Now that the 2005 MLS Cup champion has been crowned, it's time for Real Salt Lake to get busy.
Even though RSL failed to qualify for the playoffs in its expansion season, the club has still been training the past three weeks and will wrap things up this Wednesday for the winter break.
During that three-week stretch, coach John Ellinger and his staff invited several free agents — both foreign and domestic — to train with Salt Lake in hopes of discovering players who may be able to help out next year.
It was also an opportunity for current RSL players to make a final impression on the coaching staff.
"I think they handled it very professionally," said Ellinger. "I think they understand where our heads are at. Hopefully, by the end it's ingrained that there's a need to do better on the field next year."
As for who will and won't be around next year, this week marks the beginning of that process.
Beginning today, and continuing through the end of Tuesday's business day, MLS teams can make trades.
Considering that RSL suffered through one of the worst seasons in MLS history, there isn't too much interest from other teams regarding RSL's roster. Ellinger said they've had several teams ask about Eddie Pope's availability, but Ellinger's typical response to those inquiries is "why would we trade Eddie Pope?"
Perhaps the only other player with trade value is Clint Mathis.
RSL's highest-paid player was a big disappointment this year, but he's on a guaranteed contract, so it's doubtful the team would simply release him. Assuming that Salt Lake doesn't want Mathis around next year — which is the scuttlebutt around the team — its only other option is to trade him.
Even though the former U.S. National Teamer disappointed in Salt Lake this year with just three goals and four assists in 27 games, when he wants to be, Mathis is still a very talented player. Couple that with his obvious marketability as the "bad boy of soccer," and Mathis definitely has trade value.
Don't be surprised if a big-market team like the MetroStars, who Mathis played with from 2000 to 2003, makes an offer for Mathis. Will that offer be good enough for RSL? Or will the club honor Mathis' guaranteed contract, and give him another year to rediscover that magic that made him one of the best players in this country?
For all MLS teams, by Tuesday evening they must submit a list of players they want to waive.
That waiver draft is then on Wednesday. Kansas City currently owns the No. 1 pick, while RSL owns the No. 2 pick.
There are usually three types of players available in the waiver draft: big-name players with high-salary contracts, so-so players who just didn't work out with a particular club, and retiring players.
For Salt Lake, Brian Kamler (retired), Dante Washington (retired) and Rusty Pierce (already released) will definitely be on that list. As for other RSL players who will make that list, those are the tough decisions Ellinger will be faced with this week.
Players who might be on the bubble include Jordan Cila, Tiger Fitzpatrick, D.J. Countess and Adolfo Gregorio.
At the other end of the spectrum, one player RSL might be targeting in the waiver draft is Diego Walsh. The defender was released by Kansas City earlier this year, and it's doubtful the Wizards would then pick up their own player with the first pick in the waiver draft.
"Diego Walsh is definitely an option," said Ellinger.
There may ultimately be better options, but Salt Lake won't find out for sure until late Tuesday.
Real Salt Lake won just five games this year, and beginning this week, the roster overhauling begins.
E-mail: jedward@desnews.com