by ANTHONY J. MERCED

USL Writer

At the start of the 2015 season, many New York fans were down on the Red Bulls, both on and off the field. The feeling was that Austria just didn’t care about the team and that the lack of star-caliber DP’s was a sign of the team’s extreme regression. When new Sporting Director Ali Curtis fired popular head coach Mike Petke and hired Jessie Marsch, those feelings only intensified.

Nevertheless, New York currently sits at six wins (something the 2014 Red Bulls didn’t accomplish until August 2nd) and despite not having the likes of Thierry Henry or Tim Cahill, the team is poised for a mid-summer run up the table.

One of the major difference between last year and 2015 is the team’s overall depth — mostly based on the club’s developmental focus. A congested schedule seems much more manageable this season than in years past with such a wide variety of weapons at their disposal. Players like Sean Davis, Anatole Abang, Karl Ouimette and Marius Obekop have become solid off the bench options and, in some cases, proven their worth as starters. Meanwhile, players like Manolo Sanchez, Leo Stolz and Shawn McLaws are itching for first team minutes — and have the talent to contribute.

None of this would be possible without the direct involvement of New York Red Bull II and the relationship between USL and MLS. Red Bull II has provided the franchise with something it’s never had before; a real-game environment for players to show they can fit into the first team system. Superdraft picks like Manolo Sanchez and Leo Stolz have made a large number of appearances for NYRB II alongside academy players like Derrick Etienne and Tyler Adams. On top of that, both the USL and MLS team have trained together, giving Jessie Marsch a chance to scout and impart the team philosophy from top to bottom.

After a shaky start to the season, New York Red Bull II have found themselves holding on tight to a USL playoff spot at the midway point of the season. The team has seen a number of players rotating in and out depending on need from the MLS side, and also based on performance. The early part of the season was dominated by MLS bench players like Anatole Abang, the team’s best goal scorer at the time, and Marius Obekop. Now players like Dan Metzger, Chris Tsonis and Konrad Plewa have stated their case, giving the coaching staff an invaluable data to sink their teeth into during the congested months ahead.

“It’s a process,” said head coach John Wolyniec earlier in the season. “Especially instilling something in a new team. Inherently, this team is going to rotate. What we have to do as a staff is make sure that when the parts change at least make sure that the roles are very similar.”

The USL experiment is more than just giving players real games. It is also fitting pieces into the senior team system. Moreover, an abundance of talent in the USL could be key for New York when it comes to trades around the league or even when trying to fill international spots. Through Ali Curtis, and the work of Andy Roxburgh before him, New York has made a conscious effort to make sure that players are the right fit and that they are comfortable playing in the United States.

It is clear why Curtis has pushed back at the question of whether or not a foreign superstar will be arriving this summer. The work being done with the USL team and the obvious youth movement stand at odds with what could be considered the old way of Red Bull thinking.

In the coming weeks, players like Leo Stolz will be featured more prominently in MLS games. Like Abang and Davis, Stolz will enter the first team fray in full fitness, ready to contribute to a system he has played all season long — without a single senior team minute.

That is the beauty of the USL relationship; it is a breeding ground for MLS talent — if MLS teams use it correctly of course.

In the case of the Red Bulls, it has been an invaluable pipeline that has helped the club succeed in both the MLS campaign and the U.S. Open Cup. With a full half season left of competition, that relationship will continue to grow — and the Red Bulls will be the better for it.