HERRIMAN, Utah – (Friday, July 12, 2019) – Real Salt Lake have loaned MF Pablo Ruiz to FC Pinzgau Saafelden of the Austrian third division for a 6-month loan running through December 2019, the club confirmed today. Additionally, Real Monarchs SLC have loaned DF Andrew Brody and MF Josh Heard to FC Pinzgau Saafelden for a 12-month loan running through July 2020.
“As an organization it is imperative that we continue to build relationships with clubs around the world,” RSL General Manager Craig Waibel said. “Pinzgau Saalfelden have made several significant moves over the past 6 months including the hiring of Christian Ziege as their head coach. This, among other commitments made through new investors encouraged us to create a relationship whereby our clubs can mutually benefit. Pablo, Josh, and Andrew will now have a chance to further develop as players while getting new exposure for themselves and Real Salt Lake in Europe. We believe that they will perform at a very high level for FC Pinzgau Saalfelden and look forward to working closely with the club to further not only our players careers, but also further the growth and promotion of the club within the ranks of the Austrian leagues.”
Arriving at RSL prior to the 2018 season, Ruiz has made 13 total appearances for RSL including five starts. In 2019, Ruiz has featured on six occasions for the Monarchs while making three starts to total 286 minutes played.
In 2019, Brody has started and played in 15 matches for the Monarchs, totaling 1,339 minutes at right back. Brody departs the Monarchs for the time as the club’s all-time leader in appearances with 91 since he signed in 2016. A product of the RSL Academy, Brody made the move to right back at the beginning of the 2018 season and had cemented himself as a consistent presence on the backline.
Signing prior to the 2018 season, Heard arrived at the club from Bethlehem Steel FC in the USL Championship and has since made 38 total appearances for the Monarchs while scoring three goals and registering seven assists. The speedy winger began his professional career in 2016 after a successful college career at the University of Washington.
FC Pinzgau Saalfelden has recently opened preseason training camp, with nearly 20+ players invited by Ziege and his staff to compete for spots on Saalfelden’s 18-man opening day roster for the 27 July opener at SV Wals-Grünau. FC Pinzgau finished the 2018/19 season in 14th place in the Austrian third division’s West grouping. The FCPS 2019/20 home opener at Saalfelden Arena Bürgerau occurs one week later, as the Club hosts St. Johann on Saturday, 3 August - just one day after an international exhibition in Saalfelden featuring Spanish power Villarreal against German side Schalke 04.
Transaction: Real Salt Lake loan midfielder Pablo Ruiz to FC Pinzgau Saafelden of the Austrian third division for a 6-month loan. Real Monarchs SLC loan defender Andrew Brody and midfielder Josh Heard to FC
