Please don't let me be misunderstood: oft-labeled hot-headed, streaky, or both, the talented Fire and U.S. striker doesn't get the respect he deserves - Interview: Ante Razov - Chicago Fire Soccer Player - Interview

Soccer Digest, May, 2002 by Ashley Jude Collie

FOR U.S. AND CHICAGO FIRE striker Ante Razov, this is the most crucial year of his career. The Fire's all-time leading goalscorer (44), Razov gas bounced around the soccer world since spending four years at UCLA, often earning rave reviews for his striking ability. His soccer resume includes stints with Dinamo Zagreb, Los Angeles Galaxy, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Racing de Ferrol and trials with Bolton and Kilmarnock. Now he's settled back with the Fire and the feeling is that his time to shine has arrived.

Born into a soccer environment in Southern California. Ante grew up playing with his dad--who had been a professional in his home country of Yugoslavia (now Croatia) and his cousins. A natural scorer with me of MLS's sweetest left foots, the 27-year-old Razor has earned his spurs at home, starring on the Fire's incredible 1998 MLS Cup-winning team and enjoying U.S. Open Cup wins in 1998 and 2000.

Razov has not, however, consistently made the grade at the national level. For the striker, momentum, confidence, and solid play have too often been interrupted by injuries. But with the striking position wide open on the national team as Bruce Arena's team heads into the World Cup, Razov has it all before him over the next few months. SOCCER DIGEST caught up with "Te" to talk about this crucial period in his career, playing in Europe, and his goals for the upcoming year with the Fire and U.S. team.

SOCCER DIGEST: The season must be the most crucial time of your career: the Champions Cup, MLS, and, possibly, the World Cup. Are you ready?

ANTE RAZOV: This the pinnacle of my career. It's going to be the most important year of my life, but this is what I've always wanted to do. This is why my dad took me to the park. It comes down to getting to and playing in the World Cup. It's every soccer player's dream. I just don't want to get injured. If I don't make it because I didn't do well enough, I can deal with that. As long as it's in my hands.

SD: You'll be playing a full season with the Fire after returning late last year. What are your objectives at the club level this season?

AR: The goal is always to win every competition we enter. It was pretty disappointing to lose to the Galaxy in the semifinals last year, especially with myself, Josh Wolff, and Peter Nowak all injured. It was very frustrating to watch. Even with the three of us out, we almost had enough to make it to the Cup.

SD: Realistically, what would make the next four to six months satisfying?

AR: A good start to the season with the Fire, making the World Cup team, and contributing to us getting past the first round. And after that, anything can happen. Teams can tighten up, there's a lot of pressure.

SD: Your dad played professionally in the former Yugoslavia. What was your sporting environment like as a youngster?

AR: When my dad first came to Southern California in the early 1970s, there was a big ethnic soccer community in L.A., just like in other big American dries. There were local Croatian, Italian, and German clubs. Some big European stars would fly in for the weekend and play with these teams. Growing up, I was always going to those games.

Soccer was a part of my life the way basketball or baseball is for the typical American kid. Every day, I'd kick the ball in the backyard or go to training with my father. I would always try to watch the games from Europe on Spanish-language television, even if they were tape-delayed. I knew all of the players.

SD: Would you say that you were in a soccer wilderness after college?

AR: Yeah, it had been a difficult time. I'd never really been given an opportunity with the Galaxy, even after two seasons. I was actually cut twice for reasons that no one bothered to explain. All that time, even though I was young, I knew I could contribute.

I tried to go to Europe and try out for several teams, but it was very difficult when they'd see that you'd only played five games in a year-and-a-half. Right away you're behind the eightball. It didn't matter how well I did in training. For example, I did really well at Eintracht Frankfurt and their president said, "Everything looks good to me." But the coach said he didn't know me, didn't know where I came from. That was very frustrating.

I ended up coming home at Christmas 1997 and I was thinking of going back to school. I really had no options. I didn't know how to get back into MLS. I was told to go to the A-League, but I really felt that I was a much better player than that.

SD: What turned it around for you?

AR: I got a call from coach Bob Bradley in January 1998. [Former Fire and Galaxy player] Jorge Salcedo recommended me because the Fire didn't have very many strikers entering their first camp. So, I was invited to come out and in our first exhibition, in Mexico, I scored a couple of goals. From then on out, things began to work for me. It was great just to be playing.

SD: You had obviously done very well, but you were out of contract. Is it true that you asked for the league maximum and didn't get it?