I've been reeling for a few days over the US Soccer Federations failure to hire Jurgen Klinsmann and the subsequent hiring of Bob Bradley.

First I was mad. How could Sunil Gulati screw up this Klinsmann thing? Wasn't the reason he waited six months to make an appointment pretty much to wait for Klinsmann.

Then I calmed down. Rumour has it that Klinsmann wanted full control of US Soccer and Gulati just wanted him to coach the team. My stance on Klinsmann is that excellent World Cup performance aside, his spell as German coach wasn't exactly one long honeymoon. There were some horrible results and performances, and he was lucky to keep his job pre-World Cup. And how much of that World Cup success was down to great coaching? Who knows. All home nations have good World Cups. Would it have been wise to trust the entire direction of US Soccer to a former German striker with a mixed managerial record?

Probably not.

As for Bob Bradley.. why not? He's the most qualified US coach. He may have links with Arena, but he's not a Bruce clone. He seems too polite for one thing.

He doesn't bring the great PR buzz that Klinsmann does, which is a shame because US soccer needed a shot in the arm publicity wise. But in the end it's about what happens on the pitch and with the players. We'll get a glimpse in January when Bradley takes charge of his first friendly against Denmark.

He's definitely in charge until May 2007, and in consideration for the job full time. Hopefully we'll get to see what he does in the 2007 Gold Cup and Copa America. After that summer the US can sit back, take stock and can think again.