SAN JOSE, Calif. – New San Jose Earthquakes Sporting Director and Head Coach Bruce Arena was formally introduced via press conference on Wednesday morning. Sitting alongside President Jared Shawlee and General Manager Chris Leitch, the five-time Audi MLS Cup champion touched on a variety of topics as he takes the helm ahead of the 2025 Major League Soccer season.
PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Earthquakes President Jared Shawlee Opening Statement:
This is an incredible turnout for what is an incredible day in the history of the Earthquakes. I am so thrilled to welcome Bruce Arena, the winningest manager in U.S. and Major League Soccer history to our club. I’m also thrilled to announce along with the hiring of Bruce, that we're going to be doing additional investments in staff and infrastructure and in a roster to support Bruce's plan that he laid out during our process with him.
That infrastructure is going to include this room we're all in today for the press conference, which will be a new part of the team amenities — a film room, new offices, new recovery spaces for the players. We’re going to open a new dining hall for the players. We’re going to add an additional training field here on site at PayPal Park that should open up in the second quarter of 2025. I just want to say I've appreciated getting to know Bruce during this process. I look forward to working with him to bring cups and championships back here to San Jose.
Earthquakes General Manager Chris Leitch Opening Statement:
Having worked with Bruce in the past. I'm looking forward to working together with him to continue to build out the first team. Bruce has obviously shown a great ability to build teams with the right mentality. He gets the most out of his players, both individually and as a group and with his wealth of experience and roster building, I'm excited to work with him to improve our team and put a squad on the field that will compete for the playoffs in 2025, which we hope is a bounce-back season for us under his leadership.
Earthquakes Sporting Director and Head Coach Bruce Arena Opening Statement:
It's great to be here. I'm familiar with the San Jose area from past experiences as a coach with D.C. United coaching in the first game in MLS in 1996 [against the San Jose Clash] and my first game here as a national team coach in 1998. And some spirited contests as the coach of the LA Galaxy. I was never real confident coming up here to play. You have a great tradition here, not only in MLS, but previous to that. It's been a fantastic city for soccer. I'm anxious to try to move the club forward and make our team a team that everyone in the community can be proud of. It's going to take a lot of hard work on behalf of the players, the coaches, and the staff.
I've received in a short period of time tremendous commitment from our owner. John [Fisher] has been very supportive and our players and our fans are going to see changes around the club in the next year. The front office has been terrific. Jared [Shawlee] and Chris [Leitch] and others have been very supportive, so I think it's a situation that we can really move the team forward. I'm anxious to get back on the field in January and move our team forward and make it a team that you can all be proud of.
On the Quakes Academy and opportunities for young players to earn playing time:
I'm a person that believes in young players and if they show us that they have the ability and the mentality to be first-team players, we're going to give them opportunities. The system is in place. There's a number of Homegrown players here already. We're going to keep a close eye on that. And obviously, at the right time, give those players an opportunity.
On taking over following a difficult season for the club:
I took over LA Galaxy in 2008. They were in the bottom of the league and that was the case with the New England Revolution. I know it's challenging and we're going to work hard. But the first thing we need to do is piece together a coaching staff, Then, get on the field with these players and get to know them both on and off the field and decide how we need to play and what kind of players we need to solidify the roster.
On his communication with Earthquakes Managing Partner John Fisher:
My communication with Mr. Fisher has been outstanding. He's been very supportive. I first came out here in the beginning of August and met with him in San Francisco, and then came out about three weeks ago when we met again for lunch in the Palo Alto area. I was completely impressed by his commitment for this team. I would not have come here if I didn't think that this organization was committed to winning.
On comparing San Jose with his previous stops in MLS:
Well, one of the major differences is it's a lot warmer here than it is in New England. Do I expect to get the same results? I can't answer that now, but we want to make this team into a good one and a competitive one. Every situation is different. D.C. United was different than the LA Galaxy. The LA Galaxy was different from New York Red Bull. New England Revolution was different from the previous teams, and so is San Jose. They all have their own their own pros and cons. This is a great environment, and I think the potential here is enormous. I look forward to this challenge.
On working in collaboration with Earthquakes General Manager Chris Leitch:
Chris and I will be working together. I have the title of sporting director, but I'm also the head coach. A lot of the everyday work will be Chris's responsibility. Not only do we have to deal with the first team, but Chris has the responsibilities of the second team and the academy. We'll have a good working relationship.
CHRIS LEITCH: I'm looking forward to growing that relationship. There's a lot of work. It's tough. It's not a one- or two-man team. It's five, six, seven directors with the whole support staff underneath that make this thing move. This is a result-oriented business and the results weren't there last year, so we’re looking forward to bounce back next year and under Bruce's leadership, turn things around.
On the current roster:
I think Cristian Espinoza is a terrific player. Hernán López has a lot of potential. There's some good players here, and I don't believe it's a 21-point team. I think it could be better than that. I think the team can achieve more than they did obviously last year. We will be making additions like any club in the league.
On what attracted him to joining the Earthquakes:
I think there's potential. Going back to my experiences with this club, it has great tradition. Not only during the MLS, but even before that. There has been a great history here. It's a community that wants to support a good team and we know how to build teams. I'm going to have what I believe is going to be a very good coaching staff, and we're going to work really hard to start moving forward. I think the potential's here. The ownership is supporting us. There's a good base of players to work off of. When we kick off in late February, we're hopeful that we're going to have a competitive team that this community and our fan base will be proud of.
On the success of other pro sports teams in the Bay Area serving as motivation:
I think that's great. You know, I just came from a city that has a pretty good sports culture in Boston. And I've been in L.A., the same thing. That's great. You want to have the pressure to be successful. You want to people in this community to be proud of this team. Obviously, with the success of the NFL team, the NBA teams, obviously the NHL team in the past and the women now, it's challenging. So that's motivation for us to be successful.
And when our players report in January from Day One, the message is going to be clear that we're going to work hard to be successful. And we're not going to accept 21 points in a 34-game season. So we're going to start Day One and hit the guys with the message that this franchise needs to be successful in the field.
