Less than a year ago, Gonzalo Pineda watched the 2016 MLS Cup on his television from home.
Thousands of miles away from Toronto’s BMO Field, he celebrated his former club’s league championship. As the Sounders prepare to defend their title, though, it’s difficult to imagine this postseason run without Pineda. The 13-year professional joined Head Coach Brian Schmetzer’s staff in January and has been essential every step of the way.
“It’s a learning process, and for me to be able to learn from Brian, Djimi [Traore], Tom [Dutra], Dave [Tenney] and Chad [Kolarcik] — those guys are helping me a lot,” Pineda said. “I just want to help the team. I feel like I’ve done that, but I want to continue to help the team.”
It’s difficult to overstate how integral Pineda has been for the Rave Green this season. As a player for the Sounders during the 2014 and ’15 campaigns, Pineda, who previously starred in Liga MX and made 44 appearances for Mexico’s national team, mentored young players on the squad like Cristian Roldan. Now in an official coaching role, Pineda can expand his influence.
“He’s very good, he speaks a lot with his players,” defender Kelvin Leerdam said of Pineda. “Especially because he played on a high level with the national team in Mexico, we learn a lot. It’s just the little things. Everyone here knows how to play soccer, but it’s always good to learn from someone who has a high understanding of the game.”
While Pineda undoubtedly brings a strong sense of tactics due to his lengthy career as a player, it is perhaps the mental aspects of the game where Pineda makes the strongest impact. With a two-legged series on the horizon that could send Seattle to its second consecutive league final, Pineda’s presence will be vital.
“We have to be aware of the mental part. The players have to be mentally prepared for a big battle, for a final,” Pineda said. “That’s the biggest thing. There are tactics, but the most important thing to me is preparing the mental spirit of the team.”
Between his two-year stint playing for the Sounders and his calm confidence as a coach, it’s easy to forget that Pineda hasn't even been on the technical staff for a full year. Schmetzer, though, sees exponential growth for the former midfielder’s coaching career.
“Gonzalo will be a very, very good head coach one day,” Schmetzer said. “Hopefully we can keep him around a little bit longer. His development is great because he is keen on learning. As a staff, we always try to learn and push each other, and he fits into that mold perfectly.”
