Former Red Bulls coach Mike Petke says he's 'absolutely fine' after bad breakup

Every night in Mike Petke's dreams, he sees the New York Red Bulls; he feels them. But, the club's former head coach admitted in a rare appearance at Red Bull Arena that his heart will go on after being fired from his post at the end of the 2014 season.

When the New York Red Bulls split with Petke, there was anger within the ranks of the club's supporters. Some decided to jump ship and join newly formed New York City FC, while others protested Petke's dismissal.

A new coach was hired in Jesse Marsch, and the Red Bulls have been a better team for it. But wherever the Red Bulls are at the top of the Eastern Conference table, Petke says he's finally over the bad breakup.

"At this moment, over the last three or four months, I am absolutely fine. I am over everything," Petke told reporters. "I am at ease. It’s not like I got fired from a team in Kalamazoo, Mich. that I had no connection to, you know? So obviously it was a little more difficult. The process was a little longer."

Petke's dismissal came at an awkward time, considering he had led the Red Bulls to the MLS Supporters' Shield trophy the same year he was dismissed. The decision drew the ire of the Red Bulls' faithful and that anger was directed squarely at sporting director Ali Curtis during a town hall meeting.

But, Petke says while he appreciated the fans' support, it made for an even more difficult split.

"All the things went on initially with the fans and the supporters, it was uncomfortable for me and I appreciated it, respected it and love it that people I respect, respect me enough to 'have my back,'" Petke revealed. "It was uncomfortable for me. I didn’t want to come back here, I didn’t want to sit with the South Ward yet and be a distraction to the product on the field."

The Red Bulls are once again at the top of the Eastern Conference standings and Petke is ready to return to the stadium to watch his team. He was honored on Saturday night with an on-field display of solidarity as part of a special promotion for former players, though Petke said he wasn't too on board with the idea.

"I am not here to be a distraction," Petke said. "That’s why I made sure there were certain things that were going to go down today that weren’t going to be a distraction a little bit in the background outside of the infield ceremony, and I want to enjoy it and that's it."

Finally, through it all, Petke admitted that the team he once managed looks to be in safe hands one year on, too.

"They are doing very well," Petke said of Marsch's side. "They are very organized. They are a team that have their destiny in their own hand for lack of a better cliche."