USSF "Seeking to Secure Bob Bradley's Future"

Well, after a couple of relatively quiet weeks, we have some actual news regarding the USMNT head coaching position.  According to this ESPN Soccernet article, "The United States Soccer Federation has said it is actively seeking to secure Bob Bradley's future amid suggestions that he is a target for Premier League club Fulham."

My response to that news actually comes from a post I put up on June 30th.  It's as true now as it was then:


It seems like only yesterday that Bob Bradley was announced as the new USMNT head coach, with a chorus of moans and groans rising up from many Klinsmann-obsessed American fans.  Now, the cycle is over, for the US at least, and the big question is who will be at the helm when the next cycle gets underway in earnest.

Before we really delve into that, though, let's just take a look back on the cycle that was under Bob Bradley.  I've made it no secret that I think Bradley is a capable coach, though I think I fairly acknowledge his shortcomings and mistakes.  With that being said, how you decide if Bob Bradley had a successful four years as the US head coach really depends on what you deem important.  For some, it's the World Cup, end of story.  For me, all the competitions are important to varying degrees.  I won't say which perspective is right or if another is wrong; how you view competitions as a fan is your own prerogative.  I'll just present all of the information and let you make your own conclusions:

2007 Gold Cup: Champions

Record: 6-0-0, GD +10

2007 Copa America: Group Stage

Record: 0-0-3, GD -6

2008 CONCACAF Qualifiers Round 2 and 3: Group Winners

Record: 7-0-1, GD +20   

2009 CONCACAF Hexagonal Qualifers: Group Winners

Record: 6-2-2, GD +6

2009 Confederations Cup: Finalists

Record: 2-0-3, GD -1

2009 Gold Cup: Finalists

Record: 4-1-1, GD +4 

2010 FIFA World Cup: Group C Winners, Round of 16

Record: 1-2-1, GD 0

(I didn't include friendlies because it's hard to use that as a standard considering the roster variability and experimentation that accompanies such matches, but it's worth mentioning that the US played some tough opponents, such as Brazil, Argentina, England, Spain, Mexico, and the Netherlands.)

So there it is, Bob's cycle in a nutshell.  

There's the good: the first place finish in the Hex, the run to the Confederations Cup final that included a great win over Egypt, a stunning upset of Spain, and an unbelievable half against Brazil, the finish atop Group C (the first time that the US had won their World Cup group since 1930), a flawless run to the 2007 Gold Cup title, and the integration of several young, promising players into the senior team (like Jozy, Charlie Davies, and Michael Bradley, to name a few).

Then there's the bad: A debacle of a loss in Costa Rica, a second half collapse against Brazil in the Confederations Cup final, repeated slow starts in qualifiers and World Cup matches, and a botched lineup that played a significant part in the US' loss to Ghana.

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I'll let all of you draw your own conclusions as to how successful Bob was over the last four years.  For me, however you twist the numbers and results, this was still one of our most successful cycles ever (it could even be argued that it was the most successful, but I'll leave that alone for now).  Though many would surely let out the same moans and groans we heard four years ago if Bob were retained, the US could do a lot worse than having someone with that track record at the helm. Though a change in regime might be a refreshing change of pace, I wouldn't be upset if Bradley was kept on board.

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When rumors linking Chile boss Marcelo Bielsa with the Yanks broke a couple of weeks ago, I said that I thought such an offensive-minded coach might be ahead of the times for the USMNT, with the same logic being applicable to Jurgen Klinsmann.  As much as we would like a free-flowing, Barca-esque style of play, the reality is that we don't have the personnel at this point in time to do that effectively and probably won't in four years time either.  That's why Bradley, proven on the international level with a more realistic system based on organization and shape, remains an appealing candidate for Sunil Gulati and company.  While his first cycle at the helm may have ended on a sour note, there's no denying that he did a lot of good in his tenure, not the least of which being his willingness to bring new players into the fold, both young and not so young.  And I think he could do even more good if he's retained.

With all that being said, who knows what the purpose is behind the USSF's efforts to "secure Bradley's future."  Jason Davis over at Match Fit USA did a pretty good job of summarizing all the angles to this one: perhaps US Soccer is stalling while exploring other candidates, or maybe there just aren't any other palatable options on the market (remember, the Klinsmann-Gulati talks from '06 fell through because of control issues, which might still be a factor).  There's also the possibility that, with the sting of the defeat to Ghana fading a little and with Bradley getting linked to clubs overseas, Gulati and company might be having second thoughts about going in another direction.  And last, there's always the possibility that US Soccer will just attempt to keep Bob around until the end of his contract, at which point they will make the big decision.

And, of course, there's always just the chance that US Soccer thinks Bob is the best man for the job. I'll say it again, last cycle was one of, if not the most successful cycle in US Soccer history, and that wasn't in spite of Bob Bradley's leadership. So maybe he gets rewarded with a new contract and renewed faith from the USSF.

Who knows how things will ultimately play out.  We're at least getting some kind of news at this point, with more to follow hopefully.