ARCADIA. Calif. July 6: "Which slogan do you prefer." a Romanian-American Journalist asked

midfielder Gheorghe Hagi at a press conference: "Hagi for President' or “King Hagi?'

Hagi wasn't biting.

“Neither one." he said.

"Just Hagi the player "

As Romania prepare for their knockout quarterfinals game with Sweden Sunday at Stanford Stadium, team officials and players are trying to keep from getting carried away with star power and past sue cess, reports AP.

"I forgot everything that has happened, starting with yesterday." said coach Anghel lordanescu

As we begin our preparations for Sweden." lordanescu said, "first we must get all the players with their feet on the ground."

As Hagi doodled mi a notepad at the end of the dais. lordanescu revealed that he had chastised Romania's number 10 after the first-round 4-1 loss to Switzerland.

"I was not happy with the way he performed in the game with Switzerland." lordanescu said

lordanescu admitted that Hagi is to Romania what Maradona was to Argentina and what Cruyff was to the Dutch.

Hagi shrugged off a question about his famous mood changes. The 29-year-old said that he has been playing professionally for 12 years and suggested that everybody has bad days.

Tn life you have up and downs." he said. “In the morning you don't wake up in the same way.

"Now I am together with my team." he said. "I have the chance to be in this new generation of Romanian soccer players."

lordanescu said his team's expectations do not stop with

the quarterfinals.

"Some say we are dreaming too much." he said. "But through equilibrium and balance on the field, anybody can dream as much as they want.

lordanescu said that the team felt the absence of striker Florin Raducioiu in their 1-0 victory over Argentina in the round of 16.

Burdened with two yellow cards in first-round play. Raducioiu had to sit out the Argentina game.

lordanescu said the team

has Also missed midfielder Ioan Sabau. whose injuries kept him home.

lordanescu declined to reveal how he will field his players against Sweden.

"Each coach is choosing his own system." he said, based on the players they have.

"For Sweden It is not going to be an easy situation." lordanescu said. The game will be balanced and the situations will be created on the field."

Romania's anti-Communist revolution in December 1989. lordanescu said, has freed the Romanian soccer players to develop.

"Our country has always possessed talented players." he said. "In the past political system. players could not cultivate their own image and per sonallty.

"Now they are showing what they can give. They are allowed to sign contracts and to show their true value.