Top Stories

Red Bulls sign Andrew Boyens

BREAKING NEWS

Andrew_boyens_isi_photos

                                                                               Photo by ISI Photos

The New York Red Bulls have signed New Zealand international defender Andrew Boyens, multiple sources confirmed for SBI on Monday. The Red Bulls will move rookie defender Eric Brunner into a senior developmental slot to make room for Boyens on the 18-man senior roster.

A first-round pick in the 2007 MLS Draft, Boyens played 23 games for Toronto FC last season before being waived by TFC last month after being deemed surplus to requirements after Toronto acquired Marco Velez and eventually Olivier Tebily along with rookies Julius James and Pat Phelan.

Boyens, a 6-foot-4 defender will provide much-needed size and depth in central defense for the Red Bulls, as well as another option at right back, where he could be used when the Red Bulls are employing a three-man defense (though I wonder if he really has the lateral quickness to be useful there).

Boyens’ signing comes just as the club’s two veteran options at right back are both injured. Chris Leitch is nursing an MCL sprain while Carlos Mendes is nursing a quad strain.

What do you think of the signing? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I think I’m more shocked that someone was actually signed!

    I would have preferred Chris Inness, but someone said it best, RBNY went the cheap route.

    Reply
  2. Ives,

    Any confirmation on the report that Eric Brunner has not accepted being demoted to a senior developmental contract and has left the team (flown back to Ohio)?

    Reply
  3. I think it’s a great signing. He’s athletic for a guy his size and could get up in the air. Definetly a better option than Brunner. Palacio is out for at least 6 months.

    Reply
  4. Warning to all teams playing NYRB in the future: bring extra jerseys. The king of the jersey pull (his only defensive move) is back in the league.

    Reply
  5. I’d love to know why the Galaxy didn’t sign Boyens. What, Xavier, Vanney and Klein are going to make the MLS Best 11 this season?

    Reply
  6. not super exciting but giving JCO a chance and a little trust (and maybe my expectations are this low!) but at least we signed someone. that’s not the winning perspective, i know, but it seems better in this league to not roar out of the gates at the start of the season (remember 5 games into it last year)…so i’m giving JCO a chance for this year and hoping for glory next year.

    that said, why does no one applaud JCO at games? being from jersey i sort of understand there’s maybe an underriding “we’ll clap for you when we like you enough to spend the energy on clapping” …but throw the guy something. just in principle for being an active “supporter”… he hasn’t done anything NOT to get a few claps for. ok it’s late maybe i’m just retarded…work firewall caught up with SBI as not being a work-related site. it hurst and here i am at 1230 lol…

    Reply
  7. A sad statement for a club trying to make it in the NYC metro area. Instead of moving ahead, we’re moving backwards. It’s embarassing this is even listed as BREAKING NEWS (I’m not blaming Ives, just the direction this team has taken).

    Oh well… I’ll continue to enjoy the empty seats around me.

    Reply
  8. I still say Boyens has a lot of potential. I’m guessing RBNY signed him for no more than 40k per year, if thats the case then you got a deal!

    Reply
  9. This is not big news at all. We do not really need defenders as much as an attacking midfielder and eventual replacement for Jozy. We should have kept Francis Doe. Boyens is slow and is not any faster thatn Leitch back there so this is just a lateral move. We beat Columbus 2-0, tied New England and a good Toronto team 1-1 and only lost to Dallas so the defense has been holdin there own. Once Reyna is gone at the end of this year lets get a good attacking midfielder who is strong on the ball, can shoot and pass as well.

    Reply
  10. Scouting report on Boyens: good in the air, pretty strong, slowest guy on the field, ok passer, will almost never leave his feet to tackle.

    To me he’s a bit old to be considered a prospect, but serviceable at the back as a substitute. Not a starter in this league (only started cuz TFC had nothing else).

    Reply
  11. Im glad we finaly made a move, though of all the guys available, I see they went for the cheapest way, and could have done a lot better. Im tired of this club just not cutting it. Now I am not pissed cuz they havent won the title, hell I am a Mets fan, Im used to that. What I am pissed about is that they arent putting a full effort into building the best team they can. OK you went out and spend the big $ on JPA, great move, but not enough. You draft Altidore, Richards and Parke, great no namer picks. Then you got DVB, a real good leader and thats about it. Reyna, Im sorry but he is getting payed all this money to spend more time in the medical room then on the pitch. Yes I think he is a good player, but I think he should be coming off the bench. The only guy I realy cant say anything about is Conway, cuz he realy has never had a shot to show what he has, and after this season we will. Im not asking us to try and be Chelsea, I would just like to see us make moves like DC United, just with players that help us win games, haha.

    Reply
  12. I agree, I think the move was needed to gain valuable depth there. But how excited am I supposed to be with a player who was cut by TFC?? There’s gotta be a reason for that. I guess we’ll wait and see how he does.

    Reply
  13. Al,

    It could be explained better. Is there an opening on the 18 man roster (only 17?), and if Boyens is one of the 10 developmental spots he’d have to take someone elses. Its really not a matter of reading comprehension.

    Reply
  14. Al, READ DEEPER. The Red Bulls already have a 28 man roster prior to the signing of Boyens. Even with Brunner moving to a DEV slot, a DEV player needed to be released. Unless, of course, Palacio is out with year ending injury on the knee or Danny Cepero’s loan to USL2’s Harrisburg make either, if not both, exempt from roster positions with the team, which is possible.

    Reply
  15. For those asking who gets cut to make rom in the roster – READ the post:

    The Red Bulls will move rookie defender Eric Brunner into a senior developmental slot to make room for Boyens on the 18-man senior roster.

    Reply
  16. this guy is not that good. i watched him get burned all last year and was not surprised he was let go by toronto. there is no one else out there?

    Reply
  17. Ives,

    Any word if RB are looking at forwards in preparation for JA’s possible summer transfer? And if so, who?

    Thanks.

    Reply
  18. Not unexpected. Not exciting. But, still, a move towards more depth. Good news. Of course, I’m waiting for great news.

    Reply
  19. All the best to Boyens with Red Bull. Was disappointed that Toronto waived him. Not very physical, but he’s a classy player.

    Reply
  20. Decent move I guess JCO likes what he has seen..Anyways now we need to really bulk that midfield up and lose all the dead weight and build a proper squad.

    Reply
  21. Could be something… not a veteran defender with leadership experience but at least between him and Brunner the Red Bulls back-line has some height. Hopefully the two can contribute this season and I think it would definitely be worthwhile to keep both on for future years and develop them.

    I’m surprised it took Toronto dumping a player for NY to finally sign a defender. Ives any word on Jose Angulo? Any chance he could come into NY’s squad as a developmental player or does Columbus still have a discovery pick on him?

    Reply

Leave a Comment