NEW YORK -- Bob Bradley is keeping the job of U.S. manager.
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The U.S. Soccer Federation called a Wednesday news conference to announce the interim coach is becoming the permanent coach.
"Bob took this job as if it were his, and I think that's a very positive thing," USSF president Sunil Gulati said Tuesday night. "He looked at a lot of new players when it might have been safe to continue with more established players, and that was important for the long-term growth of the program."
Bruce Arena, hired after the Americans finished last at the 1998 World Cup, was told after last year's tournament he wouldn't be brought back for another four-year cycle. Following the withdrawal of Juergen Klinsmann, Bradley was hired on an interim basis on Dec. 8.
Since then, the Americans have won the three and lost one in exhibition games.
"He's done a really good job. I think he's earned it. He deserves it," U.S. star forward Landon Donovan said Tuesday. "I was pretty impressed by how he handled it from his standpoint. It's not easy to have this, `Well, you're the interim coach' waved over your head the whole time. He treated it like he's going to be around forever. And I think that's the only way you can go about it."
"Obviously you can't deny the results. He's done really well -- he hasn't lost yet, knock on wood," the 25-year-old Donovan said. "I think for a lot of us older guys, at first it was a little bit hard, just because it was different from Bruce. I think as time has gone on, he's kind of earned our respect and, hopefully, vice versa."
The Americans will play China in an friendly June 2 ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. After that tournament, the United States plays as a guest at the Copa America.
USSF president Sunil Gulati and Ronald Waxman, Bradley's agent, declined comment.
