Following his offseason move to Inter Miami to become the Sporting Director and Chief Soccer Officer, former Sounders FC Vice President of Soccer & Sporting Director Chris Henderson spoke with Matt Pentz of The Athletic about his decision to take on a new challenge in South Florida.
One of the earliest technical staff employees of the Sounders in MLS, Henderson spent 13 years with his hometown club, playing a pivotal role as the organization secured seven major trophies. Throughout his tenure in the Pacific Northwest, he cemented himself as one of the sharpest Front Office employees in MLS, bringing in all-league talents like Obafemi Martins, Nicolás Lodeiro and Raúl Ruidíaz.
Now settled in his new job, Henderson spoke glowingly about the Sounders organization and drew comparisons to the setup at Inter Miami that made the opportunity so enticing.
“I think in the early years of the Sounders, in their partnership with the Seahawks and how big the club saw itself, the aspirations to be a global club is what Seattle started with,” Henderson told The Athletic. “There were definitely similarities with the ownership here, the commitment. Everyone involved with the club has that same mindset: wanting to be a global club, wanting to be a top club in MLS every year.”
According to Henderson, taking the blueprint he helped establish in Seattle and using it to build a new franchise was an extremely exciting prospect. While he loved his time with the Sounders, he cited the chance to replicate those accomplishments with a new club as the chief reason for his move.
“Garth and I had a really good working relationship, and the same with the coaches,” said Henderson. “We worked together on some of the processes with player signings and those kinds of details. The last four or five years, I’d thought about trying to take that next step. Most of it was just about being able to take on a leadership role, being able to collaborate with and lead other people.”
You can read the full interview HERE.
