Just a day after firing Jurgen Klinsmann, US Soccer has officially appointed a new head coach for the US Men's National Team. As widely expected the new head coach is Bruce Arena - formerly of LA Galaxy, D.C. United, and the New York Red Bulls.
Arena will formally start his work for USMNT on December 1, 2016.
He will be helming the Men's National Team for the second time, having already steered USMNT through the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. The 2002 campaign is fondly remembered for the team's run to the quarterfinals. In 2006, USMNT fared less well, bowing out after the group stage - though its lone point of the tournament was a 1-1 tie with eventual champion Italy (no other team scored against Italy until the final, which France tied 1-1 before losing the ensuing penalty shootout).
Recent stumbles in World Cup qualifying doomed Arena's predecessor, Klinsmann, but USMNT remains a favorite to claim one of the three automatic berths for CONCACAF teams at Russia 2018. Arena will be expected to reel in the necessary results for qualification and fashion a squad capable of performing creditably on soccer's biggest stage. He has done it before, after all.