Arena Tapped To Coach Galaxy

Former U.S. national team and D.C. United coach Bruce Arena was hired yesterday as coach of David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy, which hasn't won a game in more than two months.

Arena was to be introduced at a news conference yesterday after guiding the team through practice for the first time. He will make his debut as the Galaxy coach Thursday night against the Chicago Fire -- when Beckham and forward Landon Donovan will be missing because of national team duty.

Arena succeeds Ruud Gullit, who resigned last Monday for personal reasons. President and general manager Alexi Lalas was fired the same day.

The Galaxy, in danger of missing the playoffs, is 6-8-6 with four losses and four ties in its last eight matches. Cobi Jones, in his first year as an assistant coach, guided the team to a 2-2 tie against Chivas USA on Thursday night.

"I personally think he's the best coach in the history of the league," said Tim Leiweke, the Galaxy's investor-operator.

Arena, 56, was dismissed as coach of the national team after the Americans were eliminated in the first round of the 2006 World Cup. He was hired as coach of the New York Red Bulls that summer, then was forced out last November after they were eliminated from the first round of the MLS playoffs for the second straight year.

· EDU TO SCOTLAND: Maurice Edu, who played for the University of Maryland, agreed to a five-year deal with Glasgow Rangers in Scotland's Premier League.

The $5 million transfer from MLS's Toronto FC is subject to a work permit being granted, the Rangers said Sunday night.

Toronto's 2007 young player of the year would join American DaMarcus Beasley in the Rangers' midfield.