Quotes from 2008 MLS SuperDraft
January 18, 2008
Baltimore, MD
Red Bulls Sporting Director Jeff Agoos
On Eric Brunner:
Obviously, his size was a big factor. I've seen Eric a couple times with Ohio State and then at the combine. He has great anticipation and good feet. I think he will be dangerous on set pieces both for and against us and we were very happy that he was around with our second pick. We would have taken him higher.
On how Brunner to the rest of the defending class:
I think he was one of the stronger defenders. We rated him right up there with [the top] guys. To have him around and have him available, especially with having a need at that position, I think it was ideal for us to be able to select him.
On the draft class:
Positionally, we fulfilled our needs today. We were able to select the players who we were looking for without having to move up in the selection order. Hopefully, these players can contribute to our 2008 campaign.
Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio
On the draft:
I think we should be pleased with what we have. It was difficult because, to be honest, there were not too many players, in our eyes, that could come in and compete for a starting position. I think Eric (Brunner) could be one of them and we are very pleased to have him here. I also think very highly of (third round selection, 32nd overall) Luke (Sassano). Obviously I have only seen them play at the college level, but I saw good signs from those two, and even from (fourth round selection, 44th overall) Dave (Roth). I think they have good qualities, and hopefully, if they can hold their ground with the professionals, then I think in the long run we can develop them and they can become an important part of the team.
On Brunner:
Eric is a central defender, tall at 6-4, and is very good in the air defensively and offensively. He has very good distribution and good feet for a tall man. He is very strong, quick and I think he is a good person. We interviewed him and we believe he has a good demeanor and there are good qualities about him that make me believe he will be good for us.
Red Bulls Second Round (16th Overall) Selection Eric Brunner
On the Red Bulls:
There's tons of leadership there - a lot of experience that will be great for me. I'm going to learn a great deal from them and I'm going to cherish that.
On Red Bulls midfielder Claudio Reyna:
I remember watching Claudio at the World Cup and playing at Man City and just wanting to be in their shoes and not having that opportunity. Now, I get to play alongside him which is much better.
On speaking with RBNY Sporting Director Jeff Agoos:
At the combine, I sat down and spoke with him and got to know him on a personal level, talking about my personal goals and aspirations. Fortunately, they liked me.
On playing in Giants Stadium:
It'll be nice to play in a big stadium. I've played in a 10,000-person stadium but we didn't fill it up. I know the fan base in New York is great and I'm excited to play in front of them.
