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Don't lose momentum
When last we saw Real Salt Lake, we were neck-and-neck for the two of the league's highest honors, the Supporters Shield and the MLS Cup. The hire of Jeff Cassar speaks to this resolution, and it's one that is surely underlined whenever it's written. We have an immensely positive momentum at the club at current; if we can keep moving in the same direction, we should be in with a chance at reaching the same level of success or (hopefully) better. It's no sure thing, and it certainly isn't easy.
Transition young players into players competing for starts
We have a strong group of young players that are in need of minutes, and finding time for them should be high on our list of priorities.
The list isn't unsubstantial: Jeff Attinella, Rich Balchan, Carlos Salcedo, Aaron Maund, Enzo Martinez, Sebastian Velasquez, John Stertzer, Cole Grossman, Olmes Garcia, Devon Sandoval, Joao Plata -- and that only touches the surface.
If we're to be successful in the long term with this squad, we'll have to take the depth we've been fostering over the last year and turn it into something more definite. As a result, 2014 promises to be a difficult year for the promoted Cassar, who will have to balance even more than Kreis the development of young players and the continuity brought by veterans. It's a position that leaves us in a volatile place, but that volatility could be what spurs us on to greater things.
Bring in new, young talent to complement the squad depth
Our academy continues to grow, giving us a real pipeline of talent to look toward in the future. It's vital that we continue down that path for the future of the club; providing youngsters a genuine chance -- and a motivation that they could get a genuine chance -- could be the differentiator between an 18-year-old going to Europe and coming to Real Salt Lake.
Further, we do have three draft picks with which to contend (one in the first round, two in the third round) -- finding time for new players like that might be important. But with last year's draft picks also needing time -- John Stertzer, Devon Sandoval -- in order to continue development, it will be tricky.