HARRISON, N.J. – Ending his first season as a coach with hardware wasn’t the expectation on day one. But as the Michael Bradley–New York Red Bulls II project got put into motion, there was always a sense that the former US men’s national team captain could take the contender he inherited all the way to Saturday night’s MLS NEXT Pro Cup final.
"There's always an end goal," Bradley said in his postgame presser. "But you don't spend a whole lot of time thinking about that. It's the work every day. It's the process, the environment that gets created, the training sessions, how you challenge and engage the players, how you try to help them all individually improve so that the team can get better. It's that process that repeats itself every single day."
The drama of having to do it in shootout fashion after a rollercoaster 120 minutes might not have been how he dreamt it up, but after taking in the celebrations at Sports Illustrated Stadium, the first-year head coach reflected on the emotions of the moment.
"When we're the last team standing, when we're the ones who get to hold up the trophy, it's a sense of calm and a sense of pride," Bradley continued. "To be able to look at the players, and see the smiles on their faces and to see how much it means to them, the joy, the happiness...I've been in the game for a long time, but tonight was the first time that I got to experience that, and so that was really special."
Red runs deep
Taking charge of a first-place side in June when former head coach Ibrahim Sekagya was promoted to the RBNY first team came with the obvious standings advantage, along with the counterweight of maintaining that playoff-bound form.
"I think when you see the boys, they deserved it from the beginning," Sekagya told MLSNEXTPro.com on Saturday. "Not just me or my work. I also think Michael Bradley. I think you can see what he did with the boys. I'm happy for them. This is what we talked about from day one, and now you can see how happy they are. This is amazing for them."
Bradley’s arrival marked the beginning of a second chapter in his soccer career. Championship-clad now, there was still a transition process to be mindful of within the ever-changing RBNY ranks. A test passed with flying colors regardless of Saturday's result, according to those around him.
"That's just a mentality we try to enforce as a club," added Red Bulls legend Bradley Wright-Phillips. "It's a family mentality. It's a family mindset. It's everybody being on one page, all in. What Ibra had done was great, an unbelievable job. He got them to a level where they were mature, because they all got talent, but you had to get them to a maturity."
Wright-Phillips, the all-time leading scorer in Red Bulls history, stays close to the club after retiring three years ago. Serving as an assistant who helps foster the growth of the club's attacking corps, he's been a keen observer of RBNY II's championship crusade.
"Then Mike comes in," the now-MLS 360 host continued. "Imagine coming into a side that was top of the league. They already have their own habits, and to keep some of those, but add your own ideas, and still keep that team performing on a consistent level. That's really good. So credit to both of them, and credit to the boys."
Turning the page
With a playing career that boasted contributions to numerous titles, headlined by two Gold Cups internationally and both an MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield on the club side, Bradley is no stranger to a trophy celebration.
Does it give the same juice on the other side of the touchline?
"It's right up there," Bradley affirmed. "The part of when you're on the inside of something with a group of people. As a player, it's your teammates and coaching staff, and a support staff behind the scenes.
"When you're a coach and it's your players, your staff, and your support staff, being in something together, the part of creating something that every person feels proud of and feels there's a sense of ownership and there's a sense of belonging and unity in that. That part is the beauty of team sport.
"It's the beauty of football."
