TORONTO – When it was announced that Bob Bradley would be leading LAFC into their expansion season, Michael Bradley proclaimed that for 33 of the 34 matches in the MLS regular season, he would be their biggest fan.
“Certainly I'm a little bit biased, but when I look from the outside, they have been absolutely one of the best teams in the league this year,” said Michael on Friday, a day before his Toronto FC takes on his father's side (8 pm ET | TSN — Full TV & Streaming Info). “From the beginning, even as an expansion team, in big games early on when you're playing the first games in the history of a franchise, they were committed going after things, trying to play, to move, and to attack; put players and a team on the field that is exciting, that people enjoy watching, that can be dangerous, score goals, entertain.”
The Toronto Bradleys have adopted Bob's club as their second team.
“We've got shirts, scarves, shields; we've got it all,” detailed the Toronto captain. “After TFC, LAFC is the clear team of choice in our house, it's not even close.”
That allegiance will be tested at BMO Field when the two meet head-to-head for the first time on Saturday.
Each side knows the other well.
“I've watched every second of LAFC this year,” said Michael. “Outside these walls, he probably knows Toronto FC better than anybody, in terms of how much he's watched, how much he knows. It sets up to be a fun game in that way.”
There is one member of the family who is uncertain: Lindsay Bradley, Bob's wife and Michael's mom.
“She's nervous both ways,” said Michael. “My daughter gave her a hard time the other day, she's three, she said, 'Grandma who are you rooting for?' My mom said, 'I'm rooting for both teams, I want a great game.' My daughter looked at her and goes, 'But daddy is your son.' She was trying to stick it to her a little bit.”
For Michael, representing his country at the World Cup while playing for a side coached by his dad is a unique memory he will always cherish, just as he treasures kicking a ball in the backyard with his father and son these days.
“People don't always believe me, they look and think I'm serious, don't ever smile and can't enjoy anything, but I promise that's not even close to the case,” he said. “Even in a big game, in a year where things haven't been easy, I enjoy every second.”
Added Bradley: “On a night like tomorrow night, to have the opportunity to play against my dad, then on Sunday morning to get to spend some time with him before they go back to LA, how can you not enjoy that?”
Bob and Michael at the 2010 World Cup | Carl Recine/ Reuters Action Images
LOS ANGELES – Despite both Bob Bradley and his son Michael being among American soccer’s most iconic figures over the years, this Saturday marks the first time they will face each other in competitive action.
Before the elder Bradley’s return to MLS with LAFC for their expansion season, perhaps the only team in the league that already had his undivided attention was Toronto FC.
“I haven’t followed [Toronto FC] closer since I’ve been in the league,” the LAFC coach said after training Wednesday. “I’ve watched every Toronto game since Michael’s been there. I watched every Roma game when he was at Roma, Chievo. You know. It’s part of the deal. I’ve enjoyed that part.”
While the expansion team has performed well thus far — on track to make the playoffs in the first season — Michael’s team has had a tougher road, something his father has monitored closely.
“Whenever you have a season and you win everything, then you have a fast turnaround, the next season is going to present all new challenges,” Bob said of TFC this year. “They threw everything into the [Concacaf] Champions League, obviously along the way they had injuries because of the way the league is structured. They played games in [MLS] without their best team because they were trying to focus on Champions League. That’s a crazy situation. Those injuries then carried into the rest of the season, if you look at the rosters that they put on the field all year long, they have probably never played 100 percent real lineup.”
Apart from a preseason meeting between the two sides in March — the first ever exhibition game for LAFC, that ended in a 2-2 draw — Bradley confirmed to reporters after training Wednesday that he’s “never coached against Michael.”
But Bob Bradley insists that hasn’t changed the way he’s prepared for the meeting.
“We prepare to play against Toronto like we would against any other team,” he said, admitting some of that preparation is directed toward Michael not because of the relationship but because of his role with TFC.
He agreed with one journalist’s assessment that it’s unlikely that anyone knows the younger Bradley better than his father.
“Probably equal,” Bradley said in response to a question about whether he is more competitive or his son. “But now [Michael’s] son his right up there with both of us.”
And just as Michael is looking forward to the family time, Bob is also anticipating the chance to be together.
“Sunday morning, win, lose, draw, I’ll have a chance to see Michael and Amanda and the kids. The way our family works that will always be special. That will mean playing a little bit of football in the backyard with Luca.”
