The Seattle Sounders’ left the 2023 season with unfinished business after their playoff run fell short.
While the early departure from postseason play felt disappointing in the moment, the momentum leading up to the Western Conference Semifinals is something the team hopes to carry over into next season.
“The standard has been high and that's the kind of team you want to be a part of,” said goalkeeper Stefan Frei. “Obviously this last year we weren't able to add another trophy, but I thought we were super close, especially that last game against LAFC, and that gives us a great foundation [for the future].”
Defensively, the Sounders ranked as one of the top teams in MLS with 14 clean sheets during the regular season. And with the likes of defenders Alex Roldan, Yeimar, Jackson Ragen and Nouhou holding down the backline, the Seattle squad’s prowess in shutting down opposition has been a clear component to their game that they will look toward in the 2024 season.
“We had pretty much everybody buy into what we did defensively and what we wanted to achieve,” said Frei. “So, we want to keep doing the same thing next year.”
With the defensive side of the team stronger than ever heading into the new year, the main focus of the offseason will be improvements surrounding the attack.
“I think I'll be a little bit firmer in that area of the field,” said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “Just making sure we tweak things here and there to score more goals, and we'll see if that bears fruit.”
The Sounders are also determined to sign additional offensive threats to their roster in 2024.
“We will be adding significant players, at least one, possibly two,” said General Manager & Chief Soccer Officer Craig Waibel. “Those additions are going to be in the attacking half, 100 percent.”
Give The Gift Of Sounders
Check out our holiday offerings this season. Grab one of our 2024 memberships or SFC merch for our 50th Anniversary season.
Waibel and the scouting department are scouring South America and across Europe for potential signees, but are also scouting MLS prospects as well. The intention is to strengthen a roster that finished second in the West and came close to reaching the conference finals.
“We want to make sure we have resources to continue to make the team better and continue to make it deeper,” said Waibel. “We'll be working on bringing in guys that can impact our team right now.”
The coaching staff are depending on the veteran players to continue their own impact within the team, but also the younger players, who had a solid year of development, to play a larger role next season.
“That group of Ragen, Josh Atencio, Obed Vargas, and Léo Chú, we'll expect more out of them next year,” said Schmetzer.
With the foundation that was built this past season — as a collective along with individual performances — and the potential of bringing in influential attack-minded players, Waibel believes the Sounders will be “flying with confidence.”
Change is inevitable for the Rave Green, but not without the already strong backbone that makes up the roster.
“I don't think that Craig and I fear the future…I think we're actually very encouraged,” said Schmetzer. “I love the roster, but I think if we can push a few things over the finish line, we will have a great team that starts off 2024 on a high note.”
