It didn't take too long for Seattle Sounders fans to find out if coach Sigi Schmid would be staying in the Emerald City.

General Manager Garth Lagerwey silenced the 'Fire Sigi' rumor train Thursday night at the club's annual business meeting, inserting explicitly that Schmid is a part of the organization and that he plans on keeping him for next season.

"Sigi is our coach, Sigi will be our coach, Sigi is my coach," said Lagerwey. With Schmid in the crowd and fans already at that point ecstatic, the GM rhetorically asked his manager, "Sigi, you cool with being partners for another year?" and the obvious answer was in the affirmative.

The Sounders are not yet a week past their heartbreaking MLS Cup Playoffs loss to FC Dallas last Sunday in penalties, and due to the club's struggles to capture postseason supremacy with the great talent they possess, coach Schmid was thought to be on the hot seat.

Seattle has not yet won an MLS Cup since joining Major League Soccer in 2009, and their one manager has always been Sigi. The 62 year-old German coach was just this year elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame and prior to coaching Seattle, won a title with Columbus Crew SC along with three-time MLS Defender of the Year Chad Marshall, whom he now coaches with the Rave Green.

Lagerwey declared at the business meeting that the major moves this offseason will be player-involved, but wouldn't get too specific as to who is on the outs. 

The Seattle Sounders are undoubtedly one of the MLS's highest talent-possessing teams. The potential is there. Now Sigi, Lagerwey, and the likes of Obafemi Martins, Clint Dempsey, and Chad Marshall have to grab it.

It's been to long without an MLS Cup trophy in the city of Seattle.

VAVEL Logo
About the author
Zach Drapkin
Philadelphia-based journalist with expertise in basketball, football, and soccer/fútbol.