The Fans Speak Out

Soccer Digest, Nov, 2001

Generation next

Is the U.S. finally on track to establishing itself as a world soccer power? Your story about emerging American players ["Time Is on Their Side," September 2001] suggests that possibility. One yardstick of a great soccer nation is a pipeline of new talent (just look at France), and the U.S. finally seems to have fulfilled that requirement. I can't recall a U.S. national team with as many new fresh faces as I've seen in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualification. And the U.S. is doing quite well in all the other underage tournaments around the world. The combination of a world-class youth infrastructure with a deep, diverse talent pool could establish the U.S. as a legitimate soccer power.

Carlos Eduarte Via e-mail

Time for a refresher

The biggest problem with soccer officiating has nothing to do with the referees, but with the television announcers, whose lack of understanding of the laws of the game are spread to the public each time they call a match. Wendy Gebauer's claim that a toe over the line constitutes a foul throw and Ty Keough's lack of understanding of off-side are just two examples of the problems they have understanding soccer's laws. Professional sports announcers play an important role in educating the public about soccer. These announcers need to be responsible and learn the laws of the game.

Matt Gunnin Atlanta

Tango, sir?

You have a nice magazine, but I find its international features heavily focused on the English Premier League. In my opinion there is better Futbol. Argentina, a source that your magazine articles manage to ignore, will field one the strongest teams for the next World Cup. Argentina has more players in the toughest European leagues (more than 170 players) than any other country, yet you fail to make even passing mentions of this soccer power and its many star players such as Gabriel Batistuta, Hernan Crespo, Juan Veron, Diego Simeone and Walter Samuel. Wake up and get with the show.

Mike Acebo Huntington Beach, Calif.

Twice since the end of the 1998 World Cup, SOCCER DIGEST has predicted a champion in the 2002 World Cup, and each time it has declared the favorite to be Argentina.

Wings of desire

The United States has lost its longest running professional soccer team: the Wichita Wings. Many MLS players were part of the indoor soccer team from this small Kansas community (population 300,000). It was also home to probably the best American player to never be part of the national team: Chico Borja, a player in the 1980s and early '90s whose skills should have earned him a cap, but was not given a chance because of his ties to indoor soccer.

I know that to many fans indoor soccer is something to be ignored, but just maybe this soccer team that lasted more than 20 years in a little city in Kansas would be worth a little research.

Larry G. Trussell Wichita

SOCCER DIGEST welcomes letters from readers. Name, city and state must be included. Mail to: The Fans Speak Out, SOCCER DIGEST, 990 Grove Street, Evanston, Illinois 60201-4370. E-mail to: soc@centurysports.net