Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
A new era is beginning for the Columbus Crew, and apparently without one of its more long-standing members.
According to a report from the Columbus Dispatch, the Crew are set to trade center back Chad Marshall to the Seattle Sounders. It is not yet known what new Crew head coach Gregg Berhalter is receiving in return, but the move signals the end of a decade-long stint for Marshall in Columbus and reunites the veteran defender with Sounders manager Sigi Schmid.
(UPDATE- Both clubs officially announced the deal on Thursday afternoon and the Crew are getting allocation money and a 2015 third round MLS SuperDraft selection in exchange for Marshall.)
“We’d like to thank Chad for his many contributions to the Columbus Crew over the past 10 seasons. He was a part of some very good teams and contributed significantly to those results,” said Crew sporting director and head coach Gregg Berhalter in statement released by Columbus. “Unfortunately in our league in order to get something of value you have to make difficult decisions. This deal gives us significant flexibility to continue building our roster. We feel that this is the perfect time to maximize Chad’s value, and by us doing this trade, we have received that and additional resources.”
The 29-year-old Marshall has been an integral part of the Crew since being drafted by the club in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. He is Columbus’ all-time leader in minutes played, a two-time MLS Defender of the Year and helped the team lift the MLS Cup trophy back in 2008 while under the direction of Schmid.
“Chad is a quality defender who brings experience to the Sounders,” said Schmid in a Sounders’ statement. “He is dominant in the air, has won an MLS Cup and been a league defender of the year. I look forward to working with Chad again and await his positive contribution to our team.”
Marshall started each of the 30 matches he played in for the Crew in 2013 and he contributed one goal on the offensive end.
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What do you think of the Crew sending Marshall to the Sounders? Is it a bad move on Columbus’ part? Do you see him thriving under Schmid in Seattle?
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