By Mike Woitalla
Executive Editor
The New York Red Bulls, whose youth program was considered one of the league’s most advanced as MLS launched its Youth Development Initiative for the 2007 season, have fired their Director of Youth Soccer and Player Development, Giovanni Savarese.
Savarese was hired by the club in 2005, two years after it began fielding youth teams that played in the Super Y-League.
“The decision to terminate my employment was theirs alone,” said Savarese, who played for the club in 1996-98 when it was known as the MetroStars.
Savarese remains the club’s all-time leading scorer and was a fan favorite before then-coach Bora Milutinovic traded him to New England after the 1998 season. Savarese later played in Britain, Venezuela and Italy, before returning the Tri-State area.
Savarese first came to New York in 1990 from Venezuela to play for Long Island University.
A spokesman for the Red Bulls refused to elaborate on the club’s decision to terminate Savarese from his position and said it is “in the process of examining our options” regarding a replacement.
“It has been my experience, first as a player and now as an officer of the company to let my work speak for itself,” said Savarese. “This has always been my policy.
“However I do want all of the people who I had the pleasure to work with to know that it has been my life’s passion for the game and in particular my NY/NJ fans that have driven my endless efforts to create, improve and spread the beautiful game. “The program that I leave behind is still in its infancy. It has been widely praised and I sincerely believe that it is the blue print for future MLS programs that will continue to grow and to help nurture players.”