NJ.com: Everything Jersey
Reyna isn't the only New Jerseyan looking forward to playing for his hometown club this year.
Randi Patterson's arrival didn't have the fanfare that Reyna's did, but the Teaneck native couldn't be happier about the way things worked out.
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"I really wanted to go to the Red Bulls," said Patterson, who attended Bergen Catholic High. "It's going to be a great experience. They have great players and I'm willing to learn from them."
Patterson was a three-time All-Southern Conference selection at UNC-Greensboro, where he collected 61 goals and 19 assists in four years. But a poor performance at the MLS combine left Patterson wondering if he would have a professional future.
"I thought I could have done better," he said. "My touch was off and I didn't finish my chances. That's where my strength is, and I didn't do that. There were a lot of MLS coaches looking at you and you don't want to make a mistake. If you do, it's in your head the whole time."
Patterson wasn't selected in the four-round SuperDraft Jan. 12, but the Red Bulls grabbed him with their first pick in the Jan. 18 Supplemental Draft.
"I was disappointed not being drafted, but I went into the Supplemental Draft thinking I had a chance," Patterson said. "Bruce (Arena) called me and said he was interested."
"We saw enough of him in the combine to bring him in," Agoos said. "We see him as a guy who can compete up front. There's not a lot of depth at the striker position and it's an opportunity for him to show he deserves to be here."
Homecoming for Patterson
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