Monday, June 26, 2006

Following a disappointing 2-1 loss to Ghana that eliminated the U.S. team
from the World Cup, speculation quickly arose about Bruce Arena's future
coaching the Americans. Head coach of the team since 1998, Arena has become
a fixture in American soccer, but after directing the fifth-ranked U.S. team
to a winless trip in Germany, his future with the team is murky at best.
With his coaching decisions questioned throughout the World Cup,
PinnacleSports.com released odds on Bruce Arena returning to U.S. men's
soccer just minutes after the team failed to advance out of their group. The
largest sports betting site on the Internet, PinnacleSports.com posted odds
on the coaching future of Arena immediately following the U.S. loss to
Ghana. The oddsmaker strongly believes Arena will become a casualty of the
Americans' disappointing World Cup trip, listing the odds on his dismissal
as an overwhelming 1/12 favorite (i.e., win $1 for every $12 bet).
Meanwhile, PinnacleSports.com lists the odds that U.S. Soccer will remain
loyal to the coach that guided the team to its highest ranking ever as a
10/1 long shot. "Whenever a team's high expectations go unfulfilled, the
coach usually becomes the scapegoat for underperforming play," said Simon
Noble of PinnacleSports.com. "So despite leading the U.S. into the World Cup
as the fifth-ranked team by FIFA, Arena's tenure managing the team will
almost certainly draw to a close after accumulating only one point in group
play in Germany."