Back in the summer of 2017, when he was still in charge of the U.S. men’s national team and we were all living in a happier, pre-Couva world, Bruce Arena got together with Juan Agudelo for a quick one-on-one meeting.



Arena was coaching Agudelo at the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and the veteran manager wanted to explain something to the candid New England Revolution attacker. The particulars of the meeting weren’t significant enough for Agudelo to remember them two summers after the fact, but something about Arena, who was hired as Revs head coach and sporting director last month, jumped out at Agudelo in that first chat.



This coach was different. This coach was… chill?



“I don’t know why I said this, I was speaking young-minded, but I just said after he spoke to me, I said, ‘You know what, Bruce, you’re a pretty chill dude,’” Agudelo said outside the Revolution’s Gillette Stadium locker...