Bruce Arena took over after the USA finished bottom of their group under Steve Sampson at France 98.
His managerial background was spent in Division One college soccer and with DC United in Major League Soccer.
A former goalkeeper, he was capped just once by the USA national team in a 2-0 defeat to Israel in 1973.
Arena coached his country's 1996 Olympic team and then had a spell as Under-23 coach.