Talented Young Defender Joins Club
Nobody was ready to assign any expectations to him yet, but Real Salt Lake coaches and executives were pretty happy to welcome new defender Kyle Davies to practice for the first time today.
“He's a talented young player,” general manager Garth Lagerwey said. “And we love talented young players — especially those who have played in Europe.”
Yet it was a desire to play back home in the United States that led the 20-year-old Davies to leave Southampton of the English Second Division and sign a four-year contract with Major League Soccer. He unexpectedly landed with RSL when the club won a special lottery for his services last week, and “I was happy when I did.”
“I enjoyed my time in England,” Davies said. “I think I grew a lot as a player. But I love America, to be honest with you, and I really wanted to play back in America, where I was born, and grew up, and have my parents and my friends see me play. That means a lot to me.”
When Davies might earn a spot with RSL is anybody's guess.
Though he's the captain of the under-20 national team who's viewed as one of the country's best up-and-coming players, he plays a position in central defense that Lagerwey said is hard for young players to handle right away in MLS. Coach Jason Kreis added that “things are a little bit up in the air, still” about what role Davies might play, since the team did not spend much time worrying about that, knowing it had only a 5 percent chance to win the lottery for his services. Davies worked with the back-ups during practice scrimmages in his first workout.
“Obviously, I'd love to play,” he said. “But I know that, whenever you go to a new team, you have to earn your place.”
Having never been to Utah, the native of Walnut Creek, Calif., said he has been impressed with the beautiful Wasatch mountains and wonderful weather that greeted him when he arrived last night. Team captain Kyle Beckerman picked him up at the airport, Davies said, and the entire team has been exceptionally nice and helpful.
"The more I see, the more I like it," he said.
Although Davies gives RSL two highly regarded central defenders, including former first-round draft pick David Horst, Lagerwey said his acquisition doesn't necessarily change the team's thinking about the future of its roster. After all, he said, it's too early to guess how well either player will develop.
"I'd love to say something profound," Lagerwey said. "But the answer is he's going to fit in wherever he fits in."
At least, the team has a good sense of the player it's getting.
Assistant coach Brian Johnson saw Davies play in Trinidad during qualifying for the U-20 World Cup, and the whole staff saw him play during the preseason in Florida. Coach Kreis said he liked Davies' leadership and mentality in those situations, while Lagerwey cited his poise, experience and potential as his greatest attributes.
"He's a nice talent to have," Lagerwey said.
“He's a talented young player,” general manager Garth Lagerwey said. “And we love talented young players — especially those who have played in Europe.”
Yet it was a desire to play back home in the United States that led the 20-year-old Davies to leave Southampton of the English Second Division and sign a four-year contract with Major League Soccer. He unexpectedly landed with RSL when the club won a special lottery for his services last week, and “I was happy when I did.”
“I enjoyed my time in England,” Davies said. “I think I grew a lot as a player. But I love America, to be honest with you, and I really wanted to play back in America, where I was born, and grew up, and have my parents and my friends see me play. That means a lot to me.”
When Davies might earn a spot with RSL is anybody's guess.
Though he's the captain of the under-20 national team who's viewed as one of the country's best up-and-coming players, he plays a position in central defense that Lagerwey said is hard for young players to handle right away in MLS. Coach Jason Kreis added that “things are a little bit up in the air, still” about what role Davies might play, since the team did not spend much time worrying about that, knowing it had only a 5 percent chance to win the lottery for his services. Davies worked with the back-ups during practice scrimmages in his first workout.
“Obviously, I'd love to play,” he said. “But I know that, whenever you go to a new team, you have to earn your place.”
Having never been to Utah, the native of Walnut Creek, Calif., said he has been impressed with the beautiful Wasatch mountains and wonderful weather that greeted him when he arrived last night. Team captain Kyle Beckerman picked him up at the airport, Davies said, and the entire team has been exceptionally nice and helpful.
"The more I see, the more I like it," he said.
Although Davies gives RSL two highly regarded central defenders, including former first-round draft pick David Horst, Lagerwey said his acquisition doesn't necessarily change the team's thinking about the future of its roster. After all, he said, it's too early to guess how well either player will develop.
"I'd love to say something profound," Lagerwey said. "But the answer is he's going to fit in wherever he fits in."
At least, the team has a good sense of the player it's getting.
Assistant coach Brian Johnson saw Davies play in Trinidad during qualifying for the U-20 World Cup, and the whole staff saw him play during the preseason in Florida. Coach Kreis said he liked Davies' leadership and mentality in those situations, while Lagerwey cited his poise, experience and potential as his greatest attributes.
"He's a nice talent to have," Lagerwey said.
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 1:49 PM |
3 Comments:
thats cool that captian beckerman picked him up
What luck in that lottery!
A solid acquisition.
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