Sounders GM Garth Lagerwey's future still unclear despite retention vote

The Seattle Sounders held their Annual Business meeting on Wednesday evening, at Longacres in Renton. Undoubtedly one of the biggest takeaways from the meeting involved General Manager and President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey.

As per the Sounders' communications department, 90 percent of those involved in the 2022 General Manager Vote were in favor of retaining Lagerwey. This speaks volumes about how satisfied supporters are with the job he does.

The one surprise surrounding this announcement was that only 31.4 percent of eligible voters cast ballots. This is quite a bit below the minimum 40 percent of eligible alliance members required to make the vote binding.

Despite not being able to make the vote official per se, Lagerwey's position is all but secure. Consider that in 2018 he was retained with 37.2 percent of eligible voters casting ballots, with an 87.3 percent in favor of keeping him.

A strong majority of those who voted are in favor of retaining Garth Lagerwey as Seattle Sounders General Manager and President of Soccer, but he is yet to sign a contract extension.

Understandably, Lagerwey was delighted with the outcome. As per soundersfc.com, he said:

"It is truly an honor to have the affirmation of the best fans in MLS. Leading this club is a privilege I don’t take for granted. 2022 brought us immortality and incredible highs, but was not without its challenges. Through it all, I am grateful to our fans who tirelessly support the Rave Green. We win championships for you."

Having taken all of this into consideration, it is worth noting the 49-year-old's future in Seattle is still not guaranteed at this stage. His current deal runs out at the end of this year and as thing stand he is yet to sign a new contract.

Lagerwey is in a strong position, with other MLS clubs eager to offer him a similar position. Whether he stays or goes, he will surely land a more lucrative deal with his next contract.

A wanted man

Certainly you can understand why the Elmhurst, Illinois native would be in demand. The Sounders have an excellent record of 134-92-59 during his eight years with the club.

The Rave Green have made the playoffs seven times, advanced to four MLS Cup finals and twice come away victorious. In addition, this year saw Seattle become the first MLS club to win the CONCACAF Champions League.

It would be easy to state that Lagerwey should stay in Seattle and continue to build his legacy. However, he could just as easily believe he has achieved everything possible with the Sounders and wants to take on a new challenge.

With every passing day that the former goalkeeper doesn't sign a new deal, it would be understandable if Sounders fans become increasingly concerned. At the same time however, Lagerwey has earned the right to take his time in deciding and ultimately do whatever is best for himself.

What is your position on the future of Lagerwey? Do you believe he will sign a contract extension with the Sounders, or move on elsewhere? Let us know in the comments section below.