Red Bulls Paper Revue: April 11, 2022

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

What is the reasonable extent of ethical consumption? I enjoy watching videos of domesticated otters on YouTube, but does this further contribute to “their undoing”? With each click of a mouse, I am perhaps convincing another person to engage in the pet trade, potentially harming the Lutrinae community. On the other hand, should I be held personally responsible for passing a few minutes here and there online? Are my actions doing more environmental harm than turning on an air conditioner or traversing in a real moral art-from-artist gray area like watching The Ninth Gate for the umpteenth time? Not even Chinatown, I throw away any semblance of principles for a film with a 43% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Here’s this week’s top story.

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Let’s all wish hearty congratulations to Dietrich Mateschitz or perhaps Diet-very-rich Mateschitz.

Forbes released the annual ranking of “The World’s Richest Sports Team Owners.” Writer Justin Birnbaum notes that “rampant inflation and a volatile market” have affected the standing of several previous members of the list. However, thankfully, cryptocurrency and gambling are helping to “accelerate the recovery from pandemic-driven losses,” since I’m sure you were worried.

The Red Bull magnate clocks in at fourth, the second-highest footballing figure behind Stade Rennais’ François Pinault. Mateschitz boasts a net worth of $27.4 billion, experiencing a 2% increase over the past year. Forbes claims that he has “seen modest success from his collection of clubs,” a clear and obvious shot from the writer at the value of the Supporters’ Shield.

Now, we could quibble about whether Mateschitz actually owns the New York Red Bulls and should be included on the list. Technically, I suppose, Red Bull GmbH owns the club. However, he partially (alongside Chalerm Yoovidhya) owns the company and serves as CEO.

This is all very important.

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Speaking of money, “the Red Bull group” is apparently making a power play.

Periodista Bruno Pont reports that the multi-continent ownership has made a $10 million offer for Julio Enciso. The 18-year-old midfielder competes with Libertad in the Paraguayan Primera División, the youngest player in club history. In eight matches this season, he has scored an eye-catching nine times. [“Nine times?” “Nine times.”]

Already with five appearances with the senior national team, Enciso is on everyone’s radar, with Libertad rejecting a recent bid from Brighton. The report fails to mention to which Red Bull club he would be heading, but Crónica claims that “negotiations already began days ago.” Unfortunately, the “almost unanimous” local opinion is that the midfielder will likely move to Europe, skipping past Bragantino and New York.

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Despite their own best efforts at self-sabotage, KVC Westerlo managed to claim the Belgian First Division B title. RWDM failed to keep pace with the price of points too high in a market of declining matches. All hail the Ruffs who have earned promotion to the first division.

How was David Jensen rewarded for his ten shutouts? The on-loan goalkeeper took a seat on the bench for last weekend’s match against Royal Excel Mouscron, a 6-2 win. Is this a well-deserved rest or will Westerlo perhaps be moving in a different direction next season?

Ooh, ooh, how spooky. It would be quite awkward if Jensen showed up this summer in Harrison. His contract lasts through the end of the year, which would probably mean another fast short-term loan. Maybe Westerlo wants him back. I really don’t know.

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Have you seen this? Have you heard about this?

According to Bild, the New York Red Bulls wanted Philipp Ziereis… four years ago. The 29-year-old FC St. Pauli defender is set to be back on the market this summer. Multiple clubs across Germany and Major League Soccer are interested, with his representative saying there are “currently many discussions going in all directions.”

Are the Red Bulls, across multiple regimes, only dreaming of signing Ziereis or is this an eternal flame?

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Here’s a story that was submitted to the Paper Revue by OaM Oakland bureau chief Juan Mesa.

Red Bull doesn’t mess around with scouting, dipping into the Portuguese third division to sign a player for Bragantino. The midfielder in question is 19-year-old Bissau-Guinean João Vasco Djú. He’s made 17 appearances this season.

Now, the curious thing about this move is the general flouting of the normalized talent flow. While Djú speaks the local language (Portuguese is the official language of Guinea-Bissau and possibly Portugal as well), young internationals based in Europe seldom transfer to South American clubs. Brazil is already brimming with talent, which makes this a curious action from Red Bull.

Could New York supporters possibly question why he is being sent to Brazil instead of MLS? I’m sure they could, but a rising tide lifts all boats. Scouting tends to be collaborative in Red Bull.

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Former Red Bull Florian Valot was profiled by the official Paris-Saint Germain website. He discussed his footballing journey from France to Scotland to France to the United States The midfielder also provided a nice assessment of the game in this footballing backwater of a country.

“I am convinced that some teams could compete for the top places in the French championship,” said Valot. “The technical level has greatly evolved. Previously, the game was based on physicality. For several years, many South American and European players have joined the various Major League Soccer teams. Technique and tactics have taken over the physical aspect. It is a sport that is still very young in the United States. Basketball, baseball and ice hockey are much more popular. As far as stadiums are concerned, the clubs have nothing to envy their European counterparts. They are so gigantic and modern.”

Valot is currently with Miami FC in the USL Championship. He has made four appearances, registering one assist. The Fightin’ Ricardo Silvas are at seventh in the Eastern Conference table with a 2-2-1 record.

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Once upon a time, the Red Bulls were maybe interested in Katlego “Tsiki” Ntsabeleng. The South African attacker continued attending Oregon State University [Go Beavers!], earning All-Pac-12 First Team honors. In the most recent MLS SuperDraft he was selected with the final and 28th selection of the first round by FC Dallas, with New York passing on him twice.

Interestingly enough, Ntsabeleng is already making an impact with the Hoops. He’s appeared in four matches, all as a substitute. Joseph Lowery, sometimes of MLSSoccer.com, described him as an “incredibly fun ball progression machine,” which sounds like something teams would want. By comparison, O’Vonte Mullings has looked decent with Red Bulls II and seventh-pick Matt Nocita is… Mullings has looked decent with Red Bulls II.

SuperDrafts, like life, can be a series of sliding doors, by which I mean they are passable romantic comedies starring a tolerable Gwyneth Paltrow.

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A striker by the name of Leonardo Campana scored a hat-trick this weekend for Inter Miami. The Ecuador international happens to be on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers. I wonder if Kevin Thelwell, during his past tenure with the Red Bulls, considered tapping up his old club. Perhaps this could be considered a missed opportunity since Premier League outfits rarely lend their talented players to MLS, but the transfer market is nebulous and cannot be judged from a zero-sum mindset.

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Jesse Marsch is a firm subscriber to the mantra of “No New Friends.” The Leeds United manager is confused by the convivial approaches of his affable peers, unable to dampen fight-or-flight instincts inherent in both man and beast. His mere existence is a slap to the face of the friendly Wisconsinite stereotype.

“I would say [England is] congenial, maybe too congenial for me,” Marsch said prior to last weekend’s match against Watford, 3-0 win. “I want to acknowledge the work that other people do. I do respect and appreciate the work that other people do in this business. It’s hard for me to be friendly with competitors because in my mind I want to not like them.”

Let that be a warning to opposing managers. When approaching Jesse Marsch, be sure to do it slowly from the front with your palms facing downward. Try not to spook him and, if the manager trusts you, he may eat a sugar cube out of your palm.

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Former Red Bulls Academy trainer Nicole Farley was profiled by CNN Sport. Now at West Ham, she is endeavoring to reach the top of the sport and is hoping to gain her professional license. The struggle up the ladder can be difficult, but the former player plans on earning every step.

“I refer to myself as being in a flowerpot,” said Farley. “I’m a plant and I’m growing, but if someone puts me in a box, I can only show so much. If you take that box off, if you let the sun in, if you let the opportunity arise, well, guess what? I can grow and give so much more.”

In addition to the Red Bulls, her career has included stops with the LA Galaxy, Reading, Arsenal, Chelsea, and England.

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There’s a “Cameroonian goal machine” in the second division of the United Arab Emirates.

New father Anatole Abang has a double-take worthy 13 goals in 12 matches for Al Bataeh. The 25-year-old has carried his club to second in the table, which would be good enough for promotion to the UAE Pro League. With four fixtures remaining, the “brilliant striker” may have finally hit the next gear and not a moment too soon.

I could think of another club needing goals from the striker position.

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Let’s check in with Gonzalo Verón.

The Universidad San Martin attacker is doing okay with two goals and an assist in eight matches. He even scored in a recent fixture against Sporting Cristal, powering his header into the back of the net. Unfortunately, the Los Albos (The Whites) dropped the decision, 4-1, and occupy the bottom of the Peruvian Primera División table with a single win this season.

As for his ongoing legal drama with former outfit Club Atlético Independiente, well, it’s… ongoing. According to several reports out of South America, Verón’s lawyer is employing a new tactic to secure indemnification. The player is said to be hoping to take a piece of the club’s television rights. The courts will decide in due time.

Here’s a joke that was submitted by Lilith of Rockaway Township.

“Gonzalo Verón’s legal situation would be one of the worst episodes of The Good Fight on Paramount+.”

Thank you, Lilith. How could you tell the difference?.

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