Upon being founded in 1994, the New York Red Bulls has established itself as one of Major League Soccer’s most well-known teams. Fundamentally, the club has been able to do this by following their owner’s desired philosophy. So, let’s take a look at the role of the Metros within the framework of the Red-Bull owned teams.
Player Development
Despite failing to thus far claim the MLS Cup, many continue to remain hopeful year after year that this could finally be the year for Chris Armas’ team to win their first significant honor. That said, the Metros have won three Supporters’ Shields in their 26-year history. However, trophies aside, the New York Red Bulls have bought into their Austrian owners’ long-term vision for franchise success since being bought by them in 2006.
Fundamentally, the recruitment aspect of the Red Bull vision resides around focusing their attention on young, up-and-coming talent that can, in the future, benefit any number of the Red Bull-owned clubs. This is undoubtedly showcased through the career progression of Tyler Adams, who was formerly a player for the Metros.
In 2015, the now 21-year-old midfielder left the New York Red Bulls’ academy to join their second-tier side, before later being promoted to the club’s top-flight team. After spending two years with the main team, Adams was eventually sold to RasenBallsport Leipzig in January 2019 for approximately $3 million, according to Transfermarkt. Since moving to the Bundesliga, the midfielder has continued to showcase his talents under Julian Nagelsmann, while also demonstrating his versatility having been used in several defensive positions.
Forming Inter-Brand Connections
While, on paper, it may appear that the New York Red Bulls are merely being used as stepping stone for other Red Bull-owned sides, such cross-team relationships are unquestionably beneficial to all parties. The freedom of movement that is evident among both players and staff allows the franchise to develop both their business-related and sporting plans in unison, through a checks and balances approach, as per a report by These Football Times.
Crucially, the Red Bull approach to all sports, especially soccer, seeks to bring to life an all-action, fast-paced, attacking style of play. In order to seamlessly achieve this, however, there needs to be an element of consistency regarding personnel and tactics among all of the teams owned by the Austrian organization.
Aside from Adams, who represents the overarching ideology of the Red Bull franchise, Jesse Marsch is a prime example of striving for long-term success through personal development. Since retiring from playing, the 46-year-old has held four coaching roles, three of which have been at Red Bull-owned clubs. During his three-year spell with the Metros, Marsch won the MLS Supporters’ Shield with a club-record 18 wins, in addition to claiming the league’s Coach of the Year award.
Following the Red Bull Philosophy
As mentioned above, seeking to achieve success across numerous different countries requires every Red Bull club to adopt a forward-thinking soccer philosophy. Interestingly, aside from altering the managerial positions of trophy-winning coaches like Marsch to ensure consistency, the on-field playing staff are also recruited with a pre-determined tactical approach already in mind. Ultimately, this is one of the main factors behind Adams’ seamless transition from the Red Bulls to Leipzig.
In this regard, there are obvious distinct similarities between various members of both the Metros and Die Roten Bullen’s squads. For example, because of the high-press style that each side seeks to implement, the work ethic of Alex Muyl and Yussuf Poulsen is held in high regard by both sets of fans. Much like the Danish attacker, Muyl isn’t prolific in front of goal, but his off-the-ball running and relentless engine has seen him become the heart of the New York Red Bulls.
Because of this philosophy, the Metros have helped to grow their own supporter base, as well as the appeal of the MLS. As a result, this has had a further impact on a wide array of other sports-related markets, such as sports betting opportunities within New York. Despite the necessary legislation not yet allowing online betting, Bill S17 is seeking to ensure the regulation of digital markets, thus allowing fans of the New York Red Bulls, for example, additional routes to soccer-related immersion.
Time is Needed for the Vision to Become a Success
While there are already indications across all of the Red Bull-owned clubs that success is on the horizon, time is needed for the unique philosophy to maximize the chances of sustained trophy triumphs. For the Metros, a belief in the long-term vision is of utmost importance. Although they have yet to hit the heights in the MLS, the foundations are in place for the New York Red Bulls to continue competing for the MLS Cup.