On a Red Bulls squad whose average age is 23.7 years, defender Cameron Harper is already a seasoned veteran in Major League Soccer.
Harper, all of 23, has already appeared in 100 career matches across all competitions for the Red Bulls — making him just the 19th defender in franchise history to reach the mark — and distinguished himself as a leader to the younger players on the squad.
It’s a position that Harper described as “crazy” while reflecting on it leading up to Saturday’s home opener against Nashville.
“I feel like most other teams, I’d be the young guy,” Harper said. “I guess I’m the vet now, especially in those last five, six games of last year in the playoffs, I think everyone who was a part of that grew an invaluable amount of experience, just on the field, off the field with the pressures.”
Harper has played an important role for the Red Bulls since he became a regular starter in the 2023 season and started all five of the Red Bulls’ five playoff matches last season, logging a total of 485 minutes on the pitch.
The Red Bulls defender also gave the squad a bit of versatility with his ability to play in several different areas on the pitch.
Harper logged time during the 2024 MLS campaign everywhere from right back, wing back, attacking midfield and, at times, forward, among other spots.
Head coach Sandro Schwarz hinted that Harper’s versatility will be utilized once again as the club looks to return to the MLS Cup final after last season’s run in the playoffs.
“It’s good to have this flexibility in our roster to have these profiles of players that they are able to play more than one position,” Schwarz said. “That’s good to have him and this profile. We have to answer first our structure and to look at which player is in the best position in this structure.”
Invaluable, too, for the Red Bulls is the fact that Harper can identify with the roster’s younger members and pass along the knowledge he’s gained over the years. In particular, he mentioned forward Julian Hall and midfielders Tanner Rosborough and Aiden Jarvis.
“I just try to create a really good environment for them, one where they’re able to come up,” Harper said. “I like to say that the way I treat them, they see me as someone who, if they need to talk to someone about something, if they need any input, I’m always open. I’m always there to give any advice. Just seeing them in training, in the preseason, a lot of these kids are going to be ready very soon.
“So, I try to be someone who pushes them on but also trying to be supportive and trying to help them on their way and on their development.”
Harper did appear to suffer an injury during Saturday’s home opener against Nashville SC when he was battling for a ball in the Red Bulls end with Nashville striker Samuel Surridge late in the first half.
He had to be helped off the field and did not return for the second half.
The Red Bulls are facing plenty of pressure this season after stunning the soccer world during the postseason last year on their way to their first MLS Cup appearance since 2008.
Schwarz said that the team expect a lot from themselves after last year, but reiterated his stance that the past is in the past.
“We expect a lot from our side and our quality and performance, hopefully, every weekend,” the Red Bulls coach said. “But at the end, it’s now a new season, we have new faces and not to compare end of the season [last year] and our beginning of [this] season. It starts new.”
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