United States captain Michael Bradley has predicted a "slow year" for the national team, telling the Toronto Sun he does not expect a new coach to be hired until the summer.
After failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the U.S. will not play a competitive game in this calendar year. Interim coach Dave Sarachan will lead the team in a friendly on Sunday, but a permanent successor to Bruce Arena will wait until after the U.S. Soccer Federation presidential election on Feb. 10.
But Bradley said he did not believe a new appointment would be made quickly, with potential candidates currently in charge of World Cup teams are clubs in Europe likely to be come available in the coming months..
"Right now there's a presidential election. We'll have to see how that unfolds. Once there's a president, that president will have to decide who the next coach is going to be," Bradley told the Sun.
"My guess is that's going to take time. Anything is possible, but I'm not sure I expect there to be a full-time coach in until the latter part of the year.
"When I think about it, a new coach is likely coming from MLS or coaching a team in the World Cup. Both of those things would require you [to] wait.
"If someone is coaching in Europe, you have to at least get to the summer. I think it's going to be a slow year with the national team."
Bradley, 30, said "we'll see, we'll see" when asked if he would play for the U.S. this year, but added that he's not yet done with international duty.
"I'll always be ready if and when they call to go and do everything I can to help the team," he said.