U.S. replace sacked Klinsmann with LA Galaxy boss Arena

Gulati said he targeted Arena as soon as he knew Klinsmann was on his way out.

Bruce Arena has been named manager of the United States men’s national team for a second time, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced on Tuesday.

Going back to Arena is also not a move that seems to be winning over some dedicated soccer fans in the United States who are not blinded by his past success.

Predecessor Jurgen Klinsmann made extensive use of dual nationals, including German-Americans like Fabian Johnson, Jermaine Jones, and John Brooks.

Arena will formally take charge on December 1, and was scheduled to speak to reporters on Tuesday afternoon.

But the most promising prospects – like Christian Pulisic, only 18 and arguably already the most skilled player in the usa program, and a regular for Borussia Dortmund in Germany’s Bundesliga – only develop by going outside the US national team’s grasp. It’s important to me. The national team features many players born in other countries, like Fabian Johnson and Jermaine Jones, both born in Germany.

“I’m looking forward to working with a strong group of players that understand the challenge in front of them after the first two games”, Arena said in a statement.

Klinsmann, who had helmed the team since July 2011, was sacked on Monday during a meeting in Los Angeles with U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati and Secretary General Dan Flynn, according to a report from The Associated Press.

“I just simply want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you for an fantastic ride over the last 5 1/2 years”, said Klinsmann in the video. “After that, the coach makes those decisions, but we are open to anyone, whether they are born overseas or born here”. Bruce also holds records for most matches as USMNT manager, most wins and most World Cup appearances. The U.S. team is now winless, according to ESPN.

The U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer touched on that subject during a media conference call on Tuesday. Arena had five dual-national players on his 2002 quarterfinal team. “I really believe individually and positionally we have good players and we’ve just got to get them working together as a team”.

“Bruce and I talk pretty regularly”, Gulati said.

Arena, a Brooklyn native, is excited about taking back the job he lost a decade earlier. But his strengths remain the same.

“I don’t view this as Bruce 2, but (instead) Bruce 2.0”, Gulati said.

“I certainly have a lot of respect for the career that he has had and the way that he has gone about making every team that he has coached better”.