New York Red Bulls defender Tim Parker made his first start for the club since he left the club in 2020, putting a memorable performance against a tough Chicago Fire team on Saturday. Parker, who was with the team for three seasons and part of the 2018 Supporters Shield-winnng roster, has now returned as a veteran looking to guide a defense in need of longterm stability.
“It is not easy to win in this league,” said Parker after the win on Saturday. “Getting these kinds of results at home gives us a huge boost, especially early in the season. It helps build momentum as we move forward.”
The off-season acquisition of Parker came at a time of turnover for the Red Bulls defense. Andres Reyes had left the club and only Sean Nealis had more than season on the backline. The inclusion of Alexander Hack, while also a veteran, was a new name added to a new league. Parker joining added a face that didn’t need an adjustment period as he has not only played in Harrison before, but has been around the league and understands the needs as a defensive leader.
“Coming back here was kind of a long shot in my mind. When it happened I was really excited. I have a lot of great memories here, winning ones, and I hope to create even more.”
Those winning memories started last Saturday against Gregg Berhalter’s newly revamped Chicago Fire. By almost every metric, this was a difficult game against a team that is expected to do big things in the near future. Parker stepped in having yet to make a start for the club in 2024 and without a long term history with fellow defenders Noah Eile or Dylan Nealis. Still, he was able to guide the club to an important 2-1 victory where the defense played a pivotal role late in the game.
A Long Island-native, Parker is uniquely qualified to handle the metro area crowds. He is well aware of the fanbase’s desire to win a championship and also knows the stresses of having a good team with a chance to make a deep run. Now, he returns to the reigning Eastern Conference champions with a bit more leadership skills that head coach Sandro Schwarz hopes to take advantage of in order to squeeze out results in an arduous regular season campaign.
“He’s such a great person and a great guy in our locker room,” said head coach Schwarz about Parker. “With his mentality, every training session to try and give his best, and this is what I have seen today with his performance. It’s then for us, the coaching staff and me as the head coach, important to get a feeling for Tim Parker. 90 minutes or 95 minutes. When you are only looking at the training session, it’s very well. We need everyone and this is the best example now.”
Parker and the Red Bulls take to the road this weekend against Orlando City SC in the hopes of continuing their upward trend towards the top of the Eastern Conference.
photo by Jordan Bank