2007 Real Salt Lake season

Last updated

Real Salt Lake
2007 season
Real Salt Lake tertiary wordmark color.svg
Owner Flag of the United States.svg SCP Worldwide
Head Coach Flag of the United States.svg John Ellinger (Fired May 3rd) Flag of the United States.svg Jason Kreis (Hired May 3rd)
Stadium Rice-Eccles Stadium
Major League Soccer 12th
MLS Cup Playoffs DNQ
2007 U.S. Open Cup N/A
Rocky Mountain Cup Winners
Average home league attendance15,960 [1]
Biggest win RSL 3-1 Kansas City Wizards (8/29)
Biggest defeat CHV 4-0 RSL (4/21)
  2006
2008  

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.

Contents

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.

Squad

2007 roster

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
1 GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Chris Seitz
3 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Carey Talley
4 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Kyle Brown
5 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Kyle Beckerman
6 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Ritchie Kotschau
7 FW Flag of Argentina.svg  ARG Fabián Espíndola
8 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Chris Brown
9 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Jason Kreis
9 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Alecko Eskandarian
10 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Robbie Findley
11 MF Flag of Argentina.svg  ARG Javier Morales
12 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Nathan Sturgis
13 FW Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.svg  SKN Atiba Harris
14 FW Flag of Armenia.svg  ARM Yura Movsisyan
15 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Kenny Cutler
16 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Chris Lancos
No.Pos.NationPlayer
17 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Chris Wingert
18 GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Nick Rimando
19 DF Flag of Liberia.svg  LBR Willis Forko
20 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Nikolas Besagno
22 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Jamie Watson
23 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Eddie Pope
25 DF Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  CIV Jean-Martial Kipre
27 DF Flag of Argentina.svg  ARG Matias Mantilla
28 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Dustin Kirby
31 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Jack Stewart
77 MF Flag of Jamaica.svg  JAM Andy Williams
MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Steven Curfman ††
FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Duke Hashimoto ††
MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Christian Jimenez ††
GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Kyle Reynish ††
FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Jeff Rowland ††
 † Promoted to head coach on May 3 †† Saw no First Team minutes in 2007

Mid-Season Transfers

Due to the termination of John Ellinger as head coach and the subsequent promotion of Jason Kreis in early May, there were an abnormal number of mid-season transactions for the club. The players listed in the roster section above include those acquired during this makeover. Below are names of players acquired, traded, transferred, or released by the team after the May 3rd hiring of Kreis in chronological order:

Competitions

Major League Soccer

League table

Western Conference

Western Conference
PosClubPtsGPWLTGFGAGD
1 Chivas USA 53301578462818
2 Houston Dynamo 52301587432320
3 FC Dallas 4430131253744-7
4 Colorado Rapids 353091382934-5
5 Los Angeles Galaxy 343091473848-10
6 Real Salt Lake 273061593145-14
2007 MLS Cup Playoffs, 2008 U.S. Open Cup
2007 MLS Cup Playoffs (Wild Card), 2008 U.S. Open Cup

Overall

PosClubPtsGPWLTGFGAGD
1 D.C. United (E1)55301677563422
2 Chivas USA (W1)53301578462818
3 Houston Dynamo (W2)52301587432320
4 New England Revolution (E2)5030148851438
5 FC Dallas 4430131253744-7
6 New York Red Bulls 43301211747452
7 Chicago Fire 40301010103136-5
8 Kansas City Wizards 40301112745450
9 Columbus Crew 3730911103944-5
10 Colorado Rapids 353091382934-5
11 Los Angeles Galaxy 343091473848-10
12 Real Salt Lake 273061593145-14
13 Toronto FC 253061772549-24
MLS Supporters' Shield, 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs, CONCACAF Champions' Cup 2008, SuperLiga 2008, CONCACAF Champions League 2008-09
2007 MLS Cup Playoffs, SuperLiga 2008, CONCACAF Champions League 2008–09
2007 MLS Cup Playoffs, SuperLiga 2008
2007 MLS Cup Playoffs

Results summary

Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930
GroundHHAHHAAAAHAHHAAHHHAHAAAAHHAHHA
ResultTTLLTTLTTLLWLLLLWLLWWLLTTWTLLW
Source: 2007 Major League Soccer season
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; L = Loss; T = Tie
OverallHomeAway
PldPtsWLTGFGAGDWLTGFGAGDWLTGFGAGD
302761593145 −144741822 −42851323 −10

Last updated: December 27, 2013
Source:
Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference

Regular season

[2]   Win  Tie  Loss

April

May

May 20, 20077 FC Dallas 2 - 1 Real Salt Lake Frisco, Texas, USA
7:00PM ETStadium: Pizza Hut Park

June

July

August

September

September 12, 200723 D.C. United 2 - 1 Real Salt Lake Washington, D.C., USA
7:30PM ETStadium: RFK Stadium
September 15, 200724 Toronto FC 0 - 0 Real Salt Lake Toronto, Ontario, Canada
3:30PM ETStadium: BMO Field

October

Other matches and friendlies

18 April 2007 (2007-04-18)International friendly Real Salt Lake 3–0 Fiji
Report
7 June 2007 (2007-06-07)International friendly Real Salt Lake 1–0 China Salt Lake City
Eskandarian Soccerball shade.svg80' Report Stadium: Rice–Eccles Stadium
Attendance: 11,119
21 July 2007 (2007-07-21)International friendly Real Salt Lake 2–0 Everton
Report
24 July 2007 (2007-07-24)International friendly Real Salt Lake 1–1 Boca Juniors
Report

References

  1. Renzhofer, Martin (August 29, 2012). "Real Salt Lake's fan base keeps growing". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City, Utah. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  2. "MLS Regular Season - 2007 Real Salt Lake". www.mlssoccer.com. Retrieved December 30, 2013.