You are correct.... ..........1984 Leading Scorers GP G A TP Steve Zungul, Golden Bay 24 20 10 50 here is a view of his home that was up for sale....not sure if it still is... http://activerain.com/blogsview/308657/36-4-Collonade-Drive
sorry for the thread bump... https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...l-indoor-soccer-record-books?CMP=share_btn_fb The forgotten story of … Steve Zungul, indoor soccer's greatest ever player Slavisa Zungul was a 1970s star for Hajduk Split. But then he moved to America, changed his name to Steve, and racked up the most goals in MISL history
I had posted this article in the Quakes NASL thread a while back. He was an amazing player. I don't think MLS has had anyone close to matching him since 1996.
David Beckham Thierry Henry Robbie Keane Didier Drogba All come to mind as World Class, no disrespect to Steve Zungul, but he isn't in the same class as the above. Hey Beau Dure, you've written for the Guardian (which is fairly impressive, that paper is miles above anything we've got stateside today). How did someone else write this? This should be your article.
If it were today, he could have very well been in the same class maybe just as good as those players. Especially if he were allowed to play abroad like those guys did. FIFA wouldn't allow Zungul to play outdoor soccer because of the lame Yugoslavian law preventing a player to go abroad and play before his 28th BD. If it wasn't for Don Popovic who took the case to the Supreme Court, Zungul will have never played outdoor soccer in the NASL. Giorgio Chinaglia once said, even though the game has changed, a player like himself will have dominated today's MLS. I think the same goes for Steve Zungul.
Giorgio Chinaglia flattered himself. Routinely. Zungul would not "dominate" today's MLS. You said MLS has not had "anyone close to matching him" in 20 years. You're wrong. Would an in-prime Zungul be a good player today? Sure, probably. But please. Stop.
Better than or equivalent to the skills of a Zungul or Chinaglia in MLS? There is no doubt they both had big egos and were selfish jerks at times but still, nostalgia or not, I can't think of many players better than or with similar ability of those two. Has the game itself changed? Yes. Are Gk's, defenders, midfielders , forwards overall faster and better today? Yes of course they are but I still believe that many of the in prime top NASL stars will have dominated today's MLS. Maybe I'm wrong but I personally haven't seen a player anywhere close to a George Best, Trevor Francis, Hugo Sanchez , Bogey , Karl Heinz Granitza , Chinaglia or Zungul in over 20 years of MLS. Especially since most if not all of those players came into the league at 30 years of age or younger as opposed to 32/33+.
Impossible to know the answer, but Zungul did play for his national team and he won the 1984 NASL (outdoor) MVP.
The game is definitely faster today than in the 70's or 80's. Also, a defender use to be able to pass back to a goalkeeper and where he could pick it up and handle it. On the flip side, defenders kicked the stuffing out of forwards without being carded and forwards would dive without punishment. That won't happen in today's game. Chinaglia had the 35 yard offside line where Zungul didn't as FIFA made the NASL abide by the actual rule in 1983. I still think those talented players , given the same conditions and training regimens of today's players , will have done just as well in MLS as they did back then. Harry Redknapp was asked a few years ago at the Quakes- Spurs game if MLS today could compare to the old NASL. He said there is no comparison because that league had the best players in the world. Americans are definitely better than they were back then but even some were coming into their own back by 1984. Sadly the league folded and all they has was the indoor game.
Well, I read one time that he was ranked in a European poll as the sixth best forward in Europe. That was a contemporary poll, not one done retrospectively.
Yes I think Zungul is living in Escondido. Last time I really saw him, I think, was at a USMNT friendly, I think at San Diego University Torreros stadium some years ago. I remember being close to the field and Zungul was walking along with the rest of us spectators and he saw Jovan Koroski warming up and he yelled his name and got his attention. I read later that he helped train Korovski as a youth. He grew up in San Diego I think. I guess they were all part of the Serbian /Croatian community there. But Steve Zungul was really the Wayne Gretzky of indoor soccer. Nothing less than that. Oh, and someone mentioned Wes Wade. I saw him a few weeks ago at Sockers half time legends mini game. He has that same long hair. They are all much older and look it. Waad Hirmez is fat as all get out. Zungul was not there.
Zungul does indeed live in Escondido. He tends to avoid media attention now, but is a willing autograph signer via mail.