Sounders MLS

For the sixth time in the last eight weeks, the Sounders FC will play a midweek match, interrupting their normal training routine.  This week it means a trip to Honduras to face Marathon in the group stages of the CONCACAF Champions League.

However, the team doesn’t view these Champions League and US Open Cup matches as a extra weight, but instead sees them as a great opportunity, for themselves and for the club, to gain recognition on an international level.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity for our club,” Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid said.  “For our players, it gives them an opportunity to get exposure internationally.  It’s the first time in Honduras for many of our guys.  Guys on our team who have aspirations of maybe one day going on to play for the national teams of their respective countries – anytime you get into international competition it allows that national team coach to see how you measure up, how you deal playing away from home, how you deal playing against foreign competition.  So there are so many plusses to it.  As a club, we want to go as far as we can in any competition we enter and we view it as an honor and a privilege, not as a burden.”

Here’s what we learned in order:

First, early mornings don’t seem to affect the players too much.  Maybe it is because many of them have children and likely have experience being up that early.  Or maybe it is a salute to the many great coffee stands in our area – MANY of the players, coaches and staff had a cup of joe on hand while we convened at the airport.

Next, the Sounders have a large family.  With the team taking a chartered flight, there were some extra seats on the plane, so in addition to the normal entourage that accompany the players and coaches, the likes of Jimmy Gabriel, Pete Fewing, Alan Hinton and Academy Coach Dick McCormick were on board.  It’s always good when you have people of that class associated with the team – they all have such great insights.