January 7, 2010 HOW SWEDE IT IS Red Bulls go against the grain, hire a foreigner as coach, Hans Backe
Red Bulls general manager and sporting director Erik Soler decided to go against the grain and hire a foreigner to coach the team. Photo courtesy of the Red Bulls
By Michael Lewis
BigAppleSoccer.com Editor
Going against history and the grain, the Red Bulls decided to name a foreigner as their 13th coach in 15 years Thursday -- Swedish native Hans Backe.
Backe, 57, has almost 30 years of coaching experience in Europe, but none in MLS, where foreign coaches have struggled since the league's first season in 1996.
He will try to turn around the fortunes of a team that finished at 5-19-6 and 21 points last season, the sixth worst finish in MLS history. The Red Bulls will open Red Bull Arena this season.
With Norwegian native Erik Soler as the team's general manager and sporting director, the Red Bulls are believed to be the only team in Major League Soccer history to have two foreigners in charge.
Foreigners who have not played in the league or been an assistant coach have struggled with MLS's many complicated rules and regulations. For example, each team has a $2.3 million salary cap and are not as free to spend as European teams do.
In fact, a dozen men, including former MetroStars coaches Carlos Queiroz (Portugal, 12-12 in 1996), Carlos Alberto Parreira (Brazil, 13-19 in 1997) and Bora Milutinovic (Serbia, 8-25 in 1998-99) fall into that category.
Together, those coaches have compiled a 136-204-41 mark, a .411 winning percentage, never finishing above .500 in a full season, never getting out of the first round of the playoffs (in three tries) and no MLS Cup titles.
Backe most recently coached Notts County in English League 2, stepping down after only seven weeks on the job on Dec. 15 due to player acquisition issues that might occur in the more restricted MLS. Notts County owner Peter Trembling said that Backe quit because he could not sign new players after he arrived at the club and that he was unwilling to wait until the winter transfer window.
"I told him if he waited until the middle of January we could be in a different position in terms of the league table and in terms of investment," Trembling told BBC Radio.
"We all had frustrations with what happened before, but I had hoped he would be resolute and see the job through. He doesn't want to do that."
Soler, however, felt Backe's experience would prevail.
“I have followed Hans’ career for many years and I think he will be an excellent coach for this team," Soler said in a statement. “Hans brings a vast amount of experience from a variety of different clubs in Europe and he has been a fantastic mentor for many young and established players. We are confident that he will be able to help our club accomplish our goal of competing for a MLS Cup."
Backe will retain assistant coach Richie Williams, who guided the team to a 3-3-2 record as interim coach after Juan Carlos Osorio resigned in August, and goalkeeper coach Des McAleenan.
“I am extremely excited to join the Red Bulls,” Backe said in a statement. “It is evident with the stadium and the resources available that Red Bull is very committed to making this club the best in Major League Soccer. I hope that I can bring my expertise to the club and build a winning squad for our supporters.”
Neither Soler nor Backe were available to talk to the media Thursday.
Backe is expected to be introduced to the local media at a press conference at RBA in Harrison, N.J. Wednesday.
