By DAN KARELL
Former U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley isn’t ready to give up on his dream of coaching in Europe just yet.
According to a report in the Vancouver-based newspaper The Province, Bradley has turned down the vacant Vancouver Whitecaps head coaching position in order to keep his options open for a job in Europe. The report states that Bradley has been in discussions with a number of clubs and that Norweigian side Stabaek is currently the leading club for Bradley’s services.
“There’s discussions ongoing, a few things out there,” Bradley told The Province in regards to jobs in Europe. “None of them as far along as with Stabaek. I’m still waiting to see how things play out.”
Located about 10 miles outside of central Oslo, Stabaek is set to compete in Norway’s first division, the Tippeligaen, next season after a year in the second division. Recognizable names in Norweigian soccer include FK Molde head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, formerly of Manchester United, and former New York Red Bulls assistant coach Jan Halvor Halvorson, who coaches promoted side Bodø/Glimt.
Bradley recently completed a two-year run with the Egyptian national team, leading them to an impressive 7-1 record in World Cup qualifying, only to fall to Ghana in the final round of qualifying thanks to a debilitating 6-1 defeat in Kumasi, Ghana.
According to the report, Bradley was the Whitecaps’ top candidate for the head coaching job, which has been open since the Whitecaps parted ways with Martin Rennie at the end of October.
“At the end, I just felt that the next step needed to be Europe, but it was not easy,” Bradley said.
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What do you think of this report? Did you expect Bradley to take the Whitecaps job? See Bradley being hired by Stabaek? Think he should continue to wait for a job in a bigger European league?
Share your thoughts below.