By DAVE MARTINEZ
Though the New York Red Bulls were once considered clear-cut favorites to win the 2011 MLS Eastern Conference crown, the team imploded with a host of problems on the field, and in the locker room.
The defense became a porous mess that forced head coach Hans Backe to retool tactically in the final quarter of the season with a crude system he dubbed "cynical soccer" in order to stay competitive. Set-piece opportunities were a constant disappointment, highlighted by the fact that a diminutive Dane Richards proved more effective in corner conversions than some of his taller and more adept scoring partners.
The lack of depth forced the team's veteran starting XI to run their legs out on the pitch, making for a slower, more prodding product in the post season. And to make matters worse, the Rafa Marquez controversy divided a locker room already burdened by a strenuous season.
Needless to say, this tumultuous campaign left New York with plenty of questions to address as they headed into the offseason. Given the opportunity to retool and correct many of these glaring deficiencies, New York still looks incomplete seven weeks out from a new season.
Here is a peak at the Red Bulls' offseason, by the numbers:
6 – The number of players acquired this offseason, including Red Bulls Academy product Conor Lade, Jonathan Borrajo, MLS SuperDraft Pick Ryan Meara, Swedish big man Markus Holgersson, goalkeeper Jeremy Vuolo and former Timbers striker Kenny Cooper.
Of the group, Holgersson is perhaps the one signing that addresses an immediate need for the team. The 6-foot-3 Swedish centerback was an anchor for the Allsvenskan champion Helsingborgs IF, and his presence will add both physicality on the defensive end and size on corner kick opportunities.
With Tim Ream's imminent departure, New York will need to add more than one reliable starting centerback option. Currently, Holgersson’s pool of partners consist of journeyman, Stephen Keel and Academy product Sacir Hot, who has yet to compete in a regular season match.
Another key (and controversial) acquisition this offseason has been Cooper. A large, prodding striker, more adept to using his feet rather than his mass to find the back of the net, Cooper addresses the teams need for size at forward. However, his addition directly impacts the future of young American prospect Juan Agudelo, who stuggled to secure starting minutes with the team last season, and Luke Rodgers, who is once again having issues acquiring a work visa.
Recently, Coach Hans Backe revealed to the New York Post his hesitance to rely on either Rodgers or Agudelo for the coming season. "I don’t expect them to come back, because I know from last year and 2010 already with the visa problems for Luke, the rumors about Juan of course, today I can’t count on them. Hopefully we’ll have an answer in the next two weeks," Backe told the Post. "We would like to get replacements in if both Juan and Luke are out."
Their absence would instantly intensify the teams reliance on Cooper, who has struggled to find his true form after battling injuries over the past few seasons.
10 – The number of players released from the side, including spot starters Chris Albright and Bouna Coundoul, and a host of substitutes; most notably, defender Carlos Mendes and defensive midfielder Stephane Auvray.
13 – In response to this deficit in depth, the Red Bulls have called in 13 guest players to camp. Taking an objective look at the pool, it is a rather underwhelming bunch. The most experienced member of this select group, Tom Williams, 31, is a career journeyman who has featured for fourteen teams over thirteen years in the English football pyramid. Former Real Salt Lake defender Willis Forko, 28, has the most MLS experience of the group, and may find a spot simply due to the fact that New York has absolutely no one to cover Roy Miller on the leftback depth chart.
An intriguing pair of players competing for a spot with the team have some local appeal. USL Pro’s top goal scorer in 2011, Jhonny Arteaga, 25, is a forward who plied his trade with the expansion FC New York franchise. The Connecticut native became an instant fan favorite for the struggling franchise, finding the back of the net 13 times in 21 appearances.
Likewise, Jose Angulo is a legend of the St. Benedict soccer system who was once regarded as a can’t miss US prospect. After failing to latch on in Europe, he was forced into the lower tiers of the American soccer system, most recently featuring for Harrisburg of USL Pro.
650,000 – The amount of money New York can add towards their allocation funds thanks to the expected transfer of Tim Ream to the Bolton Wanderers. This can be the linch pin towards attracting starting level talent to the side. SBI reported New York's interest in Colombian defender Wilman Conde just last week, claiming the Red Bulls would be prepared to buy his rights from the Chicago Fire for an amount rumored to be in the six-digit range. Ream's sale would certainly go a long way in meeting that cost.
2 – The number of goalkeepers officially on the teams roster. Meara, the 31st pick from this year's MLS SuperDraft, was the only goalkeeper on the roster before the team signed the 24-year-old Vuolo, a Hartwick College and Syracuse University product who most recently featured in AC Oulu in Finland's second tier.
Even with these two options, that still leaves New York with …
0 – Starting goalkeepers. According to Backe, Frank Rost will not return to the team this season, leaving a huge gap in net with the season a little over six weeks away. The Swedish boss has a tendency to show deference towards veteran players, and this instance is no exception. "I think because we will get two young guys in, probably we will need some veteran," Backe explained. "It is a very, very important position so we are looking for an established one."
The rumor mill keeps churning up Venezuelan goalkeeper Renny Vega, who insists a move to New York is a distinct possibility, though his name has been shot down by both general manager Erik Soler and coach Backe repeatedly.
3 – The maximum amount of Designated Players an MLS side can have. New York currently houses two big-name DPs in Rafa Marquez and team captain Thierry Henry.
Marquez struggles have been well documented. After breaking his media silence this week, the Mexican legend revealed his intention to turn a new leaf with the Red Bulls. "I’m going to let my work speak for myself," Marquez said through an interpreter. "I shouldn’t be too worried about how the fans will welcome me in the first game. It’s up to me to show them how they should be welcoming me through my work and through my performances on the field."
Meanwhile, the Red Bulls made a calculated risk in loaning Thierry Henry to Arsenal. Though his debut with the Gunners led to a magical goal scoring moment against Leeds, he picked up a calf strain in training that forced the Red Bulls captain out of this weekends Manchester United clash. Only time will tell whether or not this move will help or hinder New York's season.
As for that third spot?
"We can be quite sure there will be no No. 10 to the start of the season," Backe revealed last week. "Perhaps to the summer. We have a couple of names and negotiations with those names but not quite sure it will be a final decision before the league starts. We have the possibility to have a third DP, but as it looks now, probably in the summer."
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Do the Red Bulls have enough time to address their various needs? Are they taking the right steps towards contention this season? What do you make of their offseason?
Share your thoughts below.
Im a RB fan im not a whiny girl.. but its true.. a lot of RB fans cry for everything.. they still crying because they want to be metrostars.. dont get it..
The Krafts are not better than Red Bull as owners.
I’m being equally slow, I guess.
If you have passion for something, you tend to want to see it improve. Is this your first experience in soccer simpleton? But, by all means, enjoy your own complacency regarding your passions. Or maybe you’re suggesting that RBNY requires no improvement. It’s basically been a perfect 16 years or so.
Don’t be such a @&$! Funny and all. But, chill.
The coach needs to go..
Waiting until the summer for a #10? NY fans gave a right to moan & groan.
RB fans are a bunch of whiny girls…Instead of talking about the team, they would rather b*itch.
In this area, there is unlimited support for a quality soccer product. The fans just don’t want to buy crap.
+1. Soler/Backe will go down in history as one — if not THE — most incompetent management teams in MLS history. Red Bull management in Austria only have themselves to blame, as this has already devolved into a repeat of Soler’s complete failure with IK Start a few years ago. I can’t imagine that the empty stands and RB brand name damage can be ignored by headquarters for another year…but then again, they hired these clowns and seem to be standing behind them. What does it say about quality control in the broader RB organization?
True, but it is his job to help his own team and develop the talent for the club. There’s no upside in Luke Rodgers and a huge upside in Agudelo. As for Agudelo being lazy, he would not be getting the time with the national team if that was the case. Klinsi, and his predecessor BB, are big on work ethics and none of them had a problem with Agudelo. There is a better way to develop young talent. Look how DCU developed Najar and Hamid or what FC Dallas did with Shea. It is boneheaded and shortsighted to keep Agudelo from playing. As for Agudelo and Herny being similar, it’s a good problem to have. As smart coach would change the formation to find a way to put his best players on the field. And Henry is quite versatile, having played different positions in different systems with Arsenal and Barcelona.
Yes, I realize this, but I also know that the Red Bulls had a rather forgettable season last year, have nothing to show for it, and Rodgers will most likely not be with the team this year. Let the young talent learn through mistakes and get better, like Shea did for FC Dallas. Just imagine if Agudelo played in every game last year, how much better he would have been coming into this season.
Note to Dave Martinez: learn your possessives (or get an editor). It’s team’s, Marquez’s, and weekend’s, not teams, Marquez, and weekends.
Also, peek (not peak), plodding (not prodding, unless RBNY hired Cooper to star in porno films, where his size could indeed be an asset).
Easier said than done.
Just take a “peak” at his stats (slats?).
If you like soccer, support the club. I don’t see the support to merit a second team.
BS. Total crap. Pls stop it. What’s your point? That Juan doesn’t deserve to play? Were you at practice? All I saw was that Juan wasn’t the one with his hands on his hips. Geez, Luke should have been tossed out on several occasions for his menacing play.
A sports dynasty family like the Steinbrenners, or the Krafts, or perhaps some Middle Eastern / Arabian oil money that knows the English game needs to buy the team out from those ninnies in Salzburg and hire a proper training staff and a real coach.
This is a three ring circus, with no center, and no rhyme or reason. NY deserves way better.
Kenny Cooper is a “prodding” striker?
I became a Metrostar fan way back because as a NY state resident, the local cable company showed their games in an era when soccer was on few and fewer stations. Now (thank goodness) soccer is all over the tube and I can make a rational choice about teams to MLS teams to follow – not that I am dumping NYRB necessarily, but their crazy management makes this fan question
+1 even Bouna was okay right? the Rost signing was unnecessary and plus who thought that signing a big name keeper was going to bring ppl to the game? unless its Howard, no one is going to RB Arena to see the keeper play. If there is a surplus of young and vet players in the country its at GK, shouldn’t be hard to find one. Spend your DP money on #10 or something..
the best thing that could happen to this team would be if the Cosmos started back up on the other side of town. why? cuz it would force the idiots who run this club to put more time/intelligence/tactical choices into fixing the club..
they made a HUGE mistake 1. hiring Backe 2. firing Williams. and now here you are.
This team will not win 10 games this year. The two Scandinavian clowns running this club are clueless. If RBNY were in a league that received more scrutiny, both would be out of a job.
I really wish I was rich enough to buy the team from Red Bull. I dont like this corpoate ownership. And I’m in advertising. We need an own who cares who’s wearing the shirt and not what’s printed on it.
Maybe I am just slow today, but I don’t see the contradiction.
Hard to be a NYRB fan. Maybe they should get rid of the average coach who doesn’t seem like he cares.
but its backe’s job to win and he didnt do that
It’s not Backe’s job to help the national team. Fact is, Agudelo and Henry were too similar and Henry was better.
Moreso, Agudelo was lazy and Rodgers put pressure on the backline.
I completely agree with this. Red Bulls seem very hesitant to use young talent at GK or back. They did use Matt Kassel at RB but he is a midfielder by trade.
I dont get this need for an experienced keeper. Why not give the young keepers some playing time? Look how good tally hall, sean johnson, josh saunders and bill hamid have become. You cant continue to try and rebuild every year and expect to win championships
Agreed, certainly not a mess. Redbulls finished first in the East two years ago and got to semifinals of the playoffs last year. I think some of the local media is biased against the coach because they don’t have a personal relationship with him and he’s not playing enough Americans.
No Luke Rogers? Are you effing kidding me? That’s like losing Lindpere. Backe has such a couldn’t give a crap attitude it seems. Luke was a HUGE spark to this team.
Agudelo was good and I am not sure at all about Cooper. Hopefully his annoying father won’t be there complaining about Kenny like he’s in 5th grade.
And Marquez. At least the guy has the good sense to know that his product was substandard. Why this guy is allowed to take ANY set pieces or corners is beyond me. He’s relatively solid on D and ball movement but not much else.
It all boils down to a lack of soul for this team. There is no sense of cohesiveness. Rogers and Lindpere are about the only people close to that. Love Henry but he’s too much of a lone wolf.
Yeah.. totally! I mean.. there was such a hugely successful history before RB came in.
Leave the poor equine carcass alone.
Really , all that dosnt worry , me at all …besides rost we kept our starting 11( Tim is not sold yet) ..will add 2 good cb , add depth to other areas . Why cooper ,do you remember last year that Dane played forward ,and balluchy…I am not worry at all…btw Mendes wasn’t released. Luke Rodgers is excellent player that gel with Th14 much better that Juan. Juan needs to put his head to a practice ,as Ream said if he practice same way in club as he do for Nats would be a different story…
Bit of a contradiction here, no?
“3 – The maximum amount of Designated Players an MLS side can have. New York currently houses two big-name DPs in Rafa Marquez and team captain Thierry Henry.”
“As for that third spot?”
Obviously I understand the point you’re making and am not trying to be an a$$, just bringing it to everyone’s attention.
Great article, I love this site. Thanks! I’m just shaking my head at this team. I’m looking forward to the season, but wish there was reason to be excited. Such a disappointment, where is the team’s identity?
The mess is all of RB’s making. If ALL of them went away, the NY/NJ franchise might have a shot.
-Either Soler and/or Backe will be gone before the end of the season.
-Agudelo, if Backe continues to sit him on the bench, is going to leave, most likely to another MLS team.
-Marquez is going to do something stupid again before hightailing it to the nearest airport.
-Henry is going to come back and realize how much of a downgrade RBNY is from Arsenal and will most likely come out to the press about how clueless either Backe and/or Soler are.
-Don Garber will continue to talk about adding a second NY team, ignoring that its a complete pipe-dream and that the city can barely support one.
How many of these will come true? Only time will tell.
You do realize the only league game the Red Bulls won last year without Luke Rogers on the field was the first one right?
Hopefully Agudelo moves to a different team soon. He needs to move to a team where the coach will provide him with regular playing time. Playing Luke Rodgers ahead of a young talent like Agudelo is incredibly shortsighted.
I think this post illustrates the definition of a mess, and I’m a NYRB fan. I think it’s pretty clear that Richie Williams added a TON to the 2010 season. I’m pretty sure that Williams was the one who chose Ream.