Bob Bradley on Building USMNT Culture, ‘09 Confederations Cup SHOCK & Coaching Abroad| Unfiltered Soccer
USMNT Player Management
I go to speak to Clint. I don't think in the first two games, Clint's played really well. So I say, we need you to play better. And he goes crazy. It's like you pulled a knife on him. For 45 minutes, we went after each other. And I have no idea what was said. But I'm sure that Clint's ready for the next game.
2009 Confederations Cup
I said to the staff, 'Who would you play?' And I got a mixed set of answers. But ultimately, I said, there's a reason Tim was number one. He's played more games than Brad, and we came into this tournament, and I think we owe it to the group.
USMNT Roster Building
There was a very high profile situation in 2022 where a guy who wasn't playing was not good behind the scenes. You do not want that. So you can't even, it's not even a consideration if that guy's a jerk.
I can't guarantee all of you that when we get to the world cup, you're going to be there, but I can tell you that you're the ones I'm counting on. And you're the ones that are going to set the standards all the time.
USMNT Culture
I think the one thing I had heard from a number of different guys is that in 2006, things had just got a little loose. And so I think when we started, I simply said that we needed to reestablish what we were all about.
With Bruce, it wasn't even what Bruce allowed, it was just that that was our normal. And you came in and I don't know how, I'm sure it was very intentional to swing the pendulum back. But at first, it was like your parents allowing you to eat candy for five years and all of a sudden saying no more candy.
Egypt National Team
I said to Dion, Zach, we need to talk to him. And so there we were on some floor in some hotel in Kumasi. And I'm saying, like, I love you guys. And the pressure on you was incredible. And if I have, I'm going to find every way to be here for the second game.
Transfer window
I had a phone call from Tony Coton who was the goalkeeper coach literally on my hotel phone... and just said, 'We're interested in you.' I didn't really say much. And then it was slow drip. And then that May we played Mexico... and he phoned me and said, 'I'm flying over to Houston, I want to see you live.'
Coaching Career
I miss being on the field. And I still, the part of going into a situation, getting to know the people, engaging players, staff, leading, managing up—I have always enjoyed and I take great pride in all the people that I've worked with.
Leadership
I've coached one player who won the world cup and that's Yuri Djorkaeff. And he said that Aime Jacquet at a certain point had Zidane and Yuri. And he said to the two of them, 'You must be the sunshine. You must be the sunshine for the group.'