SANDY, Utah, Dec. 13, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Real Salt Lake has named former USA international, 2001 MLS Best XI player Pablo Mastroeni as the club’s head coach, RSL Interim President John Kimball announced Monday.
“We are thrilled to have Pablo on board, long-term,” RSL General Manager Elliot Fall said in a prepared statement. “We expect success for years to come under his leadership.
“Pablo’s ability to build a culture and instill belief within the club has resulted in the most tight-knit locker room seen in years. We are excited for him to instill that throughout our entire organization.”
Mastroeni, 45, arrived on the Wasatch Front in February of 2021, assuming the top assistant role on the Real Salt Lake technical staff, following a similar role with Houston Dynamo in 2020. Upon Freddy Juarez’ departure in late August, Mastroeni was immediately elevated to the role of interim manager, posting an 8-8-1 mark during all 2021 regular season competitions and leading RSL into its 11th postseason in 14 years as the seventh and final Western Conference Playoff team.
“I am excited to be joining Real Salt Lake on a permanent basis,” Mastroeni said. “I love the direction this club is moving in and I’m looking forward to working with all the resources and opportunities we have in front of us. We will implement an electric end-to-end style of play that brings our fans into the action and further solidifies the fortress that we call home. And we will continue to be a formidable foe on the road, just as we were during the end of our 2021 season.”
