Before Juan Agudelo bolted town, and New York Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe cleansed his roster of Home Grown signings directly from the youth academy, the Red Bulls had one of the most promising youth setups in the nation.

Under the watchful eye of coach Bob Montgomery, the Red Bulls had accumulated a plethora of promising young talents.

Then, the release of multiple players and Agudelo’s trade to Chivas USA had the New York club with a major blemish in public image for its youth academy.

Yet perception is fickle, and the club only needs one promising team to change history.

The current U16 team is the perfect example of a group that could bring a renewed positive attention to the Big Apple’s club.

After capturing the Generation adidas Cup U15 title last summer, Robert Elliot’s squad is now heading toward the club’s second Finals Week appearance as perhaps the favorites at the event.

“I think we have a very strong squad – deepest in the nation,” New York attacker Alex Muyl told TopDrawerSoccer.com. “I think [we are the favorites]. I hope so.”

Muyl has reason to be confident.

During wins over FC Dallas (2-1), Georgia United (2-0), and CASL Chelsea (3-0) at the Playoffs in Frisco, Texas last week, the New York squad rarely looked threatened.

For Finals Week, the Red Bulls are becoming more threatening with even more talent joining the roster.

“We are trying to manage who we take [to Finals Week],” Elliot told TopDrawerSoccer.com. “We have four players down in Costa Rica right now with the U17 Men’s National Team.

“This group has done really well. So we have to mix in those guys and see what the chemistry of the group is like.”

Among the new players added to the roster is Wesley Wade, who has been one of the top strikers during his time in Bradenton with the U17 MNT, but might be in a fight for starting minutes with the Red Bulls  - that is how competitive this team is.

Ismar Tandir, who started two games and notched two goals in Frisco, is the one currently holding down Wade’s spot. The six-feet-four 16-year-old was scouted by a number of professional teams (including Toronto FC) before he joined New York’s MLS Academy.

It is a similar story all across the board for the Red Bulls U16 with competition for playing time at every spot on the field.

The deep roster, brilliant midfielders, dominating defenders, and elusive attackers made Elliot’s squad one of the most enjoyable teams to watch from the Academy playoffs.

According to the players, they are having just as much fun on the field too.

“It is really fun,” Muyl said. “We will control the game and always get chances [to score].  It is all about when the moment comes will we finish? Because you know the moment will come, and that is what is great about [playing with these guys].”

It is a group with so much promise, and it is coming of age at just the right time for the club.Muyl, Amando Moreno, Adam Najem, Ismar Tandir, Joseph Swenson, and Arun Basuljevic make up the core of the group in the attack. Billy Stevens and Matthew Miazga boss the back line.

New York Red Bulls U16 Academy Playoffs roster:

Aleksandar Gogic, Joe Oahus, Luis Maldonado, Matthew Miazga, Billy Stevens, Kaz Boschen, Michael Kapitula, Joseph Swenson, Arun Basuljevic, Ismar Tandir, Alex Muyl, Steven Echevarria, Nick Innocenzi, Vincent Brunetti, Amando Moreno, John Toher, Malcolm Dixon, Brandon Tetro, Kevin Kappock, Derrick Etienne