- Jason Davis

Zurich is the hub of the universe, at least for now. Blatter's reign of willful exploitation of the world's game is just a day away from a disheartening four year extension, and only the English (and now, as I write this, the Scottish) seem to care enough to question the process. Jerome Valcke's public pronouncements that everything is fine would be meme worthy if they weren't so depressing and even emoticons in his email to Jack Warner don't provide much glee. It has even become difficult to find the corner of our souls that will let us laugh at Sepp's usual antics; the stonewalling, the attempts to shame those who would question the leadership of FIFA, the odd turns of phrase that equate proper journalistic behavior with whatever it is Sepp thinks happens at a bazaar.

-Jason Davis

The North American Soccer League's attempt to become the sole proprietors of second division soccer in the United States and Canada took a hard right into a telephone pole today. Brian Quarstad of Inside Minnesota Soccer is reporting that the NASL's application has been rejected by US Soccer, presumably due to the inability of several clubs to meet new standards imposed after last year's NASL-USL forced marriage.

What can I say that hasn't been said?  There's only one angle that matters, that FIFA finally crossed whatever lines remained that it hadn't managed to cross already.  As Americans, we're disappointed we won't have the World Cup at home again.  As soccer fans, we're angry that FIFA so baldly flaunted what we knew all along; that they're corrupt, incompetent, or both.


Jolly old Sepp, with an ego the size of an imaginary stadium in the desert (built by whom, exactly?), and a brazenness so stunning it sounds like the stuff of fiction.  If Sepp was a character in a movie, we'd chuckle at just how over-the-top his clownish act is.  Blatter's sanctimony, as he swings the World Cup like a censer across various "new territories", cannot conceal the blatant and transparent (as opposed to the voting system, which is not) money grab of soccer governing body.  Sure, Sepp gets to play football pied piper, and the World Cup going to Russia and Qatar is a fine thing in that way; but when the process is so rife with abuse of power, something should, and must, change.

In light of the "news" that Bob Bradley is interested in the manager's job at Aston Villa, I've been pondering the approach of US Soccer to their as-yet-unresolved head coach situation. If Bradley is actively searching for a new gig, whether he has a legitimate shot at landing at Villa or not, it is incumbent upon US Soccer to search out possible replacements simply to cover themselves should Bob instigate the divorce. But the crux of the matter is still Bradley's status in the eyes of Gulati; what factors are the Fed considering in making a decision on Bradley, and how does his level of interest/disinterest in staying on play into those factors?


In addition to the general discontent coming from the fan base, the matter of "settling" comes into play should he be retained; Bradley clearly wants to take the next step in his career path, and US Soccer has shown no rush to sign him up for another cycle. If Bradley is unable to land another job, or if US Soccer wants to move on but does not have a viable alternative in mind, then an extension will look like a result no one really wants but is forced to accept. In the end, that may hamstring Bradley going forward, or serve to raise the level of discord in the fan base to a fever pitch. US Soccer has proven to be resistant to outside pressure before, but with the second four years of the Arena era having ended so poorly, patience on the part of everyone will be short.


US Soccer has already made their bed. Bradley's contract remaining in place until December gives the illusion that time is on their side; with months to go, there is seemingly no reason to rush into a decision. But with friendlies on the post-World Cup calendar (one in the books, more to come), the Fed gives the impression they're dragging their feet. Every friendly is an opportunity to improve, evaluate, move forward; if Bradley is not going to take the team into 2011, then US Soccer is failing to properly take advantage of those opportunities. FIFA has set aside the dates, and US Soccer is using them; why not then have some semblance of certainty at the most important job so they don't come off as simple money grabs? Can US Soccer afford to let those dates go by, effectively throwing the rest of 2010 out as part of the process?


The elephant in the room, or ghost of an elephant perhaps, is the candidacy of Jurgen Klinsmann. The dance that ended so poorly in 2006 still looms large over any possible talks with the German legend. Nevertheless, many US fans hopeful the second time will be the charm, believing Klinsmann to be just the guy to take the US to the next level. With Bradley's status still undetermined, and the public nature of the negotiations four years ago, perhaps US Soccer is either refraining from exploring the Klinsmann option again, or is keeping a tight lid on any discussions.


Or did US Soccer learn a lesson? I find it difficult to believe that the same issues that torpedoed Klinsmann's hiring back in '06 aren't still in play. If Gulati and US Soccer were unwilling or unable to meet Klinsmann's demands then, why would they be more likely to do so now? Unlike '06, the outgoing manager, who isn't outgoing quite yet, didn't burst into flame on his way to the exit; the impetus to make a splash or hire a big international name is much less, meaning Klinsmann's leverage is also not as great. If both sides hold the same hard line they did four years ago, there's not even reason to come to the table.


I don't doubt that Bradley would be as committed as ever should he sign an extension and remain USMNT head coach. But I do wonder what public perception might be should he stay on after outwardly stating his interest in a job elsewhere; not only does US Soccer take an image hit for bringing back a coach who would prefer to move on, but the job itself is diminished because it appears no one interested and qualified stepped forward. To this point, no possible replacements have surfaced in anything other than shaky rumors and wishful thinking. Does that mean no one wants the job, or is Bradley's status holding up the process of lobbying/recruiting that might otherwise take place?


My general sense has been that most people view balance of power as fairly one-sided. If US Soccer wants Bradley back, he'll be back; with nothing but weak links of Bradley's name to jobs abroad, his perceived leverage is almost non-existent. But Bradley does have a bit of power in one sense; because his contract runs until December, and because he can use the time to throw his name into various hats in England and elsewhere, he effectively forces US Soccer to make a unilateral decision to let him go with his contract still in effect or sit on their hands until the contract runs out. The former is more palatable if a replacement is ready, but if US Soccer is waiting to flesh out Bradley's future before searching out candidates, there can't possibly be anyone ready to step in on a permanent basis.


That might mean another interim coach, ala Bradley in the first half of '07. I'm sure the natives would be mighty restless if that should come to pass; the need to install an interim manager could rightly be viewed as an inability on the part of US Soccer to fill the job in a timely and successful manner. There would be no Klinsmann dance and resulting broken hearts to explain it away this time around.


If US Soccer comes to the realization that they have no other options, or none that would be a clear step in a different/positive (this is subjective, of course) direction, then Bradley should probably be retained. But Gulati planted a seed of doubt with his post-World Cup comments, and bringing back a man that engenders ambivalence in the fan base on his best days is hardly a way to raise the profile of the job and the team. That the coach himself was itching to test different waters before signing only heightens that problem; if everyone involved appears to want to a different outcome, another cycle of Bob Bradley as USMNT manager looks like a marriage of convenience. It's difficult to build excitement around a marriage of convenience.


With eight year regimes few and far between, and the end of Arena's time a bad memory, there's always the chance that Bob doesn't make it through another four years. If Gulati and US Soccer have any reason to conceive of that possibility, renewing marriage is probably not such a good idea.

Apparently, a report from Martin Rogers of Yahoo! on the possibility of Bob Bradley staying on the job for another four years slipped right by me.


I'm guessing that's because anything short of "Bradley Signs Extension" or "Bradley Let Go" is just so much noise; the lack of any real movement on the issue has numbed me to anything that isn't an actual decision. US Soccer is dragging their feet, Bradley is floating in limbo, and the rest of us sit by and grouse about it taking so long.


Oh, and dispensing our opinions on whether Bradley should stay or go; while a few have made the case for Bob to stay on (MFUSA's Jason Kuenle for example), most of the vocal fan base are ready for a change. That doesn't mean that the program will fall apart should Bradley stay on, quite the contrary; but the mistakes Bradley made in the World Cup appear glaring, and are proportionally more important to most than his confident shepherding of the team through the last cycle.


Noah Davis tried to calm us down with a half-hearted defense of "More Bob" at USA10Kit. I respect Noah, and his opinion carries significant weight; still, even as I generally agree with him, I come away from his post feeling cold and uninspired. More Bradley means more of the same, and while that was good enough at times, it's hard to imagine the status quo will lead to dramatic steps forward.


Because that's what we're all anxious for, right? We know Bradley, we know what he does, who he likes to play, and the style with which he will try to win. We assume the unknown, provided his replacement is capable, will bring something new, different, and presumably better, to the table. We don't know this to be true, but it tempts us nonetheless.  2006 got us so close to the Klinsmann era that some of us are desperate for it finally start.


I'm starting to get the feeling US Soccer doesn't have a viable alternative to Bob; remember, the scales were always tipped in Bradley's direction anyway because he didn't flame out Arena-style.  It might take truly magnificent candidate ready to step in to lead Gulati in a different direction.  The Fed's only viable foreign candidate with known interest in the job (that would be Klinsmann) probably hasn't changed his demands, and it's doubtful Gulati is ready to concede on them.  The fact that nary a word has leaked about other candidates points in the direction of Bradley remaining at least through December and possibly beyond, so when Bob and Sunil sit down this week, or next week, or whenever it finally happens, I don't think they'll be discussing Bradley leaving the job.


Even if Bob gets another four year mandate, it will be okay. Maybe not as okay with a tactically astute replacement at the helm and Ricardo Clark nailed to the bench, but it will definitely be okay. Bob is a good coach. The last four years undoubtedly taught him something, so we can only hope he puts those lessons to practical use.


There was more to this, but the post editor appears to have eaten it. And it's been a really bad day, so apologies if this seems a bit incomplete.

Twitter has exploded this morning with word that not only has Bob Bradley resigned as US National Team coach, but that he's on his way to becoming Aston Villa's next manager. The former would be big news on its own, but combined with the latter, we're talking super-gigantic-mega story. Bradley as the first American coach in the Premier League is very much this soccer writer's dream come true simply for the fodder.


Unfortunately, the "news" is nothing more than rumor at this juncture. US Soccer hasn't announced Bradley's resignation, Bradley hasn't announced Bradley's resignation, and nothing out of Birmingham indicates Bradley is even on the radar. This explosion of reports in various sources is a house of cards built on one report picked up by English-based outlets. This is the telephone game for the modern age.


The Timeline:


Wednesday-

World Soccer Reader posts a report based on an unnamed source that Bradley will not return as USMNT coach, with a press conference possible as early as this week. (Note that the language in this post has changed at least once, in addition to the "update" posted as some point between Wednesday night and Friday morning.)


Thursday-

WSR's report is twisted through various message boards and Aston Villa blogs.


Today (Friday)-

"Bradley has resigned and will be Villa's next coach" is picked up by talkSport, a national radio station in the UK. TalkSport is known to trade in speculation and rumor, and does not have a strong reputation as a news source. They do not source their story.

Simultaneously or near abouts, the price on Bradley as next manager of Aston Villa tumbles at online betting sites. Pushed by sudden wave of money placed on Bradley, the bookies drop their prices dramatically. Rather than an indication that Bradley is certain to get the job, the price drop is just evidence that the unsubstantiated rumors have led to a rash of betting on Bob.


Other outlets have picked up the talkSport report, sourcing only the talkSport website and noting that no official sources have confirmed the story.


Goal.com has it, referencing "reports."
Big general sports blogs have picked it up, leaning on the Goal.com story.


By now, the sheer breadth of the rumor causes it to go viral through social media and blogs, giving it an air of credibility despite the lack of confirmation. Keep in mind that no mainstream American outlets have picked up the story, and US Soccer vehemently denied Bradley has resigned on Wednesday, and again today.

***

A trail similar to this is responsible for many rumors, so by no means is this situation unique. It's also possible there's a grain of truth in there somewhere, despite the spurious nature of it all; WSR's original report made no claim other than that Bradley would not return for the next cycle. The validity of that report is up to the reader, considering that the source was unnamed. It's literally unprovable until something happens to either confirm (US Soccer announces Bradley's departure) or refute (Bradley's contract is renewed beyond 2010) it.


Until you hear otherwise, this, unfortunately (I'd be happy to see an American coach in the Premier League, at ANY club) is just a rumor.


Then again, I wouldn't be shocked if it's all completely true.

I guess we can call Soccernet's story today "news" on the future of Bob Bradley and the USMNT head coaching job; it's the first story I've seen indicating that Gulati is leaning in any particular direction.


We've examined the question of whether or not Bradley deserves another four years; simply on merit, it's a 50/50 proposition. Bradley made his mistakes, but did many good things while in charge during the cycle. He many deserve a chance to improve on past results, and there's certainly something to be said for continuity.


Sunil Gulati painted the US performance in South Africa as a disappointment despite some good feelings. This inevitably led many of us to conclude that he wasn't keen to keep Bradley, and that a fancy foreign name might "finally" be on its way. That's still a possibility, obviously, and maybe US Soccer is stalling for time while they sort out other candidates. Or maybe not.


Or maybe there's jealousy. Bob is a candidate at Fulham, a job that is expected to be filled next week. US Soccer says the club hasn't contacted them for permission to talk to Bradley, and since Bob's contract runs until the end of the year, they would presumably need to do so. Maybe an in-demand Bradley is giving US Soccer pause about letting him go.


Or perhaps no other options are coming through. Klinsmann might not have changed his demands for control, other candidates might not be available or interested, or the Federation sees no reason to change without making a splash or pulling in a truly accomplished name. Again, continuity isn't a bad thing.


US Soccer could also keep Bradley on the hook for the rest of the year and reassess in 2011. There's nothing that says they're required to give Bradley a new contract, or his release, right now. That doesn't seem prudent, but it's absolutely possible.


This is just the first clue, and a small one, on what the Fed will do. Hopefully the next one will come sooner rather than later.

Claudio Reyna's role as youth technical director for US Soccer, and with it the concept of structure and directed teaching as a means of producing talented players, is getting the once over by people asking relevant questions. How do you turn kids into stars? Does rigid structure stifle creativity? Will the US always be lacking because we don't have little Messis-in-waiting kicking a dirty ball around a dusty street like the youths of Argentina and Brazil?


All reasonable questions, and while Rob Hughes wonders about the benefits of locked down programs with their drills and regimentation, I find myself curious as to why there's no appreciation in America for the most important factor in the country's ability to produce world class talent:


Time.


The United States is a relative newcomer to this game of turning young players into world famous superstars. We've hardly had enough time to truly know where things are headed.


Common sense, if you're at all into that type of thing (and sometimes I wonder about American soccer fans...), tells us that the simple passing of time will lead to greater quantities of top level professional soccer players raised in America; participation is high, the sport is growing in exposure and relevance, and young players are likely to stick with the game longer than ever before because of those facts. If there are more and more top level pros, likely plying their trade in Europe at some point, then it stands to reason that one day, one of those pros will ascend to the level of "world class". It's more a numbers game than a matter of reaching down the youngest levels of organized soccer and moving things around in the hope of achieving better results. There are millions of American kids kicking balls around. A small portion of them will play professionally. A few will be stars, but most will show promise yet ultimately flame out or have undistinguished careers. None of that is unique to the United States.


It doesn't keep us from trying to "fix" it.


Because that's the major issue when it comes to American soccer, our youth programs, and the intense desire to produce better players. We just can't leave well enough alone. We're doers by nature, which means an irresistible desire to meddle, change, shift, rejigger, re-organize, and dictate, if only to make ourselves feel better that we're doing something. In some cases, it's the right thing to do. In others, the benefits are questionable.


Will the hiring of Claudio Reyna, and whatever change he affects, make a difference or be just another example of rearranging the deck chairs on a cruise ship that every indication shows is slowly steaming in the right direction?


As has been pointed out by others, it would seem the more important concern for Reyna and US Soccer should be access to the game rather than coaching standards for kids already playing it. I believe that Reyna is committed to providing access to soccer for kids who might not otherwise be able to get it. That alone would make his hiring a success in my mind, whether he established a universal curriculum for coaching or not. I hope he succeeds in that area.


American soccer culture, one that connects the youngest players all the way up to the professional game as it's played here, is just beginning to sprout. Roots laid down by decades of youth participation sat underutilized for too long for a fully functioning culture to exist; while that's no longer the case, it does mean that for all the players produced by the US in the past forty years or so, none of them benefited from growing up in an environment that was fully immersive. Academies run by professional clubs were non-existent until recently, just one example of changes to the landscape.


That, more than new programs, higher standards, universal curriculum and the like, will push America towards producing better soccer players.


Provided we give it time. Nobody likes to be patient.

Match Fit USA, along with a "Who's Who" of American soccer blogs, has been nominated for USSoccer.com's Best Blog of 2009. Thank you to all the nominated the site; we haven't even hit our one year anniversary yet, and I'm completely humbled by the support.


I'm also humbled, and rightly so, by the company; from the in-depth USMNT analysis of The Shin Guardian, to the all-around excellence of Pitch Invasion (my favorite blog), as well as the journalistic chops of sites like Soccer By Ives, Soccer Insider and No Short Corners (not to mention the great team-centric work of Hillcrest Road), the list is formidable.


I have no real delusions of winning, but I implore you to vote for whomever you think is the best blog out there. You really can't go wrong, but if you do choose to vote for MFUSA, I thank you in advance.

The voting page is here.

US Soccer is taking nominations for their "Best of 2009" series, so head on over and pick your favorite soccer bar, specialty store, fan photo, and blog. Far be it for me to tell you what to choose, but I might have a suggestions in at least one of those categories...

The World Cup is a scant 231 days away. Twenty-three nations have qualified as of this moment, and frantic preparations are already underway.

For the United States, one of those twenty-three qualified countries, "preparations" boils down to: scheduling friendlies to ensure Bob Bradley has the proper forums to evaluate his player pool, securing a training base and accommodations in South Africa that give the US the best chance of playing well, and slipping cash to Sepp Blatter so the Americans get in the seeded pot at December's group draw.

Okay, so they're probably not doing that last one. But the first two are crucial elements of the run-up to any World Cup; as we saw in 2006, Bruce Arena failed to properly test his squad during the warm-up months, and it did them no favors, while the competition for the best training bases is fierce (and for good reason) in a nod to comfort and physical-conditioning.

We'll get to the friendlies later, though it is good to see that the US will take advantage of both of November's FIFA dates by taking on the challenge of playing in Europe, a place they have traditionally struggled.

Training Base & Accommodations

Believe it or not, US Soccer took care of this piece of business way back in June, just before the start of the Confederations Cup; they secured facilities at Southdowns College located in Irene, a town just south of Pretoria and thirty miles from Johannesburg. Southdowns was the training base for Italy during the Confederations Cup, and comes highly rated (by whom, I'm not sure). Included in the package is accommodations at the Irene Country Lodge, a few miles away from the college.

The facilities boast several fields, a gym, and a swimming pool.

One of the acknowledged problems of playing in South Africa is altitude; several World Cup host cities rest near or above a mile high.

A list of the altitudes of the host cities, in feet above sea level:

Johannesburg: 5500
Pretoria: 4400
Cape Town: 130
Duban: 26
Port Elizabeth/Nelson Mandela Bay: 200
Bloemfontein: 4400
Rustenburg: 3780
Nelspruit: 2200
Polokwane: 4050

Pretoria appears to be a nice balance between the ultra-thin air of Johannesburg and the lower altitudes of the coastal cities.

Southdowns can be seen here and here, in photos taken during the Italian National Team's stay there in June.

The first to respond to the call for new writers for MFUSA, Brian Morse has the interesting story of how he picked up the phone to the voice of the President of US Soccer himself, Sunil Gulati.

by Brian Morse

“Brian Morse speaking"

“Brian, this is Sunil Gulati”

A phone call from Dr. Gulati, president of the US Soccer Federation, was certainly not how I expected to start my Tuesday morning. It was 10:15 and I was in no state of mind to have a meaningful conversation with the most influential member of the US Soccer community.


How did I get to this point? Why was this man calling me at work? He told me he only had fifteen minutes before he had to begin his lecture course on the principles of economics at Columbia University. He said that he had to talk to me before it got underway.


Let's go back awhile, to December 2006. The US Men’s National Team hadn’t played since losing to Ghana to close out their 2006 World Cup campaign. I was still bitter about the USMNT’s showing in the Germany. The squad had showed no heart, and little fight. As a result, Bruce Arena, the most successful USMNT coach of all time, was not asked to come back for the next World Cup cycle. My beloved national team was without a manager and had been since July. Juergen Klinsmann had just withdrawn his name after months of speculation and I was fed up with the months of non-action by the USSF. My brother Stephen, who was equally disappointed with US Soccer’s inability to get Klinsmann under contract, suggested I email someone at US Soccer to speak my mind. Why not go straight to the top? Stephen was a graduate student at Columbia University, and had access to faculty email addresses, so he could get me Gulati’s Columbia contact info. It was perfect.


My first email to Gulati was short and sweet. I never expected a response from him, even though I certainly asked for one. I asked him why US Soccer couldn’t reach and agreement with Klinsmann and when oh when would US Soccer hire a new coach so at least we, the supporters, could begin the post World Cup healing process. Gulati, to my surprise, answered my cries, the pleadings of passionate supporter. He assured me that although the USSF and Klinnsman had decided to go separate directions, there was a big announcement to be made by US Soccer very soon. Could this really be? Was Gulati letting me get sneak a peek into the back room at US Soccer? Was it even really him? I immediately called Stephen to tell him that Gulati had actually answered my email, an email that could be have easily been brushed away as mad ravings from an irate fan.


True to his word, on December 8th, US Soccer did make a big announcement. The very announcement I had been dreading from the start; Bob Bradley was to be the new head coach. The announcement was not that big of a surprise to anyone familiar with soccer here in the States; Bradley had just come off a very successful season as coach of Chivas USA, had won plenty of silverware with the Chicago Fire and maybe most importantly was part of Bruce Arena’s coaching tree. To me the announcement couldn’t have been more crushing. As an avid fan of the Red Bulls (then the Metrostars) during Bradley’s stint with the team, I had only bad memories of him as a manager. Bradley oversaw the demise of local favorite Clint Mathis as well creating one of my most dreadful soccer memories by bringing the Metrostars B-team to an important late season game against the Revolution in 2003.


I immediately emailed Gulati again, this time more angry than sad. Once again he responded. This time a little less formal, as he was trying to calm me down. He reminded me that a few mistakes does not a coaching resume make. He asked for my patience and thanked me for my passion. He told me that he had full confidence in Bradley. Still it was unsettling that Bradley was given the job, and the fact he had an interim tag wasn’t helping prove Gulati’s confidence. This being said, I was proud of myself. I had gotten the man behind the biggest story in US Soccer since our collapse in Germany to correspond with me. The excitement died down over time, and the US was winning, so I had no complaints and no bones to pick. Everything was right in the world of US Soccer; everything, that is, until Hope Solo.


I had been following the Women’s World Cup in China with a fair degree of passion, but in reality I was just waiting like the rest of the US soccer public for our women to play in the final and be crowned champs. I got up early during the group stage to watch the matches play out live. I was discouraged by the result against Korea DPR, but I passed it off as the squad looking past the surprising Koreans. I tried to shrug off Greg Ryan’s decision to play in an unfamiliar 4-3-3 formation and play a man down while Abby Wambach was recovering on the sideline. The latter was a little unnerving, as it showed a degree of cockiness that always seemed to catch up with teams on a stage like this. These worries were soon forgotten as the US dispatched Sweden, Nigeria, and England with relative ease. Then the news broke that Ryan had decided to replace keeper Hope Solo with Brianna Scurry for biggest game of his coaching career. It was a truly shocking decision, especially looking back at it now. The loss to Brazil and the controversy which ensued was been well documented and dissected to the extreme. I decided to take a step back and look at an even bigger issue at play. Why hadn’t US Soccer come forward immediately after the loss and pledged their support to Greg Ryan? If they didn’t support what he did, why let him ban Hope Solo from the being a part of the squad for the remainder of the tournament? I dug up Gulati’s email address and let him know how disgusted I was with the federation’s apparent lack of action. Gulati had side-stepped questions about Ryan and Solo during post-match interviews, and I wasn’t going to let him side-step me.


Dr. Gulati –

Good Morning.

I am sure you have received numerous emails and phone calls regarding not only the match yesterday, but the controversy that followed. As a supporter of all our US National Teams, it seems clear to me that a response by the USSF itself is warranted in this situation. Greg Ryan’s pre-match decision to play Brianna Scurry over Hope Solo is certainly his to make, but to only have a post-match response to Hope’s comments from Coach Ryan is unacceptable to me. Either show full support for Ryan or let him go, don’t side step the issue. I am sure you will agree that in a team setting, when a coach displays a lack of faith in a player that has been performing well over a period of time, and his lack of faith appears to be flawed, there is certainly going to be a certain degree of backlash in the media and the locker room. It would be hard for me to believe that making the decision to bench Solo so close to the biggest game the USWNT has had in years doesn’t effect the morale among the younger players on the squad. Now what we have is a situation akin to the one that happened in Germany two summers ago, a coach hanging on without the full support of his squad, his federation, and its fans. Please Dr. Gulati, don’t drag this out like the selection process of the USMNT manager. I think you would be surprised by the number of people in the US Soccer family who are waiting for you to take control of this situation. Either pledge Coach Ryan the federation’s full support or put Ms. Solo on a plane back to the States.


Gulati answered me in typical politically correct fashion, assuring me he was disappointed along with everyone else. He was confident that the team would move forward in a positive way; hopefully with a win against Norway. I appreciated his response but I couldn’t accept his response. I was upset with US Soccer and I wanted answers. The loss in China was starting to stir up bad memories of the Men’s squad in Venezuela over the summer at the Copa America. I had never been satisfied with the reasons Gulati and Bradley had given regarding squad selection for that tournament, and I let my emotions guide me in my response.


Dr. Gulati:

I am assuming you by now realize how patient US Soccer fans have been during the last 18 months. I fail to see how we can continue to spin every loss, every setback, every disappointment as a step in the right direction. I also fail to see how this federation can continue to retain respect of the supporters when it refuses to step up and take real control of any major situation. You and I both are well aware that around the world the USSF is not thought too highly of. Copa America and Ryan’s Folly are the cornerstones of another year to forget. What does US Soccer have to hang its hat on this year? Wins over Mexico? That’s like the Yankees saying there season was a success because they beat the Red Sox a few times. Why doesn’t anyone take charge at US Soccer and say that things like this are unacceptable? A federation is going to sit back and watch this and do nothing? Why does US Soccer never answer questions about the top issues that the fans have? The other major sports in our country certainly have their flaws but they are held accountable for their mistakes. The NFL brings back instant replay, Major League Baseball conducts an internal steroids investigation. Why can’t soccer supporters get a straight answer on why we brought our junior varsity to Copa America, what happened with the Klinsmann negotiations or why we only schedule friendlies with the same CONCACAF teams over and over? Why are we kept in the dark about the rumors that Nike dictates the teams decisions about where, who and when we play? Why don’t you at least come out and deny this?

At what point are Dan Flynn and yourself held accountable for being in charge of two FIFA Top 10 ranked national teams that failed to make an impact at their respective World Cups?


This email apparently touched a nerve with Gulati, as he responded to me hours before meeting with the press in Shanghai the day before the third place game with Norway. Gulati took a tone that I certainly did not expect from the man at the helm of the USSF. He let me know that he would not get into personnel issues with me in the middle of a world championship and went as far as to say that he had gone on record many times in the mainstream media as to why the US brought a lackluster squad to Venezuela, but it just had not been understood or accepted. I could definitely agree with that, not once on Fox Soccer Channel or anywhere else did I hear a real definitive answer on the Copa squad. I knew that I had his attention at this point, and decided to push him for an answer on something that had been bothering me and most US soccer supporters since the USMNT had been embarrassed in South America, an embarrassment that had seen the USSF’s integrity questioned by the general secretary of CONMEBOL. “We like for the continent's most important competition to be respected with the best players," Eduardo Deluca told reporters. He said the USSF decision "doesn't please us."


Why accept an invitation to a tournament you don’t plan on winning? To get caps for Marvell Wynne and Dan Califf?


Dr. Gulati:

Thank you for taking the time to respond to me directly on these topics.
I certainly appreciate your candor on these subjects. As I stated previously when you and I corresponded during Bob Bradley's hiring, there are certainly positives to having a federation where one can feel comfortable contacting the persons in charge. I doubt anyone in England is able to email Prince William or Geoff Thompson.
In regards to the squad selection for Copa America, I have to agree with you that the reasons behind the inclusion of some players on the 22-man roster were not understood or accepted. Why did such giant clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Arsenal release the likes of Messi, Robinho, and Gilberto Silva if they were not required to do so? I find it hard to believe that a club like Fulham would not follow suit by releasing the captain of a national team during its summer training. It's not like this was the African Cup of Nations taking place during the domestic season, it's safe to say we didn't even select our best 22 players from MLS. I don't think it would have been such a problem with the majority of people who follow US Soccer if there was not already a track record of Bringing sub-standard squads to international tournaments not named "Gold Cup."

I am sure will agree that in most cases there is a lack of soccer coverage in the mainstream media and when the major outlets do cover the sport there is usually a focus on what is happening in UEFA or CONMEBOL countries. Certainly you know that a lack of information leads to misinformation, hopefully this is the case regarding the Nike rumors.

This all being said, the bottom line is that I am big believer in US Soccer as a whole. The Development Academy Showcase this weekend in Carson is definitely something to be proud of as the USSF develops young talent for the future.

Good Luck and Safe Travels


Then it happened. Not five minutes after I clicked send the phone at my desk rang.


“Brian Morse speaking”

“Brian, this is Sunil Gulati”


Gulati and I exchanged pleasantries. He proceeded to launch a calculated defense of Bob Bradley’s squad selection. I was unprepared to respond intelligently. He was too well spoken, too organized, too powerful. He is the head of organized soccer in the free world, my heart was in my throat.


“Believe me”, he said, “we tried to get these guys”

I couldn’t muster anything better than an “okay” or “you’re right.”


He made several points that I already knew: Beasley and Onyewu were in between clubs, Donovan had been extremely vocal about not playing, and Everton wouldn’t release Tim Howard. He did tell me something that finally put me at ease, something Eric Wynalda, Allen Hopkins, and the rest of the usual suspects that cover soccer in the US had failed to mention during their Copa America coverage. Copa America is CONMEBOL’s domestic tournament. This is why the players for all participating CONMEBOL countries had to be released from their club teams. This is also why the US being an invitee to the tournament couldn’t cry to FIFA when the likes of Fulham, Everton, and others wouldn’t release our national teamers.


He asked me if I understood now. I did but I still had so many questions. Why bring Kasey Keller if you are just trying to get experience on a big stage for our young players? Why allow our younger players to be demoralized by a comprehensive defeat from a scarily talented Argentine squad? I never had a chance.


Was Gulati’s phone call a sign of life from within the front office, a place in American sports often vilified for its lack of passion and thought for the common fan? If it was, then despite all my misgivings about US Soccer and its checkered past, I feel like I can trust our national soccer team to this man. If it wasn’t, he will definitely be hearing from me again.

The USA World Cup bid committee has narrowed down the list of potential host cities to twenty-seven today; stadiums in each of these cities responded with interest with US Soccer back in April when the original site list was released.

The host cities and the stadiums still in the running:

Atlanta (Georgia Dome)
Baltimore (M&T Bank Stadium)
Boston (Gillette Stadium)
Charlotte (Bank of America Stadium)
Chicago (Soldier Field)
Cleveland (Cleveland Browns Stadium)
Dallas (Cowboys Stadium, Cotton Bowl)
Denver (Invesco Field at Mile High)
Detroit (Ford Field, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor)
Houston (Reliant Stadium)
Indianapolis (Lucas Oil Stadium)
Jacksonville (Jacksonville Municipal Stadium)
Kansas City (Arrowhead Stadium)
Los Angeles (Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Rose Bowl)
Miami (Land Shark Stadium)
Nashville (LP Field)
New York City (Meadowlands Stadium)
Oakland (Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum)
Orlando (Florida Citrus Bowl)
Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field)
Glendale-Phoenix (University of Phoenix Stadium)
San Diego (Qualcomm Stadium)
San Francisco (Stanford Stadium)
Seattle (Qwest Field, Husky Stadium)
St. Louis (Edward Jones Dome)
Tampa (Raymond James Stadium)
Washington, D.C. (Fedex Field, RFK Stadium)

This list will be further trimmed to eighteen before the US committee submits their final bid to FIFA.

Who would you leave off?

Tuesday is easily the roughest day of the week, on a fairly consistent basis, for yours truly. The bill paying job (as opposed to the much more rewarding but completely unpaid/bordering-on-detrimental-to-my-personal-relationships job) always get to me on Tuesday, with a mountain of work piling up in quick measure.

Don't worry, I'm going to spare you the details.

But because Tuesday is such crap, it means my mood takes an unfortunate turn for the worse; a bad attitude leads to writing of a decidedly negative nature, and this is what you get.

In the worst case scenario (to be outlined momentarily), does Bob Bradley keep his job?

The US National Team is faced with two tough qualifiers followed almost immediately by a trip to South Africa to play in the Confederations Cup. At least five matches, all against quality opponents, with only one taking place on home soil.

It's not a stretch to think that it might all go horribly wrong.

Let's suppose for a moment that the US comes to this end of this week without adding a point to their hexagonal total (meaning two losses). Losing in Costa Rica is somewhat excusable (although I hate that fact; there's no reason we should expect anything but a result, no matter the history at Saprissa), but a loss to Honduras at home would be a tough pill to swallow. The team, presumably constituted of the same players (with a few changes possible), would clearly not be headed to the Dark Continent with an abundance of confidence.

Which might spell disaster in South Africa.

Three games against two confirmed world class opponents and one on the verge doesn't exactly breed optimism. The Yanks could very well return home without earning a point in the tournament, ending June on a depressing low.

If the United States ends the month without a single result, both in the more important qualifying campaign as well in the world showcase of the Confed Cup, is Bob Bradley is danger of losing his job?

My guess? Probably not.

There is the "Klinsmann Factor", and I don't want to underestimate the man-crush that Mr. Gulati has on the Cali-German; but Bradley would seem to have built up enough brownie points that even a terrible June won't lead to his dismissal.

And to be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about that.

I've been fairly consistent in my belief the Bradley is not the man that should be taking the US into the World Cup in 2010 (provided we qualify). He's won the games he should have for the most part, and there really aren't too may blemishes on his record. But April's draw in El Salvador, no matter the environment, gives me pause. It's easy to assume that a "better" manager would have gotten a victory, and some of the blame clearly goes to the players; but it was exactly the kind of result that sets off alarm bells.

I don't want US Soccer and Gulati to turn into the FMF, ready cut a manager loose at the slightest slip up; but I also don't want them to become complacent and accepting of mediocrity if performance isn't meeting expectations.

Here's my caveat for bringing all of this up:

I don't expect it to happen, and I have faith that things will go well in June. But I think it's worth considering because it's certainly in the realm of possibility.

So what do you think? Should Bradley keep his job if June goes horribly wrong?