Earthquakes Don’t Know Whether to Go Big or Stick With the Interim Coach

The San Jose Earthquakes are at a crossroads. After a lackluster season, the front office decided it was time to shake things up and go after a new coach. And we’re not talking about just anybody. Big names like Gregg Berhalter, Bruce Arena, Gio Savarese, and Robin Fraser are all being interviewed. Sure, it’s a star-studded list, but is bringing in a big shot really the answer to San Jose's problems? Or is the solution already in-house with interim coach Ian Russell?

When you hear names like Gregg Berhalter or Bruce Arena, it's hard not to get excited. These guys have resumes that make any fan's eyes light up. Gregg Berhalter led the U.S. national team to the 2022 World Cup, and Bruce Arena... well, he’s a living legend in MLS. Big names come with big expectations, and with that, big risks. Hiring a coach with this kind of pedigree is like buying high-risk stock. It could soar, or it could crash and leave Earthquakes fans feeling disappointed.

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Take Gregg Berhalter's recent stint with the national team as an example. Sure, he got the team to the World Cup, but it was a bumpy road, with the squad looking flat for much of the qualifiers. And let's not forget all the drama surrounding his relationship with key players like Gio Reyna. Is this what San Jose needs right now? A coach with the potential to do something great but also comes with a recent history of turbulence?

Bruce Arena isn't much different. He’s won just about everything there is to win in MLS, but his management style feels as outdated as flip phones. Soccer has evolved, and what worked ten years ago doesn’t always work today. Arena’s always been that old-school coach, focused on discipline and locker room control, which works—up to a point. But can he adapt to a young, dynamic, hungry Earthquakes roster?

And then, there's Ian Russell, the interim coach. Sure, he doesn’t have the same appeal as Berhalter or Arena, but he knows the team inside out. Russell’s been there, behind the scenes, watching every move, every player. He knows how this team ticks and, more importantly, he knows what went wrong last season. Sometimes the solution is right under your nose, and you don’t even realize it.

An interim coach, especially someone like Ian Russell, is underrated. He might not have the name that'll grab headlines, but he’s got something those big names might not: familiarity and continuity. In a team that’s already struggled with cohesion and identity, that could be worth more than any fancy tactics or sparkling resume.

There's an interesting parallel here with European soccer. Think about Manchester United, which, after Sir Alex Ferguson left, tried to bring in a series of “big names” to revive the club. What did we see? A string of spectacular failures. Sometimes a team needs more than just a famous coach; it needs someone who gets the club's culture, who speaks the players' language, and who can build something solid from the ground up. It might not be thrilling at first, but in the long run, stability wins.

Of course, it's easy to get lured in by a big name, especially in a league like MLS, where landing a high-profile coach can put your club back in the spotlight. Do the Earthquakes want a quick fix with big risks, or are they willing to bet on something more sustainable? At the end of the day, what really matters to the fans isn’t the name on the clipboard, but what’s happening on the field. Are the players hustling? Are they fighting for every ball? Are they building something for the future?

And maybe, just maybe, Ian Russell is the guy who can offer that. Sure, he might not have the international experience of Berhalter or the stacked trophy case of Arena, but he’s got something that can sometimes be more valuable. Russell’s been there through the painful losses, the locker room frustrations. He knows what needs to change so those scenes don’t play out again next season.

Now, I’m not saying the Earthquakes should close their eyes to big-name coaches. There are definitely perks to having someone like Arena or Savarese on the bench. But it’s also time for the club to think long-term. Soccer’s full of teams that went all-in on a big-name hire and ended up paying the price. And after all the ups and downs, San Jose needs a clear, steady direction.

The front office has a tough choice ahead. With fans hungry for change and a roster that needs a push, any wrong move could be costly. The market’s open, and the names on the club’s radar are tempting. But sometimes, the most obvious solution is the one that’s been there all along, just waiting to be taken.