The storm clouds that hovered over Giants Stadium last week have passed. Gone was the tension that was planted by uncertainly. It was replaced by a light mood, with New York Red Bulls players laughing and joking during small-sided games Thursday.
"A weight's been lifted off our shoulders. Last week was probably one of the worst weeks emotionally since I've been here," Red Bulls forward Mike Magee said. "This week it's a lot easier, there's nothing really on our minds, we're happy we're all here and we're happy we've got our coach and we're starting to have a little bit of fun again."
Yes, a week after telling his team he believed he coached his final day, Mo Johnston has been given a vote of confidence from Red Bull New York management. The Scottish legend was again his jovial self Thursday before the Red Bulls flew to Los Angeles for Saturday night's game against Bob Bradley and Chivas USA.
"It's been different this week," he said. "It's a little better than it has been last week and then obviously losing [4-1 to D.C. United]. So far this week, Tuesday, Wednesday and today, it's been good."
One reason Johnston was in a good mood was the return of Abbe Ibrahim, who trained with the Red Bulls for the first time Thursday and the club is likely to sign the Togolese international in the next week or so.
But the caveat is there is a possibility Ibrahim never plays a game for the Red Bulls.
Johnston said Ibrahim is expected to play for Togo in the World Cup and is likely going to play in a friendly against Saudi Arabia in Amsterdam on May 14. A solid performance on the world's biggest stage would surely bring European attention and money for Ibrahim, who has already drawn interest from Hearts in the Scottish Premier League.
"I might never see him," Johnston said. "[But] we're just happy to have him."
Still unsigned, Ibrahim did not make the trip to Los Angeles, nor did recently acquired Jean Philippe Peguero, who will miss Saturday's match to attend a wedding. Magee, who will undergo surgery Wednesday to insert a pin in his injured pinky finger, is questionable and Edson Buddle, who limped off the field Thursday at Giants Stadium, is also listed as questionable with plantar fasciitis of the left foot. Mark Lisi has been upgraded to questionable with a right groin sprain.
However, both Magee and Buddle have said they will play against Chivas.
"I'm feeling good, it was just some irritation on my foot," Buddle said. "I'll be ready for Saturday."
It's likely Magee and Buddle will combine up front in an expected 4-4-2 formation. That will allow Youri Djorkaeff and Amado Guevara to continue to work on getting their chemistry right in the midfield.
"There were times that they've shown they can do it easily but there's times that they're not on the same page," Johnston said of Djorkaeff and Guevara. "There's times the two of them are in the same spot. I know where this team is going, I know what I want. There's certain things I don't like but at the end of the day they can do it."
Guevara, in particular, has been in an early season malaise that Johnston blames on a short and unsettling preseason.
"He missed a lot of training preseason. When you miss a lot of preseason, it's very hard to catch that up," Johnston said. "It's vital that you get guys in here quickly. Then there was a little bit of him and [former Red Bulls general manager] Alexi [Lalas] butting heads, there was a little uncertainly, then there's trade talks. All that's not healthy for Amado."
But the Honduran international said he is ready to be the old Amado Guevara, the brilliant playmaker who was the 2004 MLS MVP and who plays with an edge that at times earns him yellow cards for dissent.
"You will see the Amado again who gets in the game, fights and runs," he said through an interpreter. "It's not that easy to say he will be back because also that Amado got a lot of yellow cards, a lot of red cards and fines."
He added: "I'm going to work a little more to get in shape and I will become a better player now because I'm going to work on my fitness."
The Red Bulls face a Chivas USA team that has a distinct MetroStars feel to it with Tim Regan starting at center back, Ante Razov starting up front and Jason Hernandez coming off the bench for Bradley, who was fired Oct. 4, 2005, by Lalas.
They come into Saturday's game with a 1-2-0 record, their lone win was a 3-0 drubbing of a Real Salt Lake team that tied the Red Bulls.
"They are a different team," Johnston said. "When they have Razov and [Francisco] Palencia, you know there's a danger. You can see when Palencia came here in his first game, he's a good player. He's played at the highest level. Razov's the same."
While Magee and Guevara are looking forward to again seeing Bradley, who Guevara called "the professor," they are more anxious to come away with their first win after playing to three draws and a loss in their first four games.
"Regardless of who the coach was going to be of Chivas the most important thing right now is to win because we desperately need the win," Guevara said. "We're going there to take back three points whether it's Bob or whoever else."
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
