Waldo tears Arena a new one

[Bruce S]

someone had to say it.Good for you Waldo.
http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20041001&content_id=15891&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp

[Wahoo]

As much as I liked Bruce Arena speaking out when he did to say what's on his mind... I also like this one by Wynalda... and I agree with him.

Bruce does need to remember there are other soccer people out there. Waldo has a lot of experience, playing abroad and at home, for the national team, and now as an announcer.

Could we have the beginnings of 2 powerful people in soccer who both speak for themselves? interesting :)

[Viking64]

FAscinating. REally really something to see. The most notable forward squaring off on the most notable coach.

I agree with both of them. One, Arena is bitching now to prevent NEXT season's conflicts. MLS will keep doing stupid things like scheduling games against national team games unless SOMEONE says "damnit don't do that."

Jamming a stick of tnt up the arse of USSF is worthwhile in it's own right. They run it like it's a boys club, and not a very good one. Based on what Arena said I'd make him USSF vice president of soccer operations when he's done coaching.

yes MLS has too many playoff teams for a 10 team league. When the league is 18 teams, then it won't be that way. And they will have 18 teams before too long. The league is financially weak and they need the effect.

I think the All Star game is a waste of a weekend. I think the US Open Cup should either be the pre- or post-league tournament played all at once. If there were no league games going on, more people would care. Doing them at the same time gets you what they have.

[Autogolazo]

I didn't get the sense that Wynalda's piece was very well thought out at all.

He agrees with most of what Arena said, just not his method of airing it or his one crack about non-soccer people in MLS. Fair enough.

But then produces "evidence" of Bruce's loose-cannonism from that Costa Rica match 3 years ago? The same one where Claudio Reyna also got a red card for arguing the same thing? Does that mean Claudio needs to be put in his place, too?

Wynalda's argument on that point is specious--one thing doesn't follow from another, or even close, there's no "pattern of behavior", sorry.

[crusio]

Aside from his disagreement with there not being enough soccer guys, Wynalda doesn't debunk a single one of Arena's points. Arena shouldn't speak up? Why not? He shouldn't have public opinions? Shhhhhhhhh keep these coments to yourself.. I like Waldo, but here he just looks like a guy just defending his league for the sake of defending it. Its a little weak in my opinion.

[uniteo]

He's not defending the league. He's not trying to. He's telling Arena to shut his pie hole. Do we get to look forward to the Arena faction and the Wynalda faction now?

[GringoTex]

This makes us a real soccer nation now.

[Mason16]

TAKK will love this as he is now not alone in criticising BA's every move. :D The only thing I like about Waldo's pice is that he has the balls to speak out against BA in an environment where few in the press are willing to do so. This has been missing from American soccer. However, if he thinks Bruce is right on every point, and if these aren't new issues (i.e. BA has been saying these things for a long time), then what's wrong with BA taking his case public, particularly if it has a chance of getting MLS to act. And if going public with criticism is wrong, wouldn't that apply to Waldo as well?

[appoo]

He's not defending the league. He's not trying to. He's telling Arena to shut his pie hole. Do we get to look forward to the Arena faction and the Wynalda faction now?
I agree with Waldo. Arena should have been more diplomatic about it.

Also, Arena apologized for his comments. While not retracting any of them :D

[mschofield]

Frazier - Ali this ain't.

[Bruce S]

Jamming a stick of tnt up the arse of USSF is worthwhile in it's own right. They run it like it's a boys club, and not a very good one. Based on what Arena said I'd make him USSF vice president of soccer operations when he's done coaching.

.
the USSF is not perfect by a long shot.But this is the organization that brought WC 94 to the USA, started MLS,started project 2010, started project P40, started the Brandeton U-17 residency program, hired Bruce Arena.It may be fashionable to crap on them, but the rest of the world respects how effective the USA program has been in puling the USA up toward the rest of the world.The USSF deserves a lot of credit-not all-but a lot.
The thing that sticks in my craw was Arena's comment about the lack of "soccer" people, when it was not SO long ago that he would have fit that definition.That is called hypocrisy.

[TAKK]

TAKK will love this as he is now not alone in criticising BA's every move. :D The only thing I like about Waldo's pice is that he has the balls to speak out against BA in an environment where few in the press are willing to do so. This has been missing from American soccer. However, if he thinks Bruce is right on every point, and if these aren't new issues (i.e. BA has been saying these things for a long time), then what's wrong with BA taking his case public, particularly if it has a chance of getting MLS to act. And if going public with criticism is wrong, wouldn't that apply to Waldo as well?

I'm famous!

They know me...they truely, truely know me!

Don't have to anymore (criticize). As long as someone stands up to Il Duce that's fine with me.

True progress. Can only lead to open dialogue and better things down the road.

Whether you agree with Waldo or not this is what we need in this country.
I agreed with virtually everyhting BA said, but we pretty much all knew that already. Didn't disagree with BA saying it in the Times either. Good for him.

Just need some sort of opposing view...finally.

A chance at growth in an area where there has been none...the media.

This is a very good thing for all.
US Soccer, MLS, Arena...yes, democracy...finally! Good thing.

PS - If MLS completely controlled the Nats and did whatever, whenever they wanted to with the program, said what they wanted on whim without worry of critique, were not accountable for their mistakes, or even questioned about them I would be railing the other way.

This is growth in an area we've had none. Hopefully this will gain media attention and create more of a stir. Good, good thing. Yes, I'm happy.

Zealots will be upset, but soccer wins...and I don't even like Waldo. That's how weak our media is.

[prk166]

someone had to say it.Good for you Waldo.
http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20041001&content_id=15891&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp

Maybe instead of a knee-jerk reaction to what he read in an article, Waldo should do what any self-respecting journalist should do --> Call BA and interview him. Christ, if I got my thong in a bunch every time I heard from someone else that someone said XYZ, I'd be flippin' out left and right. And the NY Times has incentive to stir up the pot by pushing the limits of things in how they quote BA.

Well, at least Waldo didn't go and sleep with BA's wife... :eek:

[prk166]

Aside from his disagreement with there not being enough soccer guys, Wynalda doesn't debunk a single one of Arena's points. Arena shouldn't speak up? Why not? He shouldn't have public opinions? Shhhhhhhhh keep these coments to yourself.. I like Waldo, but here he just looks like a guy just defending his league for the sake of defending it. Its a little weak in my opinion.

Exactly. He starts out painting BA as the king of soccer and it's good to be the king. I don't know what world Wynalda is living in but I've never got the impression that BA thinks he's anything more than the head coach of the USMNT and a leader in the American soccer community. BA doesn't think nor is he acting like he's the emperor of the world.

Is the MLS really that paranoid about their image that they feel compelled to print a knee-jerk reaction like EW's? Sheesh.

[Adam Zebrowski]

waldo is capitalizing on the controversy, just like he does as a color commentator...

he's just pure entertainment to me, my first recollection of his was in firenze withe the checks suckering him into a red card for retaliation...

I listen to waldo, just because he has a certain degree of knowledge, but I don't know if he'd ever be able to assume any position of managing, building a team....he strikes me as the type of guy, who's too surface oriented, not willing to take the day to day grind needed....

arena has more hubris than any other american in the soccer field, and I'd suspect this hubris was built from his success from uva to dc united to usmnt...

sure his social skills aren't the mamsy pamsy type you see emerging in the corporate world....arena will actually say things with content...not just bs everyone...


http://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562135087

for arena's take on his squad and the upcoming matches....

some pretty informative stuff..

as to someones wife sleeping with an other player....those in the know really know about it!!

[crusio]

I agree with Waldo. Arena should have been more diplomatic about it.

Also, Arena apologized for his comments. While not retracting any of them :D
Why should Arena be more diplomatic?? Shouldn't people be able to to give their opinions?? Agree with them. Disagree. Either is fine, but a personal attact from Waldo seem more agregious than Arenas opinions on the status of soccer in America. Attack the ideas, not the person saying them Waldo.

[prk166]

We've had our first riot and our first coach/ex-player public squabble in the press in the space of a week.

Obviously we'll have single table and pro/rel be the end of next season

I think we need still need some betting scandals, a true dynasty (like winning 7 titles in 11 years kinda thing; sorry DC) and a kung fu kick or three before we get single table and rel/pro. :)

[voros]

Good on Wynalda.

He's a professional crank, to be sure, but this country needs somebody to keep folks on their toes.

Bruce likely heard some stick for the first time in a while after the Panama game and lashed out in the newspaper. Wynalda then called him tyrant. Harsh I suppose, but as they say "if the crown fits..."

The excuses Bruce gave for the Panama result were unconvincing. The team has played poorly since qualifying started against Grenada and Bruce bears some responsibility for that.

As for Eric, the US Soccer community is filled to the brim with sycophants and yes men, so Wynalda is a breath of fresh air even when he's wrong, which is a lot. I hope he's around for a while.

Also, as far as broadcasting is concerned, he's articulate (much better than Harkes in this regard) and often insightful (much, much better than Harkes in this regard). Harkes is much nicer, but not very substantive. Wynalda is often harsh but at least he does it with some panache.

The most clever response from Arena would be to schedule a friendly against Montserrat and start McBride as the lone forward. :D

[The Lieutenant]

I agree with Bruce, and don't give a ******** if he is politcal or not about his opinion.

[crusio]

Good on Wynalda.
As for Eric, the US Soccer community is filled to the brim with sycophants and yes men, so Wynalda is a breath of fresh air even when he's wrong, which is a lot. I hope he's around for a while.

This is so true..