Real Salt Lake's Ned Grabavoy not seeking revenge vs. his former team

LEHI — Revenge is the last thing on Ned Grabavoy's mind with the San Jose Earthquakes in town this Friday.

The shock and anger of being waived by the 'Quakes early last season is a distant memory for the Real Salt Lake midfielder. In fact, things couldn't have worked about better for him. Personally and professionally, Grabavoy said he's never felt better.

"This is the best I've felt about a group of guys and everyone buying into what we're trying to do here," said Grabavoy. "There are no rotten apples, and if there was one, the team would whip them into shape right away."

With RSL, Grabavoy seems to have finally found a club where he's appreciated.

The journeyman played for three teams in his first five MLS seasons from 2004 to 2008 but often found himself the odd man out in a rebuilding mode. In his first two years with the Galaxy, he played for two coaches and was shipped to Columbus early in the 2006 season.

Despite two productive seasons with the Crew, he was left unprotected for San Jose's expansion draft and was quickly plucked by coach Frank Yallop.

"It's tough when you go to a new team," said Grabavoy. "My last year in Columbus, I had a really good season, then I'm in the expansion draft and then I'm on a completely new team with completely new players, and we all struggled together."

Shortly before the 2009 season, Grabavoy found himself looking for a home again after being waived by San Jose.

RSL coach Jason Kreis jumped at the chance to grab a player who won an NCAA title at Indiana and an MLS Cup with L.A. There were some risks, though.

Despite being good with his feet and comfortable in tight spaces, Grabavoy had developed a reputation as a mediocre defender.

"That was always the knock on him that he was very good going forward, but when the ball turned over, maybe not quite as committed as he needed to be," said Kreis.

That would never fly in RSL's system, where everyone is required to be a two-way player. Such accountability turned out to be a good thing, as Grabavoy has reinvented himself at Real Salt Lake.

Throughout his youth national team and college playing days, Grabavoy had always played either as an attacking midfielder or as a withdrawn forward. Even with L.A., Columbus and San Jose, that was often his role.