signing for his boyhood club Deportivo Italia, then renamed Deportivo Italchacao. After becoming an assistant coach at St. John's University, Savarese trialed with the MetroStars in 2003, but could not earn a place on the team. Following a sojourn back to Italy with Sassari Torres, he ended his playing career back in New York with the Rough Riders, then part of the USL Second Division. Managerial career MetroStars/Red Bulls Savarese re-joined the MetroStars organization in 2005 as head of the club's successful youth development program, maintaining his role with through the Red Bull ownership transition before a philosophical conflict with the new management heralded his firing in March 2007. New York Cosmos In August 2010, Savarese joined the New York Cosmos as Cosmos Academy director, with a focus on developing youth talent in New York in preparation for the club's return to professional competition. The Cosmos announced the promotion of Savarese to head coach on 19 November 2012. He quickly signed Long Island native Carlos Mendes as the modern club's first player in preparation for the team's debut in the NASL's 2013 Fall season. On 3 August 2013, the Cosmos defeated the Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2–1 in the team's first professional match. During the 2013 season, Savarese led the Cosmos to an undefeated record at home (W-D-L: 5–2–0) and winners of the 2013 NASL Fall Season title with an overall record of 31 points from 14 games (W-D-L: 9–4–1). The Cosmos would cap the season with an appearance in the 2013 championship match, where they defeated the Atlanta Silverbacks 1–0. In 2014, Savarese managed the Cosmos to second place in the Spring season, finishing behind Minnesota by just 1 point. The Cosmos also took part in the U.S. Open Cup with Savarese leading the team to a convincing 3–0 fourth-round win over the New York Red Bulls in New York City's first-ever professional soccer derby on 14 June. The Cosmos would fall to eventual runners-up, the Philadelphia Union on 24 June in a 2–1 overtime defeat at PPL Park. After the end of the 2014 season, Savarese was offered the chance to interview for the vacant Houston Dynamo head coaching position. He declined, preferring to stay with the Cosmos. In 2015, Savarese led the Cosmos to an undefeated Spring, earning the title for the first half of the season. The team also defeated New York City FC in the US