Welcome Erik Stover. Now, whats your job?

By: Dave Martinez | May 29th, 2008

Marc DeGrandpre left the managing directors position vacant. And after a six month search, plus a visit from the Salzburg ownership, the Red Bulls have a new face manning the ship.

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Erik Stover.

Taking a look at his “resume,” there are definitely pro’s and con’s to the hire.

PROS

- Familiar with the Red Bulls and Metrostars, spanning the course of nearly 10 years, starting from our inception.
- Managed Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego
- From Red Bull Reader “Stover’s background includes facility and event management for both sports and entertainment.”
- He has experience in San Diego as they tried to lure in a vibrant soccer community to the Stadium for games, culminating in a successful near sellout of a meaningless Mexico/Venezuela match in 2007. His hope was to bring the infrastructure to be the most conducive for soccer.

CONS

- “Not an avid soccer fan” - but has grown to respect the game
- An Ives source claims he knows “nothing” of football.
- Part of a very restrictive and soccer-ignorant NJSEA for 9 years.

Again, from Red Bull Reader: “Stover will oversee all of the business and commercial aspects of the team. In addition, Head Coach Juan Carlos Osorio and Sporting Director Jeff Agoos will report to Stover.” Well, what does this all mean?

Here’s the Rub . . .

It is clear that Salzburg is worried about one thing - their Harrison investment. The team need only achieve respectability until the final piece of the prize is erected.

Erik Stover, who is in part credited for a soccer “revival” in San Diego, will be asked to do much the same here on the East Coast through his knowledge of infrastructure and maintenance. And though Agoos and Osorio will continue to have control of the teams players and movement, they still must report and respond to Mr. Stover. The idea seems to be “keep the soccer minds in place, and hire an infrastructure expert to ensure our future.” So be it.

The fact is, if Agoos and Osorio are responsible for the on field product - they will be held responsible for the teams performance. When reading between the lines, Stover is mainly there to oversee the teams direction. Most of his responsibilities lie in Harrison.

I wouldn’t make any more of this signing than it is. Most team Presidents and General Managers are in and out of positions within 4-5 years. I think Stovers job is to simply stabilize our Harrison project and make sure the on field product doesn’t suffer in its stead. And that is the type of leadership this team needs for the near future.

Best of luck Stover. You have a lot of retractors, and a lot to prove.

And one more thing? Welcome to New York.