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Igors Stepanovs
Author: TheGame Date: 10-07-2004, 13:15	The newspapers in Switzerland say that Grasshopper-Club Zürich is offering Igors Stepanovs (KSK Beveren) a contract. Could the Belgian members of this board tell me more about him? I would really appreciate it. I'm also interested in more information about Kirilov (Litex Lovech) and Stojanov (Levski Sofia).

Re: Igors Stepanovs
Author: Nick Date: 10-07-2004, 14:01	Kirilov and Stoianov are both cental defenders. Both are bulgarian national players. Kirilov is 32 years old. Stoianov is 28. Stoianov also sometimes plays as left defender.

Re: Igors Stepanovs
Author: TheGame Date: 10-07-2004, 14:41	Thanks, but I should have asked more precisely. I know all the fact about them but I want to know how they played in their respective clubs.

Author: Giantkiller
Date: 10-07-2004, 19:51

TheGame,

I must admit Stepanovs has been a revelation for the Belgians too during the Euro 2004 :-). Beveren is a tiny club and very curiously managed with more than 10 players from Ivory Coast... Generally, the bulgarian player is alone as "white" in the starting 11. It's very funny. Beveren played (and lost) the Belgian cup final against Club Bruges ( KV Brugge) and will be take part of the UEFA cup next year. This team is able to beat a big club or to be beaten by a unknown team from Luxemburg or San Marino :-) Totally rock'n roll club lol.
As you probably seen, this player is tough, very intelligent but has a lack of speed. He knew some problems this year with fast strikers in the Jupiler League. But in a zone system, he is strong.

Cheers.

Author: Nick
Date: 10-07-2004, 22:31

@TheGame: Generally both Stoianov & Kirilov are good players. They are quite stable. Stoianov tends to get many cards and was suspended last year for 4 games for racist abuses against a Litex Lovech player. Kirilov played several years for CSKA Sofia before he went to Litex. He is captain of the team now and maybe the most consistent defender there. And that means something because Litex has currently by far the best defense in Bulgaria. Last season they had a run with 5-6 games in raw without getting a goal. Some ppl even used to say that if you score agaist them you have secured at least a point because at the same time they also had trouble scoring more than 1 goal per game

Re: Igors Stepanovs
Author: Nick Date: 10-07-2004, 22:33	Why are you interested in info on those 2 players btw ? Is anybody from them going to Switzerland ?

Re: Igors Stepanovs
Author: TheGame Date: 10-07-2004, 23:34	Thank you Giantkiller & Nick for this useful information. @Nick Because Grasshopper is interested in all three players, if you buy into this article of a Swiss newspaper: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/dyn/news/fussball/394600.html p.s. Giantkiller, Stepanovs is Latvian not Bulgarian. I think you knew it but just mixed it up there

Re: Igors Stepanovs
Author: Nick Date: 11-07-2004, 09:21	Interesting. No bulgarian newspaper ever mentioned anything about this so far. I guess both Stoianov & Kirilov will do great work for Grashoppers if such a transfer happens althouth i doubt it that Levski will let there main defender go 4 weeks before the new season. Litex have enouth alternatves for Kirilov so they should be more willing to sell him.

Author: Billy_Bob_Joe
Date: 12-07-2004, 11:49

Are you taking about the Igors Stepanovs (Latvian) that Arsenal just released? He was on loan last season to KSK Beveren? If you are, he was alittle hit and miss! He was more of a back up, and when he was blamed for our 6-1 defeat at the hands of Man Utd, he never played for the first team again in the league after that! He got a reputation as abit of a donkey in England! Not many Arsenal fans had too much faith in him either! I don't know whether he was upto the pressure and pace of the Premiership, however he did play well in the Euro's! With more confidence, i think he could do a good job!

Re: Igors Stepanovs
Author: TheGame Date: 22-07-2004, 17:09	Thanks Billy_Bob_Joe Stepanovs has signed a 3-year-contract with GCZ today.