Red Bull New York’s Roster Updates: Key Departures and Coaching Prospects
On November 26th, Red Bull New York revealed who will be on the new roster before free agency and who will be looking for a new home.
Out of all the decisions that were made that day, only one was expected: the departure of Carlos Colonel. The Brazilian-born Paraguayan international goalkeeper was benched near the end of the season, being replaced by AJ Marcucci after the Chicago away game. By his luck, Marcucci got injured and missed the rest of the season; Colonel filled in from being a playoff hero to then getting benched in less than a year. His last game at Sports Illustrated Stadium was telling, as he was named a captain in the first game in over 15 years without making the MLS Cup Playoffs.
The other not-surprising move was the departure of Kyle Duncan. Duncan was a club regular for 20 games and played with grit, scoring three goals, but accrued many suspensions throughout the year. This left the club scrambling to put together a hodgepodge of combinations to replace his absence.
Among the players retained, Peter Stroud and Sean Nealis showed they wanted to keep some veterans in the building. Stroud played more like a five or a defensive midfielder than a central midfielder. Without Stroud, the team played differently because it lacked the defensive-to-offensive transitions. For Nealis, he played more of a leader in the backfield and then provided leadership when the team needed it before Emil Forseberg arrived.
When it comes to choosing a new manager, these developments make Michael Bradley a more attractive candidate. Why? Primarily because the recent moves suggest the club isn’t planning to bring in extra players from outside the organization.
Of the 30-man roster Red Bull New York announced in the same press release, seven players previously played for Bradley on Red Bull II.
This trend also strengthens the case for Ibrahim Sekagaya, who was promoted from RB2 to the first team to help stabilize the season when things began to fall apart. He also coached the players Bradley coached, but it seemed he had a similar fall-off near the end of the regular season.
This also makes other options like Jesse March, Chris Armas, or Jim Curtin long shots. Keeping most of the squad and having the second team serve as the backbone of the fill-ins, while hiring someone from outside the organization, would lead to conflict within, especially in a team that deals with a ton of competition.
The three coaches above also have baggage or a better-quality job. Armas would not want to leave his post when he will coach the Canucks in the 2026 World Cup and then get a better job. Curtin sat out last season but had many rollercoasters, like winning a series against Saprissa in the Champions Cup, only to miss the playoffs altogether three years later.
Armas just left the Rapids after a mutual decision, which reeks of him trying to save face.
When he was the manager of the Red Bulls, he had only one season, which led to a Supporters’ Shield.
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