Red Bulls played their hearts out, but are eliminated from the playoffs by DC United
OVER AND OUT -- AGAIN Red Bulls played their hearts out, but are eliminated from the playoffs by United
Washington, D.C. -- As the teams walked off the RFK Stadium field Sunday night, D.C. United veteran forward Jaime Moreno walked up to Red Bulls midfielder Dema Kovalenko.
Kovalenko shook Moreno's hand and wished his former teammate good luck in the playoffs.
Then Moreno told Kovalenko the Red Bulls were the better team even though United managed to secure a late 1-1 draw and capture the Eastern Conference total-goals semifinal series.
"And we showed it," Kovalenko said. "We were the better team at home and the better team here. You know what, it doesn't mean anything because they're going on to the conference finals and we're going home."
That was little consolation because the Red Bulls were eliminated from the MLS playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and seven out of eight post-season appearances, the Bulls were ousted in the opening round. Actually, the MetroStars were bounced from the post-season before this season before Red Bull purchased the team in March.
For an unforgettable 86 minutes last night, the Red Bulls did just about everything they needed to do. They played their best game of the season if not in years, outplayed United and outscored their rivals.
But their hopes for a major upset in the MLS Eastern Conference semifinals came to a crashing halt as Christian Gomez scored with four minutes remaining in regulation. United, four-time MLS champions, will host the New England Revolution in the conference final at RFK next Sunday.
"They know they got lucky today. They know it," Kovalenko said. "We totally outplayed them.
"It's disappointing.?
Asked if this was the game he planned to play, coach Bruce Arena replied, "No. We wanted to win the game. That's not the game we had planned. We didn't come here to have a point and go home. We came here to win the game. We were positioned to get into an extra game and we didn't take advantage of the opportunity."
Actually, make that opportunities.
And there were several of them, punctuated by John Wolyniec's 13-yard attempt off a 2-on-1 break that sailed wide right in the eighth minute and Jozy Altidore's 11-yard shot ricocheted off the left post in the 61st minute.
"When you have five chances to put the ball in the net and you don't take advantage of those opportunities, then you pay for those missed goals," Red Bulls captain and playmaking midfielder Amado Guevara said.
Wolyniec agreed after the Red Bulls outshot United, 13-6. ?I had a couple of chances for sure,? he said. ?In the playoffs, you don?t get a lot of chances. We did well to create a bunch. if you don't put them away, they usually come back to haunt you. Who knows what would have happened if we would have put one in early??
At 16, Altidore became the youngest player in MLS playoff history to score a goal, heading home Amado Guevara's free kick from 11 yards in the 70th minute to give the Bulls a fighting chance. Former Chicago Fire forward DaMarcus Beasley had held the record at 19 years, 146 days.
But Gomez, who scored the lone goal in the 1-0 first-leg win last week, worked his magic again. This time he converted Joshua Gros? right-wing cross past goalkeeper Jon Conway from three yards.
"I think we were too focused on trying to maybe get the second goal and end the whole playoff," Arena said. "Lost our concentration a little bit."
Arena said being eliminated this way wasn't a bitter pill.
"What's the opposite of a bitter bill? A sweet pill?" he asked "It's very pleasing to see the progress of the team and the players.
?It was a good effort and good performance to end the year. To be a better team you walk off the field tonight with a game next week and we had that opportunity.?
Forward Youri Djorkaeff , the 1998 World Cup winner, finished his 22-year professional career with a whimper and not a bang, sitting on the team bench in street clothes after suffering a left Achilles strain in practice Thursday. As it turned out, Djorkaeff?s final game was last week?s loss to United at Giants Stadium.
"I am not sad about the end," the 38-year-old Djorkaeff said. "I am sad for the team, really."
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OFFSIDE REMARKS: Expect NYRed Bull Bruce Arena to make some sweeping changes
Washington, D.C. -- For all you Red Bulls fans who watched their latest playoff elimination on TV Sunday night, here's hoping that you got a good look at the team and players, because the lineup might not be recognizable next season.
Red Bulls coach Bruce Arena plans to do a major facelift on this team for the 2007 MLS season, according to league sources.
If he has his way, Arena will get rid of eight or nine players who have played regularly in yet another disappointing season. The Red Bulls barely reached the playoffs, finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 9-11-12 record while needing a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Wizards in their regular-season finale. They also were eliminated from the MLS playoffs in the opening round for the sixth time in their history (they reached the conference final -- the second round -- only once), dropping the conference semifinal total goals series to D.C. United, 2-1, after a 1-0 loss at RFK Stadium Sunday.
If Arena is able to move all the players he wants, he can clear more than $1 million with which to play under the $1.9 million salary cap. And with new owners Red Bull apparently ready to dig into its deep pockets, the face of the team could change dramatically by the time the Bulls kick off for their next competitive game in April.
Red Bull, the Austrian energy-drinker producer, is expected to devise an innovative way to get around the league maximum of $280,000 -- sign a player to that max and then sign him to a personal services contract with the company, whether he he hawk the product or do other off-field work for the organization.
According to one source, Arena has looked into dumping virtually the entire team. But that might be difficult because of the MLS player acquisition rules.
Arena acknowledged Sunday night that making changes in MLS was a difficult challenge.
?The league is a very difficult league to make changes,? he said. ?It is kind of built on status quo. It is very difficult to get increasingly better with the system. The system in theory is equitable. It is a little imbalanced, depending on decisions that are made in terms of how you can bring in some players. We're hopeful we can get a few favorable decisions on our part so we can improve the roster.?
Arena is expected to keep are outside fullbacks Todd Dunivant and Marvell Wynne and midfielder Markus Schopp, according to league sources. On the probable list is midfielder Dema Kovalenko, goalkeeper Jon Conway, who was solid down the stretch, and playmaking midfielder Amado Guevara, who still could be a goner.
"After that I don't think there's anyone he's crazy about," a source said.
Perhaps Arena will be helped out by former Red Bulls coach Mo Johnston, who might pluck one of his favorites or two as he will be stocking his new Toronto team in the expansion several days after MLS Cup.
According to sources, in a perfect world Arena would love to have two experienced central defenders and keep someone like a Carlos Mendes as a back-up. Arena still needs an experienced defensive midfielder, unless he puts Kovalenko there, and two proven forwards.
Goners
This is how the salary cap can open up tremendously (players salaries are in parentheses).
Forward Youri Djorkaeff ($207,000) is retiring.
Defender-midfielder Peter Canero ($142,996) was an awful waste of money and is on his way out.
Arena hasn't been a fan of veteran midfielder Chris Henderson ($130,000), who will turn 36 this winter. He didn?t start Henderson Sunday, though Djorkaeff was injured.
And while Arena and Tony Meola ($125,000) go way back to the University of Virginia some two decades ago, the emergence of Conway could make his decision easy for the coach.
Add the $150,000 salary of the departed Sergio Galvan Rey the team had to use toward the salary cap, and that's $755,196 free.
Wait -- there's more.
Forward Edson Buddle ($110,625) has been a bust due to his under production and injuries, although it might be difficult to find takers. Danny O'Rourke ($39,125), obtained in the pre-season for Canadian international Adrian Serioux has shown some promise as a defensive midfielder, but has lost the ball after winning it at midfield more times than Arena's liking.
Veteran defender Steve Jolley ($60,000), defender Taylor Graham ($60,000) and midfielder Mark Lisi ($60,000), who endured another injury-plagued season, are not among Arena's favorites either, sources said.
If Arena can move those players, total of $1,064,946 can be opened up.
Fence sitters
Even Guevara ($281,250), the team MVP, isn't safe. True, he can dominate a game like no one in MLS, but he has disappeared in some games. If Arena can find a better player than Guevara, he will go after him. The team has the option on whether to bring back Guevara next season.
Depending on whom Arena brings in and how much depth he has at the position, defender Jeff Parke could stay or go.
Even though he is only 22, midfielder-forward Mike Magee could find himself on the endangered specifies list as well.
Midfielder-forward David Arvizu ($37,500), 18, obtained by the team in a weighted lottery last February, has potential. But he could be moved if the right trade came up for a more experienced player.
The future of midfielder Blake Camp ($28,000), who saw 36 minutes of action, could be cloudy as well.
As for the developmental players, it all depends on whether Arena sees some potential and a future with the team. They don't cost very much, their salaries ranging from $11,700 to $16,500. The list includes goalkeeper Michael Behonick ($11,700), defender-midfielder Elie Ikangu ($16,700), of whom Arena has spoken highly, midfielder Joe Vide ($11,700), who filled in adequately when the team had injury issues, midfielder-forward Jordan Cila ($16,700), in his third MLS club in as many seasons, and
forward Jerrod Laventure ($11,700).
Survivors
Dunivant ($95,000), who was called into U.S. National Team camp when Arena was national coach earlier this year, is among the most skillful defenders in the league. Wynne, who has trouble marking players, but has too much speed and potential to jettison.
Schopp, who reportedly is under contract for $1 million, is a given to stay.
After that the possibilities slim down considerably.
Arena certainly won't give up on 16-year-old forward Jozy Altidore ($98,333), who saved the team's playoff hides down the stretch.
Seth Stammler ($29,400) is a bargain and has shown to be versatile, being able to play several defense and midfield positions and durable (29 games) and he could become a useful utility player under Arena.
Forward John Wolyniec ($62,500) is a proven sparkplug off the bench and not a fulltime starter.
Kovalenko (salary unknown) is a veteran midfielder who brings a lot of passion and a winning attitude to the game, something Arena likes.
Conway, a bargain as a starter ($48,125), has proven to be solid between the posts and would be a backup at worst if Arena feels he needs a veteran starter.
Goalkeepers never were a priority with Arena when he coached at United from 1996-98 as he used a different one at starter every year on three teams that reached MLS Cup. Besides, Arena has more gaping holes to fill.
Mendes, who made some mistakes down the stretch, could be retained. Arena likes him, having Mendes captain the 1-0 win over Columbus Sept. 16.
Here we go again
The problem with the history of the Red Bulls/MetroStars, is the lack of continuity and constant player change and team overhaul. Arena is the 10th coach in 11 seasons -- no team has had anywhere close to that many -- and coaches traditionally like to clean house to bring in either players they are familiar with or better and experienced players.
And who can blame Arena, who has enjoyed success at every level at which he has coached?
When Arena took over Aug. 7, he did not have much salary cap room or time to make sweeping chances for the stretch run. Yes, he did acquire Kovalenko and Schopp, the one-time Australian National Team captain. They definitely raised the level of the play in the midfield. But it wasn't enough for one of the most underachieving, if not the most underachieving team in league history.
And if you listened to Arena talking about the talent on the club, or lack thereof, you know he has to have several brooms ready to sweep out the old.
So, boys and girls, get ready for yet another post-season house cleaning at East Rutherford, N.J., which has become as traditional as Christmas and the New Year?s Eve.
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Red Bulls played their hearts out, but are eliminated from the playoffs by DC United
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