Harrison, NJ (January th, 2014) – In a whirlwind of fan backlash and social media anger, one fact remains clear – Whether the New York Red Bulls faithful like it or not, Jesse Marsch is going to be the coach of New York’s Red and White going into the 2015 campaign.
After two of the most successful seasons in franchise history, Mike Petke was shown the door. Petke had become a folk hero of sorts, having played in MLS as a fiery defender, best known for his head butt of Jason Kreis during a match. That’s the same Kreis that is going to be coaching the newly minted blue team otherwise known as NYCFC. Petke took over a Red Bulls club that bristled with star power, with Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill at the top of that list, but never could get over the hump to translate it into consistent success. At the time, it almost seemed that Petke was granted the job because of a lack of other options, but the move quickly became a popular one, as the rookie coach endeared himself to the fans.
Then came the Supporters Shield. By the end of the 2013 campaign, Petke’s squad had quickly become one of the hottest in the league. A near perfect September and October secured him his place in Red Bulls history, as he led the club to their first trophy in 18 years of existence. This all came, of course, after doubts and naysayers had Petke all but fired after the first third of the season had begun in a less than auspicious manner. 2014 brought Petke and his men an even bigger expectation, and again, there was some trouble out of the gate. However, after managing to navigate through multiple competitions with questionable results, he drove his club to finish one goal away from the MLS Cup finals after falling to New England in the Eastern Conference Finals. After that result, one would think that would solidify his job AT LEAST into next season.
That was when the cracks began to show. First the departure and subsequent retirement of Thierry Henry, then rumors of a somewhat casual offer of a one-year deal to assistant coach Robin Fraser. The Fraser contract pitch was especially interesting because it has been often whispered that the Red Bulls success had very little to do with Petke, and more to do with the acumen of Fraser.
Of course, no one would confirm or deny that suspicion, but consider this: Petke contended that he didn’t like talking about tactics because once the game started, everything could change. But, if you watched the team play, it often seemed that, with very few exceptions, the positioning of the players on the field was very strict. Sure, there were shifts, but for the most part you could easily identify the shape they took on the field whether it was a kick off, a transition, or moving through the attacking forward. All this is generalization, of course, but one moment in particular sticks out.
On August 2nd, 2014, the Red Bulls rookie center back Matt Miazga was shown red and sent off for a questionable tackle. The Red Bulls were already down a goal, and went to the locker room looking like they were out of ideas. At that point, the coaching staff turned to the drawing board, and for the first time in two years, the Red Bulls showed some tactical finesse and savvy that had been lacking. They suddenly switched formation to a 4-4-2 diamond (or a 3-4-2, with Dax McCarty as the pivot, due to the red card), which drove them to a 2-1 win despite being down to 10 men. The human catalyst for that idea was not Petke. In post game interviews it was revealed that Robin Fraser was the man with the plan.
Weeks later, under similar duress, the Red Bulls rolled out a 4-2-3-1 and beat the defending champion Sporting KC. To be honest, it was the finest half of soccer the Red Bulls had played all season to that point. Without even looking into it, one has to think that Fraser came up was the catalyst for that again, although the thanks went to a meeting Henry and Petke had behind closed doors. One has to wonder who else was in that meeting. Considering this, it’s possible that Petke was only going to be as good as the people around him. With both Fraser and Henry gone, it seemed that Petke was going to have to find his own legs, instead of standing on the shoulders of those surrounding him.
Harsh assessment? Sure, but the direction of the club was clear. Once Henry had made his decision, it was clear the club faced a turning point. Either continue to attempt to buy their way to a championship, or try and build something. That brings us to Jesse Marsch.
Marsch has been kicking around the league offices of late, much like his hiring manager, sporting director Ali Curtis. He is a former MLS defender, like Petke, and even earned two CAPs with the national team. His resume includes three MLS Cups, and four US Open Cups across 14 seasons. He’s played under four coach of the year winners – Bob Bradley, Bruse Arena, Dave Sarachan, and the infallable Preki.
After retirement, Marsch became a coach. His first and only MLS experience was managing a 12-17-5 record with a very bad Montreal Impact team in their inaugural season. That meager record was labelled a success at the time, and even though he was let go by the organization after only one season, the Impact front office insisted that it was a philosophical issue and not a talent issue. Marsch also helped coach the 2010 World Cup team as an assistant to the aforementioned Bradley, who may have left an impression. Bob, father to Michael, coached for the Red Bulls as well, and even though Bradley won’t really speak of the experience, Bradley’s ability for development may be an indicator of what Red Bulls supporters are going to get with Marsch.
Consider this for a moment. Sean Davis, recently signed ACC Midfielder of the Year, arguably is our attacking midfielder of the future. He joins Santiago Castano, Matt Miazga, and Connor Lade as the club’s current list of MLS Homegrown players. From reports at SBI Soccer, Empire of Soccer, and more, the club is not done signing homegrowns. Face it folks, the club is building a young dynamic spine to make sure the Red Bulls are successful in the long term landscape of Major League Soccer. Super teams do not work unless you have a much bigger bankroll and no salary cap. That said, with no giants to stand on and young fresh talent making their way into the organization was Petke really going to put these youngsters into the best position to succeed. Remember, this is the same Mike Petke the press circuit criticized for being way too nonchalant with his substitutions and giving the kids a chance.
No, the more one looks, the more the writing on the wall was clear. Mike Petke, Metro legend, was never going to be the guy to lead this new project. Instead, Ali Curtis immediately makes an impact, for better or worse, by bringing in someone who is interested in development, and has experience in a development setting. Certainly an expansion team and experience coaching alongside a world class coach in Bradley counts for something.
For now, Red Bulls fans, take your heart out of the equation. This seems to be the best choice for all parties involved.
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Main Photo via Bill Twowey Photography, all rights reserved by photographer.
