2014 Seattle Sounders FC season

The 2014 Seattle Sounders FC season was the club's sixth season in Major League Soccer, the United States' top-tier of professional soccer. Including previous Seattle Sounders franchises, this was the 34th season of a soccer team playing in the Seattle metro area.

The Sounders earned a double for the first time in club history—winning their fourth U.S. Open Cup title and first Supporters' Shield as the best team in the MLS regular season.^[3] The team were the first to win 20 matches in the post-shootout era after a slow start to the season.^[4] During the 2014 season, the Sounders earned the most points (64) and scored the most goals (65) in the club's MLS history.^[5] The team's attempt to complete the league's first domestic treble in the MLS Cup Playoffs was halted by a loss to the LA Galaxy—Shield runners-up and later MLS Cup champions—in the Western Conference Final.^[6][7]

The 2013 season marked the second consecutive year that the Sounders had failed to win a trophy or title; the team had entered the playoffs with only one win in their final ten regular season matches and were eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals to the Portland Timbers. The team had a 17–17–8 record in all competitions and increased tension between players and coaching staff.^[8][9] Sigi Schmid, entering his sixth season as head coach, consulted with key players in a series of summits and worked with general manager Adrian Hanauer to overhaul the team during the winter offseason. Major players, including goalkeeper Michael Gspurning, midfielder Mauro Rosales, and forward Eddie Johnson, were traded to other teams or released. New signings—described by majority owner Joe Roth as "more plumbers and less dancers"—included goalkeeper Stefan Frei, defender Chad Marshall, and several MLS veterans.^[10] A majority of the 37 players who reported to the Sounders training camp in January 2014 were new to the club.^[11]

During the winter offseason, midfielder Clint Dempsey joined his former club, Fulham FC in England's Premier League, for a two-month loan spell.^[12] Because Major League Soccer's season begins in Spring, and the Premier League begins in Fall, Dempsey did not miss any of Sounders' competitive matches, though he was not with the team for pre-season training. During the loan period, Fulham's manager René Meulensteen was replaced by Felix Magath,^[13] prompting some concerns from Sounders supporters that Dempsey was not getting the competitive experience that was the purpose for the loan.

Seattle Sounders FC's 2013-2014 winter included bringing in several new faces to further supplement the returning core. Forward Kenny Cooper (trade with FC Dallas for Adam Moffat),^[14] midfielder Marco Pappa (acquired through league Allocation Ranking rules),^[15] defender Chad Marshall (trade with Columbus Crew for an undisclosed amount allocation money and a third-round draft pick),^[16] and goalkeeper Stefan Frei (trade with Toronto FC for a conditional first-round draft pick in the 2015 SuperDraft) are the most high-profile names.^[17] These four are expected to step into the first eleven, or at least see significant playing time.

Other players acquired include midfielder Tristan Bowen (trade with Chivas USA for Mauro Rosales),^[18] forward Chad Barrett (acquired with thirteenth pick in 2014 MLS Re-Entry Draft),^[19] and defender Jalil Anibaba (trade with Chicago Fire for Patrick Ianni and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado).^[20]

Seattle also signed Stanford's Aaron Kovar and Wake Forest's Sean Okoli to Homegrown Player contracts. Both players played for Sounders FC's academy team before beginning their respective college careers.

Seattle selected Damion Lowe, Stefano Rijssel, Fabio Pereira, and Jimmy Ockford in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft.^[21]

Major League Soccer teams are limited to eight players without U.S. citizenship, a permanent resident (green card holder), or the holder of other special status (e.g., refugee or asylum status). These international roster slots can be traded. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Squad correct as of April 3, 2014.^[22]

Note: the table below has no impact on playoff qualification and is used solely for determining host of the MLS Cup, certain CCL spots, and 2015 MLS draft. The conference tables are the sole determinant for teams qualifying to the playoffs

Source: MLS Fact and Record Book
Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference

  Win   Tie   Loss

Numbers outside parentheses denote appearances as starter.

Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute.

Players with no appearances are not included in the list.

As of match played June 7, 2014^[23]

As of match played November 2, 2014^[23]

As of match played October 19, 2014^[24]

Clint Dempsey was suspended for two matches by the MLS Disciplinary Committee for "violent conduct" during the home match against Toronto FC on March 15, 2014.^[25] He was eligible to return for the away match against Portland Timbers on April 5, 2014.^[26]

For transfers in, dates listed are when Sounders FC officially signed the players to the roster. Transactions where only the rights to the players are acquired are not listed. For transfers out, dates listed are when Sounders FC officially removed the players from its roster, not when they signed with another club. If a player later signed with another club, his new club will be noted, but the date listed here remains the one when he was officially removed from Sounders FC roster.^[27]

There were many departures of contributing players during Seattle Sounders FC's 2013-2014 off-season. Most notably, on December 17, 2013, Sounders traded forward Eddie Johnson to D.C. United for allocation money. Other notable off-season departures included midfielders Mauro Rosales (traded to Chivas USA for Tristan Bowen and the second Allocation Ranking for the 2014 season), Steve Zakuani (selected in Re-Entry Draft by Portland Timbers FC), Adam Moffat (traded to FC Dallas in exchange for Kenny Cooper),^[14] defenders Marc Burch (selected in Re-Entry Draft by Colorado Rapids), Patrick Ianni and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (traded to Chicago Fire),^[52] and goalkeeper Michael Gspurning (declined contract option).

Less significant departures included Philip Lund and Blair Gavin.

MLS Player of the Week

MLS Player of the Month

MLS Goal of the Week