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New York Red Bulls II 2022 Season Preview

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 03/03/22, 5:00PM EST

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2022 Outlook

The New York Red Bulls II will enter their final season in the USL Championship likely with the same up-tempo approach, but without the man who had led the side since its inaugural campaign in 2015. The departure of John Wolyniec as Head Coach after posting 95 victories across the regular season and playoffs over the past seven seasons was the biggest move of the offseason for the side, which has gone from perennial playoff side to back-to-back seasons of young squads missing out on postseason action.

Installed as the new Head Coach is veteran Gary Lewis, who arrives from the Seattle Sounders FC organization with an aim to improve in particular the club’s defensive record from a season ago. New York recorded only three shutouts a season ago and conceded 67 goals, an average of more than two per game, while allowing an average of 5.19 shots on target per contest. The young defensive group including returning Juan Castillo and newcomer Chris Cragwell has promise, but is going to have to learn fast against the international-caliber talent some Eastern Conference sides will be able to call on.

The attacking side of the field looks more promising with forward Jeremy Rafanello back for a second season while being joined by Tampa Bay Rowdies loanee Jordan Adebayo-Smith. The Red Bulls II should also be able to call on Omar Sowe and Serge Ngoma – both now signed to Homegrown Player contracts by the Red Bulls – while United States U-20 international Daniel Edelman could also be one to watch. All of that said, it’s likely to be another challenging year for New York as its young talent gets tested by the ever-improving level around the league.

Notable Arrivals

Jordan Adebayo-Smith – The young English forward arrives on loan from Tampa Bay for the season

Chris Cragwell – 20-year-old Panamanian defender has youth international experience

Giannis Nikopolidis – 2020 All-America First Team selection at Georgetown joins professional ranks

John Murphy – New Jersey native heads back to northeast after competing for Union Omaha in 2021

Notable Departures

Jake LaCava – Young forward heads in opposite direction to Adebayo-Smith, joining Rowdies on loan

Luther Archimede – Guadaloupe international made move west to Sacramento Republic FC

Mandela Egbo – English defender had contract option declined by Red Bulls

Kyle Zajec – Midfielder had contract option declined by Red Bulls II

Two to Watch


Jeremy Rafanello

Jeremy Rafanello, Forward

The New York Red Bulls II continued to be one of the more enterprising sides in the USL Championship in 2021, and the play of Jeremy Rafanello alongside fellow attacking pieces Omar Sowe and Jake LaCava was a reason why. The 21-year-old contributed to almost one-third of New York’s 41 goals in the regular season with seven goals and six assists while also notching 31 chances created. Where the next step for Rafanello will come is from raising his overall shooting accuracy (45.8 percent in 2021) and finding more consistency on the ball overall (66.4 passing accuracy rate), but if he can accomplish that the New Jersey native should be a young player to watch not just for the Red Bulls II but in the USL Championship overall.

Jordan Adebayo-Smith

Jordan Adebayo-Smith, Forward

In the limited action Jordan Adebayo-Smith saw for the Tampa Bay Rowdies during the 2021 season, there was plenty of potential on display. As the 21-year-old English forward joins the Red Bulls II this season on a season-long loan from Tampa Bay that includes an option for the Red Bulls to acquire Adebayo-Smith at the end of the season via transfer, there will likely be greater opportunity for that potential to be realized. Adebayo-Smith’s four goals came at a strike rate of a goal every 170.8 minutes, which over a full season would indicate the potential for a double-digit haul in New York’s up-tempo attack this year. If that comes to fruition, so too could the next step in Adebayo-Smith’s pathway up the ranks.

Coach


Gary Lewis (1st Season)

Appointed as the second Head Coach in Red Bulls II history this offseason, Gary Lewis arrives with the remit to help guide the young talent in the club’s Academy system as the side plays its final season in the USL Championship. There are interesting players here to work with, but where Lewis will have his work cut out is making that talent into a cohesive unit that can be more competitive with its more experienced counterparts after arriving from Seattle Sounders FC’s Academy program.

Key Number


216 The New York Red Bulls II won possession 216 times in the attacking third of the field in the 2021 regular season, the most of any side in the USL Championship as the club’s high-pressing style forced consistent turnovers that regularly led to scoring opportunities for the young side.

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Tag(s): Features  New York Red Bulls II  John Murphy  Jeremy Rafanello  Adebowale Adebayo-Smith 

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