Aug 15, 2008 - 7:32 PM
0 shoutsBRISTOL, Connecticut (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Galaxy are set to name former United States national team coach Bruce Arena as their new coach, according to a report by ESPNsoccernet on Friday.
The impending deal comes after Monday's firestorm in which coach Ruud Gullit resigned and president and general manager Alexi Lalas was fired.
Lalas, a former member of the American World Cup team, was dismissed after failing to lead the team to the playoffs the last two years. The Galaxy are struggling at 6-8-6 this season and are winless in their last eight matches.
Meanwhile, Gullit left for personal reasons.
Arena apparently is set to take over the reigns. According to the report, Arena met Thursday with AEG president Tim Leiweke, who recently called him the best candidate for the job.
The report also stated that Arena will bring in former Chicago Fire coach Dave Sarachan to be his top assistant, a post he also held during the 2002 World Cup.
It will be the third tenure in MLS for Arena, who resigned as coach of the New York Red Bulls in November after they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second time in as many seasons.
However, Arena has been highly successful in both MLS and on the international level. The 56-year-old led D.C. United to back-to-back MLS titles in 1996-97 before leaving to become the U.S. national coach.
He helped lead the Americans to a pair of World Cups. He guided the U.S. to the quarterfinals in 2002 but was let go after a disappointing showing in the 2006 tournament.
