It’s Veee for the Defense : Socker Midfielder Takes On New Role to Help Stop Stars
Juli Veee said that former Socker defender Martin Donnelly will faint when he hears that Veee played the position of defender in Sunday night’s playoff game against Tacoma.
“He’ll have a bypass immediately,” Veee said.
Back when Donnelly played for the Sockers and Veee was one of the indoor game’s leading scorers, “Double-Deuce, Triple-E” rarely crossed midfield.
“When Martin Donnelly saw me near the red line, he would kick me in the rear,” Veee said. “Gert (Wieczorkowski) and Volkmar (Gross) used to threaten me if I came over the halfway line.”
There were no threats from teammates when Veee switched from midfielder to defender in the second quarter of the Sockers’ 6-5 come-from-behind victory in overtime Sunday night.
However, there were some laughs from the Stars.
“I would have laughed, too,” said Veee. “Maybe that’s why they (the Stars) couldn’t play. They were laughing so hard.”
The Sockers were trailing, 4-1, when Veee replaced Jacques Ladouceur, a natural midfielder who was filling in as a defender because the Sockers were playing without three injured defenders.
Veee bolstered a defense that held the Stars to one goal the remainder of the game, which included 10:09 of overtime. And Veee wasn’t on the field when Star forward Godfrey Ingram scored that goal in the second quarter.
Veee also remained an offensive force, tying the score at 5-5 on a super power play goal with 2:05 remaining in regulation and setting up Branko Segota’s game-winning goal in overtime.
It was a memorable weekend for the Sockers’ No. 22.
Since Game 3, when the Sockers were outworked and outplayed in a 3-2 loss at home, Veee has been a very inspired player, on offense and defense.
“I was (upset) after that loss,” Veee said. “It was pathetic. If you want to win a championship, you can’t lose at home. Now we have the edge back.”
The Sockers have won two straight to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven Western Division finals. They can wrap up the series tonight at the San Diego Sports Arena.
With a victory, the five-time indoor champions will advance to the Major Indoor Soccer League championship series against the Dallas Sidekicks.
In the past two games, Veee has displayed heart, talent and versatility, and he has shown the value of experience.
“Before the game (Sunday), I was tossing around whether to go with Jacques Ladouceur or Juli (on defense),” Socker Coach Ron Newman said. “I finally went with Juli because of his ability to play the ball out of the back under pressure. Distributing was important because we were losing.”
Newman was very pleased with Veee’s performance and said he will have to weigh the injury situation before he decides whether to use Veee as a defender again tonight.
Even though Veee can’t remember the last time he played as a defender, he was quite willing to undertake the challenge Sunday.
“I was afraid Steve Zungul and Gary Heale--who are big guys--would push him (Ladouceur) around,” Veee said.
Going against Zungul made the challenge of playing defender even greater for Veee.
Zungul and Veee were teammates on the New York Arrows and the Sockers. That was when Veee, as a midfielder, used to set up Zungul, the leading scorer in the history of the MISL.
But the two stars are also spirited rivals.
“We never were friends,” Veee said, “but we respect each other. We don’t have to be kissing buddies. . . .
“I respect Steve for what he’s done, but you can’t let him have his way out there. He’s still a presence, but he’s not doing the things he did five years ago.”
Neither is Veee, who, at 37, is five years older than Zungul.
“In this series, he (Zungul) won’t come on the field when Fernando (Clavijo) and Kevin (Crow) are on the field,” Veee said. “They are too quick. He knows that. He played with them.”
In Saturday’s game at the Sports Arena, Veee made a slide tackle on Zungul that resulted in Zungul being penalized for ungentlemanly conduct.
“I was harassing him,” Veee said. “I wasn’t kicking him. He lost his cool. He was frustrated by our defense. I think it (losing one’s composure) usually happens to me more than to him.”
Ironically, the San Diego fans who booed Zungul Saturday were the same ones who booed Veee when Veee, playing with the Las Vegas Americans, butted Zungul three seasons ago at the Sports Arena.
“Fans are fickle,” said Newman, who is quite familiar with the talents of both players.
“I used to crow about how Juli was the best indoor player ever,” Newman said. “When Juli Veee went to Las Vegas and Steve came here, I said Steve was the best indoor player ever.”
And on Sunday night, Veee was a defender who hounded Zungul.
“It’s a totally different experience playing in the back,” Veee said. “You can’t make any mistakes. And I’ve never run so much in my life.”
Socker Notes
A group of about 100 fans, greeted the Sockers at the airport late Monday afternoon. . . . Coach Ron Newman had special praise Monday for the performance of Socker captain Jean Willrich. “Cheezy had a special game (Sunday),” Newman said. “He won more 50-50 balls than he had all year.” This comes after Newman and Willrich had an altercation at practice Saturday morning that resulted in Newman kicking Willrich out of practice. “It was a typical thing that goes on all the time in training,” Newman said. “He caught me at the wrong time and I got angry. Now he’s doing so well.” Willrich does not want to comment on the incident. “Why? To make it worse? I have no comment on that now,” he said. . . . The Sockers are 30-3 overall in home playoff games but are only 2-2 this season. . . . On Monday, San Diego players were still talking about 39-year-old Kaz Deyna’s world-class goal Sunday. Deyna, who scored only one goal in 13 regular-season games, scored in the first quarter on a touch volley from the top of the penalty area. “That finish is incredible,” said Juli Veee. Said Newman: “There are not a lot of people who can do that. It was incredible natural talent.” Newman said Deyna did “a good job” Sunday, but the coach has not decided on a lineup for tonight’s game.