photo by Nick Turchiaro/USA Today Sports
By FRANCO PANIZO
The U.S. Men’s National Team will be without its captain for at least the first of its two upcoming friendlies vs. South American opposition.
Michael Bradley confirmed on Friday reports that said he would stay with Toronto FC this upcoming week instead of joining the U.S. for its preparations for a Sept. 4 meeting with Peru. Toronto plays on road against the Seattle Sounders a day after that international friendly takes place at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., and Bradley is being kept in an effort to help his club try to solidify its playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference.
It is not confirmed what will happen with fellow Toronto FC star Jozy Altidore, but the most recent reports and rumors are that he will not stick around with the club like Bradley.
“I’ll be with Toronto FC in Seattle,” Bradley told reporters. “There was some discussions between everyone at U.S. Soccer and everyone at Toronto FC, going back a few months to when we played those friendlies in June.
“There was agreement that for this game in Seattle that I’d be able to stay with Toronto FC and then afterwards, if (U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann) would like, then I’ll join up with the team in Boston for the game against Brazil.”
The Americans play Brazil in the second of their two September friendlies on Sept. 8, but the absence of Bradley from at least the first match means that Klinsmann will need to find a way to replace the veteran midfielder in the lineup and name a new captain temporarily.
Clint Dempsey, who wore the armband before Bradley, is likely ruled out for the latter since he is a doubt for the upcoming games because of an injury. But Klinsmann should still have plenty of options to choose from for the captaincy, including left back DaMarcus Beasley, whose inclusion on the U.S. squad has already been announced.
In terms of replacements on the field, Jermaine Jones should be available for selection after returning to full health in recent weeks. Other possibilities are Danny Williams, Alfredo Morales, Kyle Beckerman, and Mix Diskerud, among others.
The U.S. roster for the showdowns with Peru and Brazil will be announced on Sunday.
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What do you think of Bradley missing the USMNT’s match vs. Peru to stay with Toronto FC? How do you see Klinsmann filling the void? Still can’t believe MLS plays matches during FIFA’s international windows?
Share your thoughts below.
No problem with this. JK doesn’t need another friendly to gauge what MB90 brings. He knows that Bradley will bring it in October, and knows where he wants to play him on the field. He’s going to come in for the second friendly anyway.
Obviously MLS is trying to sabotage Toronto if Altidore doesn’t report for National Team duty.
TFC if you are going to keep Bradley, you might as well keep Altidore also…..I say again keep Jozy Altidore in Canada.
Grateful Fan
bizzy
lol
Dear bizzy….
People who laugh at their own jokes are creepy. Please stop doing it. Socially it’s just a half-step away from saying “my precioussssss” or “it puts the lotion in the basket”.
Stop that and the ladies will come a-runnin’ in no time. Well, maybe not, but they won’t run quite as fast….
I am very patriotic, I still sing the National anthem everything, father served 20 years in the air force, etc… But USSOCCER does not pay his contract. He has a duty to his club as well. I have no problem with this decision, unless other teams don’t get the same treatment. But if MLS would just account for FIFA calendar much would be solved. Easier said than done I am sure.
Well said. Toronto FC is like every other company that has an employee with a side hobby … they let the employee go when it’s for something they had previously agreed to, or when it doesn’t affect the company’s needs. Well, in this case, this is just a friendly and the company is trying to ensure they’re in as good as spot as possible for the playoffs.
US Soccer gives MLS division 1 status. MLS should schedule around the FIFA calendar if they want to consider themselves a world class league.
Country should come before MLS. Anytime you have the honor to represent your country, you take it. Doesn’t matter who opponent is…
Disagree. MB already played all summer for the USMNT and his club (that’s paying him $40m over the life of his contract) needs him while the USMNT is just playing friendlies here. MB doesn’t need to schlep to DC to get played out of position again by JK in a friendly against a team we should beat 7 or 8 times out of 10 anyway, especially at home.
Not that easy. MLS (club) is where the player makes his living.
I understand the honor aspect to it. Out of anyone, if MB had a choice, he would choose to play for his country.
But he has an obligation to play for the team that he is employed to. And in this case, I am sure it was Toronto that made that decision – not a player’s choice.
Michael has been called in to almost every camp for the last how many years. He deserves a day off. If Dempsey wasn’t hurt I’d say the same. Plus I kind of want to see someone else in his role.
Of course he will. MLS needs Toronto in the playoffs. They spent a LOT of money putting the team together. This’ll do anything they can to maximize their investment.
Such is life in a single entity “league”
LOL…yes because players in other leagues never pull out of international friendlies.
Also, Rob, your boys Gio and Ochoa aren’t playing for Mexico in their upcoming games. That an MLS plot too?
Also, because the best way for the league to put in a fix to guarantee TFC making playoffs is to ensure that Bradley plays in a specific away game against a Western Conference opponent who spends almost as much money and has more fans! 🙂