Once a model of consistency, Real Salt Lake face an uncertain future entering the 2016 MLS season. The departed duo of Garth Lagerwey and Jason Kreis had established a culture at RSL that seemed to permeate through every aspect of the club. RSL was unified in their approach to soccer whether that meant how the team acquired talent, the production on the field, or how the fans functioned as a community. There was true synergy in suburban Sandy, Utah.
Last season, however, the foundations of the model left behind by Lagerwey and Kreis sprouted their first fissures. Mass departures of longtime Claret and Cobalt players in the offseason bled into an abandonment of the diamond formation on the pitch midseason. Which in turn, lead to more departures and the first real signs that the regime change was not going as smoothly as the RSL faithful had hoped.
Utah sports fans, as a whole, are long-suffering and loyal. Therefore, there is little fear in regards to attendance drop off or a dissipation of their passion club. The fear lies in the relegation to mediocrity. The fans in Salt Lake have witnessed firsthand this happening before with the Utah Jazz. While still boasting a terrific home atmosphere, the Jazz have been without an identity since the late 1990’s. Coincidently or not, they have also been without an appearance in the NBA Finals in the same twenty-year span as well.
That is the anxiety of this season for Real Salt Lake. Will they turn the corner? Can they right the ship and get back to the expected norm of consistently being in contention for the MLS Cup year after year?
It may seem a drastic overreaction but these questions need to come quickly for head coach Jeff Cassar and GM Craig Waibel because of the chaotic, ever-changing nature of MLS. With the ever growing lineup of clubs entering and petitioning for acceptance, the ability to stay at the top and remain relevant gets more difficult every year. New money infused into the LA market and the deep pockets of NYCFC pose real threats to small market teams. The closer MLS gets to looking like the other major sports leagues of the United States, the closer we get to the reality of small market mediocrity becoming the norm.
The midfield and defensive strength that RSL had been known for was present statistically last season but seemed shaky in the biggest situations. Offensively, things just never fully clicked despite talented players. Too many times the team fell into the trap of being good but not good enough.
Cassar’s biggest challenge this year will be to prove that he is capable of coaching a team to a level that is greater than the sum of its parts. RSL has talent but they do not have superior talent. What they have always relied on was the ability of the team to perform at a higher level as a group.
Efficient ball control. Stellar defense and goaltending. Timely goal scoring. Those were the ingredients of their success, despite rarely being the most talented squad.
When RSL was successful, each player played to the best of their abilities in their assigned role. They each had a purpose and function that enhanced the whole of the team. Last season was a prime example of what happens when the scheme and identity of the club is lacking. Statistically, the club was about the same in 2015 as they were in 2014 when they made the playoffs. That equates to standing still. Which leads to being left behind.
Real Salt Lake is not far removed from the years of success, therefore, there is hope that they can have a bounce back season. Breaking away from the mold established by Kreis and Lagerwey is fine but it is vital that Cassar and Waibel prove they are competent enough to bring together the right mix of talent and maximize the potential. And they must do so this year because the times are changing. More clubs are entering the league and it is too dangerous to fall behind.
Real Salt Lake needs only to look at down the road at the Jazz for an example of the dangers of falling into mediocrity.
Main Photo: George Frey, LatinContent/Getty Images
