Marsch's side back home for training

The New York Red Bulls returned home from their first half of their Pre-Season schedule to get a full week of training under their belts as the club continues to get ready for the 2016 season. Spending a good amount of time at home is the best way to re-focus the mind after several solid weeks down in Orlando, Florida with some good results against opponents from the league and college sides.

Of course the weather back up in the northeast is not the same as it is in Florida when you are in early February and it's 37 degrees unlike the over 80 degree weather in the sunshine state. But watching the boys train with that intensity again was like a pretty picture being painted and seeing them doing drills was fantastic to see.

But up to this point what has been good or not so good from this first leg of training camp from Marsch's liking. "It's been more about what I've liked. The mentality and the hunger from the guys is at a very high level." Said Marsch, "It hasn't taken that much convincing or goading from me that this is where they need to go. They understand that there is a lot that has already been established within the group, the staff and from within the team and now it's about how far can we take this."

So far it sounds like Jesse is very pleased with how the first half of Pre-Season has gone and maybe everyone has gone up to speed during their off-season workouts to prepare for this upcoming season. "We are way ahead of where we were last year. We really understand what we are and continue to what we want to be and how we are going to get there. All the guys came back very sharp and it's making these roster decisions very difficult on me."

Kenny Cooper will have his trial extended as he has shown some good being back with the club and will head down to Florida with the rest of the side and Luis Robles of course is back with the Red Bulls after his time with Jurgen Klinsmann and the US Men's National Team as he won the friendly against Iceland in net for the USA

At the moment Ronald Zubar, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Anatole Abang are suffering with a slight hamstring issue, Marsch believes they should be ready to go when the club heads back to Florida for their second leg of the pre-season with games against Orlando City, Philadelphia Union and then a two hour bus ride to Jacksonville to take on the NASL's Armada to finish the season.

So at the moment the club is at the halfway point of their pre-season training and it sounds like everything is going well for Marsch's side. Everyone is up to speed and challenging to either keep or earn roster spots for this challenging 2016 season and it will be challenging once they kick off on March 6th.