Crooks: NYCFC, Red Bulls Going In Opposite Directions Ahead Of Hudson River Derby

By Glenn Crooks
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Since I began covering Major League Soccer this season -- and more specifically New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls -- I've heard a similar refrain from the head coaches of our two metro teams: your playoff fortunes can be altered at any moment in a league where parity has always been its middle name.

The accuracy of those comments by Jason Kreis of New York City and Jesse Marsch of the Red Bulls, both long-standing players and now coaches in MLS, is evident as we near the midway point of the regular season.

This Sunday is round two of the Hudson River Derby, and a sellout is anticipated at Yankee Stadium. This match features two teams moving in contrary directions, compared to their inaugural rivalry match at Red Bull Arena on May 10.

NYCFC played over half that first match with the a man advantage when Matt Miazga earned his second yellow card at 36'. However, the Red Bulls prevailed 2-1 as Bradley Wright Phillips scored the winner with his team playing 10 vs. 11.

It's the last goal that BWP has scored, and the fortunes of NYRB have suffered since.

NYCFC was 1-6-3 following the defeat to the Red Bulls, and listening to the invariable postgame refrain from Kreis was starting to get painful.

"I continue to see a lot of quality," said Kreis. "I continue to think that we're close. I continue to believe."

With six points in 10 matches, NYCFC escaped the basement of the Eastern Conference only because the Montreal Impact had played a minimal schedule due to their CONCACAF Champions League success.

Meanwhile, the Red Bulls were unbeaten in eight of their first nine matches and were hovering at or near the top of the table following the win over NYC.  Red Bulls supporters, who had so vehemently objected to the firing of favored son Mike Petke, were beginning to sense that maybe Marsch and Sporting Director Ali Curtis have a plausible plan for the franchise.

The last six weeks have presented a different image, and confirm the iterations of the two coaches that miniature streaks can modify the table.

NYCFC has but one defeat in its last six matches, while NYRB broke a five-match winless streak with a 1-0 home triumph over Real Salt Lake on Wednesday – hardly a victory to inspire the supporters since the Red Bulls played for 50 minutes with a man advantage. In the final 35 minutes, they were up two field players following a pair of straight red cards to Javier Morales and Demar Phillips. The Red Bulls' goal was scored by Mike Grella in the fourth minute when the teams were even.

New York City has scored multiple goals in three consecutive matches. On the surface, that may seem nominal, but the expansion franchise scored only 10 times in its first 13 matches. In their last three outings, NYCFC has seven goals, including a franchise single-game high three tallies in a win against Montreal.

Currently, only six points separate the third (expansion-team Orlando) and ninth-place (NYCFC) teams.  New York City trails the New York Red Bulls (sixth place) by a mere three points.

Throw-Ins

-It's #RivalryWeek in MLS, and on Thursday The Heineken House hosted a gala presser to promote the NYCFC-NYRB match. As of this writing, ticket sales have exceeded 41,000. The administrative desire is to break the record of 43,507 at the inaugural home opener against the New England Revolution on March 15.

David Villa, Chris Wingert and Kreis represented NYCFC while Marsch was joined by Wright-Phillips and captain Dax McCarty.

A social media competition between New York City and Red Bulls supporters is in place to determine whether the Empire State Building will illuminate in red or blue on Saturday night. #WINNYCFC or #WINRBNY are the hashtags to vote. At last count, NYCFC supporters held a 20,000 edge over their rivals.

"Our fans need to get on it," said McCarty. "Their (NYCFC) social media presence seems to be large. I'm going to have to get out to our followers to vote."

McCarty is an active participant on social media. He tweeted a week ago about his Andrea Pirlo sighting in NYC, a day before he was spotted at a Yankees game in The Bronx.

In regard to the color of the Empire State Building, McCarty tweeted this on Thursday night:

"I thought it was going to be after the game, light it up red or blue whoever wins," said McCarty before free Heinekens were offered to the gathering crowd. "I think that makes more sense."

"I've seen reports (that) thousands of Red Bulls supporters in an organized fashion will be going over to Yankee Stadium to support their club," MLS executive VP and director of communications Dan Courtemanche said.

If Red Bulls supporters don't show up en masse for a road match in their neighborhood, then there are some significant issues with the fan base.

For a club that reportedly lost $10 million last season and consequently secured a payroll that has been trimmed by a similar amount, there is mounting concern about the quality of the product and whether the Empire Supporters Club, the Viking Army and others are offering their unbridled support of the franchise.

The attendance at Red Bull Arena is woeful. The announced attendance is normally skewed by about 5,000 spectators.  This is not just my observation. My colleagues who have been covering their matches for years and are familiar with the layout of RBA concur. Thousands who have paid for tickets fail to show – even when they are winning. Why? In this market, you need more than triumphs – you need marquee names.

World Cup champion David Villa is in very good form. World Cup champion Pirlo may be introduced as the newest NYC player during halftime of Sunday's match. And Frank Lampard, Champions League winner and Chelsea FC's all-time leading scorer, starts training next week with New York City. Where does that leave the New York Red Bulls? In a must-win scenario on Sunday, and a need to add a dynamic player in the summer transfer window.

-Michelle Akers has won two World Cups with the US women's national team. She was voted the FIFA Player of the Century and is in the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Akers is my co-host on SiriusXM's coverage of the Women's World Cup. On the postgame program following the Round of 16 win versus Colombia, U.S. coach Jill Ellis remarked, "I thought we stroked the ball around pretty well.  I'm pleased with the way we're playing."

Akers responded with heart and passion: "If she is pleased with the way we played, then what the hell is she doing coaching our U.S. team?"

The ripple effect was sensed across the globe – the consensus is that Akers has earned the privilege to offer her critique. And it has piqued the curiosity of those who may have been on the outskirts of the WWC coverage. Ellis is now being questioned about the team's shape, her personnel choices and her substitution patterns. Akers' comments have now permitted others to expose their own opinions, which have been markedly critical of the coach.

On our pregame on Friday night at 7 p.m., before the quarterfinal match between the USA and China, we will continue the discussion and welcome in Amanda Cromwell. Cromwell is a former USWNT mate of Akers and is the current women's coach at UCLA. She supports Ellis, which should stimulate some passionate interaction between two prominent figures in the women's game.

Glenn Crooks is the color commentator for New York City FC on WFAN and the former head soccer coach at Rutgers University. You can follow him on Twitter at @GlennCrooks and glenncrooks.sportsblog.com.