ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 4, 1996 TAG: 9601040037
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
On the day he became a full-time coach of a professional team, Bruce Arena had the pleasure of turning over Virginia's highly successful men's soccer program to his hand-picked successor.
A few hours after Arena was introduced as coach of Major League Soccer's D.C. United, Virginia announced that top aide George Gelnovatch would assume control of the Cavaliers' program.
``I'm not certain D.C. United has the right coach,'' said Arena, who won five NCAA Division I championships at Virginia, including four in a row from 1991-95, ``but I think Virginia does. He'll do well.
``He's absolutely the best person for the job,'' he said of Gelnovatch. ``He played at Virginia. He graduated from Virginia. It feels great to have kept it in the family. He's been part of five championships. He's not just a guy who's been hanging out.''
Gelnovatch, 30, said he wasn't certain he would be named coach until Sunday, after Arena had decided to toss his support behind MLS, which begins play in the spring. Arena earlier had been named coach of the under-23 national team that will represent the United States at the Olympics in Atlanta.
``I love the community, I love the school, I raised my son there,'' said Arena, 44. ``There are a lot of reasons to stay. Or, why leave, you might ask?
``I think I would be a phony if I didn't take on this challenge. For many years, I've been an outsider and a critic of the process. This is the third time for a professional soccer league in this country and I think it's the right time. There is some risk involved, but I think I have to do this.''
Arena said he had signed a four-year guaranteed contract, rejecting a one-year leave of absence offered by Virginia athletic director Terry Holland.
``Terry would have made it work,'' Arena said, ``but it wouldn't have been fair to Virginia. It wouldn't have been fair to Washington. You can't be half-pregnant. You have to be one or the other. ...
``It wouldn't be right. Imagine announcing today that Bruce Arena will take a job [with] D.C. United ,accepting a one-year contract. Why are you accepting a one-year contract? Because, if I don't like what I see, I'm going back. That would show no confidence in the league, and I have that confidence.''
Arena compiled a 295-59-31 record in 18 seasons at Virginia. Gelnovatch, a forward from Wall, N.J., was a first-team All-American in 1986 and ranks second on the UVa career list in goals (49) and third in points (118).
Gelnovatch played in the Major Indoor Soccer League until 1989, when he returned to UVa as a part-time assistant coach. He has been the Cavaliers' No.1 assistant since 1992.
``Coach Gelnovatch will provide many years of stability to the program that Coach Arena built,'' Holland said in a statement. ``There is no doubt in my mind about his ability to keep this program among the nation's very best.''
The Cavaliers were ranked No.1 in the country all season and did not lose until they were upset by Duke 3-2 in an NCAA semifinal.
``The soccer's not going to be a lot different,'' Gelnovatch said. ``We're going to be an attacking team that emphasizes ball possession. A lot of how you look depends on the players, [but] the way I train the team is the same way that Bruce has. You won't see much change.''
Gelnovatch said he had called all three recruits who had made oral commitments to Virginia on Tuesday night and each said he would honor his commitment.
``All fall there's been speculation about Bruce leaving,'' said Gelnovatch, who is married to UVa's field hockey coach, Melissa Sanders. ``Everything I did, I tried to think as a head coach, whether it was recruiting or tactically. I feel it was a good exercise.
``Bruce has always been pretty open with me, but it wasn't like I was sitting around here waiting for him to leave. My main goal was to be a head coach, whether it was Virginia or not. The fact it was Virginia was unbelievably exciting.''
LENGTH: Medium: 75 linesby CNB