New York Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch jumped head first into his new role over the weekend, heading South to join members of the Red Bulls technical staff in Florida for the 2015 adidas MLS combine.
“It’s been good to be down here,” said Marsch on Monday. “Our team of people has done a good job of preparing information, and gathering information so that as a whole, our staff has been prepared. It has given me a chance to get up to speed on a lot of players, and now actually we’ve met with a majority of the players down here too so, we’re getting a good sense of who we’re looking at, and how it fits with who we are.”
Marsch linked up with members of the Red Bulls technical staff who have been responsible for scouting and researching the combine invitees. The new head man said the weekend was productive not only for draft preparation, but for getting to know the staff he will work closely with moving forward as well.
“It’s been great. We’ve all been very collaborative, and there are a lot of ideas flying around. It’s not just the draft, but how to continue to improve who we are as a team and who we are as a club. I think all of us getting to know each other, along with sharing ideas on what we think it is going to take to be successful, has meant that this time we’ve spent together has been very, very productive.”
Marsch, a 14-year MLS player who has done stints as an assistant coach with the USMNT at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and guided the Montreal Impact through their inaugural season in 2012, joined the Red Bulls last week after spending two years coaching under Jimmy Barlow at Princeton University. While Marsch may be new to the Red Bulls, he has a solid knowledge base on current college players thanks to his time in the Ivy League.
“At Princeton I was exposed to a lot of players on the East Coast. We played against a lot of them, and a lot of them played in the area, so I’ve watched them. This was not my first chance to see most of them play.”
In addition to giving each staff an opportunity to evaluate players in person through three days of head-to-head games, the combine also offers team personnel the chance to sit down with players for an interview. For Marsch and the Red Bulls staff, those interviews are just as important in determining a player’s fit with the organization.
“It’s been productive in a lot of ways. We know who they are on the field, we’ve done research with their coaches and with other players who know them, but anytime you get to sit down face-to-face with someone you pick up so much more.”
“Whenever you sit down with these young college players you’re trying to pull things out of them, pull a little bit of personality, pull some ideas, ask them to so some self-evaluation about themselves and the league, and get a window into what they’re like as people, and see if that lends itself toward being a functional member of our team.”
The combine runs through Tuesday, when Marsch and the staff will return home to prepare for Thursday’s 2015 MLS SuperDraft. As with the combine, Marsch says it will be a group effort to put together the draft board and strategy to add to the Red Bulls roster. New York holds the 18th pick in the first round.
“The strategy first is to try and identify which players are best at each position, and then also rank the best players in the draft. You try to create some kind of predetermined checklist so that as players get selected, and as certain players are still remaining, you have a way of systematically going through how to make decisions. It’s also important to take some of the data that you compile to create rankings and try to figure out, as it’s coming down and getting close [to your pick], what is best for our club.”
As far as specific positions the team may be looking at in the draft, Marsch was candid about addressing team needs, but also stressed the need to add depth across the pitch.
“Certainly we feel like we need some depth at center back, and a lot on the back line. Quite honestly, we could make sense out of adding depth in just about all the areas of the team. Bradley Wright-Phillips has been so good up top, but certainly somebody could help relieve him at different times, someone from wide positions, that would still be a need, and even guys in the middle of the field that could provide some versatility there, and even a backup for Luis [Robles]. I think [Santiago] Castano has shown the ability to grow, and he’s a good young player but I think we need another goalie as well.”
With 17 teams ahead of them, it’s tough for Marsch and the staff to know exactly who will be available when they get a chance to select. They are confident in their evaluations, and are ready to add talent that will be an asset to the club for years to come, even if doesn’t immediately translate to meaningful MLS minutes.
“Usually when you’re as low as 18, you’re hopeful to get a guy who can come in and contribute right away, but you’re probably looking at more of a guy who can come in and give you minutes here and there and who knows, maybe establish himself a little bit more as the season goes on.”
Looking beyond this week, Marsch and the staff will be busy filling out a roster ahead of the first training camp session, which is little more than two weeks away. Looking ahead, Marsch again stressed the importance of the entire staff being on the same page, and discussed how the roster, and plans for the future, will begin to take shape over the next few weeks.
“The main reason for being down here is preparing for the draft, which I think we’ve done a very good job of, but even more so it’s allowed us to put a lot of other initiatives in place so that we can continue to use all of the resources that this club has to now lead to something that can be successful on the field.”
In addition to the 18th pick in the first round, the Red Bulls will also select 39th overall, 18th in the second round, on Tuesday. The third and fourth rounds of the draft, where the Red Bulls hold the 59th overall spot, will take place on Tuesday, January 20.
