Technical Staff
Sporting Director/General Manager -
Erik Solér
Erik Solér was named Red Bull New York’s General Manager and Sporting Director on Dec. 7, 2009, and he begins his first season with the Red Bulls. The appointment was made by Dietmar Beiersdorfer, Head of Red Bull Global Soccer. Solér is responsible for the overall management of the New York Red Bulls, including its sporting division – comprised of the First Team, the Red Bulls Academy, its developmental system and scouting.
“Erik Solér is highly respected in the international soccer world,” Beiersdorfer said. “We are excited to appoint him as General Manager and Sporting Director. We are convinced that he has the leadership qualities and the experience in developing a soccer culture that is crucial to bringing our club to the level everybody here in New York and New Jersey expects – to make the New York Red Bulls a winning MLS franchise.”
Solér, 49, joined the Red Bulls after a successful career as a player, agent, broadcaster and executive. From 2002-08, he served as the co-owner and chairman of the board at Norwegian club, IK Start. He has also served as a TV expert-commentator for ViaSat in Norway since 1998, covering the UEFA Champions League and the Norwegian National Team. In 1995, Solér founded International Sports Management Group (ISM) and served as its CEO until 2000, when the agency was sold to Proactive Sports. He remained with Proactive until 2002, when he purchased an interest in IK Start. He also served as founder and CEO of a management consultancy and recruitment company beginning in 1993 that was sold in 2001 to TMP Worldwide, a NASDAQ listed company.
As a player, Solér started his career in his hometown of Lillestrøm, Norway, with
Lillestrøm SK of the Norwegian League from 1978-83. He left the club for a short stay in the Norwegian League’s Eik-Tønsberg in 1983, before being transferred to Hamburger SV (HSV) of the German Bundesliga, where he played from 1984-86. After one and a half seasons in HSV, he returned to Norway, signing for SK Brann from 1986-87. In 1988, he joined AGF Aarhus and scored the decisive goal in the Danish Cup. He later retuned to Lillestrøm to finish his playing career in 1988 and his club won the Norwegian League championship. Solér earned 39 caps for the Norwegian National Team, scoring four goals. Solér is a graduate of Oslo University with a degree in psychology.
Head Coach - Hans Backe
Red Bull New York announced on Jan. 7 that it named Backe as the club’s new head coach. Hans Backe, who has almost three decades of European coaching experience, was introduced to the New York/New Jersey media in a press conference at Red Bull Arena on Jan. 13.
“I have followed Hans’ career for many years and I think he will be an excellent coach for this team,” said Red Bull New York General Manager and Sporting Director Erik Soler. “Hans brings a vast amount of experience from a variety of different clubs in Europe and he has been a fantastic mentor for many young and established players. We are confident that he will be able to help our club accomplish our goal of competing for a MLS Cup.”
“I am extremely excited to join the Red Bulls,” Backe said. “It is evident with the stadium and the resources available that Red Bull is very committed to making this club the best in Major League Soccer. I hope that I can bring my expertise to the club and build a winning squad for our supporters.”
Backe (pronounced BAH-kuh) enjoyed success in a number of European leagues, capturing four Danish titles with FC Copenhagen (2000-01, 2002-03 and 2003-04) and Aalborg BK (1998-99). He also won the Danish Cup in 2004 and the Danish Super Cup in 2001 and 2004 with Copenhagen. Backe was with Aalborg from 1998- 2000 and headed Copenhagen from 2001-05.
The 57-year-old Swede joins the Red Bulls after a short stint with English League Two side, Notts County. Prior to being hired by Notts County, Backe worked as an assistant manager at Manchester Cit in the English Premiership with former England National Team manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson, from 2007-08. Backe later joined Eriksson’s staff when Eriksson became the Mexican National Team head coach on June 3, 2008.
Backe started his illustrious career with Swedish club, Djurgardens IF, before moving to other major teams in Scandinavia including Stabek, Hammarby IF, Osters IF and AIK. He has also coached at SV Salzburg and Greek Super League team, Panathinakos. Before coaching, Backe played professionally for a number of Swedish clubs, including AIK and IF Brommapojkarna. Backe also worked as a soccer analyst and commentator for Swedish TV4 and was an advisor to Osters IF.
Assistant Coach - Richie Williams
Williams is entering his fifth year with the Red Bulls as an assistant coach. He was an assistant under Mo Johnston during the beginning of the 2006 season before Johnston was relieved of his head coaching duties on June 27. Williams served as the club’s interim head coach for eight regular season games from June 27 through Aug. 12. During his tenure as interim head coach, Williams’ squad went 4-3-2 in all competitions and he helped lead the Red Bulls on a three game winning streak in July 2006. Last season, Williams also took charge as interim head coach for the second time after Juan Carlos Osorio resigned on Aug. 21. At the reins for the rest of the year, Williams compiled a 3-3-2 record. This season marks Williams’ seventh year with the New York organization, having played for the club as a midfielder in 2001 and 2003.
Williams, a Middletown, NJ native, played eight years in Major League Soccer, spending six of those seasons in the nation’s capital playing for D.C. United (1996-2000, 2002) and two with New York (2001, 2003). He was a member of D.C. United’s MLS Cup championship teams in 1996, 1997 and 1999. Over the course of his MLS career, the central midfielder saw action in 216 regular season games, starting 211 of them. He tallied eight goals and 33 assists during that time. He also saw action in 26 MLS postseason games (starting all 26) scoring two goals and registering four assists.
In addition to his club play, Williams earned 17 caps with the U.S. National Team, and had stints with the Under-23 and Under-20 National Teams. At the University of Virginia, he was a part of two NCAA National Championship teams in 1989 and 1991 while playing for coach Bruce Arena. Williams spent the 2004 and 2005 seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater.
Assistant Coach - Goran Aral
Aral joined the Red Bulls in January during the team’s first preseason trip to Spain and will provide experience to the coaching staff in his first season in Major League Soccer.
“We’re excited to bring Goran to our coaching staff,” said Red Bull New York General Manager and Sporting Director Erik Soler. “He brings experience and will be useful in helping develop our younger players, working with the First Team and our academy.”
Aral was most recently with Swedish Allsvenskan side, Djurgardens, serving as their Sport Director, overseeing the club’s youth initiatives and technical system. He served at Djurgadens in a number of capacities and was on the management team since the late 1990s. During this time, Aral was part of three Allsvenskan-winning teams in 2002, 2003 and 2005. Aral was a former Djurgardens player during the 1970s.
Goalkeeper Coach - Des McAleenan
McAleenan is now in his 10th season as goalkeeper coach. During his tenure years with the Red Bulls, McAleenan has enjoyed remarkable success training four U.S. National Team goalkeepers: Tim Howard, Jonny Walker, Zach Wells and Tony Meola. Under his tutelage, current English Premier League goalkeeper Howard developed into one of the best international goalkeepers in the world. In recent seasons, McAleenan has helped Jon Conway post the first (2006) and fourth (2007) best goals against average in MLS. In addition, McAleenan coached third-year goalkeeper Danny Cepero, who helped backstop the Red Bulls’ first trip to the MLS Cup Final in 2008.
Prior to joining the Red Bulls, McAleenan served as goalkeeping coach for the Connecticut Wolves of the A-League and NCAA Division III Trinity College in Hartford, CT. A native of Dublin, Ireland, he minded the nets for four years (1988-92), while attending college at Central Connecticut State University, before going on to play professionally for five years in the USL with the Connecticut Wolves (1992-95) and the Albany Alley Cats. McAleenan holds a Master’s Degree in elementary education from Sacred Heart University and is a U.S.S.F. licensed coach. McAleenan worked hand-in-hand with world-renowned goalkeeping coach Dan Gaspar.
Head Certified Athletic Trainer - Rick Guter
Guter begins his fourth season with the Red Bulls as the Head Certified Athletic Trainer after spending a year in a similar capacity with the Columbus Crew, where he was recognized as MLS’ Top Athletic Trainer of the Year. Prior to that, Guter spent three years with Commonwealth Orthopedics Therapy in Vienna, VA, as a physical therapist and athletic trainer and director of COR’s Elite Athlete Sports Therapy Center.
Guter also served as the Head Athletic Trainer for D.C. United from 1996-2002 and has been on the U.S. Men’s National Team Medical Staff since 1995, serving as the National Team’s Head Athletic Trainer from 1995-96. Aside from 2006, Guter also took home MLS Trainer of the Year honors in 1996 and 1997.
Guter was one of the athletic trainers at World Cup 2006 in Germany. Guter graduated Magna Cum Laude from Arizona State University in 1987, received his Master’s from the University of North Carolina in 1989, and graduated from Physical Therapy school at the University of Central Arkansas in 1993.
Strength and Conditioning Coach -
Jeremy Holsopple
Holsopple has joined the Red Bulls on a full time basis after working with the team since March 2009. This will be his second season. Holsopple is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). In addition, he is a certified Performance Enhancement Specialist through the North American Sports Medicine Association (PES-NASM).
Prior to working with Major League Soccer, Holsopple served as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the New York Dragons Arena Football Team and the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe. Holsopple has extensive experience in the collegiate realms as well, where he spent several years as a Speed and Strength Coach at the University of Kentucky, University of Mississippi, Florida Atlantic University and the University of Utah. Holsopple played college football at the University of Kentucky, where he earned his degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science.
Team Administrator - Juan Romero
After joining the Red Bulls at the beginning of 2010, Romero begins his first full season as Team Administrator. Romero joined the Red Bulls after working for Major League Soccer in a variety of capacities.
Romero worked for Major League Soccer’s marketing department and was also the team liaison for the 2008 FC Barcelona tour and the Colombian and Ecuador friendly at Giants Stadium. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in sport management from SUNY Cortland in 2008 and went onto earn a dual Master’s Degree in international sport management from SUNY Cortland and London Metropolitan University.
Assistant Athletic Trainer - Michelle Lafiosca
Lafiosca enters her third season as the Assistant Athletic Trainer with the New York Red Bulls. She joined the organization with a diverse amount of experience in athletic training including working in physical therapy clinics, serving as head athletic trainer at the high school level in Charleston, WV and working as a clinician designing custom foot orthotics. Prior to joining the Red Bulls, Lafiosca was the Assistant Athletic Trainer at a Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ.
Lafiosca earned her undergraduate degree in athletic training from Marietta College in 1998 and went on to receive her Masters Degree in Exercise Science and Sport Recreation from Marshall University in 2000.
Equipment Manager - Fernando Ruiz
Ruiz enters his third season as the team’s equipment manager after serving as assistant equipment manager and head equipment manager for the Red Bulls Academy. The Colombian has over 30 years of soccer experience and has been with the New York organization since the franchise started in 1996.
He has experience as a soccer coach and manager of the semi-pro soccer team he founded, Jersey Colombia and has an “E” license from Jersey State Soccer. Fluent in English, Spanish and Italian, he also serves as a translator for the Red Bulls first team. Ruiz graduated from the New Jersey Institute of Technology with an engineering degree. Ruiz’s son, Sean, is the team’s Assistant Equipment Manager.
Assistant Equipment Manager - Sean Ruiz
Ruiz begins his third year as the team’s Assistant Equipment Manager. The Jersey City, NJ native worked with the Red Bull Academy from 2005-06 before working with the first team starting in 2007. Ruiz attended Kean University, studying physical therapy with a minor in history. He also worked with the Panama National Team during the 2006 Gold Cup. His father, Fernando, is the team’s Equipment Manager.
Massage Therapist - Traci Snyder
Snyder will kick off her sixth season with the Red Bulls as the team’s massage therapist. She has also worked with sports organizations including the National Football League, U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team and AVP Professional Volleyball. Snyder earned her License for Massage and Bodywork from The Institute for Therapeutic Massage and degree from UMDNJ. She also attended Brookdale College.
