Garth Lagerwey ‘optimistic’ about re-signing Brian Schmetzer

It’s not remotely unusual for Brian Schmetzer and Garth Lagerwey to both appear on KJR within hours of one another, but rarely has that confluent of events been more relevant than on Tuesday. The dueling interviews came a day after Schmetzer was quoted in The Athletic expressing a degree of frustration that he was months away from being out of contract.

Both Schmetzer and Lagerwey expressed varying degrees of confidence that an extension would get signed, but neither gave particularly strong hints that an agreement was imminent.

First up was Schmetzer, who was doing his weekly spot with Softy and Dick Fain on KJR.

“I love Seattle,” Schmetzer said. “I was born and raised here. I’d love to be back with the team. I’m hopeful something can get done but it just hasn’t been done yet.

“When I look at my staff — how talented my staff is — the Sounders organization has quality employees and I hope they get something done there. I’d love to stay.”

Schmetzer acknowledged that the Covid-19 pandemic has likely had some degree of impact on negotiations — which have been ongoing for most of the year — and insisted he doesn’t feel as though the Sounders have “undervalued” him.

“Not all negotiations are easy,” he said. “My agent has done a great job of trying to get what he thinks is fair value and the Sounders are going to do what they feel they have to do.

“I just have to have a little bit of patience.”

Next up was Lagerwey and his regular appearance on Sounders Weekly.

“I’m optimistic we’ll get there,” Lagerwey said. “Brian has been here 20 years. It’s not just about the Sounders, it’s certainly not about my relationship with Brian. It’s hard for me to imagine anything other than reaching a positive outcome with Brian. Negotiations aren’t always linear, but I think we’ll get there in the end.”