In case you missed it, I caught up with the Red Bulls white whale, Luke Rodgers for a piece on Soccer By Ives. The spark plug forward, better known as “Tank” around the team, looks like he is finally going to acquire that long sought after visa that has eluded him for the past year.

There is no question Rodgers made an indelible mark with the Red Bulls in his injury shortened year. Much like Joel Lindpere, Rodgers’ work rate won over the fan base and drew accolades from team captain Thierry Henry – something Kenny Cooper and his 19 goals never managed to achieve. In short, his contributions were bigger than his stat sheet, which was still impressive; ten goals and three assists over 22 appearances with the team. The team was noticeably better when he was on the pitch, going 9-5-9 in games which he appeared and an even more impressive 9-4-6 in his starts (the team finished the season 10-8-16).

There is no doubt Rodgers was a major contributor, but he is going to be 31 years old come New Year’s Day. He is also currently plying his trade with Shrewsbury Town of England’s League One, on loan from his mother club Portsmouth. His desire to come back is without question, but despite his confidence in securing a visa, it just may not come to fruition.

Much like the man, there are positives and negatives in chasing after the “Tank.” What would you do if you were Red Bull ownership? Have a vote and share your take below.