2012 New York Red Bulls season

The 2012 New York Red Bulls season will be the club's 18th year of existence as well as its 17th season in Major League Soccer, the top-flight of American soccer.

After a disappointing 2011 season, Red Bulls will look to bounce back to their 2010 form which saw them win the Eastern Conference. In 2011, New York finished 5th place in the conference and 10th overall in MLS, qualifying as the final team for the playoffs. The club lost in the quarterfinals of the post-season tournament.

Overview

November 2011

The 2012 season began in earnest for MLS immediately after the 2011 MLS Cup final. The following day clubs submitted their list of players protected from selection by Montreal Impact in the 2011 MLS Expansion Draft held on November 23, 2011. No Red Bull players were chosen by Montreal in the draft. However, on the same day MLS clubs waived players, effectively releasing them from their contracts. Through waivers, New York parted ways with goalkeeper Alex Horwath; defenders Mike Jones, Tyler Lassiter, and Teddy Schneider; and midfielders John Rooney and Marcos Paullo.^[1]

One week later, the club declined the 2012 options on goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul, defender Chris Albright, and defender Carlos Mendes, making all three players available for the 2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft.^[2] Mendes had been the longest-tenured member of Red Bulls and was the last player remaining from when the franchise was known as New York MetroStars. He ranks among the club's all-time leaders in games and minutes. Mendes was chosen by Columbus Crew in Stage 1 of the Re-Entry Draft on December 5, 2011. Coundoul and Albright were not selected and became free agents.

The same day the club confirmed the status of 2011 Red Bull goalkeeper Greg Sutton, who was also available in the Re-Entry Draft. Sutton had been loaned to then-North American Soccer League side Montreal Impact in July 2011. At season's end, Montreal exercised an option to acquire Sutton's MLS rights but subsequently declined his 2012 option.^[3]

December 2011

The club signed defender Connor Lade to a Home Grown Player contract on December 5, 2011.^[4] The diminutive Lade spent parts of several years with Red Bull Academy. The following week New York announced that it had declined the 2012 contract option on midfielder Stéphane Auvray.

Team information

Squad

As of December 13, 2011.^[5]

Player movement

Transfers

In

Out

Loans

In

Club staff

Last updated: 21 August 2011
Source: New York Red Bulls Official Website

Match Results

Pre-season

Kickoff times are in EST.

Miscellany

Allocation ranking

New York is in the #12 position in the MLS Allocation Ranking. The allocation ranking is the mechanism used to determine which MLS club has first priority to acquire a U.S. National Team player who signs with MLS after playing abroad, or a former MLS player who returns to the league after having gone to a club abroad for a transfer fee. A ranking can be traded, provided that part of the compensation received in return is another club’s ranking.^[20]

International roster spots

It is believed that New York has 11 international roster spots for use in the 2012 season. Each club in Major League Soccer is allocated 8 international roster spots, which can be traded. New York acquired its first additional spot from San Jose Earthquakes on 2 March 2009. Press reports did not indicate if or when this roster spot was to revert back to San Jose.^[21] New York acquired a second additional spot from Houston Dynamo on 17 March 2009.^[22] It is not known if or when this roster spot is to revert back to Houston. The club also acquired a spot from Colorado Rapids on 14 September 2010 in the Macoumba Kandji trade. The trade of this spot was not included in the press release and it is not known when this spot reverts back to Colorado.^[23]

There is no limit on the number of international slots on each club’s roster. The remaining roster slots must belong to domestic players. For clubs based in the United States, a domestic player is either a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident (green card holder) or the holder of other special status (e.g., refugee or asylum status).^[20]

Future draft pick trades

Future picks acquired: None.

References