The 2014 MLS Eastern Conference Final is littered with storylines and matchups. It is a grudge match between two of MLS’ founding clubs, two old rivals vying for a shot at their first league title. A clash of two of the league’s hottest teams coming down the stretch. A show case pitting the league’s top scorer, Bradley Wright-Phillips, against electric midfielder Lee Nguyen. New York vs. Boston. However, the most interesting dynamic might be that the series will be yet another chapter in the long history between the two men calling the shots.
Red Bulls coach Mike Petke and Revolution boss Jay Heaps have shared similar career paths. The two defenders broke into the league at the same time, and became stars playing for their hometown teams. Both quickly endeared themselves to their respective fan bases with their tenacious play, and now coach teams in the cities where they grew up both personally and professionally.
Petke is a New Yorker through and through, born and raised in Bohemia on Long Island. After four years as a standout at Southern Connecticut, including an NCAA Division II Championship, the center back was drafted by the MetroStars and played his first five seasons with New York. He returned for two seasons with the Red Bulls to close out his 15 year playing career before retiring at the end of the 2010 season. Petke stayed with the organization after hanging up his boots, first on the business side, and then as assistant coach and interim manager. He was named head coach in January of 2013.
Likewise, Heaps grew up in Nashua, New Hampshire, less than two hours north of Boston. After four years as an All-ACC defender at Duke, Heaps was drafted by the Miami Fusion, and played three seasons in South Beach before coming home to New England for the remainder of his 11 professional seasons. After retiring from soccer, he spent two years as an investment banker and color analyst for Revolution broadcasts before being brought back as the team’s coach prior the start of the 2012 season.
Both players represented the United States at the Under-20 level. Petke earned two caps for the United States senior team in his day. Heaps made four international appearances, starting all four games of the 2009 Gold Cup, including his international debut at Gillette Stadium against Haiti. They even spent time in the same Region 1 Olympic Development Program under current Red Bulls Academy Director Bob Montgomery.
The two met 31 times on the field, with Petke’s teams, including New York, D.C. and Colorado, taking a slight edge, 14-11-6, against Heaps’ Fusion and Revolution teams. Heaps scored three goals in those matchups, while Petke found the back of the net once. In the New York against New England matchups, Petke was 4-1-0.
The only time the two faced off in the playoffs resulted in a 3-3 draw in a 2004 conference finals game between D.C. and New England. Both men played a full 120 minutes in that contest, and Heaps was one of three players who missed a penalty for the Revs as D.C. advanced. Petke and United would go on to win the MLS Cup later that month.
The pair have met five times as managers over the last two seasons. Petke has never lost to Heaps, with his Red Bulls teams going 3-0-2 against New England since the start of 2013.
Petke took over in New York after a 2012 season in which the Red Bulls finished 16-9-9, and already had established stars with the likes of Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill. In his first season he guided the team to the club’s first major trophy, the 2013 Supporter’s Shield. He has amassed a 30-19-19 record as a head coach, and has the team back in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2008.
Heaps inherited a young team that managed just six wins in 2011. He guided the club to nine victories in his first season. He followed that up in 2013 with a 14-11-9 record and 51 points, eight behind Petke’s Supporter’s Shield winning side. However, the Revs also exited the 2013 playoffs in the first round.
This season Heaps became one of just three coaches in MLS history to join to 100/100 club – 100 games coached and played in for the same franchise. Petke would be on track to reach that milestone next season. He played in 169 MLS games for New York, and holds the franchise record for 196 appearances in all competitions.
Of course, come first kick on Sunday afternoon, all of those numbers go out the window. Both Petke and Heaps coach the way they played: with a fiery determinism and a straight-forward, no nonsense approach. At this juncture there will be no secrets in scouting or tactics, just a 90 minute test of preparedness and execution. While it will be largely up to the players to determine the outcome, one thing is certain: at the final whistle there will be a handshake, an acknowledgement of another game well played, between two old adversaries.
