Bruce Arena Game Quotations

My suggestion is that a better way to manage the game is just tell the player to take the jewelry off. That's hard to do when you have a young referee. Maybe a little more experience, maybe he'll disregard what the rule book says there and use maybe a little more common sense.

Obviously we look forward to the game for a couple of reasons. Mexico is certainly and arguably our biggest rival in CONCACAF and that always makes for a good game. More importantly, any kind of positive result for the U.S. qualifies us for the next World Cup and that's been our objective since June of 2004. We obviously look forward to the game. We love playing in Columbus. We anticipate a great crowd, and one that's very supportive of the U.S. team. I'm confident we're going to field a strong team and play well.

Obviously we look forward to the game on Saturday for a couple of reasons. Mexico is certainly and arguably our biggest rival in CONCACAF and that always makes for a good game. More importantly, any kind of positive result for the U.S. qualifies us for the next World Cup and that's been our objective since June of 2004.

Obviously it was a very poor start to the game from our side.

We look forward to the challenge against Guatemala. Obviously, Carlos Ruiz is the one player we're certainly well aware of. We know from qualifying they have a very good team, so it should be a real good game in Dallas. We look forward to our first visit in this wonderful facility.

He enjoyed what we did. He liked our methods, and he felt the things we do are what players like. And when he reinforces that to me, that helps me. Soccer aside, he's a friend. . . . I did my best to get him involved back in the game again. He was in kind of limbo a bit.

We're prepared to play each and every game and, hopefully, I think one could look at our record over the last couple of years and realize that our guys are prepared to play every game. Obviously this is a big game and they'll be ready for it.

Just a huge mental mistake. Giving the game away in the opening minute of the second half to me is very foolish.

I thought it was a well played game for both teams. Both teams had chances in the second half. I thought our team had a much improved effort in the last 45 minutes.

I still think the big part of the game was our inability to take advantage of our control in the first half where we created chances and had a lot of the play. Their forwards won the battle and made a difference in the second half.

We have some extra numbers in positions where we can afford the opportunity to look at some of the European players in this game and rest some of the domestic players. An example of that would be Eddie Pope and Jim Conrad. Based on play over the past month and a half, they would be included in this roster if we were simply basing it on performances. But we have guys we need to look at now.

We were able to use this game as an opportunity to see some players. The part that I felt was valid was that we watched our players have to deal with coming from behind, being down a goal.

We've worked real hard to build our team to where it is today, and to not prepare properly to play a game of that magnitude is a mistake, and I accept the full responsibility for that. If I felt that it wasn't the right time for us to play that game, I should have been a little bit strong in saying this is not the right time to play.

The second goal by Ching right at the end of the half basically put the game away. I think Brian did well. He established a couple of decent goal-scoring opportunities. Overall, it was a good performance.

After 45 minutes of good concentration and smart football we started the second half very poorly. Giving the game away in the opening kickoff of the second half was very foolish and very poor play on our part.

Despite the fact we've had a rash of injuries and some conflicts with clubs, we feel this game is an excellent test for our veteran players in Europe as well as some new players in the team.

Although we will be playing with a less than full roster, this game will provide an outstanding opportunity for some of our players to show they deserve strong consideration for the World Cup roster.

This is an opportunity for some fresh faces, and we're going to see what they are about at the international level. This game is important because it can eliminate some players from consideration, and it can improve the situation of others.

It's time the American public steps forward and supporters of soccer in this country support our game by watching, by attending games, by buying soccer products, by being good consumers.

Their substitutions impacted the flow of the game a bit. They threw us off our game.

His leadership and ability to make saves at key moments in a game were a large factor in our success during the qualifying campaign. The fact that he is the only three-time winner of the award is a testament to the consistency, commitment and dedication he has displayed throughout his career.

Canada is traditionally a very solid team, and this game will be a good test for our domestic players as we begin the critical process of building a roster for the 2006 World Cup. We are looking forward to playing in San Diego, a city with a rich soccer history. It should be an excellent event.

The Guatemala game will provide us with another good opponent as we continue to prepare and evaluate players for the 2006 World Cup roster.

The first goal changed the game and once they got the second goal they played very well. Give them credit. They played well. They played with a confidence and, without a doubt, they were the better team tonight.

It's only fitting that our last game in 2005 is being held in a place that has such a great tradition of supporting U.S. Soccer. We are certainly hopeful that this match will be a celebration of our efforts to qualify for the World Cup, and we're pleased to close out the process in front of fans who have supported us so well over the years.

They're in a position we were in, you want to get it done sooner than later. This is a game where their sights are clearly to win, as it was for Guatemala the last time we were in Guatemala. It will be interesting to see.

If I'd grade us, I'd say a C. We can't worry about it. We have to remember that it's January and a lot of players have been away from the game for a while.

I don't think the result of the game is that important, as much as is the performance of the players. Some of the players are on the fence so to speak and have their last opportunity.

The match in Cary is our last game before we make our final decisions on the World Cup roster, so it is obviously an important one for us.