RSL announces Freddy Juarez, Elliott Fall as coach, GM after interim spell

After several months near the top of Real Salt Lake’s soccer structure in an interim capacity, both Freddy Juarez and Elliott Fall have won permanent positions as head coach and general manager, respectively.

The announcement came on the heels of rumored interest from former Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis, who was said to be interviewing for the roles. His interest, it seemed, fell apart at some point in the process.

This left Juarez and Fall as the fairly obvious options in his stead. Juarez knows the organization well, having a long tenure. He first started with the club as an academy coach in the 2010-11 season, during which time he helped produce a number of professional players.

From a club-issued release, Dell Loy Hansen on Juarez:

“When you look at Freddy and the progression that he has taken, he has the natural heart to develop. He will constantly develop players and help them improve their game and he’s done that for 10 years. Players love to play for Freddy. He’s a father figure and he’s respected. He’s beloved and that’s hard to find in a coach.”

Juarez:

“Having gone through everything with the Academy and the Monarchs and now being able to lead the organization with the first team is awesome. It’s something I never dreamed of, but it’s what I’ve been working for in continuing to get better as a coach and leader,” Juarez said. “I want to thank Mr. Hansen for the opportunity and trust that he has placed in me and the fans for their support. I can’t wait for the season to start in 2020.”

Hansen, on Fall:

“Today is a big day for Real Salt Lake and we are proud to recognize the development of Elliot Fall, Dan Egner and Tony Beltran. All three have honed their skills in the organization and we are confident in their abilities to help us reach our goals to be among the top teams in the Western Conference and to win championships.”

Fall:

“It’s a huge job. It’s a lot of responsibility. This is a club that I’ve grown up in, a club that I’ve been a fan of and a club that I’ve worked my entire career in. I’m really excited to get going and start building a winner. I’ve had the honor of working under a lot of special people here. Working directly for Garth Lagerwey, Jason Kreis, Bill Manning and Craig Waibel, I’ve had a lot of people to learn from and seen a lot of success along the way. I feel like I have a good idea of what success looks like and now we’ve got to keep pushing ourselves forward.”

Beltran:

“Staying in soccer and continuing to work with RSL is the right thing for me to do beyond my playing career. The club has been my home for twelve years, and I care deeply about its future. Discussions with Mr. Hansen and the front office staff about their vision for the organization cemented this truth; I want to remain part of where RSL is heading. I’m thankful to all involved in entrusting me with the opportunity to do so as Assistant General Manager. In this new role I will continue to always value the wellbeing of the organization, while never forgetting the club’s responsibility as an heir of pride for the community.”

Juarez had been interim coach since Mike Petke was fired from the position on Aug. 11. He assumed the role following Petke’s suspension following the July 24 incident; following the suspension, Juarez led RSL to a 7-2-4 record — a considerable improvement over the first half of the season.