Real Salt Lake: Kovalenko initially frustrated with trade

For the most part, professional athletes aren't happy about getting traded — especially when they're blindsided by the news. Most, however, put on an insincere grin and say all the right things to keep the peace.

Dema Kovalenko, whom Real Salt Lake acquired in a trade with New York about three weeks ago, prefers an honest approach.

"I told the guys I didn't want to be here, I just didn't want to move again," said Kovalenko, who's played with Chicago, D.C. United and New York in his nine-year career. "I don't think it's a bad thing to say I didn't want to come here, it was the truth."

There's nothing like a trip to Argentina and a few training sessions with your new teammates to sway even the most stubborn individuals.

"I've been lucky in my career to be with good guys, and that's why I didn't want to leave New York, I was comfortable with the players," said Kovalenko. "But here, it's the same to be honest. There's a lot of new faces, but it's a very good group."

The Ukraine native now says he's happy to be with Real Salt Lake and can't wait for the season opener on March 29 against Chicago. A good chunk of that happiness stems from what he experienced in Argentina.

Kovalenko is a passionate winner, so you can't blame his reservations about being dealt to a team that's never made the playoffs. He came around fairly quickly after seeing the quality of RSL's many new faces and confidently predicted, "we're going to win a lot more than six games this year for sure."

"It's a group of hard-working guys, no real individual players, no real superstars. We don't have any Juan Pablo Angels, but I think it's a good group," said Kovalenko.

Acquiring Kovalenko for a conditional 2010 SuperDraft pick increases that quality level even more. He's a fierce competitor and possesses a mean streak that Real Salt Lake has seriously lacked the past three years.

"It's amazing the way he competes. He's got that fire and that will to win," said Real midfielder Kyle Beckerman.

Even though coach Jason Kreis has an abundance of midfielders, and therefore a plethora of combinations at his disposal heading into the 2008 season, Kovalenko figures to be in the starting 11 quite often.

During Salt Lake's two-week training stint in Argentina, which ended Wednesday, Kovalenko said the coaching staff primarily used him as an outside midfielder. He admits he'd prefer to play in the middle but is happy to help out where ever the team needs him, plus playing on the outside gives him more opportunities to go forward, which he said, "sounds good."

After an adjustment period, playing for Real Salt Lake sounds good, too.

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E-mail: jedward@desnews.com