TUKWILA — Albert Rusnak just wanted respect.

Sounders majority owner Adrian Hanauer was able to show that reverence with a simple phone call.

Rusnak’s family vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, last December overlapped a few days with Hanauer’s time in the city. The latter invited Rusnak to his home for “a little recruiting,” hoping to gain an edge in negotiations for the former Real Salt Lake midfielder.

But the distance between the resort and Hanauer’s place, plus the sleep schedule of Rusnak’s then-three-month-old daughter, prevented the meeting.

“If she ain’t happy then no one’s happy,” Rusnak teased.

The gesture ended up being enough to end a turbulent time in Salt Lake.

Rusnak will make his first return to RSL on Saturday when the Claret and Cobalt (0-0-1) host the Sounders (0-1) in the club’s home opener at Rio Tinto Stadium. The Slovakian international moved from Europe in 2017 to play for Real, captaining the team last season as it reached the Western Conference championship game.

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“I hold no grudges or anything against anyone,” Rusnak said. “It was my home for five years (so) I’m looking forward to going back. How I will be welcomed back, I don’t know. I’m prepared for both scenarios. But I’m not nervous, I’m looking forward to it.”

Rusnak’s curiosity comes from the way he was treated by the front office in the final year of his contract. As Rusnak started every regular-season match, finishing the 34-game schedule with an MLS career-high 11 goals and 11 assists, his agent was trying to negotiate an extension.

RSL, at the time, didn’t have an owner. Billionaire businessman Dell Loy Hansen was forced to sell the team in 2020 after allegedly making racist and sexist comments — including to Rusnak’s agent, Aidy Ward, a Black man — and cultivating a toxic work environment.

Rusnak said team personnel told him they wanted to continue to build the team around him and midfielder Damir Kreilach, who had 16 goals and nine assists last season. But the ownership limbo was an obstacle.

RSL’s sale to a group led by David Blitzer, a part owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, and Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith was announced the first week of January. The following week Rusnak signed as a designated player for Seattle.

Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Albert Rusnak photographed Friday, Feb. 4 in Tukwila. (Jennifer Buchanan / The Seattle Times)
With addition of Albert Rusnak, Seattle is loaded with talent. How far will it take them in 2022?
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“It was excuses,” Rusnak said. “The front office, the GM, everybody can make excuses for the whole last season. Saying, ‘We don’t have an ownership. We don’t know how to do this.’ I’m sure there’s ways and you can figure it out. I’m sure you can speak to the league and you can come to a conclusion if you wanted to figure it out.

“We overcame many, many obstacles. For what we really had, we overachieved for many reasons as well. Being five years and being the captain, I would imagine they come up with some sort of offer. I’m not saying if they made an offer I would’ve stayed. That’s probably not the case anyway. It’s just the respect thing.”

RSL representatives didn’t respond to requests for comment regarding Rusnak’s departure. The club posted on Twitter their appreciation for his contributions once the Sounders made their announcement, stating, “We thank Albert for his dedication to the club, city and state of Utah the last five years. Best of luck in the future, Albert!”

Seattle’s history of consistent success and front-office stability hooked Rusnak, a married father of two daughters. He’s started the club’s opening three matches, helping the Sounders advance to the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals.

“It was an easy match,” said Rusnak, who’s reunited with his former head coach in Sounders assistant Freddy Juarez and Craig Waibel, who initially recruited Rusnak to Utah. Waibel left RSL in 2019 and later became the Sounders’ sporting director in April 2021.

“The interest came from Seattle and I was very interested as well,” Rusnak continued. “You put two and two together and it’s simple.”

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A Real challenge

The path to the Sounders’ success does not go through Salt Lake. Seattle hasn’t defeated RSL in a regular-season match at Rio Tinto Stadium since 2011, going 1-10-3 all-time in the facility.

RSL also upset the Sounders in the playoff opener last year. Seattle outshot Real 21-0 through 120 minutes, resulting in a goal-less draw. The Claret and Cobalt advanced 6-5 on penalty kicks.

Rusnak wasn’t part of his former team’s playoff win after testing positive for COVID-19. He said he suffered harsh symptoms for four days but was able to return for the conference championship game — a loss to the Portland Timbers.

“They have a good mindset at home,” Sounders keeper Stefan Frei said of why, in addition to altitude, it’s been difficult to beat RSL on the road. “A few years back (2010) they were undefeated at home (so) that mentality has trickled down even if they’ve lost some players here and there. The conditions are not easy. As a goalkeeper, the ball moves faster. I can boot it a little farther, but the shots come faster, too. They’re also a good side. Kreilach is one of the better players in this league.”

The addition of Rusnak can’t help the Sounders adjust to the altitude or field conditions. Seattle will also be without striker Raul Ruidiaz (hamstring).

But Rusnak does add another playmaker to Seattle’s depth in the midfield. He showed the skill in getting the ball to winger Leo Chu for a goal in Seattle’s win against F.C. Motagua in CCL play last week. In an MLS match against a strong defensive side in Nashville SC, the Sounders struggled to connect their passes — but Rusnak led the team at 87.2% in the loss.

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“He’s incredibly technical,” Sounders forward Jordan Morris said. “Really good on the ball. You can see that in games where he can find little back passes from behind. He’s a really creative player and a really good finisher. We’re lucky to have him.”

Rusnak feels he’s the fortunate one. He remains in the group chat with his former teammates, enjoyed the way the fans treated him and had fun in the club’s snow games. The stretches without an owner, interim coaches and off-field environment amid a pandemic were just unsustainable .

With Seattle, Rusnak said he has a better chance to win another championship, the last being in 2015 when he led FC Groningen to the Dutch domestic cup.

“What I’ve seen so far from this team is we have so much quality here that if someone is not performing the others can help,” Rusnak said. “Playing with better players, I think it’s going to improve me as well. That was part of my decision as well. It’s all of my expectations.”

And a little respect.