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The Tackle: The Future With Bob Bradley Might Not Be So Bad
Aug 17, 2010 2:26:00 PM
By Noah Davis
Guess who's back? Bradley's back.
According to a report on Yahoo! Sports, United States Men's National Team manager Bob Bradley is set to meet with U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati early next week in an effort to hash out a new four-year contract for the man who guided the Stars and Stripes to the second round of the 2010 World Cup. Initial signs point toward the pair getting a deal done that would retain the manager through the next cycle.
Assuming that comes to pass -- not a certainty, but it looks increasingly likely -- what does the decision mean for the future of U.S. Soccer?
First, it's probably the second choice option for both parties. While Bradley did enough during the World Cup cycle to retain his job, he and the USSF seemed destined to part ways. Managers rarely succeed during their second four-year tenure, and the coach openly discussed a desire to move to Europe (a big admission for the usually tight-lipped man). He was in the running for jobs at Fulham and Aston Villa. (There are rumors of the D.C. United job opening up, but that gig would be a step down for the well-respected coach.) Gulati and the federation, who very publicly courted German Jurgen Klinsmann in 2006 before settling on Bradley as "interim manager" six months after the disaster in Germany, certainly looked into other choices as well.
In a perfect world, Bradley would have a gig in the English Premier League and the U.S. would have Klinsmann, Marcelo Bielsa, or another "big name" international guy guiding the team. Soccer, however, is far from perfect, so it appears as though Bradley will helm the improving American squad once again.
This isn't the disaster some would have Red, White, and Blue fans believe.
The current coach knows the system and can continue building the program immediately. He won't have to deal with the steep learning curve another, non-American would face. (It's not an apples to apples comparison, but look how foreign coaches struggle to adapt to Major League Soccer.) For all the criticism Bradley draws for his inflexibility and unwillingness to give new players a chance, consider this: 43 players earned a cap in 2010, while 54 did so the previous year. The number was 61 in 2007, his first full year. That's a massive number of bodies who got a chance to show their talent. The former Chivas USA boss might not make all the right decisions, but he gives players an opportunity.
More importantly, his charges trust him and fight hard on the pitch. The U.S. may not (read: doesn't) have world-class talent, but under Bradley they demonstrate all-universe heart, desire, and hustle. At this stage, those qualities are going to win more matches than anything.
After the last second victory against Algeria that pushed the Stars and Stripes into the round of 16, Landon Donovan summed up the side's feelings about their coach.
"Bob has a very distinct way of doing things. Some people like it and some people don't. At the end of the day, we believe in what Bob does and whether it's the right way or the wrong way in peoples' eyes doesn't matter," he said. "We think it's the right way, and we believe it.
"I think it's taken a long time for a lot of us to wrap our heads around what exactly Bob wanted from us. Now we all understand why he put us through some of the things he put us through and why he challenged us the way he did. He could see the big picture from the beginning while a lot of us were shortsighted. It's nice to know now that this is the reason why he did all those things."
With South Africa in the rearview mirror, it's time to construct another four-year plan. The U.S. needs to harness the talent developing around the world and step up its efforts to recruit those players under the American flag. The youth program needs an overhaul, although that falls to youth technical director Claudio Reyna more than the coach of the senior side. The national team could use an infusion of creativity (but any manger's efforts will be hampered by the skill of his players).
That's a tall order for anyone, much less someone who's new to the program. Maybe having the man who developed the last cycle's successful plan isn't such a bad idea.
Noah Davis (@noahedavis) covers the United States Men's National Team for Goal.com.
Visit the U.S. national team page on Goal.com for more and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
According to a report on Yahoo! Sports, United States Men's National Team manager Bob Bradley is set to meet with U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati early next week in an effort to hash out a new four-year contract for the man who guided the Stars and Stripes to the second round of the 2010 World Cup. Initial signs point toward the pair getting a deal done that would retain the manager through the next cycle.
Assuming that comes to pass -- not a certainty, but it looks increasingly likely -- what does the decision mean for the future of U.S. Soccer?
First, it's probably the second choice option for both parties. While Bradley did enough during the World Cup cycle to retain his job, he and the USSF seemed destined to part ways. Managers rarely succeed during their second four-year tenure, and the coach openly discussed a desire to move to Europe (a big admission for the usually tight-lipped man). He was in the running for jobs at Fulham and Aston Villa. (There are rumors of the D.C. United job opening up, but that gig would be a step down for the well-respected coach.) Gulati and the federation, who very publicly courted German Jurgen Klinsmann in 2006 before settling on Bradley as "interim manager" six months after the disaster in Germany, certainly looked into other choices as well.
In a perfect world, Bradley would have a gig in the English Premier League and the U.S. would have Klinsmann, Marcelo Bielsa, or another "big name" international guy guiding the team. Soccer, however, is far from perfect, so it appears as though Bradley will helm the improving American squad once again.
This isn't the disaster some would have Red, White, and Blue fans believe.
The current coach knows the system and can continue building the program immediately. He won't have to deal with the steep learning curve another, non-American would face. (It's not an apples to apples comparison, but look how foreign coaches struggle to adapt to Major League Soccer.) For all the criticism Bradley draws for his inflexibility and unwillingness to give new players a chance, consider this: 43 players earned a cap in 2010, while 54 did so the previous year. The number was 61 in 2007, his first full year. That's a massive number of bodies who got a chance to show their talent. The former Chivas USA boss might not make all the right decisions, but he gives players an opportunity.
More importantly, his charges trust him and fight hard on the pitch. The U.S. may not (read: doesn't) have world-class talent, but under Bradley they demonstrate all-universe heart, desire, and hustle. At this stage, those qualities are going to win more matches than anything.
After the last second victory against Algeria that pushed the Stars and Stripes into the round of 16, Landon Donovan summed up the side's feelings about their coach.
"Bob has a very distinct way of doing things. Some people like it and some people don't. At the end of the day, we believe in what Bob does and whether it's the right way or the wrong way in peoples' eyes doesn't matter," he said. "We think it's the right way, and we believe it.
"I think it's taken a long time for a lot of us to wrap our heads around what exactly Bob wanted from us. Now we all understand why he put us through some of the things he put us through and why he challenged us the way he did. He could see the big picture from the beginning while a lot of us were shortsighted. It's nice to know now that this is the reason why he did all those things."
With South Africa in the rearview mirror, it's time to construct another four-year plan. The U.S. needs to harness the talent developing around the world and step up its efforts to recruit those players under the American flag. The youth program needs an overhaul, although that falls to youth technical director Claudio Reyna more than the coach of the senior side. The national team could use an infusion of creativity (but any manger's efforts will be hampered by the skill of his players).
That's a tall order for anyone, much less someone who's new to the program. Maybe having the man who developed the last cycle's successful plan isn't such a bad idea.
Noah Davis (@noahedavis) covers the United States Men's National Team for Goal.com.
Visit the U.S. national team page on Goal.com for more and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
Goal.com Poll
Poll runs from Aug 16, 2010 to Aug 20, 2010
Poll runs from Aug 16, 2010 to Aug 20, 2010
Should Bob Bradley stay on as U.S. national team coach?
Yes, his record is fine. Give him another cycle.
50.87%
No, four years is long enough for any coach.
30.71%
He's awful. Get rid.
18.41%
Make Your Prediction
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Most Popular Predictions
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USA 8-0 Antigua and Barbuda
- 13.89 %
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USA 5-0 Antigua and Barbuda
- 12.5 %
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USA 4-0 Antigua and Barbuda
- 12.5 %
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