Bruce Arena hasn’t coached a game yet for the San Jose Earthquakes, but if his offseason signings are any indication of what’s to come, there is finally reason to be excited in the Bay Area come the 2025 MLS season.
The San Jose Earthquakes have been in a rut. The club has made the playoffs just four times in the past 14 seasons, and it hasn’t won more than 15 MLS regular season games since 2012.
In that 14-year span, the Quakes — one of the league’s original 10 teams — have won 10 or fewer games nine times, and in 2024, saw a historically bad campaign in which they allowed the most goals in a single MLS season (78) and amassed a meager 21 points, tied for the ninth-worst mark in league history.
Mediocrity, poor performances, and outright struggles have been the norm in San Jose for the better part of a decade. This was despite a “revival” of sorts under Matías Almeyda, the last manager to last more than two seasons (2018-22). The Argentine coach was candid in acknowledging that his club was one of the lowest-spending teams in the league.
Since Almeyda, the Earthquakes have had three different managers, whether interim or permanent, between 2022 and 2024. It’s hard to believe that the team which once rostered Landon Donovan, the league’s greatest player, and Chris Wondolowski, its greatest scorer, to go along with a pair of MLS Cups and Supporters’ Shields each, could fall off track so drastically.
It has been hard to rally behind the Earthquakes, and by the end of the 2024, things reached a nadir — until Bruce Arena came on board.
A Savior with Little to Lose
Going into the 2024 offseason, Quakes president Jared Shawlee and general manager Chris Leitch had few options left. They had clearly failed to build a competitive roster, and the ship wasn’t just sinking, it was rotting at the bottom of the ocean. There was only one man capable of turning things around: Bruce Arena.
The now 73-year-old manager is by far the greatest head coach in the history of the league, and based on results alone, is the best head coach the United States men’s national team has ever had. Arena does come with some baggage, however. First and foremost, he wasn’t brought on as just a coach, as he also serves as sporting director — a role in which he excelled at with the New England Revolution. Given the missteps by San Jose’s management, it was a no-brainer that if Arena were to come aboard, he would have control over roster decisions.
Arena’s departure from the Revolution was premature, however. Allegations of using “insensitive and inappropriate remarks” towards staff members led to the 2021 Supporters’ Shield-winning head coach’s resignation. Arena, who officially resigned in September of 2023, sat out all of 2024 but was eventually reinstated by the league after an internal investigation into the allegations.
The end of his tenure with the Revs was disappointing, especially considering that Arena had turned the club from a bottom dweller into one of the league’s top teams, behind the playmaking talents of Carles Gil and the goal-scoring abilities of Gustavo Bou.
As sporting director, Arena oversaw transfers like Matt Turner to Arsenal and Tajon Buchanan to Club Brugge, showcasing his growing understanding of the market.
Until Inter Miami’s 2024 campaign, his Revolution side had the most points by a team in a regular season (73, in 2021), and his list of accomplishments in American soccer go on.
He comes to San Jose with five MLS Cups, four Supporters’ Shields, two international titles with DC United, and one U.S. Open Cup under his belt.
On the international side, he has three CONCACAF Gold Cups with the USMNT, plus a quarterfinals appearance at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, which remains the best performance by a U.S. team since 1930.
Arena comes to San Jose with house money and a reputation as a winner, knowing full well that if the Earthquakes are consistently in the playoffs for several years, his tenure will be viewed as a success.
Already Building a Formidable Roster
A new era is here. 👀@JosefMartinez17 and @SJEarthquakes are focused on one thing in 2025: https://t.co/vA8wGrD2J3 pic.twitter.com/2tH6bFy0eh
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) January 17, 2025
Arena hit the ground running as soon as his initial press conference ended. Already, the team has brought in some impressive firepower. Cristian Arango and Josef Martínez stand out as huge acquisitions this offseason, but Arena has also tapped into a pool of solid roster players in Nick Lima, Ian Harkes, and Mark-Anthony Kaye.
These solid signings, combined with the talents of Cristian Espinoza and the potential of Hernán López — a possible league MVP candidate — give the team a strong foundation. While questions remain regarding the future of Carlos Gruezo, the Earthquakes are starting with a solid core.
“The Quakes have emerged as clear winners of the offseason by acquiring a former league MVP (in Martinez),” said MLS journalist Favian Renkel. “Few teams seemed aware that Chicho Arango was available, making this one of the best pieces of business done all offseason.
“The Quakes now boast one of the best offenses in MLS, featuring proven strikers and reliable chance creators. In a weaker Western Conference and with fewer competitions on their schedule, they should remain fresh and poised to score plenty of goals. Expect the Quakes to turn heads this season.”
If anything, Arena is old-school in his approach. His best teams have always relied on a silky No. 10 — whether it was Marco Etcheverry in D.C., Claudio Reyna with the USMNT, David Beckham in LA, or Gil in New England. In San Jose, it could be either Lopez or Espinoza. Arena has never shied away from playing with two strikers, and a rejuvenated Martínez could be lethal in MLS. The key question is how he will perform in San Jose; for him, this move could be his last dance in MLS if it doesn’t work out.
Arena isn’t done yet. Look for the Earthquakes to bring in a few more solid players as the roster continues to take shape. In a strange twist for both club and manager, things are coming full circle.
At 73, and most likely in his last dance, Arena has a chance to position one of MLS’ original teams — a team that has been irrelevant in the league for a long time — for a revival.
