HANOVER, N.J. – As the 2015 season winds down, the New York Red Bulls find themselves in unfamiliar territory: the driver’s seat.
Looking more and more like the favorites to lift the Supporters’ Shield, the Red Bulls' latest quest for MLS supremacy has a much different feel than the 2013 campaign that saw New York lift the piece of silverware for the first time. On and off the pitch, only a few key pieces remain from that historic season, and those that do insist that there’s no looking back.
“I’m not kidding when I say this, but we haven’t talked about the 2013 season once,” said captain Dax McCarty. “We haven’t thought about it, it hasn’t been in our heads. I think this year is different than any other year that the Red Bulls have been in existence going all the way back to the MetroStars days.”
On the surface, there are indeed precious few similarities. From their high-press philosophy to the stars on the pitch—or lack thereof—this current Red Bulls unit is almost unrecognizable from the Shield-winning squad of just two years ago. Whereas some teams can rely on the veteran savvy from past championship sides, the Red Bulls don’t have that in abundance this season.
“It’s not like we can reflect on those emotions because a lot of these guys weren’t here,” goalkeeper Luis Robles, who was on the 2013 team, said. “What we’re doing now is something new, but we understand that the target is on our back. The Supporters’ Shield conversation continues to get louder, but [head coach Jesse Marsch has] done a good job of keeping our minds focused on what we need to accomplish and what we need to focus on.”
Despite fielding a star-studded lineup, the Red Bulls of 2013 managed to portray a Cinderella-story feel, as the club pushed for the first-ever piece of silverware under then-head coach and club legend Mike Petke.
Hindsight might dictate that the energy expended towards their late-season push ultimately cost New York in the playoffs, as they were bounced in the first round in heartbreaking fashion. But for defender Connor Lade, another remaining player from the 2013 squad, there is no cautionary tale to be told.
“I don’t think it was necessarily how much we pushed for the Shield, I just think we were a little unlucky,” he said of New York’s early playoff exit that season. “I think if you push for the Shield, it’ll put you in a good position for the playoffs. We’ve got a really fit team so I don’t think our legs will let us down in the playoffs. Whatever challenge comes our way, we’re going to be ready.”
