By José Miguel Romero
Seattle Times staff reporter
TUKWILA — The fans, players, coaches, general managers and media have spoken — Kasey Keller and Freddie Ljungberg are Major League Soccer All-Stars, the first Sounders FC players to earn the distinction.
The 11 players who received the most All-Star votes were announced by MLS on Monday. The All-Star Game is July 29 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, home of Real Salt Lake, with the MLS stars facing Everton FC of the English Premier League.
The game will be carried live on ESPN2 at 6:30 p.m. PDT.
Houston Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear and his staff will coach the MLS stars. The coaching staff's five player selections will be announced next Monday, and two commissioner's selections will complete the 18-man roster.
Ljungberg, who came to Sounders FC as its designated player after a long career in England, didn't seem overly excited about his selection because, as he said, there are no all-star games in Europe.
"Of course, that's a nice thing. It's an honor," Ljungberg said. "It's great and it will be fun."
Ljungberg was voted in despite missing four of Sounders FC's 17 MLS matches due to surgery rehabilitation and a serious migraine. He has two goals and five assists but has shined as the team's attacking center midfielder, the player who sets the offense.
Keller, the Sounders FC captain, has 45 saves and five shutouts. He has allowed 13 goals in 16 games, and Sounders FC has lost only once with him in net for a full match.
"Kasey was almost a shoo-in," Sounders FC assistant coach Brian Schmetzer said. "Kasey has been just such a tremendous influence on an expansion team and just helping this team get to where we're at. That's a no-brainer for me. And then Ljungberg — anybody that knows anything about soccer understands what a dynamic player he can be."
The first 11 players named to the team are not necessarily the starting lineup. If any of them are unavailable, Kinnear will select alternates.
Next up: Chelsea
Sounders FC will have unlimited substitutions for the Chelsea friendly on Saturday, a game in which every player wants to see action. Chelsea is one of the most recognized and successful franchises in Europe, but Schmetzer said playing-time decisions for the match will come down to the team's needs for the U.S. Open Cup semifinal against Houston on July 21.
"We have to manage [midfielder Osvaldo] Alonso's minutes, because he'll be a big part of [next] Tuesday's match," Schmetzer said. "With some of the other guys, we'll see how we get through the week."
Alonso, a fan of Manchester United of England, wants badly to play against Chelsea.
"It's a dream," he said. "Chances to play against a team like Chelsea are very few."
Seattle Times staff reporter
TUKWILA — The fans, players, coaches, general managers and media have spoken — Kasey Keller and Freddie Ljungberg are Major League Soccer All-Stars, the first Sounders FC players to earn the distinction.
The 11 players who received the most All-Star votes were announced by MLS on Monday. The All-Star Game is July 29 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, home of Real Salt Lake, with the MLS stars facing Everton FC of the English Premier League.
The game will be carried live on ESPN2 at 6:30 p.m. PDT.
Houston Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear and his staff will coach the MLS stars. The coaching staff's five player selections will be announced next Monday, and two commissioner's selections will complete the 18-man roster.
Ljungberg, who came to Sounders FC as its designated player after a long career in England, didn't seem overly excited about his selection because, as he said, there are no all-star games in Europe.
"Of course, that's a nice thing. It's an honor," Ljungberg said. "It's great and it will be fun."
Ljungberg was voted in despite missing four of Sounders FC's 17 MLS matches due to surgery rehabilitation and a serious migraine. He has two goals and five assists but has shined as the team's attacking center midfielder, the player who sets the offense.
Keller, the Sounders FC captain, has 45 saves and five shutouts. He has allowed 13 goals in 16 games, and Sounders FC has lost only once with him in net for a full match.
"Kasey was almost a shoo-in," Sounders FC assistant coach Brian Schmetzer said. "Kasey has been just such a tremendous influence on an expansion team and just helping this team get to where we're at. That's a no-brainer for me. And then Ljungberg — anybody that knows anything about soccer understands what a dynamic player he can be."
The first 11 players named to the team are not necessarily the starting lineup. If any of them are unavailable, Kinnear will select alternates.
Next up: Chelsea
Sounders FC will have unlimited substitutions for the Chelsea friendly on Saturday, a game in which every player wants to see action. Chelsea is one of the most recognized and successful franchises in Europe, but Schmetzer said playing-time decisions for the match will come down to the team's needs for the U.S. Open Cup semifinal against Houston on July 21.
"We have to manage [midfielder Osvaldo] Alonso's minutes, because he'll be a big part of [next] Tuesday's match," Schmetzer said. "With some of the other guys, we'll see how we get through the week."
Alonso, a fan of Manchester United of England, wants badly to play against Chelsea.
"It's a dream," he said. "Chances to play against a team like Chelsea are very few."
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