Brad Friedel is set to be named as the manager of the Revolution as soon as Friday according to Goal.com. The club is yet to confirm.
This announcement comes only days after former Revolution striker and current ESPN analyst Taylor Twellman tweeted saying that Friedel was the Revolution’s top choice for their vacant managerial position.
At the top of @NERevolution “wish list” for their head coach position is @friedel_b. #NERevs#MLS
— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) November 6, 2017
Friedel had an illustrious playing career as a goalkeeper, making over 450 appearances in the English Premier League over 18 seasons. During his tenure in England, he played for Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa, and Tottenham Hotspur. He was capped 84 times by the USMNT, representing them at three world cups. He also hold the record for most consecutive appearances in the Premier League, playing in 310 consecutive games while at Blackburn, Aston Villa, and Tottenham.
Friedel worked as broadcaster for BBC during the 2014 World Cup and has also been a color commentator and analyst for Fox Sports, covering mostly the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.
While having never coached for a senior team in his career, he is the coach of the United State’s Under 19s team. If hired, this will be the first major coaching job he has had.
Friedel will replace current interim head coach Tom Soehn, who took over for Jay Heaps after he was fired on Sept. 17th. Rumors had previously linked former Argentina manager Daniel Passarella and former USMNT manager Bruce Arena. Arena was their first choice, but they ended up deciding on Friedel after meeting with both men according to Goal.com.
This news has been met with mixed reaction amongst Revolution fans. On one hand, his international experience is unprecedented. Friedel is arguably the most experienced international player that the U.S. has ever had besides Tim Howard, which would certainly give him an extensive knowledge of the game. On the other hand, he has never held a major coaching position in his career, much like Jay Heaps when the Revolution first hired him.
