I can watch Euro 2008!

Unless I happen to be on the continent at the time, all I have to do is turn on ESPN to enjoy the best soccer competition this side of the World Cup. Not since '96 has ESPN carried the event. This is by far a vast improvement over the PPV deals of the last two tourneys, as well as pathetic Fox Soccer Channel (featuring inane and idiotic Max Bretos) showing a couple of first round games. Color me pleased.

Stick around, Freddy

Still on the US soccer tip, today. Surprising no one Freddy Adu clearly isn't ready for the trials of Manchester United and the English Premiership. Spurred on by the notion that Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo signed with the Old Trafford side at 18, but for a phenom who hasn't exactly knocked MLS on it's ear, it seemed fairly easy to predict at the start of his two-week training stint that Sir Alex wouldn't be terribly impressed either.

Adu's got talent, there's no arguing that. But strictly from a size and strength perspective, he'd be torn to shreds in the EPL. Perhaps a second-tier, less physical European league would be more to his suiting for the time being (although he'd have to wait until he turned 18 in June, anyway). Somewhere like Holland or France or Portugal, leagues where the level of competition is higher than in MLS, but also where he won't be punched in the face on a regular basis.

There's little question, in my mind, that this whole charade of getting Adu to train with United was orchestrated by the Glazer family who undoubtedly would love to have an American presence on the team. But just any American? Why not the future of the national team? To that end, I've confirmed my own belief that this was little more than a poorly conceived publicity stunt on behalf of the Glazers. Sir Alex is the one who evaluates talent. He would know what's best for the club.

As the annointed savior of the national team, it remains my contention -- despite this setback -- that Adu must play his club football in Europe if he is to ever truly elevate his game to an elite level. But as far as the here and now are concerned, I think another season (possibly two) in MLS would be best for the youngster. We all forget, he's only 17. He's a well-adjusted kid and he's headed for big things. To throw him into the fire now, however, would be a dreadful mistake.

He's no Jurgen Klinsmann

That much about Bob Bradley, we can agree upon. After Jurgen made it official yesterday that he wants no part of the US national team job (at least for now), Bradley was awarded the dubious "interim" label as new head coach of US Men's Soccer.

He's not Klinsmann (as mentioned), he's not Jose Peckerman, he's not Carlos Quieroz, he's not the coach with international experience and clout that nearly everyone thought necessary to move this program in a positive direction. It is thought that American coaches who are American-based (be they in the college ranks or MLS) are not enough, these days, if the US is to see definitive improvement by 2010. So what does Bradley bring to the table?

* MLS credentials. The reigning MLS coach of the year (and if you followed what he did with Chivas, this season, you'd be in awe, too), he led the then-expansion Chicago Fire to an MLS Cup championship in their first season of existence back in '98. His is "a career that has included three trophies won at Chicago, two MLS Coach of the Year honors and the most wins in MLS history."

* Familiar with American talent. This is the big one. Not only is Bradley familiar with the next generation of American soccer, he's immersed in it -- something that no one on US Federation president Sunil Gulati's international wish list can claim. So while developing talent is crucial, Bradley has the jump in readily being able to assemble the right team -- make the right selections -- before molding them together into a unit.

As the linked editorial by Ives Galarcep makes abundantly clear, Bradley is no clown, no "Bruce Arena Light." Still, the issue remains of whether Bradley has the foresight to bring the US to the next level internationally. And it's easy not to have a lot of faith. It seems that even Gulati, himself, is holding out for a bigger hire. Bradley's ultimate fate as US national coach will likely be decided after next summer's Gold Cup and Confederations Cup in June. Until then, "interim" inspires no one.