Red Bulls set for major shake-up?

Officials from Red Bull, the parent company of the New York Red Bulls, are in town today to hold meetings with employees of the club, including head coach Juan Carlos Osorio and technical director Jeff Agoos, and the MLS club could be in for a major front office shake-up, sources close to the team told SBI late on Tuesday night.

The meetings could help address the club's lack of a head executive. The Red Bulls have been operating without a front office leader for almost two months since former managing director Marc deGrandpre left the club to join a soft drink company. That departure, coupled with Red Bull's failure to assign someone as the club's lead executive, even on an interim basis, has left the team and front office in limbo for most of the current MLS season.

The meetings, which were planned in advance of last Sunday's shocking 5-1 loss to the Chicago Fire, will likely also be used to address the club's potential summer transfer plans, including the potential sale of forward Jozy Altidore.

What's my take on the meetings? It is about time. The flagrant neglect of the New York team by officials in Salzburg has been an embarrassment and one of the lesser publicized sub-plots of the 2008 season. Since, deGrandpre's departure in early April, the club has been floating along like a rudder-less ship, with very little contact from the parent company and virtually no direction. Things haven't been much better on the team side, with Osorio and Agoos having little contact with decision-makers in Salzburg.

Whether today's meetings will help address some of these issues remains to be seen, but it is very clear that Red Bull corporate will need to do a better job of supporting and running the New York Red Bulls if the club is going to have any chance for long-term success.

What do you think of this news? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

[Ernie]

I am with you on this one Ives...it's about damn time. Hopefully they bring in someone with a sports background for the lead executive position, even better if it is a soccer background. Anyone with those credentials out there?

[nate]

I heard a rumor that John Guppy is the leading candidate.

[Justin O]

I hear Jeff Agoos is offering to take a 50 percent pay cut in order to show the players what "charater" is.

[Derek (Brooklyn)]

The more things change, the more they stay the same. I'm not a fan of the Red Bulls but it would be nice to see the "New York" franchise find some stability and success.

[Tim F.]

I like the Red Bulls desire/talk to get the job done the right way. In particularly, I like the contributions they've made to the team's new stadium design and taking the steps to ultimately have it become a reality. Hopefully, they've not lost that vision or momentum with Marc deGrandpre moving on.

That said, it is now time for Salzburg to do more, especially on the team side. The only tangible Salzburg contributions to its New York subsidiary seem to be Marcus Schopp and Harald Pichler's studs up challenge on Dane Richards which led to a serious injury. Both to which I say NO THANK YOU.

Red Bull Salzburg, please loan New York players that can fill the defensive and midfield gaps the team has.

Regards,

[HomeyBoehme]

I don't know what Red Bull have invested re: stadium, etc, but from my experience if you don't hear from your owners for a few months and then they suddenly schedule a big meeting, it means people are going to get canned or major changes are in the works.

For the sake of NYRB and the MLS in general I hope the talks are a positive move forward, and not Red Bulls pulling the plug on its association w/the franchise.

[bill]

I'd say 'it is about time' but some organizations plan and some panic (see MetroStars as a panic and DC as plan). Perhaps it's a sign that Salzburg isn't going to make a series of rash knee jerk decisions.

[Murphy]

I can't wait until there's another team in Queens...

[redbullfan]

Any owner that neglects the team, neglects the fans. This team brought in a new coach and added one player who has seen limited action. They cut loose a lot of salary, but have not had the ability to bring in any players except rejects from other teams (Boyens). Lets be honest the Red Bull bran is hurting this team, it is about advertisment and nothing else!!
Ives, what about the game...Renya is not an attacking midfielder/forward. They change formations everyu game, they only had three midfielders and let Blanco walk around unmarked!!! I am not a pro coach, but I do understand to mark the play maker of the other team. Renya needs to go or play a more natural position for himself. Angel was not into the game b/c he does not have a creative player behind him... he looks fustrated!!! He began to make runs only afetr Jozy entered and scored. The three forwards leave Angel alone up top b/c Richards is speed and one good pass a game and thats it!! This team needs a lot of help!!! By the way thre were more vocal Blanco fans then Red BUll this team is going DOWN!!

[A Chicago Bastard]

There's going to be a huge announcement - Osorio is leaving Red Bull to become manager of the Colombian national team. Apparently, it's the job Juan Carlos always dreamed of walking out on a contract for and Mrs. Osorio doesn't like living in New Jersey.

Also, Red Bull traded Agoos to L.A. for Lalas.

(after reading that anything that occurs will feel like a blessing to RB supporters)

[nickmustgo]

Osorio needs to go. That would be a good start

[Braden]

It's funny how talks of "creating stability" at the Red Bulls always pop up when someone is either leaving or arriving. JCO was supposed to create "stability". De Grandpere's departure was supposed to create "stability". When are we going to realize that the Red Bulls need a make-over, and I'm not talking about adding a little eye-liner. We need a coach, GM, and front office who will be willing to bite the bullet and make a four or five year plan for the team. That Hindenburg of a game last Saturday should tell Red Bulls Salzburg that cosmetic changes aren't going to cut it.

[ag nigrin]

The Red Bulls need another make over like a whole in the head Braden... They have been made-over for 12 successive years... Stability means being stable...give the new coach time... Geez!

[Matt]

These people calling for JCO's head need to get a grip. The last thing we need is another coaching shake-up. What we do need - desperately - is some leadership in the front office, a more coherent policy of buying players and bringing in youth players, and a real commitment to marketing the team beyond the AYSO/soccer mom crowd.

[David Berger]

Good, this sounds real good.

[Sean]

It does make me wonder if Red Bulls are going to get out of MLS. I guess with all they've invested and with the stadium in the works, it doesn't seem too likely. But, then again, with all they've invested and with drawing a mere couple thousand to game days - not speaking about announced attendance, but actual - it does look like a bleak road ahead for New York.

I don't know what Red Bull can do to turn the ship around. Many, many other clubs have learned that simply building a stadium with no marketing strategy, ends up not meeting expectations. In some cases, it ends up as bad or worse than the previous stadium. Actually that's not true. I'm only thinking of Dallas, I guess.

I agree that it's too early to abandon Osorio. I also thought it was a mistake to can Arena after the first year. We do need stability. We do need someone who can be innovative about the soccer culture here in the US.

[Johnny 2]

Crazy...REDBULL the company is showing no direction...It's not fair to the FANS, the players or the Coach.

Let's see first Bruce was going to run everything then he left, then Marc(joke) would take care of the business end, then he left. Now there's no one running the show. I guess we can blame this on nobody.

I think JCO is great, I thought Bruce was good...but now I think we understand it's REDBULL's lack of vision and support that is the problem.

Don't make the mistake of blaming this on Metrostars....It's a REDBULLS corporate problem, which they need to fix, or whimper away.

[JSquaredNY]

I think that Marketing is a real issue. I never understood why they go after the Soccer Mom crowd instead of people in their 20s - 30s that are more likely to spread the word/buzz virally. I'm sure there are a lot of people like me who think that Red Bull has no credibility in their ads because they're a corporate energy drink company ultimately looking for sales. Their marketing has been really ineffective so far. They're going after the wrong audience.

[The Metrologist]

"I like the Red Bulls desire/talk to get the job done the right way."

I would like to know the drugs you're taking that help you believe this. They must be strong.

"....and not Red Bulls pulling the plug on its association w/the franchise."

The dream lives.

[kpugs]

Sean...did you count them yourself? The Red Bulls are drawing league average (at WORST) attendance with almost no marketing whatsoever. How are we still talking about this? Although if you just woke up from a coma, please accept my apologies.

It's New York...yes they should be a bigger draw, much bigger. But we all know the ridiculous hassle it takes to get to the stadium via mass transit from the city. Historically, take out the top one, maybe two MLS teams attendance-wise since '96 and the MetroBulls are right there.

How much longer are we going to keep beating this dead attendance horse? Give it up, for the love of all things holy. It is rather pathetic.

[dabull]

Direction-less management, mediocre team . . . I wonder how JCO is liking his decision now?

[kpugs]

JSquared...I don't think they go after ANYONE. A couple of (extremely) limited front pages of NY newspapers (i.e. a couple thousand copies of dailies that move millions), a couple of billboards. That's it. It's more of a "see? we really DO market the team!" than it is an actual attempt at drawing fans.

The only reason for this corporate abandonment I can think of is that it really is a pain for people to come to games from the city at Giants stadium. That will be made infinitely easier in Harrison. But I don't see why, with the money they are throwing around, that should mean zero marketing.

[kpugs]

**"....and not Red Bulls pulling the plug on its association w/the franchise."

The dream lives.**

Hahahaha...I was thinking this EXACTLY.

[paul Lorinczi]

Ok..some of this talk is just crazy.

You have a great coach. He is working with Arena's players and the decisions made before his arrival. He is trying to attract new players, but has a salary cap which to contend. Juancho will get the job done.

A wholesale change is not what New York needs right now. That has been its problem from its inception. Bring in a professional manager to be GM that knows how to run a sports franchise. Maybe hire the guys that just bought Derby.

In the meantime, I say they hire a Jamaican witch doctor to perform a cleansing ritual of the Cosmos curse in Giants stadium. MLS needs to renounce its anti-NASL culture to bring New York back to its glory as the Soccer mecca it should be in the United States.

Lift the curse!! That is what I say.

[Aguinaga]

These people calling for JCO's head need to get a grip. The last thing we need is another coaching shake-up. What we do need - desperately - is some leadership in the front office, a more coherent policy of buying players and bringing in youth players, and a real commitment to marketing the team beyond the AYSO/soccer mom crowd.

Posted by: Matt

This post needs to be read and re-read. Thanks Matt.

[Brian]

If Giants Stadium is such a hassle to get to, why do the Jets and Giants sell out their games and fill up 20 express buses (at least, by my count) from the Port Authority?

It's ten bucks and a twenty minute ride--not really a hassle if you want to go. This argument also dies a quick death when 50,000 show up for the Argentina game and 5,000 for the Red Bulls/Earthquakes.

[dabull]

I don't see how taking a PATH train from Manhattan is so much easier than taking a bus from the Port Authority in Manhattan . . .

[The Metrologist]

"If Giants Stadium is such a hassle to get to, why do the Jets and Giants sell out their games and fill up 20 express buses (at least, by my count) from the Port Authority?

It's ten bucks and a twenty minute ride--not really a hassle if you want to go. This argument also dies a quick death when 50,000 show up for the Argentina game and 5,000 for the Red Bulls/Earthquakes."

Deserves that "Not this s*** again" image, if ever a post did.

You're seriously comparing MLS and the NFL? The NFL is a national institution, MLS is a sidelight. The Giants could play on a college field 90 miles away from NYC - oh wait, they have - and have little problem selling out the building.

And you're honestly closing your eyes to the fact that people will go out *once a year* to see their home country's team, or a big soccer country's team, a Brazil or Italy or Argentina, or a team full of superstars, but that things work a little differently when it comes to week-in, week-out club soccer?

[Mats Myrberg]

Having local team ownership is important I think especially as the MLS is growing up. However, I am not sure that having a CEO that is soccer head is necessarily required. They do have to be smart though.

Speaking of managing the franchise and having a local connectio, the Seattle Sounders just scored "XBOX 360 Live" as their shirt sponsor. Read about it here: http://blog.tinytechtank.com/2008/05/28/seattle-sounders-fc-get-xbox-live-sponsorship/.

[chris]

I don't buy that people dont go because of the commute or Giants stadium. People don't go because they don't think the product is of very high quality and the team has no name players that people want to see. Red Bull really needs to make a splash this offseason and get 2 DP's with name recognition to the average soccer fan to breakthrough the clutter of this market. Go for a player that would be a stretch to come like a Deco. He would be a brilliant draw for all the Potugese in the Newark/Harrison/Kearny area. There is no reason this franchise shouldnt have the same aspirations the LA Galaxy have.

[redbull fan]

JCO does not need to go. My concern is the Red Bulls front office and their lack of interest in this team. They bought this team to furthur globalize their product, I see more Red Bull advertisement in NY?NJ area, but no improvement on the field. They are spending aproximately 150 million for team and stadium. How much is one ad for thirty seconds of the super bowl? This is a good marketing strategy for them, but bad for true fans. I know players they are trying to bring have not worked out and Reyna has strapped their cap, but every other team in this league has added major players (for the mls standard)Red Bull has not!! Henry is not the answer, a creative midfielder is!!!

[HomeyBoehme]

@chris - Not all the teams are allowed by the MLS to break the MLS rules regarding how many DP's a team can have.

[Matt in Japan]

Hey Ives, just wanted to say that although i didn't reply to any of the roll calls that I still read religiously your blog and its a wonderful part of my daily escape from the realities of work! Thanks so much!

Matt

[chris]

Homey,

were you referring to the Galaxy having 3 dp's? Not really sure what that has to do with my post about needing 2 name dp's for Red Bull when they have 2 DP slots.

[joe k]

the bus from Port Authority is annoying and on a limited schedule.

the PATH runs all night, on a regular schedule, and departs from 6 locations in manhattan, accessible from nearly any nyct subway line. The PATH is also accessible from Newark Penn, where our new jersey friends without cars can come through. the PATH is also easily accesible from all of hudson county and alot of bergen county (either by walking or by light rail). it cuts down a commute of an hour+ (to get to PABT and back to jersey) down to ten minutes for people who live in jersey city, and 20 minutes for those who live in hoboken.

Harrison is MUCH more accessible by public transportation than the meadowlands, especially to those people who live in jersey.

ps, the path is $1.75, i think that's way cheaper than the bus.

[Giorgio Chinaglia]

Let me tell you, my friend, there is only one person who can fix this team and it is me, the greatest goalscorer in the history of the North American Soccer League. I can fix it like no one else. Listen to me.

Here are the problems:

1) Small crowds
2) Too few wins

The Answers:

1) Bigger Crowds
2) More wins

NOW, the big question, signore, "How do we get there?"

Bring in players who score goals and they bring in fans like the Cosmos did when they brought me in back in 1976 and I showed every one who the best goal scorer on two continents was.

There are two kinds of players you need to win. Guys who score goals and guys who stop the other guys from scoring. For those of you who are slow or from Ohio, let me show you:

1) Scores goals - Me (best ever), Pele (decent)
2) Stops Goals - Franz Beckenbaur, Carlos Alberto

It is not complicated. If you do this and do it with style, you win games & draw crowds.

If The Cosmos or Red Bulls or whatever we are called now, bring in an attacking midfielder and a central defender, they will win the cup. Put me in charge & I will bring in those players. I have all the contacts they need! I am internationally known. And trust me, my friend, I will get us in the newspapers with my antics.

Then, I will take the who team to Studio 54 on Monday nights to disco dance, drink Chivas and enjoy the beautiful women. If you play hard, you should PLAY hard.

I am the only man to run the show, of course. Anyone else won as many rings as me? And before you say "Jeff Agoos", he did it with a mullet so it's not as beautiful as mine.

Trust me, my friend.

Giorgio will always watch out for this team.

Con Amore,

Giorgio!

[Allegre]

OK then as to the question of why Red Bulls at the Meadowlands is not drawing.... Here is my experience from last weekends disaster. Mind you I am a season ticket holder. We get to the stadium and of course the parking situation is horrendous. Gates A and B have been closed. So we walk around the outside (the inside passage is closed except to "authorized personnel". It is a beautiful day and I am pleased to see the stands full (unfortunately I find out it is half Fire fans). The team is missing 2 key players and this is a big game. Such a big game in fact that we don't play Altidore with JPA. There are two people shadowing JPA almost all the time.

But we go into half time with a 1-0 deficit. Since it is so hot we try to get a $4.25 bottle of water for my daughter. It takes about 15 minutes once we get up to the vendor area. We pass the Red Bull store and try to buy a tee shirt for my daughter but the line at the cashier is way too long and there is some guy who works at the store holding the credit card transaction transponder out the door of the store, it is not working. We give up and try to get to our seats. Of course the game is on by now.
Well, you know how poorly the rest of the game went. On the way out we walk past the Security people at Gate A. Since they see us pass we figure it is OK to exit. We walk down the helix only to find that we are not permitted to exit nor walk down the shorter path but we must go back up the helix and exit out of Gate D.

The whole experience is so Mickey Mouse. I know a lot of these problems will be solved with the new stadium but can't the Red Bulls address the experience now as I am sure others have the same impressions as I do.

[Chosun]

I agree with the PATH being a much better option than the PA busses. I try to go to games often, but the Port Authority sucks, Giant's stadium turf is garbage, and our midfield/defense depresses me. I agree that we need to strengthen the team to bring more fans, but don't discount the impact that the new field is going to have...not only for the attendance, but also for the team's psyche. I think our team will play with a renewed vigor once they start playing without football lines and the nasty, rubberized surface. I'm sure many of the players prefer to play away games simply because the surface at Giant's stadium is garbage. I've played on the Giant's stadium surface...it's nice turf, but it's still turf.

[Tim F.]

You forgot the part about ALL the escalators being out of order for the last three or four games.

NJSEA has never been helpful/pleasant to fans. I realize that they are there to maintain order but they've always only made the experience miserable.

[Matt]

Allegre, all of those are annoyances and you could add a few more:

-Escalators not in service
-Poor stadium signage from the Rte. 3 and the Turnpike
-That godawful narrow Field Turf pitch that turns soccer into pinball
-An incredibly loud PA system
-Extortionate parking, given the fact that the lots are half empty
-Unfriendly staff and security

I could go on.

It's just not a very pleasant experience all around and you can see why a lot of people may go once and never come back.

[Paul Lorinczi]

Interesting comments about the experience at Giants stadium. I can't imagine New Yorkers willing to experience a Mickey Mouse operation. Who's got time for this s@#t

Far more pleasant at Toyota Park and Crew Stadium.

[kco]

2 words:

CLUB REBRANDING

[Tim F.]

I think Red Bull is addressing all the stadium concerns with Harrison (with the possible exception of the $10 parking fee). Moreover, it will be a top notch grass playing surface and state of the art stadium experience that will give the Red Bulls a real home advantage.

Between now and then, however, Salzburg should be finding a way to help JCO secure the midfield and defensive players he wants, potentially by loaning them through the sister club. I hope that is one of the outcomes of this shake-up.

[JSquaredNY]

I wish that someone could take the string of posts and send them to Red Bull because the entire situation basically leads to an awful fan experience and as fans we shouldn't have to wait for more than another year for the stadium for them to improve the product on the field or to take steps the improve the experience altogether.

[HomeyBoehme]

@chris - Sorry, I read your post as saying NYRB should get two more DP's on top of the ones they already had which is why I made my comment. And yes, I was slamming the LA Galaxy and how the league maniuplates their own rules for the sake of that franchise.

[Allegre]

I have voiced the problems we all encounter to people at the members desk at the stadium. The typical response is a shrug of the shoulders and a "yeah, we can't wait for the new stadium either". People are paying to watch the game but also for a "nice experience". You can't sell garbage easily in this area, as they have seen.

[Eugene]

About time, but the team was a rudder-less ship with Marc de Grandpre in charge as well, so can't realistically see how we'll do worse.

[inkedAG]

You know what will be done? NOTHING!!! What's been done since Red Bull bought the team? Very little. I don't expect this to change.

[redbull fan]

Try coming in from LI sitting in 2 hours of traffic to go one and half miles on the CBE, only to get to the statium and be redirected 16 times b/c of concerts and horses and never getting a direct answer if we can park by gate D. The workers inside the stadium are always nastuy at soccer games, but got to a Jets/Giants game and do what you want. take your shirt off at the Red bUll game and get yelled at!!! The palce is always empty and they complain if you move two seats over.
-Can't wait for new stadium in QUEENS!!

[Walter]

The problem with the Red Bulls is the front office. They really don't have a sense of direction. They don't provide JCO with almost nothing. I do feel that JCO is doing a decent job with what he has, but I feel that he could do better. He needs to be more consistent with his formations. I just wish the organization would dig a bit deeper into their pockets to get quality players. I could understand if the Red Bulls were a small market, but this this is NEW YORK. I just don't get this team.

Also, I can't wait for the new stadium. I went to my first game since the 1st year of the Metrostars a couple of weeks ago and it sucked to get to Giants Stadium. The folks at the Port Authority gave me and my friend the run-around on what gate to go. The bus was running late. The staff at the stadium weren't exactly friendly. I should know, I used to work there. I did have fun, but it was such a pain at the same time. For the person who mentioned the Jets and Giants fans, they hate the Giants Stadium experience as well.

I really hope that the Red Bull Stadium will attract more fans and make it fun for those who are 1st timers or casual fans. I also hope that RBNY can get their act together and make progress. I need to cheer for someone during the Arsenal's offseason. Take care all.