TUKWILA, Wash. — As far as auditions go, you would be hard-pressed to find one that has started off much smoother than that of Seattle Sounders interim head coach Brian Schmetzer.
Since Schmetzer took over head coaching duties on July 31, the Sounders have notched a 7-1-3 record. It’s been a dramatic turnaround that has shifted the narrative surrounding Seattle’s 2016 campaign entirely – and one that few would have predicted after the team’s 6-12-2 start to the season culminated in the departure of longtime head coach Sigi Schmid.
Even so, Schmetzer hasn’t been afforded any guarantees regarding an eventual shedding of that interim tag.