No it doesn't because my argument is that Bradley got more play in the gold cup because Clark was going to get minutes in Copa America. It's not always about playing your best 11 if as a coach you can still win while dividing up the minutes equally to the players you want to evaluate. Bradley and Clark had the same minutes post Copa America. Bradley would be open to criticism for giving players not available for Copa America more minutes in the gold cup but that has nothing to do with favoritism. I call BS on your whole post. There was no extra love for M Bradley. Bradley and Clark had the same minutes post Copa America. And as far as officiating goes. Show me a clear replay that shows that Hume did not get a touch on the ball on the offside call. And anyone without your clear bias would also realize that DeRo should have been red carded way before Bradley was sent off. Really Hume and Boca could have also been sent off before Bradley. Hey if we're playing hypotheticals lets try to be honest. Sure, and that's going with experience in a big game and you and I can agree to disagree with BB but that's a different issue than favoritism. I've got a ton of criticisms for Bradley, I honestly don't think he's that good of a coach, but this has nothing to do with favoritism. There were two clear objectives this summer, get lots of guys a look and win the gold cup. A coach doesn't have to play his best 11 for every game to accomplish this. I'm pretty happy that at the end of copa america that all 4 Cmids had about the same minutes played under Bob. Feilhaber had the most so why jump to judgement that he isn't one of Bob's top 2 choice's at Cmid, mastro is obviously the other. Bob hasn't chosen his son over Clark. Bradley and Clark had the same minutes post Copa America. Clark is missing up on callups post Copa America because his club schedule has conflicted with the US games. Honestly we wouldn't even having this discussion if Michael Bradley had a different last name.
You are clearly wrong. Bob chose Clark over both his son and Feilhaber against the USA's biggest rivals in Feb. even though both his son and Feilhaber were available. Clearly Clark and Mastro are first choice. Thank you cherry picking. You guys are ridiculous.
Not only are we clearly wrong, but we are clearly wrong in a ridiculous cherry-picking way. I don't know if I will ever be able to thank you enough for setting us straight.
You want to qualify your statement's because you were wrong and now you would like to narrow the tiny window that you can cherry pick from. Leaving was the better choice.
And this is exactly why the US, like every other team he's been a part of, needs to send him packing. He is not the guy to take us to the next level
At this point I can only quote my all-time favorite philosopher, Howard Cosell and say: "Down goes Frazier!" The cherry-pickers among us will understand.
I have a question. Why is it that Holland was previously perceived as the ideal destination for any top teenage US national and now that Michael is there it's just second rate. US soccer fans were pissing themselves over any american teen going to any club in the Eiredivisie and now the place sounds like the USL.
I guess it's too much analysis for you guys to look at more than just the Panama and Canada match as if those 2 games were the end all be all. Your coach's son' bias will outway reality at all costs.
Yep, and Mikey isn't even the best player on that U-20 team. Adu and Altidore are definitely the better players and better talents. Adu and Altidore are playing the positions (FW, withdrawn FW, AM) in which the USMNT is weakest and needed the most help yet they haven't even been called in during Bob's tenure. While Mikey is playing in the deepest position of the USMNT (DM, 2 way mid) and yet he is starting almost every single time. Nepotism? You make the call.
Bradley did get his name on some best player lists, just like those two. We had a very succesful tournament in building star power for our starters. It actually helps make Adu and Altidore's case for their callups in that their peer Bradley is at least worthy of callups, even though alot of posters favor Clark over him to start. I haven't seen too many saying shoo Bradley off the team altogether, any takers? I think Bradley has to call up both by the end of the year to be seen as a "fair" coach to those hopeful players who actually prove something.
Withdrawn FW and and AM are our weak points? You must be kidding......or are confused with our lack of strikers..... Dempsey Donovan Beasley Convey All of these players are basically attacking midfielders or withdrawn forwards and none are noted for their defense. These are also our best attacking players. You want to see a weak spot on our team check out left back. Altidore is hurt. Adu has not played a competitive 90 minutes since when? Feilhaber has not played a competitive match since when? I think I'll trust Bradley's judgement on this one.
Rico himself? Freddy? Danny? I guess these guys do have a lot of free time on their hands. Arena? Nowak? I'm stumped. Got it - Gulati!
Beasley and Convey as AM, withdrawn F? Are you serious? Beasley is a LM or L wing forward, Convey is a LM (he hasn't play AM since the U-20 days). As for Dempsey and Donovan, one of them has to play RW, that means there is only one AM, WF left. Depth? What depth? We need talented players to play the 2 forward positions, period. Adu and Altidore no doubt will help in that department (I know Altidore is hurt)
This is very insightful if you ask me. General consensus has always been that regularly starting for the full team by 20 to 22 is important for development and that you should go to the league and team where that is possible. Michael has found such a place at 20 in the league most on here rank very highly and tout for it's development of players. Feilhaber still hasn't got a starting spot yet and he's 2 years older. Adu has time but for the moment is not playing. Szetela isn't likely going to start in La Liga but we'll see. Lee Nguyen get's NT time yet never plays first team minutes. Kamani Hill hasn't played for his club in quite awhile. Here's the US list of players starting in a better league than Michael this year: Dempsey McBride Boca Friedel Howard Hahnehman Dolo That's it. Beasley's team is better but the league isn't. Gooch's team is reasonably close. Also there's alot to be said for starting on a UEFA cup type team at his age. He get's alot of games where his team is a bit better in league and get's alot of games where he is the underdog, even a large underog, as well. The US team sees a bit of both as well. He'll get relatively even chances to work on the defensive and offensive sides of his game. At his stage of development it's a good deal in my opinion.
I didn't say we had depth.....read it again. I said our best players are attacking midfielders. It's not really a weak spot. Left back is a weak spot. Centerback is a borderline weak spot. Donovan is an attacking midfielder and can play withdrawn forward. Same with Dempsey. Convey might be a left wing but has zero defensive skills. Beasley is basically the same player. What the hell is a L wing forwad? Like what Ronaldinho plays at Barca and with Brazil? That's basically a AML. That's what Beasley played at PSV and that's what Beasley will play if we have 1 striker, which is almost the only option we have anymore. Same goes with Convey. Now, if we can just find a formation that doesn't require a left back, right wing or a forward then we will be all right.
Correct, in a 4-3-3 formation, the top 3 are L and R wing forwards and a center forward. Beasley plays the L wing forward position at PSV where there are plenty of open space for him to run. He just doesn't have the vision or the close ball control to play the withdrawn F or AM positions.
Actually, Adu and Bradley were on the official FIFA list of potential golden ball winners for the U20 WC; Altidore was not. Complete list Here. That's actually a reasonable bit of external validation of his value. Voted by the FIFA Technical Study Group.
And Reyna was on the 2002 all World Cup team while not even being a top 3 performer on his own squad. These things are HUGELY influenced by reputation.
I am the ghost of Mike Lastort I'm not but I did see his name in the Dude! Where's my thread?!? stickey while trying to figure out what this forum classifies as analysis. I've been corrected that this forum has nothing to do with News or Analysis. So carry on. Looks like idiots rule on this forum. Sorry for butting in where I clearly don't belong. 11. Mike Lastort has posted in your thread - it's often the kiss of death. So what's the story? Did he hate stupid threads too? I'll also give props to onefineesq for even though I disagree with you, you made some very good points and I apologize for being a pain in the ass, but only to you. I think BB's poor choices are a result of being a poor coach and not nepotism.