Galaxy coach Bruce Arena is "expected to be named" the new coach of the U.S. men's national team today after the U.S. Soccer Federation yesterday fired Jurgen Klinsmann, according to sources cited by Martin Rogers of USA TODAY. USSF President Sunil Gulati this afternoon will hold a conference call with reporters (USA TODAY, 11/22). ESPN FC's Mike Goodman wrote Arena represents the "opposite of Klinsmann." Arena will "not be the technical director" and it will not be "his responsibility to plan for the next five or 10 or 25 years." His lone job is to get the USMNT qualified for the '18 FIFA World Cup in Russia "by any means necessary" (ESPNFC.com, 11/21). ESPN's Taylor Twellman said Arena is entering a "Band-Aid type of position." With eight games left in the World Cup qualifying Hexagonal, the main objective is to "qualify for the World Cup." Twellman: "After losing your first two games, your backs are against the wall. So what do you do? You go get a guy that’s been there and that’s done that. You don't want any on-the-job type of training." Arena twice has led the USMNT into the World Cup, and he has "been successful doing it” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 11/22). In N.Y., Sam Borden notes the firing represents the first time since '89 that U.S. Soccer has "changed coaches in the middle of a World Cup qualifying cycle" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/22).
SENSE OVER SIZZLE: In Seattle, Matt Pentz writes hiring Arena "might not be the sexiest of hires, but as a short-term stop-gap, would make a lot of sense." The USMNT has eight games left in World Cup qualifying in which to "climb out of its early hole" after losing earlier this month to both Mexico and Costa Rica. Going with a "steady hand" like Arena is the "safe choice" (SEATTLE TIMES, 11/22). SPORTS ON EARTH's Cy Brown agreed that hiring Arena is the "safe pick," as the USSF "knows him." He also is a "stop gap," as the U.S. "needed someone steady who can make sure we qualify for the World Cup and who can hopefully advance us out of the group" (SPORTSONEARTH.com, 11/21). Arena previously coached the USMNT from '98-'06, and CBSSPORTS.com's Roger Gonzalez wrote based on his past experience, he was "always going to be the quick-fix choice." Arena "averaged six wins per each 10-game hexagonal round he's guided his teams through." He is also "familiar with some of the players," especially G Tim Howard and F Clint Dempsey, both of whom were on his '06 World Cup roster (CBSSPORTS.com, 11/21). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Matthew Futterman writes in addition to getting results, Arena "will have to figure out how to bring stability to a locker room that had grown increasingly frustrated with Klinsmann’s ever-changing lineups and tactical strategies" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 11/22).
IS THIS AN UPGRADE? CSNBAYAREA.com's Ray Ratto wrote Arena is a guy who "already had it and was fired for the same reason that Klinsmann got whacked -- because he couldn’t jump the United States ahead of the line in the established national order of football powers" (CSNBAYAREA.com, 11/21).
