Bruce Arena now holds the keys the to the New England Revolution’s kingdom.
The Revolution announced Tuesday in a statement they’ve hired the United States soccer icon as head coach and sporting director. Arena arrives one day after the team parted ways with general manager Mike Burns and five days after the team fired head coach Brad Friedel.
Arena now has the responsibility of boosting the fortunes of a club that has failed to qualify for the MLS Cup playoffs since 2015 and has won just three, drawn two and lost eight games so far this season.
“Bruce is one of the most successful coaches in American soccer history, and we feel his commitment to excellence, track record of winning championships in Major League Soccer, as well as his success at the international level, makes him the best person to bring the Revolution back to MLS Cup contention,” Revolution owner Robert Kraft said. “We have known Bruce dating back to the advent of MLS, and we have full confidence that he will raise the level of our club to the standard we all expect and demand.”
Arena most recently oversaw the last part of the United States men’s national team’s infamous failure to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He resigned as USA coach in October 2017, ending a year-long second stint in charge of the national team.
Prior to that, Arena forged the winningest career of any coach in recent U.S. soccer history. His teams have won five MLS Cups, three MLS Supporters’ Shields, one U.S. Open Cup title and one CONCACAF Champions’ Cup. He also won the NCAA College Cup five times as head coach of the University of Virginia men’s soccer team.
Arena also was USA’s head coach between 1998 and 2006. He led USA to the quarterfinal of the 2002 World Cup — its best finish since 1930 — and coached the team at the 2006 World Cup.
