Photo by Howard C.Smith/ISIphotos.com
BY MIKE NASTRI
The Red Bulls officially introduced Mexican national team star Rafael Marquez on Tuesday, making the team the first in MLS to boast three Designated Players.
Marquez signed a three and a half year deal with the Red Bulls, which he chose over a handful of top European clubs, including Juventus. He joins former Barcelona teammate Thierry Henry as recent marquee signings by a Red Bull team that was already enjoying a strong season under head coach Hans Backe.
"This isn't to finalize my career because I'm 31 years old," said Marquez. "I can still give a lot more. I come to fight, to be the best, to see my team be a champion. I don't come for a vacation. I'm coming to do my part to help my team become the champion of this league."
Marquez is expected to help stabilize an inconsistent midfield. Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe plans to use his newest weapon to control the pace of the game from a defensive midfield role. The Red Bulls coach saw him fill a similar role when he was an assistant coach with the Mexican National Team.
"He's the guy that can control and dictate the game from a center position," said Backe. "He wants the ball all the time. He used to play there and his distribution with short passes, long passes will help us enormously."
"He's a player who can play another few years at a high level and brings quality to the league, to our team," said Head of Red Bull Global Soccer Dietmar Beiersdorfer. "He can play in the middle of the field and he can distribute the balls, he can make the play faster. He can bring balance to our midfield. He's a guy that can integrate in the team. He works hard and he's a good fellow. We are convinced he will have a great impact on the pitch and in the locker room."
Despite these new additions of Marquez and Thierry Henry, Hans Backe and the rest of the Red Bulls organization maintains that the goal this year is to simply make the playoffs. That won't stop expectations from being raised and it won't stop the Red Bulls from being considered a title contender just a year after being the worst team in MLS.
New York is the second team to have three designated players, the Galaxy had Donovan, Beckham and Ruiz. Really didn’t do them much good. Be interesting to see how it works out second time around.
MLS sure did a good job getting this guy…. How else do u attract the biggest minority in this country to watch the MLS..get there captain. ticket sales are on the rise, and those Mexicans who are very skeptical about the MLS are going to be very interested now. you have the best mexican player in the last decade playing in the MLS.. i applaud you.
3 games until he is sent off.
Marquez looks like Wilmer Valderrama in this picture. 😛
Good pick-up. Still hate him.
Other big names that fit that mold (ATTN: BOB KRAFT)=
Ballack
van Nistelrooy
Essien
del Piero
Camoranesi
Lampard
Berbatov
Ferdinand
Terry
Anelka
Puyol
Ronaldinho
Eto’o
Trezeguet
Klose
Yes, he’s done his share of dirty play against the US but isn’t he dishing out the highest compliment by signing in the MLS?
I’ll settle for that.
They may be able to use there DP spots to keep worthy talent they develop from leaving right?
The Red Bulls now need to waive someone to make room for Marquez. I hate to say it, but is it going to be Mike Petke? He’s already lost his starting position.
Cannot and will not respect him for what he has done to the USMNT. Hope he gets a straight red as usual.
Not an immature comment just pure hatred.
Older and wiser now? You could make that argument for his actions in the world cup match back in 2002, but how does that justify his studs up attack on Howard just last year? And if it took him till 2009 to realize the US MNT is not in any way inferior to his Mexican squad he is a complete moron.
you know what, this is the most insightful thing I’ve read on here in a long while. some reporter get the stones to ask this please. wtf is their deal? bunch of dicks.
Y’all need to separate National team play from Club play. Marquez is older and wiser now since the relatively youthful days of taking out his frustrations on what he thought was an inferior team in the US MNT. I think he realizes now that the European professional experience of most of our US national team is not be taken lightly and he’s said as much. And I bet he’s figured out MLS is not take much inferior to the FMF (it still is, after all, MLS cannot pay the salaries Mexico does for decent South American players)
He’s already won everything he can in Europe; why not take it easy at his age in a lesser league with a decent paycheck and the NYC lifestyle ? The lighter schedule might actually help extend his career and call ups to the National team (if that’s what he even wants ?).
same here…that was criminal.
I still haven’t forgiven him for what he did to Cobi.
Ives, do you know if Chicago is going after a third DP?
Absolutely.I wish I were in Chicago for that game. You are lucky and I hope they get a third DP
it will be a doooooozy!
Marquez is a warrior on the pitch. I’d be frustrated too if I was captain of a national team that just started getting beat on a regular basis by your closest rival with whom your country had been used to dominating for many decades. Smart move by the coach to bring a player in back in to his favored/natural position, great signing for the league.
As a fan of the league and the Fire–Sunday night will be a great advertisement for the league. Name players, intense game (as both teams need points), and a sold out stadium—awesome.
I hope they work him like a horse and beat him like a mule for NYRB. If he helps NY win games great, but I still can’t cheer for the guy.
Anybody else think he looks like Mark Sanchez in the picture up top?
I don’t think I can root for the Red Bulls now that he’s in the sqaud. Cheap, dirty player, but talented. Can’t wait until he tackles Ljungberg to see how the refs handle that one.
The Henry and Marquez signings are a huge advancement for MLS. Both are massive names with ridiculous resumes, still wanted by good European teams, in their early 30s, healthy, and tied to new long term contracts. Both are in what I’d call the “MLS Sweet Spot” for impressive DP signings — big names, 29-32 years old, won in Europe, won’t make the next World Cup. If MLS can fill its DP slots with those kinds of players, the play on the field will vastly improve, which will benefit everything associated with the league. The question remains whether teams without the inherent draw of the major US cities can attract these kinds of players consistently (but should put to bed any issue about a second NY team).
Did anyone ask him about his um…sportsmanship, as a Mexican team player while playing against the US?
Lalas got more than he ever deserved. I love that he is getting further and further away from the pitch. Now hopefully he will follow the path of Tommy Smith and go further and further away from our televisions.
This is great for US soccer, really glad he chose to come to the MLS over Juventus or others. At his level of play he could have gone to any league and make a positive impact, Another great victory for the MLS, I’m excited for our league and I’m anxious to see what other great quality players come to the US.
Sure. keep opening up the wallet while publicly lowering expectations.
When you have assembled that sort of talent, your goal is not just making the playoffs. There are a lot of games to still play.
Chemistry is not usually an overnight sort of thing. It’s not like Red Bulls were a bad team to begin with. They have been turned around since the company has overhauled the team.
They can spin it however they want. Too bad Alexis Lalas isn’t still around to talk all of that superclub nonsense. I’m sure that Alexis is asking himself “Why couldn’t I have gotten that break?!? I could have managed that! Instead I got stuck with Beckham and Gullit and the Liewke…”
when will he get his debut? How long before backe puts him on the field?
I’d still like to see Cobi Jones give him a spinning back kick to the face.
Exciting… any way you want to see it.
Bienvenido Rafa Marquez!
Until they beat Columbus, they are not the favorites.