sc Heerenveen Forum

GOING DUTCH
Bradley's transfer to Heerenveen is done

Michael Bradley is going Dutch.

The 18-year-old MetroStars midfielder has been sold by MLS to Heerenveen of the Dutch First Division, BigAppleSoccer.com has learned.

“The deal is done,” one source said. “No doubt about it.”

An announcement may be made as early as Thursday.

Bradley is expected to join the team soon for the rest of the season.

Bradley, the son of former Metros coach Bob Bradley, agreed to a multi-year contract, according to sources throughout MLS.

The 6-1, 170-lb. Bradley will receive an annual salary of $205,000, which is the minimum for foreign players in the league under 20, sources said. That is several times more than the $35,850 he received from the Metros last season. Foreign players over the age of 20 earn well into the six figures.

Bradley had a 10-day tryout with Heerenveen last winter and most recently had a two-week trial with Anderlecht (Belgium). Heerenveen has kept an eye on Bradley's progress and club officials obviously liked what they had seen and heard about the teenager's progress.

Going to the Netherlands means Bradley won't be under the shadow of his father and that he will be able to spread his wings on his own

There were a number of critics who thought and claimed that Bradley’s presence in the Metros’ lineup was a result of nepotism, although he came into his own as the season progressed. He is best known as scoring the goal that clinched a playoff spot for the Metros in their 2-0 victory over C.D. Chivas USA only days after his father was fired as coach.

Heerenveen is in eighth place in the 18-team league with an 8-6-5 mark and 29 points, 16 points behind first-place PSV Eindhoven (home of U.S. National Team midfielder DaMarcus Beasley), which has a 14-1-3 record and 45 points. Heerenveen, however, is only two points behind Ajax and Waalwijk, who both are 9-6-4 with 31 points.

Bradley will join the club midway through the season and could very well receive a baptism by fire as Heerenveen has reached the first knockout group of the UEFA Cup. The club hosts Steaua Bucharest on Feb. 15 and visits the Romanian team on Feb. 23.

Heerenveen recently sold Klaas Jan Huntelaar, the league's top scorer, to Ajax for a Dutch domestic record $13.3 million.

A pair of well-known international players, Manchester United and Dutch National Team striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Danish forward Jon Dahl Tomasson, played for the club at their start of their careers.

The Dutch league is considered a springboard league to bigger leagues in Europe. Virtually every player on the Dutch National Team has played for a club in the league. So, if Bradley forges a solid reputation in that league, he could very well find himself playing in one of the major leagues on the continent.

Although barely old enough to vote, Bradley made big strides and improved during last season, becoming a solid fixture at defensive midfield in his first full season as a pro. He made some rookie mistakes, but showed great promise.

Bradley, who missed most of the 2004 season with a leg injury, wound up leading the Metros in games (30) and minutes played (2,628), and was voted the team's young player of the year.

Picked in the fourth round (and 46th overall) in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft, Bradley faced more scrutiny than most young, talented players because his father was the coach of the team.

Bradley belied his age and handled himself with grace, especially after the firing.
The Bradleys became the first father-son combination in the metropolitan area since Yogi and Dale Berra with the Yankees in 1985 and third overall (Lester Patrick and his sons Lynn and Muzz were with the New York Rangers from 1934-39).

Dus als ik het goed begrijf speelt hij nog deze seizoenshelft bij Hveen? Of komt hij pas vanavond volgend seizoen in actie?

Heerenveen recently sold Klaas Jan Huntelaar, the league's top scorer, to Ajax for a Dutch domestic record $13.3 million.

Another Bradley to Leave MetroStars

Major League Soccer is close to completing a deal to sell MetroStars' midfielder Michael Bradley, 18, to the Dutch club Heerenveen. Bradley, the son of the MetroStars' former coach, Bob Bradley, made $35,850 last season when he led the club in games played (30) and in minutes played (2,628) after missing the entire 2004 season because of a leg injury.

,,Bijna akkoord over Bradley''
19/01 UPDATE! (20:30) SC Heerenveen heeft (bijna) een akkoord bereikt over de transfer van de Amerikaan Michael Bradley. Die speelt nu nog voor Metro Stars.


Bradley is een 18-jarige middenvelder en was in januari vorig jaar al eens op proef in Heerenveen. In het afgelopen seizoen kwam hij dertig keer uit in de Major Leaugue Soccer (MLS). Onderhandelingen tussen SC Heerenveen en Metro Stars zijn al een tijdje aan de gang. De New York Times meldt dat de clubs nu heel dicht bij een akkoord zijn. Of de deal nog voor het einde van deze maand kan worden afgerond, melden de Amerikaanse media niet.

Bradley gaat volgens bigapplesoccer.com een salaris van $205.000 (€178.000) verdienen. Er moeten nog enkele formaliteiten worden afgerond, maar een woordvoerder van Metro Stars zegt: ,,De deal is rond. Geen enkele twijfel mogelijk.'' Het is de bedoeling dat de middenvelder zijn hantekening nog voor het einde van de winterstop zet. Dat betekent dat hij in de tweede helft van de competitie inzetbaar is en dat hij mag uitkomen in het UEFA Cup-toernooi tegen Steaua Boekarest.

Michael Bradley sold to Heerenveen
January 18, 2006
The last Bradley is gone from Metro. MetroFanatic has learned that Michael Bradley has been sold by MLS to Dutch club Heerenveen. Michael was originally on trial with the club a year ago, and after a steady regular season and a trial at Belgium's Anderlecht, it was Heerenveen that won the battle for the 18-year-old. Since there is a transfer fee involved, the MetroStars could receive an allocation from the league.

With Tim Ward already gone, and the futures of Eddie Gaven and Mike Magee anything but certain, it looks like the Metro youth foundation is crumbling more and more every day

KingBee schreef:ik kan met eigenlijk niet voorstellen dat dat nu het geval is omdat er nou ook weer niet zoveel druk op de TS staat.

Gokje: Ik denk dat ze Pierre van Hooijdonk gaan presenteren als nieuwe spits voor een half jaar.