NY Red Bulls have bigger problems than Mike Petke

Firing Mike Petke doesn’t fix the real problems plaguing the New York Red Bulls this winter.

It has been a little over 48 hours since rumors of the move first emerged, and New York Red Bulls fans are still reeling over the firing of head coach, club legend and beloved figure Mike Petke. Unhappy supporters have hit out at the Red Bulls on social media websites, they have written emails to those in the RBNY front office, and some have even threatened to cancel their season tickets. There remain far more questions than answers about the decision Red Bulls Sporting Director Ali Curtis made other than the idea that they merely got “his guy” Jesse Marsch a job upon accepting the New York gig back on December 23.

The entire situation is a mess that isn’t getting cleaned up anytime soon.

With that said, what’s done is done. Curtis clearly had zero faith in Petke being able to install and execute whatever plan the current club sporting director has for the Red Bulls, and thus the move was made. I guess winning a Supporters’ Shield, the first ever meaningful trophy in franchise history, isn’t worth anything these days. The same could be said about the Red Bulls assuming that certain rumors/reports are accurate.

If the Red Bulls are, in fact, not cutting costs leading up to a sale, and the team is legitimately not on the market, those leading the club are doing nothing of merit to silence such speculation. Captain and designated player Thierry Henry has left the Red Bulls and retired. Rumors continue to swirl that the Red Bulls are shopping DP Tim Cahill, perhaps to another Major League Soccer team. Bradley Wright-Phillips, who equaled the MLS single-season scoring record in 2014, was awarded with a DP deal, but it is believed that his salary will not be as expensive as either Henry’s or Cahill’s.

Fans of the Red Bulls looking for some light to emerge from the darkness of Wednesday’s reality were presented a tease when it was reported that former New York front man Jozy Altidore could link back up with the club. Altidore lit it up while with Eredivisie outfit AZ Alkmaar, but he has not located his scoring form since making the switch to Premier League side Sunderland. It was first rumored during this past summer’s transfer window that MLS/the Red Bulls were looking at acquiring Altidore.

Not so fast, Red Bulls supporters. All indications are that Altidore won’t be featuring up top along with Wright-Phillips anytime soon. What is the reason for the Red Bulls supposedly passing up on a 25-year old United States Men’s National Team player who could be a change of scenery away from once again routinely hitting the back of nets during games? You guessed it: The asking price.

It’s not all rain clouds and sadness over at Harrison, New Jersey. The Red Bulls are reportedly eying a move for USMNT midfielder Sacha Kljestan. Kljestan, who turned 29-years old this past September, played with Marsch when the two were at now out-of-business side Chivas USA. Marsch also coached Kljestan and Altidore when the Petke replacement was an assistant with the USMNT.

Kljestan would be a fine acquisition for any MLS side. He is not, however, a NYC/NJ hometown product as is Altidore. Kljestan has zero ties to the Red Bulls organization. He doesn’t move the needle, nor would Kljestan sell the amount of merchandise and tickets that would an announcement that Altidore has rejoined the Red Bulls. Acquiring Kljestan over Altidore would, to put it one way, be a mid-market move made by a franchise that is located in the NYC region.

How very New York Mets of the Red Bulls.

Expansion side and to-be Red Bulls rivals New York City Football Club signed David Villa and (maybe) Frank Lampard. LA Galaxy have acquired Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard. Kaka will suit up for Orlando City Soccer Club. The previously mentioned Altidore could join either Toronto or Portland Timbers if he returns to MLS before the start of the 2015 campaign. Meanwhile, the Red Bulls may sign Kljestan. No disrespect meant, but one of those moves is not like the others.

To summarize: The Red Bulls infuriated the team’s most passionate fans by firing a popular individual who won a title because *shoulder shrug.* Some of those supporters are choosing to protest Petke being shown the door by not spending any money on the Red Bulls. New York’s best player is gone, and he has not yet been adequately replaced. The Red Bulls are heading toward having a lower overall team salary than what they had one season ago. Those on the current team roster believed that Petke was going to be their head coach once again as recently as Tuesday if not Wednesday morning when the rest of us learned what had occurred.

The beat goes on, as the Red Bulls have serious holes throughout the squad. New York needs to bolster its back line if the club is to avoid needed to moonwalk into the postseason as it did this past October. The Red Bulls, to the surprise of nobody who has followed this team, need a play-maker in the midfield. Acquiring at least another forward, preferably one who can create for teammates as well as deposit goals of his own, needs to be an objective of the club.

Who wouldn’t want to splash over $200 million to call all of this his own?

It is, of course, possible that Red Bull actually is all-in on the company’s NJ soccer team, and Ali Curtis may prove himself to be the smartest man in the room. Stranger things have happened in MLS. Nobody, after all, predicted last March that Lee Nguyen would have a career resurgence as New England Revolution emerged as the best team in the MLS Eastern Conference. Maybe New York can be the surprise story of the 2015 season.

I am aware that I am kidding nobody here. The Red Bulls have found many unique ways to crush the spirits of even optimistic supporters over the past two decades, and 2015 is likely next on the list. Here’s hoping your holiday season was merry and bright, RBNY fan. You are now staring at what could be one dark, cold and long winter.

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