First round of open tryouts this weekend. Preliminary tryouts roster: http://goalseattle1.proboards101.com...ead=1201872095 Sounders to announce returning 'core' signings within a week or so. Sounders will be bringing in a few foreign players for invited tryouts as they try to discover MLS talent they can sign for beyond 2008. Those player signings will be announced as they occur March-April.
Sounders will play 6 pre-season matches, and the first one is less than 6 weeks away! That schedule should be posted on the club website soon. Sounders kick off USL-1 play in Charleston April 19th, at home against Portland May 10th at Qwest Field. Season schedule: http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2008/22379.html The Sounders are 'owed' a visit by Kansas City Wizards in return for Seattle's pre-season trip to KC (3-2 loss) last year. It's unclear when that might happen, or at which venue.
Here's a 2008 Sounders home league schedule wallpaper for your computer desktop, in several resolutions: http://goalseattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/2008-sounders-home-slate-wallpaper.html
A cherished memory from last season... [youtube]nl9ki7JUVj0[/youtube] The monster 18-minute version of GOALSeattle's video from Championship night is online here: http://www.dailymotion.com/sounderfan/video/x33ptp_2007uslchamps_sport
Quick question bout Sounders upcoming season, why are they not playing home games at QWest field?? I had alot of fun last year going to games at Qwest and wanted to watch the Sounders another year before the MLS team. Living on the peninsula makes it hard to get to games after work if they arent within walking distance from a ferry. Anyways just wondering why they are doing that... thanks
I'm in the same 'boat' as you, Lamil. I was spoiled by being able to walk off the downtown dock and over to Qwest. The club never said why they moved, but my guess is that Hanauer felt since he is the sole MLS owner involved in the USL Sounders that he should 'graciously' take them out of Qwest so that whatever is happening with the new MLS team is in no way 'upstaged.' He wants the MLS team build-up to be the focus. Then MLS 'brings soccer back' to Qwest in 2009. I am not saying I agree with that thinking, it is just a guess as to one possible way they might have been thinking when they made the decision.
So if the Sounders make another great run in the US Open Cup, will the games be at QWest or Starfire? I would prefer QWest, myself.
Everyone I have spoken to, FO and press, say the same thing: USOC matches vs USL1 and higher opponents, and friendlies, at Qwest, all other matches at Starfire.
Wouldn't it just be easier to just say that they are doing what they can to sweep the 2008 USL-1 team under the rug? Remember, MLS is "bringing the worlds game back to Seattle" As if the A-League/USL-1 team has played some other version of the game for the past 13+ years I will be surprised if they do any marketing at all for 2008. I have to wonder if they will even have pocket schedules this season...
One thing I know I'll be watching for... Right now www.SeattleSounders.net points several story links directly to www.MLSinSeattle.com. The MLS website currently has zippo links back to the Sounders. I hope that changes as we get closer to the start of the USL-1 season, but I won't be holding my breath. Edit: Oops. I logged in as 'sounder fan.'
http://goalseattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/sounders-announce-6-players-re-signed.html In negotiations: Chris Eylander Re-signed* or option picked up: Taylor Graham* Danny Jackson* Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar* Roger Levesque* Leighton O'Brien* Kenji Treschuk* Ben Dragavon Sebastien Le Toux Noah Merl Colin Rigby Kevin Sakuda Andre Schmid Zach Scott Adam West
The Sounders released their pre-season schedule today: http://goalseattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/sounders-host-whitecaps-march-22-in-pre.html They kick off March 22 at Starfire against Vancouver Whitecaps at 7 PM. I was told there will be a season ticket holders "Meet and Greet" before the match.
Dunno if he's getting MLS feelers, but Chris knows he has a place here, so that probably explains the "no rush" on his part.
i ordered my season tickets the first week of jan, and still have not received any info on them. anyone have theirs yet?
Goalkeeper Chris Eylander re-signs: http://seattlesounders.com/Newsite9...section=news&ID=750&onRelease=[type+Function]
Here's today's update about Kitsap... http://kitsapsun.com/news/2008/feb/28/plan-to-lure-seattle-sounders-build-nk-soccer/ "(Since) MLS is going to Seattle, it makes no sense to have a lesser team somewhere within striking distance of Qwest Field," Waite said. So when he asked about transferring the club across the water to Poulsbo, nobody objected. "There were a few raised eyebrows," Waite said. "If they feel I want to do it, it's my poison." Seattle's MLS team still hasn't been named. It's possible they could keep the name Sounders. If not, Waite said he would likely name his team the Sounders. Waite submitted his application to relocate the franchise to the USL league office in Tampa, Fla., about a week and a half ago, he said.
I couldn't care less, I just don't think it belongs in a thread with this title. Isn't there a thread in the USL section for this kind of information?