Friday September 28, 2001.
London Free Press: Gauss Looking Ahead to Brighter City
Future
by Winnipeg Fury
Gauss looking ahead to brighter City future
By Jim
Kernaghan, Free Press Sports Columnist
For a minute there, it
sounded as though Harry Gauss would welcome back all the gifted maniacs and
malcontents who ever passed through his soccer team in exchange for a few more
wins.
But no, on second thought, the general manager of London City would
prefer going into the final weekend of his club's Canadian Professional Soccer
League season with the young team he's got. Well, OK, maybe he could live with a
couple crazies from the past.
London plays at North York Astros tonight and
winds up the season at Cove Road Field with a matinee Sunday against York
Shooters. Two wins would double their season total, against three draws and 17
losses.
Gauss admits he wouldn't mind seeing past talents such as Nathan
Davies or Charlie Doerfel trotting out with the 12-team league's youngest team.
Mind you, the coach of the similarly young football Mustangs, Larry Haylor,
would welcome the sight of Mike O'Brien and Blake Marshall lining up for him,
too.
"The coaching staff and I would have sat on the bench and paid
admission to watch Nathan," Gauss said dreamily. "You just let him go. He was
incredible. He had the ability to beat everyone in sight."
Davies, alas, was
incapable of beating the good life during his skyrocketing time with the club
six years ago.
Doerfel, a free spirit whose unobstructed personality
sidelined him from the German national team, probably could have altered the
standings on behalf of City, as well. It's been 23 years since the colourful and
imperious Doerfel, who usually managed to have a spectator carrying his bag for
him, was on the scene.
These and other high-maintenance heroes come to mind
when a season goes the way this one has but Gauss has been around long enough to
know reality always intrudes. The team chemistry is not quite the way he'd like
it but at least it's not toxic.
"What we need is four very professional
players who know what it takes . . . and a Curtis Joseph in goal," Gauss said.
He wasn't rapping his goaltending. Scott Mueller "is getting better all the
time" but at 23 is seven years shy of a soccer goalie's best years. And you
can't knock a team for being young.
London City has developed a rapport with
other teams, notably Grimsby Town of the English First Division. Tyler Hemming,
17, was sent over for experience with that club's youth organization and will
return next year to play and receive his schooling. Short of winning the league,
developing players is next most gratifying thing for a guy raised in the shadows
of goal posts.
It's not as though Gauss's club is entirely fuzzy-cheeked.
Striker Sandro Costantin from Wallaceburg, Gauss says, would have made a
difference had he been with the team all season. He's 33.
Captain and
stopper Gerald Gallacher, 32, helps bring order to a back line often beleaguered
by opposition attacks. He's an architectural intern whom Gauss hopes to have
back, possibly as a playing coach.
While he's looking ahead, Gauss was
looking back as he gazed out the window of the German-Canadian Club's dining
room. He's had other valleys in the 32 years he's been involved in club soccer
and thought the same things.
There's always a mountain somewhere ahead and
for guys with passion, it's not always atop the standings. London City is part
of a league that may have established some sort of mark by having all the same
owners for two straight seasons. There's the development of players.
And
always, there's next year, when those four mistakes that led to three opposition
goals are eliminated and you pot two yourself. That's when guys like Gauss don't
look back at past stars much.
.
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