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Sandy • Tony Beltran had two and a half months to stew on the malfunctions of 2015.
For Real Salt Lake's right back, that time was to "think about what should've been, what could've been and what wasn't."
Sometime between watching the Portland Timbers hoist their MLS Cup trophy in early December and the remaining winter months, Beltran decided missing the playoffs was the best thing that could've happened to RSL.
"We didn't deserve to [make the postseason]," Beltran added. "We had to learn from that and had to learn from our mistakes and we had to be better. Otherwise, we'd be in the same place."
Spoken like a veteran who has moved on, but won't forget the feelings of a ninth-place finish in the Western Conference a year ago.
RSL reconvened Friday afternoon for 2016 entrance physicals, kicking off a preseason that will last 34 days. On Day 34, RSL will face Liga MX champions UANL Tigres in Monterrey, Mexico, in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series.
"The intensity [this preseason] will be high with the disappointment of last year," said Jordan Allen. "That alone will be fueling us."
During Saturday's Media Day at the South Towne Expo Center, players on a retooled RSL said the shortcomings of a year ago will be motivation to start a new postseason streak in 2016.
Star midfielder Javier Morales, who turned 36 two weeks ago, said he's looking at the three-week mark from Saturday as to when RSL needs to be prepared for Tigres. Captain Kyle Beckerman said the last time he had three months off was 2007, adding, "Hopefully next year will be shorter."
The questions entering 2016 are different than 2015.
Then, debates raged whether RSL's championship window was closing, or had closed.
Now, it's how RSL can assimilate several new faces coming off the worst season in nine years?
"I think our main thought of last year was it's a fluke and let's move on to this year, and what Real Salt Lake is all about and what we've built so far and get to the top of the table and fight for everything," Beckerman said.
How quickly striker Yura Movsisyan reacclimatizes himself to MLS is a talking point. The 27-year-old left RSL after helping the club win the MLS Cup in 2009 and spent the past six seasons in Denmark and Russia. The physical center forward has scored 48 goals in 112 matches in the Russian Premier League since 2011.
"I have to perform," he said. "I have to score goals, because I put that responsibility on myself."
No player was more elated to hear of Movsisyan's return than Beltran. The two grew up together in the Pasadena, Calif., area and were youth club teammates.
"[He used to] come to high school football games and pick on people who picked on me," Beltran said.
The state of RSL roster's remains fluid. This week the club parted ways with former Designated Player Sebastian Jaime, who returned to Chile. The same day, RSL announced the signing of Nigerian 'Sunny' Obayan, a defensive-minded central midfielder who came up in the Valencia system in Spain.
Throw in the signing of forward Emery Welshman from Real Monarchs, Homegrown signing Danilo Acosta and RSL draft picks Omar Holness and Max Lachowecki, that leaves the short preseason as a crucial time to gel.
"It should be an easy transition for them," Beckerman said. "We'll do everything we can to make it comfortable for them."
A looming potential addition is a center back who general manager Craig Waibel has been discussing in recent weeks. But he remains a mystery player and entering preseason, the starting center back combo looks to be veteran Jamison Olave — who turns 35 in April — and Aaron Maund, who had a standout season in 2016. Shoring up the central defense was a point of emphasis for RSL this offseason, having conceded 48 goals in 2015, second-most in the West.
Players and coaches vowed this week they'll be fit for the start of a condensed preseason that takes them from Oceanside, Calif., to Tijuana, Mexico, to Tucson, Ariz., in preparation for Tigres. Each player was on a specific, arduous offseason conditioning program to guarantee so.
If fitness isn't an issue, they should be able to focus on tactics and everything else necessary to start the 2016 and forget 2015.
"We do have a plan, but if I tell everyone what that is, I just don't want [the players] to buy into it because it's in print," Waibel said this week. "I want it to be obvious. I hope that six, seven, eight weeks in, we're seeing our fan base identify with what our coaches and our team is trying to do."
Twitter: @chriskamrani —
RSL preseason highlights
» Jan. 30: Friendly vs. San Diego State (SoCal Sports Complex)
» Feb. 2: Friendly at Tijuana (Estadio Caliente, Tijuana, Mexico)
» Feb. 11-20: Desert Diamond Cup at Tucson, Ariz.
» Feb. 24: at UANL Tigres, CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals
» March 2: vs. UANL Tigres, CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals
» March 6: at Orlando City, MLS season opener