Arena down, Gulati to go.
- Thread starter NitneLiun
- Start date
I'm not sure why one would react that way toward Arena. He had already said he would be leaving after the 2018 WC. He had stepped in as the USMNT coach last November, after Klinsmann was fired. He inherited a team that had already gone 0-2 in WC qualification matches. I thought he did a nice job of getting the team in a position to qualify. Had the USMNT won this past Tuesday, against Trinidad & Tobago, they would have qualified for the 2018 WC.
In short, he was an interim coach that inherited a very tough situation, and almost salvaged the situation.
The next coach will have 6 years (as opposed to 11 months) to overhaul the team. The development system that US Soccer and Klinsmann installed should be generating a lot of talent during that timeframe.
bwifan
Well-Known Member
Sunil is not leaving without a fight. Time for some fresh blood and new vision he has been there long enough.
Ego. The problem with people like him is they don't know they can say "no." He should have not accepted the job. Legacy completely tarnished.
Really?
1. Why was the same team used for a must win game against Honduras at home, and then 4 days later for a must tie against Trinidad? Two different opponents, two different results, two different atmospheres. Same team? This team's balance of attacking and defending personalities weighed too much to the attacking side.
2. Why were we not prepared to play against an organized opponent that looked to confront the ball at midfield? We could have predicted this after watching T&T play Mexico four days earlier?
3. Where was the urgency, intensity, passion?
Good riddance.
Arena had one job. He had to get a team that needed only a tie to advance to the World Cup ready to face a team that is not good, was on a long losing streak and had nothing to play for. He failed.
bwifan
Well-Known Member
Right or wrong, Arena unfortunately is going to be remembered as the coach who could not get his team motivated with everything on the line to beat a bad Trinidad & Tobago team. A team with so much more talent than T&T and yet had zero energy. He had a good coaching career. To me Alexei Lalas was right he called the players on the USA team soft. They were pissed at him for calling them out but turns out he was right. When it all was on the line this team flunked. They all will be remembered as the team who couldn't get it done. I have no idea why, too much energy against Panama and couldn't get emotionally up a few days later. Or they just expected T&T to roll over, or was there a team revolt of some kind where something happened in the locker room between coaching staff and players. Who knows but they will all be remembered for this colossal loss.
Just out of curiosity, who is going to remember at all, other than as a trivia question.
I think you're being a bit overly kind. Arena failed. Yes they were 0-2 when he took over but they're playing in the CONCACAF! He should qualify easily even at 0-2. He failed in a major way, especially in the way they played the first half of T &T. Really, it's inexcusable. I really hope they make a commitment to someone like Tata Martino for 4 years. Enough of this US Recycled crap. Arena really sh** the bed.
bwifan
Well-Known Member
The entire team and administration and all fans of the US team. As former players have said those current players will have nightmares for the rest of their lives being known as the team who didn't make it. Any type of fan including the casual fan will remember and know this team and coaching staff crapped in their pants
