Halfway through his debut season with Real Salt Lake, Ian Joy has finally come full circle.
Joy started out as one of the more touted additions to the RSL backline. He quickly earned a starting spot before a lingering ankle injury and a series of mediocre performances caused Real coach Jason Kreis to sit Joy on the bench in favor of up-and-coming rookie Tony Beltran.
But the two reversed positions in last Thursday's 0-0 draw against Houston. Joy returned to the first XI, while Beltran took his place as a key substitute.
For Joy, the unexpected start provided a perfect moment of redemption. It was the chance he sought to finally show why RSL had worked to bring him to Utah from German club St. Pauli.
"I was looking to put in a good solid performance for me personally," Joy said. "Obviously, I wanted to win the game more than anything. However, it was important for me to go in there and be relaxed and enjoy the game. And I did that. I enjoyed every minute of it."
Joy could not will his team to a desired victory against the Dynamo. What he did do is impress his coaches and teammates with tangible progress since he first donned an RSL uniform.
Over the course of the match, Joy showed a newfound maturity in his play. He didn't go for broke on every tackle or cross, but tried to exhibit a greater degree of patience and let the game come to him.
The results were an all-around effort that could lead to a bigger role similar to what he enjoyed when the season began.
"I thought it was his best game for us this season by far," Kreis said. "A lot of it has to do with him having that break. It's been a very long time since he had any kind of a break."
Joy will get a chance to make more waves this weekend. He will likely start again with Chris Wingert due to serve a one-game suspension for the red card he was issued in the 90th minute against Houston.
While it has been frustrating to be sidelined in the past, Joy has handled himself well. Rather than make a demand for more playing time or be released -- like former teammate Matias Cordoba did a week ago -- Joy has tried to work himself back into a position by doing what coaches expect of him in training sessions.
In embracing whatever role comes his way, he made himself ready to play when offered another chance to crack the first XI.
"He's a true professional," goalkeeper Nick Rimando said. "When he's not playing he still works his butt off. He doesn't pout. He does what everybody says. And it's a testament to these young guys how to come out there and be a true professional."
Spending some time on the bench -- even after healing from troublesome bone spurs in his ankle -- gave Joy a different mental perspective. He admits to being tired coming from Europe and immediately going into preseason preparations for the MLS season.
Taking a step back allowed him to regroup in a few ways and acclimate himself more fully to MLS play.
"The time off the field -- watching the guys play and getting used to the game and the players that are in this league -- (has helped)," Joy said. "It's different from what I've been used to, so it's given me another perspective on how to go about the game here."
Now that Joy has re-emerged to reclaim a larger role with RSL once again, it is his goal to make sure he can keep things that way. But he knows that his long-term success will be most determined by what he does in the short-term when Columbus visits Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday.
"I believe you're only as good as your last game," Joy said. "If you're putting in good performances on the training field and on the field on a Saturday, you deserve to be in there."
John Coon is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
