Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, June 7, 1994                   TAG: 9406080025
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Los Angeles Times
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

HARKES WANTS TO HELP U.S. SOCCER TEAM

The former University of Virginia soccer star and his wife, Cindy, have been taking a few days off after a long season with Derby County in the English First Division.

Derby had a chance to move up to the Premier Division next season - it's called a promotion fight - and at times the situation prompted fighting among fans. Harkes talked last week of playing Millwall, another team with a chance to move up, in a semifinal game. Twice the game was interrupted because fans charged onto the field.

The second time, the game was stopped and the players rushed off the field.

``I'll never experience anything like that again,'' Harkes said. ``I hope I don't, anyway. It's the first time I've ever feared for my life on the [field].''

The question for Harkes when he does begin practice this week is where he will play. He is used to playing in midfield, but he also can play at outside back, where the U.S. team has a weakness.

``First things first,'' he said. ``I'm just getting organized. It really doesn't matter where I play, as long as the whole team is on the same page. Obviously, there's been a lot of controversy in the media, but speculation is good, it's good people are talking about it.

``If that's where Bora [Milutinovic, the U.S. coach] wants me, I'll do it ... I've got my own team on paper, as well. Bora's got some images in his mind, it's got to be the right chemistry. He told me, `I want you where there is a weakness. I want you to fill that weakness.'''