While Real Salt Lake are set to bid farewell to longtime general manager Garth Lagerwey, the Utah club are keeping a couple of key leadership figures around for years to come.
Owner Dell Loy Hansen announced in an in-depth radio interview with ESPN700 on Tuesday that the team has secured contract extensions with veterans Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando, and is close to signing striker Joao Plata to a permanent, long-term deal.
“We're just at the cusp of signing Plata to a five-year contract. There's a few dollars to write that check, but we want Plata there,” Hansen said. “We recently cemented agreements with Kyle and Nick to be with us the next three years. I feel the team is in a more stable position than it's been in for a very long time.”
The Beckerman/Rimando news was confirmed by club officials on Wednesday.
"Both personally and professionally, I'm extremely excited that our club has chosen to reward both Kyle and Nick for not only their incredible 2014 seasons for club and country, but their years of service here in Utah," said RSL head coach Jeff Cassar in a statement.
"But it's important to note that these moves also signal our appreciation for everything they've done to build this club, this league, this sport. They are the iconic faces of Real Salt Lake, they continue to play at Best XI-caliber levels – which will be extremely important as we head into CONCACAF in 2015 and deal with an extremely difficult Western Conference – and we are excited for them to lead us into the second decade of RSL."
Hansen also said Lagerwey, who will be feted at a going-away party on Wednesday evening, leaves on good terms and is motivated more by his desire to seek a new challenge than by wanting to leave RSL or Utah. Hansen declined to confirm reports that Lagerwey's next destination is a post with the Seattle Sounders, however.
While the recent loss of mainstays Nat Borchers, Chris Wingert and Ned Grabavoy, Salt Lake have several holes to fill in their lineup, especially on defense. But Hansen sounded bullish on 2015, pointing to the club's rich options up top and their growing developmental system, with USL PRO side Real Monarchs set to debut in the spring.
“I think we'll field the best team that we've fielded since 2010,” said Hansen, noting that RSL will finally return to CONCACAF Champions League competition in 2015. “I clearly feel we'll have the best forward situation RSL's had. … We may actually change formations to take advantage of three great forwards.”
