Sounders’ Kevin Parsemain bides time
TUKWILA, Wash. – At this time last year, forward Kevin Parsemain was on his way to being the top goal-scorer of the Seattle Sounders’ preseason.
Then all that promise crumpled with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and Parsemain didn’t see one second of action during the regular season.
“That was pretty frustrating,” he said last week. “I tied for scoring lead in the preseason. But I think nothing can explain when you don’t play for one year. I don’t know what I can say except I’m really frustrated, I want to play this year. I want to show what I am able to do.”
That chance hasn’t yet come, as Parsemain sat out the first two friendlies of this preseason. However, more opportunities will come over the next 11 days as four games await in the Desert Diamond Cup at Tucson, Arizona.
Also in the tournament are MLS clubs Sporting Kansas City, Real Salt Lake, New England Revolution, Colorado Rapids, and host FC Tucson of the Premier Development League. Seattle will begin play against Tucson at 7 p.m. tonight, and then meet SKC at 7 p.m. Saturday, New England at 5 p.m. Feb. 25 and then play a final match Feb. 28 with time and opponent to be determined by results.
“It’s just a matter of getting game minutes, game fitness,” coach Sigi Schmid said of his team’s time in the desert. “… And to start working more on our shape and how we’re going to relate to each other out on the field.”
Parsemain hasn’t been part of any of that so far. But on Saturday, he scored a goal in a scrimmage before the team flew to Arizona.
“This is really the first time that he’s had to go in there full-out, where it’s full pressure and intensity right from the start,” Schmid said Saturday. “It took him, I think, a week or so to 10 days to really feel comfortable. He did well, scored a goal.”
Parsemain, 27, realizes that forward is a position of strength and depth for the Sounders. Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey are cemented as the starters. And so far this preseason, veterans Chad Barrett and Kenny Cooper and rookie Darwin Jones have come off the bench.