Red Bulls Paper Revue: February 21, 2022

Welcome to the New York Red Bulls Paper Revue presented by Once a Metro.

The 2022 Major League Soccer season starts next weekend? As in, there will be matches this coming Saturday. I don’t believe you. I can’t believe you. What if we simply pretended the matches aren’t actually being played and instead choose to start paying attention in, I don’t know, July? That sounds much better.

Here’s this week’s top story.

***

RB Salzburg held Bayern Munich to a 1-1 draw in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. Prior to the match, Sport1 spoke with Gerhard Struber about everything from his former club to the allure of Europe. He was connected to Werder Bremen last May and possibly again in November, to say nothing of the public flirtation with Manchester United.

“I’m 100 percent convinced that you shouldn’t follow the first call,” said Struber. It just has to be coherent and feel right. You should take a very close look before you dare a new adventure. As a coach, you have to know what you’re getting yourself into when you move to the [German] Bundesliga. Don’t do it just because it sounds sexy.”

The “man of conviction” believes that every opportunity must be “looked at very individually.” This is the antithesis of a “man without conviction,” also known as a “Karma Chameleon.” Let the record show that Gerhard Struber is not a “Karma Chameleon” or any member of the reptile class.

***

Moving on is a part of life. New signing Luquinhas said his fond farewell to Legia Warszawa. The Brazilian attacker shared a message with the club’s supporters, thanking them.

“Hello, fans of Legia Warszawa,” said Luquinhas. “I am recording this last message as a token of gratitude and thanks for all the years of happiness that I spent here. From this place I want to thank you. Thank you for the sympathy and love you have given me and my whole family. Legia will remain in my heart for the rest of my life. I won two trophies here, I was very happy here and I hope that one day we will meet again. Thank you very much. See you later.”

Will he see them later? Time will tell. Perhaps the Red Bulls and Legia will meet in a future Club World Cup.

***

Someone named Caden Clark was interviewed by the Tactical Manager TV YouTube channel. The whole interview is fairly interesting and worth consuming. He discusses the reasoning behind his return to New York and international future.

***

Ross County made the deal official, signing Josh Sims. The club beat out “quite a number of suitors” across the United Kingdom for his services. The 24-year-old winger has been out of contract since departing Southampton last summer.

“We are absolutely delighted to bring Josh to Ross County,” said manager Malky Mackay. “He is a player we have been aware of for a considerable time, and a great deal of work [has been] done to bring Josh to Dingwall. We have had to be patient and keep in regular contact over the course of the past 9 months, and are delighted to finally be able to sign him. Josh is an exciting player with great domestic and international experience that will add to our group, and he is a player I think our fans will really enjoy watching. I’d like to once again thank Southampton for our continued relationship.”

The Staggies took on Hibernian in hot Scottish Premier League action, falling 2-0. Sims was on the bench but did not play. Perhaps the English winger will make his debut next week, but, for now, can enjoy all the splendor Dingwall has to offer.

***

K.V.C. Westerlo and David Jensen had a scheduled match against Lierse canceled on account of Storm Eunice. England and Northern Europe were “battered” by strong winds, resulting in several deaths due to flying debris and falling trees. The federation attempted to move ahead with fixtures, but the effects were too great to ignore.

***

An injury is still keeping Andrés Cubas on the sideline, having missed the last five matches for Nîmes Olympique. The one-time Red Bulls transfer target is still wanted by River Plate. According to El Crack Deportivo, he is a target for “the middle of the year.”

The move will be accomplished eventually, just a little later than previously expected, like your New Year’s resolutions which will surely be started any day now.

***

Here’s a story that was submitted by the roving head of OaM’s Vail bureau, Eric Friedlander.

Esbjerg fB registered a 3-2 victory in a friendly over Hobro IK. The third goal was scored by none other than Mathias Jørgensen. The Danish striker “sent the ball hard away toward the nearest corner with a stiff toe,” converting the eventual winner.

At first I thought this was a translation error, but, from the highlight video, he appears to have literally toe-poked a shot from a difficult angle.

***

By hook or by crook, the Red Bulls may be getting that sell-on fee for Amir Murillo. According to the Belgian press, Anderlecht will “cooperate in a transfer” next summer despite the right back being under contract through June of 2025. The club previously turned down an offer from Spartak Moscow and will fail to receive the desired windfall of 10 million euros, but the fee should be substantially higher than what was paid to acquire him.

See, now this story I believe. Members of the Belgian media have a slightly stronger grasp on the transfer rumor mill in their own country as opposed to Italian websites. I’m not pointing any fingers, but let’s keep that in mind the next time this sort of thing happens.

***

The suitors are lining up for Jesse Marsch. According to The Telegraph, Leeds United and Athletic Club Bilbao want him this upcoming summer. He is considered the “first-choice candidate” at the former club, from which the enigmatic Marcelo Bielsa could be departing.

Hopefully neither outfit looks too closely at his tenure with RB Leipzig. The German Bundesliga Bulls are flying under Domenico Tedesco, using “a blend of the traditional [high energy] style and the [Julian] Nagelsmann approach” with the very same players Marsch struggled to bring to heel. “We are back on track,” said defender Willi Orbán. “We can beat every opponent again.”

Marsch has quite a few supporters, including the current New York manager. “[He] is a cool coach with an incredible enthusiasm,” Gerhard Struber told Sport1. “It just didn’t work out between him and RB Leipzig at the time. But I believe that Jesse will soon take over a great club again.”

Where will Marsch land? Bilbao would certainly be an interesting experience, with all the inherent benefits and challenges of working under the stringent cantera restrictions. If he is waiting until the summer, then several more clubs should pop up on the radar.

Here’s a joke that was submitted by Dorothea of Mount Laurel.

“My husband, Ernest, would be a fit for a team called Unathletic Bilbao.”

Thank you, Dorothea. I’m sure he’s trying.

***

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