2007_Real_Salt_Lake_season
2007 Real Salt Lake season
Real Salt Lake 2007 soccer season
The 2007 Real Salt Lake season was the third season of the team's existence. After seeing slight improvement in 2006, the team struggled again under manager John Ellinger, opening the 2007 campaign with a 0-2-2 record. Ownership made a drastic move on May 3, firing Ellinger, and announcing that team captain (Jason Kreis), would retire and become the new head coach. RSL tied its next two matches against New York Red Bulls and the Colorado Rapids, but saw limited success the rest of the season. RSL finished the year with the league's second-worst record, ahead of expansion team Toronto FC.
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The 2007 season also saw construction of its new soccer-specific stadium in Sandy, Utah, continue. Additionally, under Kreis' management, the team undertook a massive roster overhaul that essentially rebuilt the squad. Among the new players that arrives in 2007, many would go on to comprise the core of the team for several years, including, Kyle Beckerman (soon-to-be captain), Chris Wingert, Robbie Findley, Fabián Espíndola, and Javier Morales. At the center of the remake was Kreis' new team philosophy of "The Team is the Star", and a new primary formation (possession-oriented, diamond midfield).
Also vital to the growth of the club was the hiring of the team's second general manager, Garth Lagerwey, on September 19. Lagerwey, a former MLS goalkeeper, was a teammate of Kreis' at Duke University and Dallas Burn. The two proved to be a great tandem which led to future player acquisitions for the team within the next year including Will Johnson, Robbie Russell, Nat Borchers, and Jámison Olave.
Real Salt Lake finished the season on October 20 with a 1–0 win over Colorado. In an otherwise disappointing year, the win secured RSL's first ever Rocky Mountain Cup victory. The team finished with a record of 6-15-9 and a -14 goal differential, placing last in the Western Conference.
