Real Salt Lake is apparently looking at a familiar face to fill one of its two open positions in the organization.
RSL will interview former coach Jason Kreis for its permanent head coaching position, The Athletic reported Thursday.
Kreis, who currently coaches the U.S. Men’s National Team’s under-23 squad, coached at RSL from 2007 to 2013, leading the club to a 2009 MLS Cup Championship and a finals appearance in 2013. He returned to Rio Tinto Stadium in September to celebrate the 2009 title with his former players.
Kreis’s name is one of two displayed at Rio Tinto Stadium, and he recently requested the club to unretire the No. 9 jersey he wore when he played there so other players could wear it.
Although RSL will interview Kreis, interim coach Freddy Juarez is still in the running for the head job, per The Athletic. Juarez led Real to third place in the Western Conference and a first-round home playoff win after Mike Petke’s firing.
The Athletic reported that should Juarez be given the head job, Kreis may be approached about the opening at general manager, a position left vacant after Craig Waibel and the club mutually parted ways. Waibel was quoted in Petke’s unlawful firing lawsuit as having criticized owner Dell Loy Hansen and planning for an exit from the organization after the season.
Rimando wins MLS Save of the Year award
In a more fitting end to Nick Rimando’s 20-year career, Major League Soccer announced Thursday that he won the Save of the Year Award, becoming the only player to have won it three times.
Rimando won the award for a save in the 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids on Aug. 24. He also won the award in 2012 and 2013.