The Second Embarrassment of Bob Bradley

(Photo: AP)

Even before the United States was eliminated from South Africa three months ago, many arguments have arisen as to whether Bob Bradley deserves to stay on board as Men's National Team manager for another four years. And that's a perfectly worthwhile topic for debate.

However, what isn't debatable is the way in which Bradley has been treated by Sunil Gulati and the United States Soccer Federation during his tenure. While the oft-criticized Bradley has been second guessed - at times, justifably so - moreso than any other American manager in the Federation's history, he has always aquitted himself with an admirable sense of integrity in the face of it all. Sadly, the same cannot be said for U.S. Soccer.

No, it cannot be said for the Federation because when the debate has boiled and the times have toughened, it has refused stand unconditionally by their man.

The genesis of this disturbing attitude the Federation has shown towards one of its best Men's Team managers in history started when he was initially given the reigns - temporarily, of course - back in 2007.

For five long months in the first part of that year, Bradley guided the program without reservation, all the while the very organization that had just handed him the job was looking for his replacement behind his back. And everyone knew it. The fans, the media, everyone. He knew it, too. But he refused to let it distract him.

Instead, he faced the situation with grace and integrity, and shortly after U.S. Soccer had exhausted its energies trying to corral the wildly-popular Jurgen Klinsmann, he forced the Federation to finally remove the "interim" albatross.

Ironically, the Federation's decision to keep Bradley on board during that summer of '07 proved to be a serendipitous godsend. The Princeton grad guided his charges to a Gold Cup Championship, and earned them a spot at the 2009 Conderations Cup a couple of years later.

Meanwhile, a crop of talented young players - players like Jozy Altidore, Stuart Holden, Maurice Edu, and even his own son, Michael -emerged under his tenure. Bradley had cultivated an impressive group of guys that quickly restored the country's footballing image after a nightmarish 2006 World Cup.

There were still whispers, though. There were some who still felt that the wrong man had been hired. It should have been Klinsmann. Pekerman. Eriksson. Rongen. Some of those names were even echoed inside the USSF offices. Bradley, ever so stoic, must have privately thought what it would take to actually acquire some job security.

But he remained focused on the task at hand. By mid-cycle, it was clear that the Federation simply had to let things be. Any changes or sudden movements would surely spell disaster for the Nats in South Africa.

Interestingly, when Bradley succeeded at the Confederations Cup, who was there to slap his back in approval? The Federation, of course. It was they who had the wisdom to make such a shrewd choice. It was they who had stuck by their man. And it was surely they who had provided Bradley with the platform to succeed.

Before long, it was time to head back to South Africa for the World Cup and see what Bradley could really do. His squad engineered a trifecta of heart-pounding performances in the Group stage, and in the process, earned enough points to claim king of hill in Group C, besting England to boot.

Then, the Best of 16 arrived. Pitted against Ghana, Bradley made curious move to start Ricardo Clark over Maurice Edu in the central midfield. It was all downhill from there. Clark was awarded a yellow within 20 minutes, was subbed off for Edu, and the U.S. lost in overtime. All the more painful was the fact that had the Nats won, it faced a relatively easy path to a possible semi-final berth. But that was not to be.

With their World Cup over, it was obvious that U.S. Soccer had a decision to make. Should it keep the successful Bradley, or bring in a new hire in the hopes of catapulting its success further in four years?

Regardless of what conclusion it would reach, it was important that one be made quickly. Brazil, France, and Italy all expedited the interview process and secured their new hires shortly after the Cup. Not the U.S., though. No, it wanted time to mull its deicison. And so it did.

They mulled throughout the entire month of July. They mulled in the days leading up to the U.S.-Brazil friendly, the first action the Nats had seen since their defeat to Ghana. And all of sudden, it was deja vu all over again.

To make matters worse, Brazil pummeled Bradley's boys on home soil, which only served to make the voices of doubt scream louder. Naturally, the Federation did what it does best: stayed noncommittal. Privately, Bradley must have seethed.

Finally, with the knowledge that FIFA would be arriving soon to consider the Federation's bid on the 2018/22 World Cup, they scurried to find their man. It was not Bob Bradley. No, it was Jurgen Klinsmann, the man they originally tried to lure before and during those first 100 days of Bob Bradley's tenure.

Whether the reasons were political, personal, or professional, the Federation failed to catch Klinsmann. So, with their only other option in-house, they backtracked and announced long after the nightly news and game shows that Bradley would be their man. Again.

It doesn't matter whether you like him or not because Bob Bradley, if anything else besides a legitimate national team manager, is a man of dignity. A man of respect. A man who had every reason to falter under the enormous doubt that fell on his shoulders. A man who achieved much, but clearly lacked the respect of his superiors.

Over the past three-plus years, the Federation embarrassed one of its brightest men. And because of it, many of the doubters are now doubting someone else: Sunil Gulati.

About Bob Bradley

(Photo: uncredited)

I meant to post this sooner, but you know, life sometimes happens. A road trip here, a wedding there, a funeral here, and a board meeting there, and before you know it, that idea that you were anxious to write about finds itself in the junk drawer.

Yet, with the recent news that U.S. Soccer and Bob Bradley will reportedly meet to "discuss the future," I figured now would be an appropriate moment to rescue this lost little post.

***

If there's one thing that the USA-Brazil friendly a fortnight ago taught us, it's that Bob Bradley is unequivocally the wrong man to lead this country back to the World Cup in four years.

This isn't to say he isn't a good manager. History's shown us that he's succeeded at nearly every stop in his coaching career. He led Princeton to two Ivy League titles. He racked up over 100 wins in MLS. Suffice to say, Bob Bradley knows how to win.

And as the national team manager, he's accomplished alot during his tenure. A Confederations Cup final, a 2007 Gold Cup championship, a top of the Group finish in the World Cup, not to mention rehabilitating a squad that bombed out of Germany in '06. You could argue that no national team manager in this country's history has done more for the program in four years than Bob Bradley has.

Unsurprisingly, none of that meant anything to Brazil that Tuesday in the Meadowlands, where the the Samba Kings overtook the Yanks and embarrassed them in front of their own crowd. It was a friendly in name only. In a more literal sense, it was a shovel to the face. The final score read 2-0*, although by my count, it could have very well been 6-0.

(*Originally posted it was 3-0. Totally misremembered that Brazil somehow managed not to score in the second half.)

And all Bob Bradley could do was helplessly watch the horror unfold. His managerial style emphasizes those typical American elements: speed, physicality, and toughness. But, in the blink of an eye, all of these aspects were rendered moot by a heady group of Brazilians. Speed means nothing when your opponent is faster. You can't be physical against players who are constantly moving. And you sure as heck can't be tough when you're ballwatching.

Now, don't get me wrong: the above attributes of the American game are important, and have greatly improved since the days of Bob Gansler and Italia '90. These are the same attributes that have seen the Americans through to six consecutive World Cups. Conversely, these are all approaches to a game that the Americans have still failed to master.

It's going to take a different mindset for the Yanks to reach the next level. Bob Bradley has coached his tracksuit off, and deserves the respect and admiration of this country. We've seen alot of great moments birth during his tenure. Moments many of us will never forget.

However, it's time to move on. It's time for US Soccer to recognize that an American manager like Bradley can only take the team so far. An entirely different methodolgy must be implemented in order to ensure that this squad doesn't stagnate or suffer from the common politics of favoritism that often crop up when a national team manager retains his job beyond the World Cup. See: Arena, Bruce. Circa 2006.

Change must be embraced. We certainly wish Bradley all the best for all he's accomplished as national team manager, but the Yanks are in desperate need of a new direction. For all the improvements Bradley made over the past four years, the technical aspect of this squad has not significantly improved. This club still struggles with possession against good countries. Rather than improving on this, the gaffer has simply coordinated his charges to become a counterattacking side. The proverbial perfume spraying on the pig, if you will.

For decades, this club has chased the ball. They play to their strengths - chasing, running, and charging ahead - with varying degrees of success. But the team is stagnating. New ideas are desperately needed. This team has to stop thinking like an American team. They need to start thinking like a global team. A team that holds possession. A team that can win balls in the box. A team that has technique to go along with its speed. A team that doesn't lean on its best player. A team that doesn't need to concede a goal to wake itself up.

These are all ideas that need to be introduced to this group. Under a new manager, this group should fail, and fail often while they work on this. They need to become stronger mentally. And this will ensure that.

Look at the games against England and Slovenia. For the better part of those combined 180 minutes, the Americans ran around the park while the Europeans played keep away. And that's been a recurring theme of the US MNT for quite some time.

This club needs to be shocked. They need to be challenged. Not to be faster. Not be tougher. But to be better on the ball. To find an open teammate rather than taking charge when faced with a deficit. There needs to be more off the ball movement. They need to stop being predictable.

They also need to stop exahusting themselves late in matches. Look at the stats from the 2009 Confederations Cup. Six of the top eighteen players in the "distance covered" stat are Americans. It's hard to seize a goal late when you're completely exhausted. It's even harder to do so when your opponent has both the lead and the bulk of the possession, which has happened quite often in US MNT matches.

And it was generally the same storyline in this year's World Cup. Landon, Dempsey, and the younger Bradley all outdistanced players who saw action in more games than they did. Forget that the Stretch Armstrong approach was adopted by the midfield. Throw out the fact that its backs were taxed higher than MC Hammer. The mantra of the Men's National team seems to be "just keep running and everything will be fine." Note to the nats: it won't be fine.

It'll take a bold manager to steer this country away from the run, run, run approach and turn the wheel in the direction of a World Cup championship. Someone with a vision that deviates from the status quo. A manager that is ready to shake up the belief that, in order for this team to progress, it has to learn how to win differently. I don't know who that manager is. But I do know that he is not Bob Bradley.

Running the gauntlet

Tonight is the first of many nights in which we, the American soccer public, find out whether U.S. Soccer President Sunial Gulati made the right choice in appointing Bob Bradley as the manager of the Men's National Team.

For the last two years, Bradley has overseen a squad that has performed admirably at times, depending upon which circles you surround yourself within. However, there's no debate that the Yanks' recent form has been proof positive that U.S. Soccer isn't as dead as it looked after a disasterous Germany '06.

Yet, the last two years, a period through which the National Team has gone 12-5-1, will mean little what will be an intense 18 months ahead. Bradley's charges will be tested like never before. World Cup qualifiers against Honduras and Cuba are one thing; a Confederations Cup with Italy, Brazil, and Egypt as opponents? Get ready for teeth knashing and cold sweats.

And it won't get much easier thereafter. A year from now, we'll know who the U.S. will be grouped with for South Africa '10, and if the competition is anything like what it was during Germany '06, it may be a very long and trying year-and-a-half ahead.

Which brings us back to the original question: with a gauntlet of world-class competition up the road, was Bob Bradley the right choice? We all know one thing: he wasn't the federation's first choice. Their sexy pick for manager was none other than Juergen Klinsmann, ne' the manager of third-place Germany during the World Cup. The California-based manager and U.S. Soccer appeared to be a match made in football heaven.

Yet, for reasons widely speculated, U.S. Soccer was left all alone at the altar. Klinsmann decided to stay out of the spotlight for a few months, only to re-emerge as the man in charge at Bayern Munchen. Enter Bob Bradley, with the oh-so-flattering interim label affixed to his managerial title, and a media whirlwind filled with sharp questions and pointed criticisms directed at Gulati and the USSF.

Eventually, the eye of the storm passed, with names like Jose Pekerman and Sven-Goran Eriksson hurled around, Sunil Gulati eventually stuck by his man and named Bradley as his man for this World Cup cycle.

Two years into the Bradley regime, the results have been promising. Victories over Mexico and a gritty, well-earned result against Guatemala in Guatemala City, not to mention a thrilling 0-0 draw to Argentina have all been positive signs of of the club's progress.

However, let's not forget that they've stumbled badly as well. An embarrassing 2-0 loss to England last May, not to mention an absolutely futile Copa America showing two summers ago cautioned American soccer public not to get too far ahead of ourselves.

What can we expect tonight against Sweden? Without many of his regulars - namely Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard - at his disposal, it may be a wily, tooth and claw affair on the outskirts of Hollywood.

Whatever the result, though, there's no doubt tonight will be the first in a lengthy series of matches that will ultimately determine whether Bob Bradley is the right man for the job.

Former Stingray Cameron in camp with USMNT

(**I know, I know...I'm just like a week late on this. I'm sorry...Wait...what's this? SWEET! A Holiday Bustle Free Pass! Wooo-hooo! Woooo! Woooo....woo....ahem.**)

I'm sure I'm only like the 1,349,789th person to say this, but isn't it just awesome to see someone you frequently crossed paths with in a smaller arena really make it on the bigger stage?*

(*Feel free to answer that semi-rhetorical question in the comments section.)

The awesome-ness scale reaches even higher when that person is 1. from the same geographic area as you and, 2. is, by many accounts, a good guy, and 3. friends with some of your friends.*

(*Seriously, it's like two degrees of separation.)

So when the news of Geoffrey Cameron - formerly of the Rhode Island Stingrays, currently of the Houston Dynamo - getting called into Bob Bradley's first MNT camp of the year, I couldn't help but flash a dumb grin while after I read the one-graph blurb in the Providence Journal sports section.

Not that I had anything to do with his development. He absolutely did not need the help of a smalltime soccer journalist to make the leap. But in a way, it's as if his success is validation for what I do for the Stingrays.

Why? Because even though the Stingrays are about as smalltown as it can get in the US Soccer universe, I really believe that the club is great springboard for many young players. Geoff is certainly one of them. He's not the only one, either. Guys like Nico Colaluca, Danleigh Borman and Lukasz Tumicz, all sported the Stingray royal blue. All are playing first division soccer (Tumicz in his native Poland) as I punch the keys.

Don't get me wrong - I love covering the Revolution, the men's and women's national teams, and any other brands of big time soccer here in the States. But when it comes to the Stingrays, there's a greater satisfaction because I'm often the only one covering their efforts.*

(*During my first season covering the Stingrays, circa 2007, the team's director of operations mentioned Geoff was a potential MLS prospect, and an interview might be a good idea. I agreed. Unfortunately, Geoff got hurt like three days later, and it completely slipped my mind. I know: I suck.)

And that's fine. It's really a joy writing about these guys. They all have stories to tell.* Finding those stories is what makes journalism so rewarding.

(*Speaking of which...I've actually got one such story in the works.)

Sure, it also affords me a host of "I knew them when..." stories and anecdotes when some move on and play for bigger clubs. I love telling those kinds of stories. But even better than that is seeing how hard alot of these guys work on these proving grounds. They're hungry. Determined. It's borderline Clearasil clear, even from the press box. For me, it's actually a bit of thrill to watch.

And when a Stingray player, after paying his dues with hours of practice and training, "makes it" and jumps to the bigger stage?

Well, that just makes the matches ahead a bit more thrilling.

US-Argentina post-match reaction

Aaaiiiiiiiiiyeeeeeee!

That was my AIM away message last night after watching last night's USA-Argentina game at my buddy Tony's house. While the 25-mile drive up to Norfolk, MA to watch the game, in living color, was better than lifelessly staring at 22 red and blue dots on MatchTracker, it was a tough drive home, as I contemplated what Bob Bradley could have done better.

It was a 20-minute drive starting on North Street in Norfolk, through Route 1, onto 495, connecting to 95, and finally onto 195, Exit 6, and by the time I pulled into my driveway, I couldn't think of anything. I suppose it was just the inevitable that Argentina, currently ranked 5th in the world, would find a way to win. Boy did they ever, and in convincing fashion, as they manhandled their American counterparts 4-1.

When Eddie Johnson was pulled down in the box early on, leading to the US's first goal off the ensuing PK, I had hope. Hope that this was not going to be box office bomb it had been promised to be by so many prognosticators. Said hope lasted less than three minutes, before Hernan Crespo capitalized on a Kasey Keller mishandled ball for the equalizer.

The Americans played admirably, and did well to suffocate a exceptionally potent Argentinean offense comprised of Crespo and Lionel Messi for an hour. Then, as if the clock had struck midnight of the boys in pinstriped blue, their stalwart defending turned into a pumpkin, and the Argentineans feasted. Crespo struck for the go-ahead in the 64th, followed by a Pablo Aimar tally in the 78th, and capped off with one final dagger to the heart by Carlos Tevez in the 85th. If my hair were long enough to grasp, I would have ripped most of it out.

So I took a deep breath, and tried to put on a smilie face and figure out, aside from the four goals and Argentinean dominance in the final third of the match: what went right for Bradley's boys?

It was nice to see the young guys -Feilhaber, Bornstein, Wynne and Mapp - get some minutes on international soil. Although the score was unflattering, the experience acquired by these gentlemen is invaluable, since there is no substitute for playing a formidable team like the Argentines miles away from home.

Eddie Johnson performed well in space, but there were at least two instances where he had a clear shot on net and passed instead. Conrad and DeMerit played well for 64 minutes, and truly asphyxiated an "oh no, not those guys" front line of Messi and Crespo until the wheels on the pumpkin fell off. The Argentines struggled to assemble their attack for the first two-thirds of the match, and much credit is due to Conrad & Co. Then, in the words of Nick Hornby, "it all went to crap."

One question that begs prior to the Paraguay tilt on Monday is whether Bradley elects to go with Brad Guzan in goal, or remains with Keller. The 101-cap veteran looked more like a nervous rookie last night, and Crespo's first goal in the 11th came off a critical misjudgment of a dangerous ball in the box.

Another question is whether we'll see Twellman and EJ up front again, or if it will be EJ and Herculez Gomez, who came in as a late-game sub for Twellman.

While Paraguay will certainly pose another challenge, it shouldn't be of the same variety that Argentina brought forth last night. While they thumped Colombia 5-0 in their opening match, the US is a much better squad, and proved it for 64 minutes last night. That being said, it's time draw the curtains on last night's match, and begin looking ahead toward Monday.

U.S. battle Panama for 2-1 victory; Advance to Gold Cup final four

Almost one year ago to the date, Gillette Stadium welcomed U.S. supporters to view the U.S.-Italy World Cup match live on the large screens within the stadium. On Saturday afternoon, the stadium played host once again to US supporters, this time with their team in significantly closer proximity, as the Americans battled Panama to a 2-1 victory in the Gold Cup Quarterfinal round.

Almost immediately the Americans set the offensive tone when, in the 2nd minute, the U.S. penetrated the Panamanian box as Landon Donovan split a vulnerable Panama defender before he mailed a dangerous shot on Panama keeper Jaime Penedo.

An early scare occurred in the form of Man on Fire DaMarcus Beasley injured himself in the 6th minute. Although grounded for a few anxious minutes, the gritty midfielder returned to his feet soon after, surely allowing Sam’s Army to breathe a sigh of relief.

Soon after said scare, Taylor Twellman raced into the box in the 9th minute and launched a left-footed shot that just missed the goal by inches.

After a Panamanian corner kick in the 18th minute, the Bradley’s boys quickly counterattacked when Donovan raced down the heart of the pitch leaving one defender in his wake and took an acute-angled shot on goal that was batted away by Penedo.

Things got ugly in the wake of the ensuing corner kick, when Peneda appeared to have a launched a back-of-the-neck pulldown of a defenseless Twellman. What should have warranted at very least, a yellow, went uncarded, and the match was gradually turned into a rather fisticuff-filled match halfway through the first half.

Minutes later, in the 26th, Donovan airmailed a corner that Twellman headed toward goal for what would have been the first goal of the match had the crossbar not gotten in the way, of course. Four minutes later, Dempsey decided to try and get in on the offensive display when he slid into a shot that skipped into the clutches of a diving Peneda in the 30th minute.

Undeterred, Panama found its first scoring opportunity a minute later when Blas Perez snuck into the box before three U.S. defenders and directed a tantalizing shot that went mere feet wide of the U.S. goal in the 31st minute.

In a bout of incredibly comical luck, Twellman escaped his mark, turned, and launched a brilliant shot that was inadvertently blocked by his former Rev teammate Dempsey in the 38th minute.

As the second half commenced, the U.S. kicked off hoping to spark an offensive series that would produce a goal. The halftime stat sheet showed that while the Panamanians had the advantage on total possession (52%), the Americans acquired more quality chances (three shots on goal to one for Panama).

In the 48th, Perez raced down the pitch on a jailhouse break that gave Howard his first true test of the match when marched right up to his doorstep like a menacing girl scout before firing a hard shot on Howard. The Everton keeper passed the test with flying colors, and denied Perez the back of the net.

A critical moment occurred in the 57th minute; Donovan was haphazardly tackled after he crashed the box, leading to a penalty kick. Donovan accordingly stepped up and skipped in career Gold Cup goal number ten (most in US Men’s National Team history), which cued the flying streamers from the Sam’s Army contingent behind the Panama net.

Less than five minutes later in the 62nd, Carlos Bocanegra headed a spectacular right flank free kick engineered by DaMarcus Beasley for pay dirt, giving the Americans the 2-0 lead midway through the second half. An ominous sign hanging from the Fort (yes, it’s still the Fort even during non-Revolution events) implored “Release the Hounds,” and said hounds had been effectively uncaged during this sweet five-minute sequence.

More trouble ensued in the 76th minute when Manuel Torres hard tackled Clint Dempsey in what was a sure-fire card eliciting offense. Torres attempted to plead his case, with teammates offering expert witness testimony. But it was all in vain as referee Neil Brizan issued Torres his second yellow card of the match, and the subsequent red card ejection, which left his teammates in the unfortunate predicament of having to make up a two-goal difference a man down with fifteen minutes left in the match.

Despite the one-man disadvantage, Panama attacked like bats out of hell in the 84th minute, when Perez escaped three hapless American defenders and rolled into the middle of the box before firing a hard shot into bottom corner of the U.S. goal, cutting the U.S. margin in half, 2-1.

With four minutes of stoppage time added, Panama had its work cut out if it were to acquire the equalizer one man down. They hurried to reassemble the attack, but failed to find the back of the net, giving the U.S. the all-important quarter final victory in front of the Foxboro faithful.

US Dominate El Salvador, 4-0

As the video camera peered in on Clint Dempsey during the playing of the American National Anthem prior to Wednesday night’s US-El Salvador Gold Cup match, the former MLS star-turned Fulham FC savior stoically peered at the very crowd that cheered him when he first made his Revolution debut just over three years ago. And it was Dempsey, upon his return to the Gillette Stadium pitch, who became an offensive catalyst by constantly finding himself in the attacking mix during the Americans' 4-0 victory over El Salvador.


The U.S. kicked off for the first half in an unconventional in a 3-4-3 formation, and Dempsey was placed in his familiar attacking midfield role. Right off the bat, the US displayed the one-touch passing that helped them go undefeated early on in the first two games of the tournament.


The Salvadorans tempered the U.S. attack with a developing offensive sequence in the 6th minute, causing Tim Howard to smother the ball out of harms way. But by and large, the US controlled the tempo of the match for large chunks of the first half, whereby thsquad surely owned the on the El Salvadoran side of the field.


At the 20 minute mark, Dempsey broke through the El Salvadoran back line and put a wicked side-heeled shot on goal that was stuffed by keeper Miguel Montes. Deuce struck again in the 24th minute when he pulled the trigger on a shot deep within the box that struck the side post. It was clearly evident that the Nacogdoches Kid was determined to take the leading role on this, his former center-stage.


By the 28th minute, the Americans had engineered a string of well-placed passes, patiently weaving through the El Salvadoran half of the pitch, as the El Salvadorans struggled to keep up with the well-organized and exquisitely-executed attack.


Then, in the 33rd minute, for the all the entire display of technical soundness, the U.S. finally beared down on clinching the opening salvo, when it awarded a spot kick on the left flank when DaMarcus Beasley was manhandled on the attack. Although the spot kick failed to materialize into the back of the net, a corner kick was awarded when the ball bounced off an El Salvadoran defender and rolled past the goal line.


Seconds later, Donovan launched an outswinging corner kick into the box that deflected its way to the top of the box and fortuitously fell to the feet of Beasley. Beasley hit the deflection in stride and skipped the ball past the keeper for the opening goal of the match in the 34th minute, giving the Americans the 1-0 lead.


“It was important to get that first goal,” said Beasley, during his post-match press conference. "We knew El Salvador was going to be very compact and difficult to break down."

Throughout the second half, the El Salvadoran side was able to come up for short gasps of air, but the U.S. relentlessly pushed their victim’s head under water time after time in relentless pursuit of conquering their opponent's territory.

In the waning minutes of the first act, the Americans opened up on two simultaneous scoring chances; the first as Donovan raced into the box, stopped halfway, and turned to pass to Beasley at the top of the box in the 43rd minute. Perhaps still pumped over his goals mere minutes before, an excited Beasley launched kick that sailed well over the cross bar into the seats. Seconds later, the Americans re-organized the attack and sent in an odd-man infiltration that featured the speedy Beasley on the left. Beasley took the final pass and floated another shot that sailed over the goal.


Controversy erupted in stoppage time, when Michael Bradley kicked a shot that caught the arm of a El Salvadoran defender planted in the box, to which referee Benito Archundia awarded a penalty kick to the U.S. Donovan took the kick and initially launched the dead ball right into the wall erected by keeper Montes. However, the referee awarded Donovan another try after Archundia determined that the El Salvadoran keeper left the goal line prematurely. On the do-over, Donovan’s second attempt rang true, and the ball coasted into the corner of the net for the 2-0 lead just before halftime.


El Salvador manager Carlos De Los Cobos vehemently protested the call, and was subsequently ejected at the end of the first half for the protest.


“I didn’t think it was a good call,” said the El Salvadoran manager through a translator after the match. “(Archundia) did not like the way I talked to him, but I did not disrespect him.”


The El Salvadorans took the second half kick off determined to, at very least, avoid embarrassment in the second frame, and at very best, tried to block out the morale-deflating call at the end of the first half. Midfielder Julio Martinez enthusiastically clapped and implored his team to pick themselves up in the frame.


A welcome sight at the start of the second half was the emergence of Taylor Twellman who went in as a substitute for Donovan, giving the U.S. side a total of three players on the pitch who sported (past and present) the home Revolution red, white, and blue.


The El Salvadorans wasted little time in trying to stake their flag in the U.S. end, on a couple of less than threatening advancements in the first ten minutes of the half. The U.S. reclaimed their majority ownership of the ball soon there after as they dispossessed their opponent of the ball time after time.


In the 57th minute, U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu stonewalled a hard charging Juan Campos, which resulted in a scary collision just before the box. For said stonewalling, a yellow card was issued to the 6-4 defender, and the El Salvadorans were awarded a free kick – their first set piece of the match. Alfredo Pacheco took the spot kick, and laced a left-footed shot just wide of goal, giving his side its first true scoring chance.


As the bright lights of the Gillette Stadium light towers shone upon the field, the U.S. hunkered down on a zone-like defense. Although De Los Cobos’ boys seemed to discover better chances in the U.S. end due to a “bend but not break” defensive mindset, the El Salvadoran attack ultimately wilted every time.


The ES tried its best to muster the kind of scoring chances the US did almost at will. In the 72nd, ES Jose Martinez raced through his defender, turned, and launched a rocket just over the cross the bar, giving the El Salvadorans a rare chance to, at very least, smash the hopes of a shut out for the Americans.


In the 73rd, the US counterattacked yet again when Brian Ching ran up the heart of the El Salvadoran half. Just as the defenders converged upon him, he sent a perfect pass to Taylor Twellman who took a touch, and calmly glided toward goal before sending the ball past the keeper for the third American goal of the match, in front of his home Revolution crowd.


The remainder of the match became, for all intents and purposes, a game of high-stakes “keep away” on the part of the U.S. players, as the Americans performed well in this popular elementary school exercise for the remainder. Seemingly uncontent to sit on their three-goal advantage, an interesting sequence materialized in the 81st minute when Dempsey tried to join his former teammate Twellman appearance on the goal sheet by rendering a majestic shot across the box that was deflected away by the paw of keeper Montes.


With two minutes of stoppage time added to the second half, the Americans gave one more go at goal. In 90th minute, Ching again crashed the left flank and served the ball to Clint Dempsey, who then immediately passed to his immediate right in directly the path of a gate-crashing Beasley. Beasley took the pass in stride and sent in a ground laser into the goal for his second goal of the match just before extra time commenced. Seconds later, the toot of the final whistle shrieked, as the Americans won in convincing fashion, 4-0, thus earning them CONCACAF Gold Cup Group B Title.


“(It was) a good win for us. It’s especially nice that when the game opened up in the second half, to see some of the soccer that we put together," said manager Bob Bradley after the match.

Meet the New Boss; Same as the Old Boss!

US Soccer announced that the interim label affixed to Bob Bradley has been ceremoniously removed on Wednesday, as it appears that the rumored hush-hush negotiations with other candidates (i.e. Juergen Klinsmann and...Juergen Klinsmann) have apparently reached an impasse, thus granting Bradley more permanent control of the US Men’s National Team managerial reins.

In an exercise of near comic futility, US Soccer President Sunil Gulati successfully demonstrated how far away soccer is from ever getting its act together here in the States by conducting a ten-month long process of determining the "winner" of the US MNT coaching competition.

What does this exercise in futility showcase? First and foremost, it displays complete ineptitude to fill one of the most important vacancies in American sports. Could you imagine any other professional North American sports team spending ten months to determine its manager or head coach? The talking heads at US Soccer preoccupied themselves with Klinsmann for so long that when he ultimately replied nein, the heads scrambled to find a quick-fix replacement. Enter: Bob Bradley, fully equipped with the insufferable interim tag.

Secondly, granting the job on a temporary basis to Bradley only instilled the idea among anyone with a pair of functioning brains cells that this was merely a front to buy more time for Gulati & Friends to try and sweeten the deal for Klinnsman, or to find the next best alternative. Note to readers: the next best choice was not Bradley.

Of course, all the while US Soccer was attempting to get its act together, Bradley admirably conducted himself in the very manner his bosses had miserably failed to do, by displaying leadership and integrity all while the guillotine hovered above. Bradley guided his charges to a 3-0-1 record with the scarlet letter "I" placed on his chest. By posting an undefeated record at the helm, Bradley saved US Soccer immeasurable face in the wake of the circus that became trying to find his replacement.

After the Germany ‘06 debacle, and Bruce Arena's accompanying unceremonious exit, Gulati needed to make a firm statement that its priorities were to address the deficiencies uncovered during the summer. Arena's removal was the first step. The second one should have been to hire a reputable manager to steer the squad back toward the success it experienced back in 2002. It was absolutely critical that the situation be handled with the utmost precision and care.

What did they do instead? They embarrassingly stumbled before the press days before Christmas, after failing to deliver the toy at the top of nearly every American soccer fan’s Christmas list, and hastily packaged the best available option in Bradley, with the caveat that he was merely the handed the job on the interim basis.

What’s the matter, Sunil, Bora Milutinovic wasn’t available?

Did US Soccer make the right move to hire Bradley on a full-time basis? Yes. In essence, it was the only move Gulati & Friends could make, after leaping through circus hoops and rings of fire to find themselves a manager. In the process, they came out looking like the laughing stock of international soccer. Of all the things the world's lone superpower can accomplish, hiring a manager to lead its national soccer team seems to be its Achilles heel.

In little over a year, US Soccer went from the sanctioning body overseeing one of the world's rising soccer squads to the present-day joke that no respectable international coach, like Klinsmann or Jose Pekerman, would even take, despite the allure of taking a over a squad that will more than likely qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

By vanquishing Bradley's "interim" label, Gulati did what any nearsighted bigwig would do: maintain the status quo. Sadly, this move is, quite frankly, the only decision it could make after months of continued mismanagement. After all, which self-respecting coach would throw his hat into this kind of three-ring circus?

Where else in professional sports has such a spectacle occurred? It took four months to name an interim, and another six to fill the vacancy permanently with the very same gentleman who carried the interim label. Talk about "meet the new boss; same as the old boss."

How the hell is soccer ever going to win over American fans when the shot callers at US Soccer continue to undermine the efforts of its own national team?

It's quite sad really, that after years of progress on the field, the suits and ties that probably haven't kicked a soccer ball since the Carter Administration have undermined its own players by running a program with the kind of misguided direction that Britney Spears would be envious of. Nothing gives the air of stability like bungled negotiations with your first, second, and maybe even third choice, for a managerial vacancy.

US-Guatemala Post Game Thoughts

Thoughts on Wednesday night's game:

Like four-inch pocket blades in the sides of the Goodyears, the Guatemalan National Team deflated the tires of the US Men’s National Team ride. The beautiful game, this was not. In fact, it was the ugly game. This was the kind of game of that makes Bea Arthur look like Christina Aguilera, for even a sideline of half-naked Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders couldn't have redeemed the outward appearance of this game. Then again...

I suppose the stomach-turning scene could be attributed to two deciding factors: the Guatemalans’ shameless zeal on defending (hence the 4-5-1 opening formation) and the weary legs of the US players, who had just taken a 3-1 result from Ecuador just three days prior. Put the two in a blender, add two cups of physical play and a referee who looked more like a bystander than actual arbiter, and you have one of the most unwatchable games on national television since the 2006 MLS Cup back in November.

So much for the stereotype that Central American sides are often more creative than their European counterparts – last night’s horror debunked that myth. I don't know if last night's strategy was typical of the Guatemalans, or if it was a specifically-tailored game plan enacted after watching the Americans throttle their Ecuadorian opponents on Sunday. If the latter was the case, then credit the Guatemalans for really making the game a long, drawn-out nightmare of a match for the Americans, complete a packed midfield, relentless (uncalled) fouls and an endless series of long balls. Essentially, it was a style of play that the Americans were largely unprepared for, especially after facing the complete opposite style of play employed the Ecuadorians.

Eddie Johnson’s National Team run is about as stagnant as Ben Affleck’s acting career. He needs to find a way to break this goal-scoring slump ASAP. Credit ESPN commentators Rob Stone and Eric Wynalda for calling out Bradley's decision to keep Johnson in the starting eleven. Zero goals in 12 games for a forward of his talent is beyond a slump and it should be cause for Bob Bradley to have EJ find his confidence elsewhere, whether it be in MLS, Portuguese Liga, or USL - wherever - before coming back for another National Team call up. If he's not going to find his form in MLS (where he tallied a whopping two goals last year), he certainly won't find it in international competition.

I hate devoting more lines to the unflattering aspects of Wednesday night’s horror show, but the game provided more than enough fodder for it. I think if you tally up the time that the ball was in the air, it would have qualified for bonus Capital One frequent flier miles. If this is the style of play that the US intends on employing versus Guatemala during the Gold Cup in June, then I can bypass the Tylenol PM as my primary sleep aid on the night of June 7th. Speaking of long balls...

Is there an international long ball launching competition among goalkeepers that I don't know about? Kasey Keller, as good of a keeper as there is, annoyingly launches those goal kicks as if FIFA was one the cusp of outlawing them altogether. Methinks Keller is a frustrated football place kicker, who ultimately found that the talent to rocket air-filled spheres translated well to soccer. I wanted to (and actually did) scream "RELAX KASEY!" in response to said goal kicks (much to the chagrin of my studious brother, who was preparing for an exam in the adjacent room). Hey Kasey, how about actually allowing your players to get upfield before you clear the runway for takeoff? Enough with the Hail Mary boots - it isn't Randy Moss on the receiving end of those booming kicks of yours.

Four games, three wins, one tie - no losses. 3-0-1. Undefeated. Whichever way you spell it, Bob Bradley has yet to lose with the dreaded “interim” label prefixed before his title. Now, one would think that the prospect of shedding the label was not enhanced by last night's game. But, let me say this: Bradley wasn't outcoached, nor has he been outmatched during his current (albeit, short) tenure. His boys were simply outmuscled and, quite frankly, abused by a Guatemalan squad that wasn't at all playing for a result. It was a dogfight from start to finish, with little opportunity for the pretty one-touch passing drills and the creative dribbling in open space that were prominently featured in Tampa last weekend.

It would be an absolute farce if US Soccer doesn't give the job to Bradley at this point. After three months of evaluations, camps, and games, I cannot adequately convey how much of a setback it would be for the men’s program to come this far, essentially find itself considerable success, only to take the eraser to the blackboard and completely wipe out all that was learned. Much has been accomplished up until this point, and with two very important international tournaments on tap for this summer (Copa America and the Gold Cup), it would be disconcerting if Bradley was relinquished of his duties at this critical juncture. If this whole charade is part of an elaborate, well-thought out plan by the talking heads at US Soccer to undermine the progress of a convalescing squad of players whose collective psyche was absolutely shattered last June during the World Cup, then maybe we can all look forward to the wonderful prospect of an absent United States side in South Africa three years from now.

Now, onto the less insightful observations…

The team came out in those pinstriped royal blue fashion faux paus once again. In fact, it occurred to me that these very jerseys look like pajama tops, sans the buttons and left-breast initial. Apparently, these ill-designed shirts were said to have contained some magic powers that, the players hypothesized, allowed them to play so well vs. Ecuador. Surely, these magical pinstriped garments could only aid in the players’ efforts vs. Guatemala, right? Not so much, as this hypothesis was quickly dismissed with the 0-0 draw. Hopefully, this will prompt the return of the classic white and blue kits come June 2nd vs. China.

Once again, my opinion was not solicited for Eric Wynalda's red card/yellow card/game ball feature. The yellow card to NY Red Bull for continuing to play on turf was unusual - the club doesn't own the field it plays on. If anything, the criticism is misdirected, as Red Bull is at the mercy of the powers that be at The Meadowlands over the turf they play on. If Wynalda really wanted to point out the evils of artificial turf currently pervading MLS pitches, he should have called out Bob Kraft, who recently installed field turf at Gillette Stadium. A red card for FIFA President Sepp Blatter for the reported lack of preparation on the part of South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup also seemed to be misdirected. The idea that South Africa is unprepared is one that was fodder for internet chat rooms about six months ago. Game ball to Landon Donovan for his chase of Wynalda's own 34 career US MNT goal plateau appeared to be more of a "I swear I don't hate him for potentially breaking my record this year" statement. Eric, I was never under the impression that you spited Landycakes in the first place. In any event, it was classy remark that your only regret “was not being able to play with him.” A nice statement made by a guy who, curiously, couldn't stick with a club for longer than a season or two during his professional career. Hmmm…

Now, I will give a game ball to you, Eric Wynalda. Every US MNT and MLS game should be called by you. You are refreshingly unabashed in your on-air criticisms of players, refs, and coaches alike, however wrong or right you are. Yet, you are dire need of a new writer for your halftime feature. I hear there's this Portuguese kid with an Irish name that is quite the writer -maybe he could help you out with this.

Without any more National Team games until the post-Memorial Day weekend, you have been given a reprieve of my tired rants and commentary of said games for 64 days. In the meanwhile, beware of the forthcoming bashing I shall unleash on US Soccer once they make an announcement on the managerial position.

The Forgotten Man

He seemed ready to tackle the world's best on the world's biggest stage. He was supposed to help anchor a formidable American defending corps that included Oguchi Onyewu, Steve Cherundolo and Carlos Bocanegra. This was going to be Cory Gibbs' chance to shine in front of millions at the World Cup. Then, before this dream could be fully realized, he injured his knee during a pre-World Cup warmup against Morocco. Dream dashed. There would be no World Cup appearance for the talented defender.

Now nine months removed from Germany '06, where is the Cory Gibbs blip on the US MNT radar? With three international friendlies under its belt this year and one more on tap tonight vs. Guatemala, it appears that Gibbs is presently a non-echo on said radar. Interim manager Bob Bradley has brought in an array of players, both stateside and abroad, in an effort to evaluate those who he plans on unleashing during this summer’s important international tournaments: the Gold Cup and Copa America. However, in each of Bradley's training camps, Gibbs' has been has been inconspicuously absent. Unable to get his foot back in the door, the chances of Gibbs reclaiming a roster spot before Memorial Day appears to be as slim as Lloyd Christmas getting a date with Mary Swanson.

While we know that Bradley is certainly making a concerted effort to try and establish a roster of "his guys", it appears that Gibbs is nowhere near that list. Perhaps there are still concerns that his reputation as an injury-prone player scares some, for he has yet to even appear in a Premiership match this season. It was no secret that Gibbs was a favorite of former MNT manager Bruce Arena, for whom Gibbs accumulated all of his 19 national team caps under, and perhaps, he's simply seen as an "Arena guy" rather than a "Bradley guy." Then again, the team’s depth on its defending line is fairly deep, with Gooch, Conrad, Cherundolo already in place, and an influx of youth in form of Jonathan Bornstein (21), Heath Pearce (22) and Jonathan Spector (21), all of which leaves Gibbs as a very odd man out.

So for argument sake where does Gibbs fit into the picture? Apparently, he does not fit in at all – at least not in the foreseeable future. During his convalescence, Conrad emerged as one of the squad's better defenders while Onyweu, Cherundolo and Carlos Bocanegra have all solidified their spots on the team. Ironically, it was Conrad who was the beneficiary of Gibbs’ knee injury. Unfortunately, it would probably take a series injuries within the defending corps in order for Gibbs just to get a second look at. Until that happens, it appears that we may have seen the last of Mr. Gibbs in the navy, blue, and white kit of the US Men’s National Team.

US-Ecuador Post Game Thoughts

Quick thoughts after yesterday's US-Ecuador friendly:

Although the US got on board right after the rooster crowed with Landon Donovan's twine kisser less than a minute in, the squad really wasn't clicking on all cylinders until the end of the first half. There was much confusion between defenders Oguchi Onyewu and Jimmy Conrad, who looked about as stumped as Nicole Ritchie and Paris Hilton on an episode of Jeopardy! The Ecuadoreans acquitted themselves well as they kept the US defenders flat-footed until the Gold and Blue ultimately ran out of 93 octane around the 50th minute. Give Ecuadorean forwards Caicedo and Carlos Tenoriouch credit for really giving the Americans a formidable test, and quite honestly, forcing Bob Bradley's boys to drop it into fifth gear a few times.

The most impressive aspect of the game besides the Landon Donovan hat trick was the string of one-touch passing in the midfield. Playing refined and rather beautifully at times, this appeared to be a different look for the squad, perhaps due to the newbies (Benny Feilhaber and Michael Bradley). A preview of coming attractions? I certainly hope so.

Along the same lines, the one touch passing and more attack-minded soccer on display has changed my opinion of the US Men's National Team coaching situation. Before yesterday, I held the opinion that Bob Bradley wasn't the man for the job. I stand corrected. If yesterday’s game was indicative of how the team will be playing during the upcoming Gold Cup and Copa America tournaments, then Bradley has shown that the dreaded "interim" tag is no longer deserved. Give the man the job already, Sunil. Bradley has yet to lose, and has beaten two pretty good teams. Too much has been invested to turn back and start from scratch. And I don't care if Jurgen Klinsmann has a sudden change of heart...Bradley has already shown he is capable. What's the phrase I'm thinking of? Oh yeah...one in the hand is better than two in the bush. Give Bradley the job already, and be done with it. I haven't seen this kind of indecision since Colie kept waffling between her boyfriend and Alex on the Real World Denver.

Landon, Landon, Landon (one for each goal)...where was this little goal-scoring streak of yours last summer? Dude, you go off on a goal scoring heist (5 goals in 3 games in 2007) and you have alot of people wondering "What's with this guy?" Please, rip that damn "Hello, My Name Is: Inconsistent" label of your chest and continue your brilliant play throughout the summer. Please Landycakes, do this when it really counts!

Along with the great flashes of brilliance, there were some unfortunate lowlights. You could see Clint Dempsey wanted to open it up a bit, but just couldn't find his rhythm. Same thing for his buddy Eddie Johnson. Both of them are much better than what they’ve showed during the past two games.

Welcome back, DeMarcus Beasly. Glad you could join us this time around.

If you want to know what I thought about those Orlando Magic-like pinstriped jerseys, refer to my previous post on this very topic. And yes, I still feel the same way, even after watching them in action under the warm sunny Tampa sun. They still suck. I just hope the team doesn't feel that these sweatshop specials are somehow lucky and wear them again and again.

How about that Raymond James Stadium pitch? It looked like Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia had a chip-shot competition there the day before. Some of the passes uncomfortably took lives of their own, causing more missed connections than a Jet Blue flight. As I was watching the US-El Salvador U-17 game (which also took place at RJS) on ussoccer.com over my Corn Flakes and OJ before the US-Ecuador lunchtime tilt, there were more than a few instances where many passes were bouncing and diverting from their intended destinations. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the primary tenant of Raymond James, haven't played a snap there since December. And even though there were a handful of college bowl games played there in January, one would have to believe that there would still be plenty of time to prepare the pitch for soccer. There's no excuse for these sub-par field conditions.

Speaking of the Bucs...how annoyed was Bruce Arena at Dave O'Brien's comparison of Oguchi Onyewu to a football player (namely Bucs receiver Michael Clayton)? Yes, Bruce, we know you're fed up with the mundane comparison, but do us a favor and just suck it up, please. We soccer fans were all newbies at one point, and if a simple (albeit, exhausted) comparison of Gooch's stature to that of a football player induces some tangible insight for some newcomers, please, remove yourself from the booth. Go back to the Meadowlands and coach that fine senior squad you've assembled there. Thanks.

No one asked me what I thought of Eric Wynalda's inaugural red card/yellow card/game ball halftime feature. I liked it...especially when he called out US Soccer President Sunil Gulati to make up his damn mind about the coaching issue. However, the yellow card for Alexi Lalas warning him not to get wrapped up in the David Beckham hype was weird, although his point for doing it was admirable. Wynalda asserted that, despite the deserved attention Becks will receive when he touches down in LA, Lalas should not forget about making sure Cobi Jones, who will call it a career after 2007, gets his fair share of attention as well. Kudos, Mr. Wynalda.

For more uninspired analysis, check back Wednesday night after the US-Guatemala game. Until then, Death to the Pinstripes and Long Live Landycakes!