SANDY, UT – Real Salt Lake announced on Monday that Assistant Coach Paul Dalglish will no longer remain with the club after accepting the head coach and technical director position at his former club, now USL PRO’s Austin Aztex.
Real Salt Lake has begun its search for a new assistant coach, and expects to hire one before the end of the week.
“We are happy for Paul and his family to get this opportunity that he just couldn’t say no to. We appreciate his work with us the last eight months and wish him the best in his new adventure,” said RSL General Manager Garth Lagerwey.
Dalglish spent eight months with the Claret-and-Cobalt after being named to Head Coach Jeff Cassar’s coaching staff in January 2014. In his time with the Claret-and-Cobalt, the Glasgow native helped RSL go undefeated through its first 12 games of the season, tying the MLS record for longest unbeaten streak to start a season. Dalglish leaves the Utah club after it won the Rocky Mountain Cup for the seventh time in its history, after defeating Colorado Rapids 1-0 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park this past Saturday. RSL is currently second in the Western Conference with a 9-4-9 record and total of 36 points.
“I will be sad to leave the fantastic players and staff that have become friends behind in Salt Lake City,” Dalglish said. “They have made me a better coach and a better person. The challenge of leading the Aztex in their inaugural year in the professional ranks was one I couldn't refuse.”
Dalglish will return to the Austin Aztex where the former Houston Dynamo forward spent two years as head coach of the USL Premier Development League club, coaching the Texas team to the 2013 USL PDL championship, and earning the 2013 USL PDL Coach of the Year Award. In June, the Austin Aztex were introduced as USL PRO’s most recent expansion team and will begin competing in 2015. Dalglish will assume head coach and technical director position at the Austin Aztex immediately.
RSL will return to MLS action this Saturday, when it hosts D.C. United in a 2013 U.S. Open Cup Final rematch at 8:00 p.m. at Rio Tinto Stadium. Tickets to the RSL-D.C. match can be purchased at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.
