If you're looking for fire, brimstone, anger, rage, yelling, screaming, ranting, bitterness accompanying a bolded, over-the-top, capitalized shout to "FIRE BOB BRADLEY!", then I'm not your guy. If you're looking for the Bob apologist, the writer that will tell you calmly that it's also on the players, that you can't blame Bradley for things out of his control, and that the US program just isn't up to snuff so firing the coach would actually be a mistake, I'm also not your guy.
Confused? Sorry about that. Let me explain.
Instead of waiting for US Soccer to fire him, Bob Bradley should resign, and he should do it immediately. He's done nothing to improve the team over the period of his tenure, and it might be argued that the US has actually taken a step back in recent months. Excuse after excuse is given for poor US performances, be it the environment (El Salvador and Costa Rica), injuries, players out of form, etc.; all those excuses do is give the USSF and Bradley a way to shirk responsibility for what is clearly a mediocre team. But Bradley has not shown those of us that care passionately, as small a group as we are (more on that later), that he has any sense of how to not only improve the team, but get the most of the players available to him. When you're out of ideas, when you find yourself in a rut that leads nowhere and that you can't seem to extricate yourself from, it's time to man up and get out.
Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if Bradley showed some spark, some hint that he's actively working to make things better. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if something changed with the make up of the team, if players who actually show some ability to contribute beyond the traditional American aspects of hustle and effort were put on the field. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if there was a light at the end of the tunnel, if we had some reason to hope that things would get better over the course of the next year leading up to the 2010 World Cup.
When Bruce Arena was fired after a depressingly bad 2006 World Cup, the assumption was that the next hire would be an improvement; yet US Soccer chose Bradley, a man whose resume and experience was depressingly similar to that of Arena's. Instead of moving up the ladder after dumping the man who took the US farther in the World Cup than they'd been in over half a
Forget that nonsense that it's wrong to change coaches a year away from the World Cup. Forget the ridiculous notion that shaking things up now would actually hurt the team rather than help. How is it possible that things could get worse? Do you honestly believe that a coaching change could result in failing to qualify? The talent level across the team remains strong enough that getting through CONCACAF should still be expected, no matter who the coach might be. As I've said before, what has Bob Bradley done while in charge that any reasonably competent international manager couldn't have done?
I genuinely believe that Bob Bradley cares deeply about American soccer and about the future of the USMNT. I believe that he's probably a great guy, someone that many people are proud to be associated with. But those things don't necessarily make for great soccer coaches, and it appears that Bradley may be out of his depth. His reliance on players who have failed to produce on any meaningful level is bordering on ridiculous; the best guess has Bob reverting to his comfort zone, meaning players he's familiar with getting time over those with more promise or who those who haven't yet had the chance to prove themselves. Repeating the same mistakes over and over only solidifies my belief that Bradley is flat out lost, a man without a real concept on how to effect positive change.
And when that happens, it's time to go. Bradley should know that his ability to take the US in productive direction have been tapped out. He's no longer a coach that gets the most out of his team, a characteristic crucial for any US National Team manager, as effort and commitment are the only traits. they possess in abundance. Lack of focus is telling, and it reflects directly on the man in charge, whether you choose to put blame on the players or not.
So go Bob. Call it a day. Hand in your whistle and your USSF-issued track jacket, and head back to MLS or to a well-earned vacation. We appreciate your service, and we respect the time and energy you've put in. But you're doing is no longer working, and it's time to step aside for someone else with different ideas.
Please Bob, resign now. For the good of American soccer.
