Welcome to the debut of South Ward Central’s weekly mailbag. This feature allows you to send in your burning questions about Red Bull New York and Gotham FC.

If you’re interested in participating in next week’s mailbag, please send your questions to: mailbag@southwardcentral.com.

Let’s start with David M., who sent in three questions about the Red Bulls.

Q: Where is Cam Harper? Will he play again?

SWC: Hey there, David, thanks for your questions. Cameron Harper made his return for Red Bull New York II on March 22. He came on as a substitute against Philadelphia Union II.

Unfortunately, Harper hasn’t been able to play since for Red Bulls II due to a match postponement. He’s been training with the first team, and I would venture to guess that Harper could be considered for selection for RBNY’s April 15 U.S. Open Cup match against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. 

Q: Am I in the minority to think that Omar Valencia should be starting over Matthew Dos Santos?

SWC: I thought Valencia was solid last season at left-back, but Dos Santos earned his spot for the time being. Dos Santos has done well for a teenager being thrust into a starting role, but there will be times during the season where he’ll need a rest or squad rotation becomes necessary when fixtures are congested.

Michael Bradley will pick his first-choice XI based on performances.

Q: Does anyone even ask about attendance any more?

SWC: I’ve noticed questions being asked about the attendance during several press conferences. There was a good crowd for the FC Cincinnati match. The official figure from Major League Soccer was 16,712.

Rapid Fire Single Questions

Next up is Marie D., who has a single question about Gotham.

Q: How worried should I be about Gotham’s goal-scoring issues?

SWC: Hi Marie, thanks for sending this in. Gotham has looked better in attack with each passing match. Right now, it’s not translating into a ton of goals, and they’re lacking their typical clinical edge.

Thankfully for Gotham, Jaedyn Shaw and Midge Purce are healthy and eventually Guro Reiten will be part of the mix. There’s too much quality in the squad for the dry spell to linger much longer.

Next up is José C., who has one question about the Red Bulls.

Q: What do you make of Jorge Ruvalcaba’s start? I watched him play for Pumas and was excited when he signed. Can we expect more from him?

SWC: Hi José, thanks for reaching out. The goals and assists haven’t come yet, but it’s only been six matches, and he’s still adjusting to Major League Soccer and building chemistry with his new teammates. He’s creative, he has pace and he works hard. Give it time.

Let’s continue with Dawn V., who sent in one question about Gotham FC.

Q: When do you think Tierna Davidson will be ready to start again?

SWC: Hey there, Dawn. Good question. Davidson played 44 minutes recently against Kansas City, and she’s been on a minutes restriction plan since returning to match action.

USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said that she will use Davidson in a “limited capacity” across the three April friendlies against Japan. Perhaps if all goes well, Gotham’s April 25 home match against Bay FC could be an opportunity for Davidson to return to the starting XI.

Last but not least, Edwin S. has a question about attending matches at Sports Illustrated Stadium.

Q: I’ve never been to Sports Illustrated Stadium, and I want to bring my family to see the Red Bulls. Where’s the best place to sit?

SWC: Thanks for your question, Edwin. It really depends on your budget. Field-level seats offer an outstanding view, but there isn’t a bad view in the house.

If you’re bringing young children, keep in mind that the supporters sections are 102, 101 and 133. These sections are “safe standing,” meaning that there’s no seats and you’ll be standing for the whole match. It also gets very loud!

If you’re on a budget, the upper tier is perfectly fine. It doesn’t feel far from the action.

That’s all for this week’s mailbag. Thanks to everyone who sent in their questions. Be sure to keep them coming for next week!

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