Hector Tobar Los Angeles What’s going on with the CONCACAF Champions Cup and why isn’t MLS making a bigger deal out of it? It seems to me that given the large number of Latino fans in this country, there would be potentially huge crowds for, say, a D.C. United-Guadalajara match. The Galaxy, for example, isn’t doing much to pump up its upcoming match with Santos of Mexico July 30. Paul Kennedy: The Galaxy has never spent lots of money on promotion, preferring instead to rely on word of mouth. They should get a decent crowd for the Santos match, considering it is not a simple friendly but a real match. We’ve had all the scores since the start of the tournament in the print version of SA, and you can also find complete results in the news briefs section of SA Online. Jim Kulenguskey Ashland, Pa. I recently saw on your site an announcement of different organizations that received grants from the USSF. What is the procedure for getting a U.S. Soccer Federation Grant? Pete Bailey: The U.S. Soccer Foundation has set up a web page to distribute grant application information and provide the latest Foundation news. Grant applications, instructions and guidelines for 1997 are available on the web site or by calling the Foundation at (202) 496-1292. The site, which also includes grant recipient profiles, annual reports and director and office profiles, can be found on the Internet at http://www.ussoccerfoundation.com Emily Ballus Los Angeles Actually, Rick Davis didn’t burn bridges after his association with the L.A. Salsa as Ridge Mahoney suggested (July 12 Q&A session). MLS invited Rick to participate as an evaluator at the first-ever combine in 1996. Rick did join us for that inaugural event, and we enjoyed his insight and suggestions. Pete Bailey: Thanks for passing that along, Emily. Sara Webb Atlanta My best friend has had a lifelong dream to play for the U.S. women’s national team. How can I help her achieve her dream? She already eats, sleeps, lives and breathes soccer. How can I get her involved in tryouts or something like that? Dean Caparaz: There are currently three women’s/girls national teams: the U.S. national team (which won the Olympic gold medal in 1996); the U.S. under-20 national team (which competes in the Nordic Cup and is coached by U.S. national team assistant coach Lauren Gregg); and the U.S. under-16 team (coached by former U.S. national team assistant coach April Heinrichs). The best way to get noticed by U.S. coaches as a youth player is to be seen by national team or top college coaches. For older players, your individual and team success in the Division I college ranks gets you noticed. (While almost all of the senior national team players played Division I college ball, Laura Martin of Division II Adelphi was on the squad for U.S. Cup ’97.) As a youth player, perhaps the best way to do that is to get involved in the Olympic Development Program in your area. The first step would be to contact your particular state soccer association — the telephone number for the Georgia State Soccer Association is (770) 452-0505, the fax number is (770) 452-1946 — for information on tryouts. All state association numbers are listed in the SA Yellow Pages. If you’re successful on a state team, you could be selected to your regional team — there are four regions: Region 1 (East), Region 2 (Midwest), Region 3 (South) and Region 4 (West). You would then have a better chance of being seen by the U.S. coaching staff, either at regional or national competitions. Another way to catch the eye of the U.S. coaching staff — or more specifically, head coach Tony DiCicco — is by playing on a top club or (if you’re old enough) in the USWSL (United States Women’s Soccer League; it’s also called the W-League and is run by the USISL). M. Najarro San Francisco Whatever happened to Brazil’s Bebeto? Pete Bailey: Bebeto, who along with striking partner Romario helped lead Brazil to the ’94 World Cup title, has bounced back and forth between Spain and his homeland since the championship. He had a long productive career with Deportivo La Coruna of the Spanish First Division, then returned to Brazil, where he struggled at times. An attempted comeback with Valencia in Spain did not work out, and he eventually settled at Vitoria, a club in Salvador, Brazil. He is currently playing very well for Vitoria, scoring twice in a 3-3 draw with local rival Bahia in a National Championship match July 27. With eight goals, he is tied with Sao Paulo striker Dodo as the top marksman of the Brazilian tourney so far. The 33-year-old forward has said that he wants to be in the Brazilian squad at France ’98, although he’ll have a difficult time dislodging Ronaldo and an in-form Romario from the starting 11. Jeremy Ramage St. Louis Recent questions to the editor regarding national team lineups/formations have got me thinking. When I look at what the talent pool is and how its been utilized lately, I wonder if the US couldn’t benefit by trying an old fashioned 4-3-3. While I understand that Sampson has preferred having either 4 or 5 midfielders in order to control the midfield (which has worked on and off I think) I think that careful consideration needs to be given to what type of players the team has available. To explain, I think that Ramos (when healthy) and Reyna are both so creative that they would benefit by having more space to work with. They could be paired up with whatever other midfielder Sampson wanted, i.e.. Sorber, Harkes etc. While Sorber is admittedly a more stay at home ball control guy, this could balance out the midfield. By putting an extra man on top, the team gets more “exciting attacking soccer” that Sampson constantly says he promotes. Also, it helps to solve the problem of who will start up front with Wynalda. Imagine the scoring potential of any combo of Wynalda, Lassiter, Jones, McBride, Preki, Wagner (who I really think can be a goal scorer and playmaker up top). Of course, defense does seem to be the weak link. And with only three midfielders to help out it could pose a problem. But, if more young defenders as talented as Pope spring up, I think this formation could work. Is the 4-3-3 more suited to our talent base? Comments? Duncan Irving: Nice idea, and it would work against a cream-puff opponent. But at France ’98, there won’t be too many of those. Coaches tend to be very conservative with their roster choices at major tournaments and constipated with their tactics. At U.S. Cup, Sampson tried the Ajax flux system against Denmark and the results were disastrous. You can blame personnel and prep for that game, but I really don’t see him using a 4-3-3. Great if Sampson had the confidence in his players, but I don’t think he does. John Wynn Gladwyne, Pa. Why don’t our women have their names on the back of their shirts (like the men do)? Dean Caparaz: It’s likely a financial matter. While the U.S. women did have their last names on their jerseys in major competitions such as the 1996 Olympics and the 1995 Women’s World Championship, they often do not have their names on their jerseys in friendlies. (The same goes for the men.) Putting names on jerseys at a time when U.S. coach Tony DiCicco is experimenting with new players is probably cost-prohibitive for U.S. Soccer. Stan Collins Austin, Texas Will you be doing another “most influential people in American soccer” list updated for 1997? Pete Bailey: We are not planning on one at this time. If we were to do another one, it would likely appear in our 1998 “Pulse of Soccer” issue, which would be in February of next year.