Fabio Gomes heads to Portugal, Zlatko Junuzovic finally makes his way to New York, and Gonzalo Veron is still lawyered up in this week’s links
Welcome to the New York Red Bulls Paper Revue presented by Once a Metro.
Trite opinion, but I miss the days when actors refused to do American commercials, and I’m not talking about acting in Marvel movies! There needs to be a mystique involved with film that allows for immersion and suspension of disbelief. Could you imagine if John Candy was shilling M&Ms? I’m sure the commercial would be funny, but who wants that?
What’s that? He did commercials for the Toronto Argonauts? They’re hilarious? Oh, okay.
Here’s this week’s top story.
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Wikelman Carmona may be getting a late start on preseason.
The midfielder is expected to be named to the Venezuela U-20 Men’s National Team for the 2023 South American U-20 Championship, which is set to kick off in the Colombian city of Cali. The tournament runs from January 19th through February 12th. La Vinotinto (The Burgundy) are drawn into Group B with Ecuador, Uruguay, Chile, and Bolivia. The top three finishers advance to the six-team final stage in Bogotá, which extends for the final two weeks of the competition.
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No longer a transfer rumor, Zlatko Junuzović is now a coaching rumor!
After being linked with New York across multiple transfer windows, the skillful RB Salzburg midfielder retired and moved into the technical area. He worked with the Austrian club’s U-16 academy side and is now heading stateside. The 35-year-old is embarking on a “several-month training program” and was supposed to arrive last year, but his journey was delayed due to a “team rejuvenation program,” whatever that is.
Hey, I suppose if things get too dire next season, the former Austrian international can always throw on the boots and start bossing the midfield.
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There’s a new muckety-muck in town. Well, it’s the same muckety-muck, but now he’s consulting.
RB Leipzig announced that Florian Schultz, recently running commercial management and serving as chief media officer, is departing the club. He began working at the German side in July of 2015, frequently linked with Oliver Mintzlaff and considered a part of the brain trust. He is set to “pursue an independent career as a consultant in the field of sports, marketing, and communications.” No less than the Guido Schäfer reports that his new clients will include “[the] Red Bull CEO and the football clubs supported by the energy drink giant from New York, Brazil, and Leipzig.”
Consulting is the dream job, isn’t it? Show up, tell someone how to do their job, and go home. Anything that happens after isn’t your responsibility.
The only thing I’m qualified to consult on is Dairy Queen hamburgers. I think they’re great! Don’t change a thing!
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After being released by the Red Bulls, Jesús Castellano landed at FC Cincinnati 2. The Venezuelan youth international midfielder made 21 appearances in the USL Championship last season. According to his new club’s website, “terms of the deal were not disclosed” because heaven forbid those high-security secrets ever get out there.
It goes 1) nuclear codes, 2) the Coca-Cola formula, and 3) Jesús Castellano’s contract details. Just tell us the length and if there’s an option. I promise you, FC Cincinnati, nothing bad is going to happen.
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Zach Ryan has landed a new club.
The former Red Bulls Homegrown spent one season at the club, making five MLS appearances and scoring in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Now he’s with Loudoun United FC in the USL Championship. His new manager is excited to add the “very talented attacker, who is clinical in front of goal and creates numerous chances from his pressing.” The 24-year-old is expected to be a “key player” for the D.C. United reserve affiliate.
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Giannis Nikopolidis is headed back to Hellas. The son of a Euro champion, former Greek youth international goalkeeper, Olympiacos academy member, Georgetown Hoya, 71st pick in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft, and NYRB II sometime-starter landed with PAS Lamia 1964 in the country’s top division. He will wear number 71 for Kyanólefki (The Cyan-Whites), which are currently at 13th in the 14-team table.
He seems flat-out stoked to be home. “I am happy that after some time abroad, I am returning to Greece and will play for the Lamia team,” said Nikopolidis. “I will do everything I can to help the team achieve its goals.”
Nikopolidis made 15 appearances last year in the USL Championship. Do you remember when he got a red card two minutes into the match against FC Tulsa? That was pretty funny.
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As expected from legal sagas, Gonzalo Verón is dealing with some fallout from his multi-million-dollar lawsuit involving alleged nonpayment from Club Atlético Independiente.
He continues to play, currently with Club Deportivo Universidad San Martín de Porres in the Peruvian second tier. While the sport requires total focus, the former Designated Player is forced to keep an eye on the courtroom. His interview with Clarín touched on all of the alleged fallout from the situation.
“Because of the threats, I left the country,” said Verón. “I’ve been abroad for a couple of years now and I don’t allow myself to play in Argentina. Sometimes I want to go back for my family, for my mother, for my brothers, but the truth is that it scares me. I had threats on Instagram, they also send messages to my wife. One is claiming what belongs to him. My wife tries not to tell me what they put on her and she doesn’t tell me a lot and on Instagram they told me, ‘You’re a son of a bitch,’ ‘You’re coming,’ [and] ‘How are you going to do that to the club?’ And the truth is that the damage is done by the club itself. I understand people, but to avoid a bad situation I decided to leave the country.”
Even trips home can be a cause for stress. “Sometimes I go to the country for a few days and try to spend it with my family inside my house,” shared the 33-year-old. “I go out as little as possible. My wife tells me that I am persecuted, but it is very difficult to look to the side after all this. I was with a psychologist. I discussed all this with the psychologist to try to revive my career. But a call comes to you and each piece of news is to remove the hornet’s nest. I am appealing to the courts so that all this ends and I speak so that all the people of Independiente understand my position and what I am demanding. I am a victim of all this.”
Obviously, Verón hopes for this all to end in 2023. The plan is to continue working hard in order to “enjoy the last years of [his] career,” which he claims was “ruined” by Independiente. As for now, “patience is running out.”
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Send out the appropriate color of smoke because Fábio Gomes has foundeth a new club.
The towering Brazilian striker is headed to Portuguese side Paços de Ferreira, which beat out Portimonense for his signature. His deal is through the rest of the European season, also known as “a few months.” The Castores (Beavers) are currently at 18th in the Primeira Liga with six points from 16 matches, collecting the first victory last weekend.
Well, I think fortunes are already changing with Fábio on the way!
Here’s a joke that was submitted by Fern of Tenafly.
“A Brazilian player moved to Portugal? Now I’ve seen everything!”
Thank you, Fern. They do that a lot.
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