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MLS preseason

Tolkin and Edelman set up for a big 2023 with the Red Bulls and the United States

John Tolkin and Dan Edelman made significant inroads with the New York Red Bulls in 2022. But now 2023 is shaping up to be a big year for both players at both the club and the international level. ASN's Brian Sciaretta spoke with both players in November at a United States U-20 camp. 
BY Brian Sciaretta Posted
January 11, 2023
2:40 AM

AS WITH THE START of any preseason, young players arrive particularly hungry looking to make their mark. The New York Red Bulls have two such players who are looking ahead to a potentially big year in 2023 on several fronts.

John Tolkin and Dan Edelman are two of the team’s top young players. Tolkin had been a starter since 2021 and while Edelman broke into the regular lineup in the second half of 2022. Now entering into 2023, both will likely be starters from the onset as the club looks to extend its 13-year run of qualifying for the playoffs.

Tolkin has the weight of added expectations on him. His performances for the Red Bulls have been drawing praise for their consistency and U.S. national team coach Gregg Berhalter has indicated at a few press conferences that Tolkin had been on his radar and in the mix for a call-up. That is something that could happen later this month under interim manager Anthony Hudson for January Camp.

There is also the speculation of interest from European teams as he plays a left back position that is still hard to come by for many clubs. Still just 20, Tolkin already has 4,857 first team minutes with the Red Bulls including 2838 in 2022. With that experience, he would certainly begin checking boxes for potential suitors.

Tolkin agrees that there is a lot on his mind these days.

“It would be on anybody's mind, so it'll be on my mind,” Tolkin said. “I like to take it day by day. I think that's most important. If you look too far ahead down the line, it's kind of distracting. I'm a big believer if you show up every day, do what you're supposed to do, put in the performances you can, that should set you up in the future.”

But Tolkin is already being eyed by U.S. Soccer for the 2024 U-23 Olympic team. While that team does not have a coach, Tolkin was invited to play with the U.S. U-20 team in October/November as part of a combined camp with the domestic-based full national team players ahead of the World Cup.

Tolkin and Columbus defensive midfielder Aidan Morris were the only two players on the U-20 team too old for the U-20 World Cup but it specifically mentioned in the roster announcement that they were included becuase they were Olympic eligible.

 

“That's a goal you can set for something that's not far away - well, it's kind of far away,” Tolkin said. “That's a huge motivation thing as well. If you can't get motivated by going to an Olympic Games, I don't know what's wrong with you.  I'll be working every day towards that.”

At the U-20 camp, Tolkin was joined by Edelman who has been serving as the U.S. U-20 captain for most of the cycle. The two have been through a lot together and last summer, Tolkin watched Edelman help lead his U-20 team to the CONCACAF title, an effort which qualified the United States for the Olympics and open the door for Tolkin’s age group for Paris.

 

“Even though I couldn't take part in the qualifiers, it was great the team qualified,” Tolkin said. “It's just good for the country overall, it's good for the age group and for all the players that are eligible. It's another opportunity for me to represent and go to a really important event in sports.”

For Edelman, like Tolkin, he is a key part of the New York Red Bull development pipeline. He has been the U.S. U-20 captain for most of the cycle and impressed with the Red Bulls in the second half of the season.

 

But his path within the U.S. U-20 team wasn’t particularly smooth. He was not part of the team’s core but eventually grew into the role naturally. The turning point for him came in the team’s March 2022 camp in Argentina where it drew Argentina’s U-20 team 2-2 and then defeated River Plate 5-3. From there, it was an important springboard into the CONCACAF run where the U.S. team won its third straight CONCACAF U-20 title. Edelman served as the captain whenever he was on the field.  

The key moment came in the semifinal where it cruised to a 3-0 win over hosting Honduras in front of a packed stadium. It was that win which ended the U.S. team’s Olympic qualifying drought which began in 2008.

“What's the feeling like to wear the armband? It's indescribable. It's an absolute honor,” Edelman said. “At the beginning of the U-20 cycle, I was sort of on the outside and so just trying to prove myself… I feel like I've always been a true leader and I want the accountability and responsibility for the team to do well. I like to make sure I'm doing my job first and then making sure that everyone else around me is as well. You need that guy who will show by example.”

“We have our three words: passion, positivity, relentlessness,” Edelman added. “They are non-negotiables in our group and must be shown every day. It's not just on the field, it's off the field as well. We value our culture, and we value the team chemistry, and just having respect for the people that have come before us and the people that are going to come after us and setting the standard right for the US national team and realizing the honor and privilege to play for the crest every time we step on the field.”

This month could be different for both Tolkin and Edelman. Both are entering into a preseason with added expectations. There is a likelihood that Tolkin, a native of Chatham, NJ, could be called up to the national team for the upcoming friendlies against Serbia and Colombia – with his first cap awaiting. Then Edelman, a native of Warren, NJ, will likely be with the U.S. U-20 team as it takes part in one of its final camps before the U-20 World Cup.

The two know each other well as top players in the Northern New Jersey areas. But when the two got to play together at the U-20 camp, Tolkin saw something different in Edelman compared with his time at the Red Bulls.

“He is that captain figure there,” Tolkin said. “It's a little bit different than at Red Bull. He brings the same qualities to Red Bull as well, just in a different way. The [U-20] guys listen to him. I guess you could say they look up to him. He's one of the main figures of the U-20 squad. It's nice to see him in that environment. Leading guys for his nation - it's great for him. I'm happy for him and he deserves all this.”

At some point in 2023, the U.S. U-23 team will be up and running and on top of the Red Bulls season, that is an opportunity for both Tolkin and Edelman to feature together again.

Together they are two of the top young players on the New York Red Bulls – an organization that has produced several players who have gone on to feature in Europe and with the U.S. national team. This year is shaping up to be a pivotal year for both on many different levels.   

“It's going to be a huge year,” Edelman said. “We've got to prepare ourselves in camps next year and the end goal is the World Cup. It's going to be tough and it's going to be a great competition. We've shown it against these South American teams that we played and some of the CONCACAF squads. With the Red Bulls, it'll be a huge year for me. It'll be another step for me to try to elevate myself to be a consistent player on the team that they can rely on. I want to continue to be a great teammate for both squads.”

“Then the Olympics are coming up in 2024,” he added. “That's something that those guys, like John, are clearly thinking about - as with all the U-20 players. It's going to be how can they keep doing well for their club teams and make it to make the Olympics because that's going to be that's going to be even really, special.”

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