Can he be a successful manager in Europe?

My initial response was a simple no, but he has had success with less pure talent at times, so I really don't know. Doubt we'll see it, though.

Interesting question, at what level in Europe would this scenario encompass? I couldn't see him being a Premiership Manager alongside the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger.

I think you're wrong. The challenge would only be could he get past the politics of being the first American to venture that far, etc.

I think the most viable scenario is that he's hired to take over a team that has just dropped from the Premiership or is struggling in the Championship. He takes 2-3 years, gets them to re-qualify, and then with a little money gets them consistently finishing in the top 10 of the premiership by his 8th year as manager. He becomes a hero for that club, and is forced to make a difficult decision on whether to take the ManU job (remember, the chair is an American) when Sir Alex retires.

In retrospect, I agree with this, but even if given the chance, he better have some immediate success. Otherwise, it would hurt others that are behind him from the USA pondering a chance overseas.

Yeah, he's by far the best coaching product we've ever had.

The MLS seems so beneath him now, though. Maybe he'd take a crack at doing another national team like Canada or somethin.

He is very well respected by many across the pond. If there was to be an american coach that would coach a big time club, it would be him. He is the only thing that america has right now that is world class. It gets pointed out that he is american, but remember that Martin O neill is Norther Irish(that powerhouse of a nation) and he is considered one of the best coaches(of course he was also a legend at Forrest and ManU during his playing days). Really its a matter of whether or not a club would want to give a shot to Arena and if he would want to leave coaching the US

I believe he said this was his last year as National Team coach unless they went to the semis or something, right?

Or was it he was staying for another WC unless they either did terrible or did really well??

Meh.


How about that Bradley kid? Thought he played well in the warmups..

I could see Arena maybe coaching for a major team that's not in a major league, like Ajax or something.

I think this by far is the best case scenario for Arena.. the problem is "IF" he ever did make it to a BIG club he would be on a very short leash with the fans and media which from what I can understand are pretty brutal when it comes to football..

Nahh..that won't happen anytime soon. Chances that Ajax hires a foreign coach with nog significant reputation are very low IMO.



I agree with this. I'm quite sure he wouldn't get a job at a top tier/ mid tier prem team. He simply didn't prove that much with team USA.

taking an unrated and quite frankly poor team to the quarter finals of the WC is quite an accomplishment... he basicially has developed a nations entire soccer system

he has brought the US team along in a massive way. He is also well respected by many in the coaching profession and people running clubs in europe. While I can't see him latching onto a top tier team in europe, he can easily take over a mid tier club once he gets his UEFA coaching badges

what does it take to get "coaching badges" in europe? just out of curiosity? I mean what would it take for him to even be allowed to work in europe?

to get coaching badges you have to take certain courses approved by UEFA. as far as being allowed, I doubt that it would be all that hard for him to get a work visa if a club wanted him. If you are to coach at any top flight club in europe you need a UEFA A badge

i watched an interview he did... and he definitely has no plans as of yet, but he said when his contract is up he is certain hell get an 'opportunity abroad'

so there you have it... good luck bruce

Hopefully that doesn't mean coaching a Japanese league team lol.

I think Verdimme's ethnocentrism on an international level is staggering. I'm all about it when concerning one's own state, but geez, this guy poops on all things American soccer.

First, coaching a Japanese team might not be a bad thing. Look at Arsene Wenger for example..he worked for Grampus in Japan and now he is coach of Arsenal.

Second, I'm not pooping on everything American about soccer. I'm just expressing an opinion. Did I ever say I dislike everything about American soccer..? I definately like some players, for example O'Brien. He did very well during his period at Ajax. I also think Beasley and Howard are class players.

Calm down and don't take it this serious.

LOL, where is the SW ??

Optimistic, yes. Unreasonable, no. But, you're made in Belgium.


no sw

I agree with you, but lets not forget who they had to beat to qualify for the world cup. Put team USA in a European Group and they most likely wont qualify every time.



Just because MAN U is owned by an American does not mean an American will coach it.

As an example, how many euro coaches do you see on the NBA benches? err...0...same thing applies for Soccer, especially in England.

Well Shyt, even countries like Spain don't qualify every time.

I didn't imply that Arena would coach Man U b/c an American owned it, but I implied that he had a better chance there....if everything else up to that point went right.

Your analogy with the basketball coaches is no good b/c the top international and club basketball teams in Europe don't come from English-speaking countries.

so because they dont come from english speaking countries, that means they cant speak the language?

No but:

1. Their familiarity of it may not be to the comfort-level of NBA owners.

2. They would be most effective with teams speaking their native tongues, thus my assertion that Bruce's best chance was in England.

I mean, c'mon, Birmingham is no Arsenal. Bruce could certainly take that team.

DonkSlayer, FWIW, I would put a lot of money on Martin O'neill being the next ManU coach. He wants to get back into coaching now, and you could very well see him take a hold of a mid sized club and then jump over to ManU when its time for Sir Alex to retire. Very few coaches in the world can coach at that club, and BA will never be one of those coaches

Hmm.

Even if Bruce had 8 years in England first, 6 in the Premier League?

in a word, no. Never is a strong word, but BA's chances of coaching ManU is as close to never as it can be, of course, the same holds true for many coaches. If BA coached in England for the next eight years, O'neill would still be coaching ManU, no idiot is going to can Martin O'neill for Bruce Arena, and if O'neill somehow did leave the ManU job(it would either be for relegation or to coach england), then I would be pretty sure of Roy Keane or a big name coach coming in. I like BA, but he is very unproven at coaching clubs that aren't DC United and that was when the quality of MLS was less then it is now. I'll put it like this, Gianluca Vialli can't get a job right now, and he won 5 trophys for Chelsea(his watford situation was crap as that board is a bunch of fools), how on earth can you expect BA to come in and take over a top job when someone proven like Vialli can't

Well put.

Fair enough. You seem pretty certain Martin will absolutely not be canned, though.

No one can't be sacked, but I'm not sure what your point is here

Well you were saying that B.A. had no chance b/c O'Neill would be there forever.

But right now, I blame 80% of the Czech game on B.A. so I'm not sure if he's ready to coach Leyton Orient right now.

Very poor showing in terms of coaching in regards to the Czech game, much of the blame should rest on his shoulders.

OWNED

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/socc....out/index.html

"Bruce expressed a desire to continue. I'm sure he'll have opportunities. He had a great opportunity before the World Cup, but he didn't want to be distracted," said Gulati, who didn't specify what opportunity Arena had.

"No doubt there will be multiple opportunities in the soccer world in the U.S. and outside if he wants them."

http://brucearena.justgotowned.com

I couldn't believe that he wanted to stay on for 4 more years.. so that US Soccer could be further behind the times and score even less goals than they did in this WC. I can't imagine why they didn't keep him at the helm.. sw.

i thought he was a terrible coach!
why would they want to keep him
he did not use his players the right way
now hes with the "hometown" redbulls who stink and i dont even watch
he would ruin a eropean club

Look I don't hate him anymore, after my little 3-week rebellion. A lot of really good coaches in a lot of sports overstayed their welcome, got complacent and unwilling to change, and lost something b/c of it. I think there's a good chance BA will do a good job in NY. The Redbulls have a lot of money (see: offerring Ronaldo 120 million over 10 years) and if they got to the level that DC did, that rivalry alone will keep the MLS getting better (see: Scottish premier league.)

Having Ronaldo in the MLS at the twilight of his career would generate an interest in football in the uS.

I doubt that he would go, though.

Money talks... and after the WC, he doesn't seem to be quite the player he once was. Maybe he'll do the same thing Pele did at the twilight of his career.

the MLS' pay structure would theoretically prevent him getting the contract he wants, but he would also probably get an insane endorsement deal from red bull and nike to come here. New York would probably be his only destination in america to be honest as he doesn't seem to fancy a film career or anything like that, so NYC would provide him with all of the parties he'd want and the endorsement opportunities(plus a big Brazillian population exists in nyc too)

You're right; I'm not sure how NY was going to structure that 120mil over 10 years contract they offered him and stay under the cap.

There or in Huntingon Beach/OC area. Lots of Brasileno's love the beaches. Galaxy....

endorsements, plain and simple. Its how mattheus got hooked up

The only reason Beckham is considering going to the US to play in a few years. He wants the endorsements and free pr for his new academy in California.