2007 Preview - Real Salt Lake

2006 record: 10-13-9 - 39 points (6th in West)
-- Missed playoffs.

Key additions: Freddy Adu (D.C. United), Luis Tejada (Plaza Amador)
Key losses: Scott Garlick (retirement)

Real Salt Lake made the biggest off-season acquisition not involving an Englishman this winter, bringing Freddy Adu in from D.C. United. It gives Freddy a chance to play as an attacking midfielder in the center, a position he has always wanted to play, but wasn't able to in D.C.

In Utah, Adu will be able to link up with another new acquisition, Luis Tejada, who was signed out of Panama. The 25-year-old forward will be partnered up top with Jeff Cunningham, who should’ve been named MVP last year (16 goals, 11 assists). With Adu feeding Cunningham and Tejada all year, RSL looks to have one of the most potent offensive attacks in the league.

Eddie Pope continues to be one of the best center-backs in the league and should help the defense take some of the pressure off of keeper Nick Rimando. The stadium issue is (for now) solved, so the team can focus on playing some quality football. I expect them to be the sleeper pick of the year – Not only will they make the playoffs, they will be the #1 seed in the West. Most of the pieces have fallen into place for this team to make a run and play solid consistently.

TJ's Projected finish: 1st in Western Conference, 3rd overall.

Keller Hopes To Be WC Starter in 2010

U.S. international Kasey Keller says he wants to be the team's starting goalkeeper in the 2010 World Cup... at the age of 40. Sure, 40 isn't old for a tree, or a Galapagos turtle, or even a world-class goalkeeper, but it surely must be too late for Kasey Keller to hold his starting spot on the squad. Keller didn't look overly sharp in the '06 World Cup and his German side Borussia Moenchengladbach is now sitting in dead-last and is soon to be relegated in the Bundesliga.

Keller's main competition should be Tim Howard and Marcus Hahnemann. The latter is ranked the #1 goalkeeper in the EPL and Tim Howard recently posted a clean sheet against rival Mexico. With either one of these two on the field for the national team, the future should be bright. Unfortunately, Kasey Keller feels he still has something to prove and if he insists on fighting for the starting spot, may only be standing in the way of good, young 'keepers like Troy Perkins of D.C. United.

Keller has been called into camp for the upcoming friendlies against Ecuador and Guatemala and will likely start one of the two games. It will move him to within a handful of Tony Meola's record 100 caps. If Bob Bradley wants to see Keller pass Meola, then so be it. But after that, the focus should be on the future, not on a guy that was with the team for the '90 World Cup and hopes to be around 20 years later.

If KK has any pride left after a disappointing World Cup and a sorry Bundesliga season, he'll announce his international retirement like Eddie Pope, Brian McBride and Claudio Reyna did. They all knew when it was the right time to hang up the cleats.