Red Bull sporting director Andy Roxburgh has heard the complaints about a lack of signings and the comparisons to rival New York City FC. His response? The expansion team has to sign players because they don’t have any, while his Red Bulls have a good roster, three All-Stars and eyes on another Designated Player this winter – whether Thierry Henry retires or not.
“When people look at Man City and say they’re signing players, they’ve got to sign players. They don’t have any,’’ Roxburgh said of NYC FC, co-owned by Manchester City and the Yankees. “They don’t have any players. So what are they telling me? I have to get rid of Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill so I can bring in two big DPs? So I find that rather amusing.”
New York City FC has made two big-ticket signings in former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard and former Barcelona striker David Villa.
“Them going out and buying a couple of players is like, ‘Well done, guys.’ They need to do that,” Roxburgh said. “Right now, we don’t need to do that. …I wouldn’t be fazed because our noisy neighbors are signing a couple of players.’’
Roxburgh didn’t rule out the Red Bulls making a couple of moves, though the MLS International window closed Wednesday. He intimated they will look to add depth and balance for the stretch run, and add a Designated Player over the winter.
“Yes, there is the one DP slot, but we’re already working on that on something that we wanted to do, and hopefully I can tell you about that in the coming days,’’ Roxburgh said. “So we’re looking to see if we can add a player that would add to the depth of the squad. What we do at the end of the year, that’s another story.
“There are still a couple of things we’re thinking about. In one case, we’re talking about a trade, because the trades are wide open. We’ve been discussing that. We’re in the middle of it right this minute. There’s a couple of things in the pipeline. There’s actually three different things at the moment I’m trying to bring to a conclusion, and hopefully in the coming week to 10 days just to add that extra dimension to help us for the next 2 ½ months run-in and then hopefully playoffs.’’
A source says Andre Akpan and the disappointing Bobby Convey are on the block.
Henry, who turns 37 later this month, has been coy about whether he plans to retire when his contract expires at the end of the season. He’s still playing well, leading the league in assists with 10, and was arguably the best player on the field in the first half of the MLS All-Star’s 2-1 win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
“Some of my friends are telling me I still look fit. I don’t feel fit after games, though, but it is what it is,’’ Henry said. “As long as I can run, I will keep on playing. Sometimes it’s not only down to your body, it’s also what’s happening up there in your head. We’ll see. Like I said, I still feel fresh somehow after a lot of games in my career. But I’m OK still, so far.’’
Henry came off to a standing ovation in the 47th minute, giving way to Landon Donovan – who scored the winning goal and announced his retirement the next day at age 32. Henry has claimed he will make a decision after the season, but Red Bull Head of Global Football Gerard Houllier said he thinks Henry plans to retire. Roxburgh said he has an idea what will happen as well.
“I told him, ‘Titi, you’ve been to this club what the Chrysler Building has been to the skyline of New York,'” Roxburgh said. “To me, that sums him up, because he’s made the difference. He’s a fantastic football player. He doesn’t feel any urgency to come out and make statements, I don’t feel any urgency.
“We’re both grown up enough to understand it would be wise to be sitting here in December saying let’s talk. I have a good idea which way it’s going and he has a good idea as well. But we won’t come out and publicly declare anything just yet.’’