DAVENPORT, Fla. – Believe it or not, we’re coming up on the end of preseason camp already. With the team’s second, two-week stint in Florida drawing to a close, there is but one more friendly before the games start to count in the standings.
- TICKETS: Red Bulls Home Opener vs. Toronto FC, Sunday March 6
Over the course of the past month, head coach Jesse Marsch has been tasked with incorporating a bevy of fresh new faces into the group while working in new tactical sophistication to his proven system. With only a few training sessions left before the home opener against Toronto FC, Marsch expressed his pleasure with the way the team has come together.
“We’re just reinforcing,” he said. “I think we’re fit and I think we’re clear. We’ve accomplished a lot this preseason in terms of clarity as to when we play with different formations and using guys in different roles.”
The task was an entirely different challenge entering the 2015 season, as the Red Bulls were entering a transitional period both on and off the pitch. But with a veteran core in place to help lead the way, Marsch has been able to get the squad up to speed and prepare his side for what should prove to be another exciting MLS campaign.
“We’ve covered a lot,” Marsch told NewYorkRedBulls.com. “We know each other well and there’s a lot of trust and commitment within our group. We’ve worked on lots of little things with team building, getting our mentality straight and what to expect out of the season.”
With the tactics and personnel seemingly decided on, there remain only a few tweaks that need to be made over the coming days. And as the Supporters’ Shield defense gets set to begin in earnest, there isn’t much left to do but prove it on the field.
“It’s a fun team to be a part of right now,” Marsch added. “Now when the lights come on March 6 and beyond, we have to be able to—when everything gets put to the test—show up big and continue to grow.”
