American coach Bob Bradley defends his American soccer lingo in England – CBSSports.com

Former USMNT manager Bob Bradley isn’t just having issues on the pitch, but he is having some issues off of it. The Swansea City manager, who has won just two of 10 matches since joining the club in October, is being criticized for his American soccer vocabulary and the confusion it creates in England.

According to ESPNFC, Bradley has received some flack for using “PK” to say penalty kick, and calling away matches “road matches.” It’s that American soccer lingo that has settled poorly with some, even players.

“Bob Bradley’s accent isn’t helping him. It just doesn’t sound right when he’s talking and I don’t think people are taking him very seriously,” said Swans player Dean Saunders.

And this is all a bit harsh. He’s an American soccer coach who just came from France, so give him some credit. Bradley said he wouldn’t use the word offense (in England it’s attack) when he was hired, and that he was trying to adapt. So for many to give him trouble for it is a shame.

He already calls it football and not soccer, so that should be more than enough. He doesn’t need to switch cleats for boots, shin guards for shin pads, overtime for extra time, shutout for cleansheet, outside back for fullback or field for pitch. He just needs to get results. And if those results come, fans and players will start caring less about the words that come out of his mouth.