John Thorrington: Bradley 'doesn't have anything to prove' on management return

It is a year to the day since the Welsh side sacked head coach Francesco Guidolin and made Bradley the first American to manage in the Premier League.

However, Bradley's dream move lasted just 11 games and 85 days as Swansea's poor form led to another abrupt change in management at the Liberty Stadium.

It was a chastening experience that leaves some portraying him as a figure of fun but LAFC executive vice-president of soccer operations John Thorrington believes such talk is laughable.

The former midfielder knows all about the uphill battle for acceptance that Americans can face in the UK and believes the vastly-experienced coach will prove his capabilities with the Major League Soccer new boys.

"Look, I lived that as a player," Thorrington, who came through the youth system at Manchester United before playing for Huddersfield and Grimsby, told Press Association Sport.

"When you come as an American into a UK locker room, you have to prove yourself doubly so.

"I think Bob accepted that challenge and I am not one of these people who typecast him based on results of 10 games, but rather his body of work.

"I know the challenge he was facing there - not as a coach, but certainly feeling.

"I mean, American coaches are where US players were 20 years ago.

"I think now, over time, there is a more healthy level of respect and they're seen objectively, et cetera, and I don't think I want to paint a sob story, nor would Bob.

"But, for me, if you know Bob, he doesn't have anything to prove.

"It is just the way he is - he is incredibly competitive, he is incredibly driven, so I don't think that was a necessary variable to lead him to be someone who we know will put his all into this project.

"That would have happened regardless."

Whatever his standing in the UK, Bradley's appointment represents something of a coup for LAFC ahead of their inaugural season kicking off early next year.

Working in MLS for the first time since his time in charge of now-defunct Chivas USA, another LA-based club, Bradley ticked all the right boxes for a new club with bold ideas.

"The way we started the coaching decision-making process was we listed the characteristics we wanted in a coach, sort of name blind," Thorrington said.

"We didn't look at a candidate and then fill in the characteristics, we did it the other way around - and Bob ticks a lot of boxes in terms of what we want to be as a club.

"He has a rare combination of domestic and global experience and expertise, which fits what we want to be as a team and what we are as a club.

"He's developed young players, he's developed young professional players, he's brought young players through at various places he's been.

"You look at Mohamed Salah at Liverpool as an example of a guy that Bob has really influenced, so his reach is very global.

"He developed a lot of coaches, which we also think is a good indication of the type of man he is.

"You know, a lot of his values and principles align with what we're all about."