Bradley, Players Ignore "Interim" Uncertainty

• AZCentral.com, Friday, January 26, 2007 3:14 PM

The news media may keep harping on the "interim" moniker attached to his job, but that doesn't seem to faze U.S. national team coach Bob Bradley, who sounded as like he was in it for the long haul during a news conference at the University of Phoenix Stadium.

"As we begin the next cycle, looking forward toward the 2010 World Cup, it's especially important for us to have the chance to play a big game," Bradley said of the upcoming clash against Mexico, which will be the first meeting of new coaches presiding over a very old and very important rivalry. The players say the interim tag doesn't bother them either. For now, says midfielder Pablo Mastroeni, everyone's focused on Mexico.

Last Saturday Bradley won his first game in charge as U.S. coach. The team showed steel in coming from behind to beat Denmark 3-1 in a game that was marked by the national team debut of several young stars, including goal-scorers Jonathan Bornstein and Kenny Cooper. However, the significance of that victory was undermined somewhat by the Danes' 1-0 loss to El Salvador in San Salvador a few days later. The U.S. will have to play much better to defeat its closest rival on Feb. 7 in Phoenix.

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