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Michael Bradley has been named as the new captain of Toronto FC, the MLS side has announced. Bradley, 27, becomes the seventh player to wear the armband after taking over the role from defender Steven Caldwell, who remains at the club. "I am extremely proud and excited," the U.S. international midfielder told the official MLS website. "The first thing is to talk about Steven Caldwell and what a great player and leader he's been since I came to the club. Knowing him, he will continue to be that in every way. "I've only been here a year but I've learned pretty quickly that being captain of a team in Toronto means to carry some extra responsibility and some extra pressure. I'm really excited about that." Head coach Greg Vanney made the decision to hand the armband to Bradley during the preseason camp and having deliberated the matter with both Bradley and Caldwell. Caldwell was handed the captaincy by former head coach Ryan Nelsen but was plagued by injuries last season. Bradley, meanwhile, has become the face of the franchise. "Steven has been a great captain, a great person and obviously an important member of our team," said Vanney. Bradley's commitment to the club's future success was illustrated when he restructured his own contract to ensure striker Jozy Altidore was able to join the club in January, a decision he called a "no brainer." "It was all about making sure that Jozy is here with us," Bradley said. "It got to the point towards the end that I felt like it was the only way it was going to be done. I have not thought about it a second since. "The important thing for me is that we got a very, very good player who is excited to be here as a part of what we're doing."
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