RENTON — Sounders forward Raul Ruidiaz and defender Nouhou were banned from training with the team this week and will not play Saturday, coach Brian Schmetzer said Wednesday. He classified the action as a “coach’s decision.”
“It was my decision,” Schmetzer said after training at the team’s facility in Renton. “It didn’t stem from any conversation or argument from myself or the two players and it’s a done issue. We are moving forward. Both players understand I’m not upset. We had a good practice today [Wednesday].”
While Schmetzer denied there was an altercation that prompted the disciplinary action, midfielder Cristian Roldan openly discussed a tense moment between Schmetzer and the players in the Lumen Field locker room following last week’s comeback win against FC Dallas. Online publication Sounder at Heart first reported about the incident Tuesday, with Schmetzer and keeper Stefan Frei declining to elaborate.
Roldan said Ruidiaz was upset about his lack of playing time. The club’s all-time leading goal scorer (86 goals) has been utilized as a substitute the past two matches and didn’t play at all during a win against Minnesota earlier this month. Ruidiaz’s contract expires in December.
“He has every reason to be upset,” Roldan said. “He’s such a valuable player to our franchise and the history. He wants to win and of course he wants to be on the field. He was trying to send a message of ‘look, I’m here. I can still play.’ That’s the competitive nature we need out of him.”
When Ruidiaz entered the Dallas match in the 60th minute, the Sounders were level 0-0. His header in the 78th minute started the rally, while forward Jordan Morris’ brace sealed a 3-2 win.
On the road against Houston earlier this month, Ruidiaz subbed on in the 60th minute with the team down 2-1. Sounders defender Jackson Ragen had the equalizer in the 63rd minute.
Nouhou, who’s signed through 2025, was also upset about playing time, but he apparently took issue to being subbed off in the 73rd minute against Dallas. It’s the earliest the mainstay left back has been pulled without injury this season, but he was used as a substitute against Houston.
“I saw it as a positive in the sense that guys want to be on the field, they want to compete, want to score and want to win,” Roldan said Wednesday. “That’s the way a lot of our guys are perceiving it and we’re moving forward. Hopefully, after the suspension, we’re in a better place because we need to make an example out of situations like that.”
Roldan said he spoke with both teammates Wednesday. He described their mood as upbeat and said the camaraderie between the players is strong, adding this is the “healthiest” his relationship has been with Ruidiaz since the striker was initially signed as a designated player in 2018.
Ruidiaz’s minutes the previous two seasons have been managed due to injuries.
Frei and Morris have also insisted the team is close-knit. Any negative body language is explained as standard in a match where a team is trying to win. Similar expressions can be spotted at training, Ruidiaz telling The Seattle Times earlier this season that he’d accept playing his way back to a starting role.
The Peruvian striker has a team-leading eight goals this year. Morris is second with seven.
The Sounders (6-7-7) are in a precarious position as they prepare to host the Chicago Fire on Saturday. They’re below the playoff line in 10th position and haven’t won a trophy since 2022 — albeit the biggest a club can win regionally in the CONCACAF Champions League title.
Seattle missed the playoffs for the first time in its MLS history in 2022 and lost in the playoff semifinals to Los Angeles FC last year.
The Sounders going unbeaten in their past three matches seemed to signal a turnaround.
“It’s frustrating that it happened after a win,” Roldan said. “But we’re able to put it aside a little easier because we won and because we’re doing a little better … When you punish a player, it’s how they come back after that punishment. It’s important to understand that the team is first. Punishments are done to make an example out of certain situations. Really, it’s on the two guys to see how they react. We’re unified more than ever. We’re getting better results each and every week. How can we integrate those guys as soon as they get back from serving their suspension.”
Ruidiaz and Nouhou are still training, but at different times. They are expected to rejoin team activities Sunday.
For Nouhou, this is the second time a disciplinary action has been issued against him. He was benched for the D.C. United road loss because he missed a team meal and meeting due to his ride getting stuck in traffic.
“It’s been a pretty resilient group based on some of the adversity they’ve had to face,” Schmetzer said of the season. “[Nouhou] plays with his emotions on his sleeve. That can be a blessing because he’s played many good games when he’s fired up and does his run and tracks down attackers.
“Sometimes he can maybe make better decisions. I’m OK with this one. We had a nice conversation and we’re moving forward. There’s not going to be any future disciplinary stuff with Nouhou.”
De la Vega, Alex Roldan return
Sounders midfielder Pedro de la Vega and defender Alex Roldan are expected to be available to play against Chicago (4-9-6) on Saturday. The young designated player has been out since May due to a hamstring injury.
Alex Roldan left the Minnesota match in the opening minute under concussion protocol after a collision. He returned to training this week.
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