Bruce Arena wasn’t hired by the New England Revolution just to be the organization’s next head coach and athletic director, he was hired to change the culture.
Arena’s professional football experience dates back to 1973 when the New York Cosmos selected him in the fifth round of the North American Football League College Draft. However, he was cut before the season and decided to join the National Lacrosse League until the league closed in 1975. Arena helped the national lacrosse team win a world lacrosse championship in 1974.
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It didn’t take long for Arena to find his calling as a coach. He was hired as both a lacrosse and football coach at the University of Virginia in 1977, and then turned completely to football in 1985. During his 18 years at the helm of Arena, the Cavaliers have won five national championships (four consecutive from 1991 to 1994).
In 1996, Arena was hired as the head coach of DC United and was immediately successful. The club won back-to-back MLS Cup titles in ’96 and ’97. Arena’s early career in professional coaching led him to be hired as the head coach of the United States National Team in 1998.
Arena’s impact on the national team has earned him a reputation as one of the most successful head coaches in North American soccer history. He led the United States to CONCACAF Gold Cup titles in 2002 and 2005, and then again in 2017 in his second stint with the national team. His 81 victories are the most important in United States history.
In 2006, Arena joined MLS as the head coach of the New York Red Bulls. He spent a year and a half with the club before being hired as the head coach of the LA Galaxy, a position he held from 2008 to 2016. Arena led the Galaxy to MLS Cup titles in 2011, 2012 and 2014.
After his second stint with the national team, Arena replaced Brad Friedel as head coach and sporting director of the New England Revolution in 2019. The move immediately paid off for the Revs, who landed a streak of 11 games unbeaten and won their first MLS. Playoff place since 2014. The following season, Arena led the Revolution – an eight-seeded underdog – to the Eastern Conference final.
The Revs have continued to feel the impact of Arena’s leadership and pedigree throughout the 2021 campaign. With a handful of games remaining on the regular season schedule, New England have a solid 15-point lead. in the Eastern Conference standings with a 17-4-5 record.
“From day one he’s brought a sense of success to his story – something we can really rely on and learn from,” Revs midfielder Scott Caldwell said during the club’s 2020 playoffs. really does a good job of managing the players and making our players play at the best possible level. That’s what you need in a successful team. “
Arena will be the first to tell you the job isn’t done, but there’s no doubt the legendary coach rejuvenated the club as soon as he set foot in Foxboro.
