By CAITLIN MURRAY
A group of New York Red Bulls fans are angry over the firing of coach Mike Petke and they made sure Red Bulls leadership knows it.
As pointed questions and expletives flew, the atmosphere was tense Friday night at a town hall-style event hosted by the Red Bulls for 300 season ticket-holders on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The most frequent question was a simple one — why was Petke fired? — but the audience did not seem to like any of the responses they received.
“It was a difficult decision, of course. My compass has always been trying to do what’s best for the club,” sporting director Ali Curtis said before being interrupted by fans in the audience. “He was a good coach for the team.”
“Great coach,” a man yelled. “Best ever,” another yelled. “Don’t even (expletive) say his name,” another called out.
Curtis revealed the Red Bulls had received their signed USL Pro agreement Friday night, which along with youth development and a new science-based performance center, represents a new direction for the club — a direction that required a new coach, he said.
“We need a coach that can string together all those different areas in a way that’s innovative and sophisticated,” Curtis said, “and Jesse can do that in a very smart way and that’s why we thought it was important to hire him.”
Joining Curtis to take questions at the event was general manager Marc de Grandpre, new head coach Jesse Marsch, who is Petke’s replacement, and goalkeeper Luis Robles, who said he opted to attend on his own.
The event appeared to be an attempt at damage control after an overwhelmingly negative reaction to the club’s firing of Petke, who steered the Red Bulls to a Supporters’ Shield in 2013 and the playoff semifinals last year, the club’s best two seasons in its 19-year history.
It remains to be seen how well it worked. Some supporters in the audience demanded refunds, but De Grandpre said the club’s policy is not to refund tickets.
Media were not allowed into the event, but audio was posted online by Saturday and the first half hour was streamed live by an audience member.
For Marsch, it was hardly a welcome wagon. Though the animosity from the supporters was mostly directed at Curtis, all four on the panel had answers interrupted by angry outbursts.
“Believe it or not, I love this passion,” Marsch said. “There’s a lot of clubs in this league that would have none of this. I know how privileged I am to be the coach of this team. I’m excited to be here. I know I have a huge challenge ahead of me.”
“You have one year,” a man from the audience called out.
“I’ll take whatever I can get, quite honestly,” Marsch responded, “because I’m proud to be here and I’m going to give everything I have every day. There’s great leaders in this team already. I’m not here to take things 180 (degrees). I’m not here to take away the identity of what the club is.”
Marsch seemed to win over the audience as the night wore on, drawing applause along the way by vowing to work hard for the team and avoiding being drawn into comparing his plans to Petke’s.
“I’m not trying to say anything about anybody in the past, but I feel strongly we’re going to be able to move in a direction to take this club to a new plateau,” Marsch said. “Ultimately, what’s going to matter is, ‘What are the results?’ If we lose, you’re going to hate me. If we win, maybe you’ll learn to put up with me.”
One fan asked if the club would start taking the U.S. Open Cup and the CONCACAF Champions League seriously. Marsch said it’s not easy to manage the tournaments in the middle of the MLS season, but he hoped to field the Red Bulls’ best players in those competitions.
Marsch added some may “mock” his record with the Montreal Impact, where he coached for one season, but it was the “second-most successful team ever in expansion history” because the team progressed and looked for consistency.
The stunning decision to fire Petke last week seemed to even catch Petke by surprise. Days earlier he had tweeted about his excitement for the 2015 season.
Robles said after a strong season — the Red Bulls were one goal away from landing in the MLS Cup — the coaching change shouldn’t affect the players.
“I don’t think any of the momentum that we had at the end of the season has left,” Robles said. “The reason I say that is because I’m speaking from a player standpoint. I know that the guys are itching to get back out there.”
Agree that Petke firing is a joke, and he was the most successful and passionate coach in history. Terrible suicidal move relative to the fan base!
Either way, Petke firing is a joke, he was the most successful and passionate coach we had in history. At a minimum he deserved to be continued for another year or 2. Terrible move by organization to stab all us fans in the back just in time when NYCFC is coming, we will not show up and pay for a game this year!
“…move in a direction to take this club to a new plateau”
haha, that is great
any more words on how he will model the style of play after the energy drink?
Last summer, i was so shocked at the announcement that
Red bull isn’t fielding a usl pro team of their own. (Especially after
rsl and others had already announced their intentions.
Then, no summer big-name signing.
To me, clearly not the behavior of a club that intends to
compete with nycfc. faux-fight and sell is my guess as the to
what we’re seeing here.
You are delusional if you think it was Ali Curtis that decided to fire Mike Petke. That came from higher up and he is the fall guy. That being said I believe he has made the most of it and hired a good replacement. Certainly better than Hans Backe. Anyone faulting Marsch for taking the job or calling him a pariah does not know how replacing people happens in the real world. You don’t let someone go unless you think you can find an improvement before letting them go.
Petke failed this season…he didn’t know the yellow card rule where BWP was suspended… he substituted when trailing in matches by 1 goal in the 87th minute or stoppage time. One would think he was trying to help the other team win. The team almost missed the playoffs! He promised that all competitions would be taken seriously -seriously look at those results and his starting line-ups. The minority voice of the fan base albeit the loudest are upset, I am not. The RedBulls need to replace the genius of Henry or BWP and our boys will struggle. To cry for Petke is just as embarrassing as the team’s regular season performance. Poor Mike – YES. If he was that good of a coach he will do a Bruce Arena and win a cup or two before NYRB ever does. Anyone willing to take this bet? I bet NOT!
Fair enough,…but is Marsh an upgrade? Would you want Ali Curtis,…who based on early impressions appears to weak,…to be making these critical decisions? Would you want a guy who fired Bruce Arena, Marc de Grandpre involved at all?
Even if you believe Curtis’ bullsh!t about some science based approach, and youth-senior team integration, etc.,….you don’t think they could have given Petke the benefit of one season to see if he could fit in to Curtis’ self-styled “sophisticated” plan/project? Petke earned, at least that.
It is the sum of all these things that have the supporters bent out of shape.
Grown men melting down…over the firing of a coach is absurd. And fan[atical], perhaps? Oh my. Dude, I believe the tortured version of English is sometimes called by its vernacular, American. I only listened to the audio version of this meet up. It very much reminded me of a televised session of Parliament. In short, it sounded like a very public display of affection. I’ll leave it to the reader to decide if I mean the more archaic form.
I truly feel Red Bull is not running the club anymore for a few reasons.
1. Houllier has been involved with the hiring of the coaching and sporting director positions over the past 3-5 years, but has been completely silent recently. In addition these don’t seem like logical Houllier hirings. What would his connection to them be?
2. If Red Bull/Houllier aren’t making these hirings and the League is running the club, it would make total sense that the League would bring in employees that are already on their payroll to run the club.
3. The reality is that the League signs the players so it makes sense that the Red Bulls would be in the discussion for players like Mix, Jozy and Sacha. If the League felt it made more business sense to have those players at Red Bull they would have done it.
Well now, Steve. You know we have a perfect record of being transparent and honest with our customers. Why would we ever hide anything like a flag ship NY franchise being sold back to us by disillusioned owners? (Maybe cause two in one year is too much bad publicity in our view? Naaaahhh…)
And that has always been the problem with the Redbulls, they only play “when it matters”. Here’s a clue, all matches matter. At least to the supporters.
Sorry Supa,…that is a tough argument to make. The Red Bulls won the Supporters Shield in 2013 and were a whisker away from MLS Cup in 2014,….sounds like a team that was getting sh!t done,…formthe most part.
While some may look down their noses at the Supporter’s Shield,…I, as a season ticket holder got great satisfaction out of it. It said to me,…the team is winning its games,…it matters that we win in front of our fans. There is no downside to that!!!
Unfortunately, the team did not get it done in the CCL and when it matters most in MLS: the playoffs.
Not sure I agree with that. As a soccer traditionalist,…I am more interested in the teams performance across the regular season. I am a single table guy. Not that that matters to anyone in MLS corporate.
but they were in the picture 2 years in a row after being dog poop before that, right?
“I watched every game in 2014. I watched every game in 2013. We want an up-tempo, high energy, dynamic style of play. The reality is, that didn’t happen.”
Not true. They played, when it mattered, some of the best proactive soccer we’ve seen in almost 20 years of MLS. We all saw it.
If someone steps in and buys the Rudbulls and the team gets its third name they at least have a simple way to establish continuity: bring back Mike Petke
I’ve done some research today…I can’t find a single instance in England, France or Spain over the past decade where an incoming sporting director/GM started their job with this much vitriol and survived. And by survive, I mean the first season.
Much the same is true for North American sports teams.
Curtis is dead man walking with regard to his job…
Marsch is in slightly better territory because he has a chance…but if RBNY start the season with a series of losses, then he’ll be on the employment funeral pyre with Curtis.
For what it’s worth, it all makes considerably more sense in the event that ownership is looking to sell (I have no evidence of this.. simply an observation). Having a couple of inexpensive, unpopular rentals minding the store is not such an unattractive situation.
Supposing (for example) Red Bull has already been in advanced discussions with an interested party who wanted to buy the club but did not want Petke as head coach. Firing Petke (who clearly still has some vocal support within the fanbase) as a “first move” is probably something the new owner would want to mess with…. and it’s probably something Red Bull would be happy to do on their way out the door to tidy up the asset if that is the feeback they are getting from the market.
LIke I said, no idea if this is the case, but it’s a possible explanation
Right maybe but why go through the motions with Altidore then? I just don’t see the imminent sale sticker. Maybe RB corporate is good at hiding intent but it seems like they are just taking a cheaper route.
I hear you… and I agree that there is a certain element of “they don’t really know what they’re doing at all” that is impossible to ignore.
But going through the motions with high-profile transfers is a dirt-cheap way to feign engagement with the fanbase, and it the case of Altidore, it was almost a “must” given his history with the club. I think they may have been genuninely concerned about Jozy moving to NYCFC, which is the sort of “direct hit” that NYRB is trying to avoid in their little faux-fight with the new neighbors.
Fact is, NYRB is neither a major money maker, nor a major money loser for its Austrian parents based on operating performance alone. If the team “goes for it” and puts an expensive team/staff together, they might make/lose $10-12 million in operating income depending on competitive success and interest. If they “cheap out”, they might make/lose $2-5 million (with less risk, but less upside).
These are not big numbers to the parent, a foreign company with several billion in annual revenue and many lines of business. Not at all. However, the funds generated from a sale (which would likely include the stadium/land), would be somehwere in the 250-750mm range, which would be rather more interesting for them.
Keeping the underlying assets “flexible” for potential new owners, and clean of controversial/entrenched figures, high salaries, or burdensome contracts maximizes the pool of potential buyers (as well as what they are willing to pay)
I see what you’re saying and it would seem possible the team is for sale in that light. I hope you’re right.
If you like Mike Petke, you should be grateful to Curtis, he saved Petke’s career. This team as currently constructed doesn’t make the playoffs. New England is just as good, Columbus is better, DC is probably a bit better, TFC is better, Philly will be a bit better, NyCFC and Orlando can make a run. If Petke is managing and the team misses the playoffs, was the success Henry or him?
Henry was around on that team before Petke and that team sucked
Not really. The 2012 team scored 57 points, good for sixth in the supporters shield race. Care to guess how many they scored to win the shield the next year? 59, tied for the lowest point total since 2008. The other three recent winners needed at least 64 points. Sure, you can only beat who you play, but 59 points got DC third this year.
Hans Backe took 46 points his first season and 57 the next, an 11 point improvement, and was fired. Pete took 59 points, then 50, a seven point drop. Both crashed out of open cups. Pete crashed out of CCL. Both won one playoff series, neither made mls cup, despite having significantly larger payrolls than their opponents. Given pure statistics, why not fire Petke? Is he the guy you really want overseeing your rebuild? What if he stayed and got 46 points next year? Missed the playoffs?
Thank you, SD.
So many RBNY fans whining like butthurt crybabies. It’s embarrassing.
Professional soccer is a business. Two years in a row this team had the players to win the whole thing. Two years in a row, they failed.
For a city like New York that’s not good enough.
Ok I’ll take the bait or whatever your answer was.
“Two years in a row, they failed.”
First off son, a supporters shield aint cupcakes to win. So you clearly don’t understand the league. So get off your nintendo and lern.
Second, you say two years. Hell, this team has been around since 1996 so its actually what like 18 years? Again you don’t understand the league so try the happy meal before you learn the big mac, ok bud?
Go get your shinebox.
Troy, your a funny guy
Batts gets murdered in the end, just saying
You are (nearly) everything that’s wrong with the world (hyperbole; but seriously, you are horrible). Stupid internet argumentation like “butthurt”, check. Seeing everything as a cold business, and accepting it as such, no matter how pure it is elsewhere, check. Take your miserable worldview away with you.
observations from the vid –
The Fans are great, funny, and, as many of them have seniority (by a distance) in the room, deserve more respect by management. They are the future of the club and any they’ve been slighted.
Jesse Marsch was the only person who gave them the respect they deserved, answered questions properly, and sounded humble and up to the occasion. Still only got 1 year though, or 8 months as one fan put it, before 2016 tix go on sale.. brilliant stuff.
Ali Curtis did not answer questions – when he easily could have, there was nothing to hide at this point. I’m worried about him because it seems like he will never connect to the fans.
Marc de Grandpre would have been the first one to throw fists. I’m still not sure if that is a positive or a negative.
Lol this is indeed hilarious. Grown men melting down like that over the firing of a coach is absurd. I live in NYC, and although I’m a neutral I have attended a handful of Red Bulls games a year for the past 10 years. Petke didn’t seem to have much tactical acumen, and in my opinion never seemed to effectively utilize his best players. I will however miss Petke’s tortured version of the English language – I used to derive great pleasure from reading his meandering sentences. Also, the idea that Marsch “stabbed him in the back” is hyperbolic nonsense – managers get canned in professional sports leagues all the time, and frequently replacements have been lined up beforehand. This is not nearly as dramatic as it is being made out to be on these boards. And a coach being fired by new management also happens all the time. All that said, I agree that the team has not been well managed, and part of the reason I’ve never gotten behind the team is the ridiculousness of the energy drink branding (and correspondingly awful logo). Also had a good laugh at Ali Curtis’ pronouncement that he had a “sophisticated plan.” Should be a fun show to watch.
“Also, the idea that Marsch “stabbed him in the back” is hyperbolic nonsense – managers get canned in professional sports leagues all the time, and frequently replacements have been lined up beforehand”
Clearly you need a lesson in management 101…
Give plausible deniability to the new coach…Marsch lost it when Curtis when public with the timeline of the hiring process…as a result, Marsch should go too.
Yes, it happens all the time, just like Presidents flouting the law, but it’s only “true” to the people if they get caught, a la Nixon.
Marsch got caught.
Further, being a New Yorker, I would think you’d know better than to term any sports franchise a simple business…last time I checked, IBM and Prudential have no such thing as “fans”.
You are correct however, new management does have the right to change the coach and often in history has…but very few times has it been as botched from a public relations standpoint as this situation.
Manchester United fans were every bit as responsible for the firing of David Moyes before the end of his first year…for only winning at a 60% clip…and while I know he followed arguably the greatest club coach in the history of the sport, the point is that if you rally the supporters behind an idea, they will find a way to get ownership to hear them and act.
I hope the same is true for when it comes to the new sporting director and the guy who stabbed Petke in the back.
Apple doesn’t have fans? Sorry but a business can absolutely have fans.
LOL as your scoffing at criticism at the firing of Petke, while admitting that the team might as well be managed by orangutans. The firing of Petke is part of that very same chronic mismanagement you referenced, and that’s why there’s so much outcry. Try to look past the 5 feet in front of you.
*at not as
Thanks for this article, the MLS version of this story, roughly two paragraphs, barely resonated the same tone as this one. Not surprised, just appreciative of the alternative.
I watched the video of the Town Hall and was extremely disappointed with the performance of the folks on the podium. A few observations:
1. Marc de Grandpre – why is he even in the picture any more? This is the guy that fired Bruce Arena. Really? Is this guy the owner’s nephew or something?
2. Ali Curtis – Wow! I was embarrassed for the guy. Callow and sophmoric are the words that come to mind. His appearance did more harm than good. If he or de Grandpre were worth their salt, they would have started the Town Hall with some opening statements,…mainly, explaining why Ali Curtis fired Mike Petke. Curtis should have just come out and said what he thinks,…that the Red Bulls succeeded in spite of Mike Petke and that Jesse is his ‘boy’ from the corporate headquarters. Supporters in attendance would not have liked it,…but at least he would have addressed the question head on,…instead of providing long winded non-answers. He is also very impressed with himself. His comments about “his” idea to create a reserve league via USL was laughable. A reserve league using minor league teams,…you don’t say Ali. That is a real novel idea! That is like Kevin Payne patting himself on the back for naming the team DC United instead of DC Burn or DC Clash or DC Mutiny. Really? Where do these people come from? (An aside,…this is what concerns me about MLS. The talent level of business people is so dreadfully low. It really is all about this incestuous little community rather than real business acumen.) Also,,..all this business about new science-based approach, and USL development team and focus on youth teams….yeah, thats all well and good but why could you have adopted all of these methods/programs with Mike Petke as coach? Lastly,…someone should have hammered Curtis on his one year contract. He has all these grand plans,…but doesn’t he think it odd that the club only offered him a one year deal? Either he is the dumbest focker ever to come out of Duke,…or worse,…he knows that Red Bull are positioning to sell and didn’t want to get into any long term commitments that would weigh down a sale and they told him up front,…hey, Ali,…one and done, it will be good for your resume. In sum,…he came off as a clown. All the designer eyeglass frames and suits wont hide that. Curtis is a ‘real smarty art’…ain’t he. Very disappointing for the club.
3. Jesse Marsh – can you blame the guy for taking the job? Sorry folks,…you cant. Its not his fault Curtis fired Petke. Curtis calls and says,…hey, you want to coach the Red Bulls? What do you expect Marsh to say? He acquitted himself very well under some difficult circumstances. At this point,…I am thinking the club should just save some time and trouble and fire Curtis and let Marsh run the whole show.
4. Luis Robles – some attendee abused Curtis and de Grandpre….they should not have enlisted Robles as some sort of shield. Very poorly played, indeed.
All in a very disappointing night for the club. What makes it all the more disappointing is that after 16+ years of futility,…you kind of had the feeling things were going in the right direction and now this.
BTW – A few weeks ago I recommended that the Red Bulls — post Henry and perhaps Cahill,…go balls to the wall to get Mix Diskerud, Jozy Altidore and Tim Ream. The way I figured it,…build on the momentum by spending some dough on young USMNT pool players. A midfielder, a forward and defender all in their primes. What happens,…Mix goes to NYCFC, Jozy goes to Toronto FC and their is no word on bolstering the central defense. So Red Bulls lose out on two players THAT WANTED TO COME TO NEW YORK, and to make matters worse they lose out to their local and conference rivals. Again,…very disappointing. And all we hear about is science-based yahda, yahda.
I have front row seats at Red Bull Arena. I’m thinking that will come in handy when I have to vomit over the railing at the opening match.
Excellent! I agree on every point. I especially agree that the team was finally gaining some traction with the more casual supporters and even the media. The building was filling up those last few weeks and there was more written about the team during the playoffs by the mainstream media than ever before. I suspect that given the lack of reinforcements the team will struggle early and will revert to being a non-entity to all but the real supporters. Curtis wanted his man but this move was a real dagger into the heart of the supporters, and in the year that NYCFC joins. This wasn’t firing Rex Ryan, this was firing their most successful coach after missing the final by one goal!
Wonderful analysis, fellas. It makes me want to watch that video again. MLS in NY is going to be a great storyline this year. I’m hoping it pans out for the best for both teams this season, but is it safe to assume that NY2 has the higher ceiling?
You’ve got your facts wrong…damn straight people should expect Marsch to say “no” when Curtis called, or at least have said not to talk to him until Petke was fired. Marsch knew exactly what he was doing…he was knowingly furthering his own ambition at the expense of another coach.
He and Curtis should both go…and at this point I almost don’t care who the next coach is, but is RBAustria had any sense and planned on keeping the team, they’d fire both, throw the bank at Arena to come in and be the sporting director and coach or bring back Petke to coach.
Rob,…
Big guy,…it is NOT about facts. It is your OPINION that Marsh should have spurned Ali (“smarty art _____”) Curtis’ advances.
Get your sh!t together, man.
Brian…
Please…the point was the timeline…that is FACT…are you the only person that didn’t understand that?
Again, please…get it together.
Your emotions have detached you from reality. Leave Marsh alone. Focus on Curtis and de Grandpre.
This was a super post. Interesting hearing the reactions of the NYRB faithful….The offseason drama coming out of NY this year is as thick as it gets.
Thanks,…man. It is brutal being a NYRB supporter.
I go to the matches with our other guys who all have renewed with NYRB but who have also purchased NYCFC season tickets. Message to NYRB, Ali (“smarty art ______”),…these guys are gone after 2015. You’ve lost them.
BTW – I luv the Diego Maradoughnuts handle!
Maybe Robles was there because he wanted to support his new bosses? Or maybe he -I know, not possible- agrees with the decision? Sure, the fans loved Petke, but did the players?
A player had to be there. No players at the Town Hall would have been a point of derision
If you look around MLS, almost without exception the clubs that consistently win are those that have good management that knows whom to hire, and then let’s them do their thing with support, not micromanaging interference. From the RotMasters to the current incarnation, the management just won’t allow a coach to stay in place and build his vision over several years. Just look at some of the coaches who “failed” in NY. All because of meddling, incompetent management.
Even those who despise the Galaxy have to admit that AEG was shrewd in giving Arena full reins to run the club. In every interview I’ve read about Arena’s relationship with management he consistently gives them high marks, and I believe he’s very honest with his feelings in this matter. Simply put, they support him, and let him do his thing.
The long-suffering fans in NY/NJ deserve much better. I hope that a deep pocketed soccer fan comes along and buys this club from the Red Bulls. That’s the only long term solution for stability.
Oh come on, we all know Arena and Bradley couldn’t win or build anything…
Here before Red Bull GmbH . Here during Red Bull GmbH. Here after GmbH.
Get your schizophrenic ownership and product name off my team. #RedBullOut
The style of play is defined as a caffeinated drink according to Marsch. I guess that translates to “high energy” or “high tempo” or something but yeah, I’m with you.
Marsch spoke about this comment on Friday night in the town hall. I thought the way he handled it was well.
My comment got deleted or never made it 🙁
I wrote, what’s the asking price again, it’s 250$ million right, which is a cheap price, given that is New York market team.
For example, down in ligaMX, the original chivas are for sale and their owner Vergara is asking for 900$ millions dollars, which includes stadium and the copy rights for the United States.
I think garber needs to help red bull sale and help nyrb fans and make a wizards rebrand. If red bull really wants to stay in MLS, then be the jersey and stadium sponsor.
Ideally, they’ll end up selling the rights to the team to a joint ownership groups including with the Cosmos involved.
I wanted to move on from the Red Bulls too and also get a refund of my season tickets. But after watching this here are my thoughts:
1) Please, please someone buy this team from Red Bull. Cosmos preferably.
2) Ali will be gone soon enough but by then no one will really care.
3) Marsch didn’t really add anything compelling but he did show character in how he handled himself and how he addressed the Petke situation and how it relates to what he’ll do/be as a coach.
4) I just can’t quit this team. Was thinking of migrating to NYCFC but it churns my stomach thinking about it.
Marsch handled himself well? Really…? No one truly asked him what it felt like to stab another coach in the back like he did. You don’t think that the talk is already quietly going around the league that Marsch is a pariah? I’ve got news for you, Mr. Marsch has allowed his own personal ambition and selfishness to get in the way in a career move. It may end up being a dead-end for him. Oh, and by the way, he is not an imaginative coach. He asks to give us time? I’ll give the players time, but not him. The sooner he and Curtis are gone the better for everyone involved.
He is the same as Curtis…he knows fansoeak better than Ali.
Well I am no Marsch apologist and I mostly agree with you but we are where we are. I will go to cheer the players not Marsch, not Ali and certainly not Red Bull corporate.
Dude, really? Marsch didn’t stab anyone in the back. That’s how coaching jobs are – if someone offers you an interview, you don’t turn it down. Petke was gone anyway; if Marsch hadn’t interviewed, someone else would have and it would’ve just meant Marsch had given up an opportunity for a head coaching job, which would’ve been dumb.
Do you really think Petke has any hard feelings toward Marsch? Of course not. It’s not as if Marsch publicly campaigned for the job while Petke was still in it.
You clearly don’t understand how this stuff works in the public eye…you don’t get caught red-handed at doing something that most people knows goes on behind the scenes…because when you do, you are a pariah…
As for Petke, doesn’t have any hard feelings towards Marsch? You know this how?
I beg to differ on all of your points…
Red Bulls fans throwing Marsh out is stupid. You may have a legitimate complaint against the firing of Petke but it is a done deal. Marsh might actually be decient and is pretty easy to root for. You could do a lot worse.
Keep you focus on Curtis and de Grandpre those guys are the villians
If that’s how things work in the public eyes of NYRB Fans, then 1) they don’t understand something every other group of fans in the world does and 2) they need to be educated.
Cosmos? Will never happen. Research it.
How about someone buys it and brings back the club’s real name: MetroStars?
I was crying during that two minute period where they just keep yelling “Why did you fire Petke?!!”
I have to believe that deep, deep, down inside Garber & the owners realize what a mistake it was to allow RedBull GmbH to name this team “Red Bulls”, to give them the same uniform as their other teams, and to cling to their anti-marketing theories.
Just can’t seem to get them out soon enough
I have to believe that deep, deep, down inside Garber & the owners realize what a mistake it was to allow RedBull GmbH to name this team “Red Bulls”, to give them the same uniform as their other teams
Chivas USA
Redbulls
NYCFC
Nope. The league/garber is alarmingly tone deaf at times.
It’s all about the bling, baby. We’re corporate whores. We give a franchise to any sucker who will slap down the cash. We got D1 locked down, so most a you sheep who absolutely have to follow a “major league” team have no choice but to choke down what we’re serving: McSoccer. Get used to it, suckas!
The NASL is rising Don. I,m not saying that as any kind of NASL fan boy. Nor am I saying they are going to be D1 soon. It is just a reality that NASL is getting bigger and getting a few headlines as well. Nipping at your heals Don, nipping at you heals
I hope fans come to their senses and realize that Marsch is a mouthpiece for Curtis. They are complicit in a terrible and dishonorable decision. Marsch knew damn well he was stabbing Petke in the back almost as much as Curtis was…
Curtis has never had a front office job at a club…
Marsch was never even hired as an assistant in the league let alone a head coach
I wonder why both of those things are true…
Marsch was never hired as an assistant or head coach after his tenure in Montreal is what I meant to write
Jersey Boy is the only one in my opinion who gets this theme correctly.
The majority of the guys commenting here are just distractions diluting an honest reaction in anger to a huge injustice.
Ali Curtis has to leave or apologize to the fans. There is not a single reason for asking Petke to leave.
I would say unto the sincere fans: Stop going to the Red Bulls games unless Red Bulls apologizes through Ali Curtis. You fans are the consumers, the real reason for the business! But you have to have certain ethics and principles in any walk of life. You cannot bow to a dictatorship!
This is all great. Not the Petke fire. I was against that like many of the fans. However, it is great to see such passion from the fan base. And fans calling out management when they fell a bad decision was made by the club. I don’t think we would have seen this five years ago. Good luck to Petke,wherever he ends up. And good luck to Jesse Marsch, I also thought his firing was pre-mature in Montreal. .
I liked Petke’s approach, but one thing still bothers me: If you have a player like Cahill, you can’t find a starting role for him? I guess you could argue that goals were not the problem, but I still think Cahill could have been used more effectively.
No. Cahill effectively lost his job to BWP. When your target striker is having a record setting season you can’t take him out. Cahill isn’t a playmaker and whenever they played him in the midfield he was a defensive liability. There was no room for him in the 4-3-2-1 when you had stronger options with Henry, Sam and Peguy.
“Great coach,” a man yelled. “Best ever,” another yelled. “Don’t even (expletive) say his name,” another called out.
hahaha, man, I would have loved to be there. Robles probably went just for the healthy chuckle.
That said, this town hall thing is cool, and it seems Marsch handled it cooly, and won some hearts and minds. Good luck to him.
I am no fan of Marsch but he handled it the best he could. He didn’t really have anything meaty to add, only generalities. But this was tense and he took it well.
+1 This event sounds like comedy gold. Any SBI folks get in on the act?
“Great coach,” a man yelled. “Best ever,” another yelled.
“Don’t even (expletive) say his name,” another called out.
“You have one year,” a man from the audience called out.
That’s pure comedy gold. May even be worth sitting through the livestream video that is linked in the video to see it delivered.
Aw shucks, you beat me to it! Mos def watch the video, it’s full of middle aged male sports outrage at it’s comical crest.
I actually stopped watching it. Funny, but uncomfortable, with all those rude adults. Shame.
It starts off super cringey, but eventually turns into something genuinely watchable
give it another shot
Yeah, I came back to it. It’s fun.
The truth is that Marsch was right, the energy that showed up for that town hall and for the supporters group for this team is hard to find in MLS clubs.
Shame on no one but people who repress how they feel. Good for these guys because they certainly voiced my feelings about Petke’s firing and the general incompetence of Red Bull corporate.
Constantly interrupting people with shouts of profanities isn’t really my bag, not even in front of kids, but hey, if you think that’s how human beings should express themselves and interact, more power to you.
At the very least, all this nonsense will make for a very interesting tense season. The bigger issue than the coach is the simple lack of talent on the roster at the moment.
Ps – anyone who thinks they deserve a refund from the team is delusional.
Its not like there is a lack of talent from the roster just because Henry is gone. BWP, McCarty, Sam, Robles, Luyindula, (Cahill) are all very good players. Not to mention some others like Miller, Alexander, and Stolz. Its just are defensive li needs work.
cant they just give it to someone on the season ticket waiting list? surely there is one, there is like 10 million people in every direction from there 🙂