Casa Grande, Ariz. - RSL arrived in Casa Grande, Ariz. on Monday afternoon for the start of preseason camp. Definitely amazing to think that the 2012 season ended a little over two months ago - even more amazing to consider that the 2013 campaign gets started in just under six weeks.
Casa Grande schedule
Head Coach Jason Kreis will put the Claret-and-Cobalt through its first training session of 2013 this evening, directing the team through a light practice that will begin at 5:30 p.m. MT. Fitness testing is scheduled for Tuesday morning, with a second practice planned for later on Tuesday afternoon.
In all, RSL will have 10 training sessions over the course of six days in Casa Grande. The seventh day - next Monday, Jan. 28 - will see the Claret-and-Cobalt take on Denmark's U-20 National Team in the club's first match of the preseason.
RSL shorthanded for first leg of preseason
Real Salt Lake will be without several important players in Casa Grande due to injury and international duty. Center back Nat Borchers (L quad tendon surgery) and left back Chris Wingert (R fractured metatarsal) will both miss the entire preseason due to injury.
Captain Kyle Beckerman (U.S.), 2012 leading scorer Alvaro Saborio (Costa Rica) and right back Tony Beltran (U.S.) will all miss the Casa Grande camp while with their respective national teams. It's expected that all three players will rejoin the team for the third and final leg of preseason from Feb. 11-24 in Tucson.
Midfielder Luis Gil (U.S. U-20) did not travel with the team from Salt Lake on Monday. He'll join up with the squad on Tuesday following the conclusion of his U.S. U-20 national team camp. Gil will be back with the U-20's later this preseason for the CONCACAF U-20 World Cup Qualifying Tournament, which will take place from Feb. 18-23.
One player who did travel with the team on Monday is goalkeeper Nick Rimando. Don't be surprised if he misses time later in camp for the U.S.'s Feb. 6 World Cup Qualifier at Honduras, however. Rimando was called up by U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann for the January camp but - after talking with Klinsmann and the RSL staff - declined the invite due to a nagging shoulder injury.
MLS Supplemental Draft on Tuesday
RSL has two picks in Tuesday's MLS Supplemental Draft. Barring any trades, the Claret-and-Cobalt will make one selection in both the third (50th overall) and 4th rounds (69th overall). The team traded away its first and second round Supplemental Draft selections to Philadelphia to move up from 31st to 29th in last Thursday's SuperDraft.
We'll be back with plenty more updates from camp. Stay tuned.
