Former United States Manager Bob Bradley feels his son, Michael who is arguably the best American field player of this current generation would have made a good signing for Arsenal this past January. At the time the younger Bradley was struggling for playing time at AS Roma and eventually moved to Toronto FC of Major League Soccer. In an interview with Slate, the elder Bradley stated:
I think American players and coaches have to fight really hard for respect.
In January, Arsenal [was] looking to add a midfielder, and they chose Kim Kallstrom. Kim Kallstrom’s not a bad player, but I think Michael feels pretty strongly that he’s better, and so Arsene Wenger must not feel that way, and [Arsenal chief executive] Ivan Gazidis must not feel that way. So sometimes, no matter what you do, you don’t get the respect you think you deserve.
As it turned out Kallstrom was injured for most of his spell at Arsenal and was unable to prevent the Gunners from sliding from first to fourth in the Premier League table.
He’s high. Michael Bradley isn’t Arsenal material, and Bob Bradley couldn’t qualify for the WC with Egypt, an African powerhouse.
It does not help when they run home to the mls cash cow instead of staying and fighting for a place in Europe.
This doesn’t help at all. If you’re good, you’ll win respect. Look at Kasey Keller, Tim Howard, Brad Friedel and Brian McBride.
Brad Guzan starts to gain a lot of respect now. He didn’t moan but he proves that he’s good enough to be no. 1 choice.
Donovan starting gaining respect in his stint with Everton but then chose to go back to MLS just when his stock was rising. I don’t understand his decision to go back to MLS when he was playing very good in the EPL and the fans really liked him and his play.
I won’t dispute that he was playing well, but he did join a team right after the Christmas crush, having had a nice long rest. A definite advantage for any player.
SB
Cut out the moaning. If you want respect from the likes of Brazil and Germany you have to earn it.
If any of the previous commenters think that there isn’t a bias against American players, they’re crazy. Goalies – no, field players – yes.
The best compliment an American field player can get is, “he is such a hard worker”. It’s comments like these that detract from the fact that players like Clint Dempsey actually have flare to their game (oh, and he works hard too).
The point is: the coaches want to be successful. They’d sign anyone who can help them achieve their goals.
I would think that the trend actually favors American players: US is such a HUGE market. They’d sell jerseys and attract new fans too. So now it’s whether they can play or not, or whether they are the type of player that the manager needs.
I personally think in England Americans get too much respect. American keepers are good but on the field their technical level is below the elite level. Americans tend to go to England because unimaginative English coach places too much emphasis on hardwork and that is pretty much all Americans offer to a high level. You can find 100 Camerons and Altidores in the lower leagues of England but these players play in the EPL just because they are American. In other parts of Europe they have higher standards for what makes a good player. You need more than having a high work rate to be considered a good player, which is why there are no American players in Italy or Spain because they view Americans as having far too low skill and technique levels. No disrespect but but Dempsey is American’s best player and he is hardly a flair player. When America starts producing high quality skilful creative flair players then the respect will come.
“American keepers are good but on the field their technical level is below the elite level”
English Keepers are below the elite level too, that’s why there are so many foreign keepers playing in the EPL including US ones.
I am not talking about keepers as that is the one position America has always been strong. I am talking about outfield players have low technical level and that is why Italians and Spanish teams do not rate American players.