We're at a critical point in time. It's not too late to make a manager switch before World Cup qualifying begins. Yes, in all likelihood we will still qualify for the World Cup with Bob as manager. But the question is: what will we do once we get there? Ideally we might keep Bob only for qualifying, then bring in a real manager before the World Cup. But that's not how US Soccer works. So the ball is now in Sunil Gulati's court. I suggest he finally give Bob Bradley his pink slip and hand the team over to a new manager, without any of the old prejudices, the old hang-ups, and who won't keep making the same mistakes. I give him credit for starting Adu - a lot of credit. But we need new blood in charge. A blank slate. A fresh pair of eyes. Someone who's willing to drop Bornstein, drop Onyewu, push Altidore to the next level, is willing to sub out Michael Bradley when he's struggling, develop a young defense, and teach this team how to play possession when up two goals. This loss is bad. I'm not sure if it's worse than the loss to Brazil in 2009 though, where we had a 2-0 at least to halftime. But to blow TWO 2-0 leads in the two biggest finals of the last 4 years is unacceptable. It just can't happen anymore. The fact of the matter is our 2010 World Cup was very average. We didn't under-deliver and we didn't over-deliver. We could have gone farther, and we could have gone out in the first round. But we need someone who can a take a middling-team and turn them into a better one. That person is no longer Bob Bradley.
If USSF were ready to give him 4 years after our WC2010 performance, I'm not sure there's much in our GC2011 results that are particularly contrary to that reasoning.
You're starting with the wrong question. Deserve has nothing to do with it. The correct question is, "Is keeping Bob the best choice for the team?" The answer is, "No." And this isn't about today. It's about this entire year.
I dislike the idea of a two-cycle manager. But tonight doesn't contribute any more or less towards my feelings about Bob Bradley.
-The United States has accrued 17 losses over the past 2.5 years. -We have lost 4 matches at home this year -We have lost 9 matches at home since 2009 -First United States loss in Gold Cup group play...ever. Last two GC finals under Bob Bradley: Mexico- 9 USA- 2 Enough. Is. Enough.
After the Panama debacle, I certainly felt a change was due. However, Bradley has shown me something in recent matches. The main problem I have is that he obviously needs to be more aggressive bringing in a back line that can can physically match up against speedy, talented forwards.
Honestly, I haven't had as much of an issue with Bradley as many on here. That said, I think it's time for a change. And I'm not talking about "firing the hitting coach" kind of change. Needs to start at the very top.
No. The USMNT should have two goals: win the Gold Cup and reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup. Bob is now 0-for-3 in his last three chances.
That person never was Bob Bradley. I have no idea who thought he was qualified for the job in the first place. He will get us to the WC but we have become stagnant. It is time for a change.
I never wanted a 2 cycle manager.... But with that being said what we really need is better defensive talent, a fresh perspecitve will be nice, but even the new coach is going to have to deal with the same talent pool that Bob does. We've just hit a real ebb in center back talent.
No. Bob did well in his time. But this doesn't work that way. Time to hand the reins to Klinsman and see what happens.
If we ever want to be taken seriously as a soccer nation, then we need a quality coach with the same ambitions. Bob is a good manager but he isn't international quality.
I think they tried to get rid of him because it took a few months to sign him after the World Cup was over. When no one else that they wanted was interested then keeping him was probably the best option.
Looking at it positively, Bob has given us some good moments. However it is time to move on. He might earn a huge amount of respect if he just stepped down.
Look, I'm not a big fan of Bob's, but tonight was not really his fault. Mexico is just a better team than we are. We have isssues at USSF with youth player selection and development. Actually, I thought Bob made some progress this time. The switch to the 4-5-1. Starting Adu looked to have paid dividends. Yes, I thought he made somewhat of a meal of the initial 23, but I don't think any of the players I'd have chosen (DeMerit, Convey, Marshall/Cameron, Buddle) would have turned the tide tonight. Mexico has guys who play at THE highest level (Hernandez), guys who have in the past (Marquez), and guys with legit world class talent (Dos Santos). Man, that 4th goal was a thing of beauty. Plus guys like Guardado and Barerra to supplement. The have more talent. And more talented players. To the OP's point, we need to make changes at USSF if we are going to compete. If Bob goes, then Sunil MUST go with him, and I don't think that is going to happen. I say let this play out and see what adjustments Bob makes to his player pool and style going forward.
What does a guy have to do to 'deserve' to keep his job? Meet expectations? The second-best team losing to the best team in the finals is pretty much the definition of meeting expectations. Do I think he's the right guy for us? No. But he delivered what he was supposed to deliver.
BB has obviously drastically mis-judged Freddy Adu's talent. Freddy was our most dangerous looking player on the field during the 120 mins he saw in the GC. So you must ask yourself.... what other talent has he mis-judged?
We've hit all the points. My hope is that Bob is let go soon enough that we can get a new head coach in before any meaningful games need to be played, and get to work building a new system. It'll be a complete retooling, but after a game on which so much is resting, I think that: -We need a new coach (duh, obvious) -We one who can stop taking tournaments like the Gold Cup for granted -I'd like to see a coach with enough personality that he can mold the team into a distinct playing style (Spain? Germany? Something's gotta work.) -Whatever happens, playing for the national team in our future can no longer be a right. It must be a privledge, and I pray that our new coach will have the foresight to leave out the Bornsteins and the Robbie Rogers. Who knows? There's still hope for this program, but the earliest I can imagine there being a complete turnaround is 2018 WC. The bottom line is that Bob needs to go. He's led us to some great wins but in the end, the results were poor. We can do better, and we need to stop convincing ourselves of the opposite.