Will Smith is a long-time Red Bulls and area soccer fan who lives in Brooklyn.

By Will Smith
Special to FrontRowSoccer.com

We are one week away from Opening Day frostbite at Red Bull Arena.

To say that this past off-season was underwhelming would be an understatement. That said, it was interesting as it brought about farewells to beloved, albeit cup-less, veterans and saw turnover in management.

All in all, since Red Bull operates in a shroud of secrecy that would befuddle the Free Masons, we have almost no idea what awaits us on or off the field over the next few months.

Here are, in my estimation, the 11 questions we will be looking for answers to once we kick off the season.

1. Can Seagrist or Buckmaster or Tolkin make up for the loss of Kemar Lawrence at left back?

2. Can White, Barlow and Jorgensen make up for the loss of BWP in the six-yard box??

3. Can Jensen or Meara make up for the loss of Robles in goal?

4. What formation should the team play?

5. Can a Cassares- Rzatkowski or Cassares – Davis defensive midfield replace the Adams-Davis pairing?

6. Will Long and Parker regain their 2018 form in central defense?

7. Will the Red Bulls sign an offensive game changer … ever?

8. Will anyone from Red Bull II make the jump to the senior team during the season and have an impact?

9. Is Josh Sims a long term option at right mid? Central mid?

10. What exactly will Kevin Thelwell be doing as Denis Hamlett’s new boss?

11. Will the Harrison police ever sort out the traffic flow exiting the stadium? (I think we may actually know the answer to this one).

I am not even going to try to answer these questions at this time. However, I will be back at mid-season to see how the questions answered themselves.

Now, as they say in that other springtime game with the round ball that was invented in England, “Play ball!”

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.