Real Salt Lake: Joy finds happiness on the field again

Life got in the way of Ian Joy's perfect plan.

Real Salt Lake brought in the outspoken defender to shore up its left back position, and Joy was anxious to make a great first impression. It never worked out that way. His lofty aspirations were derailed by off-the-field family issues, and a month into the 2008 season he was being labeled a bust on the field while everything else around him unraveled.

Not only was he in the midst of losing his wife and daughter, who eventually returned to Germany in late May, but his soccer skills were letting him down also.

"Obviously when you come from Europe you have a point to prove, but I wasn't 100 percent focused on the game at that time. I was trying a little too hard and put myself in dangerous positions sometimes, and obviously yellow cards and red cards don't help," said Joy. "I think that happens when you're trying too hard to impress the fans and the club, and I wanted to be successful from the first minute and lost my concentration a lot."

Despite an unbelievably turbulent season for Joy, he seems to have gotten things straightened out. In fact, after being benched for more than a month this summer, Joy will be making his third straight start tonight (6:30, KSL) as RSL begins its toughest stretch of the season at the Chicago Fire.

Real Salt Lake has earned two straight shutouts since Joy's return to the lineup and he's proving what he can do with his head on straight. Initially it was anything but.

Joy and his wife were already in the process of splitting up before he left Germany to join Real Salt Lake in January. Both parents wanted to remain close to their 3-year-old daughter, so Joy and his wife both agreed to move to Utah to see how things would work out.

Off the field things weren't going well, and it was equally as bad on the field.

Joy seemed out of his league in MLS and was benched in favor of rookie Tony Beltran five games into the season. He was afforded another opportunity three games later but that backfired when he was sent off in the first half against FC Dallas on May 24 following his second yellow card.

That's when Joy was given a much-needed break.

With his marriage over, his wife and daughter gone and his confidence officially a wreck, RSL's coaching staff eased off. Joy still trained with the team, but being benched for six straight games afforded him the time to recharge mentally and physically.