RSL gamble on Lancos is paying off

Real Salt Lake's gamble with defender Chris Lancos actually paid off, and you can bet numerous other MLS teams are now thinking, "Why didn't we think of that."

Following his senior season at Maryland, in which he helped the Terps to the national title, an opportunity opened up for the defender overseas, and he took it.

"I finished classes in Maryland in December, and the next week I was in Germany training," said Lancos. "It was kind of a bang-bang thing."

Instantly, Lancos' draft stock plummeted heading into the January 2006 MLS SuperDraft. Through four rounds of the SuperDraft and then three of four rounds in the Supplemental Draft a few days later, every MLS team opted not to waste a pick on Lancos.

In the last round of the Supplemental Draft, however, RSL took a chance. Even if Lancos was already playing overseas, if things didn't work out for him over there, and the New Jersey native decided to return to the States, Real owned his rights.

Sure enough, after a little persuasion from RSL coach John Ellinger in December, Lancos decided to forgo playing with FC Kaiserslatern in the German second division and return to MLS.

"First of all, the soccer part of Europe was great, but the other parts of living in Germany didn't suit me so well," said Lancos. "I think MLS is rising right now, and I really wanted to be a part of that and help make soccer a major sport here."

The opportunity to play right away didn't hurt either.

When Ellinger met with Lancos at a New Jersey deli in Kaiserslatern, the Real coach made it perfectly clear where Lancos would stand.

"I told him he had a good opportunity with us. It was one of the positions we needed to upgrade," said Ellinger.

Out of necessity, midfielder Kevin Novak started most of last year at right back and earned the praise of RSL's coaching staff throughout the year. Nonetheless, Ellinger wanted a pure defender to push Novak for playing time.

Lancos arrived to RSL training camp in great shape on Monday, and he's already proving himself to be a great addition.

"In Kaiserslatern, he was the favorite guy on the team, he gets along with everybody," said Ellinger. "Getting him here is a real coup. Besides being a good player, he's a good fit for this team."

In addition to solid defending, Lancos is very good at supporting the attack. During his junior season at Maryland, he finished tied for first with 10 assists, and added five more during his senior year.