Red Bulls hire Bruce Arena as coach

New York’s MLS team a perennial laggard

Bruce Arena didn’t have to wait long to find a new job. The former U.S. national team coach was hired by Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls on Tuesday. Last Friday, the U.S. Soccer Federation opted not to renew Arena’s contract with the national team.

Arena will replace interim coach Richie Williams, who was elevated to the top spot when head coach Mo Johnston was fired on June 27. In five games under Williams, New York was 1-3-1.

The Red Bulls are 3-6-8 this season — the fewest wins in the league — and are last in the Eastern Conference with 17 points. Only the Western Conference’s Real Salt Lake has fewer points.

The New York area’s MLS team, formerly called the Metrostars, has had a dismal record since the start of Major League Soccer here in the United States. That’s a shame, because New York almost certainly has the largest natural fan base in the country for soccer. A winning soccer team in the NY metro area would be a big boost for the league’s total success. I wish Bruce Arena well, but will be surprised if a new coach is all that’s needed to turn around this team.

Does that ever happen in any sport?

Comments

  1. rbj wrote:

    It happens sometimes, but rarely.

    BTW, I thought Red Bull was supposed to give you wings, not cement shoes.

    Posted 18 Jul 2006 at 2:05 pm

  2. Heartless Libertaria wrote:

    I have to beg to differ on fan base size-LA’s is probably bigger, especially if you count the illegals.

    Doesn’t hurt that the Galaxy have done fairly well.

    Posted 18 Jul 2006 at 11:41 pm

  3. commissar wrote:

    H.L.

    So much of LA’s fanbase is Mexican; they can and do follow the Mexican league and root for Mexico’s national team.

    In terms of potential fans for an American league, the diverse, immigrant population (South Americans, Southern Europeans, Middle Easterners, etc.) of the New York area might be more promising. They can’t very well follow their domestic leagues, as easily the LA-area Mexicans do.

    Also, the Cosmos legacy isn’t entirely dead.

    Posted 19 Jul 2006 at 11:29 am

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