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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Bruce Arena has resigned from his position as head coach and sporting director for the New England Revolution, the team announced in a statement Saturday.
"The New England Revolution have accepted the resignation of Bruce Arena. We wish Bruce well and thank him for his contributions to the team," the Revolution said. "Curt Onalfo will continue to serve as interim Sporting Director and Richie Williams will continue to serve as interim Head Coach as the team prepares to close out the 2023 season."
Arena was placed on administrative leave on July 30 pending a review into allegations that he made insensitive and inappropriate comments. It is still unclear what those comments were.
In light of Arena's resignation, MLS said, "As a result of the investigation, which confirmed certain of these allegations, should Arena wish to pursue future employment within MLS, he must first submit a petition to the Commissioner. MLS is committed to safe and welcoming work environments and expects all employees of the League and its clubs to conduct themselves appropriately in the workplace."
"After much soul searching, I have decided to resign my position as Head Coach and Sporting Director of the New England Revolution," Arena said in a statement. "To begin, I would like to thank Robert Kraft and Jonathan Kraft for providing me with this opportunity over 4 years ago. In my time with the Revolution, we have had much success and it truly has been a direct reflection of all the support the organization has provided me. In particular, I also want to thank all the players, coaches and staff at the Revolution as everyone has provided outstanding service and done a terrific job to help elevate the club to where it is today.
"I also want to thank everyone in the soccer community at large for their tremendous support during the past 6 weeks. The investigation has been a hard and difficult process, for me and my family, but hearing from so many who have been part of my career truly has been gratifying and has helped make this decision easier.
"Finally, I know that I have made some mistakes and moving forward, I plan to spend some time reflecting on this situation and taking corrective steps to address what has transpired. And while this has not been an easy decision, I am confident that it is in the best interest of both the New England Revolution organization and my family that we part ways at this time."
Arena joined the Revolution in May 2019 and garnered a 60-31-42 record during his time as the team's head coach, including a spot in the 2020 MLS Eastern Conference Finals.
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