Three simple questions: New York Red Bulls

Yeah, we had to do this one sooner or later. And being the Empire Supporters Club die-hard that he is, my former American Soccer Daily co-hort Jason Endres found a way to make the "What went right?" answer as long as the "What went wrong?" answer. But ya know what... that's New Yawk, baby. Now put the Strokes' cut Someday on and read.

NSC: What went wrong?

JE: After a 5-19-6 season amassing 21 points, it’s easy to say everything went wrong. There’s one game that specifically broke the camel’s or in this case the Red Bulls’ back - an April 26 home contest with arch rival DC United. After taking a 2-1 lead in the second half, the Red Bulls allowed two goals in the final moments of the second half to lose to their rival. The Red Bulls lost all sense of confidence from this match and never recovered.

NSC: What went right?

JE: Juan Carlos Osorio is no longer employed by the organization. Once Richie Williams took over as the interim coach, the team did show signs of improvement, but it was long too late. The team did a nice job acquiring draft picks for the 2010 draft with a handful of picks in the first two rounds. When acquiring draft picks is the highlight of a season, it’s not a pretty year.

NSC: What, if not who, does the team need to acquire?

JE: The team most notably needs two things: a top flight star to lead them in their new stadium and a playmaker to link up with Juan Pablo Angel. There have been rumors of French superstar Thierry Henry joining the Red Bulls during the 2010 season. That signing would satisfy the first need. USA Under 20 standout Dilly Duka, who is a Generation adidas signing, is coveted by the Red Bulls organization and would add that creative presence to the attack. If the Red Bulls land both of these players, they will be a vastly improved team over their 2009 counterparts.


- Greg Seltzer