Originally published Thursday, August 14, 2008 at 12:00 AM
PrintSeattle Sounders FC to announce signing of goalkeeper Kasey Keller
The Seattle Sounders FC are expected to announce Thursday the signing of goalkeeper Kasey Keller of Lacey. The longtime U.S. national team member would be the second player signed by the new Major League Soccer franchise.
Seattle Times staff reporter
PREV
Kasey Keller, one of the most decorated American soccer players in U.S. national team history and a Lacey native, will soon be in goal for his local professional team.
Seattle Sounders FC has scheduled a news conference for this afternoon at Qwest Field, where the team will announce the signing of Keller as the second member of the new Major League Soccer franchise's roster.
MLS handles player contracts on behalf of its clubs, so Keller was signed by the league and will be allocated to Sounders FC, which opens play in the spring.
Sounders FC, according to MLS sources, has the right to the first player allocation as an expansion team. It's believed that Keller was signed as an allocated player, so the team can still acquire a foreign player and make him their designated player and his salary can exceed the team's salary cap.
Adding Keller is the most recent major news for Sounders FC, which was officially established as an MLS expansion team last November. Since then, the club has signed its first player, 24-year-old forward Sebastien Le Toux; instituted a unique membership program for fans; sold more than 16,000 season-ticket deposits, and unveiled a sponsorship partnership with Microsoft that includes the software giant's signature video-game brand, Xbox 360 Live, on team jerseys.
Keller, 38, most recently played for Fulham in the English Premier League. He has spent the past 18 seasons playing professionally in England, Spain and Germany, and is one of only two American players to have appeared in four World Cups. Keller has 102 caps, or international match appearances, and is the U.S. national team's all-time leader in World Cup-qualifying appearances and shutouts and overall wins.
Keller played high-school soccer at North Thurston and went on to the University of Portland.
MLS would not release financial details of Keller's contract. Le Toux signed for $84,000 in base salary, $96,000 in guaranteed money.
José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
Print
Digg
Newsvine
UPDATE - 8:54 PM
Sounders lose to another expansion team
Strikers are striking out in preseason
Cascadia trio talks Year 1 of rivalry
Timbers surprise Sounders in exhibition
Sounders FC's reincarnated Northwest rivalry is the talk of MLS
911 audio: Caseworker reports Josh Powell has locked children inside his home
911 audio: Caseworker reports Josh Powell's house on fire with children inside
911 audio: Sister of Josh Powell reports disturbing emails
Chuck Cox reacts to Powell home fire, death of his grandsons
Sheriff's update: Josh Powell spread gasoline in home fire, sent goodbye emails
Don Bateman, inventor of Ground Proximity Warning System
Pierce County sheriff reacts to Powell home fire
Price of Protection: A victim speaks out
Price of Protection: Inside the Special Commitment Center
Open Houses
|
Find all open houses.
|
nwautos
Turismo upgrade "Gran Turismo 5: XL Edition" for PlayStation 3 has features such as new car-tuning settings, new NASCAR vehicles, better replay video...
Post a comment
- Lakewood cop accused of embezzling $150K meant for slain officers' families
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Agency set to investigate handling of 911 call about Josh Powell
- Quick decisions: How Washington hired its new football staff
- Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looms
- Justin Wilcox's versatile defensive style is the right fit for Huskies | Jerry Brewer
- It's Terrence Time: Enigmatic Ross leads Huskies
- Social worker recounts minutes before Powell fire
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- Club promoter convicted in brutal 2010 murder of Des Moines prostitute
- Gay-marriage bill passes House, awaits Gregoire's signature
436 - Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looming 350
- Sheriff's office unhappy with 911 dispatcher in caseworker's call 283
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising 238
- Source: NY, California to sign mortgage settlement 224
- Oregon live game thread 155
- Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color 154
- Pac-12 picks ... including the UW game 140
- Lakewood cop accused of taking donations for slain officers' families 113
- Worker: Josh Powell told son he had 'surprise' 80
- State Medicaid program to stop paying for unneeded ER visits
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- One man's audacious pursuit of sailing history
- Darren Berg gets 18-year sentence for Ponzi scheme
- Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- A wandering gene's destructive path | Book review
- 'Gauguin and Polynesia': dazzling mix-and-match | Art review
- UW opening incubator facility for startups
- Controversial principal at Lowell Elementary takes job in Tacoma
