Newly appointed San Jose Earthquakes head coach Bruce Arena took responsibility on Wednesday for his previous “insensitive remarks” that contributed to his exit from the New England Revolution last year. During a news briefing marking his introduction, Arena reflected on the lessons he has gleaned from that experience.

In September 2023, Arena parted ways with the Revolution, following an administrative leave imposed by Major League Soccer (MLS) due to allegations concerning inappropriate comments. The league later confirmed the validity of these claims after conducting an investigation, although Arena chose not to elaborate on the specifics of the remarks.

“I made a couple of mistakes there. I accept responsibility, and I’m going to move forward,” Arena stated. He expressed pride in the work he completed during his tenure in New England, emphasizing the positive relationships he built within the team and the organization. “The players, I enjoyed just about as much as any team I’ve ever had… So overall, it was a really positive experience for me. And I’m disappointed in the way it ended. But I’ve learned from that.”

At 73 years old, Arena stands out as a formidable figure in the realm of U.S. soccer, being the most successful coach in the sport’s history. He was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2010 and has amassed five MLS championships, holding the record for the most wins in both the MLS and the U.S. men’s national team history.

Now, Arena faces the daunting task of revitalizing the Earthquakes, a team that has struggled tremendously, finishing last in the league with only six wins last season. He remains optimistic about the potential for improvement. “I think there’s potential, and certainly, when you take over a team that finishes last, in my opinion, you can only go one way… When we kick off in late February, we’re hopeful that we’re going to have a pretty competitive team and we can turn it around.” While he refrained from making grand promises of winning the MLS Cup in 2025, he assured supporters that they would see a more competitive team they could be proud of.

Arena has led the United States in two World Cup tournaments, notably guiding the team to the quarterfinals in 2002, marking a significant achievement for U.S. soccer. His 2006 World Cup campaign ended with the team unable to advance past the group stage, resulting in his contract not being renewed.

His impressive coaching career includes two MLS championships with D.C. United and three titles with the LA Galaxy over the span of several years. Arena boasts a record of 262 regular-season wins and 35 postseason victories, making him the top coach in MLS history. He has also had stints with the New York Red Bulls and most recently the New England Revolution from 2019 to 2023.

Arena shared that Earthquakes owner John Fisher has committed to providing the necessary resources to construct a competitive lineup. “My meetings with Mr. Fisher strongly indicate that he’s going to support the club… But we’re going to move our club up the ladder to position ourselves to be a much more competitive team,” he asserted, acknowledging the commitment shown by both the owner and the front office.