Halftime Hype

If you haven't already read Halftime Hype's post about Bradley's extension, here it is.

Obviously, there are many different opinions on whether or not extending Bob Bradley's contract was the right decision. Here are some excerpts of them:

From Ives Galarcep at Fox Soccer: The harsh reality is Bradley must do better over these next four years if he is going to prove Gulati’s decision to be the right one. He must construct a team better equipped to avoid the early-game blunders that have plagued the United States. He must rebuild his defense and he must continue his search for reliable goal-scoring talent. And when 2014 comes, if Bradley is still the head coach, he must learn from the lessons learned in 2010 and use that experience to build a team capable of reaching the levels many believe the U.S. men’s national team can reach.

From an interview with Fox Soccer's Christian Miles: "I think US Soccer made a good decision by extending Bradley's contract. Bradley is a fine and capable manager who fulfilled US expectations at South Africa. However, despite my personal admiration of the current US boss, who was able to get this current crop of players to closely realize it's potential, Juergen Klinsmann would have been an excellent choice to progress US Soccer. The German has demonstrated his ability to lead a national program through his efforts four years ago, while guiding his native country to the World Cup semifinals."

I don't think it's a matter of foreign versus American, rather it's who is the best man for the job. Klinsmann is not a typical foreigner that has no existing knowledge of the working of soccer in the US. He's lived in the US for years and is familiar with soccer in this country. He has also taken a role with the LA Galaxy in the past. With an extensive US background and fresh methods that brought success to Germany, I have no doubt Klinsmann has the capability of taking US Soccer to the next level."

From Yahoo! Sports' Martin Rogers: "Whatever Bradley does between now and the next World Cup, it will never be enough for those who love to bash the United States head coach, his methods, his philosophy and his decisions.

And it needs to stop...For those who simply can’t bear the fact that Bradley remains in charge, ponder this: Perhaps your ire should be directed not at the man, but at the federation that decided to hand him the keys not once, but twice."

From Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl: "Bradley did a good job in his first four years. My skepticism over his reappointment has less to do with Bradley than with any coach in this position, even ones who got historic performances out of their teams like Lippi in 2006 or Arena in '02. The history of World Cup second acts, especially over the last 16 years, is not a particularly good one."

On Monday, the U.S. Soccer Federation finally decided on a manager, opting to extend Bob Bradley's contract through 2014. After the United States' early exit against Ghana in the past World Cup, it was unclear if he would continue to manage the national team. In the ensuing weeks, Bradley would eye possibilities in Europe and U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati would make his own assessment. Ultimately, the two sides rejoined forces.

In a conference call with members of the media today, Gulati began by saying, "I think Bob’s done a great job of putting a group of players together and not just at the World Cup, in developing that group over three and a half to four years and we’re looking forward to building on that." It seems like Gulati exemplified the famous saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Although Gulati had initially expressed disappointment after the United States was knocked out, he clarified that the disappointment was not specifically in the coaching. "the disappointment part, as I stated then, was not in the team or Bob’s efforts or winning the group, obviously, the disappointment was that we all, always want one more game."

In a nutshell, the general vibe from Gulati is that the United States reached pre-World Cup expectations and he was proud of the respect U.S. Soccer gained during Bradley's tenure. However, after winning the group and with interest in U.S. Soccer at an all-time high, he foresaw a deeper run. Obviously, the team would not subsequently receive "one more game."

Perhaps the two most important questions were 1) What was the key factor in bringing Bradley back, and 2) Did Gulati speak with other managers?

"What was the most decisive factor was experience, the record over the last four years, in games that mattered especially," Gulati said. As for exploring other candidates, Gulati would make a point of not commenting on the matter.

When asked if he, indeed, met with Jurgen Klinnsman to discuss managing the national team, Gulati would not confirm. “We’re here to talk about Bob’s appointment as national team coach. I’m not going to talk about any conversations that we may or may not have had with any other candidate. We are going to talk strictly about our national team coach... That’s all we’re going to be talking about today.”

Another thought-provoking debate is whether or not the Federation should consider hiring a foreign manager. Until things dramatically change, the best soccer is being played in Europe - meaning the world's top managers are there, too. Someone like Klinnsman, who guided Germany to third place in the 2006 World Cup, could be a tremendous asset to U.S. Soccer. Having had a greater exposure to premier leagues and teams, he may have an edge in knowing how to beat the best.

By the same token, there can be cultural barriers to hiring a foreign coach. For example, the United States is not under as much pressure as, say, Spain. The demands are simply different. Moreover, there's the question of whether or not a foreign coach could identify with U.S. players. Perhaps Ruud Gullit's stint as manager of the Los Angeles Galaxy was the best example.

In an interview after the World Cup, Landon Donovan chided in on the debate: "I'm a little skeptical of foreign coaches in our league and in U.S. Soccer just because of how different our league is and our players are than other players around the world. So in theory sometimes it sounds sexy to have a guy like Ruud Gullit or in this case, who knows?

You could bring in [Fabio] Capello and I'm not sure you would get the results you wanted because there's so much to our league and our players than people realize. So it would be a little risky to do that unless you find the right person who really cares and understands and wants to learn about our league and our players."

Interestingly enough, in the same interview, Donovan said he would also be fine if Klinnsman, whom Donovan had played for while on loan to Bayern Munich, ended up manager of the national team. Well, today the most important opinion, that of Sunil Gulati, was expressed.

“Do I think there are some natural advantages to having a coach who understands the American system? The answer is yes. That does not mean there aren't also advantages to having a coach who has coached in the Premier League, or Serie A or two World Cups or whatever else it might be."

Different candidates bring different attributes. I don't think there's any doubt that having knowledge of the American setup is a plus. I said that four years ago and I think that's the case now. That doesn't mean we wouldn't consider an international coach, it just means they'd have a different set of strengths. In this particular area it would likely be a weakness since they would not have the same experience here [in the United States].”

Bradley, who also participated in the conference call, had recently been linked to job offers in Europe. Now that he will be back for a second cycle with the national team, there are questions of staleness. After all, he's already been around for four years. Will the players still be as responsive?

Bradley addressed staleness, in part, by citing Sir Alex Ferguson as a role model. “Obviously, it’s been noted at times where I’ve said I’ve been lucky to spend some time at Manchester United. And when I see someone like Sir Alex Ferguson, how he continues to know how to keep his environment fresh and sharp, I think that is what coaching is about. Your credibility is put to the test every day as a coach, regardless of whether you’ve been on the job four years or four days. I understand that. That’s part of the profession."

With the manager situation settled, Bradley can now focus on coaching the national team, while Sunil Gulati and the Federation can work on their securing a World Cup in the United States. FIFA's inspectors will arrive in America next week.

Asked about his vision for next four years, Bradley identified an experienced nucleus, the development of young players, and play against tough competition as keys to success. Although he wouldn't set a goal for the 2014 World Cup, but mentioned that success in tournaments such as the Gold Cup and Confederations Cup are imperative.

The next games for the national team consist of a friendlies against Poland on October 9 and versus Colombia on October 12. Both games will be played in the United States. Soccer fans should be open to a surprise or two, as Bradley stated that he is eyeing younger players.

"Every fixture date gets assessed: whether there are days of training leading into the game, who the opponent is, what the schedule is for players in MLS or abroad. We put all those things together and try to find the right time and place to introduce players into the national team."

Certainly the next fixture date in October gives us opportunities. There are players out there we have watched, and we do a thorough job of keeping track of players around the world as we go through games with the idea of looking for players who we believe can be moved into our program.”

Overall, it seems like the decision to extend Bradley's contract was a good one. Gulati recognized Bradley's rather remarkable achievements, primarily the United States' victory in the Gold Cup and reaching the final of the Confederations Cup. Who knows if Klinnsman could do a better job, with the risks being much higher. Bradley provides valuable stability, which might turn out to be just what the national team needs. I guess we'll have to wait and see in the next four years.

Only a month after an inspiring run in the World Cup, the United States men's national team may recall what could have been when the team plays host to Brazil Tuesday at New Meadowlands Stadium, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Tomorrow's game, the first match since the World Cup for both teams, is set to begin at 5 PM Pacific Time and will be televised by ESPN2 and Univision.

Will the United States leave the World Cup with their heads held high? Not necessarily, but there are numerous reasons why they should. When the United States initially arrived in South Africa, the experts predicted the Americans to reach the Round of 16, but not surpass it. When they stepped off the pitch after their game versus Algeria, the pundits were scrambling to revise their predictions. However, with a 2-1 loss to Ghana's "Black Stars," the Stars and Stripes will have to wait another four years to defend the legitimacy of U.S. Soccer.

When asked if the tournament was a success, U.S. Coach Bob Bradley said, “I think the first thoughts for all of us are simple. We felt that in the first round we showed a lot of good qualities, you get through the first round and give yourself a chance now to go far. We felt that we had that ability and we’re disappointed that we didn’t get past this game and continue to test ourselves.”

Immediately after the game, there were plenty of "what if'" scenarios. What if Bob Bradley had chosen the same starting lineup that he used against Algeria? You know, the only one that didn't concede an early goal in the World Cup. What if U.S. striker, Charlie Davies, who was injured in a devastating car accident last year, was healthy and available for the World Cup? He has certainly been a savvy goal-scorer for U.S.A..

What if Robbie Findley had sent the ball through the net instead of shooting right at the keeper during his dangerous one-on-one sequence? Simply put, the U.S. advances. What if Oguchi Onyewu, who suffered a patellar tendon rupture after a World Cup qualifier last year, was 100% and able to play in the game versus Ghana? His height and big frame are always an asset. What if Jozy Altidore was not substituted after 90 minutes? After all, he had created some dangerous plays.

What if the United States had won? Then it would have made the quarterfinals and played Uruguay, probably the most favorable quarterfinal match-up one could ask for. Soccer fever in the U.S. would have been even higher than it already was during the group stages. The United States could have gone farther than England!



After awhile though, one realizes that the "what ifs" are an exercise in futility. The team's journey leaves as much disappointment behind as it does excitement. Some said this was the best U.S. team ever. However, in the next four years, new players may emerge for U.S.A. and the squad's young players will gain more experience and confidence.

At the end of the day, one has to thank U.S.A. for the memories. Fans won't forget Day 1, when the United States showed it's ready to play with a 1-1 draw against the country who created the sport, England. Nor will they forget the sheer joy of rallying down from 2-0 at halftime to finish with a tie, an incredibly historic feat. Nothing will replace Landon Donovan's "magic moment," which likely added millions to the U.S. bandwagon. The words of commentator Ian Darke will always ring in fans' ears: "Donovan has scored! Can you believe this?!...You could not write a script like this!" The reactions to Donovan's goal in the 91st minute were truly memorable.

Whether Bob Bradley will be involved in the United States' future is questionable, but it seems like he grasps the reality of it all. “We always understand the responsibility we have as a national team to show how far the game has come in the United States, to fight for respect. We certainly felt that we moved things along with our performance in the Confederations Cup. As we went through the first round, we felt that we were continuing to go in that direction. But it comes down to every match now that gets tested over again, for tonight all we can do is look hard at ourselves and continue to try to move the game forward.”

Although the U.S. concluded its run in the Round of 16, the team's lasting impact is as though the Americans finished first. Whereas the Yanks had been the butt of jokes when it came to soccer, they proved to be more than mediocre. Additionally, millions of Americans have recently come to enjoy the game of soccer and support the United States, notably Bill Clinton. If people had disregarded the United States' bid for a World Cup in 2018 or 2022 before, now it is at least a reasonable possibility. U.S. Soccer still has a long way to go before it becomes a powerhouse, but it is definitely a team to be reckoned with. Thank you, United States.