Red Bulls Academy finalizes coaching staff for U.S. Soccer Development Academy season

HARRISON, N.J. (August 27, 2019) – The New York Red Bulls have added new coaches and training staff ahead of the Fall USSDA season, the club announced today.

Jonathan Rhodes joins as the U-15 coach and Daniel Gutierrez will coach the U-12s. Anton McCafferty joins in a new role to support the U-12 team and strengthen the link between the academy and pre-academy teams.

Red Bulls Academy has also added Simon Rodriguez as an Assistant Athletic Trainer.

“We are very excited to make four excellent additions ahead of the start of the season,” said Sean McCafferty, Director of Red Bulls Academy. “A great staff is the foundation for success, and these new hires strengthen an already excellent coaching and support staff. We are pleased to welcome these new hires and are looking forward to welcoming our players back for the Fall season.”

Rhodes joins the Red Bulls from Penn Fusion Soccer Academy, where he most recently served as the Boys Technical Director. Rhodes oversaw 37 boys teams from ages U-8 to U-19 and worked in both player and coach development.

Rhodes has worked in youth soccer as a coach and director of player development for nearly 20 years. He got his start working in the Leeds United Academy in 2000, and has also spent time on the staff at Gwynedd Mercy College and as an Academy Director with FC Delco. He holds certifications from the English FA and United Soccer Coaches courses, as well as U.S. Soccer Federation A and B licenses.

Gutierrez joins after serving as a U-15 coach with USSDA member United Futbol Academy in Georgia, where he also worked as the Director of Youth Development and Director of Video Analysis. He has also worked with high school and club programs in Florida. Gutierrez previously worked with the Red Bulls Youth program in 2013-14.

Gutierrez is fluent in English and Spanish and holds U.S. Soccer Federation A License, as well as diplomas from United Soccer Coaches.

Anton McCafferty has been with the Red Bulls since 2015 and has worked as a pre-academy regional coach since 2017. He has served as the head coach for regional Pre-Academy teams, working closely with the RDS and Academy staffs to ensure a strong link between training and player development with the pre-academy teams. Prior to joining the Red Bulls, he spent more than a decade with youth development in Scotland and holds his Advanced Youth License and C License from the Scottish FA.

Rodriguez earned a degree in Athletic Training from Kean University in 2017, and has worked with the New York Jets, Kean University Athletics, New Jersey City University, and with the Alliance of American Football league. Rodriguez carries several additional professional certifications, including American Red Cross CPR, AED and First Aid, is a certified BOC Athletic Trainer, and is licensed in the state of New Jersey. He has served as a volunteer trainer with the NFL Play 60 program and New Jersey Special Olympics.