Bradley builds US talent into band of brothers

Big-name European coaches were considered when Bob Bradley became coach of the US football team, but the veteran American mentor made the job his own and melded a squad in his own image.

The pay-off for 3 1/2 years of team-building has come at the World Cup, where the American band of brothers bounced back from a 2006 first-round exit and have booked a date with Ghana on Saturday in the round of 16.

Confidence shown in Bradley when he took the job for six months on an interim basis has paid off with a team devoted to one another, bonded as a group with more concern about playing a role than individual glory.

“We believe in what Bob does,” US playmaker Landon Donovan said. “It has taken a long time for some of us to wrap our heads around what Bob wanted from us. Now we are understanding why Bob put us through a lot of what he has.

“He was always thinking about the long term and some of us were only thinking about the short term.”

Through tournament after tournament, including a 2009 Confederations Cup finals run, US players were evaluated but also brought together to form a leadership core, building some into leaders, altering the approach of others.

“The mentality and fight in these guys is unbelievable,” said US forward Jozy Altidore. “Sometimes, we want it too much.

“He’s right up there with the best coaches. He has earned a lot of respect from a lot of people.”

Bradley passes credit back to his players like some of them send a ball to each other.

“These guys have taken ownership in how we do things. They get the credit,” Bradley said. “That team-building part, that process, that’s what makes coaching a great thing.

“You try to find a way every time you come together of showing what it means to be in that team. You have a chance to prepare for what it’s going to be like. You want the experiences along the way to mean that, when you get to the World Cup, things are solid.”

US captain Carlos Bocanegra has been at the core of a squad that rallied to draw against England and Slovenia and edged Algeria 1-0 to advance to the last 16 thanks to a Donovan goal in stoppage time.

“Guys want to play their heart out. Egos don’t get involved,” Bocanegra said. “Whoever scores, guys cheer them on. It’s about how the team performs.”

“People talk about technique and tactics and all this stuff, but our team spirit is second to none and it’s something that gets us through a lot. It’s just a group of guys that fight for each other.”

Bocanegra said that whether often-stoic Bradley has pushed fitness as he did at the start of training camp last month or worked on creating camaraderie, he has rarely taken it easy on his players.

“He has been hard on us,” Bocanegra said. “It’s how we have made progress.”

Altidore, the youngest US player at 20, sees the bond in South Africa has come because family and friends are kept at a distance.

“It sucks not seeing wives, girlfriends, families,” he said. “We see each other and we get close. It makes you want to fight for the guy next to you.

“In the 91st minute, Landon is barking out directions and Carlos is making plays. It’s great to see we are never out of the game.”

But is this not true of every team?

“I don’t think so,” Altidore said. “I’m lucky to experience this.”