Seattle announces Schmid to return as coach

SEATTLE – Despite a late-season swoon that cost them playoff positioning and a shot at the Supporters’ Shield, the only coach in the Seattle Sounders’ MLS history will be back next season.

Sigi Schmid, 60, will return as the Sounders coach in 2014, the team announced Thursday morning.

Schmid’s status was revealed in a statement from majority owner Joe Roth after conversations with part-owner and Sounders general manager Adrian Hanauer.

Earlier this week, Hanauer indicated discussions about Schmid’s status would take place soon. Those conversations happened during a two-hour meeting between Hanauer, Schmid and Roth in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

A decision was reached quickly.

“I wanted to hear from Sigi and have him hear what my expectations of the team are,” Roth said during a conference call Thursday afternoon.

Schmid’s status had been in doubt after the Sounders flopped at the end of the season, going winless in nine of their final 10 games, and were ousted in the MLS Western Conference semifinals by Portland.