For better or worse, manager-father, player-son teams are in it together. There are the somewhat tiresome claims of nepotism from those seeking to cause mischief. Brian Clough, when he managed his son Nigel at Nottingham Forest, refused to even acknowledge him by his first name, simply referring to Nigel as “our Number 9”. Contrary to popular belief, fathers who manage their sons might actually treat them more harshly than the rest of the team. Manager fathers, it seems, may be far tougher on their offspring than they are on the majority of the team. Whether trying not to give too much leeway or trying not to crack down too hard, managers face a problematic conundrum.
Not that this will be a problem for Bob Bradley and his son Michael during this summer’s World Cup Finals in South Africa. One exception to the rule seems to be the Bradley family, US Coach Bob Bradley and his son Michael, who will compete in the World Cup Finals together this summer in South Africa.
Bob welcomed his son into the world while working as the coach of the Princeton University soccer team. When Michael was young, his father received a position coaching the MLS Chicago Fire, and Michael was raised in Palatine, gaining a love for the game that rivalled that of his father. After Bob gained a position with the Chicago Fire, Michael grew up in Palatine, and began to enjoy the sport immensely.
Due to his excellence in the Junior leagues, Michael was drafted in the 2004 MLS Superdraft, the team which his father coached. During his first season as a professional in New York, Michael didn’t see any playing time, his year ruined by a problematic foot injury, but in his second full year at the club, both Bradley’s had an impact, Bob leading the team to the play offs, while Michael played in thirty of the thirty two games that season and headed his first goal for Metrostars in a vital win over Chivas USA, which put Metrostars into the play offs.
Bradley left the New York Metrostars in 2006, when he was sold to Holland’s SC Heereveen after making an impression on an international scale. Taking over the anchoring role in the team, Bradley made a quick impact at the Dutch side, playing an important role in leading the club to a place in the UEFA Cup and the following season, he added goals to his already impressive performances from midfield, scoring 20 goals in all competitions in season 2007-08.
Bigger clubs were soon sniffing around, Birmingham City wanted Bradley in their soccer jersey, but their relegation from the Premier League scuppered any chance of a deal. Borussia Moenchengladbach instead snapped up the midfielder and he has become a regular player for the German side, playing 58 times in the Bundesliga and scoring 7 goals.
Michael Bradley’s success so far exceeded expectations that most took it for granted that he would be promoted to the National Team (and he was). When his father Bob became coach in late 2006, Michael had already made his first appearance and under his father, Michael has become a key man at the heart of the US midfield, with his intelligent play and clever passing key in allowing more offensive players like Landon Donovan free reign to get forward.
The family connection will be central to the US team once again this summer and for both members of the Bradley family, it looks like being an African summer to remember, hopefully for the right reasons.
