October 24, 2009 RETURNING STARS? (UPDATED) Ramos, Youri have spoken to Red Bulls about possible employment
By Michael Lewis
BigAppleSoccer.com Editor
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Former MetroStars midfielder Tab Ramos and one-time Red Bulls midfielder Youri Djorkaeff said Saturday night they had met with Red Bulls management about the possibility of employment with the MLS club in the future.
Ramos, who retired from the MetroStars after the 2002 season, earlier this season said he had talked about the possibility of doing scouting for the club.
Djorkaeff, who hung up his boots after the 2006 season, said he had met with managing director Erik Stover and sporting director Jeff Agoos. He said if the club needed him, he would help. The former French international star was not specific about the position.
"If you need me, I will be here," Djorkaeff said at halftime of the Red Bulls' 5-0 win over Toronto FC. "If Red Bull needs me, I will be here. I don't know which term. It is something that is in the hands of the boss. It is not my hand anymore."
Ramos said he hasn't spoken since earlier this season.
"At this point, the other thing that I can say is that the important this is to wait until the year is over and that point we can discuss anything else," he said.
Asked if the team or he left it open, Ramos replied, "I can't make it a secret the fact that this is partly is my club and that this is a place that I would like to be. That's all I can say. Maybe my time is now. Maybe my time is a few years from now. That I don't know."
Djorkaeff said he had spoken to several French players who "are very interested in coming to join MLS."
He wouldn't say if Barcelona star forward Thierry Henry was one of them. "Some players," he said. "I don't say one player, but very, very good players."
Those good players, Djorkaeff said, "would prefer to stay in a nice city like New York. What I like and how they talk [is] their desire to come. It's not just publicity things. It is the desire of the player to come and do well for MLS. I said, 'You know what, I don't think it will be easy to do it. I played here. I know how tough it is. If you are doing with a good thing, you can have success."
Djorkaeff said he has spoken to midfielder Patrick Viera.
"I think the big change for next season is that you have a stadium," he said of Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., which will open next year. "I think the first time it will be a great start for the Red Bulls. You have a home that you can build something very, very big for New York, not just for MLS.
"What I said to the boss here, 'You don't have to miss a chance for doing something big for the soccer in the states and big for New York.' "
Ramos and Djorkaeff, along with former MetroStars and Red Bulls goalkeeper Tony Meola and ex-Red Bulls captain and midfielder Claudio Reyna attended the Red Bulls-Toronto FC game Saturday night, the final soccer game at Giants Stadium.
