Seattle Sounders FC’s newly named coach, Sigi Schmid, will be the featured guest on a call-in show today on Fox Soccer Channel.

Schmid will appear live in-studio to field calls from viewers during Fox Football Fone-In, which airs every Monday from 5-7 p.m. (and will be repeated at 8 p.m.).

Viewers can call 1-888-FOX-FANS or TEXT 32369 for a chance to ask questions or share opinions.

WHAT: Seattle Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid’s live in-studio appearance on Fox Football Fone-In

WHEN: 5-7 p.m. today (repeated at 8 p.m.)

WHERE: Fox Soccer Channel.

…

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The Columbus Crew will introduce its next head coach at an 11 a.m. press conference at their home stadium.

The fifth head coach in club history will be introduced by club president & GM Mark McCullers.

The Crew’s fourth head coach, of course, was Sigi Schmid, who last week became the first head coach of Seattle Sounders FC.

Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Freddie Ljungberg underwent surgery today in Vail, Colo., to repair a hip condition, the club announced.

The Sounders’ designated player is expected to make a full recovery and his projected return to training is 10-12 weeks, the club said.

At that pace, he would not be ready when the Sounders open training camp Jan. 21, but he could be when the MLS season opens March 19 against the New York Red Bulls at Qwest Field.

"Freddie Ljungberg is a player that we value for the long term," Sounders general manager

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Mike Jennings, owner of the Tacoma Tide soccer team, has purchased the Seattle Sounders Women team, which will play its 2009 season at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila.

The Sounders Women play in the United Soccer Leagues’ W-League Western Conference. There are 37 teams in the W-League spread over five divisions in three conferences.

The team will play a 12-game league schedule starting in May. The W-League championship will be decided in early August.

Teddy Mitalas will continue as coach and general manager. Last season’s team made it to the national semifinals.

The fate

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Former Sounders coaches Alan Hinton and Brian Schmetzer share enthusiastic support for the Tuesday hiring of Sigi Schmid as coach of Seattle Sounders FC.

Here’s my story from the Thursday paper.

"I saw (his Columbus Crew) many times on the TV and he was the one coach for me in Major League Soccer that had a team," said Hinton, former coach of the Sounders and Tacoma Stars. "His team played like a team. … I thought he was very inclusive with his players. He seemed to get along very well with them and got them to

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I got a heads-up about a new soccer-focused web site this week, and wanted to pass it along: www.yousport.com . Their “teams” section includes a growing list of around 200 teams from around the world, including the USA and Sounders FC.

Meanwhile, it’s not a bad time to sort of re-launch the TNT’s Indirect Kick blog. Things have been pretty busy recently with my other duties of UW football and UW basketball and then the football coaching change. But those things are settling down a bit just as the Sounders are ramping up, and we hope to get

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Seventeen quick things that I learned at the Sounders’ media event Tuesday:

1.) Sigi Schmid is the coach. (Here’s my report on the hiring. And here’s the take of TNT columnist John McGrath.)

2.) Schmid gives every indication of being a very good interview. Ask him a question and you get an answer. (I’m sorry if that seems a modest standard, but remember: I’ve been covering UW football.)

3.) It seems very likely that USL Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer will join Schmid’s staff.

4.) The Sounders have reached 18,100 season tickets sold.

5.)

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Seattle Sounders FC has called a press conference for 11 a.m. Tuesday, when they will introduce their head coach.

All indications remain that it will be Sigi Schmid , who won MLS titles with Los Angeles and Columbus.

Then, at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sounders fans are invited to meet the new coach at FX McRory’s Steak Chop & Oyster House, 419 Occidental Ave. S.

Details at the Sounders’ Web site.