I've been arguing that Donovan should be captain since I created my account. If Bocanegra fades in the next year and Donovan isn't around, then it has to be MB90.
Some of you just insist on creating a bad environment in our camp! It should be based on age and experience! Lastly the player has to be one who can play 90 minutes for every game in a tournament.
Any of the first three would be reasonable choices. (I'd personally prefer Donovan or Cherundolo to Timmy myself for a few reasons... for as long as they're both around, and in both cases there are question marks.) For captain, I think I'd choose Dempsey right after some newbie like Zusi and just before Freddy Adu. Michael Bradley will almost certainly captain this squad eventually unless injury forces him out of the game or something. That much is a no-brainer. I think it's just arguable whether he'll take it over any of the "old guard" that you refer to. Given that there are issues of just how much of a likelihood they'll see out the cycle (and Dempsey being so obviously a poor choice), I'd say it's "realistic," but maybe a little less than "likely."
Maybe the answer to the question "why is Boca the current captain?" may help answer the question of who should be the next captain. There is much more to being an effective captain than who is the best player currently on the field (LD), who deserves it most (LD), who is the clutch performer on the field (LD) or even who will the troops follow in battle on the field (LD).
Well, a 90 minute lock who may be close to the best player on the team, has the most caps since the end of the 2006 World Cup and the most caps in official matches since the end of the 2006 World Cup sounds like an excellent option to have. So I don't think age or experience is a problem.
And here I was, thinking that Ives would have a juicy scoop from Klinsmann on this issue rather than inane babbling on inevitable stuff that we already knew. Meh.
I have been saying this here since the Bradley "controversy" days. Bradley is the captain of the future. The biggest reason is that he is committed fully to not only showing up for camps and matches, but he shows up and plays like he wants it. The guy never puts in a half-efforted match. I have heard that he's just as serious about training. He epitomizes American football. The achievement, the focus, the effort, the early baldness, etc. He's kind of a transitional figure: he has the disposition of a guy from the 1990's, and he has the success abroad of a guy from the 2010's. To people from other countries, Bradley is almost an archetypal American. There are only two choices, IMO...Bradley and Jones. Jones because Klinsmann loves the dude (and also because Jones is an excellent player with a lot of cred), and Bradley because of the stalwart performer he has been for the squad and because of what he is about to show US coaches in upcoming tournaments. Bradley is primed to rise.
If it wasn't clear that Bradley would be the eventual captain before, it certainly was by the World Cup. Yup. There's a reason he's MB90 and it's not because his dad is the coach. Let's go down the line of regulars / veterans.... Boca and Dolo are too old and should no longer be considered automatic starters. Howard shouldn't be captain because he's already essentially a captain as a talented veteran leader, the armband should go to a field player. Donovan could/should be captain, but he misses too many games with injuries. Dempsey would probably tell you himself that he's not team captain material. Jones is too reckless, hasn't been with the team for that long, and let's face it even the German-American thing works against him. Michael Bradley: he's got the talent, the experience, the brains, the right attitude (for all three of soccer player / CDM / American), and he plays a good position for it and can give you 90 minutes every time. It's really a no-brainer. Of course there are plenty of no-brainers that are not so obvious to Klinsmann (who once said Jones and Edu were his best pair that that position without even mentioning Bradley) so we'll see...
Bradley still can gets riled up during matches. Not Dempsey gamesmanship angry, but actual personal anger. Interesting tick he has. I think he could be a calming presence to the younger guys, though. Hell no to Donovan being captain. Honestly, I don't think it matters result wise. Bradley would be the obvious choice in the future.
It is one thing to dislike a coach it is quite another to just make up bold face lies. I wonder why people do that?
You want a player to be captain who's openly talked about retiring from the international game? You want a player to be captain that is demonstrating a lack of commitment to the program? There is approximately a zero percent chance Donovan is the next captain. He was captain before Bocanegra, and has talked about how he didn't enjoy the responsibility. I don't know who the next captain is going to be. Could be Howard or Bradley or somebody else. But I can assure you it won't be Donovan. [This coming from a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuge Donovan fan. I've argued that no player over the last 12 years has been more important to his team in the international game than Donovan for the United States.]
Does the fact that a player is acknowledging that he is nearing the end of his career mean that he should not be captain? Answer: No. And none of that is demonstrating a lack of commitment to the program. He's also learned more about how to be a leader since that time and has expressed interest in the armband for the USA.
Well, I for one don't automatically think the first point rules out a "vet" from being a legit wearer of the armband, and I am not sure exactly what demonstration is being referred to in the second point, but I completely side with those who are skeptical that Donovan for captain in this day and age is good for USMNT. To my eyes, he played much more freely when not having to be captain. Leading with his play is all this program needs. It is to his credit that he took captaincy seriously, but by so doing I always had the impression while watching that he tried to sublimate his personal game to get his team into the flow when in fact his "unselfish" play actually removed a critical aspect of the squad's attack -- perhaps its most critical. I fully believe that LD might very well have his best WCQ campaign (and hopefully finals as well) knowing that he no longer has anything to prove. Call that lack of commitment if you will, but I think he plays better when he's not trying to be something other than himself, a role that the top members of the USMNT player pool are completely familiar and comfortable with. But please, no armband.
Cherundolo would be a good intermediate captain if something happens to Bocanegra. As good as his competitors like Parkhurst, Lichaj or Spector are, no current US international seems able to provide a challenge enough to relegate Cherundolo to the bench.