Alright, we're obviously reading the article differently. That quote speaks for itself. I agree he thinks Nowak or Nicol would be better than Klinnsman but to me is obviously placing some importance on whether or not you were "American-born" or he wouldn't have made the distinction. Can you not at least admit that if someone's brother is up for a position like this, maybe they shouldn't be writing an article from this angle because the conflict of interest would be readily apparent? It's natural for people to question his motivation when he places himself in the middle of the debate with a stance that says "no foreigners".
I will admit that Bradley is in a tough position when he writes about soccer because people are always going to think he is slanting things towards his brother. This is not the first time I have seen it. Maybe he should just avoid writing about soccer and stick to baseball for ESPN instead. I guess some of us old Metrofans really like him because he was like us and he was on the staff when the team started. He loved the game and tried to help it grow, then he branched out and tries to support the game. Meanwhile, he gets ripped on for slanting things towards his brother. See where I am coming from? Just read the article and comment on the content not on the probable intent of the writer. You could do that to every reporter and it is just a waste of time. What if a writer is protecting a source and he will not comment on a player who is not performing? See what I mean? Just let it go.
The article’s content is as disturbing as the probable intent. Jeff talks about the new coach needing to understand “American” soccer. Why? What is the difference between American soccer and the world game? Maybe we should look for something new. A coach that has been successful in the past. A coach that selects the best “team” not the most talented players. A team that understands playing for the national team is a privilege and not the vehicle to a high playing job in Europe. That every cap would be earned by your current form and not past history or pedigree. Wouldn’t that be a change?
Spot on. Instead of capping each and every current or former DCU player, maybe Sunil can find a coach that finds the best team. Maybe there will be fewer "legacy" players in the team that haven't truly earned their spots. Maybe there will be a coach that can prepare for more contingencies than Arena. Maybe there will be an adult as head coach instead of the petulant crybaby who blames everyone but himself for failures. "Staying American" merely for the sake of jingoism? As dumb as dumb can be, IMO. Find the best possible manager, regardless of nationality, and the program will benefit immensely.
No, not really. As for your first couple of rhetorical questions, you COULD read the thread and discuss what people have mentioned before. Radical idea, I know.
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/scp_v3/viewer/index.php?pid=16391&rn=207187&cl=741825&ch=741176 Lalas previews the WC on Yahoo. (probably been posted but very funny in retrospect)
The next national team coach is the single most important issue in US Soccer right now, and Jeff Bradley, who frequently writes about the National Team, is right to address the issue. His family attachments obviously lead people to read into his writing, but the main point, that the next coach needs to really understand US Soccer and MLS before taking the job, is IMO correct. If he hadn't chosen the "American" construction early in the article, it would have become obvious that Novak, Nicol, and Yallop, and arguably Klinnsmann as well, all qualify as reasonably "American" candidates, alongside Bradley, Sarachan, etc.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=378555&root=us&cc=5901 pekerman anyone??? he's had 3 months to get a crash course in english.... interesting point about nurturing adu too... still can the usa play an argentine style, or is the argentine game the direction usa should go... the choice of coach shapes your playing philosophy and ot'd be an interesting experiement, where proof will be found in the 4 year package
I personally would be quite happy picking between Klinnsman and Peckerman. If these are the choices, Gulati has done a good job.
Agree with Martin. I've been thinking about Pekerman since early in the World Cup, mostly b/c of his success building through youth - which is where I think the USMNT needs to focus right now - and the signature style of play that I loved watching Argentina play. Would love it if he were a leading candidate.
Pekerman's American! He's not North American, as some were hoping for, but that's a minor quibble. I'm available to translate for 10% of his salary - my advice is 100% free. Deal?
I kind of felt like the American Construction was a direct counter to the, "big time foreign" requirement he's debating in the article. I did feel that he probably would have included all the other guys as sufficiently American Bred or at least soccer-bred, but it was kind of a handled badly in the piece.
pekerman would need an assistant who he could trust who had solid english... also, there are enough americans who speak spanish, including donovan... and need we go back to recent korean coaches, who spoke NO korean...