Football: A mix of arrogance and aggression
MAN ON THE SPOT Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria)
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Your support makes all the difference.The first thing that greeted Hristo Stoichkov when he checked into Bulgaria's Scarborough hotel room was a giant black and white teddy bear. It was a gift from an appreciation society based, bizarrely, in Tyneside, an organisation that is likely to expand given his performances so far in Euro 96.
Two goals in two matches is a healthy enough ratio anyway, but the 30- year-old Parma striker was denied another against Spain thanks to a wrongly raised linesman's flag. And what a goal it would have been, an acrobatic volley that crashed past Andoni Zubizaretta from a range of 15 yards. Only Paul Gascoigne's wizardry against the Scots was its equal.
The European footballer of the year in 1994, Stoichkov attracts controversy and was once suspended for a year for his actions during the 1985 Bulgarian Cup final. Age has not diminished his ability to irritate and, after the Spanish game, the opposing coach, Javier Clemente, all but accused him of cheating.
It is not something that is accepted universally. "He sticks his shoulder in," said Bob Latchford, the former England striker, who is representing Ladbrokes during Euro 96, "but you wouldn't go so far as to call it cheating. As a striker you need an edge and he uses his body very well.
"He's also lightning quick over 20 yards and is very cool in the penalty box. His goal against Romania was clever as much for the fact he hit the ball with his wrong foot as much as the run that got him there. The goalkeeper was positioned from a right foot shot, instead he stabbed it with his left. Brilliant."
As Radio Five Live's Alan Green put it when he was previewing the England against Scotland, the skills of Rui Costa would probably not be present "but Stoichkov might fancy it." Arrogant, irritating, provocative, just the player to have on your side.
Guy Hodgson
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