Fair warning: VERY LONG POSTBob Bradley held a conference call for the press today, and covered several topics related to the upcoming match with Mexico. The original audio is
here, and a transcript of the proceedings is
here. Listening the full audio requires a bit of a time commitment, at least party due to the fact that Mr. Bradley is very deliberate with his responses (the number of "uhs" from Bob would make for a great drinking game; you'd be plastered by the midpoint of the call).
I've selected a few of BB's answers on which I would like to comment:
Opening statement:
"It’s nice to have everybody on the call. We’re finally here in Columbus. It seems like we’ve been talking about this game for a long time and there is an excitement level everywhere we go. Of the players that we’ve called in, Landon will arrive later today, as will Jose Torres, but the rest of the players have arrived and we’re anxious to get a good training in this afternoon and get ready for the match."Nothing to comment on here, just wanted to provide Bob's open for anyone who might not get a chance to listen to the audio or read the transcript.
On the veteran leadership on the roster:
"Throughout qualifying we’ve relied heavily on that core of veterans. I think they help set a good tone in every camp and they understand what these games are all about. In the first game of a final round against a rival like Mexico, I think that kind of experience will be very, very important. We’re looking to those guys to lead us on the field."I think this is a fairly strong indication that Ching will start up front and Frankie in the back (the question specifcally mentioned those two players); as talented as Jozy is, Bob realizes how important experience will be in the match. Ching's a lot less likely to get butterflies over going up against the likes of Rafa Marquez.
On what he saw in Jozy Altidore that pushed him onto the roster:
"We think about the camps he’s been in and the games he’s played for us and we still see some qualities that we think fit well into our group. In a year where he has had some changes, and obviously just been put on loan, we still felt that having him in this camp, talking to him, seeing where he is and having him ready to go is important and something that will help our team." This was the very next question, after speaking on the importance of the vets. I got the sense that maybe Bob felt the need to defend his inclusion of Jozy, although it's clear from his answer that he wanted to expose the young striker to the environment that comes with a Mexico match. Bob expands on the importance of the environment for the young players in a later answer.
On whether he will play cautiously:
"There is the possibility of rain on Wednesday and I expect that the field is going to be fast. I think that early in the game it will be important to try to be the team that is aggressive in an intelligent way, trying to play in the other team’s end, connecting passes and finding a rhythm, trying to jump on the loose balls. Certainly in a game like this, beginning this round, the expectation is that the game will start out at a very fast tempo and we want to be ready for that."It sounds like Bob is letting on that the Americans may come right at the Mexicans, something that National Team observers will know it a little out of character for the coach. I'm inclined to take a "I'll believe it when I see it" attitude, but at least Bob is giving lip-service to attacking (to begin the game at least).
On whether it was important to limit the roster to 20 players:
"We figured all along that we’d bring in between 20 and 23 players. One factor is that it’s a single fixture date which just doesn’t give you that much time. You have to have some starting points when they come in but there will always be some decisions. We have a very short period of time to size things up. Players come in that haven’t played as much, but the flip side is guys that played on the weekend and we have to assess very quickly where they are physically. That’s sort of the way it works on a single fixture date and we felt that this was a good starting point for making those decisions."This is a subject that has some National Team supporters a little nervous; the fact that a lot of the big American guns haven't played together in months and only have a day or two to get acclimated to each other again can't be a good thing. There's bound to be rust to open the game, and the Americans may have to survive on energy and hustle alone for a period. Whoever ends up stating in the midfield will need to get something going quickly to keep the Mexican attack from dominating.
On whether there is a psychological advantage playing in Columbus:
"For the guys who have played in those games I think there is a good feeling about playing here. They enjoy the crowd that comes and roots us on. I think the fact that it’s a smaller stadium really ensures that the atmosphere on the inside of the stadium is great. As I mentioned earlier, especially when you play this time of year, the fact is that it’s going to be a fast field and a fast game. We’ve mentioned that a number of times over the past few years that when you play at night and the field is quick, it is really the kind of game that players get excited for. They all knew that would be part of Columbus and that’s certainly a good edge for us." Bob mentioning the fast field again. Obviously this is something that is very much on his mind. Keep this in mind as we move towards the game; all of Bob's decision at likely to be effected by this fast field factor.
On whether Mexico likes playing in Columbus:
"I’m not sure, but we hope so. I think when the game starts, there is going to be a lot of energy at the beginning of the game and we’re going to have to concentrate on getting the upper hand and playing our game." Bad transcription here; Bob's answer was actually to the question of whether or not the Mexican's
don't like playing in Columbus.
On whether he is concerned about the sharpness of players who haven’t been playing much with their club:
"Yes, that is a concern. Those are decisions that we make as a staff and sometimes in a training session, you don’t always get a great answer but you get a gut feeling, and in other cases you’re going on past experiences and a track record. There is no set way to make those decisions but certainly the fact that some guys haven’t been playing as much is a concern." A concern, certainly, but there's no way around playing guys that haven't been getting minutes recently. Essentially this is a non-answer, because Bob can pick and choose reasons for playing certain players, no matter their current situation.
On Mexico’s current form:
"We have a lot of respect for Mexico. The previous round of qualifying was a weird one for them. With the hurricane they played their first three games at home, they won each of those games and I think they took their foot off the gas. As we all know, away games in qualifying will always be difficult. When I watch them I still see the qualities of all the good Mexican teams, players that are good on the ball, mobility and the way they do things as a group and there are some individually talented guys, so we prepare for that."Coach-speak all the way, but probably a fair assessment on Bob's part. Mexico's struggles last year have absolutely no bearing on Wednesday night.
On Jose Torres’ qualities and experience against Mexico players:
"Jose is a player who is good with the ball, he sees things quickly. We’ve had him in a couple of camps and we’ve always felt good about the simple way that he connects the game to people around him. We’re excited that he’s a part of our national team and we’ll see him later today and I think that he’s someone who can help us in this game."Listening to the audio, it seemed like Bob was maybe dreading this question. He obviously had to know it was coming, and the reporter who asked the question was obviously a native-Spanish speaker. It's nice to see that Bradley is considering Torres, if only because it give solace to those in the supporter community who want to see the kid play against Mexico.
On how the team will gel with only a few days of training together:
"With the national team you have to believe that previous matches and training camps all start to build a foundation and that every time you come together, you can pick up where you left off. It is totally different than coaching a club team. You rely on a core group of players, leaders that set a tone in the camps. The way that we do things, the environment that we’ve created, we’ve tried to have as simple and solid a routine as possible so that every time we get together we can continue the good work." The answer is truncated; Bob specifically mentioned the "rhythm" managing a club versus managing a country. Continuity is something that the US certainly has on their side leading up to the hexagonal, as Bob's been on the job long enough to establish the "foundation" he talks about. Whether you like Bob or not, I think it's fair to say that the length of his tenure to this point can only help a team that must assemble quickly. He knows the players (for the most part), and they know him.
On whether he is disappointed to not have cold weather for this game:
"No, I think that we felt it was important to play in conditions that fit what a lot of the players have been playing in lately. Given that we do have a group of players that come from Europe I think the weather here on Wednesday will fit very closely with the weather they’ve been training in and playing in. I also think, which I believe is important, that when you’re playing a game around these temperatures, in terms of creating a fast game, a good game, some of my favorite games were played in these conditions. I don’t think we’re too concerned that it’s not that cold. I think it’s got all the makings of a great situation for the game." The weather theme runs through the conference, and Bradley did his best to deflect as much of the "disappointment" as possible. He certainly couldn't answer this question (and another later on) by moaning about the unseasonably warm weather that's hit Columbus this week.
On Mexico arriving two days earlier than usual to prepare for the game:
"They also have a number of players coming in from Europe. I think they understand what that’s all about. I read something the other day where a comment was made about Nery Castillo and I think that when you play for Shakhtar Donetsk you’re not that worried about cold weather. I think they have a core group that comes from playing in those conditions and I have to assume they felt that it would help the rest of them to be here for a few days leading up to the game." Bob's got a point about this one, but I still think their is a bit of an "institutional" problem when it comes to the Mexicans and the weather. The same applied for the Americans in Azteca; the physical realities of the situation are often outweighed by the mental hurdles those realities present. With the weather as it will be, it's a moot point anyway.
On the play of Sacha Kljestan:
"I think it’s been important for Sacha to develop a more complete game, to continue to improve and play at a higher level, to play an important role on the national team. You have to be able to take the things that you do and make them count more when the games are faster, harder and more difficult. I think like some of our other younger players, he’s in that process right now and we continue to see things that show us that he’s picking up on certain things that he’s improving. We’re also seeing some other things that we can point out that need to get better."It looks like Bradley's indicating that he still expects more out of Sacha defensively. It looks like he may start though, so let's hope he can adjust to the pace, intensity, and gravity of the Mexico game quickly.
On whether the U.S. is producing more good, young players:
"It’s an important part of any team. Charlie [Davies] and Robbie [Rogers] are good examples of players who have those qualities and they have been in the camp throughout January and we feel like there is good progress being made."I'm including this because Bradley is mentioned a couple of players that some supporters have pissed and moaned about being in the squad. Like Jozy, Bob might have included them in the camp simply to expose them to the atmosphere surrounding the game. We'll see if they are on the bench come Wednesday.
On the qualities of forward Brian Ching:
"Brian is a player that, anyone who has been on his team has tremendous respect for what he brings. He’s a player that goes into the spots on the field that really count. He makes plays in those areas which is obviously what a forward has to be about. He works very hard for the team. He’s a threat to score goals and because of the way he works for others, he’s always a guy who helps create opportunities for the players around him."The question leading to this response was asked by Glenn Davis of the Houston Chronicle, just to add some context. Nothing here leads me to believe that Ching
isn't starting, but then again, he was specifically asked about the striker, and Bob's certainly wasn't going to downplay his abilities after including him in the squad.
On whether there is a different mentality before a game against Mexico:
"Yes, you can tell from the way everybody arrived that there is a focus and a sense of excitement about playing Mexico." The most obvious question and answer in the bunch.
On Landon Donovan’s play at Bayern Munich:
"Landon has done well to establish himself in a team like that in a short amount of time. They have so much talent that it’s not easy to break through. Even a day like yesterday where he comes on as a sub, the score is tied 1-1 and he’s coming on for Luca Toni. That is a great statement in itself. As far as the future is concerned, obviously not all of it is in Landon’s control and that’s sometimes the way it works for a player. But I think the fact that he is looking for new challenges is important and if that continues to be the way he looks at things, I expect that there will be new places that he goes to down the road." Nice words for Landon; as a follow up to this, Bradley was asked if he thought Landon should stay with Bayern. His answer: "Yes."
On whether Freddy Adu was considered for this camp:
"Yes, he was considered. Without getting specific to any one player, if you look at the bigger pool of players that participated throughout qualifiers last year, it gives everybody a sense of the pool. There are many different considerations that we look at when we put a group together. I already mentioned that single-fixture dates are particularly challenging because of the short turnaround. Freddy is a guy that’s in our pool and a player that will continue to be looked at every time we come together."Bob moved the answer from the specific to the general very quickly, and indication that he doesn't want to speak ill of Freddy. From the answer, though, it's obvious that Freddy's club situation was viewed as too big of an inpediment to his being included for this game. Maybe Bob knows something we don't, and Freddy's on the verge of minutes at Monaco (hey, you never know).
On how the U.S. sometimes comes together to form a team that’s greater than the sum of its parts:
"I think the most important thing is how much it means to every one of these guys every time they get called in. When you go to Europe and try to have a career there, it’s not always easy. Players miss certain things about being in the U.S. and so there is a great camaraderie in this group of guys every time we come together. The first day they’re catching up on all sorts of things and I think that has always been a great thing to see. As coaches we always try to say that it’s a really important starting point every time we get together."While I guess it's fine for now that the team is "greater than the sum of its parts", here's to hoping that one day the team is sucessful while being equal to the sum of its parts (meaning we have high quality players all over the pitch).
On whether players feel that they have something to prove as Americans:
"Yes, that is true. Players are always trying to prove how much progress we’ve made in the United States. They’ve realized that accomplishments in the United States don’t count for much in Europe. That feeling exists and is certainly part of the motivation."No respect, I tell ya, no respect.
On whether the U.S. will be affected by the unseasonably warm weather:
"I don’t know for sure, but I doubt it will be 60 degrees at kickoff. I still think it will be the type of conditions that make for a good game. That’s what we were hoping for when we decided to come to Columbus, together with the kind of support that U.S. has always received when playing here." I can't remember who asked this question, but it clearly had a snarky tone. The reported mentioned that it would be 60 degrees on Wednesday, hence Bob's response. Again, he's downplaying the weather (as he should).
On the progression of Charlie Davies:
"Charlie left Boston College, went to Sweden and the first year in Sweden was not easy. His adjustment there took time and last year was an important step for him. He became a regular and he started scoring pretty regularly, which is one of the most important things for a forward. When we’ve had him back in camp we see that he has matured in these ways. He has great physical qualities. He’s still figuring out certain things like movement on the field and his concentration at times. Having him for a month has been great. If he was sitting here he’d know that in that month he had good days and he had days that weren’t as good as I thought they should be, but that’s all part of it. The bar gets higher and I think he’s responding pretty well to these challenges."It's looking more and more like Davies is a Bradley favorite, and I'm sure we'll see a lot of him this year.
On the pressure that the Mexican players and coaches are under:
"Certainly, the press in Mexico pays a tremendous amount of attention to the national team and with that comes pressure. The players are experienced with the press and they understand that. Sven-Goran Eriksson is experienced, too. It’s not the same in the United States, but nonetheless, as we continue to grow as a soccer country, more and more of that does take place. It has been mentioned that the U.S. has done well to earn its position in CONCACAF and we understand that there has been success in the past and that every time we step on the field, we have the responsibility to continue that progress. So, there is pressure, but it’s a little different than they have in Mexico. Coaches and players understand that that’s part of the game."The pressure on Bradley and the pressue on Eriksson are barely in the same solar system, much less the same ballpark. With no frame of reference, I'm sure Bob feels somewhat pressured; he obviously knows that it pales in comparison to what Eriksson and the Mexican players get, but as an abstract concept, he might now completely appreciate it. I
hope the pressure on Bradley (or whomever has the job) increases exponentially, both as a way of ensuring constant diligence in the position as well as because it will indicate a greater passion for the game in the US.
So there you go. Overall, there wasn't much groundbreaking information shared, but it did give the scribes some quotes to run with. I gleaned a couple of things from the call: one, Bob is more concerned with the pitch conditions and their potential quickness than he is with the weather (although I'm sure he would not mind a sudden cold nap Wednesday night), and two, he seems amenable to blooding one or two of the young players in the match. Simply from what he said, I think there's a decent chance we'll see Jose Francisco Torres come on in the second half.
Anyone else with any thoughts?
