It’s been a little more than six months since Garth Lagerwey up and left his corporate-lawyer life inside the Beltway for a dream job in adream location, general manager for a professional soccer team in Salt Lake City, at the base of the grand and picturesque Wasatch Mountains.
But Lagerwey’s barely had a moment to get comfortable in Utah, instead traversing multiple continents to find the kind of players that could help the rookie front office executive turn around Real Salt Lake, which has consistently floundered during its first three seasons in Major League Soccer.
“I’ve spent so much time traveling that I almost feel like I don’t live anywhere different,” said Lagerwey formerly an attorney with D.C. firm Latham & Watkins.
His new organization couldn’t be more different. Lagerwey, who spent five years as a goalkeeper in MLS, was also a part-time television analyst for D.C. United, the league’s most successful and respected franchise. Real Salt Lake (0-1-1), meanwhile, has spent most of its existence flirting with historic futility, averaging seven wins and 17 losses, including a 6-15-9 record in 2007.
Things haven’t been any easier this spring, as Salt Lake squandered a late lead in their season-opener against Chicago and were handed a sound, 3-1 defeat at Chivas last weekend.
“It has been frustrating because we wanted to come out and have a good start and really get away from being last year’s team or any of the teams that Salt Lake has been,” said midfielder Kyle Beckerman, a native of Crofton, Md. “We want to really try and change the face of the franchise, and when it doesn’t happen right away, it becomes frustrating.”
But Real Salt Lake remains an investment in long-term results, not immediate profit. The team has shown potential in its early games, and equally enticing prospects exist off the field, too, with the team’s brand new $55 million stadium expected to open this fall.
Salt Lake also has won its last two at home versus D.C., which will play its fourth game in 11 days when the teams meet on Saturday.
“We think we’re better,” said Lagerwey. “But we don’t have any demonstrable results to show that yet.”
