SA Online Ask a Star presents: Cobi Jones

Note: This conversation occurred on July 5 — CJ = Cobi Jones; PB = Online Editor Pete Bailey.

Anu Khare

Red Bank, N.J.

How do you like playing in MLS? Do you think it’s better for you, as an American, to play here in this country rather than abroad in England or Brazil?

CJ: I really like playing in MLS a lot, and, personally, as an American, I prefer playing playing here, because it’s in front of my family and friends, and it’s my home country.

PB: What makes MLS such an enjoyable experience compared to playing overseas?

CJ: Well, you’re not dealing with all the different cultural differences. There’s a lot of variety — just going from here to England is a big, big change.

PB: The Galaxy got off to a tremendous start this season, winning its first 12 games, but lately the team has struggled. What do you think was the key to your early-season success, and how can the team get back on track?

CJ: I think we started out so well because we had a good group of people and we clicked early. There weren’t any problems between players, or between coaches and players and such. To get back on track, we just have to keep pushing. I mean we’ve had two unlucky games where we had plenty of chances at goal, and we just didn’t finish those chances.

Heather Gibson

Tacoma, Wash.

I’ve wanted to play soccer all my life, and if I had the chance to pla in the MLS I’d take it right away. You’re one of the best players in the world and the U.S., yet all my magazines said you weren’t considering playing in the MLS at first – why not and what made you change your mind?

CJ: The reason I was considering not playing in MLS was because of the difference between what I thought I deserved and what they thought I deserved.

PB: Financially speaking?

CJ: Financially speaking. It wasn’t worth it to come back for what they were offering.

PB: And then MLS fixed it up and made you a better offer?

CJ: Yes.

Shana Ali

Stockton, Calif.

Growing up and playing with Eric Wynalda all through high school, and on the national team, what did it feel like playing against him as a Clash man, and you a Galaxy man, that first time in the Rose Bowl? I hear you accidentally busted his lip.

CJ: (Laughs) Yeah, I guess so, but like you said, it was accidental —
I didn’t mean to. Actually, it wasn’t that much of a difference for me, because I played against Eric in college when I was at UCLA and he was at San Diego State. It didn’t feel strange at all playing against him.

PB: Do you guys get along pretty well?

CJ: Oh yeah, in fact, I’ll be going to his wedding this weekend.

PB: When you play against other guys from the national team in MLS games, what’s it like for you — is there any kind of aggressive rivalry, or are you pretty mellow about it?

CJ: No, I don’t think there’s any rivalry. It’s just another player —
that’s the way you have to look at it. I mean, we’re all friends, but we’re all going to go out and give a hundred percent to do the best we can. It’s a team, not just one person that you’re playing against

PB: What was going on during the New England game? It looked like you and (Alexi) Lalas were really getting into it.

CJ: Yeah, well he hit me the first time, so then I came back and took a whack at him, you know? It goes both ways — I’m not gonna sit there and take it.

Bill Zeggert

Cary, N.C.

First of all…you are the man! My wife won’t watch a soccer game unless your playing so, by default, LA is my team. What’s your take on the shoot-out? Do you think it is a direct cause in a more attacking style?

CJ: I think it’s all right. I don’t think it’s been the cause of a more attacking style. I just think that everyone really wants to play with that style in this league. I don’t think there’s been too many 0-0 games so far. I just think everyone is going out to win, and the teams are not playing a very defensive style.

PB: Does Lothar (Osiander, the Galaxy coach) stress that (being offensive-minded) when he talks to you before the game?

CJ: Yeah. Every game we’re playing he tells us that the main thing is for us to go out there, play well, and score some goals early on.

PB: That must be really fun for you guys — not having to worry about packing the back.

CJ: Exactly, and that’s why you don’t have defensive games all the time, except for the one last night (against New England).

PB: When Jorge Campos moves from goalie to forward, as he’s done several times in recent games, how difficult an adjustment is it for the team?

CJ: It’s not too bad. When he gets up there, he knows what he needs to do, so it’s not a problem for us.

Felipe Pereira

New Bedford, Mass.

How does playing soccer in America differ from playing in places like England and Brazil? Also, in which league did you enjoy playing the most?

CJ: Brazil is definitely the Latin style — a lot of toca-toca play, a lot of individual flair and dribbling, players taking players on. England is a lot of the long ball — kick and run, knock the ball forward — and playing a hundred percent for the full 90 minutes. There’s no slowing of the game. MLS is kind of a mix of both styles — there’ll be a period where you’re going back and forth at a hundred miles an hour, and then you’ll slow it down a bit.

I’d say the main difference is that this is a young league — MLS is just starting out. You don’t have as much recognition, I’d say, and the respect it deserves from all the sportscasters and all that, although I think it’s gaining quickly. As far as my overseas experiences, I’d say my favorite of the two leagues was England. I really liked the lifestyle and the style of play there was very fun.

PB: You mean getting to run a lot and using your speed?

CJ: Exactly. It’s a very intense style. It was my first time overseas, and that was a new experience for me that I really enjoyed.

PB: How would you compare the atmosphere at games in England with games here in MLS?

CJ: I think the big difference is that over there they have years and years of tradition. They’ve got team songs, fans that have grown up supporting a certain club, so it feels like you’re stepping into something that’s been around for a long time.

PB: It must feel pretty good to play in front of 60,000 in the Rose Bowl like you did last night.

CJ: It’s a great feeling to have that many people showing up and giving their support to the Galaxy

Eric Appleby

West Yarmouth, Mass.

What was Ron Atkinson’s problem with you. I was rooting for Coventry to get relegated after you got the shaft. Also, how do you think the Galaxy would stack up against teams in the English Premier league?

CJ: Ron Atkinson just decided that he didn’t want to use me. There’s no particular reason.– I just wasn’t in his plans. You know, when a new coach comes in, the first people that usually go are the foreigners.

I think the Galaxy would do well in the Premier League. I think we’d probably end up middle of the table.

PB: So you think you guys could hold your own against a team like Southampton?

CJ: Yeah, it would be a good, tough match against Southampton. I think we’d be middle of the road, definitely.

Ryan G.

Oakville, Ontario, Canada

Cobi, seeing you play only for the national team since leaving UCLA, I believe you immensely improved once you made your move to brazil — you seem to have a better touch on the ball, explore space more creatively and have more confidence on the ball. Did you find it hard at Vasco de Gama, with the language barrier and the usual players not liking and giving foreigners a chance to prove themselves?

CJ: What was difficult because of the language barrier was living in Brazil. Playing soccer wasn’t hard at all. I thought the Brazilian players were the nicest people in any of the foreign countries I’ve been to. They treated me really well.

Gary Skiba

Wilton, Conn.

Having played in both Brazil & England, do you think the level & style of play in the MLS will affect the national team’s chances of qualifying for France 98? Do the US national team players learn more by playing overseas?

CJ: No, I don’t think so. The main factor in keeping one’s skills up is just the fact that you play constantly year-round. When qualifying comes around, we’ll have been playing for a full season at a constant, competetive level of play — that’s going to raise everyone’s level.

PB: So you don’t think that national team players would necessarily learn more from playing overseas?

CJ: They might learn a little, but I think MLS will catch up very quickly, with players playing year-round. I really think that players improve by playing all the time.

Dave Kantor

Sharon, Mass.

The U.S. National team has established itself as a quality international side, but the recent U.S. Cup performance seems to indicate that the team’s improvement has leveled off. What will it take to put the US in a position to realistically challenge Brazil, Germany, etc… in World Cup ’98 ?

CJ: He thinks the U.S. performance has leveled off? Well, to each their own, I guess. I don’t think we’ve leveled off at all.

PB: Perhaps he’s thinking of the Bolivia game.

CJ: Sometimes you just get unlucky. We were very unlucky in that game — I mean we pretty much dominated it for about 89 minutes. I think he might just be overreacting to the situation. You don’t win everything all the time. I think that what will keep us improving is the desire of the players out on the field. As the players play more and more together, they’ll get better, and we’re playing at a level now where everyone is confident. As we keep playing at this level with this confidence, we’ll slowly move up to the next level.

Joe Garretson

Simi Valley, Calif.

I am from Simi Valley and I have always thought that this area (east Ventura County) has always been under-recruited and does not receive the recognition it deserves. What are your thoughts about this? Also what do you think about the fact that the majority of the U.S. national team comes from the East Coast?

CJ: Well, I’m from that area myself, and Wynalda too, and I do think that’s a very strong area that has been “under-recruited,” I guess you could say. That’s just the nature of sports, though. I guess the good young players out there will have to try to get to the ODP programs to showcase themselves. As far as the national team, they supposedly pick the best players that they find, so you can’t be bitter about which players they choose.

Holly Crswell

St joseph, Mich.

Cobi, I have played soccer for 14 years and I find that I play my best games under a certain amount of pressure. Too much or too little will ruin my game. Do you find that find that to be true for you also? And when playing a very crucial game how do you handle your anxiety?

CJ: At this point, the games are pretty much just games for me now. I guess the pressure will really come during qualifying and the World Cup. I find that the best way for me to handle it is to just relax myself as much as possible and try not to think about all the people. You’ve just gotta go out there and do what you do and not let people get you all hyped up about it.

Suzanne Danna

Glen Rock, N.J.

Who would you consider to be your best friends on the US National Team? On the Galaxy?

CJ: On the national team, I get along with all the guys pretty well. I hang out with Ernie Stewart when he’s around. Paul Caligiuri, Frank Klopas, Mike Lapper. Everyone on the Galaxy, whenever anyone’s around we all hang out together. We go out on the town, we go to the movies.

Brett L.

Chepachet, R.I.

My brothers and I have watched you play at Foxboro. We three would like to know how to get your autograph. Can you give us an address to write to please?

CJ: Write me in care of the Los Angeles Galaxy; 1640 South Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 114; Los Angeles, CA. 90025.

Jason

Florissant, Mo.

How did you grow your dredlocks out like that? I’ve tried and tried but just can’t get the length. What’s the trick?

CJ: All natural over here, man.

Marty Hebert

Bardstown, Ky.

You are my favorite player for your hustle and speed, your determination, and how you love the sport. I was wondering if you could tell how you got to where you are today?

CJ: Nothing in particular. Just a lot of hard work, and I kept playing the game. It’s a lot easier to make it when you’re doing something you enjoy.

PB: When did you start playing?

CJ: I started when I was five years old.

PB: What kind of drills and practice exercises did you do when you were growing up?

CJ: I never did any drills. I was young, you know, and you can run all day when you’re young. I found myself naturally good at the game, so I just kept playing it. I was on two or three teams a year, so I was constantly playing throughout the year. I used to play one-on-ones or two-on-twos with my friends out in the street, or I’d kick a ball against the stairs or the wall all the time at my parents house.

Giovanni

Danbury, Conn.

Who are your favorite international players and who was your favorite player as a kid growing up?

CJ: I never watched soccer when I was a kid, so I never had a particular international star that I enjoyed, although everyone did know Pele. Today I like watching Marc Overmars at Ajax and Giuseppe Signori at Lazio.

PB: I notice both of those guys are wingers like yourself. Do you watch them with an eye towards things you can pick up to help your game?

CJ: Exactly. They’re great players.

We’d like to thank everyone who sent questions for Cobi — we received several hundred. If your question didn’t make it this time, try again with our next star Preki. The Kansas City midfielder (and MLS leading scorer) is having a tremendous season. To send him a question, simply click on the Ask A Star link in the Interactive section of SA Online. We’ll pick the best questions submitted by July 21 and post Preki’s responses later that week.