Bradley Sacked as USA Coach

[DoomMerchant]

I think Bradley had the US playing better than their teamsheet would imply, cannot imagine anyone getting better out of them and with the better players hitting that age where they think about leaving the national side, the next guy will have a challenge keeping parity, let alone improving on it.

the "soccer intelligentsia" in the US believes we can win a WC in the next 20 years tho. Hard to balance vs. getting an average group of players on an INTL scale to be consistently ranked in the top 20. The loss vs Mexico last month and the FIFA rankings freefall has been concerning.

the problem with soccer in the US is that it's an elitist version of a populist sport, and until that changes we are about as good as we're going to get because we don't attract the best athletes...they will always play another sport instead.

i personally found Bradley to be drab and uninspiring, but time will tell how history sorts him out. Good luck to him...he's a class act i think.

A couple of things:

1. I don't see how the long term plan to win a WC in twenty years have much to do with the current national manager (unless he's hindering the development of young players). Surely, Shirley, the development of youth, and the plans for future success must be the responsibility of the board the US version of the FA?

2. Even in Europe I don't think that the "best athletes" necessarilly opt for football - they will more likely be found within track and field, gymnastics, and perhaps basketball and handball. And I frankly don't think that great athleticism is that important for a footballer. Of course you need to be fit, but you can still be a skinny, short guy like Silva, as long as you have technique, vision and football brains.

3.Even though the best "ball players" choose other sports, your population, and the number of football players should still make you able to compete on level terms to most European nations (which you also have been doing).

4. I agree with you that Bradley has done a good job, and probably have over preformed, considering the player material he had at his disposal.

i dunno...maybe we should just swap phone numbers or skype or something. i typed up like a 2 page response but it was wordy and stupid. Ultimately, the youth setup is broken. American soccer administrators are delusional about what we should accomplish with our big american soccer penis, and the best athletes in the US have way way more sporting choices than in Europe or England, and so our quality will always suffer. Lastly, i didn't say that Bradley did a good job. That pussy Slim said that he did a good job. I think he was adequate...and time will tell, but i found him boring and uninspiring, and maybe Klinsmann can give some of these players half a chubby and they do something sexay for us. who knows.

also, it hardly matters...the US national team isn't really that fantastic. Even as an American i follow the teams of my grandparents -- Holland and Italia because it's much more fun. I'm a gloryhunter from way back. way back.

cheers

[mr_nool]

I think Bradley had the US playing better than their teamsheet would imply, cannot imagine anyone getting better out of them and with the better players hitting that age where they think about leaving the national side, the next guy will have a challenge keeping parity, let alone improving on it.

the "soccer intelligentsia" in the US believes we can win a WC in the next 20 years tho. Hard to balance vs. getting an average group of players on an INTL scale to be consistently ranked in the top 20. The loss vs Mexico last month and the FIFA rankings freefall has been concerning.

the problem with soccer in the US is that it's an elitist version of a populist sport, and until that changes we are about as good as we're going to get because we don't attract the best athletes...they will always play another sport instead.

i personally found Bradley to be drab and uninspiring, but time will tell how history sorts him out. Good luck to him...he's a class act i think.

A couple of things:

1. I don't see how the long term plan to win a WC in twenty years have much to do with the current national manager (unless he's hindering the development of young players). Surely, Shirley, the development of youth, and the plans for future success must be the responsibility of the board the US version of the FA?

2. Even in Europe I don't think that the "best athletes" necessarilly opt for football - they will more likely be found within track and field, gymnastics, and perhaps basketball and handball. And I frankly don't think that great athleticism is that important for a footballer. Of course you need to be fit, but you can still be a skinny, short guy like Silva, as long as you have technique, vision and football brains.

3.Even though the best "ball players" choose other sports, your population, and the number of football players should still make you able to compete on level terms to most European nations (which you also have been doing).

4. I agree with you that Bradley has done a good job, and probably have over preformed, considering the player material he had at his disposal.

i dunno...maybe we should just swap phone numbers or skype or something. i typed up like a 2 page response but it was wordy and stupid. Ultimately, the youth setup is broken. American soccer administrators are delusional about what we should accomplish with our big american soccer penis, and the best athletes in the US have way way more sporting choices than in Europe or England, and so our quality will always suffer. Lastly, i didn't say that Bradley did a good job. That pussy Slim said that he did a good job. I think he was adequate...and time will tell, but i found him boring and uninspiring, and maybe Klinsmann can give some of these players half a chubby and they do something sexay for us. who knows.

also, it hardly matters...the US national team isn't really that fantastic. Even as an American i follow the teams of my grandparents -- Holland and Italia because it's much more fun. I'm a gloryhunter from way back. way back.

cheers

I'd probably enjoy skyping with you over a couple of beers, but Bradley sure wouldn't be my topic number one.

[Florida Blue]

I think this is great. Bradley was an uninspiring leader and his player selection was beyond awful. It showed in this year's Gold Cup. Hercules Gomez was arguably the most in form striker the USA had at the time, yet he was not selected and it forced him to move Dempsey up to striker a couple of times when he was best serving the USA in an attacking midfield position.

Up 2-0 v Mexico in the final, we lose our right back, and he calls on a sub who had no business being on the pitch, let alone the bench or the squad for that matter and he directly leads to 3 of the 4 goals (and indirectly to the 4th). With better team selection we should have won that match.

The showing at the World Cup was nice, but hardly anything to be proud of. Time for a change, should have been JK 5 years ago.

[halnone]

Klinsmann is a great replacement for Bradley imo.

[Chopper]

He will be a fucking disaster.

Mark my words

[CitizenYank]

Following the US Men's National Team as I do, I believe Bradley's sacking had to do with a few things, fan support, player development and overall results. The US hasn't had a foreign coach since Bora Milutinović. And the more us Americans fall down the rankings, the more we feel we need foreign input. Irregardless of his record, Bob Bradley was a Yank and not the mystic foreign guru, like US soccer fans are shouting that we need.
Klinesman has interviewed twice before for the USA job and twice turned it down for one main condition. That he run the whole show. And that is key because as much we moan about talent and coaching, it's scouting that is just killing US football.
(Before the MLS got it's shit together, the US Men youth teams were meant to give a professional environment to train in; now the MLS scouting and USMNT work completely apart of each other for the same prospects with poor results. The US Team Coaches for U-23 and U-20 (now sacked) completely answer to themselves and the youth national teams results combined make the US senior team looks like Spain.)
Klinesman knows that, coming from the German system, youth success at all levels is just as important to the senior team's growth. Bradley method was to try and introduce too many untried players to international play and hope they worked out. The US never developed a decent striker while he ran the team (although I will admit he didn't have much to work with) and seldom could any defense hold a lead. Well Bob, thanks for the win against Spain and getting us into the round of 16 in the World Cup. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Now Jurgen comes in, the MLS attendance is booming (up 40% in 5 years) and the US Women's teams pulled out an amazing finish in the WC. Let's see what you can do!

[DoomMerchant]

I think this is great. Bradley was an uninspiring leader and his player selection was beyond awful. It showed in this year's Gold Cup. Hercules Gomez was arguably the most in form striker the USA had at the time, yet he was not selected and it forced him to move Dempsey up to striker a couple of times when he was best serving the USA in an attacking midfield position.

Up 2-0 v Mexico in the final, we lose our right back, and he calls on a sub who had no business being on the pitch, let alone the bench or the squad for that matter and he directly leads to 3 of the 4 goals (and indirectly to the 4th). With better team selection we should have won that match.

The showing at the World Cup was nice, but hardly anything to be proud of. Time for a change, should have been JK 5 years ago.

this ^^^^^

[ryanmjo]

Pretty pleased with this move. Never a great idea to bring a coach back for another World Cup cycle imo, just a shame we've lost a year.

[avoidconfusion]

Klinsmann is the replacement, very good move.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I think Bradley had the US playing better than their teamsheet would imply, cannot imagine anyone getting better out of them and with the better players hitting that age where they think about leaving the national side, the next guy will have a challenge keeping parity, let alone improving on it.

Absolutely. Guy did sterling job for them. There seems to be some hardcore illusions of grandeaur among some USA supporters.

In fact, Bradley was only thing even remotely close to "world class" in that current team USA.

[ryanmjo]

I think Bradley had the US playing better than their teamsheet would imply, cannot imagine anyone getting better out of them and with the better players hitting that age where they think about leaving the national side, the next guy will have a challenge keeping parity, let alone improving on it.

Absolutely. Guy did sterling job for them. There seems to be some hardcore illusions of grandeaur among some USA supporters.

In fact, Bradley was only thing even remotely close to "world class" in that current team USA.

Nonsense. This would be a good argument if he was fired for losing to Spain, or Mexico, or Ghana or something like that. You'd be correct in saying those teams have more talent than the United States, and it would be silly to expect to consistently beat them.

But he wasn't fired for that. He was fired because the USA lost to teams like Panama, struggled with teams like Guadeloupe, etc. You don't have to have delusions of grandeur to think the USA ought to be comfortably beating those teams.

It's also pretty tough to have a team "playing better than the teamsheet would imply" when the manager can't even pick the right team. As mentioned on the last page, Jonathan Bornstein should not have been anywhere the Gold Cup squad this summer, yet he was put in a position to cost the US 3 goals in a final.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Granted, I saw all of two games in Gold Cup and don't know what went on there. However I have been impressed with Bradley in the past.

Main thing is though that you Americans are happy with your new coach. I'm not sure about Klinsmann at all. He wants his team to play "total football", he has said so himself, but doesn't seem tactically top quality.

[Tokyo Blue]

the US Women's teams pulled out an amazing finish in the WC. Let's see what you can do!

I enjoyed it.

[ryanmjo]

Granted, I saw all of two games in Gold Cup and don't know what went on there. However I have been impressed with Bradley in the past.

Main thing is though that you Americans are happy with your new coach. I'm not sure about Klinsmann at all. He wants his team to play "total football", he has said so himself, but doesn't seem tactically top quality.

From what I've seen and heard, it's more 50/50. Most are pleased Bradley is gone, but many not convinced Klinsmann is the answer. Only time will tell I suppose.

He's apparently hired one of his former Bayern assistants on to help to him with the US team, which is worrying.

[Florida Blue]

Granted, I saw all of two games in Gold Cup and don't know what went on there. However I have been impressed with Bradley in the past.

Main thing is though that you Americans are happy with your new coach. I'm not sure about Klinsmann at all. He wants his team to play "total football", he has said so himself, but doesn't seem tactically top quality.

From what I've seen and heard, it's more 50/50. Most are pleased Bradley is gone, but many not convinced Klinsmann is the answer. Only time will tell I suppose.

He's apparently hired one of his former Bayern assistants on to help to him with the US team, which is worrying.

Main thing is though that you Americans are happy with your new coach. I'm not sure about Klinsmann at all. He wants his team to play "total football", he has said so himself, but doesn't seem tactically top quality.

NQDP then your comment is fair if you are dealing with a small sample size, because at times the USA has played above its skill level, but there is zero consistency. The thing is systemically the whole USA program in in shambles, and Bradley was picked by that system. I got into a debate with a friend of mine who has worked in MLS and he kept saying "be careful what you wish for."

What I told him is I wish that the system gets fixed. Yes the NT coach cannot fix a system, but I think JK will be allowed to bring in his own coaches for all the youth international teams.

Thing is we have stagnated and whether a foreign coach is the answer, all I can say a domestic one wasn't. I remember after the USA was eliminated from the 2006 World Cup Klinsmann commented that the entire USA system was broken because in the country footy is about money, parents and scholarships. A Lionel Messi/Carlos Tevez-esque player from the ghetto/barrio will never be discovered and developed under our system because they are not afforded a chance. If JK is given the institutional control he wanted before Bradley was hired, this is something that will happen.

History suggest he will be given time to fix it or fuck it up, but Bradley had to go more for the fact no improvements have occurred under him, and a lot of classic underachievement.

[1950]

Klinsmann is a good choice for developing & instilling a long-term plan, youth development overhaul & all that.

I guess whether he'll be a short-term success or not will depend heavily on his staff/assistant manager, because I fear he's a bit rubbish at that himself.