Former United States national team manager Bob Bradley has left his position as head coach of Norwegian side Stabaek — by mutual consent and with immediate effect — the club announced on Monday. The decision comes after Stabaek, currently in the Norwegian second tier, suffered its third consecutive defeat over the weekend, falling at home to IK Start, 3-2.
The result left Stabaek in seventh place with seven matches remaining, level on points with sixth place Lyn, which currently occupies the final qualification spot for the promotion playoffs.
Bjørn Helge Riise will take over as temporary head coach for the rest of the season.
“Bob will forever be a special part of the club’s history — a wise football head with enormous work capacity and great commitment,” said Stabaek chairman Espen Moe. “After a longer period of limited development and varying results, we have, in consultation with Bob, agreed to end the collaboration. At the same time, we are very grateful for the work and effort Bob has put into the club and we wish him the best of luck in the future.”
This was Bradley’s second stint with Stabaek, having managed the club from 2014-15, a period that saw the Montclair, New Jersey native become the first American to manage a team in the top flight of a European league, and one that saw Stabaek qualify for the Europa League.
After subsequent stints with Le Havre, Swansea City, LAFC and Toronto FC, Bradley returned to Stabaek last year in a bid to help the team avoid relegation from the Norwegian top flight, an effort that was ultimately unsuccessful.
Bradley’s first forays into the coaching ranks took place in the American collegiate system with Ohio University, the University of Virginia (as an assistant) and Princeton University. After serving as an assistant with the U.S. Under-23 men’s team and D.C. United, Bradley took over MLS expansion side the Chicago Fire, leading the team to an MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup double in his first season in charge.
In 2006, following stints with the NY/NJ MetroStars and Chivas USA, Bradley was named manager of the U.S. men’s team, initially on an interim basis before being given the full-time job. He led the U.S. to the 2007 Gold Cup title and later the round of 16 at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He was dismissed in 2011 after the U.S. fell to Mexico in the 2011 Gold Cup final.
Bradley was soon back at work with Egypt’s national team, and fell just short of qualification for the 2014 World Cup, even as Egypt’s domestic league was suspended for two years following the Port Said Stadium disaster in 2012.
Should Bradley decide to return to MLS, there are several teams in need of a manager, including Atlanta United FC, Chicago Fire FC, FC Dallas, St. Louis City SC and the San Jose Earthquakes.