Bruce Arena will be analyzing the United States as the nation prepares to face Portugal in a friendly Tuesday, but he’ll be doing it from a position he may not be accustomed to.
The former U.S. national team boss will be in a television studio, analyzing and talking about the team he coached in its last outing.
Arena, who resigned from his post after the U.S. fell to Trinidad & Tobago in October and missed out on the 2018 World Cup, has been hired by FOX Sports as a studio analyst for the U.S. friendly against Portugal on Tuesday.
A five-time MLS Cup winning coach with the LA Galaxy and D.C. United, and the manager who guided the U.S. to a quarterfinal appearance in the 2002 World Cup, Arena took over after Jurgen Klinsmann was fired following a slow start to the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying which included a narrow loss to Mexico at home and a heavy defeat away to Costa Rica.
While Arena initially saw success and a long unbeaten streak that stretched into the summer, the wheels came off in September, as the U.S. got just one point from games against Costa Rica at home and Honduras on the road.
Though a victory against Panama in October meant the U.S. needed just a draw in Trinidad to guarantee a spot in the World Cup, the national team ultimately fell short with a 2-1 defeat. Victories by Panama and Honduras sent the U.S. out of the 2018 tournament.
Arena resigned later that week.
This will be Arena’s first studio appearance since the elimination and subsequent resignation.
He will be in studio with former U.S. international Alexi Lalas, who made statements critical to the national team after the September qualifiers.
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