U.S. Players Having Contract Problems With Soccer Federation

None of the 16 players offered contracts for this year by the U.S. Soccer Federation has signed, the national team’s coach, Bob Gansler, said Monday.

But only one player, reserve goalkeeper David Vanole of Manhattan Beach, chose not to attend the two-week training camp in La Jolla because of the contract dispute with the federation.

“Some of us were advised by agents or attorneys to do the same thing, not show up,” said defender Paul Caligiuri of Santa Monica. “But we’re here. We don’t want to let anything get in the way of preparing for the World Cup.”

He and other players said, however, that they have been increasingly frustrated by the federation’s refusal to negotiate. Forward Bruce Murray of Germantown, Md., said the players sent a message detailing their concerns to the USSF and received an unsatisfactory response Monday.

“They told us to take it or leave it,” he said.

Federation officials would not comment.

The players would not specify all of their complaints to reporters, but most of them are believed to be financial in nature. Some players have complained that they believe the insurance coverage is inadequate.

Forward Eric Eichmann of Margate, Fla., said he is optimistic the dispute will be resolved. If not, he said some of the players probably will pursue contracts from professional soccer teams in Europe and the United States.

Those players presumably would be available to play in the World Cup in Italy June 8-July 8 but probably would not be able to rejoin the national team for workouts and exhibition games in preparation for the tournament until spring.