[ALBSA-Info] London Free Press

[Agron Alibali]

London Free Press 
May 25, 2001 Friday, Final Edition 
DERVISHI'S MIND ALL ON CITY 

STEVE GREEN, FREE PRESS SPORTS REPORTER 


For someone waiting for a certain phone call, Gentjan Dervishi is showing a remarkable ability to focus on the task at hand. 

And that task for the 22-year-old playmaking midfielder is to help London City get off to a quick start to its 2001 Canadian Professional Soccer League season, which opens tonight at Cove Road Field against the expansion Toronto Supra. 

City's MVP last season, Dervishi is hoping to get a call from one of several European clubs offering a tryout. That call could come as early as next month from teams such as Austria Vienna, Dusseldorf in Germany, Den Bosch in the Netherlands or Chateauroux in France. But he's not letting it occupy his thoughts right now. 

"I like to take it one thing at a time," he said yesterday, "and right now that's London City. If I've got my mind on four of five different things, that won't help. If it's going to happen, it's going to happen. 

"I feel for this team. I'm not just here to play a game and then go home. I'd like this team to build and go on to great things. 

"There's always a chance (to come back to City), but if I go, I want to make it in Europe," added Dervishi, who came to Canada from his native Albania when he was 16. "This is the right time. I'm ready." 

And should the call come, he'll leave with many fond memories of London, the team and the city. 

"The people," he replied when asked what he'd remember most. "And the support I got from the team and (general manager-coach) Harry Gauss, who put a lot of trust in me. So many people have helped me through my career, they're like my brothers. 

"Plus, I was able to finish high school at Westminster, which was really good for someone who didn't speak English (when he arrived). It's one of the best schools in the city." 

London City went 2-11-1 last season but Dervishi said things weren't as frustrating as some might believe. 

"I knew the team was young and it was more like the beginning of something," he said. "I actually have high hopes for this year. We're still young, but we've got the will to play, the desire from all the players, and with help from the experienced players, we'll be all right. 

"We've got a lot of talented players, too many for me to name them all, and that makes it a bit easier for me, but I still feel I must be a leader." 

Starting with tonight's game. The Supra may be one of the four new CPSL teams -- the Montreal Dynamite, Ottawa Wizards and Brampton Hitmen are the others -- but Dervishi expects a tough match. 

"I've played against some of their players and they're good. They're like (defending league champion) Toronto Olympians." 

Gauss couldn't be faulted for hoping Dervishi stays the whole season but "we're not in that mindset," he said. 

"The good part about this is it's all a foundation for what he wants to do with his life, and that's to be a professional soccer player. He has all the tools; this just adds to his resume." 

"The thing is, when you think of our team, it's an incubator. We develop young players and they go on to other teams, and we make no bones about it. The reason we have so many young players is they know we showcase them." 

Notes: Gauss said CPSL expansion appears to be proceeding ahead of schedule, with Alberta and B.C. coming in as separate divisions next year, two years early. A Quebec division was already in the works for next year, with the Dynamite and Wizards joining it. Ottawa, however, has expressed an interest in remaining in the Ontario league, Gauss said, adding a vote on that will likely be taken in August. 
   GAME GUIDE 
What: London City vs. Toronto Supra in Canadian Professional Soccer League season opener. 

Where: Cove Road Field, German-Canadian Club. 
   Kickoff: 8:38 p.m. 
Tickets: $6 at the door; advance tickets $4 for adults, $3 for children, students and seniors, available at the German-Canadian Club. 

photo by Ken Wightman, The London Free Press; London City midfielder Gentjan Dervishi has all the tools to be a pro, City GM-coach Harry Gauss says. 



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