US coach Bruce Arena's proposal to push back the deadline in the US Soccer Federation's labor dispute with the national team was disavowed by management, which asked the union on Wednesday to accept binding arbitration for a new contract.

　　The USSF is threatening to use untested players on February 9 at Trinidad and Tobago in the opener of the CONCACAF final round of World Cup qualifying unless a collective bargaining agreement is reached by February 1.

　　After the union initiated a conversation, Arena sent a December 26 e-mail to union head Mark Levinstein. Arena said the sides should agree to have a January training camp, let the regular players appear in the game and work toward reaching an agreement by March 1.

　　Told that players were prepared to accept Arena's plan, management lawyer Russ Sauer said the federation would not agree to it.

　　"Bruce is not part of the negotiating team," USSF spokesman Jim Moorhouse said.

　　Arena declined comment, saying only the description of the proposal was "not completely accurate."

　　Players, who were given until last Monday to accept arbitration, are likely to reject the proposal, in which the USSF specified rules that each side must "strictly adhere to."

　　Levinstein declined comment, saying he first had to consult with the players, who are in both the US and with European clubs.

　　The USSF proposal calls for a four-year contract only and would allow an arbitrator from the American Arbitration Association to select either side's proposal, with no compromise allowed.

　　Players and management could propose non-economic changes from the deal that expired in December 2002, but none that changes "the economic relationship between the parties."

　　The economic changes would be "limited to the dollar amounts and dates only" of the payment schedule. "We believe that our offer is a strong one that's good for the players (and) the sport of soccer in the US long-term," USSF chief Bob Contiguglia said.