Can’t say as I’m too excited about that. On the one hand, he’s done fairly well with a less-than-top-tier team (and I say that as a USA fan) including a dramatic 2nd place finish at the Confederations Cup last year. Sure, this year’s World Cup result wasn’t up to the height of 2002, but it was far from the depths of 1998 and 2006. He’s led the team to a 38-20-8 record which is fairly impressive, though against a wide variety of opposition so it’s hard to judge.
On the other hand, his coaching has been baffling at times. Questionable lineups and poor substitution strategy are common complaints, though they are common for every coach to some extent. While almost winning the Confederations Cup, the team was also almost knocked out in the group stage. He’s an expert at beating CONCACAF teams, but outside of CONCACAF his record is a lot more questionable.
That last sentence may be what bothers me the most. While it’s great the US team has become a major power in CONCACAF, we need to start doing better regularly outside the region and I don’t know that Bob’s the guy to do that. Of course, that’s not an easy task as Mexico can attest for many years now.
That’s a bit surprising to me. He made a few very costly lineup choices, in the Ghana match in particular. I’d also have thought he might want to move on to a new challenge at this point. Maybe it was a case of lack of options for him and for US Soccer.
I was a big defender of Bob for his entire run, until the Ghana match. Starting Clark over Edu was the wrong decision, everybody knew it was the wrong decision, and it cost the US the game.
I still like him. He knows how he wants his team to play, and gets them ready to do it. He prepares to get results against bigger opponents, ugly or not. This past cycle was 1b (at worst) to 2002 as the best cycle ever.
However, I think the team needs a new direction. The next cycle is going to see Donovan and Dempsey age significantly, perhaps past their leading roles. I think that the up and coming guys (particularly in defense) will mean that holding onto possession should be a bigger priority, and I don’t think Bradley is the guy to coach that.
I don’t really have an opinion on who the USSF should have brought in. Hiddink is the popular choice, but the salary restraints are too much to bring in somebody like that. I want to see Klinnsman involved with the US system at some level, but I don’t know that it’s as the coach.
Do you really think so? Looking back on the World Cup, every goal the U.S. scored was when they were behind, or when a draw would mean elimination. Was that how the coach wanted them to play; only score goals when they’re desperate?
Yes, that’s what I meant, that he wanted his team to go behind.
I think that every goal scored against the US was an individual breakdown and not a team issue. Bradley wanted to play compact in the back, get the ball to DOnovan and Dempsey, and quickly attack in transition. That’s what they did.
I’m not huge on Bob Bradley. He’s made some great decisions and brought the team up quite a ways, but I think his days should be done. There was talk about Dominic Kinnear becoming the new head coach (this was like a year or so ago) after WC2010, and while I don’t know much about him as a coach, he was my favorite player when I was a kid back in the San Jose Hawks days.
The US’s big problem has always been the shaky start of the defense. I just don’t think Bob Bradley is able to do anything about that if he hasn’t done anything to this point.
I like Bob OK. But I’m not sure another cycle is a good idea. And while the decision to play his son turned out to be the right one, it’s not a good idea for a father to be coaching his kid.