BRENT LATHAM – The three of you that have followed me for a while know that I haven’t always been the biggest Bob Bradley fan. For the rest, I’ll tell you that it’s been two years since I suggested Bradley get out of the way before taking this World Cup cycle down with him.
By last year’s Confederations Cup, I was noting some tactical improvement in Bradley’s game, but still a little dismayed by his personnel choices and late reactions to tactical necessities, for example the failure to do anything while Brazil overran the U.S. in the second half of the Final.
But like the U.S. team, I think we’re seeing a coach in South Africa who has grown considerably over the last two years. While his choices are still debatable, we’re far past the point where a commentator like me has any business saying I know better. When it comes to this American team, Bob Bradley knows best. So how did we get here?I don’t know.
I’m not sure at which point Bradley changed from the guy who would stick with players long past their reasonable usefulness to a coach who benches Rico Clark after a passable if unspectacular first match, send Jose Torres on for a half, then in a must win high-as-stakes-get final group match trots out Herculez Gomez up top.
Heck, a few months ago most thought Bradley was too stubborn to even acknowledge Gomez’ existence. Then he cut Brian Ching to keep him, among others.
This new Bradley pleases me greatly. Like the old Bradley, I don’t agree with all his decisions. I for one, wouldn’t have started Torres against Slovenia. Or Gomez against Algeria. Which probably makes me more conservative than “conservative Bradley.”
Who knew? Maybe it was Bradley’s plan all along to slog through qualifiers and friendlies for three years, winning only when necessary, then take the world by storm in 2010.
He’s a sly one, this new American coach. Unbelievable as it seemed just months ago, he’s probably headed for Europe next. And U.S. fans may be widely hoping he’ll stay.
Some turn of events. And there may be more in store this weekend. Stay tuned.