Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter by email with the day's key headlines and transfer news Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Steven Gerrard will be the last of the marketing men’s dreams to be offered deals in America, according to former USA boss Bob Bradley.

Gerrard has hung up his boots after 18 months with LA Galaxy, but Swansea City manager Bradley reckons American clubs will now look for more than just box office appeal.

“The idea that clubs in the MLS just take a name went out of the window a long time ago,” said Bradley, who managed at both Chicago and New York before he took over the national team.

“Fans everywhere balance what a player has done throughout his whole career with what he has done lately. Anyone who has paid attention for the last 15 years has incredible respect for Steven Gerrard.

“It was great to have him at the MLS, but his pure impact was not as much as it might have been. Steven had some injuries, but if you’re a Galaxy fan, was he able to have the same impact as Robbie Keane had? No.

(Image: Getty Images)

“There are always discussions between the technical side and the marketing side. But if an MLS club wants to be successful, they now have to look at it from a footballing decision and not just because it adds marketing value.”

Following the trail blazed by David Beckham and later by Frank Lampard, Gerrard played 34 matches at LA Galaxy and scored five goals, but could not guide the club out of the play-offs.

(Image: Paul Webb)

Bradley added: “Whenever a player goes to the MLS at the end of his career, there are big challenges. It’s a competitive, athletic league with a lot of travel.

“Young Americans in the league need good examples. But if it’s a player who is 34 or 35, you have to decide what they have left. And you have to work out whether you are making the decision for football or commercial reasons.”