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Interview March 2026
It took you years to finally get a work permit to play in England. What was that like to go through?
At the time it was very frustrating, but it also helped me build up a lot of resilience. It took me to three places where I met some wonderful people and was able to dive into an incredible culture change. By living in Copenhagen, by living in Istanbul and playing for Galatasaray, and then coming back for a short stint in the inaugural season of MLS. As an American, that means a lot.
I didn't want not to play in the Premier League. That was always what I angled towards. But I tried to take the negatives of those setbacks on the work permit and turn them into positives, which I think I did.
Looking back on it, I wouldn't change it for the world. Playing at Brondby, playing at Galatasaray and Columbus, but then knowing that I would have the long-term career in the Premier League. I'm quite pleased with the way things turned out.
Friedel on turning frustration into resilience 🌍
Do you think it's changed for the better nowadays in terms of players being much more free to play their trade abroad? Or do you think the changes hamper the US in terms of their best talent going to Europe?
No, it's better. I equate it to when foreigners come over and play in the NBA. The NBA is the best league in the world, the Premier League in my opinion, especially for goalkeepers, is the best league in the world to play in. So you always want to try to test yourself at the highest level you can possibly get to.
With regards to the outfield players, I still think the European leagues are far ahead of MLS in terms of standard. If the players can get over to European football and play, then I think that will help their development. If they just get to Europe to sit on the bench, that obviously doesn't help. They need to play. And that's where MLS has grown. If you aren't going to get a chance to play in Europe and you stay in MLS, you can still develop and still have a very good career.
The national team coach who values MLS, Mauricio Pochettino, is someone some may have expected to come in and not value it. But he's actually done the opposite. So I think it's great for the American player because it can put them at ease that they can ply their trade in the United States and still get a chance with the national team under this current staff.
Europe still matters for development 🚀
When you finally did get that work permit and went to Liverpool, it didn't quite work out. Was that a frustrating chapter or do you look back on it as the making of you?
It was both. It was the club I supported and I got there. And if you look at my career, it was all based on consistency and a level of play that kept very high standards. I was always there, always fit, and performed more times than not very well.
At Liverpool, the times I got the opportunity to play as the number one, it was just the most inconsistent I ever played. I can only look at myself, but I never felt different. I'm not a nervous character. I wasn't nervous going into games. It just didn't pan out. And I think the uncertainty at the club also didn't help.
There were co-managers at one time. I was signed by Roy Evans, and when Gerard Houllier came in, there was definitely a split between Roy Evans's signings and the players he wanted to bring in.
Gerard did a great job at the club, revamping the training ground and helping to revamp the entire system within the academy. But unfortunately I had to go to resurrect my career, and it was the best move I ever made.
I went to Blackburn, and we had the old board there. Working under the Jack Walker Trust was phenomenal. One of the best boards I've ever worked for in football. We had really competitive teams. A lot of people coming into the Premier League now wouldn't even have heard of Blackburn, but they're one of the teams that have won the Premier League. We won a League Cup and I think we played in Europe six of the eight seasons I was there. We were a very good side.
It doesn't always go to plan. I can't really put a finger on it. Was it the making of me? I guess. I would have hoped it worked out at a club like Liverpool a bit better. Of course I would.
Blackburn gave Friedel his reset 💥
You were in goal for that League Cup final in 2002 against Tottenham of all teams. What do you remember about that afternoon in Cardiff?
My whole career I was never really involved in a relegation battle. And this is where, when you're talking about the Tottenham team where they're at right now, it takes a different mindset. But on that particular day we had three or four games in hand because of our cup runs and we found ourselves in the bottom three. We finished the season comfortably in tenth, winning those games in hand. But at the time we were going into a cup final thinking to ourselves, how are we in the bottom three?
Because we didn't feel we had players that couldn't survive. As a matter of fact, we had players we thought would compete for European places, which turned out to be true. But it was an interesting day all around because we had a lot of injuries. I believe Mark Hughes was 38 or 39 years old at the time and played in the centre of midfield. We had a makeshift squad.
And Tottenham had a very good team, very strong. Matt Jansen and Andy Cole popped up with two goals. I made some saves, our back four made a lot of blocks and clearances. It was an all-round team performance, and over my time at Blackburn we had a lot of those. A lot of gutsy performances, a lot of team performances.
The last thing I'll add about Blackburn is that the old board always had players in the squad who could score goals. If we ever had to sell one, we brought another in. Matt Jansen, who had worked his way into the England squad, then Damien Duff, followed by Andy Cole, followed by Dwight Yorke, followed by Craig Bellamy, followed by Roque Santa Cruz, followed by Benni McCarthy. Always a replacement. And that's one of the reasons we stayed competitive, because we always had goals in the team.
A gutsy final in Cardiff 💪
What do you make of the current situation at Blackburn, and do you think the Venkys are to blame if the club are relegated after 16 years of ownership at Ewood Park?
Relegation isn't down to just one person or two people. Blame goes all the way around. But the plan that already existed with the previous board and people like John Williams was working. And when you have a plan that's working and you go to change it, you're taking a risk.
I understand that the Walker Trust wanted to sell, and that was their prerogative. But when they did make the sale and changed the entire board, it became very much agents' land right away with the Venkys. There were agents that infiltrated the club and started doing deals.
Sam Allardyce came in to steady things, and during that period he was making Blackburn very difficult to play against again. And when they fired him, they should never have done that. From that point it's just been freefall, because Sam was one of the managers who knew exactly what he was doing and knew how to build a competitive squad. He could also stop things from happening in the background that he knew weren't right. When he was gone, the strength was gone. And I'm afraid the club lost its way.
I'm really sad to see what the club has become. I hope that even with this new board, they can learn from their previous mistakes and get the club back up into the Premier League. Because in the Premier League, if you ask Graeme Souness and Mark Hughes what's the best-run club they've ever worked at as a manager, I'm pretty sure both of them would say Blackburn.
Friedel laments Blackburn decline 📉
310 consecutive Premier League appearances. Did you have that record in mind as you were approaching it, or was it something someone told you after the fact?
Along the way there was a time when Mark Bowen came into the changing room for a League Cup fixture. He was looking to see if a couple of players were fit due to injuries and illnesses, and then he looked at me and pointed and said, well, you're playing anyway because of your record. And I didn't even realise at the time, but that was a record across all competitions. I hadn't missed a game in the League Cup, FA Cup, European competition, anything of that nature.
I didn't hear much again until I was the oldest or second oldest player at clubs. Then at Aston Villa I was told I was going to break Frank Lampard's record, I think, and then after that it was David James. I got an award pitchside at Villa Park.
Then I didn't really think about it again until the time under AVB. We beat Manchester United for the first time in a long time with Tottenham, and he was getting pressure from the French national team to play Hugo Lloris. Hugo would come in and I was still playing. He dropped me for one game and then put me back in. So that's how my streak was broken. It could have been even longer.
But I didn't really think about it. It's not really something you think about in terms of a record. But growing up in a country that didn't have a professional league, I wanted to make sure I never missed anything. The best thing in your professional career, if you can be a Premier League player, is to play all the games. So I just never wanted to miss a game.
I always tried to look after myself, always tried to be fit, and always tried to adapt to new coaches' philosophies and the way they worked to make sure I stayed on the pitch. I was lucky enough to do that over quite a few managers at three clubs.
Durability was the real goal 🏃
You worked under four completely different managers at Tottenham: Redknapp, Villas-Boas, Sherwood, Pochettino. Who do you think got the best out of you?
Got the best out of me? That's probably the wrong question. I was 40 years old when I signed there, so I was going to give my all to any of them. By that stage of my career, none of them had to do anything to get the best out of me.
I was signed there to be the number one for the first year. I was given a two-year contract by Daniel. And it was well noted that a 41-year-old is not going to be the long-term solution for Tottenham. They were looking for a goalkeeper, and on the final day of the transfer window in my second season they brought in Hugo Lloris. Obviously that worked out really well for the club because he stayed a decade. I started doing my coaching badges when I was there.
The first season we had a remarkable squad. We really did. Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Emmanuel Adebayor, Ledley King, Kyle Walker, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Scott Parker, Aaron Lennon, Jermain Defoe. We were really strong and we didn't have to be motivated because we motivated ourselves with the quality. Rafael van der Vaart as well.
And then when Andre came in, I was older than Andre. It was the first time I'd experienced that. I got along really well with Andre. Then Tim had a lot of respect from me, I'd played against him, and he came in knowing the youth at the club very well from his role. That was different again and I gave my all for Tim. But by then I was looking into other parts of my career, not angling to play all the time. And then when Mauricio came in, Mauricio was tremendous. Really, really good. Top guy, top staff, top coach. But I was definitely on the retirement lookout by that time.
Pochettino earns Friedel praise ⭐
Are Tottenham in serious danger of going down, and why haven't the club learnt the lessons of last season?
The club is in danger of going down. I was really happy yesterday to see the fight they showed at Anfield. But I was doing another interview and I said the glamour ties are probably easier for them, especially away from home. The players who were signed there wanted to play big games, they wanted to play European football, Champions League football. Going to Anfield, I think it was probably easier for them to get up for. But at least they showed that fight.
I worry about the next fixture in the league, Nottingham Forest at home. I worry that if they don't start quickly, because the fans are on their back. But at least they now have a point and not another loss. They have something to build on.
With regards to learning from last season, I think yes and no. I think the season before that, the board were planning on taking some power away from Daniel Levy. That's what it looks like to me. And with all the injuries they had last season, let's be honest, they were safe from relegation a long time before the end of the season. I know they finished 17th, but they were never in jeopardy of relegation with the way the bottom three struggled. Postecoglou did put all of his eggs into the cup basket.
So I'm not sure it was the same type of situation. Running a football club, you can overcomplicate things. I think Daniel Levy had a really good formula. People can argue that he wasn't a risk-taker, and that might be true, but he was an excellent chairman. The team, in my opinion, if he had the power, would not be in this position. I think you're seeing some people taking over a revenue-generating club of 500, 560 million, and they're sort of lost in how to operate it. They have to learn, and they have to learn quickly.
If they lose to Forest, it's a mental struggle for this team. I've said this many times: you need a different type of mental character to fight a relegation battle than you do to go for winning the league or fighting for Champions League places. The fans are not used to fighting relegation battles there, and they don't want to watch it. They want to see their team playing free-flowing, attacking football.
As for going into games nervous, playing a team around them who are fifth from bottom and could slip into the bottom three if the result doesn't go well, it's a completely different mindset. I think the fans will be behind them at kick-off, but the first two or three negative moments, if that happens, they're going to be right on the players. The players are going to have to get through that.
If they can score early and something positive can happen, then great. But they could go down. I hope they don't. I still think their squad is good enough to stay up, and I was really encouraged by the point at Anfield.
Spurs are in real danger 🚨
Did Spurs make a mistake by appointing Igor Tudor instead of a manager with more experience in the Premier League?
That's impossible to answer, really. Without Daniel being there, I don't know what they wanted. Did they tell someone like Igor Tudor that he had to come in and lead with an iron fist, because these players weren't respecting Thomas Frank, weren't shaking his hand, weren't listening to instructions? If that's what they told him and that's what he did, and that seemed to backfire at the beginning, it might be because his press conferences have been completely different. His message has been different. I don't know Igor Tudor personally. The Premier League is hard, and a lot of players and coaches need time to acclimatise to the situation and the task at hand.
Whether hiring him was a mistake or not, I really don't know. I do think they should have gone for somebody like a Harry Redknapp type, similar to what Celtic did by hiring Martin O'Neill. Somebody who knows the club, can give a message to the fans, can give the players their responsibility. If the players want to disrespect them, they'll deal with it. The fans would know that, and I think that's what was needed.
But as for Igor Tudor, he may also be very smart. He might be understanding the Premier League now and making all the right decisions from now to the end of the season, and they could stay up comfortably. We just have to wait and see. If they stay up, he's the right hire. If they go down, then he was the wrong hire. That's football, unfortunately.
Was Tudor the right call? ❓
Was it even worth sacking Tudor before the Nottingham Forest game? And if you were to replace him, who would you even bring in?
Again, if you were going to replace him, you'd have to replace him with a Glenn Hoddle type who knows the club, a Harry Redknapp type who knows the club, Tim Sherwood. People who know the fans and the team and would simplify things and make it easier for the players to gain success.
I'm not a big fan of hiring and firing and creating all the chaos through the season. You're the board, you made the decision, you stick with it. It's kind of like when he dropped Vicario and put in Kinsky. You made the decision, stick with him. That's how it goes. So at this stage, especially with the fight they showed at Anfield, I think you have to stick with him and try to help him get points to the end of the season. Now, if we start seeing games where they just look lacklustre and they're not putting in an effort, then you might have to look to change again.
That's a really difficult question at this time. I think maybe a different type of manager after they fired Thomas Frank was probably right. But now you've made this choice and you've got to try to help him.
Friedel warns against more chaos 🔁
Both Pochettino and Postecoglou are being asked about a potential return to Spurs. Could either be a success, and who is more suited?
I know Mauricio had a very good relationship with Daniel Levy. Mauricio is very, very smart and his staff are very smart. I think that would need to be a longer conversation with the new board.
There are two things here. One, Mauricio is the type of individual who has already committed to the World Cup with the United States this summer. He's going to put all of his energy and effort into that. He's not going to have an eye on something else while trying to navigate a team through the World Cup.
Obstacle number two is that, just because of his love for Tottenham and how well he did when he was last there, this is a completely different Tottenham. So he'd have to meet with the board, like what he hears, and make sure he and the staff can be successful there. I don't think that's a simple fix.
With Postecoglou, I don't know him personally. I see his teams play. He won a trophy for the club. I think there'd be mixed reactions if he went in there. I don't know what his relationship is like with the new board, but he does have success where he goes.
I don't think I would be surprised if it was Postecoglou, actually, so soon after he was released from the club. But any mention of who's going to be going there, if it is Pochettino, that has to wait. We have international fixture dates at the end of March, and then April, May, June, you're going to be in the World Cup. Mauricio is not going to be doing any press conferences, any contract talks, anything while all of that's going on. That's how he operates.
Poch return not a simple fix 🔄
Speaking as one goalkeeper to another, what advice would you give Antonin Kinsky after the Atletico Madrid game?
As far as advice, he's a professional footballer. You have to go back to the training ground and work hard. That's it. The third goal was a mistake. The first goal was unlucky. That's how I look at it from a goalkeeping standpoint. Building his confidence back up is going to be the most important thing. He might have to do that away from Tottenham. This might make him a bigger, stronger, better player in the future. You have setbacks.
I think this was more of a negative for the head coach, who chose, away from home in a Champions League game, to drop his number one who had been having a difficult time of late. And when his number two went in and found the beginning of the game very difficult, he took him off to protect him. Players don't need protecting. Players are men, professional footballers. There's no protecting. He was trying to protect himself from what he thought could have been a seven or eight nil, which then could have been the end of things.
As for the player concerned, he's had a lot of compassion from a lot of people. But the most important thing is the next time he gets his chance to play, wherever that is, he plays well and shows what he's capable of. We all as goalkeepers make mistakes. That's normal. What separates the top goalkeepers from the rest is forgetting about the mistakes, not making consecutive errors, and being able to bounce back from your bad times quicker than the others. Let's see if Kinsky can do that.
Goalkeeping is about the response 💭
The goalkeeping department at Spurs seems to be suffering a few blows. Is it the quality of the keepers, or is there a bigger question about the level of discomfort with the back line in front of them?
That doesn't help. Van de Ven and Romero are good players, but you've also seen that this Tottenham team lacks an incredible amount of leadership.
A real leader can help a young goalkeeper in a game, just like an experienced goalkeeper can help a young centre-back who's making mistakes. It seems to me that Vicario is a type of goalkeeper who plays off emotion. You see him celebrate saves when he makes them, he likes to be very vocal with his defenders, he likes to wave his arms around a lot.
When you are a goalkeeper like that and you make a mistake, there are going to be people who wave back at you, and you have to be able to deal with it. So I think he gets highlighted a little bit more because of how he is when he does positive things. When you're a goalkeeper and you have to make a save, that's your position and that's what you're there to do. You make the save and you get on with it.
The big celebrations don't really need to happen. Yes, every now and again you need to be vocal and push your teammates, but not every single moment. So I think the Tottenham supporters had enough of it and they got on his back earlier.
My advice to him is the same: just go back to the training ground and do what you're good at. Yesterday in the Liverpool game he made a really good save. He went back to his left and went down to his right to tip it onto the post. That's a top-quality save. He has the ability. When you do make the save, okay, you've made it, get on with the next play. You can always make another mistake as a goalkeeper. You just have to try to be as consistent as possible. I think that consistency would help breathe confidence into the back four in front of him.
It might not be the easiest to have a different back three or back four in front of you. But if you're an experienced goalkeeper, you should be able to help them out.
Spurs need calmer goalkeeping leadership 🛡️
Pochettino hasn't ruled out taking a club job after the World Cup. Does it feel appropriate ahead of such a big summer with the USA, and can you see him continuing with the national team?
Personally, being an American, I would love to see him continue with the national team, because there needed to be an entire character shift in that organisation as well, which he's really well-versed at doing.
But I can also understand that he'll be getting offered really good jobs at great clubs. Maybe he wants to go back into day-to-day management, because being an international manager is a lot different from club football. There's a lot of downtime, a lot of scouting time, a lot of meetings, a lot of politics. Maybe he's done it, he's happy he's done it, and he wants to get back into club football. I don't know.
I would love him to stay with the US, but I really wouldn't be surprised if he takes up a club job after the World Cup.
Poch may face a big post-World Cup call 🤝
You've worked with Matt Turner and watched him from afar. Do you think he can become number one again for the US?
I think it'll be difficult for him. He has some competition. Matt Freese, of course, and then Chris Brady and Patrick Schulte. He would have his work cut out to become the number one.
Turner faces a real fight for top spot ⚔️
How do you approach a tournament knowing you might not play, and what can a number two do to push a number one and make them better?
It's an interesting one when you're forming your squad. If you're going to have Matt Freese as your number one, who has experience for tournaments like this, then it's really good to have an experienced number two like Matt Turner. And Matt is also a really good guy, a good teammate, a good pro. If you have that experienced guide, then you might be able to bring in a young goalkeeper as a third and give him the experience of being around a group in tournament competition.
I think that's probably the way they're angling to go. If you have two inexperienced keepers as your number one and two, then you have to bring in an experienced number three. So if Matt does go as the number two, I know him really well. He'll be a great teammate, he'll help the number one goalkeeper, and he'll be a really positive influence around the place. That's the kind of person he is.
Why the backup keeper still matters 🎯
The US have the likes of Pulisic, Weah, Reyna. On paper this is arguably one of the most talented American generations ever. Can they go deep at this World Cup, and who is the true difference maker?
The three, actually four, best players for me right now: I would say Antonee Robinson. He's going to be one of the best left-backs in the tournament. Chris Richards, Weston McKennie. Those are my guys. Then a fully fit Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic. But I think you need to win midfields in World Cup games. So I think Tyler and Weston become incredibly important.
Christian is important for the US, of course, but it's really good to see how well Chris Richards has done in the Premier League. And Antonee, especially if we're going to play with five across the back as a wing-back, will be really good because he's got pace and quality and can help out in both attack and defence.
Those are the players I'd be looking to to lead the team. As for how they'll do, I think they'll get out of the group, and then it comes down to who they get drawn against. Do they have the ability to get to the quarterfinals? Yes, they do. But it's hard. That's why only eight nations have ever won a World Cup.
When they get into the knockout rounds later in the tournament, they're going to have to beat a Spain, a Germany, an England, a Belgium, an Argentina or Brazil. They're going to have to play somebody who's really good, probably better than them.
I expect them to get out of their group. I expect them to probably go through the next knockout round. And then from there it's a flip of a coin, depending on who they get drawn against, what happens with the referee, what happens with VAR, whether a penalty goes their way or against them, or a sending off. Things like that. That's how I expect it to go.
Why Friedel likes the US chances 👀
Interview June 2023
Speaking to OLBG, ex-Tottenham goalkeeper and US legend Brad Friedel gives his take on Lionel Messi’s blockbuster move to Inter Miami, the MLS goalkeeper he thinks is good enough to start for Manchester United and how Tottenham star Lucas Moura would make a good signing for Aston Villa.
Friedel also believes Harry Kane will remain at Tottenham, although Real Madrid would be his most realistic option should Daniel Levy decide to sell.
Q. What kind of impact will Lionel Messi have on the MLS and Inter Miami’s fortunes?
BF: “On and off the field are two different things with Messi, and they are both going to be huge. When I was coaching at New England, DC United were rock bottom, they looked down and out. Then they signed Rooney, hardly lost a game all season and qualified for the play-offs. That is the kind of impact Messi can have on the field.
“Yes Messi is older, but what a magnificent player. This is the biggest signing in MLS history. MLS has done a lot of good things and people can argue about the salary caps, but without diving into the finances of the league they had to do what they had to do to survive. They have made some incredible strides.
“Pele was one, the way he all of a sudden put US soccer on the map out of nowhere. The signing of Beckham was remarkable, he was a great ambassador off the field with all the supporters, media etc. His impact over here was enormous, it really helped with MLS in a global mindset more than any other foreigners before him.
“Take Messi, and that is going to be multiplied by 1,000. Inter Miami are building a new stadium, but right now their stadium has 18,000 and it’s open on the sides with very little security. I don’t think they are prepared. I saw a game the other day and it was the first time I had seen media companies on the sidewalks, filming the stadiums over Messi arriving. They are in for not a rude awakening but an incredible experience, they are going to have to sort out issues like security.
“Ticket sales have gone through the roof, from $29 a seat to over $400 a seat now. So commercially this will knock it out of the park as long as he stays fit, when he goes to other stadiums they will be full, the public is going to love him here.”
Q. Do you think Messi will turn around Inter Miami’s fortunes on the pitch?
BF: “I think Messi will turn around Inter Miami’s fortunes on the pitch, as long as they don’t drift too far from the play-offs by the time he arrives. As long as they stay in that six to nine point area then I see them qualifying for the play-offs once he gets there. They are currently 11 points off but have two games in hand.
“They were under sanctions, but they come off next season, so it will be their first season without sanctions. Right now they have to get rid of a designated player to sign Messi because they have three on their books already. In July the transfer window opens up.
“Unless these players linked with moves there accept less money, they can’t come while they have their maximum designated player slots available. It’s fine to be linked with names, some may stick, some may have been contacted, but it’s not as simple as that to sign these players because of the rules. All of their signings will also be under a microscope. The entire league has pitched in to bring Messi here, but for other players it’s not going to be as simple as that.”
Q. What standard of English football would you compare the MLS to right now?
BF: “It’s really hard to compare the MLS to any standard of English football because the style is so different. The Championship for example is a midweek to weekend slog throughout the season, especially in those dreary winter months. They are percentage games, it’s a test of endurance over a 46-match season. There are some great teams in the Championship.
“But over here it’s a melting pot of cultures, there are a lot of players from central and south America. You have a lot of players raised in America, in Florida, Texas and southern California, which is very Latin based in culture and style of football. So it would be easier to compare it to Portugal or a Spanish style of football. Spain might be a better comparison, so I would say it’s like La Liga 2. But we’re getting better and better.
“Inter have some good players, even if they have had a difficult season. Leonardo Campana is a good player, Ian Fray is good, Gregore is good. But if you sprinkle in a Messi and maybe two others, you have a team that is very good. Not many will stop Messi. The better teams have figured out how to keep their best players and use their allocation money the wisest.
“In the academies there are some really good players coming through, and we finally have a really decent foot in the transfer market. Plus clubs are selling too, you can’t just buy, you have to sell well.”
Q. Is there anyone in the MLS you think should be on the radar of top-six clubs in the Premier League?
BF: “I think Djordje Petrovic should be on the radar of Premier League clubs. He could start right now for pretty much any team in Europe, although he has a learning curve of course. From what I have seen of him, there has been no better goalkeeper in MLS for a long time. New England are second in the Eastern Conference, they have Carles Gil and Petrovic. If you take those two out of the team they would struggle winning games, they are that influential.
“So at Inter Miami if you bring in Messi you have a very good opportunity. They have a very good goalkeeper too in Drake Callender, you sprinkle in a couple more and you have a team that might not lose for 10 games. The teams are so close, and it’s usually that ingredient of who is going to really help the team, and who is just over for the money.”
Q. Chelsea and Man Utd are being linked with goalkeepers. Should they consider Petrovic and is he good enough to start for them?
BF: “I think Petrovic is good enough to start for Man Utd and Chelsea. People are talking about Man Utd’s goalkeeper situation a lot, but I’m not sure they have the budget right now for the keepers being mentioned in the papers. That’s another reason why Raya has not moved as of yet. When you have a year left on your contract, there are not that many people who can afford that kind of money when you can get them in 12 months time.”
Q. Jordan Pickford, Andre Onana and Raya have all been linked with Man Utd. Of those three, who do you think would be best suited to Man Utd?
BF: “I think from Jordan Pickford, Andre Onana and David Raya, Raya would be best suited to Man Utd.
“I’m not going to be one to disparage David de Gea. What I will say is that we all age, and De Gea has been one of the best keepers the Premier League has seen. He was in the argument for being the best goalkeeper in the league for many, many years. Just because a goalkeeper starts to get a little bit older does not mean we need to be making comments on who will be an improvement, we all age out.
“At this stage De Gea needs to understand he’ll have competition for his place wherever he is. If he wants to be at a top team winning trophies, there is going to be another young goalkeeper the club hopes will do better than him because it makes the squad better. Man Utd are probably nearing that decision time.
“Man Utd will probably have a certain budget, and will think are we going to use this to get someone to replace De Gea? I assume the answer is maybe. I assume they will keep him as a number one for a number of years, but if the other guy they sign comes in and beats him out, he’ll be their number one.”
Q. Reports this morning suggest your old club Tottenham are going to have a summer clearout, with Huge Lloris, Lucas Moura and Ivan Perisic rumoured to be on their way out. Would any Spurs players make good signings for top-six clubs, or your old club Aston Villa?
BF: “Lucas Moura is only 30, I like him. He can do a good job for pretty much anyone. The bigger the club, the more he may have to come off the bench which he won’t want to do, because he was doing that for Tottenham. He understands the Premier League and he is well liked by everyone there, so he would be a great team guy.
“I think he could start for Aston Villa in games. I’ve only been able to watch and admire Unai Emery’s teams play, but I’ve never seen him in training and seen his group dynamic, so I’m not sure exactly how he works, I just know his teams are very good and successful.
“When you’re recruiting players, there’s a lot more to factor in than if they are simply a good player. So he and they would be doing their homework to see if he would fit into the whole group dynamic. He is one player I could see going to and fitting in to other Premier League clubs. Just like with the goalkeeper, Vicaro linked to Tottenham, adaptation to the Premier League is not always a certainty.
“So with a player like Moura, it’s a certainty he can play in the Premier League, you know he can.”
Q. Jamie Carragher recently expressed concerns about the number of players moving to Saudi Arabia. Do you share those concerns?
“I am not concerned by players going to Saudi Arabia, I see it as a challenge for the Premier League. If people want to try and create a league, fair play to them. One of the biggest difficulties they will run into is creating a history and tradition that Premier League clubs have created, along with La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1.
“It’s really hard to replicate the deep traditions over a hundred years, with family fan bases and roots into history. Then you add the financial machine that the Premier League is. One problem the Saudi league has, and the MLS will run into this too although maybe there are ways to get around it, is that the Champions League is still the ultimate club competition in the world.
“I guess it is similar to the PGA golf scenario with LIV. They are doing a deal to come back together. The Premier League is the most fun league to play at in the world, in my opinion. And the best club competition by a mile is still the Champions League, and I think that pull will still keep the absolute top players in their prime in European competition. What players in their prime are in Saudi?
“Bernardo Silva is 28. Until they can take a 19 to 24 year old and come on top of a transfer where Real Madrid, Man Utd and Manchester City are bidding, and he chooses to go to Saudi, then I don’t see the league rivalling the Premier League.”
Q. Is Real Madrid the only realistic option for Harry Kane?
“The only realistic option for Harry Kane to go is if Daniel Levy says he can leave. Daniel will decide whether or not Kane leaves. I was at the club when two players walked in and said I want to leave, including Luka Modric, and Levy told them to get out.
“I think Daniel would be more willing to deal with a foreign club. I’m not sure Real Madrid’s president wants to negotiate with Daniel for another player who has a year left on his contract. Kane himself is such a good club guy, even if he goes in and says he'd like to go to Real, it doesn’t mean it’s a done deal. There is only one person who knows if they will allow him to go and that’s Daniel, he’ll set a price and clubs he will and won’t sell to.
“I would find it strange if he allowed a sale to another Premier League club right now after all their turmoil with Antonio Conte. Think about all the negativity for the months leading up to Conte’s departure, then he goes and they have no coach, then the sporting director was banned. They were in fourth position and then they finished eighth, they fell out of European places.
“I think the hiring of Ange Postecoglou is excellent, his style of football is tremendous. But does Daniel want Kane to leave after all that? I would say no and would expect Kane to be at Tottenham this season.”
Q. Do you think the US will retain their WWC title next month?
BF: “Women’s football has become bigger and stronger all over the globe, so I hope the US women win it. England, France, Spain and Germany will all have a say. It’s not a guarantee, but I’ll put the US as favourites because they are good. Every WWC, probably in the next 12 to 16 years, I think the US women will be there or thereabouts as favourites.
“I’ll have the US as favourites but I would not be surprised if someone else wins. The women’s game is getting far more competitive and has been for many years, so this is not a walk in the park for the US.”
Brad Friedel on Gareth Bale's Retirement Annoucement
We caught up with Brad after his former team mate Gareth Bale's announcement of retirement from professional soccer at a young age.
Where does Gareth Bale rank among the best footballers you’ve played with?
Gareth Bale is up there with the best I’ve ever played with. Luka and him, although different players. Gheorghe Hagi as well, I’d put a touch above them, but right up there. Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler, Andy Cole as well, but Gareth was phenomenally good.
Other than Ronaldo and Messi there was no one better in the world towards the end of his time at Tottenham Hotspur and at Real Madrid. He was big, powerful, good in the air and with a great left foot. He had everything and he was one of the very best I’ve ever shared a pitch with.
What was it like training with him?
Gareth Bale lifted the level of everyone around him. He’s a very mellow, nice guy. There’s nothing to dislike about him. He kept himself fit, although he had a sprinters' body so he did have a few injuries which was a shame. He had a really powerful sprint.
But those injuries were not because he didn’t live his life right, he lived his life perfectly well, although some coaches may say he liked golf a bit too much! I think you’d have to make a lot of phone calls to find someone with something bad to say about him.
Was he the quickest you played against?
Gareth Bale was one of the more powerful runners, I would say, but at Tottenham I’m not sure he was faster than Kyle Walker. And over long distances, before his knee problems, Younes Kaboul was fast. People would be surprised about that. Over short distances, Aaron Lennon, that team had some real pace.
Who wins a 100m sprint race?
Over 100m, Lennon would be third, over 40m Lennon might be first. Over 100m, I’d probably just pick Walker, maybe. That would be one hell of a race.
Does he belong in the conversation of being the best British players ever?
Gareth Bale is without a doubt one of the best British players ever. He defied the odds when he was in positions you didn’t think he’d get out of, and he’d score. He can play possession, he was good in the air, he could drive with the ball for 70 yards. He had a great strike. He was among the best.
Brad Friedel On the World Cup
The World Cup is around the corner, and you have experience of going to two of them. How do you think the USA will fare in this tournament and will there be any torn loyalty considering England are in their group?
I'll have no torn loyalty; I'll want the United States to win obviously but I'll want both England and the US to get out of the group if that's any consolation to English fans. I think of the two nations England have the better chance between the two to win the World Cup. But if we have all of our players fit which looks touch and go ahead of the tournament then we'll be difficult to play against for anybody.
What does next year hold for Christian Pulisic, will a good World Cup encourage him to push for a new club or boost his Chelsea chances?
I don't think a good World Cup boosts his Chelsea chances. With Thomas Tuchel and now Graham Potter, they get to see what he does every day, so by him performing well in front the staff and playing well in the matches is what will boost his chances there.
In regard to the US, it's vital that he plays well because he's one of our best players. A move away is a tricky one for clubs, normally you wouldn't want to purchase someone on the back of a good World Cup. However, with somebody like Christian Pulisic, people will already know what he can bring from his time at Borussia Dortmund and now Chelsea. So, if he does have a good run, it could change some things for him, but then you have to consider that the January transfer window is a tough time to get deals done.
Let's put it this way, it never hurts to perform well at any time. I don't know if Christian Pulisic wants to leave or wants to stay and fight for his place or what Graham Potter's plans are for him. But having a good World Cup won't hurt on all fronts.
Is Christian Pulisic wasted as a wing-back at Chelsea and does he need to leave to fulfill his potential?
I don't think it's respectful for me to say it's a waste of his talent or something like that because there's a new manager that's gone into a club who is trying to implement a style with players that aren't his. Maybe he sees something in Christian Pulisic and other players for that matter in different positions.
I don't think waste is a word I would use, but I think if you want to deploy Christian as a wing-back, then it will take some time for him to get used to the role. It's a completely different role from what he's been used to doing and as a wing-back you are called upon to defend quite a bit within matches. That would be another area where Christian would have to get used to it rather than pressing higher up the pitch. Sometimes you can be in a one v two situation because you get overloaded on the wing.
I think if Graham Potter wants to play him there, then it would take some time for him to get used to that role. Then you have to take on board, would a player want to take on that role having never done it before in his career. Depending on what formation you play I think he needs to play in an attacking sense on the left or the right for me. You could put him as a number 10 if it suits, but I don't think as an out-and-out striker is where we would see him, but definitely in an attacking role.
For Graham Potter it's never easy taking over without a pre-season and it's not easy when you have large numbers in a squad. It's going to take Graham Potter some time to figure out where he wants to put players in his plans. I don't think it's wrong that Graham Potter is trying different scenarios because he has to do it trial by error in matches. Since he's taken over it's virtually been a match every three or four days.
Looking ahead to the World Cup, what American players are ones to keep an eye on for England and Wales?
Weston McKennie, if fit because he took a little knock, but he is an exceptionally talented player in the middle of the field. Yunus Musah is another who is exceptionally talented in that position as well and Tyler Adams is very important for the US with his energy. I think it's essential that we have the likes of Giovanni Reyna fit because he's a very good player. I also think it's important that a player like Timothy Weah is fit, he's another who's had injury problems.
Even if he doesn't start from the get-go and if somebody like Luca de la Torre is injured, then we're going to need some players that provide a spark off the bench. Obviously Christian Pulisic as well, he's an incredibly important for us. Sergino Dest has taken a little knock as well, so I'm just reading reports right now and I don't know how bad any of these are, so we'll have to wait and see. But if everybody is fit, then we can be a force to be reckoned with.
Christian Pulisic is someone to keep an eye on in this tournament, then as I mentioned the likes of Giovanni Reyna, Timothy Weah, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams. There's Brenden Aaronson as well, he's been performing very well at Leeds United so he could have more of a breakthrough moment on a global stage.
You worked with Matt Turner when in charge of New England Revolution. Could you see his talent back then? Is he capable of being Arsenal's No1? Where would you like to see him improve?
I made a comment at a press conference that I felt he was good enough to be in the National team and I got criticized heavily for making the comment. Lots of people like to jump on things that aren't up front and center, but it's different when you see things every day. Matt is one of the top out-and-out shot-stoppers out there.
Listen Ramsdale is an excellent goalkeeper and he's obviously Arsenal's number one goalkeeper right now. So, can Matt Turner become the number one someday at Arsenal? Sure. Will it happen whilst Arsenal are sitting top of the table and Ramsdale is playing the way he is? I'm not so sure.
We'll have to wait and see how that unfolds, but Matt Turner is a really talented kid and if he doesn't get himself as a number one at Arsenal, then I hope some sort of deal can be done. Whether it be a loan or something of that nature or a sale where he can go to a top club and play. He has the ability to be a number one at a top club.
Auston Trusty is flying at Birmingham City. Any surprise with how well he's done? Do you agree with Birmingham manager John Eustace when he says he will definitely be an Arsenal player when he goes back?
Auston is someone I coached, and I think he's a great kid, he's one of those players that you want to see do really well. He turns up every day in training with a smile on his face and works hard, so I'm delighted that he's doing so well at Birmingham. To make a comment that he's definitely going to be an Arsenal player, I think those are questions for Mikel Arteta. All I can tell you is what I know about him and what Mikel Arteta would get.
He'll get an honest day’s work no matter what, he'll get a player who's really good in the air and physically competitive. He's a very good one v one defender, it's not easy to turn him. He's left-footed which helps a lot because there's a lack of left footed centre backs.
If you play with three at the back, he can play on that left-hand side or in the centre. If you play with four, he can play left centre back or even at left-back he can fill in, so he's quite versatile. He's in this group of players that I've coached that if any of them make it to the top, then I'd like it to be him. He's such a good guy so I hope he becomes an Arsenal player if that's what he wants and if he can displace somebody in a team that's doing really well.
I think he's one of those players who deserves any sort of accolades, contracts or trophies because he's a great all-round kid.
What about Zack Steffen at Man City? He's 27 now, when his loan with Middlesbrough ends should he go back to City or look for a permanent move?
Yes, he should look for that move. I think if you asked him, I don't know if he could say it publicly, but he would agree. Ederson is one of the best goalkeepers globally and unless there's a long-term injury then nobody is going to play ahead of him at the moment. Manchester City are an incredible club with a great coach and great players, but at Zack's age he needs consistent football. I think it was smart to go out on loan this season right before a World Cup. But I think he should look elsewhere, it's not easy to leave but I left Liverpool.
It's not easy to leave these huge clubs, but if you're not playing you've got to go play somewhere else.
Can you tell us much about Orlando City star Facundo Torres who Arsenal are said to be interested in signing? Would he be a good addition for the Gunners in the second half of the season if they are still pushing for the title?
He's a star over here with a really good left foot. In the final third he holds a special quality in being able to unlock defenses, he has very good vision and a decent strike on him. Some players go to the Premier League and do incredibly well right away and with other players it takes a little time as we all know. The physicality could be a little bit of an issue for him at first in the Premier League, but I think he could get used to it.
He's a good player, I don't know him personally so I don't know if he would want to go be a squad player when he's a star somewhere else. But it's also really difficult to turn down Premier League football and if reports are accurate then it would be Premier League football with the team in first position right now. It'll be an interesting one to watch and to see unfold. Games at the Emirates where Arsenal would be on top of a lot of teams in terms of possession, then he'd be very good. Just because he has that final pass or the final cross and really good link up play.
Mikel Arteta's business recently since going in and revamping the club, he hasn't got too many wrong, so he obviously see's something in him if reports are accurate.
Liverpool and Man Utd are among the sides said to be tracking Chicago Fire’s Jhon Duran – is he ready to make the move to the Premier League?
He's young but he has all the attributes to succeed. He's powerful, fast, can hold the ball up and has an eye for a goal. He would have quite a bit to learn of course but he has the profile for Premier League football. He plays in a nation where their top players will play for big clubs and he's in the squad for Colombia. So, I could see that happening, I can see teams being interested in him.
I'm not sure if you'd have to purchase him and have him do a season or two on loan somewhere which might be the case. But he has something in his repertoire for sure.
What's going wrong at Tottenham, why do they keep starting slow and will they finish in the top four?
It could cost them in the top four race, but that second half performance against Liverpool was remarkable. They played really well, and they deserved at least a draw out of it. Liverpool played really well in the first half, and it was a game between two really good teams and good to watch.
Tottenham couldn't get the second goal which was down to some really good defending, really good goalkeeping and being unlucky at times. I think what Antonio Conte has done since he's gone in is really good and very positive. You see every time they do go down that he gets a reaction out of the players, it shows the players are well and truly behind the manager.
They have some injury issues up front at the moment, when Kulusevski came in he helped changed the game. I thought Antonio Conte made good changes by pushing Eric Dier a bit further forward which helped to pin Liverpool back.I don't see them as struggling at the moment, I really don't.
Antonio Conte's teams are battling teams and they always have been. When you don't have Son fit, when you haven't had Kulusevski fit and Richarlison is out, then it's a big part of your attacking force missing. I hope from the outside looking in that Antonio Conte signs a contract and stays there. I hope the board work with him to bring the players he wants into the club and if they do they'll have a really successful run.
A trend like going behind in games is a worry, but I'm sure he'll be going to his staff how can we stop this? Maybe they might be a club who benefits from this World Cup break a little bit to stop that trend. It's nothing that they would want, and the goals are coming in all different ways whether it be good play from the opposition or an individual error when they're going behind.
So, I don't think it's part of the set up or anything Conte is doing, it's just one of those things that's hard to put your finger on.
Does Antonio Conte need to change his philosophy/system to get Tottenham firing?
I don't think he needs to change anything as far as systems go. He's been a winner everywhere he's gone, so his systems are proven to work.
You can't account for some things like the second goal against Liverpool. I've played with Eric Dier and it's such a strange goal and mistake for him to make with his head. You can't legislate for that happening and I'm not sure that will ever happen again in Eric's career. You know it's just one of those things and then they find themselves down 2-0. But when they came out in the second half, they were outstanding, and Liverpool couldn't breathe for the first 10 minutes.
They were getting chance after chance after chance, so the players are right there behind the manager and the players have a lot of quality.
Do you believe Antonio Conte will sign a new deal at Tottenham, and should Harry Kane depart in 2023?
The future of any player has nothing to do with the manager at Tottenham, it has to do with Daniel Levy and the board. When Daniel feels it's time to sell a player, then the player will be sold. I think Daniel has done a magnificent job at the club and they run it under a certain structure which they stick to. A player like Harry Kane would probably prefer Antonio Conte to stay, but the coming and going of players doesn't mean as much for a manager, it's more of a board decision at Tottenham.
I'm a firm believer that when you have one of the world's best in your building, then you want to keep them for a long time. That's just because they're one of the best for a reason. If they're able to get players in for his system and you keep over three, four, five or six transfer windows then you can really build something.
I would like to think that Daniel Levy and Antonio Conte can work together to build that over time. There is a financial structure at Tottenham, and they'll have to work through that. There are so many players that could come in and it's not as if it's small money, so they can get good players in.
Should Hugo Lloris' contract be renewed by Spurs at the end of the season? Why?
Yes, I do because you know what you get with Hugo. He's a leader, he's a very fit individual and mentally it's down to him and how long he wants to keep playing football. He has quite a few more years at the highest level in him. There aren’t too many goalkeepers around the world where you know exactly what you're going to get all of the time.
Alisson and Ederson are in that bracket, then the likes of Oblak and Neuer as well. They'll make the odd mistake of course, but the next minute you don't even realise they made that mistake because they're back to normal.
When you have a goalkeeper like that and they're still fit, then they can still carry on at a high level and you keep them. That's not a position that you want to continuously want to keep trying to change. If they can come to terms on an agreement, I would try to sign him immediately.
You kept Hugo Lloris out of the first team when he initially arrived at Tottenham. Does Lloris have the strength of character to do the same if Tottenham sign a replacement?
Yeah, I think so, Manchester United did it with De Gea and he's first choice again. Hugo Lloris will be fine with competition and if for some reason someone came in and displaced him as number one, then I'm sure a lot of suiters out there would come in for him, so I don't think there would be a problem.
There are so many great goalkeepers around the world these days, who do you enjoy watching and is there any of them you can relate to?
The two in the Premier League that I love watching are Ederson and Alisson, I wouldn't want to be Brazil's coach having to choose between the two of them. It's very rare that I want to turn on a TV and watch how a goalkeeper plays with his feet and that's what happens when Manchester City play. Ederson can play as the 11th man as a defender at the back, and he has such confidence on the ball. But then he has such range on his passing as well so you can't just go and close in on him.
Alisson is a bit more traditional in a sense, he still takes the odd risk or two at his feet, but he's a little bit more of a traditional goalkeeper. He looks more like the English type of goalkeeper with his shot stopping in comparison to Ederson. But they're both really fun to watch and both really good goalkeepers. Over the years, I've really liked watching Jan Oblak because he's been tremendous.
Manuel Neuer goes without saying and I like what Courtious has done because he was a bit of a start-stop at Chelsea. Last season's run in the Champions League was second to none, he was tremendous in that competition. There's a lot of good goalkeepers out there, but in the Premier League, which is where I watch most of my football, I like watching those two.
I always think something special is going to happen.
In 2012 you became Spurs’ oldest player to appear in a competitive match. Alongside that you amassed 450 Premier League appearances. What kept you going and what was the highlight of your Premier League career?
The highlight of my career was probably the time I got my work permit because we didn't have a professional league over here and it was hard to get a work permit. That's probably the biggest turning point in my career. I had good genes I guess because I didn't carry too many injuries in my career. As a goalkeeper, mentally if you want to keep playing then you can do.
Edwin Van der Sar played into his 40s and Gianluigi Buffon is of course still playing. Many can play into their 40s if they really want to, you just have to keep yourself fit, a low body fat and generally look after yourself. It's the knee injuries, the hips and the shoulders that if you keep those at bay then you can carry on for long periods of times. We pound our bodies a little bit, but we don't have to run the kilometres that the outfield players do.
It's more of short spurts and if you can endure those injuries and with more education on concussions nowadays, if you can stay clear of that as well then you can carry on well into your 40s at high levels.
Are Liverpool back in the top four race after their win over Spurs, and do you believe they'll finish in the top four?
I think they were always in the top four race. Yes, they haven't been at their best of course, but they have one of the best squads in Europe and one of the best managers and staff in Europe. I think the World Cup break will do them a world of good whereas I think it will hurt other clubs.
It's unprecedented with the World Cup in the winter, but I do think last season fighting for four trophies really took a mental fatigue on the team and a physical fatigue as well. Yeah, they're going to have some bodies going to the World Cup, but having this little break will do them a world of good. I think we'll see a far more consistent Liverpool after the World Cup when the Premier League commences again.
Jamie Carragher recently criticized Liverpool's 'Plan A or nobody' approach to signing players. Do you agree with him?
I will not question anything that Jurgen Klopp has done if I'm being honest. If you look at the club from the day he took over to today, then what is there to criticise. They've had a start-stop season with injuries and things of that nature.
Overall, their approach in the transfer window has been really good and they've assembled one of the best squads in Europe. I will not be one to question how they go about their business in the transfer market.
What is the bare minimum that Unai Emery should be looking to achieve at Aston Villa?
Aston Villa is a fantastic club; it really is and a club like Villa should be in the top 10 for Unai Emery. He knows the Premier League of course, so that's going to be a big bonus. The January transfer windows are so difficult and hopefully he can bring in one or two that fit what he wants in a squad and in a system.
In the summer transfer window, it'll be interesting because Aston Villa has all the makings of being one of the top seven or right clubs in the UK. If they do have a season where they can get themselves in the Champions League and finish 4th or higher and if the finances are there, then they are a big big club.
I would say first he needs to assess the players and second, he needs to get the players onside and get the confidence back. They need to finish in a solid league position and then try to bring in your own players and build. If they get the building right, then Aston Villa could be one of those clubs like what we're watching with Newcastle.
It's two wins in a row for Jesse Marsch at Leeds, do you believe he isn't getting the respect he deserves?
I don't know exactly because I haven't read articles, but I hope he is. I know he was under pressure, and I thought it was ridiculous when he first took over and they were calling him Ted Lasso. That's unfair, how many managers have come in and never spoke English, they never got the abuse that he got for that. The Premier League is exciting, and you just have to look at his wins.
When it looked like if they lost at Anfield then he might lose his job and they win and played well. You saw the players, they came right over to him after the game, so they're behind him and you can see that. To go behind against Bournemouth and come back to win 4-3, again it shows the players are right behind him.
Nothing is easy in the Premier League, just because Leeds go three games without a win again doesn't mean he's a bad manager. It's hard, they don't have one of the big money squads in the Premier League so every single game they have to earn it. There's very rarely a day in the Premier League where you have a budget like Leeds do where you're going to be cruising to 3-0 victories.
I hope Jesse is getting some respect because I think he's gone in there and done really well. It's a hard league, for Leeds surviving is the goal.
The history of Leeds suggests they should be higher up the table, but we have to talk in realistic terms right now and survival is key for them.
I think Jesse is doing a really great job.
