CARSON, Calif. — When you have two vaunted coaches who have combined to coach over 900 MLS matches in their career, it’s only natural that the spotlight would focus on them when they square off.
But don’t tell that to the LA Galaxy’s Bruce Arena, who will match wits against his counterpart and old friend Sigi Schmid when the Seattle Sounders host LA in a nationally televised match on ESPN (3 pm ET; ESPN, MLS LIVE in Canada).
“I never look at any game as the coaches being the focal points,” Arena said as the Galaxy wrapped up Thursday’s practice.
MLS Insider showcased the two in this week's "Godfathers of American Soccer” video feature, which revealed their longstanding connection and their continued influence on both US Soccer and MLS.
Both have enjoyed notable success with their current clubs. LA have won three MLS Cups in the last five seasons and currently sit in fourth place in the Western Conference. Seattle have made the playoffs in each of Schmid’s seven seasons with the Sounders and collected a Supporters’ Shield trophy and four US Open Cup titles along the way, though they are presently mired in ninth place, tied for the least amount of points in the West with just 17 from 16 outings.
The Sounders’ struggles this year have served to heap the pressure on Schmid, a two-time MLS Coach of the Year. But Arena defended Schmid’s record, adamantly stating that Saturday’s match and the Sounders’ position in the standings shouldn’t have any bearing on Schmid’s standing as Sounders boss.
“There can’t be a much more accomplished and deserved coach than Sigi,” Arena said of his colleague. “Any talk of any of that stuff [Schmid being on the hot seat] to me is very foolish. Can I make that any clearer? That’s my opinion of it.”
