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FIRE BOB BRADLEY
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The US beat Honduras 2-1, but the only role Bob Bradley played in that victory was as a handicap.
When the US lost to Costa Rica on Wednesday in part because of Bob Bradley poor tactics, in part because of poor preparation, and in part because Costa Rica were simply the better team that night, I thought the anti-Bradley backlash was a bit too much too quick. Now? Not so much.
To start Mastroeni after his horrible HORRIBLE display on Wednesday. To start Ricardo Clark — a second defensive midfielder. To start Conor Casey, who has clearly proven by now that he should not be starting World Cup Qualifiers, over Charlie Davies, who was clearly the man of the match for the US on Wednesday in the few minutes he played as a sub. To not play Torres at all after he was our best player on the pitch in the first half (the only half he played for reasons I still can’t fathom) on Wednesday. To not even have Freddy Adu active. To come off that atrocious display in Costa Rica and allow a goal in the first five minutes at home. All of these things, regardless of the final score, add up to incompetence on the part of Bob Bradley. The level of incompetence that requires he be relieved of his duties.
Again, regardless of the final score, regardless of their likelihood of qualification, this team clearly isn’t at its full potential and that is largely due to the fact that they’re not being set up to be. Even before they go out on the pitch, they’re being handicapped by poor tactics and the exclusion of players vital to reaching that attainable level of potential.
And to those who say “but we won, where do you get off complaining?” I say that that’s a testament to how talented our talented players are and the fact that we play in CONCACAF. Think of the World Cup.
Alright, I said my piece. Marlon will post a full review of the Honduras match later.
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TWO MAIN Problems with the US NATIONAL TEAM:
1) This year’s team looks out of shape. Bob, don’t you train in Colorado anymore. Our boys looked like they were jogging around the last 3 games in a row. AND YOU GOT BEAT.
You didn’t put enough fast guys on the team — where are the likes of Wolfe, Twelman, Stewart…pure team speed. We looked like a poor-man’s Farell Island’s team.
2) Your formation — 4-3-3. Who do you thing we are? Chelsea!!! You need world-class midfielders for that. Arsenal did the same thing — abandoned their 4-4-2 for the fashionable 4-3-3.
The problem is, Arsenal like the USA team don’t have a Lampard,Ballack and Maluda. We, the USA, have nothing in that class…We can’t even do a simple give-n-go.
Ditch this stupid 4-3-3 formation. We as a country do not have those players in the middle. We do have a ton of tiny-scrappy midfielder and possible two (2) forwards that can head the ball in. Altedore is a joke. Can we entice McBride back…even for 45 minutes.
Bob, let the Confederation’s Cup be a lesson. Retool the team for the world cup and get in shape. You look like a testimony team.
GO USA
FInally, I’ve found a home! Bradley has to go. The best reason for us to get a foreign coach with world class experience is because the American players don’t want one. That’s right – I said it. A world class coach might actually hold them accountable for wasting free kicks (Donovan), not shooting with authority on breakaways (Altidore, Bradley), jogging around trying to look cool (Dempsey). I actually prefer the older generation of scrappy players who run their a**es off to this current lot who think they play beautifully because they shut out T&T in Nashville. Germany doesn’t tie Liechtenstein just because the game is not in Germany. They close the deal. Bradley and USSF have settled for qualifying for the World Cup in arguably the world’s weakest region. We will never progress until a higher standard is set.
Posted from 
United States
@ArsenalRedondo: Wolff, Twellman, and Stewart? Are you freaking kidding? Wolff got waived from a second-tier Bundesliga team last year after scoring two goals. Twellman was a reserve player for that same second-tier Bundesliga team. Earnie Stewart hasn’t played since 2005. How are they going to help? Should we start Ben Olson too? And I think you mean “Faroe Islands” not Farrell’s Island.
Also, the 4-3-3 was used once. Say what you want about the 4-4-2 with the current makeup of the team, but to suggest the 4-3-3 was anything but a one-time gimmick is ignorant. Frankly I think a 4-5-1 would work better.
Posted from United States
FIRE BOB BRADLEY!!!!!
In the Confed Cup the team is playing long balls and have no ball control. Their tactics are flawed and effort and discipline few and far between. This team is way too talented to be playing long balls and making poor pass after poor pass when wide open guys and give and goes are wide open. The guys are playing like this because they are allowed to play like this in practice. This the sign of a very bad coach. Its time….New Coach Now!!!! (Qualifiying in the weakest region of the world is no longer just enough)
Posted from United States
Not too mention….6 goals scored on us!! 2 red cards !!! in just two games!!!!!!! WTF…These red cards show just how poorly and undisciplined are defense is.
Posted from United States
I’m with you now. Confeds cup is just embarrasing, plain and simple.
At this point the U.S. should be able to compete, we beat Brazil over ten years ago. Look at countries that demand better coaches, Dunga has been under so much criticism and Brazil is winning. I don’t think we should be arguing if Bob Bradley should be fired, I think the argument should be who is going to replace him. I just watched the U.S. get embarrassed by Italy and Brazil. Why are the U.S. fans so content with mediocre. I have played soccer all my life and watched soccer, other countries would not put up with this. I live in San Diego and have played against better players than we have out there. Instead of getting better we are getting worse. Look at countries like Iraq or Egypt in this conf cup great coaches equal great play.
We need to demand better in this country.
U.S went 10 yeas back in all aspects of the game,
what is the most difficult to accept is the lost of the fighting spirit
whitch use to be teams trademark.
Bradley need to go and coach with more international experiance step in
and raise the bar of the play.
This Confed.cup is just pain to whatch if you love team usa.
The more skilled our players get, the worse they play, and that’s the coaches fault! Take Dempsey. Hodgson has him working hard and playing a simple and effective game. When he joins the Nats, his head swells and he is crap. A decent coach (just decent , not special) should be able to take the talent available in the States and make a very nice team from it that doesn’t get embarassed by any side AND occasionally beats the better sides. Bradley needs to go NOW.
Posted from United States
I am not sure if I should cry after watching the US play or smile that at least we did not look like NZ yesterday. That being said, we just suck…I am not sure why, but for some reason our teams when it comes to playing countries that are not called Mexico go down faster than Jenna Jamison. We for some reason can’t perform at all on the big stage. Furthermore, why do we have people playing on our team that give up on plays or their entire claim to fame is that they played on the 2nd team of a 3rd tier soccer club in Europe?
It’s now officially time for Bradley to go. I didn’t expect to beat Brazil or Italy, but losing by a combined 6-1? That’s not acceptable. If this was a tune-up for the World Cup (assuming we qualify…another reason he should go, when was the last time we had to debate whether the USA would qualify?), then we are sooooo not ready for anything but a butt-whoopin. We are making a lot of stupid mistakes, the kind that the 2006 and 2002 teams wouldn’t have made. And Bradley is making a lot of them with his bad lineup decisions, bad tactics, and bad substitutions. Klinsmann is out there and his market value will never be lower than it is right now. I bet Gulati the cheapskate can get him at a good price.
Posted from United States
After todays horrible loss to Brazil, I think the topic of firing Bob Bradley needs to be brought up again.
Watching the US play in the Confederations Cup is painful. Bradley’s tactical style of a high pressure midfield has been suspect even against CONCACAF opponents, but against the likes of Brazil and Italy it is clear that we do not possess the talent to use these tactics against the best teams in the world. That coupled with his player selections and inability to motivate the group he puts on the field do not bode well for the U.S.’s chances to advance at next summer’s World Cup.
I think the U.S. would still qualify under Bradley, but too much money and time have been invested in US soccer over the last 12 years for Bob to continue on as head coach. We have taken a step back and lost even the ability to defend collectively.
I hope I’m wrong, but the team looks uninspired and over matched and at this point in U.S. soccer a lot of that burden has to be placed on the coach.
David
Posted from United States
My sons just formed U11 team can string together better passes then the Nat’s did today. We are going to get spanked at the World Cup. The team in it’s current state will never get anywhere. Let’s free up any talent that is under 21 from the mess Bradley has created and start over with someone new.
Posted from United States
Bradley never played anywhere. He has not credibility as a World Cup coach. The U.S. has enough money to hire a real coach, but they are afraid that the coach they hire will know more than they (the Federation) do. Bradley is an amateur coach who rode the coat tails of another lucky coach, Bruce Arena, a lacrosse player who somehow became a soccer coach. Bradley’s hiring was a joke. His continuation as coach with how horrible this team looks right now is a travesty. He needs to go!
England and Ireland have Italian coaches who are result oriented and its working for both countries. And with the US practically having a bye getting into the World Cup, they wouldnt even have to sweat that out like Trap does for Ireland. HIRE AN ITALIAN COACH!!
Coach Luiz Scolari will be what team USA need it is not too late
there is 1 year left till WC2010.
the US play the game like a bunch of kids who have never seen soccer before. there is no flow to their game and for some reason they can’t string 3 passes together. they are over rated in the rankings because they never play any teams that have indoor plumbing. the only reason we have good goal keepers is that they are getting shelled so often. i know lets play long ball to our forwards and have them take on 4 defenders. I love that our head coach was a temp and is going to lead our team to the World Cup all I have to say is COME ON
Posted from United States
Bob Bradley, like Bruce Arena before him, is a poser. We need coaches with pedigree. People who have played and coached the game at a high level. Enough of this taking a coach out of the U.S. ranks who has moderate success and thinking he can take the Americans to the World Cup. Different ball game. Different culture. Different tactics. Different environment. Unless you have been there before, you have no clue. Just where has Bradley coached before? The Chicago Fire? Are you kidding me? This qualifies him to lead the U.S. against the best in the world? Someone better wise up and wise up soon. The way it’s going America will get its clock cleaned in South Africa–that is IF the team is able to qualify.
June 19, 2009
President Sunil Gulati
US Soccer Association
1801 S. Prairie Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
Dear Mr. President,
I wish to express my unconditional support for soccer in the United States. I have been a dedicated fan, player, coach and referee since 1990 and will continue to support US Soccer for as long as I am able.
I wish also to express my lack of confidence in Mr. Bob Bradley’s ability to coach the United States Men’s National Team in international competition. He has demonstrated a failure to field a team that can consistently manage the ball, avoid reckless mistakes, or avoid making unforced turnovers, all of which are skills basic to competitive soccer at even the most elementary levels. I believe that under Mr. Bradley’s leadership the United States will not compete to the best of our ability in the FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010, as evidenced by our poor representation in the FIFA Confederations Cup South Africa 2009. I wish also to express my confidence that the United States is able to produce a team that can represent these basic skills, if managed by a more capable coach who emphasizes personal commitment to excellence and team commitment to a stated strategy that best fits our strengths and disposition. I am in support of your previous efforts to recruit Mr. Jurgen Klinnsmann and would be very pleased if you would continue your efforts to recruit this talented, capable leader.
You are well-regarded and much appreciated for your commitment to and accomplishments with US Soccer. I wish you continued success. Please consider my measured comments and proceed as you and our Board of Directors judge best to give the United States fans our very best representation on the international stage next summer.
Kind regards,
Maurice D. Gosby
Posted from United States
I have been a soccer fan all my life and i can not stand BOB BRADLEY!!!! who is he??? If you have seen all the games that the US has played ever since Bradley has become coach he has changed everyone in the line up at least ONCE WHEN HAVE YOU SEEN HIM TAKE OUT MICHEAL BRADLEY???? Why is it that MICHEAL BRADLEY is the only one in the US team that has played every single minute. Does BOB have no sense of embarrassment that he is the only one that has called up MICHEAL and has never taken him out of a single game!!! ladies and gentlemen he is the next US captain and the next big STAR!!! ATLEAST ACCORDING TO HIS FATHER.
LOSERS
It’s time for a change. We are not showing heart. If Bradley doesn’t step down, what does he have to be proud of for the last several performances?
undisciplined teem with too many yellow and red cards. Too many penalties and teams take advantage of our reckelss plays and score on their set plays of indirect or direct kicks. Too much space given to teams, poor defense, transition horrible and our middle fielder who keeps getting beat and cannot get back into plays needs to go, I believe he is not playing today because of a red card. Now we are up 1-0. Fire Bradley on Monday, have an interm until Kilinsman signs, which would have to be in the next three weeks. If not, hire an expereinced coach, love dutch coaches, maybe even Bora, ouch never thought I would say that, now we are up 2-0.
Posted from United States
So, how does the proverbial crow taste? Yes, USA got to the semis by luck, but beating Spain was completely straight-up skill. That was amazing.
Posted from United States
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Agreed. Get rid of him. US Soccer needs to stop hiring Americans for the men’s national team job. The American style of play does not work. We need to get a European coach. Should have opened the wallets for Klinsman along time ago.
Posted from
United States