I think Bruce could get ahold of this team. He’s been giving opportunities to guys from Quakes 2, who didn’t get them last year. They’re not super young but he’s basically giving some guys careers right now. Jamar Ricketts (01), Beau Leroux (03), Reid Roberts (03). It’s definitely true that Bruce likes to bring his guy, but a lot of his guys this time, are the domestic guys from his last job. This San Jose team is a lot like that Revs team. we also shouldn’t forget the opportunities Bruce gave Buck and Bajraktarevic. Right now this roster is packed, id give it time. Although, I agree, some of these guys need the jump start now.
Bruce’s sole goal is winning. He plays the guys who he thinks will get him points. I don’t see any of San Jose’s youth players being able to get him points right now.
To be clear, I don't think New England Bruce was interested in developing, either. I simply think he will play the kids if they are his best option. He did just trade for Noel Buck.
Bruce was officially hired as Sporting Director/Head Coach in November of 2024. Luchi was hired as academy director several months later. So surely Bruce as Sporting Director was involved in that decision to bring Luchi into the academy. Cuz ultimately, all aspects on the sporting side of the club are his responsibility. That includes the academy. Heck, the GM Chris Leitch reports TO HIM. Its a little odd when the GM reports to the coach. But such is the world Bruce lives in. Asking whether Luchi and Bruce are aligned is a little bit of a strange question. Bruce is the boss. He's the Sporting Director. He reports directly to the owner. If Luchi isn't aligned, then he'll be fired. We've seen throughout his career that Bruce isn't going to play kids just for the sake of playing kids. He'll play them if they give him the best option to win. At every stop going way back to DCU.
Oscar Verhoeven out, Noel Buck in... it's worth noting that the one game Verhoeven played under Bruce was not as a fullback (or wingback since it's a 3-5-2) but as a midfielder, and Bruce praised how he looked in that role and said he sees him as a midfielder not a fullback. But it could be that as midfielders Buck is rated higher than Verhoeven (since he's not one). In any case there's a limit to how many young midfielders a team can have on the roster that they're actually using and the Quakes have Hernan Lopez, Niko Tsakiris, Beau Leroux, and Noel Buck, so Oscar Verhoeven on loan and guys like Medina and Mendoza buried in the depth chart. Mendoza might deserve a look just because despite how many moves they've made they still don't have a single defensive midfielder and so far their defense is somehow even worse based on the advanced stats than it was last year when they had the worst GA in league history! But the Quakes are actually playing a decent number of young-ish players (in addition to the older mediocre Friends of Bruce that were brought in). 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙪𝙘𝙠 𝙞𝙨 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚 ⚫️🔵Welcome to San Jose, Noel Buck! 🦌— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) April 23, 2025
I definitely see the argument if the idea is "we are a laughing stock and need to restore some respectability." I think in that sense Arena can make them a competitive team in MLS. Probably not a competitor to win any trophies during his time with the club, but he can be the coach before the coach that can win them something.
Arena knows the formula. We saw it when he won a SS with New England. This was a hiring that said "We're a dumpster fire. Come and save us. We'll give you all the control that you want. Yes: The GM can report to you. You only answer to the owner. Do whatever you want." Will it work? Who knows? The chances of them being worse than the last year are essentially nonexistent. Nowhere to go but up.
That's what Arena himself said on Donovan-Howard podcast, adding that SJ might finish 28th instead of 29th, and, who knows, they might give him MLS Coach of the Year for that achievement. With that wonderful smirk.
I think if Bruce keeps up his energy levels and the things that make him unique, it's not crazy to think that San Jose will be a strong contender for something in 2026 or 2027. Especially with Open Cup and Leagues Cup there's trophies to be won. He's stabilized San Jose already, who still have a pretty lousy roster. He'll have a few windows to build and I think he's one of the best talent identifiers in American soccer.
Will Ostrander From the USA to Eindhoven 🔴⚪️Welkom in Eindhoven, Will! 🤝#CreatingStarsTogether️— PSV (@PSV) May 15, 2025 🇺🇸🚨 | Will Ostrander, 2009-born midfielder, officially moves from the San Jose Earthquakes Academy to PSV Eindhoven!Ostrander has a Maltese passport and has featured for the US U16s and U15s.With this addition PSV now has 7 American-eligible players in the club!#usmnt https://t.co/KDQMdt4ige— USMNT Report 🇺🇸🇹🇷 (@USMNTReport) May 15, 2025 My advice to all players with the ability to go to a top European academy at 16 is if you are mentally ready, go. Places like PSV are a much more proven environment for developing top players. Congrats to Will. https://t.co/CahZtvj316— Marcus Chairez | US/SC (@USSoccerColl) May 15, 2025 USYNT winger Will Ostrander (‘09) 🇺🇸🇲🇹 is joining PSV U17 from the San Jose Earthquakes! Excellent move in every aspect, SJE has notoriously been a bad place for prospects in recent years and PSV’s academy is really good at getting the most out of young talent. Congrats Will! https://t.co/uxyFoLSiGF— American Ultras Talk (@usmntaut) May 15, 2025 The ‘09 has been rumored forever to be joining a big club in Europe.It was just a matter of which club.Ends up being PSV. Think it’s a great move compared to staying with San Jose, and somewhere you feel he has a better chance to develop at than most big European academies. https://t.co/UYhNeb5vU3— USMNTProspects (@ProspectsUsmnt) May 15, 2025 This seems far from ideal for the Quakes... at least there's a CM now
Don't know that there was ever a chance to sign him. Sounded like one of those where his mind was always made up on Europe.
Spivey KK Spivey (09) 🇺🇸 of course showing his quality vs Argentina U16 despite the loss pic.twitter.com/XRCNdTbunG— Tyler (@910tylxr) May 30, 2025
MLS NEXT Pro Team of the Month: @TheTown_FC pic.twitter.com/sjLYtUpcfs— MLS NEXT Pro (@MLSNEXTPRO) June 5, 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Coach of the Month: Dan Degeer, @TheTown_FC pic.twitter.com/WqeFo0fzrH— MLS NEXT Pro (@MLSNEXTPRO) June 5, 2025 Stock is up 📈🗞️ | @MLSNEXTPRO Names @TheTown_FC Team of the Month, @DegeerDan Coach of the Month— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) June 5, 2025
Spivey 14 yr. old KK Spivey 🇺🇸 vs Croatia U15’s (05/15/24) pic.twitter.com/orIdjWJIte— Tyler (@910tylxr) June 6, 2025
Thanks Bruce Nice assist from Oscar Verhoeven (‘06) for San Diego FC against Club América pic.twitter.com/QqZ9cCcQnW— American Ultras Talk (@usmntaut) June 8, 2025
This is the best possible news the Quakes could be getting... Jensen Huang please San Jose Earthquakes Owner Hires Bank to Sell MLS Club
An owner that gives a crap and can really push soccer in the area is so badly needed. Absolutely huge news for the Quakes
Cruz Medina’s father shared his thoughts about San Jose Earthquakes on Instagram. pic.twitter.com/KjLVsQdofd— USMNTProspects (@ProspectsUsmnt) January 11, 2026
If Bruce doesn't think there's an opportunity for Cruz with their first team, then he should help him find an opportunity elsewhere. That seems like what's happening. Same as selling Chance Cowell to RSL and Oscar Verhoeven to San Diego. ....................but what can we expect from a player's father? Of course, he thinks his son is great. I'm not defending San Jose here. Over the long term, they haven't taken advantage of what should be one of the best homegrown territories. The frugal nature of the SJ leadership has many tentacles. Then again, LAG and LAFC down South of them haven't taken advantage of the Southern California homegrown territory as they could. How many SJ, LAG, LAFC homegrown signings will be making the World Cup roster????? There are some players that left those academies without signing contracts like Luna and Wright that could make it. Compare that to the other best homegrown territories. There are four such Dallas homegrown signees (Richards, Pepi, Tessmann, and Zendejas) that have at least a shot at the roster. What's interesting to me about SJ right now is the percentage of their current roster that's American (even if they play for another national team like Noel Buck). They must be entering training camp with the highest percentage of Americans on their 30-man. If we'd had a January camp, its possible that some of them would have been invited. I personally think Beau Leroux is interesting.
I think the issue here is that it doesn't sound like Medina is on board with this loan -- a loan that is definitely intended to be a sale. The background you are missing here is that John Fisher has bled every dime he can out of the Quakes and is looking to sell so it's been a fire sale of assets. Cristian Espinoza has been an MVP contender -- they "forgot" to exercise his reasonable option so he just went to Nashville for nothing. I'm not Medina's biggest fan so I'm not saying he deserves time. But I don't think that was necessarily the logic behind this. Yeah, something tells me Noel is going to be available to switch.
All I'm saying is that Medina's father isn't an impartial witness.................................... We've been skeptical of Medina's long-term projections for quite a while.
San Jose deserves all the criticism they get, but Medina has dogged it for a few years (with few real stretches that were exceptions), so I don’t think he was really wronged.
Could it be that Media was an early bloomer and other kids caught up. He stood out early. But after your peers catch up you don't stand out anymore. I mean this is pretty well documented in sports.
Can we all agree that a father blasting an MLS organization that his son still technically plays for, is gross? You don't actually have to say anything on social media. Even if Cruz goes to the Chivas organization, its only reportedly a loan. DON'T BURN BRIDGES FOR NO REASON. For Pete's sake...........................its not rocket science. Act like a professional. I'm sure Cruz Medina's agent threw his laptop across the room. SHUT UP DUDE!! Even if he's right, how does this action serve his son?