Bradley: USA players must 'look at ourselves in the mirror' after Klinsmann exit

Michael Bradley says he and his U.S. teammates must "look at ourselves in the mirror" following the firing of coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

U.S. Soccer announced the end of Klinsmann's five-year stint Monday after the Americans opened the final stage of World Cup qualifying in CONCACAF with a 2-1 home loss to Mexico and 4-0 defeat in Costa Rica earlier this month. The federation confirmed Tuesday that Klinsmann will be replaced by LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena, who led the U.S. national team from 1998 to 2006.

READ MORE: Arena confident he's better equipped to coach U.S.

Speaking to reporters in Montreal following Toronto FC's 3-2 loss to the Impact in the MLS Eastern Conference final first leg Tuesday, Bradley addressed the coaching change.

"It's never a good thing when a coach gets fired," Bradley said. "It's never a good thing when we have to go through a night like we did in Costa Rica on Tuesday night. The reality of sports is that the coach is the one that takes the fall, and again as players that's not a nice thing because we understand we're the ones on the field and we ultimately have to look at ourselves in the mirror and be very honest and say that it's not been what it's needed to be in this last stretch.

"There's nothing else to say in that regard. As captain nobody takes that harder than me."

But Bradley noted the U.S. must move quickly to embrace Arena, who handed the midfielder his first two caps as a 19-year-old in 2006. Already the all-time wins leader for the men's national team, Arena returns to the program after claiming three MLS Cup titles in eight seasons with the Galaxy.

"The other side is once the change is made, the reality of sports is you have to turn the page quickly," Bradley added. "I can only speak for myself, but I'm very excited to work with Bruce again. He was the coach who gave me my first opportunities with the national team, and he and I have always maintained a little bit of a relationship from afar.

"I certainly have a lot of respect for the career that he has had and the way that he has gone about making every team that he has coached better. His record speaks for itself."