Former US national team and current Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Brad Friedel conducted a Wednesday afternoon "Ask Me Anything" Q&A session on the social media site Reddit. Friedel fielded questions from many thankful and adoring fans from stops all along his decorated European and international soccer career, and showed himself once again to be a genuinely great guy with telling insight.
Friedel answered some of the same questions a handful of times each — his favorite save was the 2002 World Cup penalty kick against Korea, the 2002 World Cup victory against Mexico was his most enjoyable victory and he's more than happy to be the No. 2 goalkeeper for Tottenham and support Hugo Lloris as the No. 1 — but one of the bits of "breaking" news that Friedel shared had to do with his post-playing career plans:
Friedel: "Yes, I'm currently taking my UEFA A license and I hope to complete this in one year's time. And, if successful, I will then move on to my pro license and at that time I will make a decision on what I want to do in regards to coaching/managing. I want to learn as much as I can before I jump into that arena."
Not only is Friedel eyeing coaching after his playing days are over — most expected he would — but he's already enrolled in the entry level training courses and planning to pursue the pro level after that. As for where he might find himself coaching once those days arrive? MLS is always going to be an option.
Friedel: "I always thought that I would probably finish my career in the MLS, however I kept getting contract offers with fantastic clubs later in my career and now I find myself at a very big club in Tottenham at the age of 42. I think time is probably against me now to finish as a player in the MLS, however that is not to say that I won't come back to the MLS at some stage in my career in some capacity."
If you didn't get to take part in Friedel's Reddit AMA earlier on Wednesday, here's the full transcript of his questions and answers. It takes only about 10 minutes to read everything he answered, and it's well worth it, if not only to hear him explain his "Atlantic" accent.
