Live Blogging the US Soccer Presser
What about Bob?
1:05 pm - Cheatin’ Bob just hanging out. The press all seem to be . . . elsewhere.
1:10 pm - Videos! With rock music and Bob coachin’ ‘em up.
1:12 pm - Get that Jim guy some coffee! The dude has all the enthusiasm of a mortitian.
1:14 pm - The Hobbit on the mic!
1:15 pm - Sunil insists US Soccer had “the luxury of time.”
1:15 pm - Sunil is now blowing Bob. This should be X-rated.
1:16 pm - “Bob would, should, and could coach the US National Team”
1:16 pm - Hmm. So a “long term deal” was cut in January ‘08. I assume mostly focused on the U-23s
1:18 pm - Bob on the mic.
1:18 pm - Sounds like a December conference call was key to this whole arrangement. Bob impressed during that call and it was his job to lose . . . maybe. This all could be happy talk for the public.
1:19 pm - Bob shares an anecdote about Youri Djorkaeff.
1:21 pm - “Close the loop” with the Euros was the delay.
1:22 pm - Bob runs out of steam. Uses “Ahhh” too much.
1:25 pm - Bob sez: you gotta earn the Captain’s arm band. So it may rotate. “A lot of people [will be] asked to step-up and take a ledership role.”
1:26 pm - Summer tourneys: “The plan is to have a handful of players that play in both events.” “A mix of MLS and European-based players.” Gold Cup roster may be ready next week.
1:27 pm - Damn! A good question from a sports journalist! ‘So when did you abandon the Euro. peeps?’ Sunil had vague answer. Decision was “partly dictated by results” . . . Sunil didn’t learn much extra about Bob during the interim phase. Sunil phrased Bob for bringing in young talent when results would mean so much to Bob’s status.
1:29 pm - Bob: “You don’t become a real coach until you know what failure is all about.”
1:31 pm - Bob channels his inner Bruce: ‘I don’t tell the media everything’
1:32 pm - Olympic team? Bob says there is no rush and they are discussing how to go forward.
1:33 pm - What is the American style? “The latest thing on our mind is the idea that in team sports in the US we haven’t been as successful as late . . . we got to the point we spend so much time focusing on the individuals before the team accomplishes anything.”
1:34 pm - Bob invokes the Miracle on Ice: “We must become a real team.” “Play collectively with a belief in what we are trying to do.”
1:36 pm - Do you want to be liked? “Everyone has a style as a coach. On the inside I’m open and honest with the players . . . I don’t . . . play mind games.”
1:38 pm - Sunil keeps smickering at questions. What!? Do we amuse you? Are we funny like a clown? We make you laugh?
1:40 pm - The Peter Nowak rule! “Let us enjoy this win!” aka Lighten up Bob!
1:41 pm - Bob learns “smiling is sometimes important.” Next up . . . I’m OK, you’re OK!
1:43 pm - Sunil lost a bet about a question. Apparently, it was about Bob’s ability to speak Spanish. “I will continue to try and learn [Spanish].”
That’s it! Boring! Bruce would have belittled at least three reporters.
Good luck to Bob and the US National Team: We are all part of Bob’s Army!
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
