After a tough 6-0 loss to the Czech Republic in the World Cup qualifiers at the beginning of the month, Bulgarian football legend Hristo Stoichkov broke his silence and addressed fans with an open letter last week.

"It is very hard to make things right in Bulgarian football," he said. "And this will hardly happen soon, we should not be deluding ourselves."

The former football great had some strong words in regards to Stoicho Mladenov, coach of the national team. "The time has come for me to hint to Stoicho Mladenov to leave," wrote Stoichkov from his home in Chicago. "I know he does not have anywhere to go, but the national team is not a charity home."

Stoichkov and Mladenov have been in conflict since January 2000. Back then, Mladenov was appointed coach of the national team and Stoichkov director of the national teams. Soon after, Mladenov accused his colleague of working against the interests of the team and Stoichkov withdrew.

"I know that it will be unpleasant for some people, that I am opening my mouth, I have been keeping silent about the national team for a year," continued the letter. "Right after the first match with the Czech Republic last fall, I said that the national team is playing primitive football and this will take it nowhere. I only made a warning and stopped talking, so that I would not be blamed for the failures."

Stoichkov said the bosses of the Bulgarian Football Union were to blame for the failures of the Bulgarian national teams, and that they should leave as well. He specifically accused Ivan Vutzov, executive director of the union, because he has surrounded himself with "yes men" and defends his own interests, not caring about the future of football. Consequently, everything is presented in rosy colours to President Ivan Slavkov, who, according to Stoichkov, did not care much either.

"I do not see how there can be a place for these people in Bulgarian football," Stoichkov stressed in his typically aggressive style, and he urged real football people to distance themselves from the current management of the football union and to make changes.

On Sunday, less than a week after Stoichkov's address, Mladenov publicly announced that he had ended his mission on the national team. "I was up to here, and I took over responsibility for the team's presentation," Mladenov said. "I hope that my place will be taken by a more deserving person. I only have one more engagement and this is to write my report about what I have done for this year and a half, so that they will see where the mistakes are and not repeat them."

Mladenov explained in detail where he felt the mistakes were, but attributed them to unfavourable coincidences and urged his successor to count on the same players. "Not everything that has been done so far should be brushed aside, because, after all, I built a new team which can be counted on," added Mladenov. He pointed out that with a few exceptions he had collected the best that Bulgarian football had to offer in the national team.

The Bulgarian sports media reported that Mladenov had received a proposition a few months ago from a second division Portuguese team, where he is well known for his year's work with the local Belenenses. It was also rumoured that Mladenov was going to Ukraine's Shahtior from Donetsk, which had to leave the UEFA tournament after losing to the Bulgarian team CSKA, prompting Shahtior to release its coach.

The big issue thought is not how Mladenov will sort out his future but who will head Bulgaria's representative team. If Vutzov retains his position, perhaps the best candidate for the position of manager is the former member of CSKA and the national team, Plamen Markov, who is currently coach for the second division team Vidima Rakovski from the town of Sevlievo.

Markov was especially invited by the Bulgarian Football Union for the match with the Czech Republic in Prague and he even sharply criticized Mladenov's team over the television, giving recommendations how the weaknesses can be rectified.

Another potential replacement could be Radoslav Zdravkov who changed countless Bulgarian teams as coach, and also played for CSKA, Lokomotiv Sofia and the national team.

Other names which have been mentioned are Dimitar Penev, with whom the Bulgarians reached fourth place at the World Cup finals in the U.S. in 1994, Bulgaria's most successful club coach Georgi Vassilev, who is currently the coach of the second division Union Berlin, and Lyupko Petrovich, the recent Serbian coach of the champions Levski Sofia, who took the Belgrade team of Red Star to the European champions' title and the intercontinental cup. Penev was in fact dismissed by Vutzov and Slavkov after the European championship in 1996 even though his team presented itself with dignity.

It seems that Mladenov will finish his term by the end of the year, promising reports and different analyses, and guaranteeing continuity. Until then the national team has no engagements - the first control matches are in February 2002 and until then everything will be left to wait.