Just a day after firing Mexican legend Hugo Sanchez as head coach of the Mexican national team, the Mexican Football Federation has found his replacement and it is a familiar face to U.S. national team fans.
Former U.S. national team, D.C. United and Red Bulls coach Bruce Arena will be named the new head coach of the Mexican national team at a press conference in Mexico City on Tuesday. Arena will sign a contract that will run through the 2010 World Cup.
"Obviously it is a great opportunity to coach one of the best teams in the world," Arena said. "I will have to learn some Spanish but I believe I’m the right man for this job."
The surprising decision was made quickly on Monday evening, with Arena beating out Jose Pekerman for the position.
"After Hugo Sanchez’s tenure with the national team it was time for a new perspective, time for a coach with experience being successful with a national team," Mexican federation president Justino Compean said. "We also felt that we needed a more modest approach and a more understated coach."
April Fools!!!!!
Okay, so maybe it was easy to see this coming. If you actually believed the story don’t be afraid to admit it.
No, Bruce Arena is NOT the new Mexico coach. This is just an April Fool’s Day joke.
Apologies to anybody who had a heart attack or spit up their morning coffee upon seeing this. That includes you Bruce.
APRIL FOOLS DAY!
Good one.
I knew it was an april fools joke before i hit the jump. But still my initial reaction could be heard around the office.
Great gag Ives!
I knew you couldn’t resist a AF story, Ives. Good one
That would definitely be too good to be true. Nice one, Ives.
Oh to be able to see Bruce take on the Mexican media, one can only dream.
Internet + April Fool’s = Interesting RSS Feeds
I admit…I took the bait and my heart stopped.
B*stard! You got me.
wow, i was had.
Hahahaha, perfect. I admit you had me! Is that more embarrassing for me or for Arena??
Wow… I pee’d on my leg a little after reading that one
You got me.
I swear I had already started to stuff the Bruce Arena doll that I would burn in effigy!
You’re not fooling anyone. Steve Sampson would have been more believable since he speaks Spanish.
I had this pegged – nice work though. I’ve had my defenses up all morning because of the folks I work with.
AAAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA, AWESOME
nice joke….but it would be cool to see him really get the job.
AHHHH!!! Quickly, take down the April Fools part of the post, and lets see if other SBI readers can chip in some dough to buy Bruce a plane ticket to Mexico City and see if he actually goes down there.
Ohhhhhhh Ives, you’re a cruel cruel man
i saw that coming right away. nice one. that would be hilarious if it was true!
Wow…I was starting to think how bad that would be…I mean, Bruce knows almost every single player’s tendencies, and would probably use that knowledge for spite…
Great AF joke Ives..very many props for that one.
Whenever Arena is next hired will be the real April Fool’s joke!
was waiting for this : )
other options:
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Donovan Signs With Valencia
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Red Bull Park Progress Report
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ESPN/ABC Search for New Soccer Announcers
WOW! I hate to admit it, but you really got me on that one!!
I started asking myself what do the Mexicans know about Bruce Arena that we don’t know?!
In all seriousness, he really wouldn’t be a bad choice for Mexico. The man is a veteran of two World Cups and it certainly would be a shock to Nats fans.
I started asking myself if Il Bruce had something as juicy on the mexican federation as Issiah Thomas has on MSG.
hahaha. you have the advantage of not revealing your entire post from the home page. Well executed, Ives.
I, too, knew it was an April Fool’s joke. But I laughed good and long. Perfect timing! Sure hope someone posts it to BS!
Congrats on one of the best April fools pranks I’ve fallen for in years. Very funny!
4now:
Another good option…
MLS announces that it and the USL have partnered together and agreed to adopt a promotion/relegation structure, all of these big moves headlined by John O’Brien.
I do like the dig at Donovan going abroad…they never really get old…
LOL Ives…
I actually saw the link and thought about it for a second before clicking on it. HAHAHA that was great.
Hey folks, the joke wasn’t meant to say that Arena couldn’t do the job or wasn’t qualified. More that Mexico will NEVER hiring an American head coach. EVER.
Did I get you Christian? Nice. I was hoping to get a few Mexican national team fans.
You definitely got me on this one. I actually thought that it wouldn’t be a bad choice for el Tri. I certainly worried that the US would have to change coaches since Arena knows BB far too well.
The big part would be that Mexico would basically be admitting that the US is now the dominant team in the region. I just don’t see that happening.
Admit it, you photoshopped that picture of Arena with the sombrero.
wow, i was shocked for a second there. ives, you totally got me.
wow, i was shocked for a second there. ives, you totally got me.
had me for like, .1 seconds
You got me. Fantastic!!!
Fantastic! Ives, you took advantage of a great opportunity and really got me! Thanks a bunch!
I love that picture of Bruce in the sombrero!
I hate April Fool’s Day.
Hey Ives,
I scooped you on this story. I demand you give me credit (check my post from yesterday on Hugo Sanchez’ firing). You’ll also see soon the announcement that John O’Brien will be named as his assistant at which time I hope you will again acknowledge my superior skills as an investigative blogger.
Just between us, I have a good source that says that the MLS is set to announce that the league is going to a promotion/relegation system with the USL.
Hook.
Line.
Sinker…
Until the sombrero pic.
Good on ya Ives.
Nicely done.
U got me for a minute there Ives
Good one! Had me for a second, but too obvious…
Good one! Had me for a second, but too obvious…
no comment.
HAHAHAHA!!! You totally got me there for a sec!!!
I started to question it when you had the comment that said they were looking for a more “modest” approach. “Modest” and “Bruce Arena” can never, ever be said in the same sentence. Kind of like “Landon Donovan” and “set of balls.”
Haha, I have to admit I wasn’t fooled largely because we were joking about this last night, but the second picture still makes this post awesome.
I was getting excited because then we would be guaranteed another 2-3 more good years of beating Mexico!
NO MAMES!!!!
Nice one, Ives, I started laughing as soon as I saw the title.
Now what would have gotten me is…”DC to perform an RSL-like emergency ground greaking on new stadium this afternoon”
Ives, quit playing games with my heart.
That is funny. I forgot what day it was today and totally bought it.
I totally bought this and was pissed about it. At the very least Arena being coach of Mexico would make them much harder for the US to beat, I dont know if it would make them any better in any other way, but they’d be tougher for the US just because he knows the players so well.
You got me, man did i have mix reactions. First, I was shocked, 2nd I was just about to text the news to my soccer list of friends, 3rd i was happy for Bruce, 4th, i said “ahh shi*, now they got a chance to beat us” because Bruce knows all about us.
Donovan signing with Valencia would be so far-fetched no one would believe it. No big european clubs are interested in Donovan.
F%^#$^$@#%#$T#$T#$^TY%RY%TYE YOU!!! LOL!
They should give John O’Brien the job. Where is he by the way?
lol ives. you got me!
my jaw hit the floor when i first saw this… well played, sir
lol you had me Ives…Good one
Love it.
OK, you had me for about a second Ives. Nice.
D*mn you got me too Ives, I couldn’t believe it but my blood pressure kicked up for a second. Nice one…
Ives,
you son of a b#@%^$. Very nicely played. Second only to Bart Simpsons shaking of Homers beer on April fools, and Opie and Anthony’s rumor that the mayor of Boston was killed in a car crash… I thought for a second the Mexican Federation was beginning to let go of its monstrous prideful ego, thank god it hasn’t!!!
lol, worst April Fools joke I’ve seen… it’ll be Pekerman for sure if they haven’t signed anyone yet.
Funny man. To help Bruce with some humility I wish it was true.
Funnier than your caption attempts!
HOLY CRAP…. You really got me Ives! Can’t believe I fell for it, though…
how about this one:
“Max Bretos voted as the most talented announcer in the world.”
I almost busted my computer. That’s the best April fools I’ve seen in a long time.
After the initial heart failure and cursing I remembered what day it was. Holy Crap that’s funny stuff!
You got me.
This is not that funny. I would not laugh too hard, because the way BA was shown the door, I am still sure he harbors some ill feelings towards US Soccer. If he really wanted to get back at us, he could accept that job or any CONCACAF post. Who better to know how to beat the U.S. that that man with a pumping fist!!!
YOU GOT ME!!!
My jaw dropped when I read the headline. Then a minute or so later I remembered today’s date.
I am an April Fool!!
for all bruce did for the program, i still can’t forgive him for switching to the 4-5-1 right before worldcup 2006. ESPECIALLY, for the Ghana game needing a win and goals. when i saw that lineup announced that day, had the same effect on me as this story did, couldn’t believe it.
You had me at hello…you had me at hello.
good one. george bush is more likely to head al-qaida. watching the mexican saga is quite enjoyable.
NOT FUNNY IVES!!!!! I was half done with an email to my brother about this, thankfully I opened the post.
Ives.
Ugh. Wow. My heart jumped. I swear.
The second person to get me good today.
I scared my cat half to death when I saw this…good one ives!
Hartman I agree with you completely. I was as shocked as you, only I was sitting in the stands in Germany. It still baffles me. The entire qualifying period (and before) Donovan was playing in the mid. All of a sudden, you put him up top as the lone striker??? When did he really get to cement that position in the run up to the Cup??? BA was out-coached before that first game even begun.
Damn! I just got OWNED! I SUCK! roflmao
I just sprayed coke on my monitor, followed by a laughing spasm.
Ha!
You had me,good work Ives.
Got me too. Ives, you should keep a tally of how many people fell for it!
CLASSIC!!! My heart dropped!!
At first I didnt believe this, then got reading and was thinking why in the world would he go to our #1 rival. GOOD ONE!!!
iveessss… whats the deal? why so few posts today?
I hadn’t checked my computer since early morning….& when i saw the news, my heart literally skipped a beat….I must say, Ives, you got me on this…..I vowed never to let anyone get me on an April fool’s joke and lo and behold, my favorite gossip administrator gets me……my friends will not let this go for a while
Ives, you had me until you said Mexico chose Arena for a more “understated” approach.
Reports now coming out that Rossi, upon hearing the news, has regrets that he chose italy and not Mexico when he was looking for countries to defect to.
Touche Ives… Damn Ives you sly bastard! Don’t give El Tri any ideas!
Nice try Ives, but I was on this one before I finished the headline. Ever since I bought the april fools headline in my college paper (the Mugrat for you RU grads out there) about John Madden being hired as the next football coach, I’ve been careful not to fall for this stuff.
I like 4now’s options though. All good ones.
HAHAHA!! I fell for it! I was so shocked that I completely forgot about April Fool’s Day all of a sudden. Ha that was great!
I was about to text my friend and tell him the news.
I love this blog….keep up the good work Ives.
LOL
i hate you….been so busy at the office was the first chance to do some surfing….forgot it was april fools
wow, you got me. i was celebrating and looking forward to our continued domination of mexico. oh well….
Here is another good one…
link to goal.com
touche Ives. I’ll admit, as soon as i saw the headline all I could think was “that f*%#ing traitor!”.
LOL I thought it was too funny to be true…
For the first time in a long time… I was speechless
Good one Ives
the link shoulda sent us rickrolling
Ugh, I was so fooled. Now I look like a clown to everyone who I told this story to. Damn Ives you got me.
Boy am I sucker….Ives, that was good!!!
April Fools joke: silly and obvious. Props for trying though.
i got to admit, my jaw dropped i forgot april fools day
F.u.c.k Bruce Arenas
I almost lost my mind when I saw this, I was in a class and told my teacher who is a US fan, and he went crazy too. I continued to read, and found your joke. I’m a little embarrased now