Kreis No Longer In Talks With RSL Regarding Vacant Head Coach, GM Positions

SANDY, Utah – The discussions between Jason Kreis and Real Salt Lake regarding the vacant head coach and general manager positions have deteriorated, according to a source close to KSL Sports.

Kreis was in town on November 5 to meet with RSL owner Dell Loy Hansen, and according to reports, the interview went well. Although, clearly not well enough.

Information as to why Kreis is no longer in contention for the job(s) is not known.

A spokesperson from the club declined to comment on the situation.

Tony Beltran Announced As Assistant GM

Earlier this week, Hansen went on a local radio station with host Spence Checketts where he broke the news that former RSL right back, Tony Beltran, will continue working with the club as an assistant GM starting January 1, 2020.

YES TONY BELTRAN #RSL

— Spencer Warne (@Spenno_77) December 18, 2018

Beltran, who spent his entire 11-year playing career at RSL after being drafted third overall in the 2008 MLS Superdraft, is one of the more beloved figures in club history. He was also a valuable member of the 2009 MLS Cup winning team, despite only being in his second professional season at the time.

Unfortunately, Beltran’s playing career was cut short due to chronic knee injuries. His final match as a player came in October of 2017 when he was carted off the field after suffering a gruesome knee injury late in the game.

“We’ve had extensive conversations, he is an integral part of player relations, scouting, improving the team, and Tony comes uncannily prepared for that. He has an elegance that is hard to match,” Hansen told Checketts.

Hansen also announced on Spence Checkett’s radio show that the announcements regarding the vacant positions will be made public towards the end of the first week of December. Two weeks from now.

What I Believe Will Happen

Now that we know Kreis is no longer in contention for the head coach and GM position(s), and Tony Beltran will be brought in and act as an assistant GM. The pathway to figuring out how the front office will look come 2020, just got a little clearer.

Just how long will we have to wait until we hear anything from @realsaltlake? Kreis returns to the States following a USMNT U-23 tournament in Spain. Could the announcement occur sooner than we think? What do you anticipate?
⚽️🤔https://t.co/xIooHOigkf

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 18, 2019

Current assistant GM, Elliot Fall, will likely be promoted to general manager. Fall has been with the club since 2010, where he started working as a Team Administrator, before eventually being given the opportunity to act as the Director of Operations. In November of 2014, Fall was promoted yet again and became the Assistant GM, where he has spent the past five years.

Interim head coach Freddy Juarez will likely be promoted and will take over on a full-time basis.

Juarez first started his career at RSL as the Director of the Real Salt Lake Academy, which was located in Casa Grande, Arizona, at the time. He was then rewarded for his work and given the opportunity to be the inaugural coach of the Real Monarchs, where he spent two seasons and narrowly missing the USL playoffs in 2016.

On December 6, 2016, Juarez joined the RSL staff as an assistant. When former head coach, Mike Petke, was relieved of his duties mid-season, Juarez took over on an interim basis.

Introducing…YOUR 2019 USL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL WINNERS!!! #AscendtheThrone pic.twitter.com/5iEAFWAITK

— Real Monarchs (@RealMonarchs) November 18, 2019

Despite all of the in house turmoil, following the sacking of Petke, Juarez took control of the team and finished the 2019 MLS regular season with the number three seed entering the playoffs. RSL, under Juarez, would eventually lose to the reigning champions Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference Semi-finals.

If Juarez does eventually get the full-time head coaching job, he would become just the fifth head coach in club history. Following the likes of John Ellinger, Jason Kreis, Jeff Cassar, and Mike Petke.