Sigi Schmid leaves Seattle Sounders after eight-year reign

Sigi Schmid, the coach who has led the Seattle Sounders for their entire MLS history, has left the club by mutual consent. 

“Sigi Schmid has been an invaluable member of Sounders FC since the club’s MLS launch, leading our organization to numerous trophies and a consistent winning culture for seven seasons,” the Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer said. “Sigi departs the club with our utmost respect and gratitude for his years of service. Ultimately the club and Sigi agreed that a change was needed at this time, but Sigi’s legacy will always be a part of our history. He has my sincere appreciation for all that he committed to our team and community.”

The Sounders are currently second from bottom in MLS’s Western Conference and have scored just 20 goals this season, the lowest total in the conference. 

Schmid won the US Open Cup four times and the MLS Supporters Shield once with the Sounders but said on Tuesday he regretted not being able to bring an MLS title to Seattle. “I’m proud of the success we’ve achieved in winning five major trophies in Seattle, qualifying for the postseason for seven-straight seasons,” Schmid said. “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.”

The Sounders assistant coach Brian Schmetzer will take charge of the team on an interim basis.  “Brian Schmetzer will become our interim head coach and we will begin a search to identify who will lead the players for the next several years,” said the Sounders general manager, Garth Lagerwey. “Stability and loyalty are hallmarks of this organization and it is incumbent upon us to reset the club and make good long-term decisions about our future in an effort to establish a championship contender.”

The 63-year-old Schmid is one of MLS’s most successful coaches and won the title with Columbus Crew and LA Galaxy, prior to his arrival in Seattle. The Sounders are also in one of the league’s most passionate markets and the team has an average home crowd of more than 40,000, the highest in MLS.