Bob Bradley is the New Coach of the English Premier League's Swansea City

Former U.S. men's national team manager Bob Bradley will take over at Swansea City, in the English Premier League. The historic move breaks a glass ceiling of sorts: Bradley is the first American to manage a club in one of Europe's big leagues.

We can confirm the club has parted company with Francesco Guidolin, who will be replaced by Bob Bradley. — Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial)October 3, 2016

While this is a historic moment for Bradley and American soccer in general, the move was not a complete surprise. In the off-season, an ownership group headed by Jason Levien and Steve Kapla, both Americans, took over Swansea. Prior to Saturday's match against Liverpool, then-manager Francesco Guidolin speculated that he might lose his job should Swansea fail to win. His team went up 1-0 in the first half and had plenty of chances to add to its lead, but the Swans were eventually undone by a second-half Liverpool comeback.

Critics might still knock the move as some kind of national nepotism, and Bradley's nationality surely played a role, but not in the way many might suspect. The feeling among those who have followed Bradley's career is that he has deserved this kind of opportunity for some time. He's had success everywhere he's managed, first at Princeton; then in MLS, where he won two cups and one championship; then with the U.S. team; Egypt; Stabæk, in Norway; and most recently Le Havre, in the French second division. (Like Swansea, Le Havre is owned by an American.)

Based on his resume, Bradley deserves his chance. Where his nationality helped him is in Swansea's ability to up its profile in the United States. Today, interest in soccer in the United States is at an all-time high. American television channels broadcasts more soccer than anywhere in the world. With an American at the helm, Swansea gives American fans a reason to watch its games and buy its shirts that they previously didn't have.

In the United States, fans have viewed Bradley's European career, and his failure to get a chance as a top-flight coach in a top European league, as evidence of European bias against Americans. The pressure will be on the 58-year-old to prove any bias wrong, and show Europe that the United States is producing not just young talent like Christian Pulisic but great soccer minds as well.

The Swans are currently 17th in the Premier League, with four points and a minus-six goal differential. Bradley's first match is away to Arsenal on October 15th.

Bradley's success isn't guaranteed, but this is: Americans will wake up early and watch.