*Report: D.C. United coach Arena frontrunner for U.S. job*

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Still trying to clean up the disaster of this past summer's
World Cup debacle, the United States Soccer Federation
reportedly is leaning toward one of its own to lead the charge
to 2002. 

USA Today, citing a person with knowledge of the decision-making
process, is reporting that Bruce Arena of Major League Soccer
champion D.C. United will be the next coach of the U.S. men's
national team. According to the national newspaper, Arena will
complete his third season with the MLS team before taking over
the national team on November 1st. 

A spokesman for the U.S. Soccer Federation declined comment on
the report, saying there is "nothing further" going on and that
a decision has yet to be reached.  The spokesman did confirm
that Arena is one of four finalists along with former USA
national coach Bora Milutinovic, former Brazil national coach
Carlos Alberto Parreira and Carlos Quieroz. 

The 46-year-old Arena has guided the United to both MLS Cup
titles in the two-year existence of the league. D.C. United
leads the Eastern Conference with a 20-5 mark and has clinched a
playoff berth. 

The U.S. Soccer Federation has been looking for a coach since
Steve Sampson re-signed under fire in mid-July.  Sampson, who
compiled a 26-22-14 record since replacing Milutinovic in August
1995, was given the majority of the blame for a U.S. team that
lost all three of its World Cup matches this summer in France
and finished last among the 32 participating countries. 

Sampson was an assistant to Milutinovic on the 1994 U.S. World
Cup team that reached the second round as host.  He took over
for Milutinovic on an interim basis on April 14th, 1995 and was
named permanent coach less than four months later. 

The United States enjoyed some success under Sampson, finishing
second in the 1995 Copa America, winning the 1995 U.S. Cup,
defeating Brazil in the 1998 Gold Cup and going 8-2-6 in
CONCACAF qualification matches for World Cup '98. 

Sampson installed a new 3-6-1 alignment that proved successful
in qualifying matches, but not when it counted.  Germany rolled
to a 2-0 win on June 15th, Iran came away with a 2-1 triumph and
Yugoslavia notched a 1-0 victory over the Americans in World Cup
play.