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