Soccer soothsayer

The detractors of my opinion on soccer should keep quiet and admit that I know what I'm talking about.

For instance, I predicted that Cantona would exit the soccer arena even though he was idolized by the English media. A few months ago, Cantona realized that he was what is referred to in soccer jargon as "a player with a leaden bottom", and showing a minimum of dignity he decided to give up. Was I wrong?

While Gascoigne and Platt were still playing for Italian Serie A, I predicted that they weren't up to playing in Italy and they would be sent back to England. Since it happened, can I be proven wrong?

Two years ago, I predicted the news that this paper published on July 9 (page 13: sports news). In fact, on July 20, 1995, in a letter to The Jakarta Post I wrote that to include Paul Ince in the Italian championship was wrong and that, in a short time, he would be sent back to England along with his two compatriots Gascoigne and Platt. Since it happened, was I wrong?

I'm sure that due to Paul Ince's return to English soccer, Italian players have drawn a sigh of relief. Starting from now, they will be no longer be obliged to jump like grasshoppers to avoid the broadside of a player who plays in a "dirty" way.

PIERO RONCI

Jakarta