SEATTLE – Seattle Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid said Thursday he expects all players returning from international duty to be available when the team returns to action this weekend against the Montreal Impact.
The Sounders had a total of five players out representing their country during the FIFA international break: Clint Dempsey [USA], Jordan Morris [USA], Tyler Miller [USA], Joevin Jones [Trinidad and Tobago] and Oalex Anderson [St. Vincent and the Grenadines].
Dempsey trained inside and Morris trained lightly during the team’s training session at CenturyLink Field, while Anderson and Jones were expected to return to Seattle on Thursday.
Schmid said he wasn’t heavily concerned about the availability of Jones, who left Trinidad and Tobago’s game on Thursday with an apparent ankle injury in the final minutes of the match.
“We’re just sort of checking that out,” Schmid said. “It’s minor if anything, but at this point in time it’s hard to be definite.”
The Sounders return to action against the Impact on Saturday (7 p.m. PT; Q13 FOX/Univision Seattle/ROOT Sports (outside Seattle)/KIRO 97.3 FM/El Rey 1360 AM).
Henderson and Razov speak to media about their hall of fame nominations
Sounders Sporting Director Chris Henderson and assistant coach Ante Razov have been nominated for the National Soccer Hall of Fame class of 2016. Both are looking to join Schmid and former Sounders goalkeeper and current television analyst Kasey Keller, who were inducted during a ceremony last year in Seattle.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be nominated,” said Razov, who joined the Sounders staff in January 2015. “I’m very happy with the career I had and how I felt like I was a pioneer for the MLS.”
Henderson echoed Razov’s sentiments on the distinction. This is Henderson’s final year of eligibility before he moves to the veteran ballot in 2017.
“It’s just an honor to be in there,” he said. “All those years I was part of U.S. Soccer from the youth teams probably from ‘85 to 2002 … it was a huge part of my life, so being a part of that group and even nominated is something I cherish.”
Schmid spoke to media about Henderson and Razov and was excited at the prospect of them joining him in a select group of soccer’s elite in the United States.
“It’d be great,” said Schmid. “He’s (Henderson) done a lot for the game and he’s done a lot for the game in Seattle. Not only from playing the MLS but also his brief coaching stint and what he’s doing now … Ante had a good career at UCLA and went on to a fabulous career in the league.”
Henderson grew up just outside of Seattle in Everett and watched the Sounders growing up. He went on to earn 79 caps with the USMNT and was the youngest player to make an appearance in the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
“Growing up here and watching the Sounders in the NASL days,” Henderson reminisced. “Being able to represent the national team and then being able to come back here and work for the club that I grew up watching. It’s been a great circle and I’m still happy that I’m close to the game every single day.”
