rod Stewart in concert at Madison Square Garden. Coach Craig Brown and his players joined Stewart on stage to help promote “Purple Heather,” the team’s song for Euro 96, proceeds of which will go to the victims of the Dunblane tragedy. . . . FIFA President Joao Havelange of Brazil turned 80 on May 8 and, as a birthday gift, a home for destitute children in Rio de Janeiro was named in his honor.
