Mac Kandji attempted a bicycle kick in the second half of the Red Bulls MLS season opener last night. And when the game was over, the young striker was on a bike again – literally.
Fresh off the field following a 1-0 win against the Fire, the Red Bulls players, still in their uniforms, rode stationary bikes in the locker room for 20 minutes. No, first-year head coach Hans Backe wasn’t punishing the players, but rather it is part of the club’s new regeneration program.
“We come in here, ride the bikes for 15-20 minutes, jump in the cold tub and we get the day off tomorrow,” defender Tim Ream said. “We can just relax and we don’t have to worry about getting up, coming in and doing more rejuvenation. Apparently it’s pretty European, which fits well with Hans’ style.”
Backe has stressed improving the Red Bulls fitness in the preseason and he has been pleased with his squad’s development.
“Coach tells us to play hard for that first 60 minutes, that’s the magic hour and then after that fitness kick in and that’s when you win games,” Hall said, as he cycled away. “Second half Chicago pressured us and I felt like we were defending a lot. But the back four and the midfielders just worked hard and got the result we wanted.”
Jeremy Holsopple, the Red Bulls strength and fitness coach, monitored each of the players on the bikes. The last thing Danleigh Borman wanted to do after playing 71 minutes was to do some more cardio and then jump in a cold bath.
“It gets all that lactic acid out of our legs,” he said. “We don’t want to do it, but it’s good for us.”
The Red Bulls also did so after a 3-1 win against Brazil’s Santos in Red Bull Arena’s grand opening last weekend.
“It’s very new,” Hall said. “It gives us the day off tomorrow so we get our recovery in tonight and get back to work on Monday.”
Loud and proud: Much has been made about drawing passionate aficionados from the Brazilians and Portuguese in Newark’s Ironbound section, but the fact is wherever they came from, the Empire Supporter’s Club in Section 101 and other hardcores were loud all night, their noise captured and magnified by the translucent roof.
“I think this stadium should sell itself, with the atmosphere, the noise,” said coach Hans Backe. “When you have these kind of fans behind, you will win six or seven points a year (just from them).”
As Red Bull Arena was constructed, two parallel roads were laid down running right into the stadium: Riverbend and Crucible. The 80-acre district of Harrison being redeveloped with Red Bull Arena as the centerpiece is called Riverbend; and crucible is exactly what the team is hoping this stadium will be for opponents.
Last night it was.
