TUKWILA, Wash. — Clint Dempsey’s status as one of the greatest American soccer players ever should be beyond debate following his retirement on Wednesday. Among Seattle Sounders teammates staff, though, he was remembered more as a “family man,” surprisingly funny and a mentor.
Majority owner Adrian Hanauer, who was serving as general manager when Dempsey was brought in from Tottenham Hotspur for a reported fee of $9 million, praised Dempsey’s contributions in Seattle.
“He’s done the business on the field for this club,” Hanauer said after ticking off the various trophies the Sounders won during Dempsey’s tenure.