He turns 35 during the WC and by all reports he is going to retire. He has been playing professionally since he was 14!
Judd.......again....... knock on wood but I absolutely cannot believe what Bruce Arena has done with this squad. It is absolutely surreal. Just look at the roster.......
Does Bruce have any younger proteges in his staff or is it basically his usual group of guys? Between making the Revs relevant (and the huge falloff after whatever issue happened there when he was forced out) and now making San Jose with THAT roster looking like a very good team, it's obvious he's still got it.
The Quakes need more bodies badly. Bruce must've looked ahead towards Seattle, because he let Judd stay out there until the end despite Judd asking to be subbed in the 2nd half due to back pain. He also ran Bouda and Kikanovic ragged, while not using all his subs. Very annoying to watch. Roberts is pretty freaking good. If he can keep this up another year, I think he could be sold for a pretty penny!
He's still working with Dave Sarachan after 40 years, but he also has Steve Ralston and Shalrie Joseph on his staff. Ralston had previously been an MLS assistant for a number of years, but I don't think Bruce had ever worked with him prior to San Jose. Joseph's only been an assistant since 2022, but Bruce did give him his first MLS coaching job back in New England, so I guess he's become one of Bruce's guys now.
Sam Sarver again for Dallas. That kid just has the look of an absolute soccer rat. Just decided to beat RSL by himself. And, 2/3rds of the RSL defenders said "OK, you do that." When we talk about "identify" above, we as USMNT fans don't care how MLS clubs acquire Americans. Just that they play them. Good organizations sign homegrowns, use the draft, sign guys as free agents, build thru their MLSNP squads, etc. Use all methods. Dallas brought both Farrington and Sarver off the bench last night. Draft picks. Preston Judd was a bit of journeyman thru the SKC and Galaxy organizations before "hitting" with San Jose. Welcome to @samsarver_’s never-ending shift at the electric factory. ⚡️Second goal in two games for @FCDallas! pic.twitter.com/YqGHdmYyKb— Indiana Men's Soccer (@IndianaMSOC) May 10, 2026
Bruce's coaching tree includes much of the American coaching community. He's touched many of them as players or assistants. Mainly, of course, because Bob Bradley was his assistant. So the Bob tree, which is significant, is an offshoot of Bruce. It makes sense. When you're in this game for 40 years, you touch an enormous number of people. You usually don't have to play six degrees of separation from Arena. It can usually be done in 2 or 3. Everybody has played or worked with Bruce. Or played and worked with somebody who did. You can just name one. You'd probably find a connection to Bruce. I'll play the game at random. Pat Noonan of Cincinnati. Yes. Played and coached under Bruce. I'll try again. Gregg Berhalter of Chicago. Yes. Played and coached Bruce. I'll try again. Ben Olsen of Houston. Oh yes. Obvious yes. Gregg Vanney of the Galaxy? Yes. Played under Bruce with the Galaxy in 2008 Pablo Mastroeni. Yes. Robin Fraser. Yes. BJ Callaghan. Yes, because we was a coach under Berhalter who worked under Arena. Jesse Marsch. Obvious yes. Protoge of Bob Bradley, who worked under Arena. Steve Cherundolo. Yes. We can keep going with everyone. Eric Quill of Dallas. Ooohh..................that one may require more thought. I bet we can do it, though. As a guy who was in MLS a long time, and who was in USYNTs for a long time...............I'm sure we can do it. He played under Bob Gansler at Kansas City. Oh, got it. Quill was on the 2005 Metrostars coached by Bob Bradley. So 2 degrees from Bruce. If we can't find a more obvious connection for Mikey Varas, we can go thru Dallas and Eric Quill. He was on the Dallas academy/North Texas staff with Quill circa 2021. The one guy that you won't that connection with is Brian Schmetzer. Seattle coaching lifer. I bet we could, but it would be really convoluted and overwrought. So if a tree builds under Schmetzer, there could be some independence from the Arena/Bradley/etc. tree. My point with this convoluted reply is that nearly every American coach in MLS has been influenced by Bruce Arena.
I know San Jose is out of the blue for us. .....................but is it more out of the blue than New England under Mitrovic? They're 6-0-0- at home. New England beat Philadelphia last night, and continues to hold down 2nd place in the East. And by the way, Philadelphia seems to desperately want to hold the title of "worst defending MLS Supporter's Shield winner." Lots of young Americans used in this game. For New England: Former USYNTers Brooklyn Raines (why did Houston trade him? Weird one), Ethan Kohler, Peyton Miller, Griffin Yow. Cavan Sullivan and Frankie Westfield started for Philadelphia. 16 year old Malik Jakupovic off the bench. The Revolution bench is a blast of MLS past. Matt Polster, Andrew Farrell, Diego Fagundez, Jackson Yueill, etc. We were a little hard on Mitrovic as Olympic coach. Some didn't like his selections. Some thought his results could have been better. But his start with the Revolution has been outstanding!!!!! 🎙️ Post-match press conference for #NEvPHI➥ https://t.co/H0bzbAJccB pic.twitter.com/kEDbocj90j— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) May 10, 2026
I've always understood the "coaching tree" concept to be limited to guys who worked as an assistant under the manager in question, or worked as an assistant under one of that manager's former assistants. If you include guys who merely played under Bruce or under a former assistant of his, that would include almost anyone noteworthy who's ever played in MLS or for the USMNT since the 90's, which feels like it's stacking the deck a bit. But Arena's coaching tree is impressive enough even without that. Apparently after retiring as a player, Schmetzer began as an assistant under Fernando Clavijo, who himself began as an assistant under Don Popovic. Popovic is before my time so I don't know much about his coaching tree, but if you want to map out Schmetzer's tree, that's probably where you would start. On the other hand, even though he'd been a head coach for the Sounders in the A-League and USL for a good number of years prior to Seattle's entry into MLS, his first 7 or 8 years in MLS after that were as an assistant under Sigi Schmid. So you could also consider Schmetzer to be part of Schmid's coaching tree, which probably is the only other coaching tree in the US that can independently rival Arena's.
I though Mitrovic did a good job overall with the Olympic team even if I didn’t agree with the precise roster selection.
That was a really good goal. Sarver (a player whose name I don't think I'd ever heard before) did everything right. And it all had to be right. Great first touch with the thigh at full speed, and full speed ahead the whole way down the field with a defender right on him. That's a tough goal to get.
Take a bow, Jack 👏 pic.twitter.com/JcNr3pxAFM— Houston Dynamo FC (@HoustonDynamo) May 11, 2026 Don’t think it’d be crazy if McGlynn made it even though no one seems to be projecting him to.
the funny thing is that folks talk about the end of the 26 man roster providing space for wildcards who bring something different. Check plus for this from Jack M. He has been hurt and was getting call ups prior to that.
Jack McGlynn with a brace: Jack McGlynn makes it FOUR for @HoustonDynamo! pic.twitter.com/3bCPNXsuXD— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 11, 2026
Ssc Team of the Week * = 23-and-under ** = 20-and-under Player of the Week: McGlynn(8.8)MOTM Bassett(8.3)3rd Luna(8.0)MOTM 23-and-under: McGlynn(8.8)MOTM Luna(8.0)MOTM Ferree(7.7)1st Mehmeti(7.7)2nd 20-and-under: Ferree(7.7)1st Mehmeti(7.7)2nd Ellis(7.2)1st Corcoran(7.2)3rd Bombino(7.2)5th Mehmit has been showing impressive consistency Brandon Craig(7.3)4th* got the start at CB. 17 y/o CB Chirlila(6.9)4th got the start in Cincy's 2-2 draw against Chicogo Luna: 1 goal, 3/3 dribbles 4/6 duels. He stepped up while the USMNT watched Not so for Gozo(6.4)12th. Nerves may have gotten to him Too late for McGlynn?
Good points, and I had forgotten that last part. It does look like he was named to every roster in 2025 prior to his injury. (According to Tom Bogert he was also included in the October roster but got injured shortly before it was announced, which then also ruled him out for November.)
Jack McGlynn could surely get a europe passport effortlessly right? Feels like his absolute floor is a championship side like West Brom but I know its higher Maybe Wolves or Tottenham?? (what........theyre already a Championship side.......Im willing this into fruitition. Leeds need to do the lords work tomorrow though.)
Ireland had been after McGlynn hard. He may already have his Irish passport. MLS star lifts lid on snubbing Ireland for chance at USMNT World cup run | Irish Star Good players are going to have to be left out of the World Cup squad. Particularly in the midfield. I have Berhalter ahead of McGlynn, and Sebastian is a bubble guy.
Vancouver just got a big breath of life. The rumored backer is of First Nation descent. Which is actually a HUGE deal not just just from a PR standpoint. Some Reddit reading shows that they have MUCH more elasticity with building and land than the usual crowd. Basically, they can blast through the NIMBYs almost unimpeded, which is fantastic news for stadium prospects. But knowing the backer is First Nations is a massive deal.
McGlynn would not be successful in The Championship, he is neither physical enough or enough of a run/jump athlete to play there. The Championship is the most physically demanding league on the planet.
The MLSPA has released salary information for the first half of 2026. https://mlsplayers.org/resources/salary-guide Top and bottom spending teams on salary only in 2026:1. Inter Miami, $54.6m2. LAFC, $32.7m3. Atlanta United, $27.9m...28. CF Montréal, $13.4m29. Sporting KC, $12.4m30. Philadelphia Union, $11.7mAll team + player data belowhttps://t.co/VOqN2gbZDM— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) May 12, 2026 Before anyone starts the usual "so and so needs to go to Europe to get paid" nonsense, please refer to the MLSPA website.
He and Berhalter have the same problem in differing manifestations. They are really, really one dimensional players who are incredible at what they do, I think McGlynn probably has the best power/accuracy shot in the pool, but he lacks pace, and can't defend a lick, and while Seb will defend, he isn't particularly good at it, and the only place where he's additive to me beyond the locker room is set pieces/corners. In soccer, there are few goals, so there's more value to Berhalter than McGlynn to me (better chance Berhalter serves a perfect ball than McGlynn scores on one, also better shot Berhalter is just barely adequate defending than that McGlynn is at any level at all).