Sounders FC News & Notes: Nov. 24
Sounders FC submitted its list of 11 protected players on Monday.
Protected players: Osvaldo Alonso (MF), Brad Evans (MF), Leo Gonzalez (DF), Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (DF), Patrick Ianni (DF), Nate Jaqua (FW), Kasey Keller (GK), Freddie Ljungberg (MF), Tyrone Marshall (DF), Fredy Montero (FW), Steve Zakuani (MF)
Unprotected players: Terry Boss (GK), Evan Brown (DF), Chris Eylander (GK), Michael Fucito (MF), Taylor Graham (DF) Stephen King (MF), Sebastien Le Toux (MF), Roger Levesque (FW), Lamar Neagle (DF), Sanna Nyassi (MF), James Riley (DF), Zach Scott (DF), Nathan Sturgis (DF), Peter Vagenas (MF), Tyson Wahl (DF)
Give Us Your Full 90 Again in 2010! Sigi's Back Home MLS Executive Awards
Sounders FC are currently accepting deposits for 2010 season tickets. To join, please visit SoundersFC.com or call 877-MLS-GOAL.
Sounders FC Head Coach Sigi Schmid was released from Bellevue's Overlake Hospital on Monday. Schmid was hospitalized for four nights after being diagnosed with pneumonia. He had been admitted last Thursday after experiencing difficulty breathing.
The 2009 MLS Club Executive Award Winners were announced prior to the MLS Cup in Seattle last Sunday, and the Sounders FC was presented a total of eight individual and group awards by Commissioner Don Garber.
Doug Hamilton Executive of the Year: Gary Wright, Seattle Sounders FC
Bound for Europe Vegas Tryouts MLS Cup Attendance
Community Relations Department of the Year presented by MLS W.O.R.K.S: Seattle Sounders FC
Operations Director of the Year: Bart Wiley, Seattle Sounders FC
Concessionaire/Merchandiser of the Year: Sue Harris, Seattle Sounders FC
Ticketing Executive of the Year: Chuck Arnold, Seattle Sounders FC
Ticket Sales Team of the Year: Seattle Sounders FC
Public Relations Award, Team: Seattle Sounders FC
Marketing Executive of the Year: Stephanie Gray, Seattle Sounders FC
Two members of the coaching staff will go overseas next month to observe techniques used by European clubs. Fitness coach David Tenney will travel to Holland from November 30 through December 9, visiting with peers for Ajax Amsterdam, PSV Eindhoven, and SC Heerenveen. Goalkeeper coach Tom Dutra will be a guest of VfB Stuttgart and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim of the German Bundesliga from December 4-16.
Sounders FC will host an invitational tryout in Las Vegas from December 18-20. Approximately 70 slots are open to domestic and foreign players coming out of college or now out of contract with USL teams.
Attendance for last Sunday's MLS Cup was 46,011--the largest for a final since 2002 and the fourth-largest in League history. The crowd ranks No. 7 for soccer since Qwest Field opened in 2002 and No. 10 in Seattle history.
The top 10 Seattle attendances are as follows:
| 66,848 | August 5, 2009 | Qwest Field | Seattle v Barcelona (friendly) |
| 66,830 | August 9, 2006 | Qwest Field | Real Madrid v D.C. United (friendly) |
| 66,722 | July 22, 2003 | Seahawks Stadium | Manchester United v Celtic (friendly) |
| 65,289 | July 18, 2009 | Qwest Field | Sounders FC v Chelsea (friendly) |
| 58,218 | April 9, 1976 | Kingdome | Seattle v New York (friendly; Pele 2 goals) |
| 56,416 | April 16, 2008 | Qwest Field | Mexico v China (friendly) |
| 56,256 | August 25, 1977 | Kingdome | Seattle v Los Angeles (NASL playoffs) |
| 49,606 | August 9, 1980 | Kingdome | New York at Seattle (NASL) |
| 47,052 | May 31, 2008 | Qwest Field | Brazil v Canada (friendly) |
| 46,011 | November 22, 2009 | Qwest Field | Los Angeles v Salt Lake (MLS Cup) |
The top 10 Qwest Field soccer attendances are as follows:
| 66,848 | August 5, 2009 | Seattle v Barcelona (friendly) |
| 66,830 | August 9, 2006 | Real Madrid v D.C. United (friendly) |
| 66,722 | July 22, 2003 | Manchester United v Celtic (friendly) |
| 65,289 | July 18, 2009 | Sounders FC v Chelsea (friendly) |
| 56,416 | April 16, 2008 | Mexico v China (friendly) |
| 47,052 | May 31, 2008 | Brazil v Canada (friendly) |
| 46,011 | November 22, 2009 | Los Angeles v Salt Lake (MLS Cup) |
| 35,807 | October 29, 2009 | Seattle v Houston (MLS Conference semifinal) |
| 33,108 | October 24, 2009 | Seattle v Dallas (MLS) |
| 32,776 | August 20, 2009 | Seattle v New England (MLS) |
The top 10 MLS Cup Playoffs attendances are as follows:
| 61,316 | October 20, 2002 | Gillette Stadium | Los Angeles 1, New England 0 (Final) |
| 57,431 | October 26, 1997 | RFK Stadium | D.C. United 2, Colorado 1 (Final) |
| 51,350 | October 25, 1998 | Rose Bowl | Chicago 2, D.C. United 0 (Final) |
| 46,011 | November 22, 2009 | Xbox Pitch/Qwest | Los Angeles v Salt Lake (Final) |
| 44,910 | November 21, 1999 | Foxboro Stadium | D.C. United 2, Los Angeles 0 (Final) |
| 39,859 | November 18, 2007 | RFK Stadium | Houston 2, New England 1 (Final) |
| 39,159 | October 15, 2000 | RFK Stadium | Kansas City 1, Chicago 0 (Final) |
| 35,807 | October 29, 2009 | Xbox Pitch/Qwest | Seattle 0, Houston 0 (Conference Semi) |
| 34,643 | October 20, 1996 | Foxboro Stadium | D.C. United 3, Los Angeles 2 (Final) |
| 32,744 | October 16, 1998 | Soldier Field | Chicago 2, Los Angeles 1 (Semifinal) |
Seattle Hosts Union, 2010 First Kick
The 2010 MLS season will begin where 2009 finished-in Seattle. Sounders FC will face Philadelphia Union on March 25 on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. The match will be nationally televised by ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. PT.
The complete MLS schedule will be released in February, 2010. Each team will play 30 games, facing each team twice (home and away).
Twelve other teams will begin their 2010 season on March 27. MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake will host Seattle in its home opener on April 10 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Throw-Ins
Steve Zakuani was one of 26 Generation adidas graduates listed by MLS this week. Zakuani was signed to the program prior to becoming the top choice in the 2009 SuperDraft. Members of Generation adidas do not count against an MLS team's salary budget... Kasey Keller celebrates his 40th birthday on Sunday, November 22. Leo Gonzalez turned 29 on November 21...Seattle's Fado Irish Pub is among the finalists for U.S. Soccer Best Soccer Bar. Online voting began this week at ussoccer.com.
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