The widespread notion is that 'if Bradley started with the right formation and line-up, Egypt – yes could lose – but at least would have avoided such a humiliating defeat'.

Let me say, even if Bradley had managed to select the 'appropriate formation' and fielded in the 'right players' whom we have been calling for, his side - with such a poor display - could have still redeemed themselves but were never meant to evade a debacle yet.

All Egyptian fans and pundits kept guessing their side's ideal line-up ahead of the high-profile fixture, but the players' dismal performance made it crystal clear that no matter what strategy or formation deployed, the result wouldn't have differed much.

So, let's assume that the American tactician started with the much-called-for 3-5-2 formation, doing everything most pundits and fans believed was suitable.

In the end, Egypt wouldn't have delivered the goods with the players failing to ditch their fatal shortcomings in an amateur display in Kumasi.

Beginning with the backline, Ahmed Elmohamady, who may have made a difference if he had started at right-back in the 3-5-2, is still not the best defender Egypt needed and that was quite proven with the fact that his direct opponent Abdul-Majeed Waris scored a goal and won a penalty.

Fathi, who is supposed to be Egypt’s top stopper, was only a shadow of his combative self as an early back-header to Sherif Ekrami indicated the Ahli man’s level of concentration from the start.

As for Ghaly, his poor decision to close in on Andre Ayew allowed the latter to take him on and pass to Michael Essien for the second goal.

Ghaly’s role in the penalty conceded can't be overlooked also as he is the one to solely blame for allowing the red-hot Waris dribble past him before going one on one with the hapless Ahmed Al-Shennawi.

These are all basic individual errors that the manager can hardly be blamed for.

At left back, I could comfortably say Sayed Moawad would have been much better than Ahmed Shedid but do you think the former would have the requisite pace to stop Ayew and Co. amid a poorly-covering midfield? The answer is already known.

Moving to the center, as a result of Hosni Abd-Rabou's incomplete fitness, the Pharaohs' midfield couldn't accept much change; the only alteration that could be made is playing with Fathi in that position beside Ashour and Elneny.

But such a move means fielding Naguib at the back or even turning to youngster Rami Rabiea, whom you don't actually wish to see his future shattered at the hands of the opponent's deadly forwards.

Finally, Amr Zaki might have been the frontman needed in such a game to carve out spaces for Treika and Salah to work their magic, but the former-Wigan hitman would have done nothing before such an abysmal defense and midfield.

No options

Let’s not forget that Egypt were forced to play without its most highly-rated defender Ahmed Hegazi, number one midfielder Abd-Rabou and first-choice striker Geddo.

Bradley improperly managed the game - yes he did - but to be fair, the former USA boss, unlike his Ghana counterpart Kwesi Appiah, didn't have much options due to a myriad of reasons.

It is true that the American defied the odds amid very little resources with a 100% winning record in the group stage.

This – delivering in impossible conditions – should not just be thrown away as soon as an unacceptable, yet logical result had taken place.

Bradley worked amid lack of domestic competitions, a host of injuries to key players and inadequate support from the FA, yet he never griped about it.

On the contrary, he rebuilt a strong team who managed to beat African opponents away from home – a once-difficult task for the national team – and never lamented the poor working conditions.

At the same time, it is understood that the media lash-out against Bradley is quite justifiable due to the nationwide disillusion at the nightmarish end of a World Cup dream.

Since Egypt have been drawn against Ghana, it was no secret the West Africans had the upper hand.

But Egyptians actually wished for a combative resilient team capable of bridging the gap between both sides, reminiscent of the seven-time African champions' heroics against the likes of Cameroon and Ivory Coast in recent years.

Unfortunately that was not the case and the World Cup dream is over, but no way that this happened just because of one man.