Red Bull GM Erik Soler met with the media before tonight's game vs. D.C. United. And even though he steadfastly avoided using the words Thierry and Henry, he expressed excitement at unveiling a world class star Thursday _ and said he expected to add a third Designated Player as well.
"It's exciting,'' Soler said. "Getting top-quality experienced players, it's obviously going to help us continuing what looks like as decent year for the club. We're all very excited about the fact that we're going to get a good player in. then we'll have to take it from there and see. I think he'll lift the whole team, make everybody sharper and better. I think it's going to be a great experience for us.''
The Red Bulls attendance is up 48 percent from last year, over 16,000; but Soler said he thought adding their second Designated Player _ who will be revealed as Henry at a Thursday press conference _ will boost the team's profile, brand and gate dramatically.
"I think the first player that we get in will get a lot of attention. It’s a huge name and people will come to watch him play,'' Soler said. "The team will play the kind of soccer that will get people back in the stadium. Then we'll get another one after that will help us as well.''
While Henry is all but signed sealed and delivered, the Red Bulls failed in acquiring all of their creative midfielder targets, their No. 10-types. But head coach Hans Backe said they were aiming for a defensive midfielder, and Soler termed that second acquisition as likely.
"There's one player coming first. I said before the World Cup I thought it would be two; I think it's going to be two. But we’ll start with one,'' said Soler. When I asked how he would deem their odds, he replied "I think it's more than 50-50.
"We've gone far in the negotiations, so we're all more or less ready to sign. But nothing is signed. When things are not signed, they are not signed. But we are very hopeful. But we will take the first one first.''
Mexican National Team star Rafa Marquez has long been rumored to be a Red Bull target, and the Daily Harrison reported that he is likely to be that third DP, joining Henry and captain Juan Pablo Angel.
Marquez was Henry's teammate at Barcelona, but when both of them saw their playing time cut they got released from their contracts; and Soler had said the other player had worked his way out of his existing deal. When asked if the second player had played with the first (meaning Henry), Soler replied "no comment on that.''
Marquez has been a centerback for Mexico, but has always been known to play defensive midfield at Barcelona and was a revelation there for El Tri during this World Cup. When I asked if the hopeful Designated Player had played centerback, Soler said "he can play in various positions.''
Backe served as an assistant on the Mexican National Team, and would've been very familiar with Marquez from his time at El Tri. When I asked Soler if Backe's familiarity with the player from international duty helped in the recruitment, he said with a straight face "I don’t understand the question.'' When I repeated it, he smiled and said "I have no comment to that.''
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