Arena: No rift with Cameron over political views

United States head coach Bruce Arena said he has no issue with Geoff Cameron’s supportive views of maligned president Donald Trump and his immigration ban.

While USA team-mates Michael Bradley, Alejandro Bedoya, Darlington Nagbe and Sacha Kljestan have already been critical of the ban, Cameron defended Trump’s executive order temporarily banning travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations to enter the country.

Stoke City defender Cameron said it is important to agree with USA’s president than fight for the rights of others.

It is a view not shared by Arena and Co. but the 65-year-old boss denied a rift with Cameron following Fridays’ 1-0 friendly win over Jamaica.

When asked about Cameron’s views, Arena responded: “He has a different political opinion? Have you been around the United States the last couple years here?

“I think that’s…so he has to agree with me politically?

“No, he’s wonderful. He was in with us for a week during the camp, he came in from Stoke to have our doctors look at him. He’s a terrific kid.

“He can have any kind of opinion he wishes to have politically. The soccer part we’ve got to kind of be on the same page, though.”

As for the match itself in Tennessee, it marked the first win for Arena since returning as head coach of the national team, having replaced Jurgen Klinsmann in November.

Jordan Morris settled the contest with his 59th-minute goal, following last week’s goalless draw against Serbia.

“I would like to have us score a few more goals in these past few games, but that usually comes a little later in the pre-season,” Arena said. “The attacking players need a little bit more time.

“The thing we can influence the most is our mentality when our opponents have the ball to move and react. I’ve been encouraged by how we’ve been able to become a pretty solid defensive group over the last couple of weeks so that’s a real positive.”