Former USMNT and LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena is taking on a new challenge. In an interview with ESPN, Arena confirmed he agreed to become the new head coach and general manager of San Jose Earthquakes.
Arena, who was out of the job since leaving the New England Revolution at the end of the 2023 season, is taking over the worst franchise in MLS in 2024. The Quakes finished with an MLS-low 21 points, recording just six wins and suffering 25 losses in 34 games.
“I think it’s an interesting job. It’s certainly going to be challenging,” Arena told ESPN. ” … I think there’s potential there to develop the club into a team that can certainly be better than they’ve demonstrated over the last couple of years.”
If anyone can bring back Earthquakes to contention, it will be Arena. Known for his all-encompassing approach, Arena is the most successful head coach in MLS history. He has 262 wins as a head coach of Galaxy, Revolution, D.C. United, and New York Red Bulls while winning five MLS Cup trophies. No other head coach has more than two MLS Cup championships.
However, the San Jose Earthquakes might be the biggest challenge of Arena’s career. After two MLS Cup wins in the early 2000s, Quakes slowly transformed from a powerhouse to the league’s most disappointing franchise. Since 2012, San Jose made the playoffs only three times and has yet to win a postseason series.
