MLS ABCs: Expansion Draft
In a continuation of bringing new Sounders FC fans up to date on Major League Soccer, we’d like to update our MLS ABCs series on the Expansion Draft.
MLS provides new teams in the league the opportunity select current players from existing MLS Rosters to help build the new expansion team.
Sounders FC will conduct their Expansion Draft on November 26th. We have a Countdown Timer ticking the time until then…
The Details…
All 14 MLS teams are required to submit their lists of protected players to the League by 3 p.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 24. The League will distribute a list of the players available in the expansion draft to media that day. At the conclusion of the Expansion Draft, results will be posted on MLSnet.com and teams may resume trading. The expansion draft details are listed below:
2008 MLS Expansion Draft Rules
Senior Roster
• Teams may protect 11 players between their Senior and their Developmental Roster. Read more
Season Ticket Push
Gotta Have More Cowbell!
Poster from the Ljungberg Meet & Greet
It was announced yesterday that Sounders FC now has over 17,000 Season Tickets sold (not deposits). It looks like the Front Office is leveraging yesterday’s Freddie Ljungberg signing as a Season Ticket drive.
If you are a Sounders FC Season Ticket holder and you refer 4 friends for Season Tickets by November 14th, you can get a Sounders FC Cowbell.
Really? Cowbells? Read more
the freddie announcement hooplah… opinion
so there was a lot that happened today, and surely you followed it all. but there were a few pieces that were actually of note.
first of all however… there was a good showing for the freddie unveiling. i would estimate close to 300 saw this.
on to the freddie thoughts.
freddie to play an attacking midfield role
this was mentioned a few times by freddie and adrian and joe. i am not looking for a gold star, but i have to admit, i am pretty pleased with myself that this is exactly the point that i made in my large (hell super long, if we are being honest) opinion piece on why we it was a good thing for us to sign freddie. one of the knocks on him was his speed. and it is a fair question. he could not keep up with the fastest winger, no doubt. but he has the skill and mindset to be able to run the midfield as well as provide his attacking prowess in short bursts, i.e. not from the wing. this is a great thing.
freddie feels he can provide at the highest level
the other thing worth noting is that it was clear that he thought the MLS had some strides to make, but that it was getting there, and that he wanted to provide his skill at the top of his level. that is debatable for sure (him being at the top of his skill) but the sentiment will not be lost on fans. he wants to make a difference and fully thinks he can. that counts for a lot no doubt.
there has been a lot said about freddie’s injury problems and related skill, on that level, i think we can say that this is a risk, like anyone we could potentially sign. but it is a calculated risk that we need to get behind and i think the fans showed that tonight…. people want him to succeed and they have shown him that.
on a bit of a different note, one of the funnier moments came when freddie admitted that he hated tottenham when he was asked about keller. i don’t think any other answer would have been more appropriate.
finally, i have to say, being at the unveiling made me even more excited than i was about the upcomming season. i think we are going to be quite good come march and i just can’t wait.
Freddie Ljungberg Meet & Greet
- 28 members of the Sounders FC Marching Band in attendance
- Starts with same video as the earlier pressed
- Kevin Calabro opens
- Todd Leiweke speaks
- Joe Roth: has hopes for a non-expansion team. “there is no way this team will pack up and leave Seattle”
He met Freddie when Ljungberg went to LA for a tatoo.
His dream is to build a Champions League team.
- Adrian Hanauer: brought up the same three characteristics; Character. Competitiveness, Intelligence
“Freddie is a winner at every level”
Live Blogging the Ljungberg Press Conference
Here are the quick details of the 11a Press Conference.
- Starting with a recap video of Sounders FC history (Xbox partnership, BELO/Kevin Calabro, Kasey Keller…)
- Ljungberg introduced with Jersey #10
- Joe Roth gives a quick background to the club’s program to being competitive in fielding a playoff ready team in Year 1
“We looked far and wide for a designated player who would represent the spirit of our team… In Freddie Ljungberg, we found it. A proven international star at Arsenal and captain of the Swedish National Team, Freddie is the exciting, creative force we need and we are sure the Seattle fans are in for a great treat.”
- Adrian Hanauer speaks that they were looking for a Designated Player who had Character, Intelligence, and Competitiveness in being successful in 2009
- They played a Video of Freddie’s Career Highlights
- Freddie speaks, “I’m really happy to be here and feel so welcomed!”
After thoughtful considerations I decided this opportunity with Seattle was the right one for me. Seattle is a great city. I know this part of the world quite well. The club itself has such great ambition and the fans over here are very passionate about their team. I am very excited about the potential of the club and cannot wait to start the new season in 2009
- Answered questions about his health and the reaction in the English press.
- Joe Roth: soccer is still a niche sport in the US. Seattle can house a major soccer team and that it can flourish in a major American City.
- Freddie: grew up on the water and he will feel happy in Seattle.
- Adrian: can see Freddie as attacking midfielder
Freddie Ljungberg Becomes Designated Player for Sounders FC
GoSounders.com will be live-blogging both the 11a and 5p Freddie Ljungberg Press Conferences. Stay Tuned.
GET DOWN TO QWEST TO WELCOME FREDDIE!!!!!!!!
there, some people have told me that they don’t like that i write in all lower case. WELL GET DOWN TO QWEST FOR THE FREDDIE ANNOUNCEMENT.
there is much debate whether freddie is the right man for the DP slot, and i think there are valid points on both sides of the opinion, BUT, this is a done deal and until you are given reason to do otherwise, you need to support your players and team.
are we going to welcome freddie with 1,000 fans? or 100 fans?
one thing that must be true is freddie must be scared out of his skull. can you imagine you have been the captain of sweden, won the FA cup and premiership multiple times and scored in games in front of 80,000 people and then you find yourself going to play in a league, that for much of it’s existence has been the punch line for a lot of jokes, for a team that is brand new, in a city you have never been to until a month ago? come on, who the hell wouldn’t be scared. i actually got a little nervous for him.
so get yer butt off yer couch, out of yer office, down to qwest and let him know that whatever the result, we are going to get behind our team and support them!!!!!
Seattle Crawling in International Freddie Coverage
First of all, SkySports is CONFIRMING that Freddie Ljungberg will definitely be introduced as the Seattle Sounders FC’s newest Designated Player. All this is doing is increasing the announcement from 99.999% to 100%.
Freddie Ljungberg in Seattle [Expressen.se
- This is front page news in the Swedish newspaper Expressen,
- Echo News has a shot of Freddie leaving the original Starbucks in Pike Place Market
- Aftonbladet has tons of coverage too (with video)
The Local Coverage includes…
- Sounders FC ready to sign Swedish star Freddie Ljungberg [Seattle Times] (116 words)
- Sounders set to sign Super Swede [Seattle PI] (509 words)
- Sounders to sign Sweden’s World Cup captain [Bellingham Herald]
“Be there when the Sounders FC introduce their Designated Player”
If you didn’t get the email from the Sounders FC Front Office, here it is…
WHAT: You are invited to meet the Sounders FC’s Designated Player at the Wells Fargo Club Level at Qwest Field.
WHEN: Tuesday, October 28th at 5:00pm. Doors will open at 4:30pm.
PARKING: Parking will be available in the North Lot at Qwest Field. Please print this invitation and present to the attendant to receive complimentary parking. Please enter the stadium through the NW VIP lobby.
If you can’t make it, GoSounders.com will be live-blogging from the event, so check in here.
a friend of mine just talked to freddie
just a quick bit of info that was passed along to me.
a friend of mine just had the pleasure of talking 1×1 with freddie ljungberg on the qwest field. freddie was wearing his boots and was checking out the surface of the field.
“he was very personable and was very gracious in stopping what he was doing to talk to me” said my friend.
the conversation steered towards the pitch itself. in a nutshell, freddie was not concerned about the artificial surface itself but did talk about his concern for the groundsmen to keep the surface consistent. if the ball didn’t bounce the same in different parts of the pitch, or if the hardness/softness changed from game to game, that would be a problem for him (well anyone really) rather than the fact that it was synthetic and likely faster.
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Next / Last Match
Next- San Jose [Tickets]
Saturday 7/31 | 7p
Last- Metapan (CCL): W, 1-0
Next Home Match Houston Dynamo | Aug 8th [Tickets]
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