With New York City FC confirming Jason Kreis as its coach, and The Post reporting the MLS expansion team is closing in on a deal to build a $400 million stadium in The Bronx, the idea of a honest-to-goodness local rivalry with the Red Bulls is moving closer to a reality.
MLS never has had a successful intra-city derby, with the Los Angeles Galaxy-Chivas USA “rivalry” not really moving the needle. But the league and both teams hope the Jersey-based Red Bulls vs. New York City will lift the league with a legitimate derby. Both sides seem to be doing their part already with subtle verbal jabs.
“I’m going to say this with a smile: In Scotland, we say we apologize to you in advance for the margin of your defeat,’’ Red Bulls sporting director Andy Roxburgh said. “It’ll be a friendly rivalry, but intense when it comes to play. And I think that’s fantastic, the reds against the blues, from a soccer perspective.
“Whether it’s in signing players or promotion of the games, etc., we have one enormous advantage: We have history they don’t have, and you can’t buy history. It takes time to build it. You can’t buy it. You can’t just walk in and have it. You develop it. We’ve been here, we’ve got our stadium, got our training ground. We’ve won a league now. We build on that history. But it’ll be great, fantastic.’’
New York City FC — owned by the English club Manchester City, with the New York Yankees as a minority partner — is expected to open play in 2015. It may not be able to buy history, but that’s one of the few things the team won’t be rich enough to buy.
The Post reported Tuesday the club is nearing a deal to build a $400 million, 28,000-seat stadium near Yankee Stadium. And Kreis prodded the Red Bulls and their fan base for their lack of a New York zip code. Outer borough? He essentially called the Red Bulls “no borough.”
“I am looking forward to making my contribution to New York City FC from the very outset,’’ Kreis said. “The opportunity to develop the first professional club based in New York City was impossible to pass up.’’
Of course, any chatter about MLS is good for the league, and any headline about the teams benefits both clubs. Roxburgh stole a quote that ex-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson – his former teammate and longtime friend – used to describe Manchester City when their rivals started spending wildly.
“When the noisy neighbors arrive, it’ll be very interesting,’’ Roxburgh said. “I think it’s fantastic. As somebody who was brought up with the backgrounds of Rangers-Celtic, Man United-Man City, Everton-Liverpool, Arsenal-Tottenham, the rivalry-type stuff, that’s always a joy. We didn’t really have that in this country.
“Chivas vs. LA, I suppose. But I think we can create here a real hometown rivalry. I see it as a fantastic opportunity. We can be good for each other. I hope MLS makes opening match 2015 the derby … at Red Bull of course.’’