Real Salt Lake backline: Team tries to upgrade with acquisitions

Replacing Eddie Pope — its highest paid and best defender — was arguably Real Salt Lake's most pressing matter during the offseason. Ultimately, it did much more than just address a central defense vacancy, but it made several upgrades on the outsides as well.

For a team that gave up 45 goals, and had a minus-14 goal differential, the upgrades were a necessity.

Centrally, RSL filled the Pope vacancy by acquiring two defenders, 6-foot-3 Colombian Jamison Olave and 6-foot-2 American Nat Borchers. Along with Matias Mantilla, the trio will compete for playing time at the two center back positions.

Only time will tell who ultimately emerges as a must start, filling the shoes left by the retiring Pope. Having played in MLS for two years before heading overseas for the past two years, Borchers seems to be the most qualified to take on the role.

"Nat's a competitor, and what it does for us now in another position, we have multiple players that are very, very capable of being starters for us, and starting a large number of games for us over the season," said coach Jason Kreis. "It's going to be nice competition as well."

One of the club's other big upgrades was left back Ian Joy.

At 5-foot-9, he's known as a fierce tackler who also loves to push up and support the attack. Whether it was playing in Scotland or England, or most recently with St. Pauli in Germany, the 26-year-old Joy has proven himself to be a passionate player who lays it on the line for 90 minutes every match. His experience should do wonders on the outside for RSL.

"I think first and foremost I like to think of myself as a winner. I like to do whatever I can to help the team win," Joy said. "Defensive qualities, I'm a defender by trade and I want to make sure my team comes off the field with no goals against. Obviously it's up to the midfielders and attackers to get the goals but I'd love to join in and help those guys."

Chris Wingert, RSL's projected starter at right back, raved about the additions of Borchers and Joy during the team's training camp stint in Florida.

"Both of those guys are true professionals, having played overseas and been pros for a number of years now, and both played for youth U.S. National Teams," Wingert said. "They're both not only really good leaders, but really good guys and I think that's kind of the direction we're heading. We're trying to get good personalities who are going to buy into our system and the way we're trying to accomplish it."

Joy was born in San Diego, but was raised in Scotland since he was four. He came up the ranks in the youth system of Manchester United.

RSL further enhanced the quality of its backline in the MLS SuperDraft. With the third overall pick it grabbed UCLA defender Tony Beltran, a player who will eventually push Wingert for playing time at right back.

With the final pick in the first round, 14th overall, it grabbed towering center back David Horst out of Old Dominion. Horst is much more raw than Beltran, and probably won't play much this year, but has a ton of upside considering his size and deceptive athleticism.

"People see me and how big I am, and think I'm a slow big guy, and I take pride in not being a slow big guy," said Horst. "I take pride in being very athletic and very fast."

Second-year player Dustin Kirby, along with Nik Besagno will provide depth along the back. Besagno is still recovering from offseason knee surgery.

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E-mail: jedward@desnews.com