Would Scotland hire an American coach to revive a national team that hasn't qualified for a major tournament in a decade? The question has come up because numerous media outlets reported that Bruce Arena expressed his interest in the position. Arena, contacted by e-mail, described the media reports as "pretty inaccurate," but did not elaborate. A foreign nation hiring an American as national team coach would not be unprecedented.

Steve Sampson, Arena's predecessor as U.S. men's national team coach, took the helm of Costa Rica four years after his U.S. tenure ended after the 1998 World Cup.

 

Sampson's Costa Rica stint lasted less than two years; he was let go after the first stage of what would be a successful Costa Rican qualifying run for the 2006 World Cup.

Scotland, which qualified for five straight World Cups from 1974 to 1990, last reached the finals in 1998. It has never reached the second round. It last qualified for the European Championship in 1996.

Scotland has had one foreign coach, the German Berti Vogts (2002-04).

Arena coached the U.S. national team from 1998 to 2006. He guided the USA to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup and then became the first coach to qualify the USA for the World Cup finals twice.

But at the 2006 World Cup, the USA exited in the first round and Arena's contract was not renewed.

Prior to coaching the USA, Arena guided D.C. United to two MLS titles, the U.S. Open Cup and two prestigious international crowns - the InterAmerican Cup and CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Before his MLS success, Arena coached the University of Virginia to five NCAA titles, including a run of four straight.

Arena took the helm of the New York Red Bulls in July of 2006, but was let go after the Red Bulls exited the 2007 playoffs in the first round. Red Bull management said it had expected Arena to deliver the title.

Upon taking the Red Bulls job, Arena had joked, "I weighed the Brazilian offer and decided to go with the Red Bulls."