Hansen Wants Consistency In New RSL Coach, GM

Nov 19, 2019, 10:36 PM | Updated: Nov 20, 2019, 1:59 pm

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen wants consistency in his new head coach and general manger.

Hansen sat down with KSL Sports’ Jeremiah Jensen to discuss the state of the entire RSL organization after Real Monarchs’ 3-1 victory over Louisville City FC, claiming USL Cup.

Hansen was asked about what he’s looking for as he tries to fill the vacant roles of head coach and general manager at Real Salt Lake. In answering, he compared his club to one of the most consistent teams the state of Utah has ever seen.

“What made the Jazz a great team?,” Hansen questioned. “20 playoffs, did anyone doubt if they were consistent? Was Sloan there for a few years? Was Malone there? Was Stockton? The Jazz are a great model to say ‘Consistency pays dividends’.”

Some personal news pic.twitter.com/iNnN1sPvHr

— Real Monarchs (@RealMonarchs) November 18, 2019

Hansen went onto say that while some clubs across MLS are making their fourth head coaching change in four years, he doesn’t want to fall into that trap.

“With that inconsistency, they’re never going to have time to develop,” Hansen continued. “So we believe in developing from the ground up.”

RSL’s In-House Examples

Hansen points to two examples in his own organization of how growing a coach from within can work.

Freddy Juarez, who served as Real Salt Lake’s interim head coach after taking over the job mid-way through the season, has been with the organization for 10 years.

Juarez started with the RSL Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona, and has worked his way through the Monarchs to take the reigns of RSL back in July.

.@realsaltlake were dead in the water. That was until Freddy Juarez made the change and brought on Plata and Johnson. Those subs changed that game and ultimately put RSL through to the conference semifinals. Bravo, gaffer Bravo.

— Tom Hackett (@TomCantHackett) October 20, 2019

Also, Real Monarchs interim head coach, Jamison Olave, started as a player during RSL’s heyday from 2009-12. Olave has been a rock for an otherwise turbulent position.

Olave is in his second stint as interim head coach, the first coming in 2018 after an abrupt coaching change. Both times, Olave led the Monarchs into the USL playoffs.