Arena prepares for debut as U.S. coach
Posted: Thursday November 05, 1998 09:30 PM
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Bruce Arena plans to feel out some young talent to replace the aging core of the team AP |
SAN JOSE, California (AP) -- The U.S. soccer team is asking for a little patience as it plays its first game under Coach Bruce Arena, who plans to experiment with a lot of younger players Friday night against Australia.
The match will be the first chance for Arena to make good on a vow to shake up a squad that went 0-3 in the 1998 World Cup in France.
"It's going to be about getting experience for younger players," defender Eddie Pope said. "There might be a period where we lose a lot of games. Hopefully, people will be patient with us."
Arena replaced Steve Sampson, who resigned in June after the United States went winless at the World Cup finals. Arena led Virginia to five NCAA titles (one shared) and took D.C. United to MLS championships in 1996 and 1997. D.C. United lost in the MLS Cup this season.
The heart of the U.S. team in the '90s -- players such as John Harkes, Tab Ramos, Eric Wynalda, Alexi Lalas and Marcelo Balboa -- is aging, and Arena plans to seek some younger replacements.
"It's obviously going to be a tough period because there's so many new players. You need to look at some new players for the future," midfielder Cobi Jones said.
Jones said practices have been intense this week at Stanford under the new coach, but have been about 1 1/2 hours each, as opposed to the 21/2-hour practices under Sampson.
"It's similar to overseas," said Jones, who has played in England and Brazil. "The intensity is there, and they're not lasting forever."
Jones and Pope, along with goalkeeper Kasey Keller, were announced Thursday as finalists for the award for the top U.S. soccer player. Pope won the award, which will be given out December 14 in Los Angeles, in 1997.
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