Steve Sampson interview 11/23

[anderson]

Just FYI - Sampson is apparently scheduled to be on Glenn Davis' radio show today, 11/23 (show starts 5 pm central).

The show streams online at www.kpft.org.

Tune in to The Soccer Hour with Glenn Davis today (5 p.m. [central time], KPFT, 90.1 FM) as we will recap the MLS Cup final and chat with former U.S. national team coach Steve Sampson.http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/soc/2243277

[saabrian]

Originally posted by anderson
Just FYI - Sampson is apparently scheduled to be on Glenn Davis' radio show today, 11/23 (show starts 5 pm central).

The show streams online at www.kpft.org.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/soc/2243277

amazing. this was posted without any revisionist, character assassinations as responses.

[QuakeAttack]

Originally posted by saabrian
amazing. this was posted without any revisionist, character assassinations as responses.

Dammmmmmmm him! He set US Soccer back so far that four years later the US made the quarterfinals of the WC. He was the sole reason the US came in last place in 98'... Should never coach again....Should be baned from ever being involved with US Soccer again...

Is that better?

[anderson]

Originally posted by saabrian
amazing. this was posted without any revisionist, character assassinations as responses.Indeed. :D

Some interesting comments: Sampson reflects on U.S. tenure (http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/soc/2323735), Glenn Davis, Houston Chronicle

[TeamUSA]

It's nice to read that he finally confessed to the Eric Wynalda situation.

[whip]

Originally posted by QuakeAttack
Dammmmmmmm him! He set US Soccer back so far that four years later the US made the quarterfinals of the WC. He was the sole reason the US came in last place in 98'... Should never coach again....Should be baned from ever being involved with US Soccer again...

Is that better?

I do not blame him ! I Blame the people that hire him those are the one undermining the progress of soccer in this nation...

[Nutmeg]

" Young players such as Alonzo Solis (Saprissa), an attacking midfielder, left back Junior Diaz and speedy right-side midfielder Alexander Castro could be a part of the qualifying roster for the Ticos."

If I were an MLS coach, I might take a look at trying to sign Diaz and Castro. Both are good young players in positions that a lot of MLS teams could use help in. Solis has been a player who is just starting to get time off the bench at Saprissa, and I haven't seen as much of him. He has Walter Centeno ahead of him at Saprissa and the Costa Rican national team, so playing time is probably tough to come by.

Diaz will be on display at the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament in Guadalajara. Castro has played pretty regularly for the Ticos since Sampson's arrival, at times to mixed reviews. He can be really good, and then he can look lost. He's the perfect Bob Bradley type project.

[BMF]

I've been living in Costa Rica this year and I think you've badly udnerestimated Alonso Solis (note there's another Solia, Mauricio Solis). I get to see Saprissa play a lot, and along with Alvaro Saborio (a very young forward with a bright future) he is always the most talented player on the field. To be truthful, I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up someplace grander than MLS--like his countryman Wanchope in Europe.

As for Saborio, I'd place him above Diaz, and I'd be astonished if teams from other richer leagues aren't already looking at him. Leading the league in scoring does tend to get one noticed! (Solis, a true #10, is second).

[Scotty]

I can't seem to find the article anymore. Can anyone post a better link?

[louisb]

Copyright 2003 The Houston Chronicle Publishing Company
The Houston Chronicle

December 28, 2003, Sunday 4 STAR EDITION

Sampson reflects on U.S. tenure

BY GLENN DAVIS

Glenn Davis covers soccer for the Chronicle. His notebook appears Sundays. E-mail him at gdavis98@swbell.net


When Steve Sampson took the job as Costa Rica's coach, he became the first American to head up another country's team. Along with the pressure of representing U.S. coaches at the international level came speculation from Costa Rican media about the stylistic approach the former U.S. national team coach would take. Sampson had to earn his credibility in the eyes of the Costa Ricans.

"I am still proving myself," he said. "Initially, they were concerned that we were going to play this robotic, very stiff style of soccer with no flair or creativity.

"I think they have seen a North American that likes to play creative soccer. Especially this North American."

Sampson believes the combination of creative play and tactical discipline could work for Costa Rican soccer.

Sampson, an assistant under Bora Milutinovic at the 1994 World Cup in the United States and U.S. head coach for the 1998 World Cup in France, could go up against Bruce Arena and the Americans in World Cup qualifying in 2004. And to make it more interesting, he also will face his former mentor, Milutinovic, now Honduras' coach, along with recently hired Frank Yallop of Canada.

That makes four coaches in qualifying with ties to U.S. soccer either through the national team or Major League Soccer.

"The fact that you have Bruce, Bora and myself, all coaches that have qualified for a World Cup, makes it very interesting," Sampson said. "It brings a lot of credibility to CONCACAF. The games are going to be exciting, and no games will be easy. There are going to be some strange results, upsets, and people are going to have to work through the results."

Sampson believes qualifying is going to be much tougher in 2004.

"I think it is going to be much more competitive than the previous two World Cup qualifying phases," he said.

Sampson and the U.S. team were embroiled in controversy during the 1998 World Cup in France, where the United States failed to get out of its group amid dissension in the squad.

"In part, it was managing expectations and managing personalities," Sampson said.

Players were unhappy with team isolation and missing out on the World Cup experience.

"I think I could have done a better job of involving the players in where we would be housed and the type of activities we were going to do, so they would have a real good experience," Sampson said. "The mistake I made was I didn't include the leadership of the team. I am a much better coach because of that experience, and I wouldn't make that same mistake again, even though it was an innocent mistake."

There was also controversy about player selection, and it reached a boiling point when midfielder and former captain John Harkes was not selected.

"Certainly, people talk about the John Harkes incident. I felt it was a decision I had to make (not selecting him), and I would make that decision again today," Sampson said. "You hope that the team understands why you would make that decision. I think the vast majority of the team did, and I think there were also others who felt John deserved to be there and were loyal to him. That made for an uneasy situation we could not overcome in a short period of time.

"I also learned that you can't rely on players' history to get you through a World Cup. Only players that are absolutely 100 percent fit should go. Looking back on it, I should never have taken Eric Wynalda. He was a player only 70 or 80 percent fit even though he was the leading goal scorer in the United States. I hoped the event itself would raise his level.

"We had key players like Joe Max-Moore injured and Tab Ramos, who in the previous three or four months wasn't 100 percent because of his knee injuries. Those are all things I would do differently this time around."

Despite the many problems he encountered in 1998, Sampson believes it was a learning experience that will benefit the current U.S. squad.

"I really believe the experience we went through in 1998 really helped guys like Brian McBride, Claudio Reyna, Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel," he said. "It wasn't foreign to them (in 2002) to be in that environment. I think Bruce did an outstanding job, but I also think the guys who went through the '94 and '98 experience really helped them in the 2002 World Cup."

Sampson gives kudos to Major League Soccer as well.

"I think MLS has done a wonderful job of developing young talent and giving them confidence on the field. Things are going well for the United States, and they are only going to get better," he said.

As for his Costa Rican squad, Sampson sees young talent coming through the ranks to combine with veterans such as Paolo Wanchope (Manchester City), Walter Centeno and Winston Parks. Young players such as Alonzo Solis (Saprissa), an attacking midfielder, left back Junior Diaz and speedy right-side midfielder Alexander Castro could be a part of the qualifying roster for the Ticos.

The future looks bright in Costa Rica.



AROUND THE WORLD



U.S. coach Bruce Arena has called in 30 players to participate in training camp starting Jan. 4 at the national training center in Carson, Calif. No Houston-area players were chosen for the squad.

The training camp will culminate in the United States' first match at the Home Depot Center, against Denmark on Jan. 18.

Twenty-seven of the 30 players chosen for the camp are from the MLS, and the roster includes veterans such as Chris Armas, Brian McBride and Eddie Pope. Arena also will get a look at up-and-coming players such as Richard Mulrooney, Pat Noonan and Jim Curtain.

The only overseas players called in were defenders Wade Barrett (AGF Aarhus, Denmark); Robbie Russell (FC Sogndal, Norway); and Corey Gibbs (FC St. Pauli, Germany).

After the Denmark game, the U.S. team will travel to face fifth-ranked Holland on Feb. 18 at the Amsterdam Arena, the home of famed Ajax. The United States replaced Germany as Holland's opponent after the two were paired in the same European 2004 championship group.

"We are excited about the challenge of competing against one of the finest teams in the world," Arena said. "To play a team of Holland's caliber can only be valuable as we prepare for the the beginning of 2006 World Cup qualifying.

Arena has the best record (44-22-16) of any coach in the U.S. national team's history.

The United States and Holland have met twice, with Holland winning both times 2-0. Their last meeting was in Foxboro, Mass., on May 19, 2002, in the United States' final match before heading to Japan/South Korea for the 2002 World Cup.

Holland's squad includes world-class players such as strikers Ruud Van Nistlerooy (Manchester United) and Patrick Kluivert (Barcelona), and it is coached by former Rangers coach Dick Advocaat.

The United States begins CONCACAF qualifying June 13, 2004, against the winner of a home-and-home series between Grenada and Guyana.

Under-20 team's Johnson breaks ground - U.S. under-20 team forward Eddie Johnson of the Dallas Burn became the first U.S. player to win the Golden Boot at any FIFA World Championship.

With four goals and one assist in the United Arab Emirates, Johnson took the award over Argentina's Fernando Cavenaghi and Brazil's Dudu.

"It is every soccer player's dream to win an award like this, and I am incredibly honored," Johnson said. "I'd like to thank my teammates, who believed in me to take the penalties. It took all 20 of us to get to the quarterfinals, and I think the award shows more about our team and how we are now able to compete with the best teams in the world."

The team's fifth-place finish after a 2-1 quarterfinal loss to Argentina on a golden goal was the second-best for the United States. It was also the first time a U.S. team won its group. Bobby Convey (D.C. United) and college goalkeeper Steve Cronin were named to the all-star squad.

Brazil bested Spain 1-0 to win the tournament.

Nedved wins Golden Ball - Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved of the Czech Republic won the Golden Ball Award as Europe's best player, edging Paolo Maldini (Milan) and Thierry Henry (Arsenal). "I heard I was part of the nominees, but I didn't really think I was going to win," Nedved said.

Nedved helped Juventus win the Scudetto in Italy and a Champions League runner-up spot. The winner was picked from a poll of 52 journalists in Europe and awarded by France Football magazine. . . . Tele Santana, who coached Brazil at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, had part of his leg amputated Monday. Santana, 72, was in stable condition at the Fleicio Rocho hospital in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Santana has diabetes and was forced to retire in 1996 after suffering a stroke. His 1982 team, which included players such as Zico, Socrates, Falcao and Junior, was considered one of the game's greatest despite not winning the World Cup.

Team of the week - Cienciano of Peru. This modest provincial team from Cuzco never had won even its domestic title in Peru, but the team bested South American giants Boca Juniors 4-3 on aggregate goals to win the South American Cup, the equivalent of the UEFA Cup in Europe.

Crew court Nigerian international - The Columbus Crew have expressed interest in acquiring Nigerian international midfielder Garba Lawal, a veteran of two World Cups for the Super Eagles. "I cannot join the Columbus Crew until Jan. 17 because of the Africans Nations Cup in Tunis," Lawal said. "But after the Nations Cup, I would join them. America will be a good place to start a business. You know I can't play football forever. After the game, I may eventually settle down there." . . . Today's Soccer Hour with Glenn Davis (5-6 p.m., KPFT (90.1 FM) ) features HDNET's executive sports producer Darrell Ewalt on high-definition TV and soccer.

[andrewt14]

I'd be interested to hear what John Harkes thinks of Costa Rica's chances of qualifying for the WC under Sampson. He did not have many positive things to say about Sampson in his book.