2007 Record: 6-15-9 (6th in West)
Coach: Jason Kreis (2nd Year)
Key Players: Nick Rimando, Kyle Beckerman, Robbie Findley
Key Pickups: Tony Beltran (Drafted 3rd Overall), Dema Kovalenko (from RBNY)
Key Losses: Alecko Eskandarian (to Chivas USA), Eddie Pope (Ret.)
2008 Outlook: Poor
Oh Lord, RSL has suffered enough, hasn’t it? First the terrible name, then the terrible team.
Pre-season training is right around the corner and Real Salt Lake has released it’s 2008 pre-season schedule.
Saturday, Jan. 26:
Players report to Salt Lake City for entrance physicals / fitness testing
Jan.27-29:
Training in Salt Lake City (sites/times TBA Thursday)
Jan. 30-Feb. 9:
Preseason Trip #1 to Oxnard/Ventura, Calif.
– Dates/sites of 2-3 scrimmages TBD
Feb. 10-13:
Training in Utah (sites/times TBD)
Feb. 14-23:
Preseason Trip #2 to Sunrise/Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
– Dates/sites of 3 scrimmages TBD
Feb. 24-28:
Training in Utah (sites/times TBD)
Feb. 29-March 12:
Preseason Trip #3 to Rosario, Argentina
– Dates/times of 3 exhibitions TBD
While MLS stars like Juan Pablo Ángel and David Beckham will get most of the preseason headlines, there are a couple of MLS players poised to have breakout years. Here are two potential stars that you will be hearing a lot about in 2008.
Ray Burse Jr:
Burse, 23, is improving fast, and he could be next in the long line of successful American goalkeepers. He should confirm his spot as the No. 1 keeper at FC Dallas this season, raising serious questions over Dario Sala’s future in Texas.
Athletic and fearless, Burse reads the game well. Bruse has the potential to follow the paths blazed by the likes of Friedel, Keller and Howard to Europe in a couple of years.