Since 2002, there's been one constant on the sidelines for the Seattle Sounders: Brian Schmetzer.
There is a hint of doubt on whether that'll continue in 2021.
Schmetzer's contract expires after the 2020 season and there is yet to be an agreement in place for 2021. Both parties say they want Schmetzer to continue his tenure with the club, but nothing is definite yet.
Club GM Garth Lagerwey and Schmetzer both commented on the two-time MLS Cup-winning head coach's future in interviews with The Athletic's Paul Tenorio.
“It would seem to me pretty obvious you would want to re-sign the best staff in the league, I would think that would be pretty obvious,” Schmetzer told Tenorio.
Schmetzer was an assistant on Sigi Schmid's inaugural Sounders coaching staff dating back to their expansion season in 2009. He took over as interim head coach in 2016, helping guide the club to winning MLS Cup in 2016 over Toronto FC before being named permanent boss. He led the club to MLS Cup once more in 2017, where the Sounders lost to Toronto, as well as 2019, where they beat TFC.
He is one of five coaches in league history to win multiple MLS Cups.
Prior to Seattle joining MLS, Schmetzer was head coach of the club at the USL level, where he won two championships between 2002-08. The Seattle native played for the club dating back to the 1980s.
