At this point, there isn't anybody that doesn't know the United States men's national team won't be at the World Cup this summer. But why it happened can be attributed to a variety of reasons. A coaching change and a slow start played a role. So too did the player selection from the two managers. But if you ask USMNT defender Geoff Cameron, it's because of Bruce Arena.
Speaking to the New York Times, Cameron blames Arena and says that the team would have qualified with Jurgen Klinsmann.
"Bruce Arena made decisions that cost us going to the World Cup. And I don't have a problem saying it, because we had the right group of guys," Cameron said.
"There's no doubt in my mind that if Jurgen Klinsmann was still our head coach, we would have qualified for the World Cup."
Now that is obviously impossible to know. The U.S. lost at home to Costa Rica and Mexico to start qualifying before Klinsmann was dismissed. The U.S. was in a hole and made a change. Arena was viewed as the savior.
In Arena's first four matches in charge, the team secured eight out of 12 points. They were in a fantastic spot before the wheels came off. A 2-0 loss to Costa Rica at home was a punch in the gut before a shock 2-1 loss at Trinidad and Tobago.
Cameron said he clashed with Arena, who didn't like his "bluntness," saying Arena told him he wasn't fit which Cameron took as an insult. Cameron never played in the last two matches.
Ultimately, it's easy to point the blame, but the general feeling from the outside was with Klinsmann or Arena, this team was far from a sure bet to make it. But the biggest reason why is losing the first two games in qualifying.
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