Seattle Sounders FC Add English Defenseman Tyrone Mears
It doesn’t come as a surprise that the Seattle Sounders’ first offseason acquisition brings in DeAndre Yedlin’s replacement at right back.
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31 year-old Tyrone Mears has experience at center back during his time playing in England. He would seem to be a better fit at fullback, however, for a Sounders team that is pretty set in the middle.
“Tyrone is a player we had an opportunity to evaluate over the past summer when he trained with us in Seattle and we were very impressed with his pedigree,” said Sounders FC Head Coach Sigi Schmid in the official press release. “He’s a fullback that is solid defensively, with the ability to posses the ball and to get forward in the attack. Tyrone is also a very good one-versus-one defender – a capability that is a key ingredient to success in our league – and we’re excited about his future with our club.”
Mears’ career started with Manchester City, although he only would ever play six minutes for the first team in a single substitute appearance. He would then be transferred to Preston North End and spend the next twelve years of his career rotating between Premier League and English Championship League teams including West Ham United, Derby County, Marseille (on loan), Burnley, and most recently Bolton.
Per Mears himself in a Q&A session with the team, he sees himself filling the opening vacated by Yedlin’s move to Tottenham.
“I’m an attacking right fullback. But I have played left back, right midfield, and even central midfield, so there are quite a few positions that I can slot into. But obviously I am a fullback, so that’s the position I hope to be playing for the coming season.”
Mears also praised the Emerald City Supporters in the interview, even citing them as a possible reason for the move.
“It’s crazy because I didn’t know a lot about MLS, but then I saw the Seattle stadium, how packed it was and how positive the fans were all through the game. It was amazing. I think the game I watched, unfortunately the team lost. But throughout the game, the fans were behind the team in a way I had never seen before anywhere in the world. The positivity and the way the fans get behind you is amazing. If you could’ve named one team I would like to play for, it would’ve been Seattle straightaway.”
Tyrone Mears also appeared for the Jamaican National Team for a nil-nil draw with Nigeria in a friendly. He later was left off the team when it was discovered that his father was of Sierra Leonian decent, not Jamaican.