Red Bulls Head Coach Michael Bradley and players Discussing Training Camp

Second phase of preseason complete

East Hanover, NJ- After making their return from the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, Red Bull New York returned to the frigid surroundings of their current training facility before moving into their new home at the RWJ Barnabus Health Red Bulls Performance Center. Several players and head coach Michael Bradley sat with the media to ask them about the upcoming season and how their preseason is going.

Backline changes and getting a challenge

As we have seen these past few weeks, the Red Bulls’ backline has made some additions, but the noticeable side is the subtractions. When Sean Nealis was traded to DC United, that saw both Alexander Hack leave the club, and Noah Eile being transferred away to Bristol City of the EFL Championship in England.

“A lot of changes coming in, coming out, a lot of new faces. But listen, we got a really good group here. Preseason’s off to a good start. You know, we’re building that chemistry together, whether it’s along the back line or just with everybody, really. I think that’s the most important thing to start, just to get everyone into the group and feels like they fit in well.

And, yeah, things are going well in terms of the back line. I think we have some new pieces, but some very good pieces, some new additions. Robert and Justin, especially, have been fitting in very easily and pretty well,” said Dylan Nealis.

At the moment, the two center backs who are remaining are Dylan Nealis and the veteran Tim Parker. While the MLS Winter Transfer Window is open, and hopefully moves will be made to shore up the middle of the backline, these two players will be expecting a challenge this season from the first match all the way to the end of the regular season.

“(Bradley) He gave me a call before preseason started, just saying, ‘Hey, listen, we might need you to play there.’ I said, ‘Let’s do it.’ I kind of look at that as a challenge. Um, get excited when a new challenge comes my way. You know, I played a few games at center back. years prior, so. Nothing really new to me.

Obviously, it might be in a back four this time or maybe a back five. Yeah, I’m excited to work under him, his experience, his leadership. You know, he’s played almost everywhere. And, you know, he’s played the game. So I think it’ll be. important for the young guys to learn under him and see all of his experiences.”

For the first time since coming over from Nashville SC in 2022, Dylan will face his brother Sean, who was traded to DC United before the preseason began. DC will be at Sports Illustrated Stadium on April 22nd, and the Red Bulls will be in our nation’s capital on October 14th.

“Definitely. Unfortunately, I think it’s two Wednesday games. I think it’s two. Two weekday games. But yeah, I’m sure we’ll get a good crowd, whether it’s home or away for that one. And who knows, maybe it’ll be nice to… give Sean a few nudges in the box or throw him an elbow or something.”

Michael Bradley’s update on the club

Red Bull New York had a friendly against USL Championship side Hartford Athletic at the training facility and won the match by a final score of five goals to nil. They also added an extra 30 minutes to the friendly and scored the fifth goal in that session. But Michael Bradley is well aware of the new faces at training camp, and he’s been excited to see how they are battling out there.

“No big challenges, honestly. It’s normal that in a preseason, there are a lot of different moving parts. You know, players coming, players going, players who have been here for a long time, trying to figure out exactly what their situation is with a new coach. And so, yeah, this stuff is all pretty normal. The players’ response has been incredible in every way, as we get to work now, establishing new ideas, new ways of playing, new ways of training, and of working every day.

And so they have come in every single day, so open, so excited by what we’re doing. And you know, for three weeks, we feel like things are going in a good direction. So we talked this morning about the idea that, you know, basically two more weeks of preseason left and then that final week of training leading into the first game. So things are moving fast, and the first game is coming quickly. But in all ways, the group is coming together well. And yeah, we’re excited about the direction that we’re headed,” said Bradley

Before Bradley spoke to the media, Red Bull New York announced the signing of midfielder Jorge Ruvalcaba to the club, and when you wonder what type of player makes a head coach excited, let’s remember the time when Bob Bradley was the head coach of the MetroStars. He brought over Amado Guevara from Honduras. Could this be the same thing under Michael?

“Yeah, we’re really excited. Really excited to have George with us. He is a guy that when we sat down, not long after I got the job, and now we started discussing the squad, discussing plans for this season, possible additions, he was the first player that I was shown. And I watched a little bit and watched what the club had prepared in terms of video, in terms of background information, data, the full dossier.

And then I spent even more time myself watching, and it was a player that, for me, really fits what we’re trying to do. You know, a young, exciting, attacking player who… is dynamic and wants to be aggressive, wants to take balls on the move, wants to find different ways to get into the box, score goals, set up goals against the ball. He’s a guy who chases and presses and gives everything he has for the team.

And so yeah, the more I watched, the more I was really excited about the possibility of bringing him to Red Bull New York And obviously, the club, Julian, Sam, and Jimmy, and everybody working in the background deserves huge credit because it was, whenever you talk about a deal like that, there is a lot of work behind the scenes that goes into it.

And so, yeah, as a club, we’re really excited to have him with us, and we’re gonna do everything we can to help him settle in and show everybody what a good player he is.”

As training camp continues, and very soon they will make the trip to Texas, but at the same time building with the players on the team for the first time with a brand new coach. It sounded like from both Dylan Neails and Ronald Donkor, that working with Michael Bradley was exciting as he attempts to put the team in a positive new direction.

“Yeah, you just get to work, and you just do it. You don’t waste any time trying to have conversations with guys, trying to learn about who they are, who they are as players, as people, try to take the football ideas that I have in my head and try to make it as clear as possible for them and try to show them all the details that will help them take the qualities that they have and make them hold up as games get better and the level goes higher.

And so it’s fun when you work with a group of players that are motivated and committed and determined every day to come in and compete in the right ways, try to improve, try to do everything they can to make the environment for the team better. Yeah, that’s what it’s all about. And so when you come in as a new coach, there’s no roadmap where it’s do this first, and then do that, and then you do this. You just get to it, and you’re trying every single day to build on the day before and make sure that every single guy, or as many guys as possible, understands how we’re trying to move this all forward.”

When we get to February 21st against Orlando City at Inter&Co Stadium, that’s when the real test begins. The first challenge for Michael Bradley and his Red Bull New York squad will be the Purple Palace on Church Street. But for now, it sounds like the players and Bradley are on the same page.

Red Bull New York News:

• Noah Eile officially Transfers to Bristol City
• Red Bulls Officially Completes the Transfer of Mexican Midfielder Jorge Ruvalcaba
• Noah Eile Transferring to Bristol City

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