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When We Were Metrostars - Part 5-MATTHAUS WAS NO BECKENBAUER

New York Red Bulls, Other Sports, Professional

August 20, 2023

LOTHAR MATTHAUS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE CROWN JEWEL BUT THE SHINE HAD ALREADY FADED

It was ten years since he raised the World Cup for Germany in 1990. The first for this consistent soccer power since 1974 when a man named Franz Beckenbauer did the same. As his predecessor had done, Lothar came to the United States with great fanfare with the hope he would give the fledging league a major boost and in its premier market, New York. However, like the last time he played in Giants Stadium, the results were disappointing. Firstly Matthaus was originally supposed to be here much earlier but he was more interested in his vacation plans than in being the piece that would round out the MetroStars into a championship contender putting them over the top if you will.

When he arrived initially, nine games into the season the Metrostars were 3-6 and Lothar decided leave for the EURO 2000 Championships. Optically it was a bad look. This was another example of the view of European soccer compared to the upstart United States soccer scene. His choice seemed to confirm what people thought that MLS was professionally the bottom level feeder of World Football. Matthaus did not to bother to take the time to learn the system and left New York as a lost cause best to be forgotten for now as he prepared for the top tournament event in Europe.

Fast forward to July and here was Lothar, fresh off a group-round exit from EURO 2000 with one tie and losses to Portugal and England. He not only underperformed in the opening match but his teammates on the national team wanted him benched. The lady called Karma surely took her advance quickly and upon his return he found that the Metrostars had found their stride losing only once in their last seven games. Clint Mathis had emerged as the pulse that Lothar was supposed to be and to make matters worst Lothar had back issues which caused him to miss the next two games.

Lothar tried to put on a good face for the league this time around and complimenting his teammates. It's better that they're a different team," Matthaus told the New York Post reporter then, "Every time a player comes back after being gone a few weeks, it's different. I think I understand this new system, and I hope now with this new formation I can make this team better."

Most felt at this point that the Metrostars were better off without him slowing them down. And at the end of the day it turnout to be a case of much ado about nothing. Lothar didn't find New York City appealing and his teammates which he often yelled at or flung his arms out at in an attempt to inspire in his words did not inspire anything but the opposite. Three yellow cards in three consecutive games does not sound like a veteran footballer, yet though the Metrostars would go on to have their finest season, at least to these eyes, it was not due to the 39-year old elephant in the room that only served to drag them down.

The man who would sprint out of his sweeper position and go cross field and score goals was gone. That was a decade before and as the Metrostars finished the first half of the season strong leading their division into the All-Star Game mention of Lothar was not in the conversation. The New York franchise would have to do it themselves and they nearly pulled it off. Even a solid season from Matthaus would have brought them a possible trophy but the wall remained empty on the cupboard of the MLS franchise in the city that never sleeps. To this day it was the closest the Metrostars cameo the brass ring before being re-named.