The past few weeks have been rather eventful for Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Cristian Roldan.
Roldan, 26, has been away with the United States National Team at the Concacaf Gold Cup. In his most recent outing with the Stars & Stripes, the Sounders stalwart came off the bench and supplied the game-winning assist.
According to a recent feature in The Washington Post, Roldan is one of three USMNT players who has been using his free time to pursue a USSF ‘B’ Coaching License as he eyes a post-playing career in the distant future.
“We have a lot of free time and keeping ourselves occupied is important — and occupied in good ways is something we look forward to doing,” Roldan told The Washington Post’s Steven Goff. “It’s nice and it’s refreshing because we can jump out of our normal routine.”
That Roldan possesses the tactical acumen and inquisitive nature required to be a coach comes as no surprise to those who’ve followed his career. His interviews with media are often filled with insights about the game. Head Coach Brian Schmetzer often cites him as a smart soccer player capable of problem solving in the flow of a match.
“As players, we have to think about our futures, and I could see myself moving into that [coaching] field,” said Roldan. “With all this experience we’ve gathered from different coaches, we have this unique quality.”
You can read the full feature HERE.
