For the answer, look no further than Mike Petke. In a year that can be described as nothing short of a disaster, Petke has lead by example in the back field, desperately trying to right the course of a franchise that tapped out on the playoffs months ago.

This weekend, Petke will be honored for his hard work and perseverance alongside Juan Pablo Angel in a post game ceremony for breaking into the MLS’s top 10 minutes played list. He was kind enough to share his thoughts on this distinct honor, the 2009 season and his career moving forward.

DM – Last we spoke, you expressed how happy you are that your career has come full circle, and you have found yourself once again in a New York kit. This weekend, the Red Bulls will be honoring you with a post game ceremony to commemorate your latest accomplishment, breaking into the MLS’s top 10 all time minute leaders. What does this achievement mean to you?

I would gladly change with whoever is at the number 100 position in this category if it meant that we (Red Bulls) were preparing for the playoffs. And that is the truth. With that being an impossibility, I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t happy to be in the top ten in this category. One thing that I never did throughout my career was to think that my spot was guaranteed. Even when I was at my best or hurting with an injury, I never took it for granted or wanted to be in the trainers room. That is why I respect guys like Juan Pablo Angel and John Wolyniec so much. They are cut from the same cloth as me in that category. When they go down like they have recently, you know they are really hurting. So what this accomplishment means to me is that I have battled and lasted for twelve years without ever giving up.

Is the accomplishment at all soured by the fact that the team has struggled so mightily this season?

Like I said before, I would gladly give this up if it meant that we were off to the playoffs. So yes, absolutely it sours it tremendously.

I have thought about what happened to us this season constantly. Thank god my wife is a former player and as competitive as me or else she might have left a long time ago. The one thing that I cannot let go of is this. I have played on a few “BAD” teams in my 12 years and the truth is that we WERE bad. We simply didn’t have quality players. With this team, across the board we have talent. And that’s what I can’t seem to let go of. One of the worst things that you can do is to waste talent. And that’s what we did this year.

What do you feel caused such a talented team to waste its potential?

You can’t put your finger on just 1 thing. It was many, many things from EVERYONE. Obviously I am not going to disclose any locker room info. At the end of the day we ALL need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves if we did everything possible that we could have. And if we are honest with ourselves then it can only help us moving forward.

Any words for former Top 10er, Mark Chung, as you pass your ex teammate?

Hey Mark, how are the Mona Vie sales doing?

Looking back on this season, and your career, would you be content hanging up the cleats now, or do you feel that one last hurrah, with a more successful season, playing in a new stadium, would be the proper way to close out the Mike Petke years?

Hanging up the cleats is the farthest thing on my mind. If I was somewhere else, like say Colorado last year, then even though I know that I still have a lot left to give, I might be considering moving on. However, you have to understand how I feel about playing in my hometown for this organization. Whether you call it the Red Bulls or Metrostars makes no difference to me. I plan on being on the field next season to help right the ship and I plan on being involved with the organization until the day I leave this world in some capacity. Only time will tell what capacity that will be.

How long until we can all be referring to you with the monicker of “General Manager” or “Communications Director” somewhere in the MLS? In other words – would you be willing to trade in the shorts for a suit?

Wow, you really know how to flatter someone. I will say this; I am looking no further than MLS cup 2010! As far as next year goes, I wouldn’t trade my shorts for anything short of my wife and kids good health. That’s how committed I am.

The 4-5-1 – big fan or HATE IT?

I don’t hate it, however you have to have the right team in order to play it. Having a lone striker is extremely difficult unless 10 others are on board and understand there roles to a T.

FILL IN THE BLANK: 2009 would have been a better year for this team if ____________

We didn’t go and Fuck up a great opportunity!

You have made Metro Bull history a few times, but tell me what your specific favorite and least favorite memories are playing for the New York franchise:

Top 3 in each. Here we go.

FAVORITE:

3. Adolfo Valencias goal in Game 3 of the Eastern Conf
Championship in 2000 in Chicago. MLS CUP here we come.
2. Scoring the first goal of the 1999 season to beat the crew 1-0
and thinking we were a great team.
1. Being drafted to NY in 1998.

LEAST FAVORITE:

3. 10 seconds after that goal realizing it was called offside. Chicago advances
2. 1999 SEASON!
1. Being traded a few days before Christmas, 2002. Although it was for the best at that time, it absolutely crushed me.

The Red Bulls will be closing out their Giants Stadium years this weekend against Toronto FC.

img credit: Mike Stobe/Getty Images for New York Red Bulls

Here is an excerpt of the entry:

Now fast forward to Aug. 21. Just another practice for the Red Bulls in Montclair, N.J. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Same warm-up, same passing drills, then on to a 9 versus 9 scrimmage. Coach Juan Carlos Osorio was his usual self. Nothing felt different. However, upon returning to the locker room we were informed that our GM was there and we would be having a meeting. I didn’t think much of it because we have meetings all the time. When we were all gathered in the meeting room and ready to start, Osorio walked in and, with a few words, resigned. He thanked us for our hard work, wished us well and walked out. The place was silent. And so a new season started at that moment.

Our longtime assistant, Richie Williams, was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season and had one day to prepare us for our game against Dallas. He stood up and spoke. I can’t tell you exactly what he said, but I can tell you that they were the right words. Everyone walked out of that meeting knowing what was expected of them and that every game remaining is a final.

Richie Williams is reigniting this teams passion to play, after one of the worst starts to a season in MLS history. And the team seems to be buying into his message. The case for Head Coach 2010 continues to build in Little Richies favor . . .

Similarly, the Red Bulls have been mired by losses all season. The team has been playing behind for the better part of the campaign, and the situation just keeps getting worse and worse. Much like the Galaxy, the team has tried everything and is running out of ideas to achieve success. As Donovan alluded to, it is during these hard times that leaders are needed most.

So leadership has now become a question amongst the struggling teams fan base. The Post Soccer Blog recently interviewed a fuming Mike Petke, who shed some light on the subject.

From the Post:

“Juan Pablo leads by example. You can say whatever you want about him not scoring goals this year, but he’s a guy that leads by example,” Petke said. “If guys like Mac (Kandji) and (Matt) Mbuta followed him around the whole year and did what he did, these guys’d be superstars, or have the opportunity to be. Juan is one of the best captains I ever had.

Strong words of support from the passionate Long Islander. But Petke isn’t beloved by the fan base without reason. His ability to speak his heart has always made him a person for the team to rally around as well.

“It’s not about soccer anymore the rest of the season. Its about heart, it’s about how you want to be remembered. It’s about where you want to go as a person. Do you want to be a loser? I don’t want to be a loser,” Petke said.

If you weren’t already endeared with Petke, you will be after you take in the rest of the interview. Take a minute and click the link above.

Not to be outdone, the bastion for all things New York soccer, BAS, has an interview with Kevin Goldthwaite (another must read!).

Goldthwaite is a bit of an unsung hero around these parts. For the better part of the past two years, “Goldie” has been one of the most positive contributors to the team, but a past which included some less than inspirational play on the Bulls defensive flanks cast a shadow on his accomplishments. Slowly but surely, through his fight and determination, he has managed to earn his respect with the fan base and media. Goldthwaite has found himself in an unexpectedly natural center back role, anchoring and directing the backline, which has been under attack all season. The maturity on the field seems to be translating in the locker room.

From BAS:

“Your pride has to take over when the playoffs are out of the picture. At that point, if anyone has given up, I’ll probably be the first one to call him out on it.”

Though the season may already be a lost cause, it is good to know there are players in the locker room that still care, and believe.

The frustration is finally reaching a boiling point all around. And the muzzle on the seasons misgivings, if only for a brief moment, have been lifted. What has been revealed is a team that is at a loss for answers, with a group of leaders that are desperately trying to coral the herd and get them back on course.

This bye week may be exactly what the team needed. The schedule for this season has been a challenge in itself, featuring large clusters of time at home, but equally large clusters away. A few days off to reflect on the season, the failures experienced on their recent road trip, and the passionate words of their team leaders may do them a lot of good.

But only time will tell.

Image Credit: (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

That’s right. Mouthed off.

He will be unavailable an additional two games and has been fined $500 bucks for the infraction. And don’t forget; Kevin Goldthwaite is out for tomorrows game with yellow card accumulation.

Insane.

What more can I say? Maybe you guys can help me think of what Petke may have said that could have been so egregious!

A three game verbal ban. How laughable.

(Photo by Robert Giroux/Getty Images)

MLS Puts up alot of great youtube videos from around the league. This one features, among other things, a quick shoot with Mike Petke, showing the boys taking the train to Boston to play the Revs.

Want a funny moment? Look around the 1:30 mark, and check out Dane Richards sleeping . . . . with his hand in his pants. Making a joke out of that is too easy – so I’ll leave it to you guys.

Enjoy!

PS: The saves of the week include Danny Cepero stealing one from Danny Dichio. Blink and you will miss it.

His arrival to the Red Bulls was celebrated at Nevada Smiths earlier in the year by 100’s of RB faithful. But already 8 games into the season, Petke has only seen the pitch twice, starting once at home and on the road.

I had a chance to catch up with Petke and ask him his thoughts on the Red Bulls current form, and his return home:

* * * * *

DAVE: If one thing was made perfectly clear this weekend, it has to be “Petke = Wins.” Thoughts?

MIKE PETKE: If Petke equals Wins, then I would have 12 MLS Cup rings…

What was the biggest difference in the teams turnaround this week? Besides you of course . . .

Partnering Mac Kandji up front with JPA really made a difference. Even though we have pushed our outside midfielders up top like wingers in past games, JPA has pretty much been alone up there. It doesn’t matter how great a player JPA is, you can’t expect him to do the work of 2 for 90 minutes. Albert Celades was another huge difference. He makes the game look so easy to play.

This was your first start at Giant Stadium in over 6-7 years. Though it may have taken a bit longer than you would have liked, what was the experience like for you?

It was great to suit up for NY again after all these years. My career has come full circle and I am very happy about that.

Though you were part of a successful win, the season hasn’t started out as you had planned, watching a lot of games from the bench. How disappointed, if at all, are you with your lack of playing time this season?

Of course I have been unhappy with my lack of playing time. As a highly competitive person it has been tough to swallow. But Coach Osorio is going to make the decisions that HE feels are right. The one thing that I wasn’t going to do was go into his office everyday to bitch and complain because the Red Bulls are much bigger than Mike Petke. That’s not to say that I didn’t have a few talks with him. I just kept working hard in practice and was happy to get the start against SJ, because I earned it.

How painful was sitting out the DC game?

Sitting out the DC game wasn’t any more painful than sitting out the other games. I want to be a part of every game, scrimmage and competition that we have.

Was it a tactical decision to sit you or were you chained up in Osorios doghouse?

What I was told by coach is something between him and I, although I can say that I am not aware of any Dog House.

Do you see yourself picking up more starts again after this weekend?

I hope I am starting this weekend but as I said before, coach Osorio is going to do what HE feels is best for the team. At the end of the day I may not like the decision but that is how life is sometimes.

Finally, what is it going to take to sustain a winning culture throughout this season for the Red Bulls?

I don’t feel that there is any secret ingredient to winning. As long as every player on the team is committed to playing their role, and not taking any short cuts or making excuses, then winning should come. The minute that players look for shortcuts, or pass off responsibility, or more importantly do not give everything they have for the team, that is when the downfall comes.

(Photo by Robert Giroux/Getty Images)