Interview with your old coach: http://goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=609132 Insert your own joke to the above here: _______________________
The guy does have a bit of an ego and an abrasive personality at times. But you can't argue with what he did in his short time here. This teams was absolute pants in 2006 before he got here and he turned them from a crap side into one that at stretches and times during the season were creating chances at will. I still maintain today that firing him was premature, and we will have to see what Osorio does with a similar squad before we pass a final judgment on him. I think he got a worse rap than he deserved here, eriely similay to Bob Bradley when he left and the fanbase was gaga over Mo Johnston. Sometimes you don't appreciate what ya got till its gone. Time will tell if it was the right move or not.
I'm also in agreement with everything said here. I think Arena was guilty of some ridiculous moves (dismantling of our defense, Reyna as a DP) but I think he should have been given another year to get it right. Hopefully, Osorio won't turn out to be another Mo Johnston.
I dont really think that Reyna as DP was Arena's fault, I know I was stoked when I heard Reyna would be our DP and obviously our captain, but it was Reyna who bombed and let us down and I dont think Arena was expecting that from C.R.. What Arena did wrong was keep playing Reyna, I also agree with the defense part.
A "bit" of an ego ? He has his head so far up his own arse that he needs a little window in his stomach, to see where he's going We're well rid of him.
Playing Reyna did turn out to be a mistake, but an acceptable one IMHO. Reyna was simply great in April, and I think it was Arena's hope that if he played CR consistent minutes down the stretch then he would be back in top form by the time the postseason rolled around. Obviously didn't work out, but with Magee, Ubiparipovic and Kovalenko hurt a bunch and Mathis playing like complete, utter trash by about the middle of June and onwards (with the notable exception of the Galaxy game), he didn't really have much of a choice. And no, Reyna wasn't good - but he was nowhere near as bad as Mathis was. The real issue with Bruce, the one that probably cost him his job, was his refusal to put Leitch on the bench or, better yet, cut him outright. For as long as I live, I will never understand that decision. In September and October Leitch was good for about one outstanding error a week that led directly to a goal. He single-handedly cost us 9 points in the standings while handing the Revs 2. We wouldn't have caught DC, but we'd have been breathing down their neck for the Supporter's Shield with an actual shot at it if results had gone our way in week 29. Could MdG have fired him if he'd led us to 50+ points in spite of all the injuries in the midst of a rebuilding project? I know he'll say "yes", but I don't think so - not without starting a mutiny, anyway - especially given the way we were screwed, both royally and without lube, in the playoffs against the Revs. Those of you who were celebrating Arena's departure because he hurt your feelings by not blowing you enough kisses after the game missed the fact that we were really, really close to being a very good team by the end of the year, easily playing our best soccer since 2000. Of course there's no guarantee we'd have carried that into this season, but I'm still shocked Arena wasn't afforded the chance. This is no offense to JCO. Obviously I'm rooting for him, and the simple fact that he got the Fire to the second round speaks to what he's capable of. But I just don't think another rebuilding project is what we needed, and I suspect that this season will end up looking much the same as pretty much every other one for the past half-dozen years: A decent start, some high hopes, and a lack of cohesion/familiarity leading to a bucketfull of late goals conceded, followed by a first round exit. I'd just about stake my life on it. Meanwhile, you know what's going to happen with Arena? Soehn is going to fall on his face this year in DC and things are going to come full circle with Bruce taking over for the 2009 season. And they'll win, and we'll continue to suck because Osorio will have been fired for "not complying with the Red Bull state of mind," and by the middle of next summer we'll be in for yet another rebuilding project. I'm willing to wager actual money on this turn of events.
was it worth firing arena and losing our #1 poik for osario? I don't know about this. I also thought we would have been better off sticking with Bruce another year to build on.
It makes me wonder that if Arena doesn't do any serious coaching for over a year or so, maybe he would be on the short-list of candidates for Philadelphia for the 2010 season. Located between NJ and northern VA, it would seem geographically favorable.
I feel 100x more confident now that Osorio is here, to be honest. I think the dude is working hard, and we're not completely in the dark with everything that is going on, only moderately. I dunno, maybe it's just me.
Bruce Area sighting. My wife and I were walking through the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut on 3/1, when we spotted Bruce Arena seated at a blackjack table. He appeared to be by himself. I didn't want to bother him, so I appraoched him quickly between hands and thanked him for moving the sport foward in our country. He doesn't come off as chatty , however I did get a thank you out of him. Now , the bigger question, was he there for pleasure or a possible buissiness meeting????