Jeff Parke Becoming a Sounder After All?

By: Laurie | March 22nd, 2009

So I go away for the weekend, and I come back and discover that our backline is not as set as I thought it was when I left. Seems our prodigal central defender, Jeff Parke — the expansion draftee who was working on getting a contract in Europe– may become a Sounder after all.

No point in making this, y’know, personal or anything. It’s nothing whatsoever like the guy you asked to Tolo/Sadie Hawkins/whatever, but he kept putting you off and making you wait for an answer till it became clear that the cheerleader was going to ask the football player and not him, at which point he said yes. Nothing at all like that.

Because I’m pretty sure they don’t even have cheerleaders in Belgium.

But Jeff is back, and played in the Sounders reserve game against Concordia University, which the Sounders Reserves won 5-0.

I’m sure everybody is aware by now that Parke is serving the remainder of a 10-game suspension for using “performance-enhancing drugs,” which he says were legal supplements tainted — unbeknownst to him — with substances banned by the league. Chances are that the dark cloud coming from the suspension was probably the main reason he wasn’t able to land a European contract. (Also suspended was Red Bulls keeper Jon Conway.)

Ives Galarcep at Soccer by Ives has a two-part interview with Parke that’s worth a read for anybody trying to make sense of the situation. (Also be sure the read the comments. Red Bulls fans sure seem to want him back.)

Parke interview Part I — about the suspension
Parke interview Part II — what’s next?

It’s hard to read the interviews and not feel for the guy. I wish him the best, even as I’m wondering if Seattle is where he really wants to be. (Kinda hard to tell that from the interview, isn’t it?)

But if he’s coming on board here, there’s one big question: Who does he bump from the roster, and potentially from the starting lineup? Not going to prejudge, but I really liked Hurtado and Marshall on Thursday.

(Bracing my maternal area here, ’cause this is gonna hurt.)

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Category: Seattle Team News

Tags: 2009 roster, central defenders, Jeff Parke, RBNY, Red Bulls, Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Team News

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Comments  

• Jordan |  March 23rd, 2009 at 3:49 am

  
  
  

  I’m not sure who will be bumped…because I actually like our defense quite well right now. But…at the same time I am literally drooling over the possibility of a Parke/Hurtado centerback combo. Those two might make the best pairing in the league…and Marshall’s health will certainly be an issue so as long as he was okay being a spot starter (ala Sami Hyppia) then I think that is what would happen. And then Graham is the other backup. But I don’t know who loses a roster spot…

  Posted from United States

  

• dave martinez |  March 23rd, 2009 at 9:46 am

  
  
  

  Parke and Hurtdao backed by Keller would be unstoppable.

  Posted from Canada

  

• madmax |  March 23rd, 2009 at 10:19 am

  
  
  

  Parke would be a great addition at CB. Marshall could sub out either CB or RB where he’s played before.

  Posted from United States

  

• Eugene |  March 23rd, 2009 at 10:23 am

  
  
  

  How about you guys trade him back to NY for allocation $$? That way you don’t have to bump anyone and hurt your maternal area (which I’m still wondering which area you’re exactly referring to).

  I believe he wants to be back in NY, he’s just a little bitter at our FO. Not the first time for a player.

  Posted from United States

  

• Laurie |  March 23rd, 2009 at 10:55 am

  
  
  

  Eugene, that was the read I got, too. That he really still wants to play for NY, but was basically devastated by both the front office’s refusal to back him while he was dealing with the suspension issues and their refusal to offer him the contract he thought he deserved based on his skills and experience.

  And even though my head knows that it would probably be best to have a younger CB to rely on, it would still kind of kill me to see a player (Marshall) who was screwed over by my old favorite team, the Galaxy, now kind of screwed over by my new favorite team.

  And I know, I know, that’s sports. But anybody who wants all analysis to be cogent and logical rather than heartfelt should go to the official news sites. This blog ain’t for you.

  P.S. Knowledge about the precise location of the maternal area is available only to those who have them. So I guess you’ll never know, huh?

  Posted from United States

  

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