New York Red Bulls part ways with head coach Gerhard Struber amid horrible start to season, fan unrest and Dante Vanzeir racism incident
- Struber and NYRB part ways
- Club bottom of Eastern Conference
- Also dealt with controversies
WHAT HAPPENED? The New York Red Bulls announced on Monday that head coach Gerhard Struber and the club had parted ways after a horrid start to the season. The Austrian coach had been under fire for much of the campaign given his on-field results, but also for his handling of the Dante Vanzeir racism incident against the San Jose Earthquakes that led to "Fire Struber" chants in the stands.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE: The club also announced Struber's assistant, Bernd Eibler, has also left the club in a complete shakeup in the dugout.
Replacing Struber will be Troy Lesesne, who originally joined the club ahead of the 2022 MLS season after serving as head coach and sporting director of New Mexico United.
During his time with the USL Championship club, he led new Mexico to two consecutive postseason appearances and was named 2020 USL Championship Coach of the Year. Lesense has also worked for the Charlotte Independence and Charleston Battery.
WHAT THEY SAID?: “I enjoyed my time at the New York Red Bulls,” Struber said. “It was also clear for me that I wanted to return to Europe at the end of this season, at the latest. It was extremely difficult for me to live here, completely without my family. I informed the club early enough about my wishes and we came to the agreement to part ways. I wish the organization and the players the best of luck moving forward. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the players, and staff and know my relationships I’ve built will continue. It was an honor to lead this club. I know they are all going to continue to accomplish great things in their careers.”
IN TWO PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT? Struber will be looking for a move to Europe after he said "it was extremely difficult for me to live" in the United States. As for the New York Red Bulls, they will be hard at work as they look to reverse their early-season fortunes, starting with a clash against rivals D.C. United in the U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday.