As Holgersson indicated, players were called into the Red Bulls offices the morning after the clubs ouster to D.C. United. Alphabetically, one at a time, they were summoned into a room in a manner one source described as a firing squad. Therein, they met with the trio of the yet to be announced Sporting Director Roxburgh, team technical director Ricardo Campos and Houllier.
Flanked by his freshly minted staff, it was Houllier who would do all the talking and there wasnt much talking to speak of. He laid down a simple decree to his subjects: if a player did not appear in either of the teams two playoff matches against D.C., he matter-of-factly told them Ive never seen you play and thus disqualified them from returning next season.
That immediately eliminated Solli, Keel, Gaudette, Jhonny Arteaga, Jose Angulo, Corey Hertzog, Jeremy Vuolo and Jonathan Borrajo from future consideration. It also put the likes of Wilman Conde and Sebastian Le Toux on notice for the coming season.
Though devastating in its delivery, the declaration came with a caveat. If any of the Red Bull players were recommended to stay aboard, they would be given the opportunity to fight for their job once more during the coming preseason training camp. There, they would be able to make an impression with whomever the new coach of the team will be.
