Sounders GK Terry Boss Returns To Seattle, May Have Another Concussion

by Jeremiah Oshan on Sep 6, 2011 10:40 AM PDT in Sounders: News

Seattle Sounders backup goalkeeper Terry Boss is back with the team a little earlier than expected after he may have suffered a concussion while playing in a World Cup qualifying match with the Puerto Rico national team on Friday. The Sounders have only said that he is currently being evaluated. Boss was expected to be with Puerto Rico until after Tuesday's game against Canada.

If Boss does, indeed, have a concussion, it would be his second in the past six weeks. Boss only returned to the team a couple weeks ago after sitting out nearly a month with symptoms stemming from a concussion he suffered against Manchester United.

Boss has not yet played in a regular-season match for the Sounders, but has played reasonably well in non-MLS matches. He is 2-0-0 in CONCACAF Champions League play, including a shutout against Monterrey, and 2-0-0 in U.S. Open Cup play. While maybe not the prettiest goalkeeper, he has yet to allow more than one goal in any cup appearance.

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If he really has suffered another concussion that should rule him out for the rest of the year.

You don’t mess with head injuries and as this is multiple head injuries in a short amount of time he really should take a long time off and heal himself for real.

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by DarthGreedo on Sep 6, 2011 10:44 AM PDT reply actions 7 recs

I think I agree, although it sucks for him and for the Sounders, he should take plenty of time off. Concussions are awful and he doesn’t want to have long term damage.

Boo! Tomorrow AM. I want all things now!

by Perrinbar on Sep 6, 2011 10:46 AM PDT up reply actions

I completely agree

Repeated head trauma is nothing to mess around with. I’m not sure Ford is ready to take over as the back-up, but I would rather rely on our 3rd string back-up than risk serious injury to one of our Sounders.

by Dizzo on Sep 6, 2011 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions

I wonder if he's out for the year and we seal the group stage in CCL, we'd get a look at Ford?

by chrisperry1983 on Sep 6, 2011 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions

Has anyone seen Ford play?

Agreed with those who suggest it might be best for Boss to sit out the rest of the season if he is indeed concussed.

Thoughts on Ford from anyone who has seen him play? I’ve only seen a few scattered highlights of him in practice and don’t have any sense of his abilities.

by ryanhealy on Sep 6, 2011 11:22 AM PDT reply actions

unless you're at training literally everyday...

and I don’t think anyone on this site (including dave or I) are, it’s really impossible to have a real opinion of Ford. That said, I’ll guarantee that Ford is not the starting GK next year.

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by Jeremiah Oshan on Sep 6, 2011 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions

I watched his combine performances online

I wasn’t impressed with his decision making. I was impressed with his reflexes/shot-stopping. Reminded of Boss with less experience. Of course he might have improved a lot since then (or not).

by Dizzo on Sep 6, 2011 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions

Josh says that Boss is out for the season and possibly done for his career.

thats a scary concussion if thats the case.

by Sandra_R on Sep 6, 2011 12:07 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Bummer

Feel bad for Boss. All concussions are serious, but two in a row can mean serious discussions about his career. Get well Terry!

by Derek Young on Sep 6, 2011 12:16 PM PDT reply actions

Yea

i really feed bad for him.

by gstommylee on Sep 6, 2011 12:28 PM PDT up reply actions

I wonder if this forces our replacement for Keller to occur now

Ford is too young to ride shotgun and we have serious fixture congestion coming up. We could definitely get any new signing a bunch of caps for us this season with CCL, especially if we clinch a group berth early.

by Brougham Hooligan on Sep 6, 2011 1:00 PM PDT reply actions

Not

necessary we may still bring in someone else to be new starter. For right now w e just would be getting a new back up who may or may not earn the starting keeper role for next year.

by gstommylee on Sep 6, 2011 1:18 PM PDT up reply actions

We still have limited options

The international window is closed so that dramatically limits the team’s options (see below). It might be better to try and ride with Ford rather than make a bad signing. Or the team can draw on the MLS goalkeeping pool which was where we picked up Boss in the first place.

1. Trade in MLS. At this point in the season we’d have real trouble convincing a team to give up a good keeper. Josh Saunders is the only 2nd stringer I can think of off the top of my head that I’d actually like to see in rave green. LA would make us pay through the nose for him.

2. Out of contract. I believe we can still sign an out of contract player (e.g. Hanhemann). However, to get Hanhemann, who is the only quality goalkeeper I can think of that is currently out of contract, we’d have to trade up from the very bottom of the allocation order. It would cost us.

3. Lower Division Loan. We might be able to get a lower division team to loan us a keeper for the rest of the season. Probably wouldn’t be a huge upgrade over an MLS pool keeper.

by Dizzo on Sep 6, 2011 2:52 PM PDT up reply actions

MLS Pool Keeper

or Bryan Meredith

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart

by Dave Clark on Sep 6, 2011 3:10 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Thanks Dave

You’re much more on top of when the team can and can’t add players than I’ll ever be. :-)

by Dizzo on Sep 6, 2011 3:26 PM PDT up reply actions

Sorry for Boss. Meredith up with Ford now?

I’ve never been a huge fan of Boss’ goalkeeping … though you certainly can’t argue with the results this year. That said, I’m truly sorry to hear about this. He seems like a good guy, and is certainly a true Sounder who bleeds rave green. Hopefully he can just take some time off an heal, rather than being forced into retirement.

I’m guessing the team will bring Bryan Meredith up to join Ford. I was impressed with Meredith in the US Open Cup … and he has to have gained some confidence after winning a PDL championship. I’m guessing he’s been training with the Sounders since then…can anyone confirm? If Ford beat him out, Ford must have some real skills…or at least a significantly larger upside to have won a spot over Meredith. I know that it’s nervous-making to have a 3rd string keeper getting time…but if we can win the next CCL game with Keller, we should only need a point from the remaining 3 games to get through…that will be some excellent experience for one of those guys (unless we make a big move).

by exSlacker on Sep 6, 2011 1:41 PM PDT reply actions

Meredith is not in camp at this time

but has been through most of the year.

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart

by Dave Clark on Sep 6, 2011 1:56 PM PDT up reply actions

Any word when we will hear?

Re-reading the post it sounds like it is a possibility everything is okay. When do we hear? If I remember right they have a league doctor in addition to a team doctor check out concusions. Or is that just my ideal world that I made into reality in head?

Anyways I am anxious to hear how he is doing. Concusions scare me way more than things like zaks injury. I can deal with a player having to retire, but having to retire and live with problems that can be associated with a concusion is just horrible.

by lysander on Sep 6, 2011 3:49 PM PDT reply actions