DAVENPORT, Fla. – Ahead of their friendly matchup on Wednesday night, the New York Red Bulls hit the pitch for a rainy morning session of training.
Unlike other friendlies that have been played this preseason, the match against the Philadelphia Union will be played in a standard format: two halves, 45 minutes each. That being the case, head coach Jesse Marsch used the morning session to get the “second unit” some time on the field, as the starters will get extended minutes in Clearwater tonight.
Amidst driving rain, the team—comprised mostly of Homegrowns, rookies, and trialists—took part in some standard drills to stay fresh and active on a match day in which they won’t see action. Of the veteran core, only Shaun Wright-Phillips took part in the training session as he continues to work his way back to full fitness following an injury.
“We’re just trying to use the day in a good way so that everyone keeps moving forward,” Marsch told NewYorkRedBulls.com. “Some of those days where the first group isn’t out there, it’s a good chance for some of the younger guys to establish themselves and show that they’re growing.
“When they’re amongst their peers, they can help their team win on the day. Those are valuable days for them in terms of their development process and they’re valuable days in terms of evaluating where they’re at. I thought we used it in a really good way today.”
