Bradley: The game never stops (FIFA.com interview)

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=2001174/index.html

Points of interest:

and:

So, does Bradley get the armband at Honduras?

He should.

If Boca starts, he'll get it.

If not................the armband goes to Howard or Bradley.

Or Jones.

I'm not sure about Jones.

It depends who Klinsmann sees as the vocal leader in the locker-room. That's something we just don't know fram afar.

Klinsmann already promised it to Chandler in exchange for showing up.

Jones was captain against Venezuela, I think. Has Bradley ever been captain?

Mikey's time as a captain will come but if Boca starts, there's no reason to strip him of his captaincy. If Boca doesn't start or gets subbed off, I'd hope he gives the armband to Timmy Howard.

In light of Klinsmann's comments that many (not me), took as a slight to Dempsey not having done shit yet, where he specifically mentioned captaining a team a few times, might he be challenging Dempsey to grow into that role now?

By making Mikey the voice of the team?

Sidebar from the bar: did jk ever captain his team?

I know he captained Germany when they won Euro 96.

Tim Howard isn't a captain. Verbally abusing your backline at every opportunity, regardless if the issue was their fault or not, isn't leadership. Plus he's a keeper.

As much as I'm ride or die for Clint, he's not really a captain either. JK can want to "challenge" him all he wants; it's not his personality.

If Jermaine Jones is made captain....well, that would be simply stupid. He shouldn't even really be a lock starter.

Michael Bradley should be the captain, irregardless of Boca being on the field. He sets the exact example you'd want for guys coming into the program. He personifies the very best of our program. He's class on and off the field, and he's one of our best 3 players. This is really not a hard decision.

Calling it verbal abuse is overstated and unwarranted, especially considering 99% of goalkeepers at the highest level do the same thing.

Coming from someone who grew up with American sports culture, I've always felt that soccer players, specifically within European soccer, are a bit excessive when it comes to the berating of teammates but signaling out Tim Howard for this is strange.

Tim Howard yells at his defense more than any keeper I've ever observed as a player and observer. I've never seen another keeper on TV go absolutely ballistic more often than he. And quite frankly, I'd not be shocked if at various points last cycle and in South Africa if his defense tuned him out.

It doesn't really have any bearing on him as far as him being a very good keeper, but I think it matters if you're a captain; keepers aren't typically captains, and the few that I can think of that are (Casillas, is Cech a captian?) are nothing like that. A captain isn't the guy flipping out constantly.

sensitive much?

Uh....no. Read....closer.

Your analysis is dead wrong. If Howard is truly berating his defenders and they do indeed tune him out, then Howard is missing an important quality for a goal keeper. The absence of a good organizational relationship with his defenders should preclude Howard from playing or even being a backup. I strongly suspect that the reality is the opposite to what you are suggesting: The defenders all trust in Tim and listen to him carefully.

Where the hell did you come from? And speaking of sensitive, how's that whiny little bitch Neymar?

Lol, this can't be real.

Howard is like R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket when he's back there. It even borders on embarrassing sometimes and it constantly draws looks of confusion and contempt from even the most seasoned defenders.

It certainly isn't specific to Howard, but I'd say he's a prime example of taking the berating way too far.

From my perspective, Howard seems especially demonstrative for a goalkeeper, both negatively and positively. I have always ascribed it, at least partially, to his Tourette syndrome, but haven't ever thought all that deeply about it, or whether citing his Tourette syndrome is even appropriate.

Well, I don't think the consideration is INappropriate. I'm no expert so I have no idea if the outbursts can be attributed to that but it certainly could be, due to the impulsive behavior sometimes correlated with Tourette's.

Anyway, regardless it is something that detracts from his deserving the captaincy. That and I believe in the captain being a field player from personal experience.

Absolutely agree with this, especially the comments regarding Tim Howard and Michael Bradley. Just compare and contrast what Bradley had to say about Donovan and his absence and what Howard said about both Donovan and Tim Chandler - one breeds unity, the other division which could cause locker room distress. Bradley is the real leader out there.

The critical factor for wearing the armband on the field especially in an away WCQ,is the ability to communicate with the refs wiuthout losing your shit.

So I'm still gonna say Boca for now.

Oh,Chimpy?Bruce Grobbelaar called.He'd like to send you some video.He's a bit pissed you rated Timmaayyy above him for back four abuse.