Gullit in Chelsea

Journalists have to be free to express their own opinions but, on the other hand, their professional ethics shouldn't allow them to become garbage throwers. I'm referring to Vic Mills' article (The Jakarta Post, Aug. 4, 1995, on page 12 of the Sports News) under the heading Ruud Gullit at Chelsea: From giggles to mirth.

The above journalist disparaged Italian soccer describing it as: "an awful lot of shirt pulling, body checking, elbowing and spitting."

Ruud Gullit has to be considered one of the greatest soccer players of the last ten years and he was free to choose to play in any European country. If he spent six years in Italy, it means that his physical condition was allowing him to play at high levels.

Gullit, being an intelligent person either inside or outside of soccer's playgrounds, knows that, at present the pitiless "age law" doesn't allow him to play at acceptable standards and his love for soccer pushes him to play just for hobby. The only alternative at his disposal is to go play in England, where worn- out horses are considered thoroughbreds.

After having read the stuff written by Vic Mills, the only thing to say is that soccer is not his strong point. He also distorted the meaning of the consonant "C." In fact, the two "Cs" marking Italian soccer mean "Class and Cleverness" and surely not "Cynicism and Crudeness."

PIERO RONCI

Jakarta