Take your time, U.S. Soccer.
The federation should be in no rush to find Bruce Arena’s replacement after a statement announcing his resignation as USMNT head coach was released Friday morning.
Here’s the full statement from the official website:
It is the greatest privilege for any coach to manage their country’s National Team, and as I leave that role today I am honored and grateful to have had that opportunity twice in my career.
When I took the job last November, I knew there was a great challenge ahead, probably more than most people could appreciate. Everyone involved in the program gave everything they had for the last 11 months and, in the end, we came up short. No excuses. We didn’t get the job done, and I accept responsibility.
This certainly is a major setback for the senior Men’s National Team program, and questions rightly should be asked about how we can improve. No doubt this process already has started and will continue so that U.S. Soccer can progress. Having said that, it also is important to recognize the tremendous growth and accomplishments we have achieved over the past two decades in all areas, including player development, coaching education and a stable domestic professional league. This work is ongoing and despite the result in Trinidad, the sport is on the right path. By working together, I am confident soccer in this country will continue to grow in the years and decades ahead.
Obviously the biggest disappointment is for our fans. As a person involved in the sport for more than 40 years, to see how support for soccer in the United States has grown is incredibly gratifying. I believe I speak for everyone involved in the game in thanking all of you for your passion and commitment, and I hope you maintain your steadfast support of U.S. Soccer.
While this is a difficult time, I maintain a fierce belief that we are heading in the right direction. I believe in the American player and the American coach, and with our combined efforts the future remains bright. I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I can say this from the bottom of my heart: from the high of reaching the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup to the low of a few days ago; I have appreciated every minute of being a part of this program.
Arena, 66, took over the post last November after Jurgen Klinsmann’s tenure came to an abrupt halt following two losses at the start of the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying toward Russia, particularly a lop-sided defeat in Costa Rica.
Prior to the catastrophic disaster that axed the U.S. out of the World Cup near the end of qualifying, Arena’s results were fairly satisfactory. Following Klinsmann’s removal, Arena temporarily righted the ship, picking up eight points in the next four qualifiers, including a 1-1 away draw at Mexico. Things continued to look on the up and up over the summer as well after the U.S. defeated Costa Rica and Jamaica to take the Gold Cup on home soil, but it would turn out to be the last hurrah under the former L.A. Galaxy manager.
Arena finished his second tour as head coach of the U.S. with a record of 10-6-2. His first go-around lasted nearly eight years. He was hired in August 1998 and led the program to its highest point in recent history with an appearance in the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals after beating Mexico in the Round of 16. Before the first collapse that led to his dismissal when the U.S. got dumped out of the group stage at Germany 2006, the team also won Gold Cups under Arena in 2002 and 2005. He finished the longer of his two stints with a record of 75-27-28.
His failures in 2006 and now in the inability to qualify for Russia will overshadow his teams having the highest win percentage (66.5 percent) and lowest goals allowed average (0.75 per match) of any USMNT head coach (minimum 18 matches) in program history.
Gulati announced that he would not be resigning during a media call Friday — he has not decided yet if he will run for re-election when his term comes up in February — though there were indications from reporters that members of the U.S. Soccer board had varying levels of desire for immediate change.
Gulati: Confirms that he has reached out to people about nominating him for US Soccer presidency reelection in recent weeks.
— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) October 13, 2017
Gulati announced on the call that an interim coach will be named within the next several weeks and that the U.S. is set to play one or two international friendlies in November.
Despite being a major player in the shared bid for the World Cup in 2026, Gulati’s complicity in the recent failures — he said in the call he takes “full responsibility” — makes his overtures to run for another term as president a bit stunning to say the least.
While U.S. Soccer needs a more competent — and likely paid — replacement for Gulati as soon as possible (the position is currently unpaid and many have pointed out more qualified candidates could be sought if this was changed), there’s no rush to find the right man to lead the U.S. to Qatar, or wherever, in 2022.
