Saturday will see Gregg Berhalter face Michael Bradley for the first time as a coach when the Chicago Fire host the New York Red Bulls at Soldier Field in MLS action. Shortly after Bradley credited Berhalter’s influence for his coaching career, Bolavip asked the former USMNT manager what advice he would give Bradley about the job.
“Well, I’m sure he’s getting a lot of advice from his father (former USMNT manager Bob Bradley), and he’s got some great pedigree,” Berhalter said during his Thursday media availability.
“He probably doesn’t need my advice, but, you know, coaching is a journey, and he’s a smart guy, and for him, it’s just a continual journey to keep learning and keep improving.
“And if you could do that as a human being, as a coach, I think you’ll position yourself well. But it’s been fun watching him, really the first of this generation to get an opportunity to be a head coach in MLS, and it’s really nice to see,” Berhalter added.
Gregg Berhalter (left) talks to Michael Bradley during a USMNT game.
When Bradley impressed Berhalter on the USMNT
Bradley was only 18 when he met Berhalter for the first time. Just a month before the 2006 World Cup, Bradley was invited to the USMNT training camp as the senior roster prepared for the big tournament in Germany.
Eventually, Berhalter went on to coach the US national team and in 2018-2019 overlapped with Bradley, who captained the Stars and Stripes in 48 of his 151 international caps.
“I remember the 2006 World Cup, he was joining the team to train with us before we left for Germany, and I sat next to him at one dinner and I remember just talking to him and hearing from him and, at that time, he was wise beyond his years,” Berhalter said in 2023 when Bradley announced his retirement from soccer.
Bradley still taking first steps as a coach
After hanging up his boots, Bradley served as an assistant to his father Bob at Stabæk Fotbal. His first head coaching came with the New York Red Bulls II, leading them to their first-ever MLS Next Pro championship in 2025.
That earned him a promotion to the MLS team after a tough year in which it missed the playoffs. The NYRB are still a work in progress under Bradley, sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference with 12 points in 11 games.
Berhalter, on the other hand, is looking to build on Chicago’s playoff run from last year as his side sits fourth in the East with 17 points in 10 games. This, in addition to his experience on the managerial role, makes Berhalter’s advice useful for a young coach like Bradley, who’s navigating a challenging start in MLS.
