The following are excerpts from the press conference with Chicago Fire signing Hristo Stoichkov: MLS Executive Vice-President of Player Relations Ivan Gazidis Opening Remarks: We’ve just come out off a press conference and there was a tremendous buzz in the room when Hristo Stoichkov approached the MLS Cup trophy and Lothar Matthaeus said, “No, No, that’s for the [NY/NJ] MetroStars!” We’re extremely delighted to sign Hristo Stoichkov with the league today. We hope that he’ll be available for the Chicago-Dallas game this weekend, but we’re still working details out with his Japanese team. We do have his work permit and look forward to seeing him contribute right away. Chicago Fire General Manager Peter Wilt Opening Remarks: á First, I want to thank Ivan and MLS for all their work. It all started about six months ago with a rumor, and once we found out it could be serious, we pushed and pushed for it. This carried on for many months with ups and downs. But it was important to us that we did not compromise the core of our team. We are confident with the way the trade went down, and special thanks to Coach Bradley for all his hard work. Chicago Fire Head Coach Bob Bradley Opening Remarks: I’d also like to thank everyone at MLS during this difficult process. We’re very excited that we were able to work this out. Welcome to Chicago Hristo Stoichkov! Most of you know of Hristo’s career. But beyond the obvious, he’s always been a player that plays with tremendous passion, a player who plays to win. I feel we’ve been fortunate to bring foreign players to Chicago with that kind of attitude. I know Peter Nowak and Lubos Kubik in particular are thrilled to play with Hristo. I also know he’ll be a great role model for our younger players. Hristo Stoichkov Opening Remarks: I’m very excited and thankful for the opportunity to come to Chicago. The Fire was the first team that called me with an offer and I appreciate that. I always felt confident that we could work this out. I can only say that I will do my best to help my new team and feel confident that Chicago can win the MLS Cup again this year. Q: What was the major factor behind your desire to play in MLS?á STOICHKOV: I received quite a number of offers from different teams, but Chicago was the first to contact me. I feel that a handshake and a word of honor is just as important as a signature. I have a great affection towards the city of Chicago because that’s where I began my great adventure with the Bulgarian National Team. That’s where I recorded my first-ever victory with the national team and I shall never forget that moment. Q: Do you feel like you can extend your one-year contract with Chicago? A: I will fulfill my contract first, then we can think about the future. Once the season is over I can sit down with Coach Bradley and talk about this. If I decide not to continue playing, I would like to work with kids in my country. Q: Are you physically prepared to play this weekend? A: I’ve been training intensively for a while. I am available as long as the coach says I’m ready. The coach will decide if I’m fit or not. It’s very important for me to have the coach as well as my teammates feel confident of my abilities. Q: You’ve talked about your love for Chicago. What specifically do you like about this city? Would you consider playing in another US city? A: I always remember my first World Cup victory with the Bulgarian National Team. This happened to take place in Chicago and I will never forget that day and that victory. That’s what makes Chicago a very special place for me. Q: Do you know about the Bulgarian community in Chicago or do you have friends there? A: I have no relatives, but I have many friends there. I’ve received many calls from them and from fans asking me how I can help the team win the championship and when I would arrive in Chicago. There are more than 40,000 Bulgarians in Chicago, I’m sure that some of them will come to the games. Q: Have you met the Fire players? A: I’ve never met the Fire players, but I know about them and I look forward to meeting them soon. Q: Where do you see yourself fitting in the team? A: I think this is an internal matter between players and coaches. It’s the kind of talk that belongs in the locker room. All I can say for sure is that there will be 11 players on the field. Q: What kind of memories do you have of the Mexico-Bulgaria match, when you eliminated Mexico from the World Cup and scored a goal against Jorge Campos? A: It was clearly a very intense and important match for us. Jorge is a great friend of mine, we played together in Hong Kong. But scoring against Jorge that day was particularly important for me, because he had stopped a penalty kick that I took before. It was a sort of revenge. Q: (To Peter Wilt)… The 2000 roster has many of last year’s players. Did you feel that you paid a higher price with the draft picks you gave to San Jose? A: We’re confident with the depth of our roster and know that we’ll be in good shape for the future. Coach Bradley and I have already discussed future options concerning trades and draft picks. Q: (To Bob Bradley)…How do you feel about what Chicago gave up for this allocation? A: I feel we’ve done a good job this year adding young players to our roster. Down the road we will be in good shape to make a trade and acquire draft picks. Q: Hristo, we’re happy to have you [in Chicago]…Are you coming out of retirement? A: First, I’m happier than anyone else to be in Chicago…And I never retired. I took a break from 20 years of playing. But I’ve been training intensively during the past few months. I know it’ll take some time to blend in with the team, but I feel that once you’re on the field, your instincts come back. Q: Which number are you going to wear? A: The coach will decide that. Q: What do you think of MLS in general? A: I think that a few years down the road, MLS will be very big. I think there are very good players here, both foreign and domestic, who have a great level of commitment and professionalism. But I also want to see the stadiums full so that the players can enjoy the game even more. Q: Can Hristo comment on the interlude with Lothar Matthaeus? Will games against Lothar be something that Hristo is looking forward to? A: I have a very long and deep friendship with Lothar. We both came into a league and desperately want to win. I look forward to playing Lothar in Chicago because I scored five goals there, and I want to score the winning-goal against Lothar in Chicago. No matter what happens, we’ll always be friends. Q: (To Bob Bradley)…Where do you see Hristo Stoichkov on the team? A: Every team has a different style of play. Hristo has a tremendous attacking ability. We don’t have a set plan yet, but we’ll do our best to allow Hristo to do what he’s always done. Q: You will have many young players around you in Chicago, in particular, 17-year-old DaMarcus Beasley. What can you can teach them? A: It’s very important to have young talent on the team. When I began to play, I was nine years old and I always played against older and more experienced players. I can tell them now that it’s extremely important to communicate with their coach for guidance. I will go out of my way every day to help these younger players. When I played with my Japanese club, I was able to mentor many young players who have now made it to their national team. That gives me great joy. Q: Two years ago, Chicago had its biggest attendance at Soldier Field, but since then, the attendance has declined. How can you help with this? A: I think that the team must play well to accomplish that. I also believe Chicago has the best stadium in the United States. Q: If the Fire could bring someone else to help the team, who do you think that would be? A: That’s for the coach to decide. It’s a very delicate matter. If the coach asks me for advice, I would be more than happy to recommend someone to him. Q: In what ways do you feel you have to adjust to this country’s playing style? A: It’s very easy for me. It’s the same way around the world. I am capable of adjusting to any style of play. Q: The Fire has five young National Team players. What do you think about this?á A: I think the team is quite impressive. It seems like Coach Bradley and the rest of the coaching staff is doing a tremendous job and it shows they have an excellent development program. Q: Do you feel that your career is on the downside since you were not able to land a career with a European team? A: After the World Cup, I went to Japan and then I just felt like I needed a break. I had many offers, but Chicago was the first to approach me and I simply accepted. Q: What do you think of [Argentine legend] Diego Armando Maradona’s drug situation? A: This is definitely a very sensitive issue. I’ve spoken to Diego on numerous occasions recently. As a friend of his, I hate to see him suffer. I care for him and his family and what they’re going through at this moment. Diego has contributed significantly to the world of soccer. I think we should all try to help Diego.