The New York Red Bulls had their first training session yesterday in Orlando, FL, officially kicking off their preparations for the 2014 MLS season.
Over the course of the next several weeks, the team will train nearly every day to build fitness, sharpness and chemistry ahead of their opening regular season match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on March 8 at BC Place at 4:30 PM. After arriving yesterday, the team held a session in the afternoon. For photos of the session, click here.
Here is New York’s preseason roster as it stands today:
New York’s active roster is as follows (26 players):
Goalkeepers (3): Santiago Castano, Ryan Meara, Luis Robles
Defenders (8): Armando, Richard Eckersley, Kosuke Kimura, Connor Lade, Matt Miazga, Roy Miller, Jamison Olave, Ibrahim Sekagya
Midfielders (10): Eric Alexander, Ruben Bover, Michael Bustamante, Tim Cahill, Ian Christianson, Bobby Convey, Dax McCarty, Marius Obekop, Lloyd Sam, Jonny Steele
Forwards (5): Andre Akpan, Thierry Henry, Peguy Luyindula, Amando Moreno, Bradley Wright-Phillips
- Pending receipt of P-1 Visa, ITC and passing a physical
- Pending receipt of P-1 Visa and passing a physical
Other players also in training camp (10 players):
Goalkeeper (1): Evan Lauro-&
Defenders (4): Ambroise Oyongo Bitolo, Chris Duvall, Miguel Ibarra, Tyler Polak
Midfielders (4): Arun Basuljevic-&, Chris Lema-&, Widner Saint Cyr-$, Eric Stevenson
Forward (1) Sammy Adjei Jr.-$
& - Current Red Bulls Academy Player
$ - Former Red Bulls Academy Player (Red Bulls have homegrown rights)
* - MLS SuperDraft Selection
- Guest player
A few notes on the roster:
- Armando and Eckersley will join the team in Florida pending the receipt of their respective paperwork. Eckersley was just acquired yesterday from Toronto FC.
- Midfielders Eric Alexander and Dax McCarty are not currently in Florida with the Red Bulls and for good reason. They are part of the 22-man U.S. National Team roster that is in the last stages of its preparations for its friendly against Korea Republic on Feb. 1 at StubHub Center in Carson, CA (5:00 PM ET; TV: ESPN2, UniMas).
- Regarding the other non-roster players in camp, five players are current or former members of Red Bulls Academy. Saint Cyr was playing at the University of Maryland while Adjei captained Iona College.
- Red Bulls MLS SuperDraft selections Chris Duvall and Eric Stevenson are both with the team training for a spot on the roster.
- Oyongo is a left footed Cameroonian defender who has represented his country at the youth level.
- Ibarra is a defender who has been capped on the senior Ecuador national team and played for several clubs in Ecuador.
- Polak was originally drafted in 2012 by the New England Revolution and was with the Revolution for two seasons.
We’ll have more news from here on newyorkredbulls.com as preseason progresses.
