Michael Bradley

[jumpkutz]

Looks like Junior's doing well at Chievo, althought I couldn't find his name in the only story I could find on their 2-1 win over Udinese in the Coppa Italia today. Must be inelgible for some reason.

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slu ... ralbradley

[DCHeather]

Thanks for posting...I had no idea he was so highly regarded at his club.

[Clevelandmo]

I saw a lot of his matches early on. It wasnt long before I could see that he was one of their most important players. And honestly if you look at the US MNT, he was clearly one of the guys that you could rely on. Its Dempsey, Landon, Howard, Boca, and Bradley. Gooch before he was injured. He's been a pro since 16. Every league he goes to he adapts and learns the language very quickly and does well. The fact that Klinsmann treated him the way he did and played Beckerman before him is a freaking insult to us all.

Well done again baby bradley

[LaxAttack]

Looks like Junior's doing well at Chievo, althought I couldn't find his name in the only story I could find on their 2-1 win over Udinese in the Coppa Italia today. Must be inelgible for some reason.

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slu ... ralbradley

They sat him today to give him some rest.

[DCHeather]

I saw a lot of his matches early on. It wasnt long before I could see that he was one of their most important players. And honestly if you look at the US MNT, he was clearly one of the guys that you could rely on. Its Dempsey, Landon, Howard, Boca, and Bradley. Gooch before he was injured. He's been a pro since 16. Every league he goes to he adapts and learns the language very quickly and does well. The fact that Klinsmann treated him the way he did and played Beckerman before him is a freaking insult to us all.

Well done again baby bradley

There you go again.

I don't think Klinsmann treated him badly. He was left out of the squad for the first few games because he wasn't situated at at a club yet.

http://www.socceramerica.com/article/43 ... anges.html:

Three players who started in Klinsmann's debut match against Mexico were not called in: the Germany-based trio Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones and Edson Buddle.

Bradley is seeking a move from Borussia Moenchengladbach. Jones has not played for Schalke 04 since the Mexico game on Aug. 10. Buddle is playing but not starting for second division FC Ingolstadt.

It wouldn't have done him any good to get a call-up while he was seeking a move and get injured during a friendly. Plus Beckerman was playing his role well by the time Bradley was able to be called to the USMNT, so it was his spot to lose.

[Clevelandmo]

I understood those two games in which Bradley didnt get called up because he was between clubs. It is all the other matches. Klinsmann preferred Beckerman over Bradley in every other match until Slovenia which the US finally won and played well in, at least that is the way it looked through the fog. He also preferred Edu over Bradley which doesnt really bother me, but Bradley was clearly lower in the pecking order than deserved.

The reason I dont get it is that Bradley has proven himself in two European leagues, shown he can adapt to different systems. Yet Beckerman was repeatedly preferred over Bradley. Beckerman is one of those MLS guys that Klinsmann says dont get enough training, and Bradley has to have at least 4 years on Beckerman with loads more international experience. It made no sense. It was always Bradley's job to lose not Beckerman. Even if Bradley was not as close to being the type of player that Klinsmann wanted in MF, he's shown he can adapt. Who has shown that more than Bradley and Dempsey on the US team?

[nevzter]

World Cup goal scorer. Bagged two in a match vs. El Tri. He's only 24 and already garnered 60+ caps. He's class, and barring injury, w/in the next two years MB will be starting for a CL club - I don't believe his talent has reached a plateau.

There's no way Der Kommissar continues to not put Bradley in the first XI.

[jumpkutz]

World Cup goal scorer. Bagged two in a match vs. El Tri. He's only 24 and already garnered 60+ caps. He's class, and barring injury, w/in the next two years MB will be starting for a CL club - I don't believe his talent has reached a plateau.

There's no way Der Kommissar continues to not put Bradley in the first XI.

True, true, true, agree, agree and AGREE!

[SoCalJoe]

Started over the weekend and had a long range shot 'spectacularly saved by the Palermo GK' according to Yanks Abroad. If he can ever get healthy, a Bradley-Holden CM pairing would be intriguing. One thing that really impressed me is that he's worked hard off the field by learning Italian.

[DCHeather]

Started over the weekend and had a long range shot 'spectacularly saved by the Palermo GK' according to Yanks Abroad. If he can ever get healthy, a Bradley-Holden CM pairing would be intriguing. One thing that really impressed me is that he's worked hard off the field by learning Italian.

Joe, we've all been waiting for healthy Holden.

It will be interesting to see Klinsmann's starting line-up with completely healthy squad...if it ever happens.

[Clevelandmo]

Another nice article about how well Bradley is doing in Italy.

http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/19/michael-bradley-in-italy-hes-bravissimo/

My favorite part from the article:

“The national team is bigger than any one person, any one team. It’s about a group of guys stepping on the field to represent their country. For myself from the first day I walked in to the national team when Bruce Arena was the head coach, to the games and the camps where I was involved when my dad was the coach, to the times I’ve been in with Jurgen, things on my end have never changed.

“All I’ve ever wanted to do is play well and give everything I have for the national team so that we represent ourselves and our country in a way that makes everyone proud and in a way that we’re successful. That’s all I’ll ever try to do.”

What a kid.

[Clevelandmo]

Anyone wanting to watch Michael play for Chievo. They play live on FSC at 2:30pm ET today and it is being rebroadcast at 8:30 pm ET. Good luck Mikey!

[jimsig]

He scored his first goal for Chievo today. The crawl on ESPN said he was the first American to to score in Serie A since Alexi Lalas did it in 1994-1995.

[jumpkutz]

This guy could be very big for us in Brazil if this keeps going....Congrats MB!

http://aol.sportingnews.com/soccer/stor ... erie-a-win

[nevzter]

He scored his first goal for Chievo today. The crawl on ESPN said he was the first American to to score in Serie A since Alexi Lalas did it in 1994-1995.

Bradley is a stud.