After a full day off following their pair of scrimmages, the Red Bulls returned to the training pitch on Monday afternoon.
- TICKETS: Red Bulls Home Opener vs. Toronto FC, Sunday March 6
With a full week of sessions under their belts, training is beginning to ramp up as the group continues to find more familiarity amongst one another. Entering the final week of the team’s first stint in Florida, just one more friendly remains before the club heads back north.
Checking in with Jesse
Following a split decision Sunday that saw the Red Bulls top the Armada and fall to Montverde Academy, head coach Jesse Marsch gave the team a bit of a break on Sunday afternoon and into Monday morning.
“We looked at some video before training and talked a little bit about the things that we’re trying to accomplish here in preseason,” Marsch explained. “Overall, we felt pretty good about the performances [on Sunday].”
As the squad progresses through these last few days in Florida, Marsch contends that he has liked the response he’s seen from his guys.
“We had a little bit of a split group in terms of training,” he added. “Some guys were going through almost a regen because they put a lot of minutes in during the games on Sunday, and then there was a smaller group that trained and it was probably our best training of preseason so far.
“It’s exciting to see our group so dialed in and ready to go.”
Burpo Announced
The Red Bulls continue to bring in some new faces while down in Florida, this time on the coaching end with the addition of Goalkeeper Coach Preston Burpo.
The 43-year-old Bethesda, Md. native spent nine years in the USL with the Seattle Sounders before making a move to Chivas USA in 2006. Burpo’s MLS career also saw him suit him the Colorado Rapids and the New England Revolution, where he finished his career in 2010.
“I’d like to thank the Red Bulls organization for giving me this opportunity,” said Burpo on Monday. “I’m excited to get to work with a great group of guys here, and to have the opportunity to contribute to the success of this team.”
Prior to joining the Red Bulls, Burpo was a part of Jesse Marsch’s staff with the Montreal Impact in 2012. Burpo also spent two years as D.C. United holding the same position.
U-18s Visit Camp
As part of an effort to integrate Red Bull squads from top to bottom, the U-18 squad trained at the Omni resort in Florida before observing a first team training session on Monday evening. It was a chance for some of the academy’s brightest young talents to see how the process translates to the highest level, with U-18 head coach Simon Nee explaining how important it is for his team to get a close-up example of how things are done at the MLS level.
“[We’re here] to observe what a first team preseason session should look like: the speed of play, the quality within the session,” Nee said. “I thought it was excellent today and I hope our guys take a lot away from that.”
Marsch and his staff also hosted the U-18 side back at the hotel for team dinner where the youngsters had a chance to speak with the first team off the pitch. Captain Dax McCarty, sporting director Ali Curtis and others addressed the young side and explained what it means to be a part of the Red Bull family.
“It’s pretty obvious to everyone, whether it’s on the inside or the outside, that there’s a pretty big connection to the academy here at this club now,” Marsch stated. “It’s a big emphasis of ours; it’s part of our identity. Part of that is also making sure that there’s a shared player experience.”
Staff Basketball
We all know the Red Bulls are a competitive bunch on the field, but what you probably didn’t know is how competitive the Red Bulls staff can be.
Saturday afternoon saw members of the training staff and front office go head-to-head in a few rounds of pick up basketball while the players watched on (and provided some quality commentary). To say the matchups were intense would be an understatement, as the likes of Ali Curtis, Jesse Marsch, and John Wolyniec hit the hard-court with each game more competitive than the last.
The games featured some heavy hitters from the Red Bulls organization, but the star of the day was undoubtedly Scott “Bernie” Bernstein aka “I am Carmelo.” The wily vet showcased some deadly accuracy, sending the crowd into a frenzy with each bucket from long-range.
