On Friday, the Red Bulls announced the signing of goalkeeper Kevin Hartman, a player who is, without a doubt, one of the most decorated players in the history of Major League Soccer. After 16 seasons in the league, playing for the Galaxy, Kansas City Wizards and more recently, FC Dallas, the free agent opted to wait for the right opportunity before making his next move.
“This was somewhere I could come in and continue to play and also have the opportunity to get into a little bit more of the coaching side of things,” Hartman said. “So for me it was really a perfect fit.”
That opportunity is one that involves Hartman taking more of a hands-on role with the development of the Red Bulls’ younger players, including not only the first team, but also with the Academy and elsewhere within the organization.
Signing as a free agent, Hartman spent the past few months maintaining his fitness, but also working with camps and providing feedback and tips for younger players. But even Hartman admitted there is an obvious big difference between running camps and getting in shape for an MLS match. He’s not too concerned about the turnaround time, though.
“I’ve always had the intention of coming back and so I’ve made sure that my focus was remaining in pretty good shape,” he said.
The Red Bulls will look to capture their first win of the season Saturday when they travel to Montreal to take on the Impact.
Watch all the action live on MSG starting with the pre-game show at 4:00 PM.
Stop by at Legends in New York City to take in the Red Bulls’ official viewing party. More info available here.
