A year ago, Real Salt Lake entered the Major League Soccer Cup Playoffs as the final seed in the Western Conference.
On Saturday, the Claret-and-Cobalt open their postseason run at home versus the Portland Timbers.
In between, Freddy Juarez’s team has gained valuable experience that could help the side make a long run in October and November.
“The reality is we have a young team who is now more experienced from last year,” Juarez told Pro Soccer USA. “Got to play in three playoff games. The win away from home against LAFC and the two games against KC. That’s experience in itself.”
Juarez, who took over for the fired Mike Petke in August, has witnessed the development of some young players for a while. He served as the head coach of USL Championship affiliate Real Monarchs in 2015 and 2016 and moved up to a first-team assistant in 2017.
Homegrown Players Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera, Brooks Lennon and Corey Baird have all taken a step up with veteran players surrounding them. Glad and Herrera are anchors on a back line that conceded 41 goals, the second-fewest total of Western Conference playoff teams.
“I think there’s been steady growth from all of them,” Juarez said. “Aaron, you would think sometimes you would have a sophomore slump, which many players do. He got even better from his first year.
“Justen Glad, I think we found a good group of center backs with some experience and guys that he can learn from, not just him be the teacher at a young age. He’s know a student at times from Nedum and Marcelo, which has been huge for his development as well. He’s played in 20-plus games for us.”
Lennon and Baird can both fill a variety of roles for Juarez if he needs to adjust his lineup to a specific opponent.
“In New England, we used Brooks as a left back,” Juarez said. “Last year, he was all at right back and we also know we can use him as a winger to chase a game.
“As far as numbers are concerned, people would be quick to criticize Corey. But he’s shown growth as well. For me, he’s the toughest one because of the situation we put him. We put him on the left, on the right, use him as a No. 9. He’s adapted to that now. We obviously want to find his best position, but as long as he keeps helping the team and providing goals and assists, we’re going to put him wherever he helps us.”
The upward trajectory of the Homegrown Players helped RSL reach the 50-point mark for the first time since 2014, which was also the last time it finished third in the West.
“They’re all going in the right direction,” Juarez said. “If they start or don’t start, they’ve all continued their development and I’m excited to see what these guys are going to be in two or three years from now when the majority of those guys are hitting the 100-game mark. That’s where you really get to see how high their ceiling can be.”
But of course, there is also experience ruminating through the team with the spotlight on the retiring goalkeeper Nick Rimando.
While some teams may feel pressure to win for a legend in his final season, the opposite is being felt in Utah.
“Nick has been nothing but supportive,” Juarez said. “There’s a smile on his face every day. Today he came in here and we talked with our goalkeeper coach about set pieces and what we could do. He’s been very engaged and at no point has he said, ‘Fred we have to win this.’ He’s enjoying every last moment of it.
“He’s been great for the group. He’s been super supportive of me, which is the most important thing for a new coach with less experience. The older guys here have been very supportive in helping me and keeping the locker room together. When it comes to Nick, he hasn’t put any extra pressure on us. It’s almost like an enjoyment. The further we can go ,the more he’s going to enjoy it. We could film a movie off of this if we can get him to another championship on his last year.”