Technical Staff

Sporting Director/General Manager - Erik Solér

Corporate Teammate: Mid Atlantic Center for Laser Dentistry

 Erik Solér begins his third season as Red Bull New York’s General Manager and Sporting Director. He was named to his position on Dec. 7, 2009. 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.

Solér joined the Red Bulls after a successful career as a player, agent, broadcaster and executive. From 2002-2008, 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, as 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 1978-1983. 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 1984-1986. After one and a half seasons in HSV, he returned to Norway, signing for SK Brann from 1986-1987. 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 is a graduate of Oslo University with a degree in Psychology.

Head Coach - Hans Backe

Corporate Teammate: O'Donnell's Pub

Backe returns for his third season as head coach. In his first season at the helm, Backe led the Red Bulls to the biggest single season turnaround in Major League Soccer history, taking the club from the bottom of the table in 2009 to Eastern Conference regular season champions in 2010. Backe turned New York into a defensive force, as the team led the Eastern Conference in goals against, and Backe’s 2010 Red Bulls allowed the fewest goals in franchise history (29). For his successes, Backe was named as a finalist for the MLS Coach of the Year award.

Backe was named head coach by the club on Jan. 7, 2010. He has 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 Swedish national joined 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 City 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 - Jan Halvor Halvorsen

Halvorsen enters his second season on the Red Bulls’ bench as an Assistant Coach after joining the club in January. The Norwegian joins the Red Bulls staff after a career as a player and manager in Europe.

Most recently, Halvorsen managed Nowegian club Notodden FK, whom he guided to promotion from the country’s third division to its second in 2006, where they remained until being relegated in Halvorsen final season of 2009. Before coaching Swedish club GIF Sundsvall in 2005, Halvorsen was the manager of Norway’s Sogndal Fotball from 2003-2004, where he led the club to an eighth place finish in the Norwegian Premier League in his first season. Prior to that, he managed Norwegian club IK Start from 1999-2002 and led them to promotion to the Norwegian Premier league in 1999. He began his coaching career in 1996 at Norway’s Byasen, where he coached for two seasons.

Halvorsen’s playing days were highlighted by a stint at German club Hertha BSC, whom he played for from 1989-1992, making 74 appearances and scoring five goals as a defender. He then moved on to Danish club AGF Aarhus where he played in 67 matches from 1992-1994. 

Individual Development Coach - Mike Petke

Petke joins the Red Bulls front office after an illustrious playing career, including two stints with the club from 1998-2002 and 2008-10. Petke’s passion and gritty playing style made the Bohemia, NY native a fan favorite during his time with the franchise. Petke will serve the Red Bulls in a variety of roles, working within different departments in the front office and the coaching staff.

Drafted by New York in 1998 with the 13th overall pick, Petke made his debut on April 17, 1998 against the Chicago Fire. He helped the team to its first Eastern Division title in 2000 and was thrice named an All-Star. He holds the current club record for games played, with 169 (196 in all competitions), game started and minutes played, and added five goals. Petke was traded to D.C. United in a blockbuster deal involving Eddie Pope, Jaime Moreno and current Assistant Coach Richie Williams prior to the 2003 season, scoring a career-high four goals in his first year. He won his only MLS Cup in 2004 with D.C. United before being traded to Colorado, helping the Rapids to reach the Western Conference Finals in 2005. The Red Bulls picked him up on waivers in 2008 and Petke played 35 more matches for the team until retiring in 2010, being named the club’s 2009 Defender and the Year and helping New York to its second Eastern Division regular season title in 2010 before bowing out. Petke finished his career with 307 appearances in league play (351 in all competitions), in which he scored 13 goals and added four assists. Petke also appeared in nine playoff matches and 13 U.S. Open Cup matches as a member of the MetroStars/Red Bulls, and earned two caps for his country after captaining the US U-21 team.

Prior to his professional career, Petke spent four years at Southern Connecticut State University, leading the team to the NCAA Division II National title in 1995 as Conference Rookie of the Year. He was also named the 1997 NECC Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus NSCAA/Umbro First Team All-American. He was also named All-America as a high schooler at St. John Baptist Diocesan High School.

Goalkeeper Coach - Todd Hoffard

Hoffard is in his second season as goalkeeper coach. Boasting an expansive career in soccer through both coaching and playing, Hoffard founded the ONE on ONE Soccer Goalkeeper School, serving as its National Director for the past 17 years and coaching various levels of youth soccer. He most recently spent a two year stint at Temple University as a women’s soccer Assistant Coach. Prior to that, he coached several other Division I men’s and women’s teams as an Assistant Coach, including both University of Pennsylvania squads and the College of Charleston’s and St. Bonaventure University’s women’s teams.

Hoffard enjoyed an eight-year professional career following a five years of collegiate play at powerhouse Hartwick College, which he led to a No. 3 ranking in his senior year. Drafted by the Harrisburg Heat in 1994, he spent two seasons at the club before heading off to the Albany Alleycats, Reading Rage, Philadelphia Kixx, Cleveland Crunch and capping his career with the Charleston Battery. He spent time overseas on trial with several clubs in the United Kingdom at various points in his career, including a stint with the Tranmere Rovers in 1994, two spells at Carlisle United in 1994 and 1997 and a trial with Torquay United in 2000.

Hoffard has been a part of the U.S. Soccer Region I ODP Staff and PA ODP Staff, coaching goalkeepers of all ages to various levels ranging from state and regional to ODP and full professionals. He was inducted into the Garden Spot High School Hall of Fame in 2009 and is married as a father of two.

Technical Director - Ricardo Campos

Ricardo Campos enters his second season as Technical Director. Campos joined the club during the middle of the 2008 season, serving as Team Administrator through the 2009 season and as Assistant to the General Manager in 2010. Campos joined the Red Bulls after working for Major League Soccer in a variety of capacities.

Campos worked in MLS’ Player Personnel department during the 2008 MLS SuperDraft and international transfer window, was team liaison for the Brazilian National Team and Mexican club Morelia during Soccer United Marketing tours of the United States and was a part of the League’s Special Events department, assisting in two MLS Cup Finals.

Prior to joining MLS, Campos worked for the San Diego Padres and Alliant International University. He graduated from the Alliant International University with a Bachelor’s Degree in business administration and a minor in marketing. Campos, originially from Sao Paulo, Brazil, resides in Rutherford, NJ.

Strength and Conditioning Coach - Jeremy Holsopple

Holsopple enters his fourth season with the club and second as Strength and Fitness coach. 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.

Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach - Cris Rodriquez

Cris Rodriguez enters his first full season as an assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Redbulls. Rodriguez joined the club midway through the 2011 season assisting in all aspects of the clubs in-season training.

Prior to joining the Redbulls, Rodriguez worked closely with the staff at Athletes’ Performance in Los Angeles and also spent three years working as the director of team training at Parisi Speed School flagship facility in FairLawn, NJ. In 2008, Rodriguez worked at the collegiate level with the Rutgers University Strength and Conditioning Staff. Rodriguez has experience working with athletes from all levels including working with athletes from various professional leagues, including the MLS, NFL, MLB, NHL, and Olympic athletes.

A graduate from William Paterson University in NJ, Rodriguez earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science. In addition, he is a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Certified Personal Trainer.

Head Athletic Trainer - Damien Franolich

Franolich enters his first full season as the Head Athletic Trainer for the New York Red Bulls.

Franolich joined the Red Bulls in 2010, serving as an athletic trainer for the New York Red Bulls Academy. In this role, Franolich was responsible for providing athletic training services to the 140 players of the New York Red Bulls’ Academy teams, ranging from U-13 to U-23, who participate in the Northeast Pre-Academy League, the US Soccer Development Academy, and the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). Franolich served in this role until August 2011, when he was named Head Athletic Trainer for the first team Red Bulls on an interim basis before being appointed on a permanent basis in January 2012.

Prior to joining the Red Bulls, Franolich worked in sports medicine at Seton Hall University, where he served as an assistant athletic trainer from 2007 to 2010. He also served as the Director of Sports Medicine for the Newark Ironbound Express of the Premier Development League (PDL) in the United Soccer Leagues (USL).

Franolich holds a BS in Economics from Vanderbilt University and a Master’s of Science in Athletic Training from the School of Graduate Medical Education at Seton Hall University.

He resides in Cliffside Park, NJ.

Assistant Athletic Trainer - Melvyn Pamplona

Pamplona enters his first full season as the Assistant Athletic Trainer for the New York Red Bulls. He previously interned with the club in the summer of 2010 as a Graduate Student. He recently obtained his Masters Degree in Athletic Training at Seton Hall University. Before that, he completed his Undergraduate degree at Rutgers University with a Bachelor’s in Exercise Science & Sport Studies. While at Rutgers, Pamplona worked as a Student Athletic Trainer from 2006-2009. He also interned with the Miami Dolphins (Summer 2008) and the New York Jets (Spring 2009). Pamplona completed various clinical rotations at the High School, Division III & Division I level.

Team Administrator - Juan Romero

Romero enters his third season as Team Administrator. He joined the Red Bulls in the beginning of 2010 after working for Major League Soccer in a variety of capacities.

Romero worked for Major League Soccer’s marketing deparment 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 managament from SUNY Cortland in 2008 and went onto earn a dual Masters Degree in international sport management from SUNY Cortland and London Metropolitan University.

Equipment Manager - Fernando Ruiz

Ruiz enters his fifth 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 fifth 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 eighth 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.