New England Revolution
Arena, who had been with New England since 2019, resigned following a league investigation into “insensitive and inappropriate remarks.”
Bruce Arena has resigned from his position as both head coach and sporting director of the New England Revolution. The team announced the move moments after the final whistle was blown in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Minnesota United.
“We wish Bruce well and thank him for his contributions to the team,” the club said.
A statement from Arena was also released. The 71-year-old had been placed on administrative leave at the beginning of August due to an MLS investigation into “insensitive and inappropriate remarks” that he allegedly made.
“After much soul searching, I have decided to resign my position as Head Coach and Sporting Director of the New England Revolution,” wrote Arena.
“To begin, I would like to thank Robert Kraft and Jonathan Kraft for providing me with this opportunity over [four] years ago,” he continued, also thanking those who had weighed in with support during the multi-week investigation.
“I know that I have made some mistakes and moving forward, I plan to spend some time reflecting on this situation and taking corrective steps to address what has transpired,” Arena concluded. “And while this has not been an easy decision, I am confident that it is in the best interest of both the New England Revolution organization and my family that we part ways at this time.”
Very little has emerged about the investigation since it began. Even New England players were reportedly kept mostly in the dark about its status and timeline.
Arena is one of the league’s most successful coaches, holding the MLS record for most all-time wins. He’s also a five-time MLS Cup champion, winning titles with D.C. United and the L.A. Galaxy.
He took over the Revolution midway through the 2019 season and led them to the playoffs in three of his four seasons (including a run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2020).
Through at least the end of the 2023 season, Richie Williams will remain the Revolution’s interim head coach. Curt Onalfo will also continue to fill in as their interim sporting director.
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