Sigi Schmid is no longer the head coach of the Seattle Sounders after they "mutually" agreed to part ways.
OFFICIAL: #Sounders, Sigi Schmid mutually agree to part ways: https://t.co/Pj8RBLYUCm pic.twitter.com/5s40QG2NLt
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) July 26, 2016
The news was announced on the official Sounders website and through their official Twitter account. Assistant coach Brian Schmetzer will take over interim duties until a replacement can be found.
“I want to thank Seattle Sounders FC for the opportunity to lead this club over the past eight years, with particular gratitude to Adrian Hanauer, Joe Roth and the rest of the club’s ownership group. I’d also like to thank my coaches and technical staff for the support they’ve given me, and most importantly I want to thank my players for their tremendous effort throughout the years,” Schmid said in a statement.
“I’m proud of the success we’ve achieved in winning five major trophies in Seattle, qualifying for the postseason for seven-straight seasons. My only disappointment is that we were unable to bring home an MLS Cup to our tremendous fans, who have always been supportive through good times and bad. In closing, I want to thank the Sounders FC organization, the club’s fans and the city of Seattle for this amazing run.”
Sounders General Manager and President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey also commented on Schmid's departure.
"It's been a privilege to work with a legend like Sigi and I've learned a lot from him. We thank him for his many years of excellent service to this club,” Lagerwey said. “He established a foundation that led this franchise to one of the best launches in professional sports history. It will be tough for any coach to match the legacy of success he has established, and it is with a heavy heart that we part ways with such a respected figure."
It has not been a good season for the Sounders, as they have slipped to just a point above the Houston Dynamo, and have lost more games (12) then any other team in either conference. While Schmid has the most regular-season victories of any coach (228) and the second in post-season (26), behind Bruce Arena (30), he was never able to bring an MLS Cup home to Seattle.
Frustrations seemed to have come to a boil in the Sounders 3-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City, which many called the worst performance in franchise history.
The Sounders almost became the first team in MLS history to not attempt a shot in a match. Photo: @caitlinmurr | Twitter
Still, Schmid is widely recognized as the major factor behind the Sounders' rise to prominence in the MLS, and this move is certainly a big gamble. All eyes will be on whether the Sounders can find a forward-thinking coach to move the team forward. Otherwise seasons like this may become all too commonplace.
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