Life after Bruce

[Palmetto Soccer]

Recently, I've been contemplating the days when Bruce Arena will leave the U.S. team. When Bruce leaves the team, the U.S. head coaching position should be an attractive job. With good showings in 2006 and 2010 (if Bruce stays that long), our players deserve a quality European coach.

As much as I would love to have another American coach the team, we need to take our attack to the next level. On the international level against the top European teams, our strength has always been on defense. We shut teams down and then counter attack. We know how to defend, but we can't attack as technically as the top teams in Europe.

With young players such as Dempsey, Gaven, Szetela, Oneywu, Adu, Donovan and Beasley, I believe we can play total football. Our next coach should be Dutch. Beasley's success in Holland has shown that our players can attack with speed and creativity.

The Dutch league seems to be most suited to our future style of play. Dempsey seems suited for the Dutch league as well as Gaven. Cory Gibbs is also playing strong at Feyenoord.

[kkmmtt]

i not sure know if european coach will be the one !
but one thing for sure is that the US team will be much better under a new coach !!!

[jonspider]

I agree with you. And not just because you are from Greenville too. ;) I would love to see Hiddink at some point. Look what he did with South Korea, I don't think the most of their success in 02 had to do with the home crowd (of course it did somewhat). They have churned out some pretty solid players since that time he was there. I think Korean fans still consider him a God.

[Dynamo Kev]

I think a lot of it depends on how well we do in '06.. Another quarter final appearance and we'll be viewed as a team capable of playing with anyone and we would look real attractive for a well-known international coach to take over.. I'm sure Bruce would also benefit from this with a job in the CCC something similar..
A 3 and out scenario and I think '02 will be looked upon as a fluke and we'll end up with Bradley or some other American coach..

[LittleMaradona]

Bora

[sidefootsitter]

Boys and girls, the US doesn't pay enough to lure a top-notch established Euro coach, including a Dutch one, and I would not want van Gaal or Neeskens.

[John_Harkes_6]

i not sure know if european coach will be the one !
but one thing for sure is that the US team will be much better under a new coach !!!
Congrats - your second post and everyone can see what an idiot you are.

[Profi]

You're all on drugs......

The reality is you can bring in whoever you want. The american players are simply not good enough.

Adu, Szetela, donovan, etc...........on the world stage these guys are average.

[rwhunter4]

I know the pickings are sorta slim, of the time being, but I really like the idea of the US team having an American coach. That way you're not coaching for (only) bonuses and contract incentives, but the pride of your country, just like the players.

[Adam Zebrowski]

on the world stage, nobody knows how adu will develop...

as to arena, the key is whether he calls it quits after 2006 or after 2010...

I'd maintain ussf would go LOCAL after 2006, although I count nowak as local...bradley or schmidt are possibles....and perhaps klinnsmann would prefer a lower key job closer to home??

after 2010, the ussf coffers should be more full, and you never know

[jonspider]

Wouldn't there be some top level coaches out there that would desire to come to a National team that is still building that has alot of potential, that doesn't include tons of National media scrutiny at your every move? Would seem like it could be a break from the absolute pressure in european football in some eyes. I don't know, guess it depends on the individual.

[Palmetto Soccer]

Boys and girls, the US doesn't pay enough to lure a top-notch established Euro coach, including a Dutch one, and I would not want van Gaal or Neeskens.

Little girl, get your head out of your ass and look to the future.

[kkmmtt]

Congrats - your second post and everyone can see what an idiot you are.
you talk for everyone here?
that what idiots always do ! and you're obviously one of them !
enough for that, i don't want to waste my time arguing with you (IDIOT)
US can easily beat some crappy teams like Panama, T&T...
but when it comes to better teams, especially european opponent, you know what happen !
i believe we have enough talents to be a good or even great team. We just need a good coach !!!!

Remember ! If Ji Sung Park did not score against Portugal, we were out of the first round in wc 002.
We could not even control our own destiny in that tournament!

[JRstriker12]

For the US to do well, our coach USMNT coach has to understand MLS since we can't always rely on the handful of Americans that play at the highest level in Europe due to injuries or if the team will not release them for call-ups. I have to wonder if most big name Euro coaches would take the time to seriously look and understand our domestic league.

I don't see any Big-Name coaches coming for the USMNT job excpet maybe Klinsman if he stopped coaching Germany, since he has some MLS ties. But I doubt that would happen. Hiddink would be a coool coach, but I don't see that happening either.

I"m betting we'll see Sigi or Bob Bradley.

My two cents...

[Jabberwocky]

For the US to do well, our coach USMNT coach has to understand MLS since we can't always rely on the handful of Americans that play at the highest level in Europe due to injuries or if the team will not release them for call-ups. I have to wonder if most big name Euro coaches would take the time to seriously look and understand our domestic league.

I don't see any Big-Name coaches coming for the USMNT job excpet maybe Klinsman if he stopped coaching Germany, since he has some MLS ties. But I doubt that would happen. Hiddink would be a coool coach, but I don't see that happening either.

I"m betting we'll see Sigi or Bob Bradley.

My two cents...

Bradley seems the obvious choice if we go American. However, he better turn NY around soon or he'll never get the call he covets most.

Klinsman would have been the next obvious choice, but I worry his stint with Germany will fulfill any desire he has for that kind of pressure.

Understanding MLS is a key point. Would Steve Nicol be a poor choice?

Please not Bora or Sigi or anyone of the like. If American soccer is to be successful, it needs to be exciting and neither coach bears that responsibility well.

PS- For the fun question... where does Arena go? I say the EPL Championsip. He covets a chance in England, but he'll never get a shot at the top immediately.

[nobody]

I see 'em sticking with an American unless someone absolutely top notch is available and interested, which is nowhere close to a certan thing. I mean, if someone like Hiddink is wanting the job and bruce is retired, I'd be shocked if he didn't ge ta serious look if we could afford him. But, fact is, we've done far better with our American coach than we ever did before, even though I put it down greatly to improved players. It's just hard to really believe we would have done any better in 2002 with a different coach, and unless we tank in 2006, going with an American just won't look like a bad option.

I too am curious what Bruce will do after he steps down. I think he deserves a shot at a top level team, but don't know if he'll get it. American players are just beginning to establish themselves, so a coach really has his work cut out. But, based on his 2002 WC performance, he did more with less than most coaches, which is pretty much the bottom line for the job. Get the most you can with what you've got. He shows an interesting style in the way he adjusts lineups and formations for specific games much more so than most European coaches, which could either intrigue suitors or turn them off.

Whatever happens, it will be interesting to see.

[kirby94]

Remember ! If Ji Sung Park did not score against Portugal, we were out of the first round in wc 002.
We could not even control our own destiny in that tournament!

Talk about stupid. I've never understood this line of reasoning. If the games were played in the opposite order, and every score line stayed the same, then the US would have controlled its own destiny. We controlled our own destiny by taking points off the home team (which always advances) and nearly whipping Portugal. The only thing we got "lucky" on was South Korea having too much pride to respond to reported attempts by Portugal to fix their match.

[chessplayer]

Seriously, does anyone really think that Arena has done a bad job with the team in light of his record? After 7 years at the helm, we are worlds better than where we were in '98. Even though we got to the second round at the '02 Cup thanks to South Korea and their refs upsetting Portugal (and the three main biggest factors in that game were the weather, the home field advantage, and Portugal's level of play, not South Korea's), you gotta admit that we beat Mexico soundly and deserved to move on to the quarterfinal round as much as any of the other 7 teams that did. Think about it; does anyone really think that Costa Rica, Turkey & South Korea (on a neutral field) are better than Italy, Argentina, France, Portugal or Spain with all players being equally exhausted coming into the tournament? At least we beat Portugal & tied South Korea (the only other team not to lose to South Korea was Germany), then we skewered Mexico; good luck helped us, but we we deserved our spot in the final 8. If Landon Donovan beats Kahn on that first-half ground-ball, we are deservedly into the semifinals, I think.
The only place on Earth where we don't own Mexico is in Mexico City's Azteca Stadium; in '98 Mexico owned us and the rest of CONCACAF.
We are a vastly deeper team in part because of MLS producing the players, but also because Arena gives national team debuts to almost 10 new players a year (that's almost a full team); if you are playing well, he gives you a chance on the international level, no favorites or elitism. All the arguing I have read on BS about this issue is about what new players should be blooded, I haven't read a thing about him not calling up new players like he should.
Finally, we are the beast of North & Central America now, we are far more respected in this region than we were 7 years ago, even before the '98 Cup. He hasn't succeeded in getting us to beat the better European teams in Europe, but that is one of the few shortfalls of his tenure.
Bruce Arena is by no means perfect, but the MNT is vastly better off for his work and coaching efforts. I would love to see him go back to UVa when he is done, we need a coach with a killer instinct again.
I used to think that Bradley or Sarachan were the heir apparents to him, but they have not impressed in their current situations. Sigi Schmid has done very well both with the Galaxy and now the U-20's; if the job were open today, he would have to be the American front-runner in my mind. I also like Mooch Myernick, he did at least a consistent job with the Rapids (5 years, one MLS Cup final & the playoffs the other years) and has been assisting Arena for a few years and is in the know at the US and the MLS levels. I thought Dave Dir was wrongly fired from Dallas (also 5 playoffs in 5 years) and reads the game very well; he probably wouldn't merit the head job right now but would make a good assistant. I hope he gets another chance in MLS or at some college (he's not coaching right now, right?); Columbus might do well to get him when they finally get tired of Andrulis. I think Nowak is not experienced enough as a coach yet, and I worry that he is driving United into the ground with his intensity. I think Nicol has until this year managed New England into the ground every March-July and then became super-coach in August-October, and I would like to see year-long consistency from New England before I'd put my confidence in him. He is from Liverpool, though. I think Bob Gansler's style of play would not mesh with our talent pool.
I assume the US will not pick a college coach unless he had prior MLS coaching experience. If Klinsmann succeeds with Germany next year and for some reason doesn't stay on with their job, we would do well to get him. Berti Vogts is another German I thought did well with their team, taking a depleted side with a dead offense all the way to the '02 WC championship game (after their 8 goals against Saudi Arabia, they only managed 6 in the next five games & only 2 of those by strikers). As long as a non-MLS coach doesn't have a bias against MLS players, I don't see any issue with him not being American. Besides, if we are to raise our game beyond the limits of the MLS-level of soccer, we will probably need a foreign coach anyway. Personally, I think the team will continue to improve as its players and pool does, and the total-football thing will happen as a consequence. Does anyone know much about former Real Madrid coach Vincent del Bosque? He certainly did well with that team I thought.
I would love to see Arena stick around another four years until our coaching bench strength is more developed, we don't have a lot of American coaches proven at the MLS or international levels yet and a diamond like him (who wasn't all that proven but ended up doing real well) is hard to pick out. Besides, he coached at UVa! Ah, the good old days..

[Delsocfan]

Maybe Bruce and S.A.F. want to switch jobs :D

[jonspider]

It would take nothing less than him fielding 9 players for me to lose respect in Bruce and want him gone. From the change that happened from '98 to '02, and his absolutely outsmarting that midget Mexican coach in the '02 quarters, I would always have his back as the coach as long as he wants to stay. Somebody let him know that, I'm sure he'll sleep better knowing. :p