The Michael Bradley thread

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by ttrevett, Jun 11, 2015.

  1. jeff_adams

    jeff_adams Member+

    Dec 16, 1999
    Monterey, Ca
    My crystal ball says Mike is wearing a Le Havre jersey in a few years.
     
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  2. Martin Fischer

    Martin Fischer Member+

    Feb 23, 1999
    Kampala. Uganda
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Feel free to push away from the keyboard and take that job with Roma. Some players want to spend their football careers actually playing football, not spending most of the game on the bench. It's their choice as they have earned it.
     
  3. MPNumber9

    MPNumber9 Member+

    Oct 10, 2010
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think he should've stayed at Chievo. He was a key/leadership player there and could've finished his career there as a local hero instead which is a nicer legacy than being the #4 guy off the bench for Roma. I think he made the same mistake as Dempsey by leaving leadership positions in smaller clubs to wind up as marginal/expendable players at bigger clubs. I don't blame him for wanting to come to TFC, where he can try to make a name for himself.
     
  4. Scotty

    Scotty Member+

    Dec 15, 1999
    Toscana
    Maybe so, but you're going to struggle to find any Chievo player that would turn down a move to Roma.
     
  5. Bolivianfuego

    Bolivianfuego Your favorite Bolivian

    Apr 12, 2004
    Fairfax, Va
    Club:
    Bolivar La Paz
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    I wouldn't say Roma was a BAD move, but for sure--he could def. have a good career right now in Italy.

    He, like McBride (rated at 1 point the best classic CF in England, irony, he's american), was rated as a 'classic' italian midfielder with his discipline, tidy distribution in the back, and tackling ability. His peak was his time with Chievo.

    I hope he considers moving back there agian. I know he fell in love with the culture, knows the language, son was born there, not to mention being a long time Milan fan--he's just made for that league.
     
  6. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    Id rather be on the bench at Roma fighting for Serie A title and playing in the CL than being the marquee player at TFC. But thats just me
     
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  7. nealesk

    nealesk Member

    Dec 18, 2009
    Santa Fe, NM
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    me too. I was and am still confused by his leaving Roma. He could've been there 5-7 years as a contributor. But whatever, as someone else said he's entitled to his choice, although I wouldn't be surprised if he felt the same as some of us do
     
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  8. iad_22201

    iad_22201 Member+

    Jan 2, 2009
    Washington, DC
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm confused as to why people are confused about this.

    Six years, $38 million dollars.
     
  9. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    Agreed. Now of course Bradley wouldnt have surpassed De Rossi in his role but he never had to do that. Had he stayed it would have been difficult but he would have found a way. He has been in tough spots before like with relegation fodder clubs and he became stronger because of it. Also itd be great to see him even if hes on the bench a lot fighting for the Serie A title.

    Folks say he left because he wanted PT before the 2014 WC. There was no way JK wouldnt have started him. Bradley was great in the 2 years prior to the tournament. Being a super sub wouldnt have changed that.
     
  10. Marko72

    Marko72 Member+

    Aug 30, 2005
    New York
    Why wouldn't it have? Your club situation affects your form. Bradley wasn't preparing to be a spoke in the wheel, he was preparing to be the hub.
     
  11. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    How much of that would be given to taxes?
     
  12. An Unpaved Road

    An Unpaved Road Member+

    Mar 22, 2006
    Club:
    --other--
    Chievo seemed like he finally found the perfect level to suit his talents. If Roma was paying him so relatively little, though, I wonder what he was making at Chievo? Probably not enough to settle there long-term.
     
  13. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    But Bradley was the 3rd name on the teamsheet after Howard and Dempsey during the first few years of JK. Playing 40mins every match for Roma wouldnt have changed that.

    How much of his poor form at the WC was due to playing in MLS?
     
  14. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    I wanna say I recall him being among the top earners at Chievo though not sure if that says much
     
  15. Marko72

    Marko72 Member+

    Aug 30, 2005
    New York
    Was any of it?
     
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  16. jond

    jond Member+

    Sep 28, 2010
    Club:
    Levski Sofia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ya, and going to TFC has effected his form negatively.

    If the idea is to leave Roma so form doesn't suffer, well he failed in that endeavor.
     
  17. iad_22201

    iad_22201 Member+

    Jan 2, 2009
    Washington, DC
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This isn't a serious question, right?
     
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  18. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    Quite possibly Yes though Id imagine many would put the blame on JK
     
  19. Marko72

    Marko72 Member+

    Aug 30, 2005
    New York
    Why wouldn't they? Why is the one an easier assumption to make? How much had playing in MLS negatively affected Donovan's form? Or Dempsey's?
     
  20. MPNumber9

    MPNumber9 Member+

    Oct 10, 2010
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If you look at Bradley's performances comprehensively, I find it hard to say was poor in the WC. If you ask me, he was better than Prince Boateng and Eden Hazard, for example. We just remember his costly individual error against Portugal.
     
  21. Bolivianfuego

    Bolivianfuego Your favorite Bolivian

    Apr 12, 2004
    Fairfax, Va
    Club:
    Bolivar La Paz
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    What I remember the most was his lack of more 'sharpness' in his accuracy, tight control of the ball in small areas, and just bad touches/give aways. I still see it today.

    I just feel he's not as 'sharp' as he was when he was with Chievo and Roma. That's just my opinion though. He worked his ass off in the last WC though. I think he covered more ground than any player on our side.
     
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  22. Marko72

    Marko72 Member+

    Aug 30, 2005
    New York
    So how much has playing in MLS negatively affected Clint's game? Or Landon before him? Why do you assume that it's MLS that has done that to his game?
     
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  23. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    This is such weird logic. Demps went back to Fulham, remember? Bradley could go back to some Chevio sized club if he wanted to take the pay cut.

    I mean seriously. He was going to lead the Donkeys to what? As opposed to playing in Rome. And by the way, he started 30 games, appeared in 41 in a season and a half at Roma. That ain't exactly chicken scratch.
     
  24. MPNumber9

    MPNumber9 Member+

    Oct 10, 2010
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well, I'm calling them "mistakes" in hindsight, but I basically agree with you. I'm just saying in retrospect, Bradley could've had a nice little career at Chievo.
     
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  25. MPNumber9

    MPNumber9 Member+

    Oct 10, 2010
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Compared to what, tho? When else did Bradley face anything like what he did in the WC to make a baseline comparison?

    You could be right, but I generally tend not to believe in the idea of players "playing down" to the competition, which would make the whole idea of importing high-price players from better leagues sort of pointless when you think about it. It's arguable that Bradley would be better had he stayed overseas, but that he actually declined because he's playing at a lower level? Very speculative for me. It'd actually be the exception to the norm.
     
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