Sebastien Le Toux has played for five teams in his eight-year MLS career, so it’s tough to know exactly which fanbase claims him as their own anymore. Though he spent more than five years with the Philadelphia Union, he also won fans over during three seasons with the Seattle Sounders from 2007-09, when he made the jump from USL to MLS during the club’s expansion season.
The veteran Frenchman is now a vital member of the Colorado Rapids, the Sounders’ foe in the Western Conference Championship next week. SoundersFC.com caught up with Le Toux to talk about his time in Seattle and his return to CenturyLink Field when the teams open the series on Tuesday (7 p.m. PT; FS1, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360AM).
SOUNDERSFC.COM: What did you like the most about your time in Seattle?
LE TOUX: I like the atmosphere of the stadium. Playing in Seattle is great because the fans are wonderful. I enjoyed every moment when I came on the field over there. I like the city and the region of the Northwest, it reminds me of where I’m from in France [Rennes]. I felt like I was living at home when I was there from the beginning, it didn’t feel like a big change. The people over there are very nice and made my transition from playing in France to coming to the U.S. very easy.
SOUNDERSFC.COM: Do you have a favorite memory from playing here?
LE TOUX: I have a few great memories for sure. My first year with the USL team [in 2007) was one of my best years. I got the chance to win the regular-season title and the playoff title with the team in my first year and I cannot think of a better start in the U.S. We had a very good group of guys and a great team. Not just on the field, but outside of the field it was a great year for me. Winning the Open Cup game in D.C. [in 2009] or the opening game of the first season [in MLS] with 45,000 people in the stands was pretty amazing too.
SOUNDERSFC.COM: Do you feel any extra motivation competing against your former team?
LE TOUX: Not really. I’m excited. I know that it’s a great place to play, and I’m just excited for the opportunity to play [at CenturyLink Field] again in front of great fans. It’s going to be a great atmosphere to play in, so I’m looking forward to it. The motivation is not because I’m playing Seattle, the motivation is because it’s the finals of the conference. We all want to win it.
SOUNDERSFC.COM: You were still a member of the Union when Colorado played both matches against the Sounders earlier this year. Now that you’re with the Rapids, what kind of matchup are you expecting?
LE TOUX: It’s a final of a conference. Everything that happened before doesn’t really matter. It’s a big two games. [The winner will be] the team that is the most ready and who wants it more, and we probably have the advantage. I’m not looking at anything that happened before me [arriving]. I’m concentrating first on the game on Tuesday. We all know that Seattle is a very good team and has some good players, so we’re going to be ready the best we can.
SOUNDERSFC.COM: What has made the Rapids so good defensively this year?
LE TOUX: We play as a group. Everyone has to do his part defensively from the forwards to the goalkeeper. We play as a unit and try to get the back of each other when somebody makes a mistake or gets passed by a guy. The guy next to you tries to help you and cover for you. It’s a great feeling when you play on a team like this because we fight for 90 minutes-plus. It’s a great mentality, we’re all together and everybody does his part.
SOUNDERSFC.COM: You played under Brian Schmetzer for two seasons as head coach in the USL and then one year as an assistant in MLS. What was your experience like with him as a head coach?
LE TOUX: I’m thankful to Brian for finding me and bringing me to Seattle. He was my first coach. He was the one who switched me from a defensive position that I used to play in France to a forward in Seattle. I got to know great success thanks to him. I was not even thinking of playing forward when I came here first. I have a great relationship with him. We have a respect for each other that is mutual, and he’s a very good person too. I enjoyed all my time with him as a head coach in the USL and when he became an assistant, I kept my relationship with him.
He’s a good coach, and I’m happy for him that he got the job this year in Seattle after his success with the team. He deserves it.
