ON THE ROAD TO ITALY : U.S. Soccer Team Makes a Stop at UC Irvine on Way to 1990 World Cup

The long road to reach the 1990 World Cup in Italy continues for the U.S. National soccer team following a weeklong stay at UC Irvine--just long enough for teammates to get reacquainted.

The U.S. team that has made great strides recently toward gaining worldwide respect congregated last week to get to know its new coach, Bob Gansler.

It was much like the first day of school for the 18 players--getting to see each other again after a month layoff and establishing a feel for the teacher. Nothing too serious, just preparation for the possibly long journey ahead.

In the past, the road has been short--often ending before the team left the starting gate.

But the “evolution” of U.S. soccer, as Gansler calls it, has put the team in a good position to qualify for the World Cup to be played in the summer of 1990. The United States last appeared in the World Cup in 1950, when it scored an historic 1-0 upset of England.

U.S. soccer moved toward respectability with a third-place finish 3 weeks ago in the first world championship for 5-a-side soccer, a version of indoor soccer played on a smaller field without boards.

The United States, including five players from the outdoor team, beat such traditional soccer powers as Argentina, Italy and Belgium.

Though not all the 16 teams in the field brought their best talent, the highest finish for a U.S. team in international competition has people talking about a World Cup berth.

But first come the drills, scrimmages, running and bonding among players--that’s what last week was for.

The team is scheduled to practice in Miami during early February before a possible trip in March to South America in preparation for the first game of the qualifying round on April 16 against host Costa Rica.

“This is just the start of the trek,” Gansler said after a scrimmage against UCLA at Irvine on Wednesday.

“For this week, we just want them to get acquainted, not only with the coach but with each other. Many of them have not seen each other in months.”

Some not since the United States competed in the Seoul Olympics, where it tied defending World Cup champion Argentina, 1-1; battled South Korea to a 0-0 tie, and lost to the eventual gold medalist, the Soviet Union, 4-2.

“This is simply preseason training,” Gansler said. “We now have two workouts a day. They are tired warriors out there.”

It has been only 13 days since Gansler, a Milwaukee native, was named coach, taking over from longtime friend Lothar Osiander, who coached on a part-time basis.

Gansler, who coached the United States under-20 team and has helped choose national teams since 1976, will be a full-time replacement.

“It’s not going to be drastically different. We are both products of the same coaching system in the (U.S. Soccer Federation). The only changes will be in style and atmosphere.”

According to players, the power switch has been smooth.

“We’re definitely in a transition period,” said midfielder Eric Eichmann from Margate, Fla. “But we’ve all played with each other or against each other, so we’re comfortable.

“Now we’re aiming our sights toward a big goal. With that comes mental preparation and with a new coach comes some adjustment, but we have plenty of time to prepare until April. This week is just the beginning of that.”

And the beginning of what some believe is a new chapter in U.S. soccer.

“The first team meeting, the first thing coach said was that he believes we can do it,” Eichmann said. “That alone is a tremendous boost of the morale of the team.”

The United States will need that boost to get past the 5-team field which also includes Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador and Trinidad and Tobago in the third qualifying round that lasts until November.

Mexico, a regional power, was disqualified for using over-aged players in under-20 international competition. Canada was eliminated in the second qualifying round.

That greatly increases the chances for the United States to finish as one of the top two in its region and qualify for the World Cup.

The United States, by virtue of being the host country, will automatically be included in the 1994 World Cup. But that makes it more important for the team to qualify this time around.

“We don’t want to go in there in 1994 as a first-time team,” said midfielder Brian Bliss, who has been on the team 4 years. “It’s important to get one World Cup under our belts.”

That new attitude is shared by everyone on the team, including forward Hugo Perez, formerly of the San Diego Sockers of the Major Indoor Soccer League, and midfielder Jim Gabarra from the MISL’s Los Angeles Lazers.

“We have learned how to win in big situations,” said Eichmann, a midfielder who played on the 5-a-side team. “Our success gave us a new confidence that we can win the big games. That has carried over from the guys who were there. The desire is there. It’s starting this week and will culminate this summer.”

Said Gansler: “This is part of the evolution of American soccer. They have all come through the system. Now we are starting to reap the fruits.

“With Mexico out, the prevailing team is gone. It’s a different challenge now. Anyone who has played with a Central American team knows how difficult it is to go down there and score a goal.

“I think we can do it, but it has to be done.”