The Mike Petke era at Real Salt Lake got off to a windy start at America First Field on Tuesday with his first training session as Head Coach after being introduced in his new post last Wednesday. The always intense former MLS defender held a lively and spirited session as RSL started what sets up to be new opportunities for players all throughout the roster, but the day got off to a much more low-key start with a PowerPoint presentation.
“I can’t stand PowerPoint presentations,” Petke smiled after training. “But I did actually have a PowerPoint thing up there. … I had a lot of help putting that together. It was my ideas, but it was not my technology.”
It wasn’t just the tactics on the field that he was going through in his presentation, but also his coaching philosophies and expectations as Petke started his tenure after RSL’s 0-3-2 start to the season. After a disappointing 4-2 defeat to expansion Minnesota United on Saturday, the team need a boost.
“He sat us down and told us what he expects from us and what he’s going to hold us accountable for,” midfielder Luke Mulholland said. “Now it’s up to us to raise our level and our standard.”
Petke emphasized that he doesn’t expect drastic changes to how things are done in the first week, but did put a focus on defensive tactics in his first sessions as RSL looks to turn the page on a new chapter for the 2017 season.
That adjustment starts with the expectation of hard work in every training session and a competitiveness that Petke exuded over the course of his 13-year MLS career.
“I’m very clear to them on two things that I really need to see. The work rate has to be there every day but also taking what we are giving them and applying it,” he said. “Today is a very good starting point.”
RSL captain Kyle Beckerman played with Petke while with the Colorado Rapids and sees similarities between the coach and the player. Those similarities can prove beneficial for a Salt Lake team looking to break out of a slump that has seen the team go winless since August 26.
“The biggest thing is that his competitiveness is the same as it was as a player – if not even more. He’s just got that winning mentality. That’s how he was as a player and now as a coach it’s rubbing off on us,” Beckerman said. “The best thing we can do is just put our heads down and work hard. I think everybody’s really excited to get after that.”
RSL still has 29 matches left on the calendar with plenty of opportunities to climb the standings. The competitive nature of each training session, the theory goes, will help increase the level in matches and that will be one benchmark of Petke’s team.
According to Mulholland, that was palpable on the first day.
“The level and intensity was good. It was sharp,” he said. “It’s a clean slate. Everyone’s working hard to get on the pitch to help the team towards getting three points each week.”
Petke’s first match will come on Saturday as RSL hosts Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Rio Tinto Stadium. While the new boss emphasized that he doesn’t expect a 100% turnaround, incremental changes will come with time and he hopes to see some of those change this week.
“From here on out, it’s a game. It’s a game we love to play,” Petke said. “These guys here want to improve. It’s about seeing those improvements on a weekly basis.”
