Smith familiar with Red Bulls' confidence

Khano Smith has had only had two training sessions with his new club, but he can already tell there's a buzz about the New York Red Bulls. That's because it's a feeling he said was similar to when he was with the New England Revolution.

"Losing in the final like they did last year, I know exactly what they're going through," Smith said. "I know the hunger."

Smith spent three years with the Revs, losing in the MLS Cup Final each season. He said there was a confidence in training camp after each run to the Cup, which is what he has noticed with the Red Bulls.

"Now they have the belief that they can get there and that they can win it," Smith said. "Hopefully that belief will carry over because I think that had a lot to do with our success in New England."

The Bermudan international, who was selected by Seattle Sounders FC in the MLS Expansion Draft, was acquired by the Red Bulls in exchange for allocation funds on Feb. 12.

"I'm really happy to be here," he said. "It's close to home and it's really convenient for me to get back to Bermuda and for family to come visit. I've heard good things about (Red Bulls coach) Juan (Carlos Osorio) for a long time and I heard the organization does things the right way."

While he has yet to train for Osorio, who was in El Salvador on a scouting mission, Smith said he already has his marching orders.

"Juan told me he wants me to produce more on the attacking end, whereas in New England I had a lot of defensive responsibilities," Smith said. "I'm still going to have some (defensive responsibilities) here, but not as much. I think I'm going to be able to get forward and express myself a lot more, which I'm really looking forward to."

One of Osorio's biggest complaints about the Red Bulls last year was that the team was too predictable. That is something that Smith noticed as a member of the rival New England Revolution.

"In the past I guess you could say as long as you took care of Angel then you shut down a lot of what they were trying to do," he said. "A lot of their stuff went through him before."

Angel is still going to be the target forward, but Osorio went out and acquired forward Dominic Oduro from FC Dallas, drafted Maryland's Jeremy Hall and traded for Smith to go along with late-2008 acquisitions Mac Kandji and Matthew Mbuta to get a more varied and athletic attack, which Smith is looking forward to joining.

"I think we'd have a pretty good relay team out there and we have Juan (Pablo Angel) up there, one of the best forwards in the league," Smith said. "I think we're going to be a real attacking team with all the speed we have and we're going to cause teams a lot of problems."

Most of all, Smith said, he is thankful for not having to deal with Dane Richards' speed down the wing.

"I'm real excited I won't have to chase Dane up and down the flank anymore," Smith said. "I can just stand on the other side and watch somebody else chase him."