Listen to this article
Approximately 4 minutes
The audio version of this article was created using artificial intelligence technology. Pronunciation errors may occur. We work with our partners to continually analyze and improve results.
Calling it an “incredible opportunity,” former Toronto FC captain Michael Bradley was officially introduced as head coach of the New York Red Bulls on Monday.
Bradley will replace Sandro Schwartz, who was fired on October 27 after two seasons in the post.
New York missed the playoffs this year, ending a streak of 15 straight postseason appearances, finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference with a 12-15-7 record. In 2024, the Red Bulls finished seventh in the East and reached the MLS Cup final, where they lost to the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Bradley, 38, has improved rapidly since retiring as a player in 2023 after 10 seasons with Toronto. After spending 2024 as an assistant coach at Stabaek in Norway under his father Bob Bradley, he was appointed coach of the Red Bulls reserve team in June.
Bradley led the Red Bulls II, who were second in the MLS Next Pro Eastern Conference with an 8-2-2 record when he took over, to the MLS Next Pro Cup title in November with a shootout victory over the Colorado Rapids 2 after a 3-3 draw in extra time.
He was named first-team coach of the Red Bulls on December 15, joining New York sporting director Julian de Guzman, a former TFC player and Team Canada captain.
“When I came in six months ago, it was probably in the back of my mind. I was hoping that over time I could earn some money and work,” Bradley said at a news conference Monday at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. “I didn't think it would happen so quickly.”
“Like everything in life, you can ask yourself a million questions,” he added. “Is the time right? Am I ready? What about this? What about that? But something comes along and you have to go for it. It took me half a second to realize that we were going there.”
Bradley, a New Jersey native who won 151 caps for Team USA from 2006 to 2019, has a long-standing connection with the Red Bulls.
The franchise, then known as the MetroStars, selected him 36th overall in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. At that time, the team was coached by his father.
He went on to play in the Netherlands, Germany, England and Italy before joining Toronto ahead of the 2104 season. He led TFC to the MLS Cup final in 2016, 2017 and 2019, lifting the cup in 2017 when Toronto also won the Supporters' Shield and the Canadian Championship.
“Here to Win”
De Guzman, who played against Bradley internationally, says it's been hard to overlook the former USA captain's work ethic since he joined the Red Bulls. Bradley is the first to arrive at the office and one of the last to leave.
“A man like Michael doesn't come around very often,” he said.
“You realize this guy is here to win. And then everyone feeds off of it, from the players to the staff. And that creates a culture.”
De Guzman and Bradley said they want to do more than just get the team back to the playoffs.
“We want it to be fun, we want to play attractive football… We don't want to just make it to the knockout stages and then call it a day,” De Guzman said. “That's not our standard.”
Bradley said his team will be younger, faster, more athletic and more dynamic.
The club have already made changes, parting ways with Lewis Morgan, Carlos Coronel, Peter Stroud, Sean Nealis and Alexander Huck and bringing in Cade Cowell, Neuen Benedetti and Justin Che.
Although Bradley's coaching resume is short, he was the de facto coach on the field as a player.
With 17 goals in 288 MLS regular season matches, Bradley was a force as a midfielder, organizer and leader.
“From a young age, I knew that in order to be in the best shape, I needed to make sure everyone around me was in the best shape. These thought processes have been going on for many years.”
