U.S. men

Arena grades himself a "B" thus far; hoping to improve to an "A."

HERNDON, Va. (Saturday, June 12, 1999) -- When the United States meets Argentina tomorrow afternoon at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., it marks a homecoming for national team coach Bruce Arena.

Except he never really left.

Since ending an incredibly successful three-year run at D.C. United to take over the U.S. team, Arena still maintains an office here at United Park and he lives in nearby Oakton, Va. He is a frequent visitor to D.C. United matches and functions.

The U.S. men trained at United Park this week in preparation for Argentina. After one morning’s U.S. training session, Arena had the following discussion with SoccerTimes:

SoccerTimes: You said you were going to keep a close eye on MLS in the selection of the national team. Who, this year, has really impressed you?

Bruce Arena: "Well certainly Roy Lassiter has demonstrated he is a guy we’ve got to look at. (Chris) Armas and (Eddie) Lewis are good players in the league. (Richie) Williams, (Robin) Fraser, (Jeff) Agoos and (C.J.) Brown, Ted Chronopoulos. And a couple others you could argue we maybe left out (for the Argentina match). Jason Kreis. What’s really impressed me is that some of the older veteran players are really beginning to play well in MLS. Like a (Marcelo) Balboa in Colorado and a (Johns) Harkes has played well. I’m pleased to see that. So it gives us more options."

SoccerTimes: What’s you feeling about MLS in its fourth year as in its quality of play?

Bruce Arena: "I’m not certain that the teams have necessarily gotten better. D.C. United continues to be the team that stands out, but I do think overall it’s greatly aided the development of the American player."

SoccerTimes: Scoring’s been down (in MLS) this year. Do you think that’s significant in that offense isn’t good or defense has gotten better?

Bruce Arena: "Or maybe it’s become more of a professional league where it’s not Mickey Mouse and casual and sloppy and games mean something. I think as you continue to fire coaches -- once in awhile fire players the games become more meaningful. That’s been the approach this year from the start. Try to keep it tight and get off to a good start. Team’s priorities have been on how they defend."

SoccerTimes: How about the U.S. players overseas? Who have you been really impressed with?

Bruce Arena: "Certainly our goalkeepers (Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel). I think they’re outstanding. They’ve demonstrated that over and over. I’m sure (Claudio) Reyna has done well. Frankie Hejduk has done real well. (Tony) Sanneh’s move to Germany looks like it’s been a good one. This is the first time I’ve seen Ernie in person (since taking over as coach) and Ernie Stewart’s a good player. Overall, I think it’s been good. I think, given fair warning ahead of time, we saw the long way to go as a national team. And this just continues as another step in the process of becoming a good team. And (the Argentina match) is my first opportunity seeing some of the older players, so it’s good. It helps us make plans not only for the Confederations Cup but for next year as well."

SoccerTimes: If you have a young player, would he be better developing as a player -- and potentially a national team player -- by going overseas. Or, at this point, would you rather they stay back in MLS?

Bruce Arena: "I think only time will tell. I mean Landon Donovan (the under-17 star who signed a multi-year pro contract in Germany) is a perfect example of that. And we’ll see what his experience overseas does for his development."

SoccerTimes: What about the (U.S.) under-20s and how they did in the world championships (where they advanced to the round of 16 in Nigeria)?

Bruce Arena: "I was over there. That’s why (striker Chris) Albright is here. And I would have brought (defender Steve) Cherundolo over if he could have been released from his German club. There in a little bit of a battle for promotion, so he had to say. But those two players demonstrated they have great promise with the national team."

SoccerTimes: What about the way they finished?

Bruce Arena: "I think it was good. I think they had a pretty solid team, not a great team. They didn’t have a lot of great individual talent, so they really relied on being a pretty solid team. And they did that. Their showing was pretty good."

SoccerTimes: What about the under-17s (who play in the world championships in New Zealand in November)? Obviously there’s Landon -- and you might want to elaborate on his future -- but what other players from that pool really excite you?

Bruce Arena: "I don’t know that team that well, to be honest with you. I know (striker DaMarcus) Beasley and I know (midfielder Kyle) Beckerman are good players. That, actually is a very talented team. It will be interesting to see what happens with those players when we get some of those players fast-tracked into professional soccer. I know (MLS) is trying to through the Project-40 (development) program to sign some of those players. That’s a talented team."

SoccerTimes: Would you say it’s fair to say that the (under-17s, who are in a full-time residence training camp) have had more resources thrown into them than any other team?

Bruce Arena: "Our youth teams in general have more resources and more training opportunities than any other national teams in the world. That’s why we do so well in youth championships . . . The under-20s all took off their spring semester from school. So they were together. A lot of the other under-20 teams around the world just basically got together a couple of weeks before Nigeria. So we have those advantages. That’s one plus. I don’t think overall it’s the greatest way of doing things, but that’s why we’ve been successful at the youth level."

SoccerTimes: What’s your recommendation if an under-20 (player) comes up to you and says, "I want to be a national team player." Would you tell him to pursue professional opportunities or opportunities overseas?

Bruce Arena: "Every case is different. It’s not a blanket statement for everybody. You have to look at each individual, where they’re at as an individual and what opportunities they have. If they have professional opportunities to play fourth division soccer in Greece, you don’t tell him to go. Every case needs to be viewed on its own merits."

SoccerTimes: So is it the same for the under-17s, to use your term, the "fast track" to get them into professional soccer?

Bruce Arena: I think if we make the Project-40 team the under-20 team, which it should be, and all those players get to train with MLS clubs and play Project-40 games (in the A-League) during the year, that’s a great introduction to professional soccer."

SoccerTimes: What about the national team? How do things look to you?

Bruce Arena: "I don’t know. I don’t have enough experience to tell you if we’re moving properly for (World Cup) qualification. I take it one game at a time. I’ve seen progress. I think this game on Sunday will an indicator for us as will the Confederations Cup. My goal is by the end of 1999 is to believe we’re in better shape as a national team program than it was in June of 1998. If we’re making progress as we enter 2000, we will have the confidence and the momentum to be in position to get off to a good start in qualification."

SoccerTimes: Do you think CONCACAF has gotten more difficult for the U.S. to qualify?

Bruce Arena: "I would think so. Jamaica, Costa Rica, Mexico. Then there’s Trinidad. I thought Guatemala was pretty good against us in the U.S. Cup. I’m sure El Salvador is going to continue to be a very difficult opponent to play on the road. It’s going to be difficult."

SoccerTimes: How much importance are you placing on the Confederations Cup?

Bruce Arena: "I think it’s important just that we play well. I don’t necessarily think we need to win the Confederations Cup, but I think we need to take advantage of playing against a Brazil, a Germany, taking on the challenge of having to beat a New Zealand with that real pressure. I think that’s good and again it’s another opportunity to measure how our players stand with other players around the world and how our team stands."

SoccerTimes: When you were coaching D.C. United, it was a hands-on thing, your players were always around. You were in constant contact with them on a daily basis. The national team is different. Have you adjusted to that?

Bruce Arena: "It’s a different job, yes. It’s definitely a different job. I’m adjusting to it. I think being the national team coach around the world had become a very difficult job in that the club competition’s almost year-round now and there’s constant battles about getting players released and what’s good for the player. And I agree it a problem. I believe we’re going to have to have an international calendar."

SoccerTimes: How are your skills as an administrator?

Bruce Arena: "As an administrator. So-so. Not bad . . . It’s not that hard. We know where (the players) are. It’s whether we can get them released. There are always those problems."

SoccerTimes: Up to now, so far so good?

Bruce Arena: Yeah, I think we get about a B for our progress since the World Cup. We want to get an A one day, A-. They say an A is between a 90 and a 100. I guess winning a World Cup is an A+. An A for us is getting into the second round of the World Cup.

Gary Davidson is managing editor of SoccerTimes and can be e-mailed at info@soccertimes.com.