Red Bull New York has Media Day Starting the New Michael Bradley Era

Meeting some of the new guys, with the old guys

Harrison, NH- That day has finally arrived. Media Day has come to Sports Illustrated Stadium as Red Bull New York hosted the New York and New Jersey media to meet with head coach Michael Bradley and some of their new signings, along with a few old ones from the last two years. This was the moment the fans wanted to hear from the players and the head coach, to get their perspectives on the new season and the hope that they could turn things around after a horrible 2025 ended their historic playoff qualification streak.

Michael Bradley Speaks to the Media

The interview room across from the Red Bulls locker room was filled to the hilt with plenty of media, looking to ask the new head coach what his philosophy is for the new season and what he is looking to do, with the players he has and with the winter transfer window currently open, the possibility of adding more players to the roster. From the start of training camp and into the preseason, from IMG Bradenton to a quick match-up at their training facility to their preseason tournament in Texas. Bradley is ready for his new venture as the first team head coach.

Jorge Ruvalcaba introduced to the media

When Director of Sport Julian DeGuzman wanted to change the dynamic of the club and evolve it from just a pressing team into something more, he felt he needed some new speedy wingers to help with the attack. That’s where Jorge Ruvalcaba came in and will help out Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting with the goal scoring. To give service and to score goals himself. He was introduced to the media as their newest Designated Player and took pictures with Bradley holding his jersey. You could see on his face how excited he is to play since his transfer from UNAM Pumas of Liga MX.

“I started off playing Division II, where… signing for a team like New York Red Bull seems impossible, but I think that the mindset that I’ve always grown up with, thanks to my parents, and just kind of never giving up and wanting to be a good example for my little siblings. Thankfully, I got the… The blessing is that now I’m here, sitting down as a Red Bull player, very happy, very excited to get going, and just super thankful for the trust that the club has put in me. I think for any player, that’s one of the most important things, and the club has given me that,” said Jorge Ruvalcaba

Ruvalcaba is ready for the challenge

When Ruvalcaba heard that Red Bull New York was calling, he already knew how big a challenge it was. Especially since the end of last season, when the Red Bulls failed to qualify for the playoffs, and it ended a 15-year consecutive streak. Ruvalcaba is about to play in one of the top sports markets in the United States, and he is very excited for the challenge.

“I think it’s been a couple of weeks since I talked to the club about coming here. And it’s one of the things that I looked forward to the most. Because, as I said, I think I consider myself… A person with the mindset that I don’t give up, I always want to win. And, like you say, coming to a club as important as Red Bull New York, coming from a season where they didn’t make the playoffs in such a long time. Of course, we know that there’s pressure as a group, as a team. It’s a club where if you’re not always at the top, you know, there’s always going to be pressure. And… You know, as players, we’re also blessed to be able to live that type of pressure. And of course, uh, you know, I came here because, because of the project, because I knew that this was a season where we have to fight for the title, and that’s how it’s going to be. That’s why I chose Red Bull New York.”

Emil Forsberg is ready to right the ship

The Captain of the Red Bulls is ready to make things right after what happened in the 2025 season. Going from the biggest high to the horrible low. Clinching a spot in the MLS Cup Final to failing to reach the playoffs in a possible 16th consecutive season. This time, with some new additions to the club, the hope is that he can lead the club on the pitch and get them back to where they should be, attempting to clinch a playoff spot or to show some improvement under head coach Michael Bradley.

“The season has been so far so good. Pre-season is always pre-season. I think we had a really good pre-season, worked hard on the new ideas. The game has been good. So it’s going to be exciting. It feels good. Body-wise, everybody is sharp, feeling good. So it’s going to be good. Emil, a little bit of a, I guess, stressful year for you a little bit. Your last year in the contract, World Cup year, also trying to get back to the squad. I’m just honestly just enjoying myself right now, just being able to be on the pitch every day, having fun with my teammates. That’s why I go to training every day, just to have fun and to perform. I mean, it’s going to be an exciting year. A lot of new faces for us, a new coach.

But like I said, it’s four weeks, five weeks. Been very good for us, I think. It’s been very exciting to see the young guys, the new guys coming in with Michael and his ideas. So the performance level and the level of how we have to perform every game has to be higher this season and that’s what we’re going to demand from each other. So we go on Saturday and I can’t wait. I think this year has been a little bit different, with a lot of transfers coming in, rather than the past years where there hasn’t been that many changes in the squad.” said Emil Forsberg

Cade Cowell returns to MLS and Ready with the Red Bulls

After his brief time down in Mexico at Chivas of Guadalajara, the former homegrown player of the San Jose Earthquakes, Cade cowell has returned to MLS, and he was picked up by Red Bull New York to make himself an important player in the attack. Down the wing and helping to set chances for Choupo-Moting. This ia hia time to come in and show the New York City/TRi-State area what he is made of and what he can do in a big market for the game in this country. During preseason, Bradley has Cowell playing on the right wing instead of his natural position on the left. Has the change worked for him?

“I have been playing on the right this year, and it’s very good for me. I feel like I’m running it behind and getting a lot of good crosses in on the right foot. It is a bit different, that I’ve been adjusting to, because I’ve always put on the left, but I think it’ll be great for me, and I think it’ll be good for the team as well. Yeah, I think it’s going to be a very exciting year for us and for the fans as well. I think we’re going in the right direction, and we scored a lot of goals in preseason, and we had some really good moments defensively as well, and it’s going to be great.” said Cowell.

New goalkeeper Ethan Horvath has joined the club

When you talk about Ethan Horvath, you can remember him coming on as a substitute for Zach Steffan when he was injured during the inaugural CONCACAF Nations League Final against Mexico at Empower Field at Mile High. Stopping a late extra-time penalty against Mexico and a win in the El Clásico. Even though Horvath has been making the rounds in Europe at different clubs, now he comes back to the States to possibly be the starting goalkeeper for Red Bull New York. Was this the right time for him to come back stateside, and what are his expectations for himself?

“It was just the right opportunity for my footballing career. This opportunity, out of all the options, gave my… the best opportunity to further along my career and where I wanted to go and for my personal development and a so-called leadership role, so you know this— this opportunity was kind of. Um… a nice chance to come back home to a big club like the Red Bulls. And like you mentioned, I left at such a young age to make my own mark in my own chapter in the U.S. Since I left at such a young age. It was the right time to join Red Bull, as you know.

Early January, I had a really good over-two-hour conversation with Michael. Later in January, I had a… call with Julian and everybody, and you know, a bit of disappointment from last season. So this season they’re— they’re trying to to change things around, to freshen up, new ideas, new tactics, to get Red Bull back on top. So, you know, it just made sense after speaking with Michael and after speaking with Julian for what I’m thinking in my head and what my goals and ambitions are. It just made sense that this was the perfect time to join Red Bull,” said Horvath

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting the elder statesman

Obviously, as the club is getting younger, you still need some strong veterans to help them along the way. This is the second season for Choupo-Moting, and after a 17-goal season last year. You would hope he can continue to reach that plateau or maybe edge it a bit more. But just because he is a veteran doesn’t mean he won’t help his young teammates out. He is showing some of his new wingmen what to do with the ball and how to play the ball towards him so he can put himself into a better position to take a full chance. While trying not to show his age.

“We don’t put too much pressure on ourselves right now. We have a changed team, like a lot of new kids, young talented players with us, some new players with experience. And obviously, Emil and I, we have also a special role because we have a… We have a certain experience and I try to to help all of the young kids, especially to lead the team. And also, I know my role. I need to help them. I try to score again, of course, some goals, assist some goals. But at the end of the day, the team performance is the most important. And we know that we can do better than last season, but there were already a lot of positive parts,

I think. We have to play more consistently. Because it was not that last season. Or let me better say, there were a lot of games which were very good and some disappointing games. But the way Bradley started everything and the ideas he has— how we want to play football. straightforward, attacking, intensive. I think everyone embraced that quite fast. I like that style of play and we want to create chances, we want to try to to win every game. And I see a lot of potential in this team. Me, myself personally, I would try to do even better than last season to help the team as much as possible with my experience on the field. Also off the field, I would try to talk to a lot of guys that already do it. I hope they see some. Or they dare also to talk to me, to ask questions, whatever. I’m there to help, of course, because I could be the father of some of those kids,” said Choup-Moting

Media day is always a fun time when you see the players again for a brand new season, and you get to talk to some of the new additions that were brought to the club. Entering Sports Illustrated Stadium is always a blast with or without the fans. Lets hope the new season goes off without a hitch and this 2026 season can be a memoriable one.

Red Bull New York News:

• Red Bull New York Waives Raheem Edwards
• Red Bulls Send Wiktor Bogacz on loan to Polish First Division side KS Cracovia
• Red Bull New York Trades Wiki Caromna to CF Montreal for Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty

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