Real Salt Lake went into the current break in the schedule on the highest of high notes with a 6-2 win over the LA Galaxy on July 4 at the StubHub Center. To Head Coach Mike Petke, it was a step in the evolution of the team as it has developed since he took the reins on March 29.
Now in the midst of a 15-day gap between MLS matches, Petke took the opportunity to put his team through an abbreviated training camp to further develop the tactics and schemes that he intends to implement with RSL.
“It’s very simple. Before we started this break we were thinking a lot about it and it’s a bit of a mini-preseason for me. I didn’t have them in the preseason so this was an opportunity,” Petke said on ESPN 700’s Bill Riley Show. “We bounced around some ideas and we came to the conclusion that this could be an invaluable tool for us to implement things both physically and tactically that I didn’t have the opportunity to do before.”
The early returns have been positive in Petke’s crash course, too. Not only are players embracing the concepts and tactics, but they are learning each other’s tendencies as well. Having a healthy roster has been crucial in that.
Through the first 20 matches of the season, RSL had used 27 out of 28 players on the roster, with 26 of them earning starts. Several players who were expected to see extensive time on the field – including Justen Glad, Jordan Allen, David Horst and Chad Barrett – were available for fewer than 25-percent of the matches.
Glad is now back in the mix with four consecutive starts and the continued integration of him and his U.S. U-20 National Team cohorts in Brooks Lennon, Sebastian Saucedo and Danny Acosta. Albert Rusnák is also back from international duty with Slovakia.
Add in the addition of center back Marcelo Silva and the incorporation of Jefferson Savarino and the team is rounding into shape. The cohesion of the group is growing as it sees more time together, too.
“So far, it’s been amazing. It’s been an opportunity to really step up physically and put extra work in,” Petke said. “They’ve responded really well.”
To hear the full interview, click here.
