Bob the Builder

Any day now, U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati should be naming his choice as national team coach.

In a lot of ways, the signs point to Bob Bradley being given the position permanently. Though some might wonder why he wasn't appointed in the first place if he was the top choice, there's a pretty clear answer to that.

After being unable to come to terms with his first choice, Jurgen Klinsmann, even after months of negotiations, Sunil wanted to take his time with another choice while still granting the national team some continuity. Most importantly, it was time to take part in scheduled games, and the program needed someone in charge.

Sunil appointed Bob as interim, and I'd speculate that Bob took the position partly because there was no better way to show he was suited for the job than performing well at the post.

Meanwhile, Sunil set up interviews and monitored other candidates. Bob and his players won games - going undefeated in all the matches played while he was at the helm. That's not a bad card to play - and it may trump the experiences of the other options.

Let's cover some of the positives of this move, if it happens. Bob is very familiar with the national team player pool. He has connections and friends at every level of U.S. soccer, from the youth national teams to the college game, to the pro league, to international competition. Bob has always emphasized discipline and hard work, characteristics that the U.S. team should not only be proud of, but often needs to rely on as a compensator for aspects that may be lacking. Bob has a knack for managing players others consider difficult, and a definite talent for spotting hidden potential. No candidate would be more loyal to or have more belief in the U.S. soccer player than Bob. His dedication to improving the program has given him a vision of uniting the coaches of the various national teams under a similar methodology. That's probably why he called in U17 coach John Hackworth and U21 coach Thomas Rongen to be assistants with the Olympic team, so they could get on the same page with both instruction and philosophy. Bob prepares his team well for matches, yet has shown greater flexibility for adjustments to game conditions than some of he predecessors. His players believe in him, and Bob works hard to foster and maintain team unity.

As far as how he treats the media, Bob is guarded, yet gracious with the press. In a sport still looking to gain support in this country, that's not inconsequential.