I was at a youth tournament this weekend and I mentioned to someone a classic dumb coach moment from a few years ago: Bob Bradley's kid (don't which one) was playing in a tourney. The coach was yelling and screaming at the team. Bradley casually suggested to the dumb coach that he might get more out of the kids if he stopped yelling. The coach, not realizing the man making the suggestion had just won the MLS title, told Bradley (paraphrasing), "You are a parent. I am the coach. Stay out of it." (What a dumbass.) Anyway, when I mentioned that story last weekend, the person I was talking to said Bradley had coached "the national team". I said no, that was Arena. He insisted Bradley had coached the national team. As in head coach. So, my question to you all, has Bradley *ever* coached any national team, at any age level, ever?
He has never been head coach unless arena missed a game once or got redcarded. Bob has been the assistant coach on the national team under Arena for some games.
That was his daughter's team and this bit of history appeared in a Time magazine cover story on pushy parents during youth sports.
bradley He may have been "head coach" for the (Barbados?) game following Arena's red card in the infamous Berhalter phantom-handball match down in San Jose. But then again, though I think Bradley was there, I'm pretty sure that Sarachan was the acting head coach that day.
I never read Time, as it is only suitable for lining bird cages, and then only if your bird isn't picky. I got it off some soccer website, one of the commercial ones (forget which) and it was not credited to Time. If it was in Time, then it probably was a wire story that Time picked up. In any case, I dug up the full quote: "You're the parent and I'm the coach, and I'm the one who knows how to play this game."
Re: bradley That was my impression too, that Sarachan is the top assistant since most of Bradley's duties are tied up with the Fire ... ------------------------------- "Sorry! The administrator has specified that users can only post one message every 60 seconds." The Administrator can bite my ass ...
I'm sure the fact that Bradley isn't THE most physically imposing guy in the world would also played a role in his "youth soccer brush-off". Still, you've got to wonder what that coah was thinking. Only, in America...........Somehow I don't see this happening to Sir Alex or Hiddink.
Perhaps it was Sport Illustrated, then. It was a while ago. But it was a mainstream, i.e., not soccer, magazine. Maybe Jeff Bradley can straighten us out.
Time Magazine Online: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/story/0,9171,1101990712-27698-3,00.html Originally from July 12, 1999 "Inside the Crazy Culture of Kids Sports"
Coach Bradley's Version One of my favorite moments from this season was a 20-minute conversation I had with Coach Bradley about "all things soccer." It included his first-hand account of that interaction with the youth coach and how the story made it to the main stream media. Bob is a tremendous strategist who appears to thoroughly think-through developing circumstances and maticulously respond for desired results. On that day at the youth game, Bob told me he'd been observing all the circumstances contributing to player/team performance, and in less than 15 words, politely shared his insight with the other adult. My regret is that in all the retelling of this famous story, I don't know if the adult to whom Bob was speaking, ever really got the point.
Re: Coach Bradley's Version Welcome to "all things soccer", where our motto is, "if it's not soccer, it's crap!". Thanks for sharing, Chris, and welcome to the boards.
I don't think the scariest part of this whole little incident has been mentioned and that's that the coach (who supposedly knows so much about soccer) doesn't even know the parents of the kids he is suppose to be coaching. I find it sad that there are so many youth coaches out there that don't take the time to talk to the parents about how the children are developing as soccer players. If this coach had ever taken even a few minutes to discuss Bob's daughter with Mr. and Mrs. Bradley then I am sure he would have found out who Bob was and thus could have opened up an amazing resource to better his team/club/program. Forget the fact that he should have just known who the guy was just by seeing him.
To be fair, I don't think the adult in-question was the full-time coach. Furthermore, his/her blunder may have been recognized well-after the incident. Finally, it shouldn't serve as an indictment of all youth coaches, but I agree, should serve as a "heads-up" to those of us working with kids that there's a wealth of information and resources available to help us do our jobs...and most times, the first/best resource, is a player's parent. If my player's parent has Bob Bradley's credentials, I'd invite him/her to every training session or game on the schedule!
Re: Coach Bradley's Version I somehow get the feeling that if the youth coach did not recognize the person he was talking to, and because of it the value of that person's insight (whether he agreed with it or not), and responded with the power play that he did, then no. He didn't get the point. (Good story on your part, though. )
There is one picture from the Dallas away game (the one with St. Silva headed away a potential shot on goal) where St. Silva is looking at Bradley and kinda has a smile on his face, and Bradley is just starting straight forward with like a "i am perfectly capable of ripping your still beating heart out of your chest" look.