A Complete Lack of Imagination

The U.S. Soccer Federation announced Monday that coach Bob Bradley’s contract has been renewed for four more years.

A good coach, a good man. Now set up to be run out of town on a rail in 2014, since the roster of two-term World Cup coaches includes few successes. Sven-Goran Erikksson was England's darling after 2002.

Bruce Arena was the same in the U.S. in 2002. Marcello Lippi took Italy to the title in 2006.

All three flopped four years later.

Apparently, the gurus of American soccer are satisfied with the status quo. Because that’s what the renewal of Bradley is, a message that continued steady progress – with a clear ceiling – is perfectly acceptable.

In Bradley’s tenure, the United States has had the best stretch of results in its soccer history. The 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup title, losses in the final of both the 2009 Confederations Cup and 2009 Gold Cup (yes, that massive Cup that a small child could fit in is important enough to compete for every two years) and stress-free qualification for, and advancement at, the 2010 World Cup.

These results were tempered by a poor showing at the 2007 Copa America, but that was just a chance to see different players, with that year’s Gold Cup the desired prize. There is some question as to whether these quality years were the result of Bradley’s coaching, the natural development of the U.S.’ best (thus far) generation of players, or an equal combination of both. 

Indisputably, the U.S. has experienced significant and steady improvement in recent years.  Since holding World Cup qualifiers in junior-college stadiums just two decades ago, the United States has qualified for six consecutive World Cups, advanced at three of those tournaments (1994, 2002, 2010), and established itself as one of the co-Kings (with Mexico) of the collection of footy minnows that is CONCACAF.

And that is the status quo that U.S. soccer head Sunil Gulati and friends want to maintain. Do well against El Salvador and Honduras, lose at Costa Rica and Mexico, finish first or second in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying and Gold Cup tournaments that the U.S. hosts , and pray for a favorable draw at the World Cup.

There’s really no need to imagine what things might have been like under a different coach, because barring a stretch of horrendous results – as in, the team sitting dead last in World Cup qualifying going into the final set of games – Bradley is the coach.

Maybe U.S. Soccer couldn't have done better. Maybe there wasn't a bigger name, someone who would change the culture of soccer in this country, in the pipeline.

Maybe. But it would have been nice to find out.