Henderson is Sounders’ man behind the curtain

TUKWILA — Seattle Sounders FC, like every Major League Soccer team, built its roster by searching globally for talent. The team found one of the most important architects of that roster, however, right here in our back yard.

Chris Henderson, the Sounders FC technical director and a Cascade High School graduate, does not generally command headlines or get a lot of attention when the team succeeds. General manager/minority owner Adrian Hanauer gets a ton of credit, rightly so, for being the key figure in bringing an MLS team to Seattle and as head coach, Sigi Schmid is going to be in the spotlight.

But make no mistake, this franchise would not be the success it is without the behind-the-scenes contributions of Henderson.

“Chris has been extremely valuable,” Hanauer said. “He’s got a really good mix of qualities. First off, he’s just a great guy, everybody likes him, and it helps when you’re building relationships to have people like you, that’s the first thing. The second thing is that people respect him as well because of his playing experience, his knowledge of MLS and also of the game world wide. And the way he deals with people, he’s super fair, he’s up-front. So through that combination of qualities he been able to significantly alter and direct the development of our squad.”

Before landing what he calls his dream job as Seattle’s technical director, Henderson enjoyed a standout 12-year career in Major League Soccer and was also a member of the U.S. National Team for more than a decade. Such a lengthy playing career not only gives Henderson a knowledge of the game that few executives in the sport possess, but it also means Henderson has a network of former teammates, opponents, coaches, executives and agents that spreads all over the world.

For example, when an Argentinean midfielder by the name of Mauro Rosales was looking for a team last winter, his agent, Dario Sala, called Henderson, an old acquaintance from his days as an MLS player. Rosales, hardly a household name in U.S. soccer circles at the time, not only made the team, but was arguably Seattle’s best player last year, and after a breakout 2011 season is a viable league MVP candidate in 2012.

“Again that’s where having those extensive relationships has been so valuable,” Hanauer said of the Rosales signing.

Henderson’s playing background, and specifically in the MLS, doesn’t just help him make contacts in the soccer world, it helps him identify which players will and won’t work out in the league.

“That’s huge,” he said. “Playing specifically in MSL for 12 years, just knowing the way the league is, knowing the level that it’s at, I think it’s huge in scouting. … When you interview a player one-on-one, there are things that you can get out of the player, his personality, to see if he’ll do well adjusting and also playing wise.”

Henderson was also a key figure in last week’s trade for forward Eddie Johnson, having been an assistant coach in Kansas City when Johnson played there in 2007. Two other new players, Adam Johansson, this year’s likely starter at right back, and Christian Sivebaek, a midfielder whose play this preseason has drawn raves from the coaching staff, were both scouted by Henderson.

The scouting part of Henderson’s job means an estimated four-to-six months a year on the road — he watched Sivebaek and Johansson play in Europe on multiple occasions — but he says he couldn’t think of a better way to spend his post-playing career.

“This doesn’t feel like work, ever,” he said. “I love the club, I love being out there looking for players. It’s really rewarding when you can find a guy and he comes in here and does well. It’s a really good feeling to be a part of what the team is building.”

Of course, none of this means Henderson is the only person behind Seattle’s talented roster. Hanauer, Schmid, assistant coach and scout Kurt Schmid and others have all played big roles in assembling the team as well. But when handing out credit for the assembly of a team that has been to the playoffs in each of its first three seasons and won three straight U.S. Open Cups, Henderson deserves plenty of it.

“Chris has played a huge role in our early success,” Hanauer said. “First his technical knowledge, and second his network and relationships within MLS and also internationally.”

Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com.