Bruce Arena gets the official splash in the locker room following the game. (Photo: http://www.soccerbyives.net)

Bruce Arena, the 2011 MLS Coach of the Year, captured his third Major League Soccer Championship as the LA Galaxy downed the Houston Dynamo, 1-0, in front of a sold-out crowd of 30,281 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. on November 20, 2011.

"I had beer and champagne poured all over me," Arena said with a smile. 

Locked in a scoreless deadlock, Arena made the coaching change that would ultimately lead to Landon Donovan's game winning goal.  In the 57th minute, he subbed in forward Chris Birchall for Adam Cristman, moving Donovan up from midfield to forward. 

"It almost went like we thought it what happen," Arena said. "In and around the 60-minute mark, (we thought) that we'd make that switch bringing somebody up and moving Landon up top."

Then, in the 72nd minute, midfielder David Beckham headed the ball on for forward Robbie Keane, whose brilliant dribbling display led to a gap between defenders where Donovan slipped through at just the right time.  Donovan's stroke of genius with the outside of his right boot put the ball just beyond the reach of Dynamo goalkeeper, Tally Hall.

LA also won the MLS Supporters Shield, and Arena received praise from his Houston counterpart, Dom Kinnear, for consistency throughout the season.

"I've got a ton of respect for Bruce and what he's done in that locker room to keep that team focused and continuing to win games the entire year while MLS is full of ups and downs," Kinnear said. "I don't think they ever had a down period as far as losing goes. That's a very detemermined group. It starts with Bruce and then it goes down to Landon and David Beckham and Robbie Keane." 

MLS Cup MVP Landon Donovan also had high praise for his coach.

"There's times through it all where you get tired, and mentally you wear down, but this guy keeps us going. Bruce is on us constantly but he keeps us going," Donovan added.

The NSCAA would like to extend our congratulations to Bruce Arena, Dom Kinnear and all the Major League Soccer coaches for a successful and entertaining 2011 season.  We're looking forward to the 2012 SuperDraft at the NSCAA Convention in Kansas City, Kan. on January 12.

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