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'Great spirit' Arena's team has improved attitude for U.S. Cup
Posted: Friday June 02, 2000 01:40 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Following its disastrous World Cup showing, the U.S. men's soccer team couldn't have been in a worse frame of mind. Major changes in personnel and attitude were needed. Those changes have been made, beginning with the hiring of Bruce Arena as coach. And while there are plenty of holdovers from France 98 who will suit up in the U.S. Cup tournament beginning Saturday, the team's outlook is more positive. Arena, a success on the college level and in Major League Soccer, is a key reason for the optimism surrounding the Americans as they prepare for World Cup qualifying this summer and fall. He has erased the antagonism created under former national coach Steve Sampson, and he has relied on many MLS players Sampson shunted aside. "I think that the one thing is that as a unit, every time we step onto the field we have a very clear idea what we are going to do, and the attitude on the team is one of the major changes since the last World Cup," said star midfielder Claudio Reyna, who plays for Scotland's famed Rangers. "We have a great spirit and a great mix of youth and experience and a great hunger to get back to the World Cup. "A lot of credit needs to go to the coaching staff. The priority has been how the team plays, not focused on individual needs." Carrying along that philosophy, Arena might get a look at all 22 players he invited to the U.S. Cup. The lineup he uses Saturday against South Africa should be vastly different from the group he uses Tuesday in Foxboro, Mass., against Ireland. And the players on the Giants Stadium field on June 11 against Mexico will be a mixture of what Arena used in the first two games of the tournament. One area Arena insists must improve is scoring. The United States rarely has displayed much offensive flair, and Arena hopes he'll get more accurate shot-making in the U.S. Cup and then when qualifying begins in August against either Guatemala or Antigua. "Finishing!" Arena quickly responded when asked where the U.S. team must do better. "Over the last year-and-half we have been very solid defensively. We have some good balance on our team, but I would like to see our forwards as a factor in this tournament and score some goals. "It is not an issue solely pointed at our forwards, but directed to everyone on the team. It is the responsibility of all of our players. We create chances but now we need to start and finish those chances." As the main offensive distributor, Reyna will be responsible for creating those chances. He is such a focal point of the U.S. attack that Arena hasn't even thought about looking elsewhere for creativity. How does Reyna feel about such a significant, even stressful role? "I haven't read much about it, so I don't feel much pressure," he said. "We have a lot of players with a lot of experience, so we just need everyone to do their job. We are trying to build a complete team where everyone works together. We have a lot of good players that can carry their load. I just want to do my role and hopefully the team will do the same and we will be successful."
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