A chat with Steve Nicol
Steve Nicol, is the winningest coach in New England Revolution history. He was named head coach of the Revolution on November 6, 2002.
AP
Revolution coach Steve Nicol has his team on track for yet another playoff berth.
In 1989, his importance to the team was honored when Britain's soccer writers named him Footballer of the Year. Between 1984 and 1992 Nicol appeared 27 times for the Scottish national team, and started for his country at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
ESPNsoccernet: Taking a look back at the recent MLS Select team game against Real Madrid that you coached -- given that the team was thrown together last minute, flew there just the day before the game and had barely practiced together -- did you think that you would be able to perform creditably against Madrid?
SN: Yes I did. We had a good bunch of players on the squad, players with good talent and intangibles. For the first 55 to 60 minutes I thought we did ok, we were competitive and then the legs went. Then I thought to an extent, the travel and the lack of preparation really caught up to us. I think people also tend to forget that we were playing against Real Madrid, who are probably one of the top three teams in the world.
ESPNsoccernet: Some people were surprised you started Pablo Mastroeni at center-back against Real. What was your rationale for that and would you do things differently in hindsight?
SN: No I don't think so. Mastroeni played center-back when he first came into the league with Miami. Eddie Pope was injured and we needed guys with experience at the back so I opted for Mastroeni back there. But again, when we were putting this team together there were restrictions on who we could choose. It wasn't a question of help yourselves - we could take only one player from each of the team's that were still playing in the Open Cup.
ESPNsoccernet: Were there any positives you can take away from that game?
SN: I think when you consider all the factors, the travel, the restrictions on players, the lack of preparation - I think we did a decent job. The scoreline would suggest otherwise, 5-0 is obviously not nice to look at. But overall I think it was a positive experience. I think if you asked each of our players that played in the game, they'd all say they learnt something from the game.
ESPNsoccernet: Some of the Spanish newspapers had a field day after the game criticizing the MLS - how damaging do you think this game was to MLS credibility?
SN: It certainly didn't help MLS in Spain. I'm not sure where else in the world people would be over-analyzing that game.
ESPNsoccernet: In terms of the game - which players would you pick as standouts for the MLS team?
SN: I think both Jimmy (Conrad) and Pablo (Mastroeni) at the back did well for us. They were both rocks there, and Shalrie (Joseph) also did well. I was also happy with Clint Dempsey's play since he had to move a couple of times due to Moreno getting injured.
ESPNsoccernet: Do you think MLS would have been better served by sending a club team such as the Revolution or another team that was not involved in Open Cup play? Do you think they could have done better than the Select Team?
SN: To be honest, obviously the cohesion would be better with a team that's played together, but it would still depend on the circumstances. If you could go over three days prior to the game to prepare, I think it would make a huge difference. However had that MLS Select Team been given the same type of preparation, I think we'd have done better.
ESPNsoccernet: Prior to the game some players had said they didn't want to go, citing tiredness and fatigue. At the same time some MLS clubs were less than enthusiastic about sending their players due to the fixture congestion and U.S. Open Cup. What were your thoughts about going to this game - were you excited or did you think the timing was wrong?
SN: Both. I think there's no doubt that we played the game at a tough time for everybody. We're at an important part of the season and all the teams have just played a lot of games in a short space of time, so from that point of view, it wasn't ideal.
At the same time, you'd have to be absolutely excited to go there given who we were playing and where it was taking place. Before the game Paul Mariner and I were excited, we wished we were playing ourselves. The atmosphere at the Bernabeu is fantastic, let's face it, as a player if you really don't want to go and play in a game like that then you're wired wrong.
ESPNsoccernet: Moving onto MLS itself and the Revolution. Traditionally under your watch, the Revolution has been known for starting slowly and finishing seasons with a bang. This season your team came out of the gates strong. Was there anything different you did in training camp to facilitate that?
SN: Not at all. I think the basis of why we started so well was that the team that started this season, almost to a man, was the same team as the one that finished the season so well last year. We had a great run in the last 12 games or so last season after we finally managed to field the lineup we had originally planned and that group just grew together and it's carried over to this season.
ESPNsoccernet: One of MLS' stated goals is to not to convert people into first-time soccer fans but to convert the soccer fans in this country that watch European and South American soccer as opposed to MLS. What do you think needs to be done to achieve this and do you think this means bringing in big-name European stars?
SN: I don't think it's simply a case of bringing over big name European players. I mean look at the MetroStars - who else bigger than Youri Djorkaeff can you bring in? I think it's more a question of continuing to do what they do now. There's a lot more good young U.S. players around - the difference in the talent level in the last six years that I've been here has been phenomenal. That's what ultimately will bring people to the game.
ESPNsoccernet: There's been a lot of talk lately about players such as David Beckham, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and even Paolo Maldini expressing an interest in playing in MLS. Can you see it happening?
SN: From a financial point of view - no, not yet. But you never know, if you had said the U.S. would have been in the quarterfinals of the World Cup and should have beaten Germany, you'd have been laughed at 10 years ago. However, it's a reality now, so you can never know.
ESPNsoccernet: There's a lot of conjecture about where MLS ranks when it comes to the world's top leagues. If the Revolution played in the English Premiership for instance, where could you realistically see them finishing?
SN: Well, we really probably wouldn't be able to compete in the Premier League. Compete is probably the wrong word, we'd compete, but we wouldn't have a chance of coming out top anytime soon. Realistically though I think we'd struggle in the Premier League. However, if you took the English First Division, I think we'd do pretty well there. I think we'd finish in the top half of the English First Division, but we're not at a Premier League standard yet.
ESPNsoccernet: In terms of young players in MLS, if you were to single out someone that you think will make a huge impact in Europe in the next few years - who would you choose? Eddie Gaven, Clint Dempsey and Eddie Johnson for example - do you think they're ready to move overseas?
SN: I don't think they're ready to go. I certainly think all three of them could get to that level. Obviously having worked with Clint (Dempsey), I'm 100 per cent certain he'll get to that level at some stage. He's still got some things to learn though, but I think he's in the best place to learn. As long as all three are willing to keep levelheaded and keep working, then I don't see any reason why any of them wouldn't make it in Europe.
ESPNsoccernet: You obviously had a strong rookie draft. Is there a concern that some of them, especially Michael Parkhurst are hitting the rookie wall at this point of the season?
SN: I don't know who wrote that, but I wish they hadn't. In the time that I've been here, all the rookies that we've had that have gone straight into the team, I couldn't turn around and say to you that any of them hit the rookie wall at any point. Do players get tired at certain stages of the season? Yes of course. If Michael was tired at some stage in the last month, it's probably because we played five games in 15 days. Some of the older guys weren't exactly flying, so I really don't agree with it when people suggest that will happen to rookies.
ESPNsoccernet: If you could have your pick of any players in MLS to add to your squad who would you take?
SN: There are certainly players around the league I like. Obviously any team would have Landon Donovan and Jaime Moreno. I'm sure other teams would like to have some of our guys like Shalrie Joseph or Taylor Twellman, but certainly Donovan and Moreno are two of the guys I like.
ESPNsoccernet: What do you think of the current table structure? Would you like to see a move to a single table structure like they have in Europe and would you like to see a shift to a fall league season schedule?
SN: I think a single table would be good. Coming from my background obviously I'm going to like that. But I think in order to do that, we'd have to have more than 12 teams. In terms of schedules we don't have a choice. We're lucky if we can start in April - anywhere from two weeks into November, you just can't play.
ESPNsoccernet: Regarding your current squad - is there a player you feel has improved by leaps and bounds, one that you've been particularly pleased with?
SN: I've been pleased with a lot of the players (laughs) - obviously Matt Reis has really put his stamp on the number one spot. Shalrie's done well and so has Clint, but we've been lucky, the whole team really has done their bit. I don't like to single out anyone, but if I had to pick anyone it would be Matt since he's solidified that position.
ESPNsoccernet: What's your take on Freddy Adu -- he was outshone by other teen stars like Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas at the recent World Youth Championships -- is the American public's expectation level of him just way too high? What do you see as his ceiling?
SN: Yes (laughs). People forget Freddy is under a lot of pressure to do well all the time. Freddy hasn't been able to progress and get better like a normal player since he's under the limelight 24 hours a day. But he's getting better, he's definitely improved. It's difficult to project how good he'll be, we don't have a crystal ball and it's something you can't predict from a player his age. He's got all the tools, but the hardest part for him and any other young player to learn is when to use those tools.
ESPNsoccernet: You're obviously the most famous player ever to emerge from Ayr United. In fact I think you're still the most expensive export they've ever had at $470,000. That amount would barely buy a Division Three player in England these days and yet 24 years later it remains the record sale for Ayr - are you surprised?
SN: Yes, it's incredible isn't it (laughs).
ESPNsoccernet: In some ways do you see it as a reflection of the dearth of talent afflicting Scottish football in general at the moment? Scotland was a world-class team between 1978 and 1986 and yet these days the caliber of Scottish football is far below that. Why do you think that is?
SN: I guess the biggest problem is what has happened to the western world in general. Everyone has too many things to do these days what with computers, video games etc. Really the teams you're talking about from 1974 onwards were kids that played in the street. That's where we learned to play the game, which we don't have now in Scotland. Having said that a lot of other countries don't have that now either, so it's hard to shift all the blame on that. That's certainly a huge part of it, but other than that I really couldn't tell you what's happened.
ESPNsoccernet: When you played at Liverpool you were famed for your incredible versatility, endless stamina and the fact that you were rarely taken off the dribble by opposing attackers. Alan Hansen claims that your secret to success was actually your incredibly large feet, but in all seriousness what do you put it down to?
SN: (Laughs) I think the biggest thing was that I enjoyed playing. I was actually fortunate enough to go to a team that were European champions at the time and full of great players.The chances of some of that rubbing off on you are huge if you apply yourself, and obviously you need to have some basic ability yourself.
ESPNsoccernet: You had the reputation at Liverpool of being one of the nicest guys in the locker room but at the same time one of the most gullible and easily tricked?
SN: (Laughs). Mr. Hansen used to be the one that was responsible for most of that! At the end of the day I was a wee Scottish lad of 19 years old who had never been out of Scotland, let alone abroad when I joined Liverpool.
ESPNsoccernet: There are a lot of urban myths about some of these incidents. There's the one about sending you to wait all day at a train station 23 miles away to wait for a Puma official to do a boot promotion with you. There's also the one where you thought you'd put on a lot of weight one season after you inadvertently weighed yourself while carrying some heavy shopping. Care to set the record straight?
SN: (Laughs) All true unfortunately. Although about the weight one, that happened when my wife and I were on a cruise with Alan Hansen and his wife and it happened after a night out, so my marbles weren't all there.
ESPNsoccernet: Since a lot of these stunts were perpetrated by Alan Hansen, presumably you got him back at some point?
SN: No. I never got him back. You could never get Mr. Hansen back, he was a master (laughs) - that was the problem he was too clever!
ESPNsoccernet: A lot of recent debate about the English Premiership has been about the greatest Premiership team of all time - the conversation has focused on the Arsenal team that went undefeated a couple of seasons back, the Manchester United team that won the treble and last season's Chelsea team. Where do you think the two great Liverpool teams -- the 1979-80 team that scored 85 goals and conceded only 16 in a 42-game season, and the 1988 team that went 29 games without defeat -- fit into this mix?
SN: Those Liverpool teams absolutely stack up. I'd probably say that the 1979-80 Liverpool team was arguably the best team. That team however in 1979-80 team was completely different from the late 80s Liverpool team with John Barnes, Peter Beardsley and the others. The early 80s team that I originally went into was more of a real ball control team where you picked your moments. The team from when Kenny Dalglish took over was far different dynamically. We really went forward a lot quicker than we did before - which was more exciting but obviously led to more turnovers. But it was great fun playing on those late 80s teams.
ESPNsoccernet: You won the 1984 European Cup on penalties against Roma. Going into that situation were you guys confident? After all word has it that the five designated penalty takers had lost in a penalty simulation 5-0 in training against the Liverpool youth team players?
SN: Actually I was the only one who scored in practice! we lost 5-1 not 5-0 (laughs).
ESPNsoccernet: So you were the only one who was probably confident then against Roma although you actually missed in the game itself?
SN: Taking penalties against Roma was obviously a different situation. Anyone can take them in practice as I obviously showed (laughs).
ESPNsoccernet: Speaking of European Cups - in the recent Champions League final between Liverpool and AC Milan, you did color analysis on that game for ESPN - did you think that there was a chance of Liverpool coming back?
SN: No (laughs). Firstly, at halftime I was asking everyone if I could go home, and secondly I was asking what the highest score deficit ever was in a European Cup final.
ESPNsoccernet: Your thoughts on the Michael Owen situation. Would you like to see him back at Liverpool even if it meant selling someone like Djibril Cisse to make room for him?
SN: I'd like to see Owen back. I'd argue that he's a better striker than anyone they have currently.
ESPNsoccernet: What do you think of Liverpool's recent signing of Peter Crouch.
SN: I was surprised they paid $11 million or so for him, I won't lie about that. Having said that, Jamie Redknapp and his dad said some positive things about Crouch to me when I was skeptical. When you think of Liverpool traditionally you wouldn't have thought Peter would be the type of player that would suit them, but he can only prove people wrong.
ESPNsoccernet: Best moment and worst moment for Liverpool on the field?
SN: Too many good moments to single one out but the worst moment by far on the field was the loss to Arsenal. (Liverpool lost Arsenal 2-0 in the final game of the 1988-89 season which cost them the title that season.)
ESPNsoccernet: You played with a bevy of world-class players at Liverpool - which one would you say was underrated and didn't get as much recognition as he deserved?
SN: I think Ray Houghton was underrated. Absolutely. Bruce Grobbelaar was also underrated, obviously he has a bit of a reputation, but I think it took away from the fact that he was a good goalkeeper.
ESPNsoccernet: Word association time. I'm going to give you the names of some players and you give me a word that comes to mind when you think of them. Ronnie Whelan.
SN: (Laughs) The virgin. What kind of words are you looking for (laughs)? In all seriousness about Ronnie - I'd say great.
ESPNsoccernet: John Aldridge.
SN: Stonks (laughs).
ESPNsoccernet: John Barnes.
SN: Magic.
ESPNsoccernet: Gary Gillespie.
SN: Underrated.
ESPNsoccernet: Jan Molby.
SN: The big man.
ESPNsoccernet: Paul Walsh.
SN: Juice.
ESPNsoccernet: Alan Hansen.
SN: I don't think there's one word to describe him (laughs).
ESPNsoccernet: Mark Lawrenson.
SN: I can't say it (laughs).
ESPNsoccernet: Kenny Dalglish.
SN: The king.
ESPNsoccernet: Graeme Souness
SN: Top man.
ESPNsoccernet: Terry McDermott.
SN: The ledge.
ESPNsoccernet: Last one - Alan Kennedy.
SN: Belly (laughs).
ESPNsoccernet: Liverpool has had a history of world-class strikers. Rush, Dalglish, Fowler and Owen etc. If you were to rank them, who would you put at the top of the list?
SN: I think Rushie would be the one that would stand out. You can lump the rest together by saying they were all great.
ESPNsoccernet: What do you think set Rush apart from the rest?
SN: I think that extra bit of pace that he had. They were all great finishers each and every one of them, but Rushie's other bits to his game was probably a bit better than the others. His speed obviously and he was also fantastic defensively.
ESPNsoccernet: Are you still in close touch with the Liverpool lads?
SN: When you play on a team that was as successful as that, you need a bunch of guys that get on well and stick together. Subsequently we're all still in touch. I'll give you an example - I saw John Barnes at the draft last year. It was the first time we'd seen each other in a couple of years, but it was just like yesterday.
ESPNsoccernet: The four best players I've seen are Maradona, Michel Platini, Zico and Zinedine Zidane. If you were to pick your top four or five all-time who would it be.
SN: That's difficult - I don't think you can narrow it to four or five. Obviously you have Maradona and Platini, but Zbigniew Boniek was great too. Johann Cruyff was great, Gerd Muller, Franz Beckenbauer and Kenny Dalglish. There's just too many.
ESPNsoccernet: Was there ever a particular player that you hated to face?
SN: Probably Rafael Gordillo from Spain. He's the one guy that really did me up! I just found it hard to figure him out.
ESPNsoccernet: What was the secret to your fitness regime? Apparently you never really had one, yet you had incredible stamina?
SN: No I didn't, that was the secret (laughs).
ESPNsoccernet: You still play soccer now and then. I know you had an over-30 MLS ringer team play Ivan Gazidis' team earlier this year. My sources indicated to me that they outplayed you guys and didn't deserve to lose. Your chance for a rebuttal.
SN: I don't know where you got that from (laughs). We outplayed them and deserved to win. Let's get the video out (laughs).
ESPNsoccernet: Final question. Talking about the U.S. national team now - recently ranked sixth by FIFA. Obviously they won't sneak up on anyone in this World Cup like they did in 2002. How do you see them faring in Germany?
SN: I think they're probably not sixth in the world - but they're certainly around the ten mark, which they proved in the last World Cup. I think the U.S. will still surprise people since they're still not given the credit they deserve.
Jen Chang is the U.S. editor for ESPN Soccernet.com. He can be reached at: armchairsweeper@gmail.com
