The New York Red Bulls haven’t exactly sat idle this offseason, but head coach Gerhard Struber made clear ahead of their 2022 opener that he desires more reinforcements to realistically compete for trophies.
The Austrian manager, entering his second full year in charge of RBNY, set expectations when assessing what’s attainable after preseason camp.
“I think I am a realistic man, I am not a dreamer,” Struber said. “I know when everything goes in the right direction, when we make the right progress the next two weeks, then I think we are an interesting team. But this needs time right now. We are very, very young without many experienced players. This is the situation. I have to manage that. I have a big trust in my players that we progress in the next few weeks, but this needs time.”
Struber arrived late in 2020 from English Championship side Barnsley, then guided RBNY to their 12th straight Audi MLS Cup Playoffs appearance a season ago. They earned the Eastern Conference’s No. 7 seed before falling at the Philadelphia Union in Round One behind a long-range screamer from center back Jakob Glesnes as penalty kicks loomed.
That’s the foundation he’s looking to build upon, with the current roster averaging just 22 years of age. The likes of center back Sean Nealis and Aaron Long, at a combined 27 years of age, will be bonafide veterans alongside 25-year-old goalkeeper Carlos Coronel, who's back on a permanent move from sister side Red Bull Salzburg.
There’s no denying it’s a youth-heavy group that head of sport Kevin Thelwell has assembled in Harrison, New Jersey. And that mix of internationals, domestic acquisitions and academy/Red Bulls II players can introduce some challenges, Struber said.
“Of course the goal was that we hold the group together and find three, four, five key players to the team,” Struber continued about comings and goings. “Right now, I have to realize, this transfer window until now shows me a very difficult picture. I will be fair for my coaching team, I will be fair for my players for the next time. We have developed a team from a new start. I think we have many, many players from the academy, from the second team. We have in the end a situation to progress and develop a very young team, one more time. This is the situation.”
New York have made moves this winter, it should be noted. They now have a second Designated Player alongside striker Patryk Klimala, with Brazilian attacker Luquinhas joining last week from Polish top-flight side Legia Warsaw. Scottish attacker Lewis Morgan also arrived via trade from Inter Miami CF for a then-league-record $1.2 million in General Allocation Money.
Long’s return from an Achilles injury is a big boost, too, as is getting defender Tom Edwards and midfielder Caden Clark back on loan – the former from English Championship side Stoke City and the latter from German Bundesliga sister side RB Leipzig.
Key departures include former captain and midfielder Sean Davis in free agency to Nashville SC, plus fullbacks Kyle Duncan (free to Belgium's Oostende) and Andrew Gutman (loan from Atlanta United over). Further, striker Fabio – their second-leading scorer in 2021 with 7g/7a – is now with reigning Brazilian Serie A winners Atlético Mineiro after his loan ended.
Summed together, it leaves Struber aiming for at least a defensive midfielder and backline additions to best tackle the 34-game slog ahead. Their season starts Saturday vs. the San Jose Earthquakes, a cross-country trip to Matias Almeyda’s group at PayPal Park (6 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+).
“I will, with my boys, [give] the best and I have the feeling the progress the last few weeks goes in a good way,” Struber said. “But on the same time, we have to be realistic and to speak about a trophy would be absolutely not fair for my players.
“But we have nevertheless big goals and on the same time we realize we have to build a new group together, we have to find the ink in our identity for many new players. This is, right now, the reality.”
The Red Bulls, an MLS original club, await their first MLS Cup title. They’ve won the Supporters’ Shield in 2013, 2015 and 2018.
