Red Bulls Expert Guide: October 18, 2021

Welcome to the New York Red Bulls Expert Guide presented by Once a Metro.

You may not know this, but I write every single one of these posts while wearing a three-piece suit. I bet that adds a touch of class to your reading experience, doesn’t it?

Here’s this week’s top story.

***

Prior to the Hudson River Derby, Gerhard Struber gave a wide-ranging interview with Laola1. He discussed everything from the roster build to the future of a few players. The big headline appears to be that goalkeeper Carlos Coronel might be sticking around long-term.

“Carlos has really improved himself in the last few years and has developed into a real key player for us in the course of the MLS season, who is constantly performing and is there for us at crucial moments,” said the manager. “I know from England and Austria what makes particularly good goalkeepers, and I have to say that Carlos is now international and has caught unsustainable balls in many games. We have the chance to take the option, [and] that’s what we want to do. With Carlos, we have a top-class goalkeeper who will hopefully be by our side for the next few years.”

He also discussed this year’s obvious struggles and his belief in reaching the postseason. “We didn’t have the right preparation,” the 44-year-old shared. “Some players who came to the team much too late with visa problems, took a long time to get connected and to get involved with the team identity. These are all reasons why it was very volatile over the summer... The last few weeks have made me confident that we will make the playoffs this year as well... It is a situation this year that on the one hand we want to develop the identity of the team, but at the same time have big goals. At the same time, a project like the one we tackled simply needs a certain amount of time. I see it simply more realistic to attack next year in order to actually have the pot in hand... We are betting on that this year [being] the first step so that we can achieve these great goals. This is our way.”

Struber also talks about Caden Clark and Daniel Royer. Those who would be interested in such things should click the link and peruse the full interview. The whole piece is quite revealing and comes very close to must-read status.

***

A fun transfer rumor popped up on Twitter.

According to journalist César Luis Merlo, the Red Bulls have interest in Sebastián Sosa Sánchez. The 27-year-old Uruguayan striker is currently at Club Atlético Patronato of the Argentine Primera División. It appears unlikely that he will continue at the club in 2022, with Independiente and Estudiantes also on the hunt..

Sánchez has scored five goals this season, including a brace in a recent 3-2 loss to Rosario Central. After starting at Cerro Largo, he made a move to Serie A outfit Palermo in 2012. Since then, his career has been that of a journeyman, with stops at Empoli, Nacional, Atlante, Querétaro, and many other clubs.

Off the field, Sánchez enjoys working as an artist, even receiving orders from teammates. “It lacks a bit of work,” he said of his recent Lara Croft portrait. “I have lived abroad for nine years… [My teammate] wants me to draw him. He tells me, ‘I’ll give you photos. I’ll pay you.’ I tell him I don’t work [like this].”

Could this somewhat lumbering target man be on his way to the artistic capital that is New York? He is not quite a tactical fit and is far outside of the general age range for Red Bull prospects, but perhaps there would be a special exception for a scorer of goals. South Americans are the signings du jour, now composing a significant portion of the roster.

***

KVC Westerlo kept rolling, racking up a 2-1 win over Racing White Daring de Molenbeek 47. David Jensen started and only surrendered a goal on a penalty conversion guessing the wrong way. The team continues to top the Belgian First Division B, seven points ahead of second place Waasland-Beveren.

Promotion is looking certain right now, but it’s only October.

***

With Red Bull Bragantino headed to the final of the Copa Sudamericana, the club is attracting a lot of interest from the media. Lance produced an article on the emerging Brazilian power, chronicling the complicated road that started not in April of 2019, but all the way back to 1958 with the Chedid family. Politics, business, and sport make for a curious partnership.

There’s also this tidbit that I found amusing. When searching for another Brazilian outfit, Red Bull was talking to Paulista and a little old organization by the name of Oeste. The latter, of course, is the parent club of none other than on-loan New York striker Fábio.

Would he have still ended up in MLS had the club opted to buy Oeste instead of Bragantino? Life is a series of choices and coincidences. Everything you do both does and does not matter.

***

The writers of Território MLS interviewed Fábio discussing everything from Brazil to Japan and everything in between. He describes MLS as “totally different” and “very strong.” The striker does not see a rivalry with Patryk Klimala, describing them as “friends” and “partners,” communicating by gestures on the field.

Give the whole interview a watch.

***

Al-Taawoun lost to Al-Fateh by a 3-0 margin. Kaku entered the match in the 60th minute as a substitute. The Cooperation is at the bottom of the Saudi Professional League table with three points from eight matches.

That’s not… great.

***

RB Leipzig settled for a 1-1 draw with SC Freiburg. Now at eight in the Bundesliga table, Jesse Marsch spread some criticism after the match. Few were spared from the manager’s prognostications.

“We are not efficient enough in the [final third], and we make too many mistakes in our own [third],” Marsch said after the match. “We do not block the spaces… It’s too easy to score against us.”

He also acknowledged that there are “too many sites” where the team needs upgrades, which is a fair remark but possibly not what the bosses want to hear. A Champions League fixture against Paris Saint-Germain is on Tuesday. The reinforcements won’t be showing up by then, so perhaps Marsch needs to figure out a different way to win.

***

The situation in Barnsley is not good.

Writer Doug O’Kane of the Barnsley Chronicle asks whether the window for Markus Schopp is closing. Despite injury issues, the club has slumped to 22nd in the table with eight points from 12 matches, losing to “three teams in the bottom seven.” Sources tell the writer that “everyone is fully behind” the manager but his leadership and performances remain in question.

***

In case you hadn’t heard, Newcastle United has new owners. Changes at the top usually mean new staff, which allows the media to cycle through the cast of usual suspects. Fred Fenster and Michael McManus have yet to be connected, but a certain familiar name has.

According to The Telegraph, Newcastle owners are eyeing Ralf Rangnick for the sporting director role. The former Red Bull majordomo is currently at Lokomotiv Moscow in the Russian Premier League, currently at fifth in the table. This is, of course, mere week or two after the German was connected to the manager position at Barcelona.

Rangnick really is proving that the best way to get a job is to already be employed. Also, have incredible talent and make innovative developments in your chosen field. Those probably help.

Here’s a joke that was submitted by Jacqueline of Manasquan.

“After only a few months, it sure seems like Ralf is Russian to leave Moscow!”

Thank you, Jacqueline. We really don’t know what is happening yet.

***

Do you have a story you’d like to submit to the Expert Guide? Email us at bencorkOAM@gmail.com or send a DM to @Once_A_Metro on Twitter.