It took Real Salt Lake midfielder Leslie "Tiger" Fitzpatrick 76 minutes to get into the game last Saturday against Colorado.
It probably took less time than that for him to adjust to his new team. Fitzpatrick, a regular with the Trinidad and Tobago national team, was acquired by RSL just days before the home opener. And after taking the place of Luke Kreamalmeyer at left-midfield, he was playing in front of countryman Marlon Rojas in the left defense.
"We have a pretty good understanding of each other's style, and that definitely helps us out on the field," Fitzpatrick said. He first began playing alongside Rojas for the Trinidad and Tobago national youth teams when they were 15 years old, and they still play together with the main national team.
Rojas said the pair's familiarity will benefit the team.
"We're going to link up at some point on the field and make something of the combination," Rojas said. "It's very familiar ground." But even without Rojas on the team, Fitzpatrick would have found his place among his new teammates in short order. "From the first day, the guys were really accepting of me," Fitzpatrick said. "It wasn't that big of a transition."