Sounders decline Gspurning’s option, other off-season news

Gspurning likely on the way out —

It’s likely that we’ve seen the last of Michael Gspurning in Rave Green, as the Seattle Sounders FC announced today that the team has declined their option on the Austrian net minder.

Gspurning, who has been a staple between the pipes since he arrived in Seattle two seasons ago, let in 13 goals in the final two months of the 2013 season, being replaced on several occasions by the 41-year-old Marcus Hahnemann — who has informally announced he will return next season. With that in mind, the casual fan may not find this move that shocking. The bigger reason for declining the option though likely sits with the FO and the already tight salary cap the Sounders will have to deal with next season.

Gspurning was set to make in the neighborhood of $285,000 if the option was picked-up, making him one of the three highest paid keepers in the league — a budget move ownership likely didn’t feel was worth the money, as good keepers can be found for less.

The question now comes down to keeping an aging goalie in net for next season and maybe one after, or if the Sounders search the global market — as they did when they found Gspurning — and bring in a lower cost replacement. Either way, Gspurning’s presence will be missed among many in the Sounders community.

Five Sounders on Re-entry Draft list —

The first big MLS off-season event is only days away with the MLS Re-entry Draft happening Dec. 12 via a league-wide conference call. The rules of the draft go as follows (via mlssoccer.com):

The first stage of the Re-Entry Process, when clubs can claim players by exercising their current options or extending them a bona fide offer as stipulated by the CBA, will take place via conference call on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 3 pm ET.

Players that go unselected in the first stage will then be available for the second stage that will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 3 pm ET, also via conference call. Accordig to league rules, teams will have seven days to make a bona fide offer to the players they select in Stage 2 and if an agreement can’t be reached, the club will hold the right of first refusal for that player in MLS.

Any players not picked up after Stage 2 become available to any MLS club on a first-come, first-served basis.

Of the 68 players available in this year’s draft, five were on the Sounders roster at the end of the year, including Mauro Rosales (option declined), Steve Zakuani (out of contract), Marc Burch, Blair Gavin and Josh Ford (options declined). The biggest name on this list from a Sounders perspective is an out-of-contract Zakuani, who clearly hash’t been the same since his horrific leg break nearly three years ago, but has still shown the massive amount of skill he possesses — when healthy.

Being that Zakuani is on the list since he is out of contract, it is very possible that the Sounders re-sign him before the draft — the same being the case with all the players in this draft. Otherwise you’d assume that Zak is a player some MLS team is willing to take a calculated risk on. The same can be said about Rosales, who if not selected could still return to Seattle on a lesser salary (more in-depth explanation here).

As far as Burch, Gavin and Ford go — none of them are pieces that would be dealt missed, with the exception of Burch’s hair — that stuff is majestic.

More on the Re-entry Draft later this week after we see where the chips fall. You can also view a list of all 68 players available here.