Hans Backe pays the penalty of Red Bulls’ elimination from the MLS playoffs by not getting a contract’s extension. Perhaps, all this happens in less than 24 hours when D.C. United defeated Red Bulls by score 1-0 and 2-1 in total. His departure ensures that Red Bulls did not think twice of its decision to part ways with its three years old coach. Anyways, Andy Roxburgh has been appointed as its new sporting director while Mike Petke will serve as a coach on temporarily basis. His sacking news came on Thursday night when Red Bulls were mourning their sad full departure from playoffs. His dismissal did not happen in a sudden; coz his exist has been expected since last few months as he could not win a title for Red Bulls, and lastly, when Bulls were eliminated from playoffs, it becomes clear that he would have to go. New sporting director: Roxburgh is a former Scotland’s national team manager; he has also served European soccer confederation (UEFA) as a technical director.
Back in 2009, when Backe took over his responsibility as Red Bulls’ coach from then temporary coach Richie Williams, Bulls were having a bad record on a whole. It was the Backe, who helped them improve their position, but he could not win a playoff, perhaps, Bulls were eliminated every year, three years in a row, in the semis. For now, Mike Petke is leading the team as coach; record wise, he is the 14th coach in 17 played seasons. Whether he will get an extension or a new coach will be hired, is all depends upon Roxburgh who now is the sporting director. In a business sense, a high profile coach can be a part of Bulls squad for the simple reason of heavy money invested on star players. Anyways, nothing has now been decided; expectedly, next few weeks will clear the cloud.
Red Bulls global sporting director Gerard Houllier thanked him by saying, “We want to thank Hans for his work over the past three years and wish him the best of luck in the future.” Broadly, it has become a fashion these days to blame coach for every wrong done by a team. In this case too, no one remembers how he managed to bring a bottom placed MLS team to a top seed team by 2010. Let us congratulate him for his achievements as well!