Arena calls 32 for first camp back as US boss

Chicago (AFP) – US coach Bruce Arena on Thursday called 32 players from Major League Soccer into his first training camp since returning to take over the national team after the November firing of Jurgen Klinsmann.

The camp opens Tuesday in suburban Los Angeles with Arena, who guided the US team to the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals and a 2006 group-stage exit, preparing for two friendlies and March’s resumption of World Cup 2018 qualifying.

“With games at the end of the month and the World Cup qualifiers in March, this is going to be a critical time for us,” Arena said.

“It’s important that we come in and quickly establish an understanding of what we are about and how we go about building our team.

“As for the players, we are coming into this with an open mind, so it’s a huge opportunity for them.”

A 2-1 US home loss to arch rival Mexico and 4-0 defeat at Costa Rica to begin final North American qualifying for next year’s global showdown in Russia led to Klinsmann’s ouster and the return of Arena, who had been guiding the MLS Los Angeles Galaxy.

Arena went 75-28 with 27 drawn in his first stint coaching the Americans. His second time around begins with tuneups against Serbia on January 29 at San Diego and Jamaica on February 3 at Chattanooga, Tennessee.

But the real challenge for Arena and his charges starts March 24 against Honduras at San Jose, California and four nights later at Panama as the Americans try to rally from the bottom of the six-team Hexagonal to grab a spot in Russia. Three teams advance while a fourth faces a play-off against an Asian side.

Only players not in season were eligible to be considered for the workout session since it does not fall within a FIFA window.

Nine players have World Cup experience with 16 having been part of qualifying matches, the most experienced being midfielder Michael Bradley with 15 goals in 126 caps, 34-year-old defender DaMarcus Beasley with 17 goals in 123 caps and forward Jozy Altidore with 37 goals in 99 caps.

If he plays in a friendly, Altidore, 27, will be the second-youngest American to 100 caps, with only Landon Donovan younger.