I wonder is it because he really wants this? The team as a whole is just now finding its feet (I hope , i hope, i hope.) We have CB issues but we looked downright scary good in the Russian game when Jones was way forward on the wings. Jones' motives may not be entirely "pure" as in doing it for our country, but a man with an axe to grind can be a huge ally. It is possible JJ wants to show Germany they missed the boat. I think he likes his mates on the team just fine, even if his motives aren't maybe the same I as a MB or LD. I think MB and JJ and whoever the third guy is williams as DM or whomever, are going to be fine. I like them both in BTB role. I think they are going to be our best hope despite their weaknesses in the past.
y-lee, Whoa Betty! I merely said I didn't think Jones would be a good captain. Where's the hate in that statement? My assumption was that I remember hearing about some problems w/ him in the Schalke dressing room around the time of his suspension. Also, some of his play on the field strikes me as hotheaded. That's not a characteristic I want in a captain. Back when a maturing Bradley was somewhat of a red card threat, I wouldn't have wanted him as captain, either. Bradley has removed that characteristic from his game. Overall, I would love to see more on-field encouragement and communication amongst US players. I don't see any vocal cheerleaders, calmer-downers and c'mon, we can do it-ers on the field, imo.
Alright then ref, I'll take it as not being a cynical foul then. I was thinking that implying a man might be toxic in the locker room was foul, especially without any supporting links or evidence or such. There are a lot of people on this board that bash the man regularly and it just seems unfair. I mean MB and JJ both appear to be huge parts of JKs plans going forward. It seems like JK is grooming JJ for that spot and it is ok. I think with somebody other than MB it might matter, but MB kind of already showed his colors. He would probably say the same thing about this as he said when CD was apologizing over possibly poaching a goal. Something about him not giving a (censored) we are winning or words to that effect. While that is indeed a good reason for him to be captain, it is exactly the reason I don't care if JJ gets it. JJ wants some ownership. MB is just being MB and growing and proving his doubters wrong and just doing whatever he can to help his team. Kind of ironic isn't it, that the best reasons for giving MB the captaincy are also good reasons why it does not matter if he does not get it. It just seems as if JK rates the nastiness that JJ brings just a smidgen ahead of MB's tenacity. At any rate, nice to meet you exref and thanks for getting me out of the shadows, had I stayed there any longer I might have had to register at the post office.
Michael Bradley similar to Bocanegra always tries to make the new guys feel comfortable like always giving a bro hug to Fabian Johnson after he was involved in a goal after he joined the team to show that he is part of the family now even though he played for Germany youth teams before. Plus, Bradley looks like a bad ass mofo with that bald head. In fact, They should give Bradley the armband now, so Jermaine Jones dosent have to be ridiculed or ignored anymore because the home base journalism fear Jones will take what they want Bradley to have.
I can't remember exactly who it was he helped reel in, but Mike was active in recruiting players while he was in the Bundesliga.
Let me just say this once for all. Jones tried to switch to the usa as early as 2003/2004 but couldent because of the rules back then essentially. He would have been reyna's cm parter in 2006 world cup.
I think you misunderstood I was emphasizing really as in for real he wants to show Germany they were wrong, not as in he wasn't all in.
Bradley is leading Roma up the table. He is a locked in starter for roma now and they are moving up and up and up. A win next week could put them in the top 3 of Serie A. How far Roma have moved up with the additions of destro and bradley. wow.
This is off. Dempsey has 91 caps, Cherundolo 87, Howard 84, and Bradley has 72. Next in line would be Onyewu - 66 caps, Altidore - 52, EJ - 44, Edu - 42 caps, Feilhaber - 39.
Interesting to look at history of USMNT captainship at major tournaments: 1990 WC - Michael Windischmann 1993 Copa America - ? 1994 WC - Tony Meola 1995 Copa America - ? 1998 WC - Thomas Dooley 1999 Confed Cup - No captains listed on match reports. 2002 WC - Claudio Reyna 2003 CC - Stewart, Armas, Hejduk 2006 WC - Claudio Reyna 2007 Copa America - Kasey Keller 2009 CC - Carlos Bocanegra 2010 WC - Carlos Bocanegra Dooley was our only foreign-born and raised Captain - and '98 was our worst WC. (Dooley was 31 when he started playing for us. Jones was 28/29). Stewart was also raised abroad, but committed to US team at age 21. Windischmann was also born in Germany, but moved to US as an infant. Reyna still our best captain ever. Dooley the worst.
I don't really see anyone but Bradley bringing the combination of qualities you typically look for in a captain to the table.
You may be right. Personally, I think that Jones may be a huge score for us in the long run. If we make the World Cup, I could see Jones having an outstanding tournament.
I agree that Bradley would make a good captain. However, I feel, like some others have said that if LD plays for us again he should get the arm band until he is done. By every conceivable measure he is the #1 choice to captain this team through 2014 imo, how could anyone not be inspired just by the idea of that guy taking his one last shot at glory, in his 4th World Cup, after we have all watched him grow up with and through the USMNT? What really made me want to post though, was the lack of anyone mentioning Dempsey in this thread. If Donovan is out of the picture, than Dempsey is hands down our best field player, with the most caps and an easy choice. Moreover, giving the arm band to Dempsey also has the biggest potential upside imo. Bradley would do what he does and lead with or without the arm band. However, if it were given to Dempsey he may expand his responsibility to drive his teammates with the same insane intensity and naked ambition that he drives himself with and I for one would bet on Dempsey's Grit and Determination over; Bradley's Generalisimoship, Boca's Good Looks, Onyewu's Death Stare, Dolo's Consistency or any other force on earth.
There's a general feeling that Dempsey isn't "captain material." Some even suggest that he's not the personality to want to be captain. Why do you think that there is upside to having Dempsey captain the team? In the end, I don't think anyone on this team would feel snubbed without the armband. Both MB and Clint will work 120% even if they don't become captain.
Ironically, I think there is upside to having Dempsey captain the team for the same reason some assume he is not captain material, he gives off a bit of a lone wolf type vibe, like he would kill anyone and anything that keeps him from getting his. I project that if he were captain he might infuse the entire squad with it and it would become a kill anyone and anything that keeps us from getting ours, kind of a vibe. In the whole I don't feel this captaincy thing is too terribly important, my overwrought analysis to the contrary.
Yeah, I agree too. Captaincy probably isn't a big deal. It could be if we had senior players with competing egos, but I think we fortunately do not. The armband is really just a band of honor, and I think it's a acknowledgment from the coaching staff that they believe a player is a good leader and exemplifies what they want others on the team to bring from a mental standpoint.
Hmmm.... If this is the case... I think it should go to Howard, or Donovan if he decides to come back. Dempsey would be interesting.... because I am going by who has contributed a ton and has played with the USMNT for a while. Cherundolo too! Bradley we know for sure is our future captain once the 'old guard' is gone.
I get your point, I am just not sure that is the right type of captain for this team. Sometimes ultra high intensity is fine for an individual personally but it might put other players off.
Still astonishing that this 8 million dollar coach of ours thought this guy was not needed on the field at all a year ago. There's really nothing stopping Mike from being a better version of Roy Keane - I understand the weight of that statement and I mean it very seriously.
Revise history much? MB was working on getting his club situation straightened out and that was more important for all concerned. I do agree that MB has not peaked yet, he keeps getting better.
He had been starting for Chievo for months when Klinsmann was still benching him in the Ecuador and France friendlies in favor of Edu and Beckerman, who "knew what he wanted 100%". He started a Danny Williams with only a piecemeal substitute record in the BLiga to his name before he put Bradley back on the field. You should spend more than two weeks on here before lecturing people about "history".
Definitely not a revision of history. And I'm surprised you of all people would say that when you defended Jermaine Jones so strongly in other threads, as he received even worse treatment.