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Soccer Mon Aug 30 2010
US Soccer Extend Bradley's Deal Through 2014
Among a whole flurry of rumors that US Men's National Team coach Bob Bradley (38-20-8) would be fired or signing on to coach Aston Villa in England - it looks like he'll just stay where he is. US Soccer announced today Bradley will coach through the end of 2014, which means he'll lead USAMNT through the 2014 World Cup in Rio.
The move took many observers by surprise. Most coaches' tenure leading national teams are short, and the 52 year old Bradley didn't exactly blow anyone away since he was hired in 2006. Making the finals of the 2009 Confederations Cup - and beating Spain en route - was definitely the highlight, but Bradley's identity is marked more by his consistency and discomfort taking any risks in the team's roster or style than it is with any particular result.
And now, despite the rumors that the former German star Jurgen Klinsmann - the man responsible for the overhaul and resurgence of the German national team - would try to overhaul US Soccer, the taciturn Bradley will get four more years. It's exactly the consistent, internal, steadfast decision you would expect from US Soccer - only time will tell if it's the correct one.
US Soccer put up some of Bradley's stats, and here are some interesting numbers on returning coaches, via Grant Wahl:
Of the 49 repeaters with the same country, 22 fared worse than the national norm, 18 fared better and 9 fared the same. (Recent results were still pretty poor, though: Only 2 of the 12 repeaters from 1994 on have fared better than their national norm: Norway's Olsen and Romania's Anghel Iordanescu in '98.)
And don't forget, USAMNT plays Poland at Soldier Field on October 9th.
