Keeper Frank Rost joined the Red Bulls today, following Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez as their third Designated Player and expected to shore up their leaky defense. The veteran German said the former Barcelona stars influenced his decision, as did the prospect of winning a title and experiencing New York.
“I’m happy I’m here. The visa took three days; it was stressful. I hope I can bring my part to win the title here in MLS,’’ said Rost, who chose the Red Bulls despite having offers in the Bundesliga and elsewhere in Europe. “The MLS is more and more important in the world. You have famous players here in MLS, you also on this team have experienced players like Thierry and Rafael.’’
After nearly two decades and 400 games in the Bundesliga _ the last four seasons with Hamburger SV _ the 38-year-old Rost inked a Designated Player deal for the rest of this season and an option for next year as well. He exuded a professionalism and confidence that he can help solve the Red Bulls’ recent keeping woes.
“I will bring a good performance. Maybe I need one or two weeks to get my rhythm, but I think it’s no problem,’’ said Rost. “I lived in the best city of Germany in Hamburg, and one step more is New York. So it was my decision.’’
Rost did light training at practice today, while part-time starter Bouna Coundoul and Alex Horwath did most of the work. Canadian veteran Greg Sutton was conspicuously absent and presumed to be the casualty that GM Erik Soler and coach Hans Backe will part ways with.
“(Rost) is a player that I’ve known for quite a few years since I follow the Bundesliga very closely. I followed him through his career Bremen then going on to Schalke and now in Hamburg over the last four years,’’ said Soler, who confirmed the Post’s report that Rost’s ITC and P1 visa had been received.
“In the last 15 years he’s been rated _ including this season that just ended in Europe _ one of the four or five top goalkeepers in that league. He’s got a lot of experience, and we’re very confident that he can bring us what we need in (a) time of defensive instability in the team. That’s the reasoning for getting him here.’’
He kept 117 clean sheets out of 426 Bundesliga tilts, a mark bettered by only eight keepers; and his career mark of 1.24 goals against-per-game in the 13th-best of all Bundesliga goalkeepers with at least 100 appearances. Now, he’s expected to make his first MLS appearance tomorrow at Chivas USA, thrown right into the fire.
“I was thinking we are going too fast,’’ Backe admitted. “He arrived yesterday after an eight hour flight from Germany and then doing the medical from 8 o’clock this morning to almost 12:30, get one hour shower and rest, and then 5 ½ hours to LA. And with the time difference ad then play tomorrow.
“But of course, we will just play him tomorrow. I asked him when he arrived and he said I am feeling OK. We’ll see; but (if all goes) normally, he’ll start.’’
And even though they had yet to even have a serious tactical discussion, or go over how he likes to position his defenders for corners and free kicks _ they’ll go over that on the flight to L.A. _ Backe has high expectations for his new keeper.
“(I expect) 14 clean sheets, we have 14 games to go,’’ Backe joked. “Definitely he has tons of experience. He is the guy definitely who will organize the back four about the positioning. He will definitely demand everyone to do their job defending. He will never allow any player in the back four to do some casual football, play-of-the-day stuff. Definitely a winner; his mentality is very strong.’’
After Soler saw his Red Bulls hold opponents to just three goals through their first eight MLS games but then cough up 21 tallies in their last dozen, he admitted changes needed to be made. Hence came the task of both recruiting Rost, and clearing the salary cap space to add him.
“He had other options, both in the Bundesliga and in other leagues. It’s the concept that we have here in New York…also with the fact that soccer is a rapidly-growing sport in this country. It’s part of being able to build some history here,’’ said Soler. “And he wanted to do something _ if you take away the playing _ that everything would be different, and far away from home, just to try something else.
“He’s very excited. And he also wants to win something, and I managed to convince him that this would be a winning team.’’
Soler said the contract os for this season with a league option for next year.
“It’s DP deal for this year, and the league has an option to continue that for next year. So we’ll see how everybody feels about that in a few months,” said Soler, who dodged a question whether Rost would be a DP next year should that option be picked up.
“We haven’t thoroughly discussed that. We’ll see how it develops, and see what our needs are and his needs are and what the league will help us work out. Obviously we’re first and foremost here to get results for this season, and we think that this guy will have a big part in that.”
