RSL adds Pierre, Reedy through MLS hardship policy
RSL adds Pierre, Reedy through MLS hardship policy
The Claret and Cobalt was down close to a dozen players through injuries, including all but two center backs before Saturday's rivalry match with Colorado.
Real Salt Lake’s injury woes are activating a league-approved hardship mechanism.
The club has added Real Monarchs players Bobby Pierre and Pierre Reedy to short-term deals through this weekend’s Rocky Mountain Cup rivalry match at the Colorado Rapids, the team confirmed Thursday afternoon.
Pierre, a 19-year-old center back from Florida, will prove especially pivotal as the club is down to just two central defenders in Marcelo Silva and 17-year-old academy product Jaziel Orozco, who made his first-team debut against Sporting Kansas City. The former RSL Academy product spent the last few years in Europe with French second-team side Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace before returning stateside and signing with Real Monarchs ahead of the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro campaign in February.
Pierre trained with Real Salt Lake on Thursday in Herriman, part of a group of a half-dozen or so daily practice-squad additions for Pablo Mastroeni’s side. Also available training were academy and Monarchs youngsters Christian Nydegger and Jude Wellings, among others.
Reedy, a 24-year-old midfielder, also signed with the Monarchs in February after a five-year career at Penn State. He appeared in three preseason matches with Real Salt Lake in Portland in February, including starting against Minnesota and seeing time against the Timbers and Norway’s Viking FK.
“The next guy up is a cool motto when you have 3-4 injuries. But when you have 8-9, it’s difficult,” Mastroeni said earlier this week. “There’s only one way forward, though, and that is the next guy up. It’s the right mentality. I think that’s all we can do is control what we can, and you have to move forward.”
RSL has nine players listed as out and two more as questionable ahead of Saturday’s match. The list includes forward Joni Menendez, who hurt his adductor this week in training; forward Bobby Wood, who is recovering from a hamstring injury; center back Erik Holt, who suffered a plantar fascia injury in his left foot during the club’s 1-0 loss at Sporting Kansas City; and fellow defender Johan Kappelhof, who suffered a left calf strain during pregame warmups.
Under MLS “extreme hardship” rules, RSL can sign players to short-term solutions once the roster drops below 16 outfield players without signing them to long-term contracts.
Kickoff Saturday is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. MT on KMYU.
Here’s the latest RSL injury report:
QUESTIONABLE: D/M Jasper Löffelsend (hamstring), MF Nick Besler (nose)
OUT: GK David Ochoa (right quad), DF Aaron Herrera (left calf), DF Zack Farnsworth (right ankle), MF Bret Halsey (ankle), DF Justen Glad (hamstring), DF Erik Holt (left foot), DF Johan Kappelhof (left calf), FW Jonathan Menendez (adductor), FW Bobby Wood (hamstring)
MONARCHS Assignment: GK Jeff Dewsnup, GK Gavin Beavers, MF Julio Benitez, MF Jude Wellings, FW Axel Kei