From the front office to the players, the Red Bulls claim they were shocked when general manager Jerome de Bontin abruptly stepped down on Monday. But with the season opener looming on Saturday in Vancouver, however his surprising resignation impacts the boardroom, it shouldn’t hurt them on the field.
“I knew there were meetings going on, but I didn’t know what those meetings were about, so therefore I’ve only really just heard in the last couple days,’’ said sporting director Andy Roxburgh, still responsible for soccer matters. “I didn’t know that such a thing was about to take place.’’
The club announced in a statement that de Bontin – who had overseen business operations since October 2012 – had stepped down for personal reasons. No specific reason was given for his departure, but sources said there was no sudden emergency — it was more of a power struggle.
Coach Mike Petke, given his first head coaching gig last year by the tandem of Roxburgh and de Bontin, acknowledged how awkward the departure was.
“I’m not going to comment too much on it because it happened so suddenly and I know nothing about it. It’s always a shame, and it’s an uncomfortable situation when somebody who has been here for a bit is gone, no matter what the reasoning is,’’ Petke said. “I had a good relationship with Jerome, and I wish him the best. On the soccer side, we’re focusing on Saturday’s game.’’
De Bontin was responsible for the economic side of the club, while Roxburgh is responsible for the athletic. Both answer to Red Bulls’ Head of Global Football Gerard Houllier, who oversees all of their soccer teams and academies worldwide – including Austria, Brazil, Germany and Ghana – and ultimately reports to billionaire energy drink owner Dietrich Mateschitz.
“The organization here is similar to the French FA, where you have the CEO – the head of business – and you have the technical director; and these two people both answer to the president,” Roxburgh said. “Jerome didn’t answer to me and I didn’t answer to him.’’
Asked about rumors that de Bontin was uncomfortable with his role, Roxburgh replied, “You’d have to ask him that. What was clearly defined here was the arrangement that I was to be responsible for the sporting side of the club, and Jerome was responsible for the whole commercial business side of the club.
“We spoke [Monday] night. He’s got a lot of contacts here in the States. He’s involved in a lot, the federation, youth clubs and all of that. I know that he’ll want to continue to be involved and contribute to the game, and I’m sure he will do that and I wish him all the best. So from my point of view, it doesn’t really change my situation in what I do on a day-to-day basis.’’
MLS expansion side New York City FC – part-owned by the Yankees and Manchester City – hired away Red Bulls performance analyst David Lee. Roxburgh promoted assistant Victor Bertini.
“Young Victor was his assistant, and he’s been trained by him all year, so he just took over,’’ Roxburgh said of Bertini, a former member of Red Bulls’ street team. “In David’s case, it’s a very special one. He actually came to this club because of Manchester City. He was connected to them, so when them came back for him, it was like going home for him. We wish him all the best.’’