ARRIVING IN SALZBURG IN STYLE; FIRST DAY IN AUSTRIA

Red Bulls Reader is traveling with the club on its 12-day preseason training trip to Salzburg Austria and will check in regularly with updates on what the team is doing and how the training is going.

The trip got off to a rousing start as the team took a chartered flight from JFK Airport to
Salzburg. Red Bulls Reader had traveled first class once before, but this chartered flight took it to another level and showed another example of the resources available to the club. The plane was a virtual hotel in the sky, with individual “suites” for each member of the traveling party that allowed us to sit normally, or convert the seat to either a recliner or a 72” bed! Red Bulls Reader took advantage of all three settings over the course of the “across the pond” journey. We had a great meal (those around RBR all ordered the steak sandwich – prompting many “put it on the Underhill account” quips) before settling in to hot towels and personal entertainment centers, with free television shows, music, games, and movies (RBR was in an Oscar mood, taking in Michael Clayton before viewing Eastern Promises).

We landed safely at Salzburg Airport at about 7:30 am local time, though many of us were beginning to feel the six hour time difference. After all, we left New York at about 5:00 pm on Monday and landed in the home of Mozart on Tuesday morning!

After bussing over to the hotel and checking in on a gorgeous day in Salzburg (cloudless sunny skies with temps in the low 60’s – let’s hope it lasts), the team was on its own until afternoon training at Red Bull Arena, the home field of their brother team, Red Bull Salzburg, the defending Austrian Bundesliga Champions. The team got a sneak peak at what their own Red Bull Park will look like, as the two stadiums have many of the same features.

After a spirited training session that shook off the rust from the long flight, the team returned to the hotel for the team dinner and, most likely, an early night of well deserved sleep.

First-year head coach Juan Carlos Osorio on what he hopes to accomplish this week:

Osorio on the upcoming game against Red Bull Juniors:

Over the course of their time in Salzburg, the team plans on taking in a Red Bull Salzburg soccer match, as well as a Red Bull Salzburg hockey playoff game, with several other off-the-pitch events scheduled as well. The team will play at least one exhibition game at Red Bull Arena.