RSL re-signs Beckerman: 'There will be a statue here of Kyle one day'
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Jan 16, 2018
Beckerman was an MLS free agent but always expected to return for 2018. Goalkeeper Nick Rimando, Beckerman's long-time teammate on RSL and with the U.S. national team, is also expected to re-sign.
"This is home," Beckerman, a nine-time MLS All-Star and four-time club MVP. "It's where we wanted to be. What we built in the second half of the season was so exciting to be a part of. To be able to be here for a couple more years and build with these young guys – they are going to be another year older and a little bit more experienced – there is a lot of upside for this team."
"He is as much a part of the fabric of the RSL locker room as he is a part of the #SLC community that he has made his home."
: https://t.co/Jhqro5FMyi pic.twitter.com/k2wti3r5CL
— Real Salt Lake (@RealSaltLake) January 16, 2018
With one of the youngest starting lineups in MLS, RSL recovered from a 2-7-2 start to be in the hunt for playoff spot under new coach
Mike Petke until the final day of the regular season.
One of Beckerman's four goals -- the most he's scored since 2013 – was a stoppage-time equalizer on the road
against the LA Galaxy on Sept. 30 that kept RSL's playoff hopes alive into the final stretch.
"I cannot imagine an RSL team next year without Kyle here," said Petke, who was hired as head
coach early in the season. "Without Kyle with the armband on. Without Kyle leading the charge, I think that he is iconic here in Salt Lake, and that he is one of the best players in the history of
this league. And I think he deserves and will earn anything that he gets. There will be a statue here of Kyle one day. It's a no-brainer that Kyle is back; we couldn't do this without him."
Real Salt Lake:
IN: Aaron Herrera (Homegrown signing, Univ. of New
Mexico), Taylor Peay (Real Monarchs), Brooks Lennon (Liverpool/ENG, permanent transfer), Alfredo Ortuno (Cadix/ESP), Corey Baird (Stanford Univ., Homegrown signing), Adam Henley (Blackburn Rovers/ENG,
free).
OUT: Matt VanOekel (OKC Energy FC), Chris Schuler, Reagan Dunk, Justin Schmidt, Omar Holness (Bethlehem Steel), Chad Barrett,
Ricardo Velazco, Chris Wingert, Nick Rimando.
-----------------------------
2018 Roster:
Goalkeepers: Connor
Sparrow.
Defenders: Danilo Acosta, Kyle Beckerman, Tony Beltran, Justen Glad, Adam Henley, Aaron Herrera, David Horst, Taylor Peay, Demar Phillips, Marcelo Silva.
Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman, Nick Besler, Jose Hernandez, Luke Mulholland, Albert Rusnak, Sebastian Saucedo, Sunny.
Forwards: Jordan Allen, Corey Baird, Brooks Lennon, Yura
Movsisyan, Alfredo Ortuno, Joao Plata, Jefferson Savarino, Luis Silva.
2018 Preseason:
Jan. 31-Feb. 8: Training camp in
Tucson, Ariz.
Feb. 12-23: Training camp in Orlando, Fla.
---------------------------------
Feb. 3: LA Galaxy in Tucson, Ariz.
Feb. 7: San Jose Earthquakes
in Tucson, Ariz.
Feb. 17: at Orlando City
Feb. 22: New York City FC in Orlando, Fla.
