New York Red Bulls: Mathias Jorgensen shows superior planning

The New York Red Bulls signed 18-year-old centre-forward Mathias Jorgensen this offseason. The $2 million acquisition is a sign of their superior planning as they prepare for life without Bradley Wright-Phillips.

Bradley Wright-Phillips is one of the greatest players to grace Major League Soccer. More than 100 goals in the league, a prolific scorer leading the New York Red Bulls, the Englishman has revelled for six years in north America.

He is a two-time golden boot winner, held the single-season scoring record prior to Josef Martinez’s sensational 2018 MVP campaign, and is a primary reason for the Red Bulls’ dominance in MLS in recent years.

But he is now 34 years of age. Wright-Phillips’ game revolves around his sensational anticipation and tactical awareness in the final third. Because of both his speed of thought and movement, he is extremely difficult to mark, the perfect, mobile spearhead for a high-pressing Red Bulls team.

However, it is a little naive to expect a 34-year-old to continue playing with such intensity and athleticism. While he is still an excellent goalscorer because of his nous, experience and finishing ability, his 20 goals in 32 games last season proof of that, the other aspects that he brings to the Red Bulls are beginning to deteriorate a little. And they will continue to with each passing year.

But the Red Bulls know this. And they are a well-run organisation, another reason for their extended success over the past decade. That means they are already putting plans in place to handle the post-Wright-Phillips era. When a team moves on from an individual as influential as Wright-Phillips, the right decisions must be taken. Local rivals New York City FC will find that out with David Villa this season.

This offseason, the Red Bulls signed young Danish centre-forward Mathias Jorgensen. He may only be 18 years old with three senior goals at his former club, but New York bet $2 million on him turning into something. This is no small-fry signing. Jorgensen is a potential Wright-Phillips succession plan.

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As this piece from Kristian Dyer in The Athletic reveals, the Red Bulls are exceptionally high on Jorgensen and expect their mobile, high-pace system to accentuate his stamina, high motor, and relentlessly athletic skill set. And when you have a conviction about a player becoming the ideal replacement for a star, it makes sense to bring them in early, give them time to acclimatise, and then slowly undertake the succession process.

Whether Jorgensen is able to replace Wright-Phillips remains to be seen. He is certainly young to be handed such responsibility. But the Red Bulls believe that he is, and, for now, that is all that matters. Their acting on that belief is then an outworking of intelligent, highly aware planning. It is something that you see smart organisations do, the ones that are repeatedly among the elite of MLS.

The New York Red Bulls are an extremely astute franchise. They are forward-thinking, aware of the long-term ramifications of their decisions, and humble enough to admit when they are wrong and convicted enough to stick with what they know is right. And this is just another example.