Sockers Sign Juli Veee to 3-Year Pact

The Sockers did themselves a big favor by officially signing Juli Veee to a three-year contract Monday. Whether they did the Major Indoor Soccer League any favors is another question.

Kenny Cooper, coach of the Baltimore Blast, said it might have helped the league if Veee had signed with a team other than the four-time indoor champion Sockers.

“It might have balanced things out a little bit,” Cooper said. “There are a lot of personalities on that team in San Diego. Our young league is making strides, but it would have been nice for him to go somewhere else. He has a lot of charisma. The bottom line is that the player is happy.”

Veee’s agent, Scott Simpson, said last week that Baltimore, Dallas, Wichita and Cleveland had all offered more money than the Sockers. However, money was not the bottom line. Instead, the key factor was Veee returning to San Diego, where he had led the Sockers to three indoor titles.

“It would’ve been better for Dallas if I went there,” Veee said. “It wouldn’t have been better for the Sockers or me. It’s up to each organization to make their club better. Las Vegas tried to buy a championship last year with about a $1.7-million payroll.”

Las Vegas lost more than $3-million last season. Veee, who played for Las Vegas last season, officially became a free agent last week when he was not paid.

Socker Owner Bob Bell said he wanted Veee the day Las Vegas folded. The wish came true Monday, but another of Bell’s wishes has yet to come true.

Despite four straight championships, Bell is seeking a way to make the MISL more competitive. He has suggested that each team be allowed to protect 16 of its 21 players after each season. The other five could be purchased for a nominal fee.

If Bell was looking for league equality, he didn’t do anybody any favors by signing Veee, the third-leading scorer in indoor history.

“I think every team in the league has improved itself,” Bell said. “I know that if all trades on the books with Las Vegas players are finalized, you’re talking about Pittsburgh getting six of them. If you take that and add it to what Pittsburgh had, the team is making a quantum jump. I know that Baltimore, Wichita and Kansas City have also improved.

“You want to win by your guile, coaching and players. You don’t just want to buy the best and sit back.”

Among the six Las Vegas players apparently headed for Pittsburgh is midfielder Mike Fox. Last month, Bell said Veee and Fox were the Las Vegas players he most wanted. Bell is now thinking about signing Las Vegas defender Martin Donnelly, another former Socker.

Considering that the powerhouse Sockers are even stronger with Veee, some around the league are attempting to look at the positive side.

“What he does is give San Diego another great player,” Minnesota Coach Alan Merrick said. “It might’ve helped the league in distribution of talent if he had gone somewhere else. But it’s always nice to have a team like San Diego come to Minnesota and give us a chance to test our talent against them.”

Minnesota took the Sockers to a fifth game in their best-of-five semifinal series last season, losing, 7-0. The Sockers were forced to play a fifth game after the MISL ruled they had used an ineligible shooter in Game 4, which they had won on the field.

Baltimore lost to the Sockers, 4 games to 1, in the MISL championship series. The Blast was without midfielder Mike Stankovic for the first two games and forward Paul Kitson for the series.

Cooper said his team made Veee a good offer, hoping Veee could make the difference in winning a championship.

“This was the second time in the last four years we went after Juli Veee,” Cooper said. “The last time, I flew to San Diego and spent four days with him. I wouldn’t think that (Socker Coach) Ron Newman or Bob Bell would want him in Baltimore. Juli will help anyone because he’s a big-time player and scores in pressure situations. San Diego wouldn’t want to see us improve. We are awfully close to them. If not for our injuries, I think we would’ve had a seven-game series last season. You can never have enough depth.”

Veee, 35, offers the Sockers depth at either forward or midfield. Although a forward while previously with the Sockers, Veee noted he played 15 to 18 games at midfield last year with Las Vegas.

Steve Zungul, indoor soccer’s all-time leading scorer, will undoubtedly be the forward on the Sockers’ first-line in 1985-86. Bell said it was uncertain whether Veee would alternate with Zungul.

“I would think Juli would probably play 60% at forward and 40% at midfield, depending on injuries,” Bell said. “With our history of injuries and style of play, we need depth. If you look at our midfielders and forwards, we don’t have too many. We just improved our quality with Juli.”

Veee did not improve his pocketbook by signing with San Diego. He’ll likely forfeit the final three years on a four-year contract with Las Vegas worth $700,000. Albeit he could have made more by signing elsewhere, he admittedly left his heart in San Diego.

“We did consider Baltimore,” Veee said. “The money was there. At the same time, where could I go after three years in Baltimore? After all, my wife, Alexandra, and I have a home here. We are going to stay here the rest of our lives.”

Socker Notes Bob Bell made light of the fact that the Sockers retired Juli Veee’s jersey after he was sold to Las Vegas. “I think the Sockers have had many firsts,” Bell said. “This is another one. I think on opening night, Juli will have to climb into the rafters and take jersey No. 22 down.” . . . Bell said that the Sockers are looking for one more defender. “Other than that,” he said, “I don’t see us making any changes.” . . . Defender Kevin Crow has returned from a tryout in England with a First Division team. Crow said that he should know within a week to 10 days whether he will sign in England or return to the Sockers . . . The Sockers are going to exercise their option and retain midfielder Hugo Perez for the 1985-86 season. “I’ve had several talks with his agent,” Bell said. “Hugo said he might stay and play out his option to get bigger money elsewhere. He said it with a smile. I think he believes now that his future is indoors, like I have told him for two years.” Perez left the Sockers during the 1984-85 MISL semifinals to join the U.S. National outdoor team. At the time, Coach Ron Newman referred to Perez as “an outcast.” . . . Bell said that three players remain unsigned--defenders Fernando Clavijo and Gary Collier and midfielder Kaz Deyna. The Sockers have been haggling over a contract with the 37-year-old Deyna for several months. “If he wants to, Kazzie could probably play another three or four years,” Bell said. “It’s a matter of how hard Kazzie wants to work at it.”