REAL SALT LAKE
ASSISTANT COACH ROBIN FRASER NAMED HEAD
COACH OF CHIVAS USA
Legendary Ex-MLS Defender Helped Guide RSL’s
Turnaround during Three-and-a-half Season Tenure in Utah;
RSL-Arizona Academy Director Greg Vanney to Join
Fraser on Chivas USA’s Coaching Staff
SANDY,
Utah (Tuesday, January 4, 2011) -- Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA today announced that RSL Assistant
Coach Robin Fraser has departed the 2009 MLS Cup champions after
three-and-a-half seasons on the Utah club’s sideline to take over the head
coaching duties at the Southern California side, effective immediately. The recently
turned 44-year-old Fraser becomes the sixth coach of Real Salt Lake’s MLS
“Class of 2005” brethren as both squads head into their seventh season of MLS
play in 2011.
In
addition, Real Salt Lake has announced that the director of its RSL-Arizona Academy
youth development program, Greg Vanney, has left his position and agreed
to join Fraser as a member of the assistant coaching staff at Chivas USA, also
effective immediately.
“We
cannot thank Robin and Greg enough for their services on behalf of Real Salt
Lake,” said RSL President Bill Manning. “It was only a matter of time
before Robin was tabbed as a Head Coach in this league, and I believe he will
be a good one. Greg did a tremendous job forming the RSL-Arizona Academy
program, which should prove to go a long way in shaping the future of our
club. Both are true professionals of the highest caliber, and we wish
them nothing but success at Chivas USA.”
The
Real Salt Lake Technical Staff has already begun its search for Fraser’s
replacement on its assistant coaching staff, and hopes to have the position
filled by the time this weekend’s adidas MLS Player Combine begins in Fort
Lauderdale, Fla. Soon after Real Salt Lake takes part in the MLS SuperDraft in
Baltimore next Thursday, January 13, the Claret-and-Cobalt will gather in Utah
before beginning its first preseason camp at Grande Sports World in Casa
Grande, Ariz., during the final week of January.
“Robin
has been a big part of our success both on and off the field,” said RSL Vice
President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Garth Lagerwey. “From
scouting to video preparation to mentoring young players, he has prepared
himself well to succeed in his new task. We wish he and Greg both good luck and
great success.”
Fraser
joined Real Salt Lake’s assistant coaching staff in June 2007, less than four
months after new head coach Jason Kreis took control of the squad. As
part of the first Technical Staff in Major League Soccer history composed
entirely of ex-MLS players, Fraser would go on to help guide the 2009 RSL squad
to a second consecutive postseason berth, a magical run that ended with the
team collecting its first domestic title via a penalty kick win over the L.A.
Galaxy in MLS Cup 2009.
“We
are all extremely pleased for Robin to get this fantastic opportunity and know
that he will certainly enjoy great success as a head coach in Major League
Soccer,” said Kreis. “Robin was an extremely important member of our coaching
staff, integral to all of our successes to date. He will be sorely missed, and
I want to thank him deeply for what he meant to me, this team, and this
club”
The
two-time MLS Defender of the Year recipient (1999 & 2004) and five-time MLS
Best XI and MLS All-Star honoree (1996, 1998-2000 & 2004) helped to foster
Real Salt Lake’s renewed commitment to team defense, culminating in last
season’s squad smashing the MLS single-season record for goals allowed after
conceding just 20 goals across 30 games. During his three-and-a-half seasons
with RSL, the squad collected a .527 winning percentage (49-42-37) across
regular season and Cup competitions (Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, MLS Cup, and
CONCACAF Champions League) and averaged just 1.11 goals allowed per game in 108
regular season contests, a stark contrast from the 1.75 GAA collected in the 76
games prior to his arrival.
The
search for Vanney’s replacement at the RSL-AZ Academy will prove vital, as
players at the ground-breaking residential academy will see increased chances
to perform with the RSL first-team during its preseason camps in January and
February and as call-up players upon the return of the MLS Reserve Division in
2011. The RSL-AZ Academy is currently in its first year of competition in the
U.S. Soccer Development Academy, fielding teams at both the U15/16 and U17/18 levels
in its SoCal Division. The RSL-AZ Academy U16 and U18 teams combined to go an
undefeated 3-0-3 in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase in
Phoenix during their first appearances in the event in early December.
Real
Salt Lake will shake the rust off from its abbreviated offseason during four
weeks of preseason preparation before getting back to competition on Tuesday,
Feb. 22, in Leg One of its CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal series
against the Columbus Crew in central Ohio (6:00 p.m. MT kickoff, live on Fox
Soccer Channel). RSL will then return to Rio Tinto Stadium a week later on
Tuesday, March 1, for the second and decisive leg against the Crew, with
kickoff in Sandy set for 8:00 p.m. MT.
www.RealSaltLake.com / www.RioTintoStadium.com / www.ESPN700Sports.com
