I'd honestly rather him make a move to a bigger club like Arsenal or ManU now and fight for a spot for a season or two than have to do the same during heavy qualifying years in 2013. No matter what he'll have to earn a spot and play the role of the freshman. I'd rather he get it done and over with.
I feel the same way. Not sure why everyone is saying for him to wait a few years. Those same people will be bemoaning his transfer in 2013 because he risks not playing much in a WC year.
I agree. Its now or after wc 2014. I have no problems with him staying at BMG, and certainly dont want to see him forcing his club's hands, because they have been good to him. I guess it would be cool to see him in england b/c it is easier to find streams for EPL games, but the BL is a fine competition level. if (somehow) he ended up at arsenal it would be interesting because I think he would make strides in some of his defecits (play around the box) in order to see the field, which would be really good for the US.... who knows how it will all play out though.
My thinking exactly. I suppose I'm very Yanks focused, so the way I look at it, he has three years to break through before the next Confed Cup.
Exactly. It worked for Michael at the club level twice now. He meets a challenge and he rises to it. It also worked well for the national team. Bob gave him the keys to the midfield way back in 2007 and now Michael is one of the very best players on this team, and the youngest of the key players, by far (I know Jozy has been playing well, but I still just can't see him as a "key" player on this team).
1)Umm,never. Form is temporary,class is permanent. 2)I'd like to see BMG become more relevant,largely because Toby Charles thought Allen Simonsen was awesome. But to argue their current place re: Spurs is a non-starter. 3)I forgot why I have to use smileys.Thanks for reminding me.
I saw Simonsen play live--for all of 4 minutes--the day he received his Footballer of the Year award. Sadly the injury he got that day prevented Gladbach from making a stronger challenge to Liverpool in the Euro Semis that year (which I also got to go to--the first leg in Duesseldorf anyway--I just happened to be in the right place at the right time). But the point is not so much whether Spurs is better then Gladbach right now but whether it's the "big jump" that everyone seems to think it is. There is still a big gap between the Top 4 and Spurs that make such a move far more lateral than some folks seem to think. Look, more people go to Gladbach games than Spurs games. Lots more. That does count for something. But YMMV.
Agreed. I'd like him to go to a team who has the grit and will to finish high like he does. I think he would match well with a team that has something to prove so maybe a Tottenham, Villa (challenging for CL spots) or Everton, Fulham (Challenging for Europa) type club would suit him. I will say that he'd be really interesting playing in a sort of destroyer role for Arsenal, since they've lacked one for the last few years. I'd love to see him playing with Agbonlahor and Ashley though...would be nice. Then again playing in front of 40,000+ every single match must be pretty damn exciting at Gladbach...and he already has a starting spot in a league that is getting better every year.
Just saw this on Grant Wahl's twitter. Michael Bradley on the Johannesburg skyline: http://twitpic.com/204b7j
It isn't now or after 2014. That's a false premise. If he stays at Gladbach this season, he'll move next summer when he just has 1 year left on his contract. And that would be a fine time to move, career wise and USMNT wise. And not that it matters to MB but I'll say it again. I don't want to see him in the EPL. Stay in Germany (my preference) or go to Italy. The Bundesliga has better play outside of the top 5 than the EPL has outside of the top 5 and the winter break is a crucial way for Bradley to get some rest throughout the season. Since I hope MB stays at Gladbach one more year, for those more knowledgeable about the needs of the top 5 Bundesliga teams, who needs a box to box guy next season? Leverkusen just signed Ballack for this season. Schalke is still w/o Jones (I think?) but they did fine enough w/o him and he might be better by next year. Werder Bremen?
Yeah, definitely a false premise on my part, I'm just commenting on when I want him to move. I would definitely not be opposed to him staying at BMG though. I just dont want to see him make a big money move and find that he is superfluous, even though I believe he would fight his way onto the field.
Thing is, he could move next season and (were he to continue to progress & has success) still be able to make a "big money" move after 2014 when he'll be 26. For a top American player playing in Europe, he is crazy young. His age is yet another reason I want him to stay out of the EPL right now. I don't think his future growth/development will happen there on the teams that might be likely to sign him now. iirc, pre-sales where a player's sale is agreed upon but the player stays at their current club for a season/half a season is not unusual in Germany, right? Might that be something that Gladbach considers w/ respect to Bradley? Where he stays w/ them all this season but a sale to a top 4 Bundesliga club happens over next summer?
If anybody is curious, here are Michael's Kicker ratings for the 4 WC games. It seems like the rater was impressed. England - 3 (tied with Dolo for highest of field players) http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/...10/1/833308/spielanalyse_england_usa-941.html Slovenia - 2.5 (only Donovan with a 2 is higher) http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/.../2/833311/spielanalyse_slowenien_usa-941.html Algeria - 2.5 (only Donovan with a 2 is higher) http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/...0/3/833313/spielanalyse_usa-941_algerien.html Ghana - 2 (highest on team) http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/...2010/4/833346/spielanalyse_usa-941_ghana.html
How does that compare to other players in the tournament? Bradley is constantly labeled now as "one of the best young players in the tournament."
Kicker's average ratings for the US this tournament: 1. Bradley - 2.5 2. Donovan/Howard - 2.63 4. Altidore - 3 5. Cherundolo - 3.13 6. Edu - 3.33 7. Bocanegra - 3.38 8. Demerit/Dempsey/Feilhaber - 3.5 11. Bornstein/Gomez/Onyewu - 4 14. Findley - 4.17 15. Clark/Torres - 4.5
And just to add to that, the only players Kicker has rated higher than Bradley on average in this tournament are Tevez (2), Iniesta (2), Messi (2.13), Uche (2.25), Schweinsteiger (2.25), and Ozil (2.38). But of course it's just Kicker and 3-4 games isn't much of a sample size.
I know LD is the talk of the town...but I'm much more interested in seeing where Mikey ends up. I think his career arc has higher potential.
Ditto. Can't wait to see where he goes. Hopefully in this window. He will be our best player come 2014.