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TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 5:21 P.M.
Report: Montero will not be charged
Posted by Todd Dybas
According to a Seattle Times story, the King County prosecutor says there is not enough evidence to charge Montero following a sexual assault allegation made by a 23-year-old woman from Bellevue.
You can read the story here.
SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 1:16 P.M.
Montero's agent: Montero fell into trap
Posted by Todd Dybas
One of Fredy Montero's agents, Helmut Wennin, told a Colombian news source that Montero "fell into a trap" with the woman who has alleged Montero sexually assaulted her. The agent also says this was the reason Montero did not go to Toronto with the team, contradicting statements from Sounders FC Montero was ill, and that was the reason he did not travel.
You can find the story, which is in Spanish, here.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1:07 A.M.
Sounders FC teaming up with Nothing But Nets to help fight malaria
Posted by Todd Dybas
Sounders FC will be part of a month-long campaign to raise funds for Nothing But Nets, an organization that purchases bed nets to fight malaria.
Fans will be able to contribute Saturday at ticket gates, the Pro Shop at Qwest Field or through soundersfc.com.
All the money will go toward the purchase, distribution and education of a bed net. Here's the simple version: Mosquitoes in third-world countries carrying malaria bite kids. The kids die. These nets keep the mosquitoes off the children. In Africa, malaria is the leading killer of children.
Monday, March 30, there will be a meet-and-greet with Sounders FC midfielder Sanna Nyassi at Cherry Crest Elementary School in Bellevue. Wednesday, April 1, there will be a fund-raiser at Westlake Park on 401 Pine St, which Nyassi and head coach Sigi Schmid will attend. The final chance to donate is April 25 during the home game versus San Jose.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 12:23 P.M.
Zakuani heads to the barber as part
of a final preparation for the season opener
Posted by Todd Dybas
Photo by Drew Sellers / Seattlesportsonline.com
There was something different about Sounders FC's top draft pick Steve Zakuani. It wasn't hard to figure out.
Zakuani had a fresh design etched into his head, a sort of swirl and lightning bolt combination he had shorn into his dome by a James St. barber recommended by teammate James Riley. Zakuani has altered his head for the past three or four years prior to the first game of every season.
"I've had a star in it before and an asterisk," Zakuani said. "I just went to the barber shop and said, 'Just give me a nice design on top of my head.' He went to work, and this is what came out."
Zakuani was less concerned with the barber's skill level than he is with his ankle. The injury was labeled a sprain, but there was a bone bruise on the inside of his foot that kept him from striking the ball or sprinting full out for weeks.
"Getting there, getting there," Zakuani said of his recovery. "It took me a much longer time to get back. After three weeks not kicking a ball and being away from the team, it's hurt my fitness more than anything. I'm chipping away at the fitness portion and getting back slowly. Maybe not 90-minute fitness, but definitely fit enough to play now."
Sounders FC's top pick in the SuperDraft is settling into his new city. The London native says he was told Seattle is a great city, and thus far he agrees. Out and about with teammate Sebastien Le Toux, Zakuani said he has been recognized and stopped a couple times. He also feels soccer is catching up in the United States sports scene.
"People think of basketball, football, hockey and stuff, but soccer's not too far behind, not as far back as they think," Zakuani said. "Especially in this city, there's a big buzz."
The opener finally on the horizon, Zakuani said he and his teammates are ready to go.
"I think we're getting to that stage where we've been looking forward to it for so long, everything has been written about it, everyone has spoken about it, now it's just about playing a 90-minute game," Zakuani said. "We can't get caught up in the event side of it. We've just got to play a game. I think we're ready."
SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 12:54 A.M.
Seattle Sports Online's photo gallery
from Friday's exhibition
Posted by Todd Dybas
Our photographer Marissa Flores was at practice Friday. You can find her shots here.
SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 12:54 A.M.
Sounders thrown to the Wolves
Posted by Todd Dybas
Sounders FC played an exhibition with the Seattle Wolves Friday. The Sounders dominated play, carrying the ball in the Wolves' half the majority of the game.
After initially being scheduled to practice Saturday, the Sounders will only lift weights. Monday they hold their first practice at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila.
Other notes:
-- Steve Zakuani was on the field for much of the game today. Zakuani had multiple chances, but difficulty converting. Zakuani was back on the field after hurting his ankle.
Coach Sigi Schmid on his return: "It was good. It was good because our expectation going in was 30 minutes for sure, let's see if we can stretch him into 45, and then we actually were able to get 55 or 60 out of him. He felt pretty good. We'll see how he feels tomorrow, if there are any setbacks for him. Little more sharpness, he could've had a couple goals for sure, a couple of assists as well. He did well. We got to look at him on the right side of the field for a change. Usually we play him on the left. All those things were positive."
-- It appears former USL Sounder Roger Levesque has made it through the gauntlet and his signing will be announced shortly.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 12:21 P.M.
Seattle awarded 2009 MLS Cup
Posted by Todd Dybas
The hits keep on coming for the Sounders FC and soccer in Seattle. Wednesday morning it was announced Qwest Field will be the site for the 2009 MLS Cup, Nov. 22, at 5:30 p.m. Here's the press release from the folks who make these decisions:
NEW YORK and SEATTLE – Seattle Sounders FC and the passionate soccer fans in the Pacific Northwest will host Major League Soccer’s premier event, MLS Cup 2009, at Qwest Field on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 8:30 p.m. ET (live on ESPN).
Even before their debut match in Major League Soccer, Seattle Sounders FC already have attracted a large fan base. The club has sold more than 20,000 season ticket packages, which now include a ticket to MLS Cup 2009, the League’s 14th annual championship game. Seattle kicks off its inaugural season on March 19 in the opening game of the 2009 Regular Season.
“The city of Seattle and Qwest Field will be a tremendous setting for our country’s marquee soccer event of the year,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. “The stadium was designed with soccer in mind and we believe the buzz surrounding Sounders FC will add to the electricity at our championship game. We hope to see supporters clubs from all around the League join us in the Emerald City in November, regardless of which two teams advance to the final.”
Qwest Field will become the eighth stadium to host Major League Soccer’s championship game. Qwest Field is quickly becoming one of the nation’s premier soccer venues as the stadium has hosted numerous large-scale soccer events including exhibition matches for the national teams of Brazil, China, Mexico, Canada, and Venezuela, as well as exhibitions for some of the world’s top clubs including Manchester United, Real Madrid, Celtic and Chelsea FC. Qwest Field also was a host venue for the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup and will serve as a host venue for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
"This is a tremendous honor and reward for our season ticket holders and an added incentive for our coaches and players," said majority owner Joe Roth.
MLS Cup is the pinnacle of professional soccer in the United States , as a nearly eight-month long journey ends with one team being crowned the champions of Major League Soccer. In 2008, the Columbus Crew captured their first MLS Cup championship at The Home Depot Center in Carson , Calif. , by defeating the New York Red Bulls 3-1.
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 9:05 P.M.
Sounders FC knew Parke wanted to play in Europe, selected him anyway in expansion draft
Posted by Todd Dybas
News from the league today that suspended Sounders FC player Jeff Parke can practice with the team once the season starts. Just don't count on it happening.
The MLS relaxed restrictions on the suspended Parke, who has not trained with the Sounders FC since being selected third in the 2008 MLS Expansion Draft. He is in Europe trying to catch on with a club. According to a report, Parke has ended a trial with Belgian club Anderlecht and has moved to RAEC Monds of the Jupiler Pro League of the Belgian First Division.
Parke's desire to play in Europe has not caught Sounders FC general manager Adrian Hanauer off guard.
"We're in contact with Jeff and his agent and he's still in Europe trying to make a go of it and we respect that," Hanauer said. "We know that's a dream he has. We knew that going into the draft and we were willing to take that chance to get a player of Jeff's quality.
"At the same time we hold his MLS rights and we'd love to have him back here."
Hanauer said any return to Seattle or the MLS is entirely up to Parke and his agent. Hanauer also said the reduction in restrictions as a result of the suspension was not a surprise to him, nor does it change the equation with Parke.
"Certainly he could decide he just wants to keep giving it a go in Europe indefinitely," Hanauer said. "Again, we hold Jeff's MLS rights and assume that someday he'll come back here and come back to the MLS. We'll deal with that at that point, whether it's a week from now or a couple years from now."
Parke, a defender, and his former Red Bulls teammate Jon Conway were suspended for 10 games and fined 10 percent of their annual salaries in October of last year after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs the league said were purchased over-the-counter.
Though Ljungberg is anxious, Sounders FC
biding its time with designated player
Posted by Todd Dybas
Sounders FC midfielder Freddie Ljungberg is connected at the hip to Alex Rodriguez.
The same surgeon who repaired Ljungberg's hip in December, Dr. Marc Philippon, just tinkered with A-Rod's hip. If Rodriguez comes away from the surgery as well as Ljungberg, the Yankees should shorten his timetable for a return.
Ljungberg participated Tuesday in his second training with the Sounders since his hip surgery Dec. 19. Ljungberg says he is ready to get back on the pitch and is pain-free. Sounders management is taking a little slower approach.
"Freddy is a lot further along than we anticipated at this stage and he's made a pretty good recovery," Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid said. "For him right now, it's doing the fine tuning things and making sure he can sprint full out, making sure he can strike a ball full out. Also you want to be smart. It's better to be a day late than a day early and have a guy get injured again."
Ljungberg has been working on strengthening the area around his hamstring with stabilization drills, in hopes that the injury will heal and not return. Ljungberg has been nagged by hamstring strains in the past, then visited Philippon.
"When I went to see this guy, my hamstring was a bit sore," Ljungberg said. "I do a lot of Thai boxing and felt a bit sore in my hamstring and he said, 'You're hip is broken.' I said, 'What do you mean?' Then they said to have surgery.
"I probably had it for two years and didn't know and that's why my hamstring has been straining. Like he said, 'If you had a lower pain threshold, you would have said something is wrong with my hip.' I mostly just happy it's done now and I can get on with it and don't have that (nagging) thing with my hamstring."
With the Sounders opener a little more than a week away, Ljungberg's status remains in doubt. He is training with the team, but not playing 11 versus 11. He's not allowed to be tackled. Things are not full speed.
"I want to start playing now," Ljungberg said. "They want to be a bit careful with it. (I'm) so much ahead of schedule, worried it's too good to be true. Worried that if I start training really hard, I'll have a setback. We don't know."
Ljungberg is anxious to go, but general manager Adrian Hanauer, while anxious to see his prized signing play, is working to be patient.
"We're just going to do whatever is the right thing for the timing," Hanauer said.
The idea behind the surgery in the first place was to allow Ljungberg to be able to go full board, all season.
"The idea was that we repair some of the damage, we get him to the point where he's a lot healthier consistently throughout the season," Hanauer said. "Instead of missing a game here and there throughout the season, hopefully he misses one game, two games, zero games, early on."
While the Sounders bide their time with a healing Ljungberg, Hanauer is confident the roster is in shape to survive without its top midfielder.
"We'll be better when he's on the pitch," Hanauer said. "For now, we feel like we have a great group and we're going to win games with or without Freddy on the pitch. We can have patience and make sure he is completely ready before we put him out there."