In a wide-ranging interview with Elmur Souza of Time Warner Cable Deportes, Real Salt Lake captain Kyle Beckerman opened up about the difficult conclusion to the 2014 season, his own future in light of Landon Donovan’s retirement and Real Salt Lake’s outlook for the 2015 season ahead.
Before looking forward, though, he looked back at the 5-0 defeat against the LA Galaxy that brought the 2014 season to an abrupt halt in the Western Conference Semifinals. While difficult to stomach in the moment, Beckerman now sees the loss as an opportunity to take valuable lessons for himself and Real Salt Lake.
“We learned a lot. We learned that at times we need to change the mindset. I think with Real Salt Lake, we go with a very aggressive mindset whether we are home or away. I think maybe it was a little naïve and it’s easier looking back, but I think it’s something we’re going to learn from,” Beckerman said. “I think we learned a valuable lesson in that game and we’re going to use it next year and sometimes be a little bit more cautious and other times be more aggressive.”
With Donovan’s retirement at just 32 years old and clearly with plenty more in the tank, Beckerman was faced with the prospect that his career may too be nearing an end. However, the 32-year-old RSL captain is not of the mind to consider retirement, but instead takes everything in stride.
“The way I look at it is that if I look too far ahead it messes with you mind. But when I look at it just this year or just this preseason and I shorten it, I start to think I can play way longer,” he said. “I just take each day and each year and make it separate. I don’t look too far ahead.”
Beckerman notably stayed with RSL in January rather than taking part in the U.S. National Team’s January camp, which concluded on Sunday with a 2-0 win over Panama. Decisions like that are made with an eye toward his long-term future as well as the future of RSL.
He has eased the transition into a new era for his club after RSL lost four key veterans and other components in a whirlwind off-season.
“I’m looking forward to this year. I think there are a lot of exciting things that can happen for Real Salt Lake. We had a lot of changes this year, but I feel pretty good about where we could be,” Beckerman said. “I think there’s no reason why the Real Salt Lake that we’ve seen in the past that’s been competitive in every aspect … I feel we can continue to be in those conversations.”
While Beckerman is optimistic about the changes for RSL, the changing face of the Western Conference will make it even more difficult to continue the club’s string of seven consecutive playoff appearances and five straight seasons with at least 15 wins and 50 points. Traditional powers like the Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy will keep their potent arsenals while FC Dallas continues to make strides and Sporting Kansas City and Houston Dynamo shifted from East to West after expansion to Orlando City and NYC FC.
“The Western Conference is going to be a bloodbath. We’re all going to be fighting for those six spots in the playoffs,” Beckerman said. “It should be really exciting. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
To see the full interview, click here.
