ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 18, 1995                   TAG: 9510180044
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STEVEN GOFF WASHINGTON POST|
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

UVA MAY LOSE SOCCER COACH

University of Virginia men's soccer coach Bruce Arena, who has led the Cavaliers to the past four NCAA championships, likely will leave the school after this season to coach the Washington franchise in a new professional outdoor soccer league and become the 1996 U.S. Olympic team coach, sources said.

Arena, 44, is in the process of finalizing a multiyear contract with Major League Soccer, which is scheduled to begin play in the spring, the sources said. However, an official announcement will not be made until the college season ends in December. He will be named the Olympic team coach in a week or two, other sources said.

Arena has a 286-57-31 record in 18 seasons at Virginia, which is ranked No. 1 in the nation and unbeaten in its past 23 games. He declined to comment, but previously has said he is interested in the MLS and Olympic jobs.

``I certainly hope his ultimate decision is to stay at Virginia,'' athletic director Terry Holland said through a university spokesman. ``But I will support any decision he makes.''

These developments come as Washington's MLS player roster begins taking shape - and with some impressive names. Bolivian midfielder Marco Etcheverry, one of South America's top players, has signed with the league and is almost certain to join Washington's club for the inaugural season, according to several sources.

In addition, midfielder John Harkes, a former Virginia star and a longtime member of the U.S. national team, has decided to leave the prestigious English League after this season and will play in Washington.

If Arena is the Washington MLS and U.S. Olympic coach, U.S. Soccer Federation general secretary Hank Steinbrecher said a plan would be considered to have the Olympic team train at the old Redskin Park in the months leading to the 1996 Atlanta Games. The Olympic team's current training site is in San Diego.

Steinbrecher made clear last week that Arena was the leading candidate to take over the Olympic team from Timo Liekoski, who was fired last month because of the team's recent poor performances.

``We would like [Arena] to coach the Olympic team, and we're trying to look at all the various scenarios now,'' Steinbrecher said. ``We're trying to crunch all the numbers and see if it will work.'' 


 by CNB