Legendary Red Bull New York striker Bradley Wright-Phillips admitted that he “hated” playing against Michael Bradley when the pair met as opponents across eight MLS seasons.
In the most complementary way, Wright-Phillips described that Bradley was a pain to play against when the Red Bulls squared off with Bradley’s Toronto FC.
Two MLS Icons Recall Fierce Battles Across Eight Seasons
“I remember having arguments with Michael and the Toronto side,” Wright-Phillips recalled during Thursday’s press gathering at Sports Illustrated Stadium. “[I] almost hated him, almost just didn’t like him. There was something about him — this guy that annoys me, but I think it’s because he’s winning.
“When I met him, from conversation one — you can see he’s a winner. It filled in a lot of pieces to the puzzle of why they beat us. A lot of it made sense. The man is very smart when it comes to football, very good at getting his ideas across to players.”
Michael Bradley Salutes Wright-Phillips’ Legacy at Red Bull New York
During Friday’s press conference, Bradley returned the favor by praising Wright-Phillips ahead of his induction into Red Bull New York’s Legends Row following Saturday’s match against FC Dallas.
“Hard to think of anybody more deserving, in every single way, for what Brad means to this club, and for what he gave on the field, for what he continues to give to the club,” Bradley said of Wright-Phillips receiving the honor.
“I had the opportunity, over a number of years, to play against Brad. We talk a lot still about some of those games; those were real hard, competitive games with two good teams and a lot of good players. In those years, you knew that you had to be ready when you were playing against Red Bull, and you knew that Brad was going to be a really, really important part of that, no matter what happened in the game, if you took your eye off of him for two seconds, he was going to find a way to make you pay.”
Golden Boots, Best XI Honors and Supporters’ Shields Define BWP’s Career
Wright-Phillips scored 126 goals across 240 matches in all competitions for the Red Bulls during his memorable seven years spent in Harrison. He captured two MLS Golden Boots, was a two-time MLS Best XI member, a three-time team MVP and helped the Red Bulls to three Supporters’ Shields.
“One of his biggest qualities [was] his ability to sniff chances and find goals and make the difference in those ways,” Bradley stated. “Obviously, the part that went with that was his commitment, his humility and his willingness to just run and work for the team. Playing against him in those years, you knew what an important, special player he was.”
Nowadays, Bradley is benefitting from Wright-Phillips’ knowledge as No. 99 serves in a part-time coaching/special assistant to the sporting director role for Red Bull New York.
“Obviously, now in the time since, over the last year or so, I’ve been lucky enough to get to know Brad in a real way and spend a lot of time with him around the club,” Bradley said. “His personality, his energy, the way that he treats people, he’s so full of life and he’s somebody that you just enjoy every second around. So again I know that it’s going to be a really proud night for him, for his family, and certainly I’m proud to be there and to stand up and make sure that we honor him in the right way.”
Saturday’s ceremony will take place following Red Bull New York’s match against FC Dallas. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
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