Bruce Arena
speaker
67 appearances
3 recordings
2 series
first heard Apr 2025
last heard 12 Jun
Bruce Arena’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.
Trend
recordings per month · last 12 monthsRecordings per month over the last 12 months — 2 in all, peaking in Jun 2026 with 2.
Appearances
I like watching it with my dad.
It's a connecting force.
You know, if you look at every national team in the world, the coach is usually a domestic coach. When you have coaches that don't know our culture, our environment, our players, it's hard. I mean, I'm watching, I'm shocked that we can't beat Panama and Canada. Time is running out and they got to get going.
Hi, Bruce. That was very nice of you to say, Tim. Good to see you as well. Two great people.
not only great players but great people so it's great to see that you're you're still in the forefront of the of the game in our country and you mean a lot to a lot of people your voices are heard and we really appreciate everything you've done uh for the game in our country thank you we appreciate that yeah you are you're a living legend and um it's just great to have you on great to see you back kicking ass in the mls so uh this is this is going to be a fun episode
Well, just think about the league in 96. I was going back to my playing career, which nobody knows anything about, which is good. I was drafted by the Cosmos and chose not to play for the Cosmos because of how the American play was treated. I was finishing up my last semester at Cornell, playing lacrosse at the time as well, and
I was going to back up ship missing, and they offered me $200 a game, and I could work at the KLM counter at JFK Airport. So I chose to complete my degree at Cornell, and then I played professional lacrosse ahead of soccer, but So that's where the American player was at the time. And then, you know, Pele came then a year and a half later, and I looked like an idiot. And then the league folded.
And then there was this dead period. And, you know, I'm coaching at the University of Virginia. And, you know, we don't have a professional league in the country. And then we get the World Cup. And then part of that deal with the World Cup was that we had to start a league in 96. And we did. And we didn't know what the hell we were doing. And that's what I remember about 96, that opening game.
how poorly we played and the quality of the game. And we just were all going in different directions. And I think three weeks later, I cut maybe six players that started in that game. So, you know, everything was crazy. And then by mid-year, we got it going and the league got better. And we, oddly enough, had some very good players.
to start the league when you think about Valderrama and Donadoni and Echeverry and some of these great players. And, you know, we went through tough times. And I think the U.S. national team moving forward after the 98 World Cup and having success in 2002, it helped keep the league afloat. And then things are happening now. We're getting... We're getting better.
The state of MLS today is remarkable compared to the night. You know, when I look around and I see these stadiums and these training facilities and the players we're attracting now and thinking about what's going to happen after 2026, you know, we're going to be in a position where, you know, we were all worried about, you know, can soccer be the number one sport in this country?
It doesn't have to be. We're in America. It can be one of the five major sports and it will be. So there's such a great future. And to think about the role you guys played where we are today is remarkable. So you asked me, can I remember 96? I can. And I know of 2025 now and see the battle we've had over the years and where we are now.
And I really think there's a bright future for the game in this country.
My understanding, yes. And if we didn't have the World Cup we had in 2002, I think the league would have folded. Oh, wow. Let me be fair about this. I could be completely wrong, but I've been told that by a number of people. Wow. Because the league was in not great shape. Right. And the 2002 World Cup excited people and ownership increased.
you know uh got a little in an injection of momentum from that and decided you know i i think at that time if i can recall correctly phil and shoots on 16th right yeah that's right i think in san jose it was it was jointly owned by craft and hunting and shoots and these these gentlemen were keeping the league alive And if it wasn't for the 2002 World Cup, I think the league may have folded.
And listen, if you talk to the commissioner today, he might deny the whole thing. Sure. What do I know, you know?
I do to a certain degree. I mean, Marco Echeverri and Jaime Moreno could play in the league today. I don't question that at all. You know, maybe the... our lineup could go, I'd say six, seven, eight players strong. I think, I think maybe at the bottom of the first 11, they'd be a little weaker than they are today. The American player today is so much better than it was in 96. I mean,
We have a bunch of good players. I mean, even here in San Jose, which is not a perfect situation yet for developing players, we have some very good young players. I am just amazed watching these kids every day. So, you know, the American player is better. I mean, I don't want to drop names, but I had some guys playing at D.C. United that probably wouldn't play for San Jose.
But our top players were terrific. Yeah.
I was on a phone call, not that I wanted to be, but I ended up on a call on a speakerphone with a U.S. player in France during the World Cup, complaining, and I'm listening, and I'm pissed off. And I'm, I'm saying that, what are we doing? Yeah. And the 98 team, not being critical, they didn't advance, but they embarrassed us.
Showing 21–40 of 67 · page 2 of 4
← Previous
Next →