Bulgaria hoping experience can triumph over youth

Bulgaria are looking to a performance to match that in United States four years ago-when a golden run took them to the semi-finals. Having disposed of Germany in the quarter-finals thanks to a Yordan Letchkov special, they met defeat at the hands of Italy but nevertheless returned home to Sofia as heroes. Falling by the way side at the group stage in Euro 96 cost coach Dimitar Penev his job, and after some shenanigans involving a Hristo Stoichkov-led boycott, the players got behind new man Hristo Bonev. Their performance in the qualifying rounds passed off smoothly. They headed their group clear of Russia and Bonev is optimistic about their prospects. "Euro 96 was a disappointment," he said. "It was less than we anticipated. We were semi-finalists in America and we seriously feel we can obtain a medal in France."  But he then raises the spectre of age diminishing his squads effectiveness in the eye of the summer storm. "We have had a generation of great players, who are still a force at international level. I know, however, what a long tournament this will be and we must have some youth in the squad. I have a number of players who are beginning to show what they can do."  Bonev is counting on the likes of 24-year-old Marian Hristov, an exciting midfield talent who will have gained valuable experience with Kaiserslautern in the German Bundesliga. But Hristov apart, the squad could quite comfortably fill in for the regular cast in the hit American soap "Thirtysomething"  such is their advancing years. While experience and team spirit will, of course, play a crucial part, fitness is going to become an ever-important factor as the tournament wears on and that could concern Bulgaria.

© - AFP - 1998