Top 5 reasons Bradley was resigned

According to the fine folks at Soccer America, here’s a summary of why the not-so-fan-favorite Bob Bradley was resigned as U.S. head coach through 2014:

1. His coaching victory over no. 1 ranked Spain in 2009 trumps his World Cup loss to Ghana.
2. US Soccer is more worried about landing the 2022 World Cup right now than coaching the national team.
3. US Soccer would rather enter next year’s 2011 Gold Cup with coaching stability (which Bradley has) than coaching uncertainty (which a new coach might have had).
4. Since “they’re loaded,” US Soccer could buy out Bradley’s contract before the 2014 World Cup, provided he’s not motivating his team.
5. Bradley isn’t the real problem, a lack of player talent is.

With exception to three and four, these are reasonable excuses. And I don’t pin all the blame on Bradley. But as I’ve said before, a fresh coaching perspective, despite the outgoing coach’s talent, is often all it takes to get more out of your current talent pool (i.e. advance to either the quarterfinals or semi finals in 2014).

Noooooooo!!!!!! Bob Bradley to coach U.S. Soccer through 2014

After reaching an agreement with U.S. Soccer today, Bob Bradley will remain the US men’s national team coach through 2014. I know I speak for everyone when I say, “oh, crap,” “this sucks,” and there goes our chances for Brazil.

U.S. to play Columbia on Oct 12, three days after Poland

SBI reports: “The U.S. men’s national team will take on Colombia in a friendly at PPL Park in Chester, PA on Oct.12th, the Philadelphia Union announced on Saturday night. The USA-Colombia friendly will take place after the United States takes on Poland at Soldier Field on Oct. 9th.”

Still no word if Bradley will still be coaching the team.

U.S. Soccer to conduct performance review of coach Bradley this week

U.S. coach Bob Bradley will meet with U.S. Soccer officials this week to talk about his future with the national team, reports ESPN. The meeting with president Sunil Gulati isn’t necessarily to extend or fire the coach, the report says, but “simply to discuss the future.”

After the U.S. was eliminated from the World Cup in the sweet 16 this summer, Gulati felt the team “was capable of more” and described its performance as “mixed results.”

I say off with his head. Bradley’s that it. Not because I don’t think he’s capable. But because I think we need a fresh approach to take us to the semi-finals again. And because I think a head coach should play strikers that actually score goals (aka Edson Buddle).

U.S. to play evenly matched Poland on Oct. 9

U.S. Soccer today announced that the national team will face Poland on Oct. 9 at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. Eastern and will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel and Univision.

“We know this is an important opportunity for Poland as they prepare for the 2012 European Championship, so we expect a challenging game,” said coach Bob Bradley, whose future with the team is still in doubt, since his contract expires in December.

Against Poland, the United States has a deadlock record of 7-7-2, dating back to 1924. The last game in 2004, also played in Chicago, ended in a draw.

With absence of World Cup, soccer fever officially cools in America

Here we go again. Paul Kennedy of Soccer America observes:

How fast has the soccer buzz faded since the end of the World Cup? The USA-Brazil game on ESPN drew 783,000 viewers, only a quarter of the average television audience for 2010 World Cup games on the ESPN networks. And only a fraction of last Tuesday’s top draws, a pair of cooking shows… By comparison, the previous broadcast of a USA game, the round-of-16 World Cup match against Ghana, drew 14.9 million viewers on ABC and Univision.

Would be interesting to compare the percentage gains (if any) in audience size over previous years. But my guess is most Americans like World Cup more than they do soccer.

That said, it’s unfair to expect sizable growth every four years, says U.S. Soccer. In this five sport country, it takes 20-25 years to see substantial growth in soccer.

USA outclassed 2-0 by Brazil

U.S. lost 2-0 tonight at home against Brazil. And similar to their failed World Cup campaign, it was all about porous defense (Hi, Bornstein), and poor coaching (i.e. talking Buddle out early, after not really playing him at the World Cup).

In fairness, Brazil was the much better team. I said “inexperienced” previously. What I should have said was young. And fast. And flashy. And great possession. Welcome back, Brazil.

As for U.S. player of the match, it was all Brad Guzan, who kept it from getting way out of hand. As for coach Bradley, it seems like this was his last game. Rumors are swirling that U.S. Soccer will name Jurgen Klinsmann as Bradley’s successor, the same Klinsmann that turned down the job four years ago.

Sobering stat: Brazil is kind of good at soccer

“In 15 encounters with Brazil since 1930, the USA has lost 14 and won once. The victory came in 1998, a 1-0 triumph in Los Angeles when Brazil was Gold Cup guest team.”—Soccer America on tonight’s exhibition game.

U.S. set to face Brazil at new Meadowlands Stadium

PRESS RELEASE—After capturing the imagination of millions of fans across the nation with their dramatic run in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa in June, the U.S. team gets a welcome back party at one of the gleaming new stadiums in the United States. Fifteen players from the squad that led the U.S. to a first place finish in group play at the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 80 years will be on hand in front of a near sellout crowd at the New Meadowlands Stadium, where they will face five-time FIFA World Cup champions Brazil. Kickoff on Tuesday, Aug. 10, is set for 8 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2, Univision and ESPN Deportes Radio. Continue reading…

Jermaine Jones added to U.S. roster for friendly against Brazil (updated)

UPDATE: Jones has removed himself from the roster, citing fitness concerns. Altidore will replace him.

Original story: U.S. Soccer today announced the roster for the team’s upcoming match against Brazil in New Jersey. While regulars Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore and Stuart Holden were omitted due to Euro league conflicts, 28 year old midfielder Jermaine Jones was finally named to the squad, making it his first since FIFA approved his nationality switch from Germany last year.

“This game is a great opportunity to showcase many players from the World Cup team who earned the respect and appreciation of fans across the country,” said coach Bradley, whose contract as head coach expires in December.

Former World Cup players DaMarcus Beasley, Jay DeMerit, and Marcus Hahnemann were also dropped from the roster, making room for several players that made the preliminary World Cup roster earlier this summer.

The exhibition against an inexperienced Brazil will air Aug. 10 on ESPN2 and Univision (8 pm Eastern). The full roster is as follows: Continue reading…