As expected, it hasn’t taken long for Sigi Schmid’s name to start surfacing among MLS teams looking for head coaches. Last week, Schmid’s name was mentioned as one of five coaches currently being considered by Minnesota United. Now comes word that Schmid has already interviewed for Atlanta United’s opening, and could be named head coach if former Argentina boss Tata Martino turns them down.
It’s not hard to understand why either team would be interested in Schmid, who helped the Seattle Sounders put together the best expansion season in modern MLS history. Since the 1998 Chicago Fire won MLS Cup in their inaugural year — which came just two years after MLS kicked off — the Sounders are the only expansion team to qualify for the playoffs their first year.