United States national coach Bob Bradley has been fired less than a year into a four-year contract extension he signed last August after leading the Americans to the second round of the World Cup.
U.S. Soccer spokesman Neil Buethe said Thursday the organization is “not getting into specifics at this point” as to why Bradley was let go. The move comes a month after the team lost the final of the Gold Cup to Mexico in Pasadena, California.
“We want to thank Bob Bradley for his service and dedication to U.S. Soccer during the past five years,” U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati said in a statement released Thursday.
“During his time as the head coach of our men’s national team he led the team to a number of accomplishments, but we felt now was the right time for us to make a change.
It is always hard to make these decisions, especially when it involves someone we respect as much as Bob. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Gulati’s announcement came after he met with Bradley and U.S. Soccer CEO Dan Flynn in Carson, California, according to the statement. U.S. Soccer said it would make another announcement Friday — 12 days before the squad’s next friendly match, against Mexico in Philadelphia on August 10.
Buethe declined to say whether a replacement for Bradley has been lined up, and refused to reveal the subject of Friday’s announcement.
The 53-year-old compiled a 43-25-12 record as the team’s head coach after taking the position in January 2007.
He guided the team to a 2007 Gold Cup title, and the U.S. defeated top-ranked Spain in the semifinals of the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa.
Having reached its first-ever final in a major FIFA tournament, the U.S. took a 2-0 lead against Brazil , but lost 3-2.
The United States qualified for the 2010 World Cup, finishing first in its CONCACAF qualifying group. In South Africa, the team went undefeated in the group stages for the first time in its history, drawing twice and winning once, before losing 2-1 to Ghana in the second round.
In his final tournament in charge, Bradley led the Americans to their third straight Gold Cup final, which they lost 4-2 to Mexico on June 25.
