We promised it would happen eventually and we came through: Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer joined us on the show this week. Through some technical difficulties, he shed some light on the acquisition of Obafemi Martins as well as a host of other subjects. We also tried to get to the root of what makes "House Hunters: International" so darn popular, as well as agreeing that the new host of "Property Virgins" doesn't quite do it for us.
Both Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer and Coach Sigi Schmid talked briefly about the potential Designated Player signing of former Levante player Obafemi Martins when practice at Starfire wrapped up today. While neither was willing to confirm the deal, their words make the deal seem quite close to being done.
The roster for Seattle Sounders FC is not yet complete. There are a few players who joined the squad late (Joseph, Traore), a couple injuries (Ianni, Johansson) and there is the dangling rumor about Obafemi Martins being pursued by the club. This is a strong indication that the club is close to signing the Levante forward, but needs some good fortune to finish the deal.
With little news in the Obafemi Martins saga, besides club posturing, Adrian Hanauer recently indicated that the deal is close to the finish line, but not yet complete. "If we can't [complete the deal] we'll go to Plan B. But with rumors circling the Seattle Sounders for months it is hard to tell if Martins was actually Plan A anyway.
Ever since the Seattle Sounders revealed that Christian Tiffert had not joined the team in Arizona, speculation has started to build that something was amiss. What exactly that situation may be remains unclear, but Sigi Schmid gave strong indications on ExtraTime Radio that it's more complicated than a simple injury.
Former New England and Chivas USA midfielder Shalrie Joseph was acquired today in a deal that also netted Seattle Sounders FC the third spot in Allocation Order, a second round draft pick in each of the next two drafts and an unknown amount of cap relief though he is still a Designated Player. Chivas now has Seattle's old 15th spot in Allocation Order.
It's certainly not the blockbuster deal we've been waiting for, but the Seattle Sounders will have at least one interesting international with them when they open training camp next week. Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer confirmed Danish reports that Danish midfielder Philip Lund would be competing for a spot on the team.
Although Seattle Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer would not comment specifically on Fredy Montero's reported loan to Colombian club Millonarios, he did tell Sounder at Heart on Friday that any loss of a Designated Player would only be done if the corresponding roster spot was opened up.
Hanauer also reiterated that the Sounders are willing to make drastic roster changes if they believe those moves will help them compete for MLS Cup this year.
Fans of MLS side Seattle Sounders have elected to keep manager Adrian Hanauer in his job, after they were given the chance to vote on the decision. The Sounders are also part-owned by Hanauer, and when he took over the manager's job four years ago he promised the fans that after his first 'term in [.
Seattle Sounders fans voted overwhelmingly Thursday night to retain general manager Adrian Hanauer. In what is believed to be the first time in the history of American professional sports that fans voted on the fate of a manager, 13,271 Sounders [...]
The post After GM Retained, Sounders Ready to Spend appeared first on Soccer Perspectives.
If you're one of those Seattle Sounders fans who thinks the team's biggest failure is an unwillingness to spend big money on the best players, this may be the offseason for you.
Speaking at the End of Year Business Meeting on Friday, majority owner Joe Roth made it clear that money would be no object as the team continues the pursuit of the MLS Cup.
SEATTLE, Wash. In one of the less surprising voting results of fall 2012, Seattle Sounders' fans have given general manager Adrian Hanauer another four years at the team's helm.
The result was widely expected given that the team reached the playoffs each of its first four years in MLS, winning three U.
The indications of a future HomeGrown Player signing are out in public. The Seattle Sounders have needs, but that will only be part of the decision making process, the larger decision point for Adrian Hanauer and his staff is whether or not the young man is ready to be a professional.
"Our overarching philosophy is that we will sign homegrowns when they are ready to be professional soccer players," Adrian Hanauer told Sounder at Hear, "but certainly if we were seven deep at centerback we might not sign a homegrown because it wouldn't be good for that player.
When the Seattle Sounders traded Jeff Parke to the Philadelphia Union for Allocation Money and a draft pick it freed up some cap space, but not enough. While the primary reason for the trade was due to Parke's request to be closer to his family, Seattle did manage to use it and gain some advantage in this upcoming Year of the Reload (tm).
It's official, the Philadelphia Union have brought a local boy home.
The Union and the Seattle Sounders announced that a trade that will send Jeff Parke to the Union has been processed by Major League Soccer. Seattle will receive allocation money and a first round pick in the 2013 MLS Supplemental Draft.
When Adrian Hanauer said the Seattle Sounders were feeling the salary-cap crunch during his postseason press conference, there were definitely some skeptics. Their total team salary was only the eighth highest in the league, after all. How bad could it be?
Well, we decided to run the numbers and it appears the Sounders GM was giving it to us pretty straight.
It was only a third of the way into the press conference, but the most poignant statement of Sigi Schmid's was his answer to the question "Do you want Fredy Montero back?" Sigi's response was simple. "I want all my players back." Of course that was after 21 minutes of he and Adrian Hanauer explaining how that will not be possible.
After Wilmer Crisanto went on Honduran radio program Football First, La Tibuna reported some of the statements of the right back. Per google translate he sees the upcoming semifinal match as one of the most important in his life. The story are also suggests that Sounders Assistant Coach and Scout Kurt Schmid will be the one traveling to offer final judgement.
The Seattle Sounders plan to bring forward Eddie Johnson back for another year. Just hours after the 28-year-old U.S. national team player won the MLS Comeback Player of the Year, Sounders general manager Adrian Hanauer announced they will exercise their [...]
The post Sounders' Johnson Wins Comeback Player of Year appeared first on Soccer Perspectives.
Win or lose a record crowd will be on hand Sunday to see the Seattle Sounders attempt to claw their way out of a 3-0 aggregate-goal hole in the second leg of the Western Conference finals against the LA Galaxy. Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer told Nos Audietis that more than 40,000 tickets had already been sold for the game, which would make it the highest attended non-MLS Cup final in playoff history.
It was a week of extreme emotions. It started off in spectacular fashion when the Seattle Sounders broke their playoff curse by beating Real Salt Lake 1-0 in the second leg of the Western Conference semifinals.
Before that really had much time to sink in, the Sounders were playing the LA Galaxy in the first leg of the Western Conference finals on about two days of rest.
When is good not good enough? In sports, that happened in Atlanta when the consistently strong performance of the Braves eventually was not good enough to maintain attendance. In Seattle, where the Sounders season ticket holders have the right to vote, good isn't good enough for those that want Hanauer out.
There will be an important election this fall, and no, we're not talking about that election.
For the first time in team history, supporters of the Seattle Sounders will vote whether or not to keep Adrian Hanauer as general manager. The Sounders announced the first fan vote for general manager in U.
From Oct. 7 to Dec. 7, season ticket holders for the Seattle Sounders will get to cast a vote either for or against retaining Adrian Hanauer as the team's general manager.
Hanauer will probably receive a majority of votes to keep his job, but the fact that there's even a possibility of fans voting out a successful general manager just goes to show how stupid this process is.
Adrian Hanauer (left) will have his job voted on by the fans. (Getty Images)
One of the most talked about things surrounding the Seattle Sounders as an expansion team was the notion that every few years their fans would be able to vote on their General Manager's position.
The biggest of leagues and the biggest of clubs made their moves on Deadline Day. Dozens of players swapped clubs, sometimes for big money. A few MLSers even jumped the pond making the league and the clubs some cash as well. But things are not done yet. The window for MLS is still wide open, and that's the one that matters most when acquiring talent.
In case you missed it, Adrian Hanauer was retained as GM of the Seattle Sounders Football Club. It wasn't even close. Other notes:
The Sounders fanbase sits just outside the top 25 in worldwide average attendance. If you put all the clubs into a single league, and promoted and relegated based on attendance, the Sounders would be in competition for the Premier league, or La Liga, or whichever.
It's not a perfect comparison, but given that coaches can hire their own sporting directors, international scouts and other front office staff that handle transfers, Nick Sakiewicz could be considered the Philadelphia Union's version of Adrian Hanauer.
Sakiewicz is a part owner of the Union and has played a pivotal part in the organization's development over since joining Major League Soccer in 2010.
The Seattle Sounders announced Friday that the club has come to terms with University of Akron right back DeAndre Yedlin to become the franchise's first Homegrown signing.
"We are thrilled to sign DeAndre as our first Homegrown Player," Sounders owner and general manager Adrian Hanauer said in a team statement.
On any short list of potential HomeGrown Player signings by Seattle Sounders FC DeAndre Yedlin was at the top. The fleet right back was a standout at Akron, with the Sounders U23s, with the Sounders Academy and at O'Dea High School as well. He is the Sounders first ever signing from their Academy and will compete to be depth at right back.
Sigi Schmid did two interviews as part of the buildup and reaction to his raising of the 12th Man flag. In the video over at Seahawks.com he mentions the extraordinarily short offseason gives him no rest while he helps guide the team through the quest for new players and dealing with the salary cap.
Seattle fans get their chance to vote Thumbs Up or Down on general manager Adrian Hanauer. Is he doing the job the supporters want? If they vote Yes then he stays and if they vote No he goes. Its amazing that the team has gone through with this early promise.
STORY OF THE DAY
Mike Woitalla of Soccer America looks at why youth development in Mexico has been so successful with the current generation of players.
Stage 2 of Re-Entry Draft takes place today at 3pm. Hackworth says to expect moves in draft. Valdes says Santa Fe loan has been offered but up to MLS. Adu No. 7 on American Soccer Now 10 Worst Values List. More news.
Reports and reaction on the Le Toux and Parke signings. American Outlaws Philly chapter says a bid has been submitted for PPL Park to host a World Cup qualifier. Messi breaks 40 year old record. More news.
There's that whole Obafemi thing that will continue to develop. There's that Cascadia Cup match against the Wesen to the South that will generate interest for diehards and generalists both near and far. The weekend features Academy games and a Reserve match at Starfire Sunday.
But first up is a little match that could be as historic as any.
Trialists are hit-and-miss, mainly miss. Do you remember Akeem Adams, Mrisho Ngassa, Ever Alvarado, Cillian Sheridan and the dozen of dozen others? But those hits, that finding of gemstones amongst the granite. The list of players who will be at Starfire and/or Arizona is starting to grow.
Philip Lund - Attacking Mid, FC Fyn, 23
Recently confirmed by Adrian Hanauer that he will be in camp.
Four Open Cup Finals. Four playoff appearances. Four Champions League runs. Runners-up for the Supporter's Shield.
Everything the Sounders have accomplished on the field in their first four years is remarkable. It is easy to become numb to the feats when they are a part of every day life. But this sort of success, prolonged and sustainable, just doesn't happen.
In Seattle Sounders FC's first ever General Manager retention vote Adrian Hanauer will be retained as the GM of the team. The vote surpassed the minimum of 10,000 votes cast with a total votes cast of 13,775 with only 504 voting a lack of confidence for a 96.7%. The vote was verified by CPA firm Moss Adams.
Seattle Sounders Alliance members are just a few days away from putting democracy in sport into action when voting opens whether to retain general manager Adrian Hanauer.
Yes, Sounders fans have major stake in the fate of Hanauer, who is less focused on stumping for fan support than on seeing the team earn a higher seed in the MLS playoffs.
