HANOVER, N.J. – If the New York Red Bulls emerge from BMO Field on Sunday having advanced in the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs, then they might have some churrasco and skirt steak to thank for it.
Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch gave the players two days off from training following Monday’s 2-1 home loss to Toronto FC in in the first leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Many of the players said that they didn’t want the time off, captain Sacha Kljestan among them.
So Kljestan and long-time team administrator Juan Romero organized a dinner for the team in order to keep the group together and focused. No coaches were invited, just the players as they hit up Son Cubano in West New York, N.J.
“The whole group was there, had some really good food. Everybody chatting, everybody in a good mood,” Kljestan said following training on Friday.
“We were watching the World Series a little bit. It was just a good time. It was nice to have the guys out of this environment, no stress and just remember in the end we’re playing a soccer game here. We’re going to really go for it, we’re not going to show up and be timid.”
The time off was good for goalkeeper Luis Robles, who had a difficult night on Monday and was somewhat culpable in the first goal New York conceded.
The dinner got a full endorsement from Marsch, who obviously did not attend the players’ only event but spent Tuesday night with his family for Halloween. The Red Bulls head coach underscored the importance of family and putting things in perspective ahead of the team’s tough task in Toronto on Sunday (3 pm ET; ESPN in the US | TSN1/4, TVAS in Canada).
The Red Bulls do face an uphill climb. Not only do they need to get a win, they will also need to account for Toronto’s two road goals.
There is also the fact that Toronto is incredibly tough at home, posting a league-best 13-1-3 record at BMO Field. The sense is that the team event and the bonding that happened was important for the Red Bulls to get in the right mindset ahead of playing at the Supporters Shield winners this weekend.
“Taking the time to realize what this is all about. The most important thing for me is that’s not just about me. It’s about everyone on this team. And one of the best things I can do is get over myself is to get back in there and encourage guys and prepare the way I do every single week,” Robles said.
“Having that dinner is also about us getting over the hump and I feel like just breaking bread, finding some time to enjoy one another and remember what this is all about. As we go into this next game, it is that sort of clarity because of that dinner that will allow us to accomplish what we want to.”
