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Werder Bremen, the team that tried to take our Jordan Morris away from us, fired their coach over the weekend. Replacing Viktor Skripnik is their former U23 coach Alexander Nouri. Now, if you were one of the 2,243 per game that went to A-League Sounders matches at Renton Memorial Stadium you may recognize that name. Nouri was a Sounder in 1999, playing in the midfield.
At the time Werder Bremen and the Sounders had an affiliation. Nouri was loaned to the team at just 19 joining Seattle on July 25th. He made six starts with two sub appearances, but did not score or assist earning 482 minutes.
In ‘99 the Sounders finished 3rd in the Pacific Division (16-3-1-8 with 81 points), made the Conference Semis and made the third round of the US Open Cup.
The ties between Werder Bremen and Seattle extended to 2000 when five area youth players trained in Bremen and Tim Steidten was loaned to the Sounders. The formal relationship ended in 2001 when Bremen sent its U14 to a Sounders hosted tournament in Marysville.
Now, Werder Bremen will count on a former Sounder to help stave off relegation after an 0-3-0 -10 start in which USA’s Aron Jóhannsson has their only goal, and only red.
*this article was updated to reflect that in 1999 the Sounders played home games in Renton Memorial Stadium.