Seattle Sounders: Tyrone Mears Embraces Life in Seattle

It seems like just yesterday that the Seattle Sounders 2014 season ended in heart-breaking fashion against the Los Angeles Galaxy. Yet here we are again, just a month away from the start of the new campaign.

More from Emerald City Swagger

Of course, as Friday’s 2-1 friendly loss to the Galaxy proved, there’s still a lot of work to be done between now and March 8th, when the New England Revolution visit CenturyLink Field for the home opener. This includes integrating recent acquisition Tyrone Mears into the setup as smoothly as possible.

The former English Premier League player joined the Sounders in late December and could prove to be an important signing. Even though Seattle finished with the best MLS regular season record in 2014, they had the worst defensive record (along with the New York Red Bulls) of the 10 teams which qualified for the playoffs.

Certainly, head coach Sigi Schmid considers Mears to be a key acquisition, as he told Soundersfc.com at the time of the deal: “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.

Jun 18, 2014; Tukwila, WA, USA; Seattle Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid after the game between the Sounders FC and the PSA Elite at Starfire Sports Complex. Seattle defeated PSA Elite 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

“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.”

Understandably, Mears has needed a period of adjustment since coming to Seattle. As well as getting to know his new teammates, he’s had to get used to living abroad.

Fortunately, all signs indicate that the 31-year is starting to settle into life in the Pacific North West. As a part of embracing his new surroundings, Mears spent last week watching the Seattle Seahawks last-minute loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX.

That may not seem like anything to significant. However, despite the NFL’s popularity in England, this was the first time the former Manchester City player had ever watched a game.

Fortunately, Mears appears to have taken to the NFL: “It was amazing. It was obviously not a good day for Seattle, but I really enjoyed it. I didn’t have a clue how it worked, but I kind of got the hang of it eventually after the commercials were finished.”

And despite the loss, it appears the Seahawks now have a new fan: “Definitely while I’m with Seattle, because I know how great the team is and how much support they have. So for sure, when they start up again, I’ll be watching.”

As if that isn’t enough to endear him to Seattle sports fans, Mears made it clear that, despite the various offers he received, the Sounders were always his preferred choice. It helps that, unlike with Bolton Wanderers, playing under Schmid will give him the chance to push forward from his fullback position and be involved in attack.

This is important because, regardless of how much Mears has embraced life in Seattle, what matters most is how he performs on the pitch. With over 250 appearances in England, the Sounders will be hoping his experience can solidify the defence and help them take the next step towards finally winning the MLS Cup.

One final factor to consider is Mears versatility, having also played at centerback as well as fullback during his career. Despite being brought in to replace DeAndre Yedlin – who signed with Tottenham Hotspur – the Sounders could potentially start the 2015 campaign without centerback Zach Scott, who is recovering from offseason surgery.

Home/Seattle Sounders