By Bill Alden

The New York Red Bulls franchise of Major League Soccer has a tortured history, featuring big-name players and underachievement. Despite attracting such internationally known players as Thierry Henry, Tim Howard, Michael Bradley, Juan Pablo Angel, and Bradley Wright-Phillips over the years, the club has never won an MLS Cup in its 20-plus seasons.

So when the franchise underwent its latest changing of the guard last year with former MLS executive Ali Curtis taking over as Sporting Director, popular head coach Mike Petke landed on the hot seat. Curtis fired Petke in January and the smart money was on the club bringing in a high profile replacement. Instead, the Harrison, N.J.-based Red Bulls hired a volunteer college coach toiling 45 miles south for the Princeton University men’s soccer team. more