Page 2 – Seattle Football

Seattle Sounders Lose Alonso to Minnesota United

Seattle Sounders have lost a major part of the squad after Osvaldo Alonso has decided to quit the club for Minnesota United. Alonso is the all-time leader in the Seattle Sounders history when it comes to the number of starts, appearances, and minutes spent on the pitch. He has been part of the Seattle set up since 2009 and he was also the last member of the original team that debuted in that season. Brian Schmetzer has been able to see Alonso from close up for almost a decade and he says that the player remains an icon in various aspects.

Alonso has had an immense impact at Seattle Sounders due to his drive and determination, which was apparent even in training, according to the manager. After having been able to claim the MLS Cup title by beating Toronto FC, Alonso has now been able to leave on a high. The Cuban has been able to win the team MVP on five occasions and he was also named in the MLS All-Star team on four occasions. He is only 13 appearances behind Zach Scott for the most number of appearances for Seattle Sounders across all competitions and this record goes back to 1974.
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Schmetzer Agrees New Contract with Seattle Sounders

Brian Schmetzer has been able to silently agree a new contract with Seattle Sounders. The confirmed that the manager is now under contract for a few more years. The formal announcement has not come about due to a personal request by the manager, who has often been reluctant to get credit for the successes achieved by the team. His policy of staying under the radar is once again evident from this move.Schmetzer claims that he is delighted to be part of an organisation that has been able to give him a lot of freedom to work in the best possible manner.

Schmetzer came to Seattle Sounders on an interim basis in 2016. He came to the club when Seattle were going to aim tough period of time, but he has been able to get a 47-25-23 record with the club. This translates into a return of 1.73 points per match. He has also been able to achieve a 7-3-3 record in the play-offs. This translates into one of the best career record for an MLS coach aside from Gerardo Martino, who has been able to achieve 1.82 points per match. Crucially, Schmetzer has an excellent record when it comes to the MLS Cup since he has been able to take his teams to the competition more often than not. The 2018 campaign is the first year in which Schmetzer has been able to achieve this feat.
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Seattle Keep 10

The Seattle Sounders have named 10 players from their current 2018 squad that they are going to be retaining for the next season. Whilst most of the names in the list are to be expected, there are a couple of key players who have missed out which has raised a few eyebrows.

The most prominent name which has missed out is Osvaldo Alonso, who has provided his services to the club for a very long time, and will be missed by the fans.

After making the move to Seattle in 2009, Alonso has remained associated with the club ever since and has played a major role in club’s success over the years. Alonso’s physical game in the holding role in the midfield earned him a famous nickname “Honey Badger” at Seattle. Continue reading “Seattle Keep 10” →

Seattle Sounders boss responds after playoff disappointment

Seattle Sounders boss Brian Schmetzer has literally no complaints following the team’s playoff exit to Western Conference rivals Portland Timbers. The Sounders suffered a 2-1 defeat in the first leg of the playoffs on the road but they managed to level the aggregate in the reverse leg where five goals were scored in just 29 second half minutes.

With the scores level, progression had to be decided on a penalty shootout and Timbers eventually prevailed to reach the Western Conference finals, where they are scheduled to face Sporting Kansas City. Speaking after the game, Schmetzer said that he has no words to describe the result and believes his side gave everything they could to turn the result in their favour.
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Will Bruin pleased with impact against Houston Dynamo

Seattle Sounders striker Will Bruin has revealed his delight after getting onto the scoresheet during the 4-1 mauling of Houston Dynamo at home. The 28-year-old has gone without scoring for eight straight matches but he managed to end the streak by contributing the opening goal during the convincing triumph over Houston.

Speaking after the game, Bruin was relieved to have once more found the scoresheet and admitted that he had to make the most of the playing time after being handed just a second start in 10 appearances, he said: “For me personally it was good to get back on the score sheet. My minutes are limited now so I need to make the most of them. I think I did that tonight. I have scored goals every year in this league. As the league brings in higher quality players, a lot of them are attackers so I kind of have to evolve my game. I think I’ve done that throughout the years. Whenever I get my opportunities, I’m just going to do my job and try and score goals.”
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Palacios & Crouch wanted to stay

Miami FC star Wilson Palacios might never have played for Stoke City (alongside legendary striker Peter Crouch), if Crouch had had his way! Former England international Peter Crouch has revealed that he never quite wanted the move to Stoke City. The 37-year old joined the club from Spurs in the summer of 2011 in a deadline day transfer. The tall forward, known for his heading skills, said he was practically forced out of Tottenham Hotspur. He argued that he had two years left on his contract, and just did well in the Champions League the previous season.

Crouch said he was happy at White Hart Lane, and that the club was settled. Out of the blue, Chairman Daniel Levy said he wanted to bring Emmanuel Adebayor to the club. That means Crouch and Wilson Palacios had to exit the side in a £16 million deal to the Potters. Continue reading “Palacios & Crouch wanted to stay” →