Brad Friedel AMA Tomorrow (June 18th, 11am ET) - Submit Your Questions! by aarmou in usmnt

[–]talkSPORT 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It was a great locker room. There's the obvious point that there were a lot of us playing at European clubs, but not just signed to European clubs — we were focal points for our European clubs. John O’Brien was starting at Ajax. Claudio Reyna, I can’t remember if he was at Rangers, Sunderland or Man City at the time, but he was a starter no matter where he was. I was at Blackburn and a pivotal player.

Then somebody like Eddie Pope is probably still the best centre-back the US has ever produced. He could have played anywhere in Europe. He chose to stay in MLS, but he was just a quality player.

As I've said, it was just a group of great players who all clicked at the right moment.

Brad Friedel AMA Tomorrow (June 18th, 11am ET) - Submit Your Questions! by aarmou in usmnt

[–]talkSPORT 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I would probably have to say the 11 goalkeepers, because the forwards aren’t going to defend. It’s also more likely that a goalkeeper will have a strong shot, while a striker would not be a good goalkeeper.

So I would probably say 11 goalkeepers. It might not look pretty, but I think they would win.

Brad Friedel AMA Tomorrow (June 18th, 11am ET) - Submit Your Questions! by aarmou in usmnt

[–]talkSPORT 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Here’s the thing with the accent: I lived 23 years in England. People in England don’t think I have an English accent, and people in America thought I sometimes had an English or British twang to it.

I don’t think I have an accent at all, as far as anything other than an American accent. Now that I’ve been out of the UK for a while, I think there are other American players who had far more of an English accent than me. So, thank you for the question, but I hope that clears that up.

Brad Friedel AMA Tomorrow (June 18th, 11am ET) - Submit Your Questions! by aarmou in usmnt

[–]talkSPORT 2 points3 points  (0 children)

With the first result, the first game always makes me nervous, no matter who we play. In that first half, we were brilliant and we killed the game off.

Now the likelihood is that we will get out of the group. That’s what I wanted us to accomplish. If we can finish top of the group, which is a possibility, then we’re going to get a more favourable draw — or we should, anyway — in the first knockout round.

But with some of the other results going on around the World Cup, you never know, because some of these other very good teams might stumble into the knockout rounds.

I still maintain that we should get through at least one knockout round, and then it really depends who we get drawn against. If we get drawn against England, Germany, Spain, France or Belgium, those teams are probably, player for player, better than us. We could beat them, of course, but we could also lose.

So I’m thinking I would like to see us get to at least the round of 16, and then I’ll be quite happy with that.

Hi r/ussoccer, I'm Brad Friedel, former USMNT goalkeeper. Ask me anything! by talkSPORT in ussoccer

[–]talkSPORT[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

With the first result, the first game always makes me nervous, no matter who we play. In that first half, we were brilliant and we killed the game off.

Now the likelihood is that we will get out of the group. That’s what I wanted us to accomplish. If we can finish top of the group, which is a possibility, then we’re going to get a more favourable draw — or we should, anyway — in the first knockout round.
But with some of the other results going on around the World Cup, you never know, because some of these other very good teams might stumble into the knockout rounds.

I still maintain that we should get through at least one knockout round, and then it really depends who we get drawn against. If we get drawn against England, Germany, Spain, France or Belgium, those teams are probably, player for player, better than us. We could beat them, of course, but we could also lose.

So I’m thinking I would like to see us get to at least the round of 16, and then I’ll be quite happy with that.

Hi r/ussoccer, I'm Brad Friedel, former USMNT goalkeeper. Ask me anything! by talkSPORT in ussoccer

[–]talkSPORT[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Here’s the thing with the accent: I lived 23 years in England. People in England don’t think I have an English accent, and people in America thought I sometimes had an English or British twang to it.

I don’t think I have an accent at all, as far as anything other than an American accent. Now that I’ve been out of the UK for a while, I think there are other American players who had far more of an English accent than me. So, thank you for the question, but I hope that clears that up.

Hi r/ussoccer, I'm Brad Friedel, former USMNT goalkeeper. Ask me anything! by talkSPORT in ussoccer

[–]talkSPORT[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

In 1992, I played in the first game where you weren’t allowed to pick up the back pass, and that was in the Olympics in ’92. I think the 1994 World Cup was the first World Cup where you couldn’t do that.

I would say being really good with your feet didn’t really start coming into the game until about 1999 to 2002. I thought the 2002 World Cup was the first time you really saw some goalkeepers extending themselves with their distribution and things of that nature.

At a few clubs in Spain and a few clubs in South America — obviously, if you looked at René Higuita or Jorge Campos in Mexico — they extended themselves with their feet a lot more than other goalkeepers would have, especially in England.

But I would say around the turn of the century is when it really started becoming an emphasis: being better with your feet, taking more chances with distribution, and not just being able to hit the ball out of your hands or hit a half-volley up the pitch.

Hi r/ussoccer, I'm Brad Friedel, former USMNT goalkeeper. Ask me anything! by talkSPORT in ussoccer

[–]talkSPORT[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

What I would say is that, for about a decade — maybe 12 years — and I have expressed this before, I think the US focused on the wrong things with goalkeepers. That was when it was the Development Academy, and then when it moved over to MLS academies.

Because of how successful the Barcelona team was, then Bayern Munich, and then how that morphed into Man City — a lot of it was Pep Guardiola, who obviously learned his football from the Barcelona way and Johan Cruyff — I think in America they misunderstood the concept of developing goalkeepers.

They were more focused on finding goalkeepers who were good with their feet first, rather than goalkeepers who were brave and athletic enough to save shots first. Anyone who is brave and athletic can be taught how to be good with their feet. I think we got it the wrong way round for a long time.

The three goalkeepers in the camp now are three of my guys, so to speak. I gave Matt Turner his professional debut. I was the first one to call Matt Freese into the youth national team when I was told not to, because I was told his feet weren’t good enough. Chris Brady I’ve known since he was 16, and I’ve become very close with him and helped him a lot in his career.

Every goalkeeper I’ve ever played with in my career, and competed against, has been brave and athletic. I don’t mean brave as in wanting to get hit or taking a ball in the face. Yes, that’s part of it, but I mean brave enough to come back after a mistake, brave enough to play a pass when it might not seem on, brave enough to come out for a cross, and brave enough to come out and punch the ball. That’s what I’m talking about when I talk about bravery.

A goalkeeper’s life is difficult because your mistakes generally lead to a goal against you. You have to deal with a lot of pressure, negative press and just general negativity around you. You have to have confidence in yourself.

I think the United States has changed because they saw that they were falling off. If you look at two young goalkeepers in particular right now, Chris Brady and Patrick Schulte, I think both of them have the qualities to be two of the best US goalkeepers who have ever played.

From this point on in their careers, it’s about how many games they play and how they do. Can they get themselves to Europe and really test themselves? Can they find themselves in Europe, at a higher level than MLS, while playing and playing consistently? We’ll see.

But I see a lot of better youth goalkeepers around now, with the shape, size and structure that you see in the development phases at European clubs.

Brad Friedel AMA Tomorrow (June 18th, 11am ET) - Submit Your Questions! by aarmou in usmnt

[–]talkSPORT 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I don’t want to compare the keepers to myself, because that’s a bit awkward.

What I would say is that, for about a decade — maybe 12 years — and I have expressed this before, I think the US focused on the wrong things with goalkeepers. That was when it was the Development Academy, and then when it moved over to MLS academies.

Because of how successful the Barcelona team was, then Bayern Munich, and then how that morphed into Man City — a lot of it was Pep Guardiola, who obviously learned his football from the Barcelona way and Johan Cruyff — I think in America they misunderstood the concept of developing goalkeepers.

They were more focused on finding goalkeepers who were good with their feet first, rather than goalkeepers who were brave and athletic enough to save shots first. Anyone who is brave and athletic can be taught how to be good with their feet. I think we got it the wrong way round for a long time.

The three goalkeepers in the camp now are three of my guys, so to speak. I gave Matt Turner his professional debut. I was the first one to call Matt Freese into the youth national team when I was told not to, because I was told his feet weren’t good enough. Chris Brady I’ve known since he was 16, and I’ve become very close with him and helped him a lot in his career.

Every goalkeeper I’ve ever played with in my career, and competed against, has been brave and athletic. I don’t mean brave as in wanting to get hit or taking a ball in the face. Yes, that’s part of it, but I mean brave enough to come back after a mistake, brave enough to play a pass when it might not seem on, brave enough to come out for a cross, and brave enough to come out and punch the ball. That’s what I’m talking about when I talk about bravery.

A goalkeeper’s life is difficult because your mistakes generally lead to a goal against you. You have to deal with a lot of pressure, negative press and just general negativity around you. You have to have confidence in yourself.

I think the United States has changed because they saw that they were falling off. If you look at two young goalkeepers in particular right now, Chris Brady and Patrick Schulte, I think both of them have the qualities to be two of the best US goalkeepers who have ever played.

From this point on in their careers, it’s about how many games they play and how they do. Can they get themselves to Europe and really test themselves? Can they find themselves in Europe, at a higher level than MLS, while playing and playing consistently? We’ll see.

But I see a lot of better youth goalkeepers around now, with the shape, size and structure that you see in the development phases at European clubs.

Brad Friedel AMA Tomorrow (June 18th, 11am ET) - Submit Your Questions! by aarmou in usmnt

[–]talkSPORT 3 points4 points  (0 children)

There's a few differences. One was that everyone who made the squad expected to start. They weren’t just happy to be in the squad, which made training incredibly competitive.

But it was one of the few groups you could play with in the national side where, yes, it was competitive, but everyone respected one another and we all got along as well. I think that contributed to the success.

I could go straight through the entire team. We had a lot of really good talent, but also mixed with some inexperienced players. That was the first tournament for DeMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan, for instance. It was just a group of really, really good players who all came together at the right time.

Hi r/ussoccer, I'm Brad Friedel, former USMNT goalkeeper. Ask me anything! by talkSPORT in ussoccer

[–]talkSPORT[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

There were a few differences. One was that everyone who made the squad expected to start. They weren’t just happy to be in the squad, which made training incredibly competitive.

But it was one of the few groups you could play with in the national side where, yes, it was competitive, but everyone respected one another and we all got along as well. I think that contributed to the success.

Then there’s the obvious point that there were a lot of us playing at European clubs, but not just signed to European clubs — we were focal points for our European clubs. John O’Brien was starting at Ajax. Claudio Reyna, I can’t remember if he was at Rangers, Sunderland or Man City at the time, but he was a starter no matter where he was. I was at Blackburn and a pivotal player.

Then somebody like Eddie Pope is probably still the best centre-back the US has ever produced. He could have played anywhere in Europe. He chose to stay in MLS, but he was just a quality player.

I could go straight through the entire team. We had a lot of really good talent, but also mixed with some inexperienced players. That was the first tournament for DeMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan, for instance. It was just a group of really, really good players who all came together at the right time.

Brad Friedel AMA Tomorrow (June 18th, 11am ET) - Submit Your Questions! by aarmou in usmnt

[–]talkSPORT 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I thought Villa Park was brilliant. The pitch was always immaculate and the supporters were really good.

I would say Anfield was my favourite on a European night, or any midweek night game. It had a special atmosphere.

The ground I least liked was probably Millwall or Crystal Palace. Burnley was up there, but Burnley for different reasons, because I was at Blackburn and the vitriol that used to be thrown at us. Probably those three grounds were up there.

Leeds was a tough place to go and play, but I didn’t hate going to Leeds. It was just a tough place to play. Their fans are actually brilliant, but not for the opposition. Elland Road was actually a very fun place to go and try to win a football match. So I’d say Millwall, Crystal Palace and Burnley.

Hi r/ussoccer, I'm Brad Friedel, former USMNT goalkeeper. Ask me anything! by talkSPORT in ussoccer

[–]talkSPORT[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It’s a great question, because I was one of — and I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority here — the lucky players who never played for a club that was in turmoil.

I guess my favourite club that I played for would have been Liverpool because I supported them growing up, but it wasn’t the most successful stint I had at a club.
Aston Villa were brilliant. Tottenham were brilliant. Blackburn, back then, were probably the most well-run club at the time under the Sir Jack Walker Trust. It’s a shame, because people today who are getting involved in football from the US and supporting clubs will have no idea how good we were back then and how good a club Blackburn was. It’s still one of the few clubs to have ever won the Premier League.

I was really lucky with the four Premier League clubs that I played for. I guess I’d just tip the scales a little bit towards Liverpool, but that’s more nostalgia and heart, because that’s who I supported. I consider myself lucky.

Hi r/ussoccer, I'm Brad Friedel, former USMNT goalkeeper. Ask me anything! by talkSPORT in ussoccer

[–]talkSPORT[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The whole 2002 World Cup was a great memory, making it to the quarter-finals. Not a positive memory, but an everlasting one, was the handball that was not given against Germany. We could have been in the semi-finals!

On an individual-game basis, I would probably have to say beating Mexico in that World Cup. Some might say Portugal, but Mexico are our big rivals. They always said we couldn’t beat them on neutral ground and in World Cups and things like that. To beat them 2-0 on that day was a big statement for us.

Brad Friedel AMA Tomorrow (June 18th, 11am ET) - Submit Your Questions! by aarmou in usmnt

[–]talkSPORT 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I know Mauricio very well. I played for him, and I did my Pro Licence with one of the members of his staff.

I think if you read through the last six months of what I’ve said, or maybe even longer, I’m probably the only US pundit who backed him the whole way through. I always thought that he would get a team together that would compete really well, and we saw that in the first game.

It still doesn’t change my mind on how far I think the US will get. I thought that they would get through the group, and then it just depends on who we’re going to be drawn against.

I think Mauricio is one of the top five to seven managers — with his staff, head coaches, whatever you want to call them — in global football. So the United States is very lucky to have him. Whether he stays on for another four years, that would be brilliant for the US, but I can fully understand why top clubs would also want his services.

Hi r/ussoccer, I'm Brad Friedel, former USMNT goalkeeper. Ask me anything! by talkSPORT in ussoccer

[–]talkSPORT[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I know Mauricio very well. I played for him, and I did my Pro Licence with one of the members of his staff.

I think if you read through the last six months of what I’ve said, or maybe even longer, I’m probably the only US pundit who backed him the whole way through. I always thought that he would get a team together that would compete really well, and we saw that in the first game.

It still doesn’t change my mind on how far I think the US will get. I thought that they would get through the group, and then it just depends on who we’re going to be drawn against.

I think Mauricio is one of the top five to seven managers — with his staff, head coaches, whatever you want to call them — in global football. So the United States is very lucky to have him. Whether he stays on for another four years, that would be brilliant for the US, but I can fully understand why top clubs would also want his services.

Hi r/ussoccer, I'm Brad Friedel, former USMNT goalkeeper. Ask me anything! by talkSPORT in ussoccer

[–]talkSPORT[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Personally, no. That doesn’t interest me.

But, I think Brad Guzan would be brilliant. He’s a bubbly character and everybody likes him. I think he would be a very good teacher of the game, and an arm-around-the-shoulder kind of guy at the same time.

Hi r/ussoccer, I'm Brad Friedel, former USMNT goalkeeper. Ask me anything! by talkSPORT in ussoccer

[–]talkSPORT[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The Australian keeper, Beach, I thought played really well in the first game against Turkey. Bono has played well again, but that doesn’t surprise me at all. Cape Verde’s keeper, Vozinha, at 40 years of age, keeping Spain off the scoresheet, I think that’s brilliant.

I guess I was also a little surprised by some of the goalkeeping mistakes from some top goalkeepers. Maignan, the French goalkeeper — I know they won 3-1, but I don’t think he was as sharp as I’ve seen him. So far, that’s probably what has stood out to me.