LA Galaxy

2015 LA Galaxy Media Guide

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14 The only five-time MLS Cup winning head coach, Bruce Arena enters his eighth season with the Galaxy after taking over the team as the General Manager and Head Coach of the Galaxy on August 18, 2008. One of the most successful head coaches in MLS and U.S. National Team history, Arena led the Galaxy to their fifth MLS Cup in 2014, becoming the first coach in MLS league history to win five championships. Arena became the seventh coach in the club's history and has led the Galaxy to four MLS Cup finals, capturing the MLS Cup in 2011, 2012 and 2014. In his dual role, Arena oversees all of the club's soccer operations in addition to his responsibilities in coaching the first team. In 2014, Arena was named the 2014 recipient of the prestigious Werner Fricker Builder Award, the highest honor that an individual can receive from the U.S. Soccer Federation. The the Werner Fricker Award is bestowed on an individual who has worked tirelessly on furthering the interest of the sport of soccer without regard to personal recognition or advancement. Arena has thrice been named the MLS Coach of the Year, including winning it in 2009 and 2011 with the LA Galaxy and for the first time in 1997 as head coach of D.C. United. A member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Arena completely re-hauled the club's roster prior to the start of the 2009 season, bringing in 16 new players while helping the Galaxy reach MLS Cup for the first time since 2005. The all-time leader in wins amongst coaches in U.S. National Team history, Arena led the U.S. to the FIFA World Cup twice, including an historical quarterfinal berth in 2002 in Japan/Korea. Arena took over as head coach in November 1998 and was in charge for nearly eight years, collecting a 71-30-29 all-time record, while leading the U.S. to the CONCACAF Gold Cup title in 2002 and 2005, the 2000 Nike U.S. Cup championship, as well as a third place finish in the 1999 Confederations Cup in Mexico. Following the conclusion of the 2014 season, the 63-year-old has a career regular season record of 176-104-64 in MLS and a postseason mark of 30-10-5, including a 12-5-3 postseason record with the Galaxy. His 176 career regular season wins are the second most in MLS history, while his 30 postseason wins are the most in league history. Arena's five MLS Cup championships are three more than any other coach in MLS history and he is one of just two coaches currently in MLS, along with Schmid, to win both MLS Cup and the U.S. Open Cup. Arena was the first coach in D.C. United history, joining the club for its inaugural season in 1996. He would spend three seasons with United, reaching MLS Cup three times, winning it twice, in addition to reaching the U.S. Open Cup Final twice and winning the tournament once. He also helped United become the first MLS team ever to win the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the Interamerican Cup, winning each in 1998. After a slow start to their inaugural season, Arena helped re-vitalize United and led the club to a second place finish in the Eastern Conference. Then, after losing their first postseason game against the MetroStars, Arena and United won their next five games to win the inaugural MLS Cup, culminating with a 3-2 extra time win over the Galaxy in the rain at Foxboro Stadium. Ten days later, United completed the "Double" by becoming the first MLS club ever to win the U.S. Open Cup, defeating the Rochester Rhinos 3-0. Arena followed up that performance a year later by being named the MLS Coach of the Year for the first time after leading United to the best record in MLS and a second MLS Cup championship in as many years, defeating the Colorado Rapids 2-1 at RFK Stadium. In 1998, his final season with United, Arena again led the club to the Eastern Conference championship, finishing the regular season with the second best record in the league. But despite becoming the first MLS club to win the CONCACAF Champions Cup in August of that year and the Interamerican Cup, United fell in their bid for a third consecutive MLS Cup title, falling to the Chicago Fire. Following the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, Arena parted company with U.S. Soccer and returned to MLS when he was named the Sporting Director and Head Coach of the New York Red Bulls in August 2006. He spent a year and a half with the Red Bulls, compiling a 16-16-10 record while helping New York reach the postseason both years. He helped to develop young stars like Jozy Altidore and Dane Richards while also signing players like Juan Pablo Angel, who was a finalist for the MLS MVP award and the Newcomer of the Year Award in 2007. Following a brief stint at the University of Puget Sound (1976), Arena was named the head coach at the University of Virginia, in 1978. He held that position for 18 years, helping the Cavaliers to five ACC Tournament Championships and five National Championships, including four in a row from 1991-1994. BRUCE ARENA - GENERAL MANAGER/HEAD COACH

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