RSL players aiming to be fitter and better this season

Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis knows better than to make predictions. A year ago at this time he stood in front of reporters at the start of training camp and all but guaranteed RSL would make the playoffs in 2007.

The scenario never unfolded quite the way he envisioned as RSL finished with the second-worst record in Major League Soccer.

A year later, and now the team's head coach, Kreis isn't about to be so bold.

"I'm just not going to offer any predictions, but I can say one thing, we're going to be a better team," said Kreis, following the second day of training camp on Monday. "We're going to be a fitter team, we're going to be a mentally stronger team; those are the things I can make guarantees about."

That improved fitness isn't a coincidence but one big master plan by the Real Salt Lake technical staff. At the end of last season — having woefully missed the playoffs — RSL had the option of keeping the players together for four additional weeks, giving the club the same amount of extra practice as the playoff teams.

Kreis was never a fan of these extra practices as a player and opted not to subject his players to the extra work — on one condition.

"It was a bit of a give and take," said Kreis. "We didn't ask the guys to to stay here, but in turn we asked them to work hard on their own."

Before departing last October for the three-month offseason, RSL's players were presented with a rigorous offseason strength and conditioning itinerary.

"Oh my goodness, we worked liked crazy," said Real midfielder Andy Williams.

The reasoning behind the grueling offseason is pretty simple, according to defender Chris Wingert.

"If everyone comes in real fit we can start playing right away and we don't have to worry about that the first few weeks, which a lot of teams have to worry about," said Wingert. "Jason was pretty straightforward, and it sounds like most of the guys did that."

That should pay off in what figures to be a busy preseason.

Between now and opening day on March 29, RSL is scheduled for training stints in California, Florida and Argentina, in addition to periodic stops in Salt Lake City. The team wraps up its brief time in Utah today before heading to California on Wednesday for 10 days.

RSL won't have its full complement of players until its second preseason trip to Florida from Feb. 14-23. By then, foreign newcomers Matias Cordoba and Jamison Olave should have their work visas sorted out. Nate Sturgis, Chris Seitz and Robbie Findley will be finished with their U.S. Under-23 National Team commitments, as will Alex Nimo following his U.S. U-20 obligations.