On nights like this, I just like to appreciate what I witnessed earlier in the day. The Sounders won 6-2 and I am feeling really good. I'm not the type to rub anyone's face in it. By posting this link, I don't mean to make fun of Freddie Ljungberg, but you can't help think how different a team we are now than when he was here.
Freddie did a lot for this team in his one and half years, but ultimately, he left a bitter man who felt the field turf, refereeing and overall level of play was beneath him. He brought the team some name recognition and had a few good moments, but we always seemed a better team without him on the pitch. When the front office decided not to renew his contract, he quietly sulked and got himself traded to Chicago. After a half season with them, he went to Scottish powerhouse Celtic and appeared in 7 league games. At first I was a little bitter about how he left so naturally I found it funny that he couldn't get any league games under his belt, but then I started asking myself if that was a bad sign for the league. I mean, how good was the league if one of its best players couldn't start for Celtic. It was always a catch-22 for me.
Now, I realize that his limited minutes for Celtic was not a knock on the league. If anything, it just shows how far he has fallen. The bottom line is that Freddie was done after 2007. He came to the states to get a fresh start and show that he still had it. He accomplished that and got back to Europe, but fizzled. Now he is off to Japan to try to restart his career.
It's quite the coincidence that on the same day the Sounders scored 6 goals and cemented their place as bonafied contender for both US Open Cup and MLS Cup that Freddie's career hit a low point. Again, this is not to rub his face in it. He gave us some good moments, but wow, I love this team more now than I ever did with Freddie in it. Not only do we seem happier, but in Rosales we have a playmaker who is not only BETTER, but paid a lot less.
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