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.
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
† 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:
Jeff Cunningham - Traded to Toronto FC for Alecko Eskandarian on May 22nd Luis Tejada - Released by club in June Daniel Torres - Transferred to Bryne F.K. in June Chris Klein Traded to Los Angeles Galaxy for Robbie Findley and Nathan Sturgis on June 21st Chris Wingert - Acquired from Colorado Rapids on July 13th Mehdi Ballouchy - Traded to Colorado Rapids for Kyle Beckerman in July Freddy Adu - Transferred to Benfica on July 30th Fabián Espíndola - Acquired in August Javier Morales - Acquired in August Matias Mantilla - Acquired in August Yura Movsisyan - Acquired from Kansas City Wizards in September
Competitions
Major League Soccer
League table
Western Conference
Western ConferenceClub1Chivas USA533015784628182Houston Dynamo523015874323203FC Dallas4430131253744-74Colorado Rapids353091382934-55Los Angeles Galaxy343091473848-106Real Salt Lake273061593145-14
2007 MLS Cup Playoffs, 2008 U.S. Open Cup2007 MLS Cup Playoffs (Wild Card), 2008 U.S. Open Cup
Overall
Club1D.C. United (E1)553016775634222Chivas USA (W1)533015784628183Houston Dynamo (W2)523015874323204New England Revolution (E2)50301488514385FC Dallas4430131253744-76New York Red Bulls433012117474527Chicago Fire40301010103136-58Kansas City Wizards403011127454509Columbus Crew3730911103944-510Colorado Rapids353091382934-511Los Angeles Galaxy343091473848-1012Real Salt Lake273061593145-1413Toronto FC253061772549-24
MLS Supporters' Shield, 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs, CONCACAF Champions' Cup 2008, SuperLiga 2008, CONCACAF Champions League 2008-092007 MLS Cup Playoffs, SuperLiga 2008, CONCACAF Champions League 2008–092007 MLS Cup Playoffs, SuperLiga 20082007 MLS Cup Playoffs
Results summary
Regular season
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
Other matches and friendlies
References