Soccer: World Cup

11:00 PM CDT on Friday, July 14, 2006

From Wire Reports

NEW YORK – Bruce Arena, who experienced unprecedented success during eight years managing the U.S. men's soccer team, is out of a job after a disappointing World Cup in Germany.

The U.S. soccer federation announced Friday that Arena's contract will not be renewed when it expires at the end of the year.

"Bruce expressed a desire to continue," U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati said. "No doubt there will be multiple opportunities in the soccer world in the U.S. and outside if he wants them."

Gulati said the search for a replacement will begin immediately. Possible candidates include Jürgen Klinsmann, who resigned Wednesday after guiding his native Germany to third place at the World Cup.

Klinsmann, who lives in California, has said he had no interest and had not been contacted by the U.S. federation, a statement confirmed by Gulati. The federation has also expressed interest in former French national team coach Gerard Houllier and Dutchman Guus Hiddink, The New York Times reported, citing an unnamed source.

Arena, 54, won more than twice as many games than any other U.S. coach, and his 2002 team reached the World Cup quarterfinals. But in Germany, the U.S. failed to survive the first round.

Gulati said that "having a fresh approach, after eight years, which is a very long time," was the strongest factor in his decision.

Arena, who finished with a 71-30-29 record, did not return phone messages. But he released a statement through the federation.

"I am proud of how far the organization has come over the last eight years," Arena said.

Italian champs stripped of titles, demoted: The Turin club Juventus was demoted to the Italian second division and stripped of its last two first-division titles for its part in a match-fixing scandal.

Lazio and Fiorentina also were demoted to Serie B. AC Milan was spared demotion but was docked 15 points for next season and won't play in European competition.

Juventus lost 30 points (the equivalent of 10 wins), Fiorentina 12 points and Lazio seven points.

The decision came five days after Italy won its fourth World Cup title. Thirteen of the 23 players on the Italian squad play for the four penalized teams.