For better or worse, manager-father, player-son teams are in it together. Complaints of nepotism abound in soccer, and are often submitted by team troublemakers. Sons have it rough in the league; Nigel Clough’s manager father, Brian, refused to call the younger Clough by his first name, electing to refer to him as “our number 9” instead. 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.
Bob Bradley and his son are hoping to avoid this kind of problem when they compete in the South African based World Cup Finals this summer.
Michael Bradley was born in Princeton, New Jersey when Bob was the coach of the Princeton University soccer team. As a youngster, when Bob moved to Illinois to coach the Chicago Fire in the MLS, Michael was brought up in Palatine and at an early age, grew to love the game in the same way as his father.
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 soon gained attention of foreign teams, leading him to leave the Metrostars in 2006 to play for Holland’s SC Heerenveen team. 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 apparel, 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.
Because young Bradley has done so well, no one was really surprised when he was promoted to the ranks of the US National Team. Bob Bradley began coaching the team in 2006, leading Michael to become the core of the US midfield, setting up plays so that offensive players such as Landon Donovan can exercise the freedom to get towards the goal.
Both Bradley men have much to be proud of this summer, when the two will bring the US to compete in South Africa with dreams of winning it all.
