Top Stories

MLS Spotlight: Durable Parke embracing heavy workload for Sounders

MLSBB080611069

Photo by Bill Barrett/ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

It's not terribly often that Jeff Parke contributes on the offensive end. The industrious Seattle Sounders defender, in fact, is quick to acknowledge as much.

In his seven MLS seasons, Parke has been one of the more durable commodities the league has to offer, starting at least 20 games each campaign. The 6-foot-1 centerback, however, has just two career goals and a handful of assists.

So as a Sounders squad loaded with attacking talent faced the Chicago Fire on Oct. 4 in the U.S. Open Cup final, it's doubtful anyone figured Parke would end up facilitating the match's opening goal. But when the 29-year-old steered Erik Friberg's corner kick on goal in the 77th minute, the shot forced a save from Chicago goalkeeper Sean Johnson, and Fredy Montero was on the doorstep to fire home the rebound.

"I don't get too many chances," Parke said. "But I definitely love to contribute in any way I can."

The tally put Seattle on its way to a 2-0 win that gave the franchise its third Open Cup crown in as many seasons. As Parke explained, that consistency "says that you're a team that is sound, that you've built a great organization, a great base."

"There are not too many teams that can say they have hardware," he added. "When other players want to come to this country, if you go to a team that has been around for 15, 20 years and has nothing, it's kind of hard to recruit guys in. This team has only been around for three years and it already has trophies."

That it does. When it comes to balancing the pursuit of hardware in multiple competitions, the Sounders have quickly established themselves as the league's gold standard.

In addition to claiming the Open Cup this year, Seattle clinched passage to the spring's CONCACAF Champions League knockout phase. In MLS play, the Sounders have compiled the league's second-best record.

There nearly every step of the way has been Parke, ever the sturdy, reliable veteran.

"He is helpful in organizing and also is solid when he's on the ball, and he makes good decisions," Seattle defender Patrick Ianni said. "All of those things come from experience."

Parke is not a four-time World Cup veteran like Kasey Keller, who mans the posts behind him, or a former MLS Defender of the Year finalist like Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, who regularly partners with him in central defense.

But the Pennsylvania native is second among Seattle field players with 35 matches started in all competitions this year, trailing only holding midfielder Osvaldo Alonso.

"If you're playing a lot of games throughout the year, your club is doing something right," Parke noted. "We're not here for just the season and that's it — just go home and call it a year. You want to play in tournaments and as many of these games as you can because this is what you live for and what you get paid for."

While one would imagine the grind of those extra fixtures taking its toll on even the most upbeat of personalities, not much seems to faze Parke.

"From my perspective, he's always smiling," Ianni said. "He's a really enjoyable character in the locker room."

Parke's year, though, hasn't been without its bumps in the road. He had to exit Seattle's 2-0 loss to Philadelphia on Oct. 8 with a concussion and was subsequently held out of last weekend's 2-1 triumph over San Jose.

Parke returned to the pitch for Seattle's Champions League clash with Mexico's Monterrey on Tuesday, logging 67 minutes. Always the optimist, he figures being sidelined for a few days could be a blessing in disguise as his club looks ahead to the playoffs.

"It's definitely a good thing to get a bit of a rest right now — we've played a lot of games lately," Parke said. "I never want to step out of the lineup because I just want to keep playing. So that part is difficult. But sometimes, your body needs a rest and your body needs to recharge."

In 2008, Parke could only watch as his New York Red Bulls fell to Columbus in the MLS Cup while he served a 10-game suspension for testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug. Three years later, he is hoping to finally see the field in an MLS Cup, now playing for a Sounders side that enters the postseason as the Western Conference's No. 2 seed.

Although he's approaching 200 games played in his MLS career, it's the one he hasn't played in, of course, that matters the most.

"It's what we play for, and it's what I play for," Parke said. "At the end of the day, when you look back at your career and your life as a player, you would hope you can either be in one or win one.

"You'd like to brag about it someday and hopefully have one to show — a ring and a big trophy in pictures — and look back when you're done and say, 'Wow, I had a great run and great things came from what I've done and all the hard work I've put in."

Comments

  1. exactly. Hurtado, of late, has become the strong one v. one defender we all remember. But his distribution has been…. well, it’s been awful. Amateur. In the last game, my wife, friend and I kept count and of the 22 headers he took, only one was actually intentionally directed to a teammate (often, teammates were standing not ten yards from him wide open). Same thing with his passing lately (although not as bad). Shaky year at best for Hurtado, but I’m definitely hoping we’ll see a return to form in ’12. Let’s not even get into those 60 yards in the air, 15 yards up the field clearances he’s had all season.

    Parke, on the other hand, is solid, solid, solid in all aspects of the game. Yup, he’ll have the occasional gaffe, but mostly he’s reliable and his distribution is always accurate, if not probing.

    Reply
  2. You apparently haven’t been watching the Sounders much this year. Parke has been our best defender all season long, without question. Hurtado has taken several steps backwards, and it’s troubling to watch. I’m trying to give him the benefit of the doubt and attribute it to the knee injury recovery, but it’s difficult to do that for too long.

    Reply
  3. Sparkles!!

    Parke is one of the most underrated defenders in the league. You never hear about him despite him being a rock in the back.

    Great to see him get some love!

    Reply
  4. Nice article to see regarding Parke. He really had a roller coaster ride these past few years. His signing with Seattle was quite contentious, but since that time, he certainly has had a big influence although often understated influence on the clubs performance. He doesn’t get the limelight much – but I for one appreciate his hard work and dedication to the club.

    Reply
  5. I’d like to see more MLS Spotlights on lesser-known players such as Parke. It’s a great way to get casual MLS fans such as myself better acquainted with the league.

    Reply

Leave a Comment