Hristo Stoichkov [A Personal Reflection]

The football [soccer] world has heard of people like Pele, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Lampard, and Drogba. The people or at least the majority of them have not heard of Hristo Stoichkov. Hristo Stoichkov is an institution in Bulgarian Football [Soccer] as well as the National Hero of that glorious country. I have had the honour of hearing about Hristo Stoichkov when I listened to Radio Sofia  on my shortwave radio.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Hristo Stoichkov was a Striker who rose through the ranks in Bulgarian Football [Soccer] to become a manager. Hristo Stoichkov also played as a left attacker and winger who was able to surprise people with his free kicks, penalty kicks, and crosses. Hristo Stoichkov came into the world in the town of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Plovdiv, Bulgaria on the Eighth of February in the year 1966. While Hristo Stoichkov has his detractors secondary to his temper, it is important to concentrate on the life and career of the National Hero of Bulgaria.

Hristo Stoichkov started his career in football [soccer] with the the Maritsa Youth Club from 1976 to 1982. I remember hearing some of the games from the Maritza Youth Club on my shortwave radio. Radio Sofia had broadcast news about the rise of Stoichkov in Maritza Youth Club. The female announcer [in English] had announced a bright future for Stoichkov. I remember hearing the broadcast in January 1977 during the Cold Weather Spell in Ohio when everything was closed and the only window to the outside world was the Shortwave Radio with the Football [Soccer] Games.

Hristo Stoichkov continued his career in football [soccer] playing for teams such as Hebros Harmanli, CSKA Sofia, Parma, FC Barcelona, Al Nassr, Kashiwa Reysol, Chicago Fire, DC United while receiveing awards such as the 1994 FIFA Golden Boot, Golden Shoe, Golden Foot, Bulgarian League Top Scorer, European Footballer of the Year, and UEFA Winners Cup Top Scorer. He also played for the Bulgarian National Team during his exciting football [soccer] career. His record was two hundred and fifty seven goals within five hundred and forty eight appearances.

He was coach of the Bulgarian National Team from 2004 to 2007 but had differences with players such as Stiliyan Petrov and a poor performance at the Euro 2008 Qualifiers which lead to his resignation. Hristo Stoichkov attempted to coach the Celta de Vigo only to have the team end up at the bottom ranks of the Spanish Second Division. Hristo Stoichkov was sacked by the owners of Celta de Vigo for this performance.

In closing, I remember having a coin from Greece which had a Phoenix rising from the ashes. I have the feeling that Hristo Stoichkov could the same thing and surprise the football [soccer] world. I wish the best for Hristo Stoichkov.