MISL Preview : Stability, Contenders in Big Markets Are Major Goals
The Major Indoor Soccer League, still trying to become a major attraction, hopes the Big Apple can help it reach that goal--with its league headquarters and newest team now in New York for the 1986-87 season.
“We don’t have to prove anything to ourselves,” said new Commissioner Bill Kentling, who took over after Francis Dale resigned under pressure last June. “But in the perception of others, for advertising and marketing purposes, it’s important to have a successful base in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area,” the former Wichita Wings director said.
“We need continuity of teams in the league,” Chicago Sting owner Lee Stern said. “But without New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, you don’t have a ‘major league’ sports league.”
The MISL feels it has stabilized itself to where it can make a national impact. Last year’s regular-season games averaged more than 9,000 fans and playoff attracted more than 19,000 in Tacoma and 15,000 in Minnesota, both traditionally weak cities.
Also, a $1.2 million salary cap also was instituted, the league will be on ESPN for a second straight year, and the schedule has been increased from 48 to 52 games.
But there still are problems. It took new ownership to keep the 2-year-old Dallas Sidekicks going while a charter franchise, the Pittsburgh Spirit, folded this summer.
However, the league feels that what it lost in Pittsburgh it regained by adding the New York Express.
“Ever since we began negotiations to gain entry into the league, both we and the league recognized the importance a New York franchise would be to the future of the league,” said Shep Messing, part owner, president and the Express’ No. 1 goalkeeper.
Messing, one of the most popular members of the Cosmos, has signed former Cosmos’ and St. Louis Steamers’ midfielder Ricky Davis and moved him to the more visible forward position.
Coach Ray Klivecka will have a difficult time contending this year in the Eastern Division, where four games separated all six clubs last year.
In the Western Division, perrenial also-ran Tacoma acquired Steve Zungul in midseason last year and went from an 11-16 team to the division finals.
And even the Los Angeles Lazers, who have been the lowest-salaried team since entering the league in 1982, have signed good players as part of owner Jerry Buss’ commitment to make the team a winner.
But the class of the league is still San Diego. After falling behind 3-1 to the Minnesota Strikers in last year’s final, the Sockers rallied for their fifth straight indoor title and second consecutive MISL crown.
“History has shown how hard it is to win championships back-to-back,” said Sockers Coach Ron Newman, whose club opens Saturday at home against the Strikers. “I just keep thinking the bubble’s going to burst.”
A team-by-team look at the MISL for 1986-87:
EASTERN DIVISION
Cleveland Force--The only charter franchise remaining, the Force has a 114-78 record over the last four years, but hasn’t reached the championship. Coach Timo Liekoski has much of his Eastern Division champion squad returning including Craig Allen, fourth in league scoring last year with 50 goals and 31 assists. Cleveland hopes their top draft choices, defenders Desmond Armstrong out of Maryland and John Stollmeyer from Indiana, will provide the added lift.
Minnesota Strikers--Coach Alan Merrick’s club surprised almost everybody last year, especially when it came within one game of winning the title. Defenders John O’Hara and Helmut Dudek have been added to solidify a defense that allowed the third most goals last season, 242, 10 more than it scored.
Dallas Sidekicks--A group headed by Stan Finney Jr. had to jump in this summer after previous owner Donald Carter had given up on the team. Tatu (49 goals, 32 assists) will be counted on heavily again for offense while goalkeeper Krys Sobieski (24-16, 4.42 goals against average) will anchor a sometimes spotty defense.
Baltimore Blast--A major change is the absence of Stan Stamenkovic, the club’s leading scorer for the last three seasons. While league-leading goalkeeper Keith Van Eron (14-10, 3.66 gaa) will keep one of the strongest defenses intact, newcomers Paul Child, Andy Chapman and Keith Furphy, will be relied upon to pick up the offense, hurt heavily by Stamenkovic’s departure, who at 30 wanted to remain in his native Yugoslavia.
Chicago Sting--The biggest difference this year for the Sting is their move to the suburban Rosemont Horizon. With midfielder Gerry Gray gone to Tacoma, Karl-Heinz Granitza (28 goals, 47 assists), Drago Dumbovic (47 goals, 14 assists) and Manny Rojas (24 goals, 17 assists) will rotate the scoring responsibilities. Vojislav Stanisic, who played briefly with the Cosmos in 1984-85, has been added to help Victor Nogueira (17-14, 4.31 GAA) in goal.
New York Express--The Express has many experienced players, but goalkeeping may be a problem. The 37-year-old Messing last played a full season in 1983-84. He played in six games in 1984-85, and led the Express to a 4-0 record last spring against international opponents, who never played indoors before. After Messing, New York has Hubert Birkenmeier, who some think has trouble indoors.
WESTERN DIVISION
San Diego Sockers--Even when it sold Zungul to the Stars, Branko Segota (60 goals, 46 assists), Hugo Perez (41 goals, 25 assists), Jean Willrich (27 goals, 30 assists) and Julie Veee (23 goals, 31 assists) helped the team score a league-record 308 goals, 50 more than the next closest team. Jim Gorsek (19-2, 3.72 GAA) and Zoltan Toth (17-9, 4.19 GAA) were the second and fifth rated goalkeepers and allowed a league-low 196 goals, the second fewest ever in a 48-game season.
Wichita Wings--Rookie Charlie Cooke becomes only the Wings’ second coach, replacing Roy Turner, who took over for Kentling. Cooke will have a lot of offense, (second league-leading scorer Erik Rasmussen--67 goals, 41 assists and eighth league-leading scorer Chico Borja--33 goals, 41 assists). The defense is led by defender Kim Roentved, but his goalkeeping consists of second-year Seamus McDonagh (16-16, 4.94 GAA) and little-used backup Bill Irwin.
Tacoma Stars--The club made an immediate turnaround when it acquired Zungul (55 goals, 60 assists) and then hired Coach Alan Hinton a week later. After they arrived, the Stars went 12-9. Second-year forward Preki (41 goals, 30 assists) will take some of the defensive pressure off Zungul, who needs 108 points to top 1,000. Tacoma will go with goalkeepers Peter Mowlik and Joe Papaleo before regaining Mike Dowler around January. Dowler had the fourth lowest goals-against average (4.16) before he tore knee ligmaments in midseason.
St. Louis Steamers--The Steamers have one of the most experience clubs, with 10 players having five or more years in the MISL, but, like Cleveland, has trouble in the playoffs. Five-time all-star goalkeeper Slobo Ilijevski had an off season last year (19-17, 4.50 GAA). Without Davis, Don Ebert, Louie Nanchoff and the Bandovic brothers, Nebo and Boki, will have to provide the offense.
Kansas City Comets--Jan Goossens’ (12 goals, 9 assists in 15 playoff games) aquisition from Minnesota will give Kansas City another legitimate scoring punch to go along with Dale Mitchell (37 goals, 26 assists). Alan Mayer, the first goalkeeper to wear a helmet, was blitzed with 1051 shots last year on a team that allowed the second most goals, 268.
Los Angeles Lazers--Newly acquired defenders Adam Topolski and Erhardt Kapp and especially goalkeeper David Brcic (3.77 GAA and a record-tying two shutouts) should help the league’s worst defense (270 goals allowed). Los Angeles hopes Paul Kitson will combine with team-leading scorer Poli Garcia (36 goals, 21 assists) and Beto (23 goals, 19 assists) to shine up a lackluster offense (197 goals).
