I wonder how many of the people that have a negative opinion of this quote have watched the clip posted. In my opinion, as it was written in the post, it is very innocuous, but in context it becomes even less negative and imo, certainly doesn't qualify as passive aggressive.
I think this is where I have to post my obligatory "Michael Bradley was one of the Best XI All-Time in US Soccer history".
YES. It’s honestly ridiculous. I remember the data on him from the 2014 WC, where he was asked to go box-to-box and had the most miles logged of any player in the group stage. But somehow that turned into him being a lazy player a few years later? People’s dislike of MB/making him into the ultimate fall guy has never made any sense.
One could come up with quite the list. I don't blame him for everything. But he wasn't exactly Bryan Robson. As for that for which I do blame him, been there, done that. I once respected him, admired him. Yet now he's easily my all-time least favorite US player. And his father's a jerk.
I think you answer a lot of your own questions. He will be remembered a lot more fondly once there is some distance.
I don't much care for Bradley the player but that was a pretty innocuous answer and saying even if you're not called you're still rooting for the team is anything but spiteful.
I think anyone with a real negative view at this point are just A. tired of seeing this thread reappear 4 years after his sell by date, or B. trolling the numerous defenders here. I'm as big a Bradley "hater" there is, but that quote is exactly what he should have said and I didn't watch the clip. He's not part of the picture anymore, and as long as that remains the case, good luck to him and Thx for your service.
And this is where i post, you are full of baloney. Worst Captain in USMNT history under two different coaches failed to reach 2018 world cup. Worst pass leading to goal in USA WC History followed by subsequent jog vs ghana in 2010 WC R16 ( video proof widely available) Jogged again vs Colombia in 2018, after a year away from the team without earning that Armband again. We can stop pretending and strategically covering up the truth.
You mean like the lion and sheep qoute? Michael Bradley is as an extremely connected person in USSOCCER, he had it all and was given it all. He used his resources to jog.
The only thing Bradley cover-up fan boys would accept is everybody ignoring the truth of years of nepotism and jogging in crucial moments with an entitlement attitude. Jogging back in 2010 WC R16 vs Ghana after giving a nightmare pass to Clark, when every other US player around , ran back.
I notice this "leadership" keeps getting thrown around by the usual crowd after multiple insiders said otherwise. Says to me its mere strategy then truth. I mean if it was "His peak 2012-2013 and summer 2015 were international class" then we can have a accurate discussion of Bradley's past.
I watched the quote and i have no comment from it other than, thats what i would expect anybody to say, who still wants to play. Im not going to over-analyze it. But, i love all the cover-up fanboys going into their as usual "denial" and "I dont understand" routine. Just have to post back in joy. LOL.
Gregg seems to be in constant contact with a wide range of players. Bradley implies he has not heard from Gregg. I don't know why Bradley would not announce his retirement from international soccer like so many before him. Then we could all just remember him for the good parts and discuss the bad parts unemotionally. It is a little sad that he is acting like the girl at the dance leaning against the wall all alone waiting for the most popular boy to ask her to dance.
I think we can appreciate what early Bradley did for the team (2010 WC anyone) as well as be frustrated by later Bradley. I think his trajectory really plummeted when he went to Toronto. Roma > MLS at 25 or 26 is not a good trajectory for a key player.
Very few athletes leave with everyone calling for more. It's so rare that we usually question a guys love of the game when it happens. He's got the right to go out like the rest, being pushed aside by better, younger players
More like a bald neckbeard wondering why Stacy's always go out with Chad and not niceguys like him who study the blade. As long we're gendering this,anyway.
Exactly. While a lot of things get blamed for the '17 failure, not enough is made of the financial stage MLS was in during its growth. The "ok, no more old retirees for too much money", but "we have even more money now, let's grab USNT "names" and pay them a ton". Might still not have mattered with the age of the Old Lions, but it certainly didn't help when our best players grabbed a huge payday (which most of us would do). It was a momentary market inefficiency where you could get paid like the best without needed to work/perform like the best.
He was pushed aside by younger players long before he actually stopped getting called. Many players have retired from international soccer well before their retirement from club soccer. It is actually very common for the best players to be allowed to retire rather than be cut unceremoniously. This lingering situation seems worse than either. Either Bradley is in the plans, or he should be allowed to retire and be celebrated. We have not handled this that well historically. I think it would be better for Bradley to announce his international retirement. If whatever circumstances have to happen to get him back on a roster for a game happen, then it can be said that Gregg begged him and he is doing it for the country! So much better than embarrassing him and Gregg every interview. Kind of how Beasley retired then Klinsman begged him to come back. He then retired again, and Arena begged him to come back.
He was brought in with a lot of pressure to change the entire TFC project and actually pulled it off. His problem isn't MLS. His problem is age and injury.
TFC wanted a cup and they got one with him. Toronto had a parade for the team and he was at the front. Can’t say it didn’t work.
I don't think most players formally retire from international soccer to avoid embarrassment for themselves or their managers or to make a graceful exit. I think it's usually because the constant demands of international soccer, professional soccer, and personal life commitments start to add up at a certain age and take a real physical and mental toll on you. And international soccer becomes the easiest of the three to sacrifice. So, if a player chooses not to formally retire, even past his sell-by date, I don't really hold it against them and definitely don't see any reason to compare them unfavorably to players that did make that decision.