With his first training camp and friendlies behind him, Bruce Arena will turn attention over the next six weeks to assembling a U.S. national soccer team roster for two matches that could make or break the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.
He will visit players engaged with clubs abroad and monitor MLS candidates plunging into a new season. He’ll begin laying out strategy for the March 24 meeting against Honduras at San Jose’s Avaya Stadium and the visit to Panama four days later.
Without the luxury of additional tune-ups for further experimentation, Arena will fill most of the slots with players utilized by his predecessor, Jurgen Klinsmann.