By BRIAN LEWIS
Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio said he plans to coach the team next season, and if he has his way, winger Dave van den Bergh will be re-signed, and disappointing South Americans Jorge Rojas and Juan Pietravallo will have a chance to redeem themselves.
And with his team playing on three fronts _ MLS, U.S. Open Cup and now the CONCACAF Champions League, thanks to their MLS Cup finals berth _ Osorio says they’d be better off bolstering depth with two or maybe even three stalwart players, rather than boosting their profile with a single Designated one.
“As far as getting a second Designated Player, I have my own ideas about that. I’d probably prefer to get that investment in two or three different players, compete in depth rather than just one,” Osorio said. “At this point I think that’s what I’d prefer with this team. I think two are realistic. I’d like be optimistic and say three.
“We need to have strength in depth, rather than a superstar here. He’s probably goin to score some goals, have the (occasional great) game, but we’re looking at playing (instead) of 30 games looking at playing 45. We need those guys to play 15 more games. That’s a very difficult task to accomplish, so my thinking we need two or three (solid) players.”
In short, those of you pining for Thierry Henry this summer may be disappointed.
Adding three starters may be a tall order, especially with Pietavallo’s $192,000 salary on the books and the cap going up far less than Osorio would’ve liked.
“That budget has to increase substantially, and that is not the case,” said Osorio, who does at least have a valuable commodity to trade in that Designated Player slot if he doesn’t use it. They got theirs from Chivas USA last year at the cost of 2004 MLS MVP Amado Guevara, and after that set the market D.C. United dealt the rights to 2006 MVP Christian Gomez to Colorado this year for the rights to a second slot.
Osorio has isolated the areas that need improvement _ he wouldn’t name them _ and targeting specific players to fill them. The search started two months ago, and this week he’s going to Colombia _ looking after an ailing mother _ and a scouting trip to Jamaica. Presumably he’s watching the Digicel Caribbean Championship, with Dane Richards expected to play for the hosts.
We’ll see if any Reggae Boyz end up on the roster. Osorio said injured Colombian forward Oscar Echeverry and likely two others may have to come to camp and fight for their place on the team. But two players he’d love to welcome back are keeper Jon Conway and van den Bergh, the latter apparently unpleased happy with the contract extension he was offered.
“He’s exploring some other options. We’re trying our best to keep him here, and probably we are aware and I’m certainly aware of his family problems, family issues and he’s more than entitled look at other options,” said Osorio, who preferred to keep that issues private. “I know exactly what it is. I don’t think it’s my place to discuss that fully.”
He said it would “take something great” to pry Conway loose, because he sees him having an important role next year.
BTW, Columbus exercised the option year on league and MLS Cup MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto, making him a Designated Player.
