Red Bulls Owner: Don't Expect Overnight Success

• New York Daily News, Tuesday, February 20, 2007 2:52 PM

Don't expect changes overnight, New York Red Bulls owner Dietrich Mateschitz tells fans in a New York Daily News interview. He takes the long view instead: "It will take a number of years to build a top team," Mateschitz told the paper, adding that he doesn't anticipate bringing in a top foreign player until the new Red Bull Park in Harrison, N.J., opens in 2008.

"Winning the championship and reaching the final cannot be our goal just yet," Mateschitz said. "On the other hand, just doing well cannot be enough, either. If everyone puts in their utmost effort and we reach the semifinals, we would consider that a success." The New York MLS franchise has reached the MLS Cup semifinals once in 11 years.

Despite the claim that he's in no rush to add a big name to rival the L.A. Galaxy's David Beckham, Mateschitz says famous international soccer players will strengthen interest in the league from both inside and outside U.S. Of the Red Bulls forthcoming season, Mateschitz said he was happy that the team acquired both former national team coach Bruce Arena and ex-captain Claudio Reyna. He added that he wasn't happy with the progress of planning work on the construction of Red Bull Park.

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