Last week, when the United States kicked off their Confederations Cup campaign on Monday against Italy, I was forced to follow along through whatever means necessary, as I was chained to my desk here at my maddeningly frustrating job. Streaming video, while technically available, doesn't do well on computers built in 1997, and I simply couldn't stand the start-and-stop version of the match I was getting.

So it was Twitter, a match cast, and whatever audio of the call that I could find. I didn't exactly get to see it all while at work, but I managed to track with what was going on. Unfortunately, it wasn't good.

Thursday was the same story; scrambling for a working continuous feed, following along through Twitter, and attempting to not pull my hair out while the US failed miserably against Brazil. To say I was scared off of the workday watch might be a little extreme, but I certainly wasn't looking forward to my next foray. I'd been burned twice, burned bad, and I wasn't sure it was really worth the effort.

Nor did I expect I would have to go through it again, at least not until the World Cup next year, and since I plan to be independent of this crappy, crappy place by then, it might not even be an issue. With the US playing what was supposed to be their final group match on Sunday, I thought I'd be watching their last Confed Cup action from the comfort of my couch, with no midweek and midday match in their or my future.

Shocker of shockers then, when they not only whooped Egypt 3-0, but the Brazilians did them a favor and knocked off the defending World Cup champions 3-0 as well. Suddenly, I'm staring down the barrel at another workday of following along as my beloved National Team plays a match thousands of miles away while I (pretend) to work. Burned twice or not, I'm ecstatic I get to give it another go.

Maybe this time will be different. Maybe, even if they lose, I'll be scrambling to track down information about a game in which the Americans are playing well. Maybe there's even a teeny tiny minuscule chance that they might pull off a massive upset, and end Spain's record winning streak in the process. If that's not worth a return to the fire of workday watching, I don't know what is.

By the way, I may try a MFUSA first on Wednesday; since I can't do a liveblog, I'd like to have an open thread here where we can all throw in our two cents on the game as it happens in the comment section. Let me know if you think that's something worth doing. I know it will help me track with the game.

While Oguchi Onyewu plays in the South Africa with the USMNT, his agent has been busy trying to find a new home for the central defender. Rumors are rampant, and until today most had the American landing somewhere in the Premiership. Newly promoted Wolves, and former Yank-fest Fulham were just two of the clubs supposedly interested in Onyewu's services.

If new reports are to be believed, however, it's not England where Gooch will land, but rather Turkey, with perennial Turkish Super League power Fenerbahce.

Fenerbahce is a new courter for Onyewu's services, a club who's name hasn't come up at all to this point. Whether or not it would be the best move for the defender is obviously up to him, though it would seem that a move to Turkey would be based on money more than anything else.

I can't imagine Turkey is Onyewu's first choice. I would prefer to see him in a stronger league, as well as one that is available to us in the States on television. Fenerbahce isn't exactly the black hole of soccer, but the only time we will have any opportunity to see Onyewu with his club will be during Europe League play.

Obviously this is not a done deal, and is only being reported now as a rumor; I'll reserve judgement until it's announced by Onyewu and the club, something that's unlikely to happen until after he has completed his national team obligations.

Thoughts on Gooch to Turkey?

If you slept through Sunday, you missed a bit of excitement. If you slept though Sunday and you're a United States Men's National Team fan, then not only is there something wrong with you, but you're probably kicking yourself this morning.

If you did miss it, and I'm not sure how that's possible, the US defeated Egypt 3-0 in their final Confederations Cup group stage match, and with a little bit of help from Brazil, somehow made it to the semi-finals of the tournament.

Alright, enough with the review of fact that you should already know. Let's talk a little about the fallout.

This is how the story goes:

All of the people who were calling for Bob Bradley's head, all of those people who were vociferous in their displeasure with the direction of the team, have gone suddenly silent, been suddenly shamed into backing down, and suddenly no longer have a leg to stand on. Bradley showed his worth, so the haters should all go away, should all crawl back into the holes from which they came.

Bullcrap.

I'm sorry; although I'm not leading the "Fire Bob!" charge, I simply don't think that one game against an Egypt side that was clearly a shell of themselves buys Bradley a reprieve. One reasonably good performance out of three still doesn't cut it; if Bradley was as good a manager as yesterday's match makes him look, then he should have been able to put out competitive sides against Italy and Brazil.

Granted, Brazil look to be a juggernaut after the thrashing they administered to Italy, so perhaps we can forgive the US effort against them, if even just a little.

But I remain convinced that Bradley's tactics, team selections, and ability to convince his team that they can win is sorely lacking. One game won't change that, and the US still look like a side that will get beat in Azteca, stumble home in the second half of qualifying, then be three and out in the 2010 World Cup. While what I saw yesterday was encouraging and shows that this team does have potential, it also serves to shine a glaring spotlight on their recent struggles/failures, indicating that Bradley has done a poor job preparing them to play.

So I'm not yet backing down. If one game becomes two, and they play well against the unbeatable Spaniards, I promise to review the situation again. Until then, consider me encouraged but not yet convinced.

Let me know, if you were on the "Fire Bob!" bandwagon, if the win over Egypt has changed your mind. If you were a Bob defender, go ahead and crow; it's your right, and it's as good a time as any to state your case that he deserves to stay on.

A much happier post, one that focuses on the match itself and the great effort by the players with zero Bob content, should be coming later today.

Here it is boys and girls, a perfect example of why recording a podcast for release on a later day, and especially when the gap straddles a big match, is an iffy proposition. Alas, it's entirely too late to re-record the show, so you're just going to have to keep it all in the proper perspective.

On this weeks show, Zach and I discuss ESPN's MLS failings, the continually sticky stadium situation in Portland, the United States at the Confederations Cup (pre-Egypt), and bring in Kevin McAuley from the All Things Footy podcast to rail on the ineptitude of USMNT head man Bob Bradley.

The Match Fit USA Soccer Show, part of the Champions Soccer Radio Network.

LISTEN in the CSRN Media Player (up midday Monday)

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You can get the show in iTunes by searching "Match Fit USA", clicking here, or by subscribing to the CSRN iTunes feed (search "CSRN"), which includes the Match Fit USA Soccer Show, Winning Ugly Radio, the Glory Glory Leeds Show with Twiggster, and the newest addition to the lineup, Over to England with Lord Gadsby.

Just a little more after the jump.

I do feel the need to frame this weeks show with a little post-Egypt reaction, if only because so many National Team fans are on a high after the improbable result (and advancement) that occurred yesterday. I have not, no matter how well the United States played in their final group game, changed my stance on Bob Bradley. I still do not believe that he is the right coach to take the team into the World Cup next year, and that's a stance that one match won't alter. But just as I said before, I'm not sure he deserves to be fired. Instead, I'd like to see him voluntarily resign.

Our opinions and emotions can turn quickly when we passionately care about a team, and the US victory over Egypt yesterday is just the type of thing that can cause such a turn. One game is still one game, however, and for that reason I think this week's podcast, no matter the fact that its tone doesn't match the excitement that so many of us feel today, is a worthwhile listen.

Hopefully, this is the first step in a turnaround, and a real sign that the team and its World Cup chances will improve over the next calendar year. But until that is borne out through multiple results against quality teams and away from the comforts of hope, I refuse to back down from my belief that things are not as they should be.

End of rant. Feel free to rip myself, Zach, and our guest Kevin McAuley if you so see fit. I won't blame you.

As I begin this post, the United States is three minutes (stoppage time) away from completing an improbable victory over Egypt. Amazingly enough, they're also only minutes away from from advancing to the semi-final round of the Confederations Cup thanks to the 3-0 thumping that Brazil just administered to Italy.

To say that I'm stunned would be the understatement of a lifetime.

And not only over the improbably advancement; the final whistle has just blown, and the impossible has now happened. The US is set to play Spain in the next round of the tournament. I'm more stunned over this performance; with an Egypt side with everything to play for lining up against them, the US performance is all the more impressive.

So what does it mean? I honestly have no idea. I expect this goes to the players more than it does Bob Bradley, but it's really impossible to know. Perhaps Bob did figure something out after two poor performances, and righted the ship as he's paid to do.

What I do know is that this result makes the new MFUSA Soccer Show a bit irrelevant; it was recorded yesterday, and those of us involved did not see this coming.

But I plan to release it anyway. Mostly because the work is ninety percent done, but also because it illustrates just how quickly fortunes can turn in the world of international soccer. Plus, you get to laugh at us (though I think all that participated would still argue for the replacement of Bob Bradley).

Cheer to the US on a fantastic performance, and thank you Brazil for kicking the Italians around.

The Confederations Cup to this point of the United States Men's National Team has been an unmitigated disaster. Two matches, two poor performances, two defeats. In neither game, first against Italy and then against Brazil, did the Americans show any glimpse of being a team that could threaten to make some noise at next year's South African main event.

In fact, things have been so bad to this point, and some inconsistent play in CONCACAF qualifying previous to the tournament hasn't helped, that Bob Bradley is now taking some heat from fans.

A strong performance today, preferably a win, against African champions Egypt would go a long way towards easing some of that pressure. While Bradley will not completely be let off the hook, an improvement over the last two efforts might give at least a small segment of the American soccer community faith that the man in charge has some idea of what he's doing.

It's a tall order. Egypt has played exceedingly well in the Confederations Cup, first losing a back and forth match with Brazil 4-3, then defeating defending World Champions Italy 1-0 in a historic result. Just based on the eyeball test, American chances against a team flying as high as the Pharaohs would seem to be small. So small, in fact, that for many observers it's not a matter of victory, but more a matter of how bad the final margin of defeat will be.

One more chance with the "full-strength" squad to prove that he has a plan, one more chance to inject some flair and skill into a side that has shown none of either during their stay in South Africa; it's what faces Bradley today, with all USMNT supporter eyes on him. Many of us are convinced that the Princeton man has both lost his team and run out of ideas, and it will take an overwhelming turnaround against a nation that has played with and beaten two of the best teams in the world to change our minds.

If Bradley is worth his salt, if his defenders are right when they say that he deserves to stay on and see this World Cup cycle through, then the US will be much improved today. But if he is on his last legs as National Team manager, and the job is too big for him to handle, then we'll see another disappointing performance that will only server to increase the heat on him and rile up USMNT fans to even louder calls for his head.

For the players, it's all about pride. While they are still mathematically alive to advance in the tournament, the chances are so remote as to be laughable. As such, the effort is the focus. They'll certainly want to play well, and no one would suggest that they haven't done their best to win; but because the first two matches went so poorly (minus one solid half against Italy), there's extra pressure now to prove that they belong on the world stage of international soccer.

I have no idea what to expect. I'm not even sure that Bradley has been shocked out of his shell, and will actually try to put a team on the field that has a chance of scoring against Egypt. I worry that we'll see the same mistakes made today that we saw in the previous two matches; namely, players who have no business playing a significant role for the Nats standing on the field when kickoff comes (hi, DaMarcus), while players that have yet to be given an chance and that could add a new dimension to the American effort sit on the bench (hello, Jose). My faith has been eroded, and I can no longer bring myself to have hopeful expectations.

I want to know how you feel today, both pre- and post-match.

Ahead of the game, do you have faith that Bradley will shake things up or manage to get a full, cohesive effort out of the team? Will a strong performance persuade you that Bradley should stay on to see out qualifying and lead the squad to the World Cup next year?

Come by after the match and share your impressions, as we all attempt to put whatever kind of game they play in perspective.

The US Gold Cup squad is out, and there are some notable names on the list. Kenny Cooper finally gets another shot with the National Team, along with the the in-form Davy Arnaud, and Columbus Crew midfielder Eddie Gaven.

Here's the complete list:


It's a camp roster, of course, but there are a few more names that stick out for me other than those returning to the fold like Cooper and Arnaud. Eric Lichaj, a young defender with EPL side Aston Villa, is a player National Team fans will be keeping a close eye on. He's a bit of an unknown quantity for me, and I'm anxious to see him play, if he gets the chance.

Your thoughts on this roster?

No matter your position in the suddenly-hot debate over Bob Bradley's worth as US National Team coach, the movement advocating his firing (or resignation) is an interesting window into the soccer culture of America.

Without the mainstream media microscope of the more popular sports, soccer is left with a few paid journalists and a cadre of amateur soccer bloggers. This collection of blogs, no matter their narrower reach individually, has a reasonable influence as a combined community.

It's the weight of many voices being brought to bear that has me intrigued; putting aside for a moment my own feelings on the matter, I'm heartened to see an organization (US Soccer) that has too often been given a free pass by those in within the American soccer community's mainstream media be put on notice by bloggers across the Internet. Believe it or not, more pressure on US Soccer is a good thing; without a reasonable amount of accountability to those of us who truly care about the program and the National Team's direction, Sunil Gulati and those in positions of power can continue to act with impunity.

More than likely, the feelings of dissatisfaction and expressions of them by writers of all qualities and worth will mean nothing in the big picture. The full weight of thousands (roughly speaking; I have no idea how many there actually are) of bloggers is still only one straw on the back of US Soccer's camel. It would take many more straws from many more writers with more influence and higher profiles to create any legitimate pressure that might somehow affect change. But make no mistake; Soccer House knows we're out here, be we journalists, bloggers, or commenters. With every "FIRE BOB!" blog post and "It's time for a change" article, bloggers make an impact, no matter how small it might be.

And so, I'm encouraged. Soccer may not get the attention it deserves, or have the talking heads breaking it down here like it does in so many other footballing nations; but there are people speaking out, and doing so loudly and with passion, and in the end, that's just about all we can ask. It will take time for the head honchos of US Soccer to really be swayed by the winds of public opinion and the force of collective pressure. In the world of new media and direct access, it's bloggers and their readers who will slowly build to that crescendo; the time is coming, and today's backlash against Bob Bradley and a plateaued USMNT is only the first domino to fall.

It's Friday, and little of note is likely to happen today, so forgive me if I've let my mind wander a bit. But everyone's favorite Euro snob, the man Ginge, suggested something intriguing on this week's Match Fit USA Soccer Show that deserves a bit more exploration. He suggested, in passing and without much explanation, that perhaps the United States' two most heralded attacking players might actually have trouble playing together. I'm speaking of course, of Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey.

Ginge's suggestion, which caught me by surprise a bit initially, now seems like a reasonable thought if we go by the form of both players when wearing National Team colors in recent times. Neither has exactly burned up the pitch, and Dempsey in particular has seemed to only show up during a match when making a mistake or dribbling himself into a turnover. Donovan's work rate is unmatched for the Nats, but what has he done of note besides put in the occasional penalty kick?

This is sticky idea, the thought that perhaps two of the Unites States' best attacking options don't work on the field together. The particulars of breaking it down are well beyond my tactical knowledge, and it would be irresponsible of me to dance around and generalize in order to back up the concept.

So I put it do you: Is there anything to the notion that Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey are the American Gerrard and Lampard, two players whose similar abilities and need for the ball make them somewhat incompatible when playing together?

Remember; it's Friday, there's little to talk about that we haven't already covered around here, and I admit that this is mindless space-filling nonsense. Consider it a pre-weekend pointless debate (I like that. Might have to make it a regular feature of MFUSA).

My latest MLS Daily column, which I wrote late last night while waiting for my ever-so-brief South African radio appearance, is now up on that site.

As always, check it out and give me your feedback.

TFC 'Miracle' Boosts Champions League Hopes For MLS

By now, I'm sure most of you have seen my plea for Bob Bradley to resign his post as head coach of the United States Men's National Team. I made specific note of Bradley's inability to properly prepare his team to play, and essential part of any coach's duties. To borrow several cliches, Bob has failed to "coach them up" in a way that satisfies the basic requirements of his job (in my opinion), or to put it another way, he's "lost the locker room". These seem to me to be very American concepts, ones that we might hold even more dear than our footy-loving brethren from around the world.

The potential, if unlikely, termination or resignation of Bradley brings up an obvious question: What attributes, beyond the mandatory tactical knowledge and understanding of the game, would we want in our new national team coach? Simply put, if you were to lay out the type of manager you would want to lead our team out of the recent doldrums, what would he be like?

I've heard, on more than one occasion and from disparate voices, that the US either needs an American at the helm to relate to American players, or should bring in a "superior" foreign coach to add a new element to the team. I refuse to believe that nationality has anything to do with good coaching provided the players have confidence in the abilities of the man in charge, and am ignoring this argument altogether. Why should it matter if a coach is Brazilian, English, German or American? If they can coach, why would we care where they come from?

That being said, here are a few things I would like my coach to have; feel free to agree or disagree and add your own traits to the list:

1. Proven Track Record

Players naturally respond to a coach that has had prior success, be it on the club or international level. If the players know that the coach has proved himself before, won championships or brought teams to heights they've previously been unable to reach, a confidence in his abilities that rubs off on the level of play is inevitable. Quite often, teams see an immediate improvement in their fortunes if the new manager has a stronger resume than his predecessor; I chalk this up to a simply explained increase in "belief" on the part of the players. If they feel like the manager truly knows what he's doing, they can focus solely on their own play, and leave everything else to him.

2. Ability to Motivate

With an overall talent level that puts them well behind many of the world's better sides, the Americans desperately need a coach that can get the most out of them for every match. Bradley has never struck me (and perhaps I'm wrong) as a motivational coach; his low-key demeanor comes off as entirely devoid of emotion, something that the USMNT must play with if they're to be successful. I can appreciate an "all business" approach when a team is made up of proven players who should know how to play together; that is not a description that applies to the USMNT, in any way, shape, or form. Hence, more emotion and passion is needed from the head man.

3. Ability to Make the Hard Decisions

It's something that many fans believe to be one of Bradley's larger failings; rather than shake things up and insert players that might be able to affect the team positively but are relative unknowns, Bob sticks with known quantities who's abilities (or lack thereof) leave us frustrated and the team toothless. The situation is screaming for a coach who is willing to work outside of the "Bradley Box" and move on to players who might have more to offer than the typical hardworking effort. Removing a consistent starter is always a tough decision, and Bradley seems incapable of making it. Bring on someone with enough independence and chutzpah to pull the trigger on a major change.

These are just a few traits, and it's in no way a comprehensive list. While I'm not suggesting specific individuals for the job, I do think that someone on the opposite end of the spectrum from Bradley is necessary if a change was to be made. You can't stick with the status quo, even in terms of coaching style, if you're going to replace the manager a year away from the World Cup.

Two questions for you as you consider these thoughts and express your own below: what else would you add to the list, and is there a manager currently available to US Soccer that fits these traits?

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 decade century (oops), US Soccer took the path of least resistance and hired another middling American coach. Despite an early run of "success" that gave Bradley some credit with USMNT fans, the team has crashed back to earth, becoming a poorly directed team with little to no signs that thing will improve at any point in the foreseeable future.

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.