About
Attending the World Cup in 2006 in Germany was one of the most exciting and yet difficult times in my life. Standing in the crowd, cheering for my team to repeat their success in 2002 only to be utterly embarrassed and outclassed was very tough for me as a sports fan. The criticism of Bruce Arena was resolute: the United States Soccer Team needed a high quality coach to break the team out of their mold and improve their style of play to compete with the world’s best when it matters most.
Despite being let down with Sunil Gulati’s failure to concede power and sign Jürgen Klinsmann in 2006 opting to go for the familiar side of United States Soccer, I was behind Bob Bradley. Though he wasn’t my first, second, or third choice to elevate the USA to the next level I felt like his knowledge of the system and unique perspective on player selection could help this team compete.
Winning the Gold Cup was great but that was the climax of the team’s success under Bradley. Friendlies against the likes of Spain, Argentina, & England ended with US Supporters scratching their head, attempting to push memories of 2006 in the dark recesses of our minds, hoping that this wasn’t more of the same US team that can’t compete against World Cup quality opponents.
With the team struggling in World Cup Qualifying and completely embarrassing themselves and US fans in the South African Confederations Cup, Bob Bradley has all but ruined this team’s ability to win important soccer games. Though talent levels don’t come near the likes of Brazil or Italy; seeing Egypt play with passion and determination (ultimately beating Italy) just further fans the flame of frustration with Bob Bradley.
There’s still a year before the 2010 World Cup. Its not too late to thank Bradley for his time and replace him with a top level coach, someone who can inspire greatness from the talent of America’s Team
Nothing will change until that wanker Sunil Gulati is fired ! You should start a fire Gulati site. I have watched all our National youth teams play.They all lack skill, creativity, and most of all a identity. A foriegn coach needs to come in here,and fix our entire system. Our youth system as it currently stands is a disaster. Influenced by bad coaching with way to much emphssis on winning rather than player development. Klinngmann wanted to come in here, and try to make a difference from top to bottom and was denied . Nothing will change with the Gulati Old boys coaching frat in place. If they do fire Bob he will most likly be replaced by some Bruce Areana MLS retread with little or no coaching exprience at the highest level . FIRE GULATI NOW FOR THE GOOD OF AMERICAN SOCCER!
Great site. But you need a sign up page.
How about t-shirts? I’d buy one.
I agree a foreign coach needs to come. I put already in a few ussoccer.com blogs. My suggestion is Guus Hiddink ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guus_Hiddink ) You might have a different pick, but it needs to be a coach with HEAVY international experience; managing national teams, not league teams. That knows how to make last minute changes if plan A is not working, then B and so on. We have great and potential players…we do not have great coaches.
]Truth be said, Mexico beat us in every aspect during yesterday’s 2-1 result (Fiasco) in MC. IMHO this was a damning result for the U.S. Men’s side.
Our midfield couldn’t control the ball, let alone the flow of play. Other than the moment of brilliance by Landon Donovan and Charlie Davis, we were outclassed and impotent up front. Our defense was overworked and the pressure was overwhelming which led to the winning goals. Bradley did not make timely subs and coached like a man wanting to hold a point, not win the game. In addition, with the exceptions of the defence (namely Gooch) and Tim Howard, our players looked like schoolboys rather than professionals. Our forward were AWOL!
We haven’t grown and developed to the point of dominating CONCACAF as we should. Bob Bradley is not up to the task at this level and it is apparent to every right thinking and knowledgeable U.S. supporter. In all honesty, we should be the “Germany” of our group and the infrastructure and current management of the U.S.S.F. are solely to blame.
Many of those involved (present and past) and in the know believe it is time for Sunil Gulati to go and a new administration to revamp the entire player development, training coordination and professional league influence and structure. The U.S.S.F. has become no more than a rubber stamp for MLS, USL and the obsolete ODP. The people in Chicago have become rife with politics and policy over development and on-field results in major competitions. They are content with showing up for WCs, rather than challenging for them. It is apparent and proven by the results, abilities and attitudes displayed on the field yesterday.
The changes that Juergen Klinsmann attached to his prerequisites for taking over the National Team must be implimented. In addition, though his failure at FCB damaged him, he would be the best choice as National Team Manager or Sporting Director. He would bring instant credability and could help us make a better showing in Souith Africa and lead us to the true potential of challenging for a WC title in the future.
The time is now. We need three straight wins, including a convincing victory over Costa Rica to look like we will be for real in South Africa. Otherwise, we will be three and out. We need a individual that can bring vision and reality towards our future growth, Someone that will not be satisfied with what we have acheived, but brings about what are potential can acheive.
Time to CHANGE!
Fantastisch!
Die haben den Nagel auf den Punkt getroffen!
Well this had been a good run while it held up unfortunately not really a shock to discover United states Soccer suffer a loss of at this particular state. We all could attempt once more in 4 years.
American soccer has been shit and will always will be shit it just proves that history can repeat itself and I’m glad GHANA fired Bob Bradley the USA Soccer team is inferior to the game of real football I will never support the team and a country as a whole they’re not World Cup worthy nor have the mindset with the likes of Brasil Argentina England and Germany or even Portugal/Spain.
I don’t see the US soccer team being around in 2014 & 2018 World Cups by how they are playing this is how far as they went this is the end of the line no foreign coach will not touch hands with the USA soccer team
I agree we need to bring Maradona to coach the team. He will be more experienced than Bradley as a coach by the time he is done with the Argentinean team in World Cup 2010. Let’s be real, USA has been having trouble defensibly since day 1 and what Bradley has done to correct the problem?… Well NO MUCH!! Sorry to said, another passing opportunity for the USA team. I feel sorry for Donavan who sat on the bench after the game wondering what will be next for him and then went on to said the team was “naive”. Indeed those two goals against Ghana were hard to swallow.. How can the team let that happen someone dribbling from half court all the way into the goalie box and score .. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!! Wait and see how Uruguay is going to beat the crap out of Ghana and then you will realized that Ghana is only an OK team that didn’t deserve to be in the round of 16, a team that only score 2 goals out of Penalty kicks.. Hey! Ghana team, SHOW ME SOME CREATIVITY IN THE FINAL THIRD? and then I will praise you better but so far you don’t look convincing to me and to a lot of people and good luck in your game against Uruguay because you are going to needed SO BAD. Uruguay will not allow you casualty goals like USA did it for you. I can’t wait to see USA and Ghana for the third time next World Cup 2014 and this time will be different because we will have better coaching….Have a nice rest of World Cup 2010.
Well whether it is Klinsmann or a South American coach, one thing is clear: we do not yet have the home grown coaches here yet that are needed to propel our players. Socca/football as Klinsmann properly puts must develop like how basketball and football developed in this country…from the lower economic class with which comes with a natural hunger for equality amongst the haves or as Klinsmann puts it: “That means you pay for having your kid play soccer, because your goal is not that your kid becomes professional soccer player because your goal is that your kid gets a scholarship in high school or college. Which is completely opposite form the rest of the world…and it is a tough one because soccer is very similar to basketball you need it out of the lower class environment. Soccer worldwide is a lower environment sport. We all got up from moderate families and fought our way through. You need to keep this hunger throughout your life and I compare it to basketball because all these guys are coming form the inner cities so you need to find ways, whatever they may be to connect with the Hispanics, connect with everyone and get the kids that are really hungry.”
If it is that we refuse to commit to the steps needed to develop the talent this country has insofar as socca, we might as well stop showing up to the World Cup. But before any of that happens Bob Bradley must be sacked. And I am not sure of the job he has done for in the end we are at the same place we were fours years ago, beaten by Ghana 2-1. In the end it is and has always been about results and Bradley’s results are unimpressive. If he were a General he would have been replaced already, if he were an American politician he would have been voted out, and if he were a European politician they would have recalled him with a vote of no confidence.