US v. Mexico - CONACAF Cup Play-off

[ZooCougar]

I'm confused .... do you still think Bradley gave up on Europe????

Absolutely. TFC wasn't the only MLS bidder. He basically picked which team he was sold to.

 

[ZooCougar]

I'm confused .... do you still think Bradley gave up on Europe????

All Bradley had to do is not agree to terms with the club buying his contract. And the sale is effectively blocked. Maybe you just don't know how transfers work.

 

[Kgun7]

All Bradley had to do is not agree to terms with the club buying his contract. And the sale is effectively blocked. Maybe you just don't know how transfers work.

And stay with a team that just acquired a player that pushed him deeper down the depth chart at midfield??? Of course they "wanted him" for depth and insurance ..... but he would barely see the pitch and they received a great offer. Maybe you just don't know how playing time works ... haha

 

[ZooCougar]

And stay with a team that just acquired a player that pushed him deeper down the depth chart at midfield??? Of course they "wanted him" for depth and insurance ..... but he would barely see the pitch and they received a great offer. Maybe you just don't know how playing time works ... haha

I don't think so. You just didn't get that buying club always contacts the player's agent first. The selling club is usually the last to know. You should read up on how the business side of soccer works. Bradley could have easily found another European club to play for, but he chose not to. Therefore he gave up on Europe. It's that simple really.

 

[Kgun7]

I don't think so. You just didn't get that buying club always contacts the player's agent first. The selling club is usually the last to know. You should read up on how the business side of soccer works. Bradley could have easily found another European club to play for, but he chose not to. Therefore he gave up on Europe. It's that simple really.

Easy question for a transfer market expert like yourself: Besides riding the pine for Roma ... what other offers did Bradley have?????

 

[Excalibur]

Graham Parker's comments in this ESPN article are pretty spot on . . .


Should [Klinsmann] be fired?

Parker: I'm torn. I really want "it" to work -- not Klinsmann necessarily, but the appointment of a figure of his stature with the power and authority to shape the developmental pyramid over a sustained period of time. But his unwillingness to accept personal responsibility will rot accountability in U.S. soccer if it isn't checked.

Then he must establish and trust some players who actually represent his values on the field. Not just the youngsters who might feel they owe the coach their place, but players who he visibly trusts and with whom he has a clear dialogue. The moment for Klinsmann the figurehead has passed. He needs some trusted lieutenants.

Finally, start playing some games with game management in mind. At 60 minutes defend a 1-0 lead, or chase a game with a target striker. Enough with the mass substitutions to give players 15 minutes in laboratory conditions, especially when the results of those tests don't seem to lead to sustained runs for players. Oh, and pick a back four!

 

[businesslawyer]

Because nobody else would pay 10 mil for Bradley. They bought him for 3.75 mil EURO. That's some good business.

And one of the reasons he played so poorly in the World Cup, might have been because he lost sharpness playing in a lesser league.

Your overall theory seems to be that everyone lessens their game when they leave Europe for MLS. Except, of course, total who aren't set back and still perform on the international level.

Your mind is becoming an interesting place.

 

[junglehusky]

Grant Wahl reporting that Klinsmann might be losing power especially related to his technical director duties:

Over the past year, U.S. Soccer’s chief commercial director Jay Berhalter—the brother of Columbus Crew SC coach Gregg Berhalter—has started taking over a lot of the day-to-day technical director duties. Berhalter even called an important meeting in Chicago in August that did not include Klinsmann.

People on the inside have different views about it. One said Berhalter is a smart guy who gets things done. Another said if you’re going to give Klinsmann the technical director job you should let him do it without interference. Communication between Berhalter and Klinsmann is described as “not good.” One insider used the term “power struggle.”

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Grant Wahl reporting that Klinsmann might be losing power especially related to his technical director duties:

If there is indeed a power issue between Klinsmann and others within USA Soccer, it needs to be takn care of now one way or the other before 2018 Cup qualifying begins in earnest.

 

[UConnDan97]

He was the fourth man in a 3 man midfield at Roma.

Not quite. Sorry for chiming in late on this one, but Roma had Florenzi, Pjanic, Nainggolan, De Rossi, and most likely Strootman all ahead of Bradley. I saw a fair amount of Roma when Bradley was there, and I can tell you that in his second year there, I definitely didn't see a fair amount of Bradley.

Now, whether or not he should have gone somewhere else in Europe is up for debate. What shouldn't be up for debate was the fact that he absolutely made the right move by not staying at Roma. In my opinion, he should have stayed at Chievo where he was getting a lot of burn and was playing against top Serie A competition anyways...

EDIT: Oh yeah, and I forgot that Roma also had Michel Bastos that year too, who made 16 appearances that year. Bradley had no chance to see the field at Roma...

 

[SAMCRO]

Bradley could have made a return to the Bundesliga oe EPL had he wanted to. I'm too lazy to go find the article, but do recall reading Roma didn't want him to exit, and the general feeling from the article was European clubs did have interest in him. None of it really matters now though. I do remember he was injured a couple of times with ROma, so missed month long stretches more than once.

 

[SubbaBub]

Bradley could have made a return to the Bundesliga oe EPL had he wanted to. I'm too lazy to go find the article, but do recall reading Roma didn't want him to exit, and the general feeling from the article was European clubs did have interest in him. None of it really matters now though. I do remember he was injured a couple of times with ROma, so missed month long stretches more than once.

I would have preferred Bradley stay in Europe but he made a lot more money and gets to run his own team in Toronto. If it's your name on the contract you'd do the same thing.

Dempsey could have stayed and Donovan should have demanded a transfer in 2007. Most other guys would be walking into situations of lesser playing time and less money. Americans are not thought of very well in European clubs unless you are a keeper or do one thing very well like Brian McBride.

 

[ZooCougar]

Not quite. Sorry for chiming in late on this one, but Roma had Florenzi, Pjanic, Nainggolan, De Rossi, and most likely Strootman all ahead of Bradley. I saw a fair amount of Roma when Bradley was there, and I can tell you that in his second year there, I definitely didn't see a fair amount of Bradley.

Now, whether or not he should have gone somewhere else in Europe is up for debate. What shouldn't be up for debate was the fact that he absolutely made the right move by not staying at Roma. In my opinion, he should have stayed at Chievo where he was getting a lot of burn and was playing against top Serie A competition anyways...

EDIT: Oh yeah, and I forgot that Roma also had Michel Bastos that year too, who made 16 appearances that year. Bradley had no chance to see the field at Roma...

It was the right move to get away. It's his life and all. But there definitely would have been no shortage of suitors if he wanted a transfer within UEFA. The other thing is, he's basically our best player. And our best player couldn't get regular time at Roma. That's enough for me to put the talent level of the USMNT in the proper perspective.

 

[ZooCougar]

Your overall theory seems to be that everyone lessens their game when they leave Europe for MLS. Except, of course, total who aren't set back and still perform on the international level.

Your mind is becoming an interesting place.

Like who for example? Bradley's game has regressed. Dempsey is getting old.

Look at Drogba and Giovinco tearing up MLS. Then tell me with a straight face that it isn't a big step down compared to the big four/five in UEFA.

 

[UConnDan97]

It was the right move to get away. It's his life and all. But there definitely would have been no shortage of suitors if he wanted a transfer within UEFA. The other thing is, he's basically our best player. And our best player couldn't get regular time at Roma. That's enough for me to put the talent level of the USMNT in the proper perspective.

One of our best players (because he never was our best player IMO) couldn't get any playing time at Roma, that's true. But Roma is an extremely good club with world-class players on their roster. All five of the midfielders I mentioned are national team players for their respective countries (Italy, Bosnia, Belgium, Italy again, Brazil), and all of the nations they play for are better than the USA, unfortunatly. Yes, even Bosnia, with players like Pjanic and Dzeko to name a couple.

There is no shame being behind those players. But you are indeed correct that it should put our national team in perspective. I hope that people don't fall for those idiotic FIFA rankings, where the USA could be ranked 29 while countries like Costa Rica, Poland, Greece, and Sweden are in the mid 40's, or while countries like Nigeria, Japan, Australia, and Ireland are in the 50's. And sadly, I don't believe that Klinsmann has made us any better. Certainly from a defensive standpoint, we are much worse. The outlook is somewhat dark right now, and I hope that either he or his successor finds a quick way to right the ship before the next World Cup is on our doorstep...

 

[ZooCougar]

One of our best players (because he never was our best player IMO) couldn't get any playing time at Roma, that's true. But Roma is an extremely good club with world-class players on their roster. All five of the midfielders I mentioned are national team players for their respective countries (Italy, Bosnia, Belgium, Italy again, Brazil), and all of the nations they play for are better than the USA, unfortunatly. Yes, even Bosnia, with players like Pjanic and Dzeko to name a couple.

There is no shame being behind those players. But you are indeed correct that it should put our national team in perspective. I hope that people don't fall for those idiotic FIFA rankings, where the USA could be ranked 29 while countries like Costa Rica, Poland, Greece, and Sweden are in the mid 40's, or while countries like Nigeria, Japan, Australia, and Ireland are in the 50's. And sadly, I don't believe that Klinsmann has made us any better. Certainly from a defensive standpoint, we are much worse. The outlook is somewhat dark right now, and I hope that either he or his successor finds a quick way to right the ship before the next World Cup is on our doorstep...

Unfortunately, people not only fall for the rankings but also take friendly results good or bad WITHOUT a grain of salt.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

And sadly, I don't believe that Klinsmann has made us any better. Certainly from a defensive standpoint, we are much worse. The outlook is somewhat dark right now, and I hope that either he or his successor finds a quick way to right the ship before the next World Cup is on our doorstep...

Next year's Copa Cup in the US should paint a clear picture of where the US is in terms of level of play. If JK cannot turns things around by then (make it to the semifinals at least with a tournament featuring Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico & the US), I think the powers that be need to make a change then before the Hex begins in earnest.

 

[SAMCRO]

Next year's Copa Cup in the US should paint a clear picture of where the US is in terms of level of play. If JK cannot turns things around by then (make it to the semifinals at least with a tournament featuring Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico & the US), I think the powers that be need to make a change then before the Hex begins in earnest.

Semi-finals? Let's see the group we are in and who they'd need to beat in the quarters before making that call. There is s good chance they will draw Brazil or Argentina in the quarters. Im more interested in seeing how they play in the next round of CONCACAF to qualify for the Hex.