Coaching icons Popovic and Newman to lead MISL Legends

February 5, 2004 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2) News Release


(Westport, Conn., February 5, 2004) – Coaching legends Don Popovic and Ron Newman have been named to guide the MISL Legends team during the 2004 MISL Legends Game, to take place on Sunday, February 29, following the 2004 MISL All-Star Game. The All-Star Game will kick off at 1:05 p.m. Central at the Family Arena in St. Charles, MO, home of the St. Louis Steamers.

The MISL Legends team will face a squad comprised of St. Louis Steamers Legends, who were announced on January 20. Pat McBride, Pete Sorber, and Al Trost will coach that team, which features the likes of Steve Pecher, Slobo Illijeski, Tony Glavin, Mark Frederickson, and Ty Keough.

Popovic crafted a regular season record of 275-168 (.621 winning percentage) over 13 seasons as head coach of six different teams. He cultivated the first indoor soccer dynasty with the original MISL's New York Arrows, leading that club to an incredible 131-39 regular season record (.771) from 1978-83. Under Popovic's guidance, the Arrows claimed the first four MISL titles. Popovic completed his career with three seasons as skipper of the St. Louis Storm (1989-92).

Newman's coaching marks are equally stunning. From 1980-94, Newman directed the San Diego Sockers to a 360-206 regular season record (.636), including five seasons of at least 30 wins. Newman's San Diego teams remain among the most successful in indoor soccer history: the club won a total of eight MISL titles from 1982-92, including five straight from 1987-92. Following his 14 years with the Sockers, Newman went to coach the Arizona Sandsharks of the CISL and became the first head coach of Major League Soccer's Kansas City Wizards in 1996.

The two distinguished coaches will lead a roster featuring some of the greatest talent the indoor game has even seen. David Brcic and Jamie Swanner will split time in net for the Legends. Brcic played for six different teams from 1981-90, while Swanner appeared in 473 games, winning 296 of them, in a career that spanned from 1985-2001. Swanner won six Goalkeeper of the Year Awards and two Most Valuable Awards during his career. Both keepers spent parts of their playing careers in St. Louis.

Desmond Armstrong, who earned 84 caps with the U.S. National Team and appeared in the 1990 World Cup, and Kim Roentved, who scored 380 goals and blocked 997 shots during a 19-year indoor career, will highlight the Legends defense. The defense will also feature Doc Lawson and Mike Powers, who both had their jerseys retired after standout careers with the Dallas Sidekicks, as well as David D'Errico and Juan Carlos Michia, both of whom starred during the MISL's earliest days. Michia is currently on the U.S. National Team coaching staff. Current Milwaukee Wave head coach Keith Tozer, who became the first draft pick in the original MISL when he was selected by the Cincinnati Kids in 1978, will also play in the back. Powers and Roentved are two of only ten players in indoor soccer history to block 900 or more career shots.

The Legends offense boasts some of the most lethal scoring threats of U.S. soccer's modern era. Dallas Sidekicks head coach Tatu scored 857 goals and assisted on 728 others in 633 career games before retiring following the 2002-03 season. A six-time Most Valuable Player, his total of 1,528 points (goals plus assists) is third in indoor soccer history. Branko Segota, who helped lead the San Diego Sockers to six MISL championships from 1984-91, registered 524 goals and 447 assists during the course of his career. Playmaking wizard and former Finnish National Team member Kai Haaskivi (357 goals, 460 assists), San Diego Sockers great Julie Veee (333 goals, 270 assists), current Rochester Raging Rhinos head coach Pat Ercoli (212 goals, 120 assist), and recent Baltimore Blast Hall of Fame inductee Mike Stankovic (303 goals, 299 assists) will also steer the Legends attack. Ercoli was named the Most Valuable Player of the MISL's first All-Star game, played at the Checkerdome in St. Louis.

Rounding out the front line will be three players with substantial St. Louis ties: Dan Donigan, Mark Moser, and Tim Walters. Donigan played a total of 121 games for three St. Louis teams (Storm, Ambush, Steamers) during his 10-year career. Walters also spent the majority of his career in St. Louis, with the Steamers and Ambush, and Moser was a crucial component of the dominant Ambush teams of the 1990's, scoring over 70 goals for three straight seasons (1994-97) and leading the club to the 1994-95 NPSL championship. Moser totaled 470 goals during his time with the Storm, Ambush, and Steamers.

All told, seven of the 18 players on this year's Legends roster spent part of their career in St. Louis.

2004 MISL LEGENDS TEAM

Coaches

Ron Newman San Diego Sockers, Arizona Sandsharks

Don Popovic N.Y. Arrows, Golden Bay Earthquakes, Las Vegas Americans, Pittsburgh Spirit, N.Y. Express, St. Louis Storm

Goalkeepers

David Brcic New York Cosmos, Wichita Wings, Pittsburgh Spirit, Los Angeles Lazers, Kansas City Comets, St. Louis Storm

Jamie Swanner Canton Invaders, Buffalo Blizzard, St. Louis Ambush, Kansas City Attack

Defenders

Desmond Armstrong Cleveland Force, Baltimore Blast, Washington Warthogs

David D'Errico Cincinnati Kids, New York Arrows

Doc Lawson Cincinnati Kids, Philadelphia Fever, New York Arrows, New York Cosmos, Dallas Sidekicks

Juan Carlos Michia Wichita Wings, Chicago Horizon, New York Arrows, Baltimore Blast, Chicago Shoccers

Mike Powers Wichita Wings, Dallas Sidekicks

Kim Roentved Wichita Wings, Kansas City Comets, Kansas City Attack

Keith Tozer Cincinnati Kids, Hartford Hellions, Pittsburgh Spirit, Louisville Thunder, Atlanta Attack

Forwards/Midfielders

Dan Donigan St. Louis Storm, Wichita Wings, Milwaukee Wave, Washington Warthogs, St. Louis Ambush, St. Louis Steamers

Pat Ercoli New York Arrows, Detroit Lightning, Buffalo Stallions, Baltimore Blast, Cleveland Force

Kai Haaskivi Houston Summit, Edmonton Drillers, Cleveland Force, Baltimore Blast, Cleveland Crunch

Mark Moser Dayton Dynamo, Memphis Rogues, Indiana Kick, St. Louis Storm, St. Louis Ambush, St. Louis Steamers

Branko Segota New York Arrows, San Diego Sockers, St. Louis Storm, Las Vegas Dustdevils, Baltimore Spirit

Mike Stankovic Memphis Rogues, Dallas Tornado, Baltimore Blast, Wichita Wings, Baltimore Spirit

Tatu Tampa Bay Rowdies, Wichita Wings, Dallas Sidekicks

Julie Veee New York Arrows, San Diego Sockers

Tim Walters Denver Avalanche, St. Louis Steamers, Wichita Wings, Tampa Bay Rowdies, St. Louis Ambush

Online fan balloting to determine the 2004 All-Star starting lineups begins on Friday, February 6. All-Star coaches will be announced on Monday, February 9. For more information on the 2004 MISL All-Star Weekend, contact the MISL at 1-866-MISLNET, visit www.misl.net, or call the St. Louis Steamers offices at 1-866-785-5425.



Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from February 5, 2004


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