Joshua Mayers of the Seattle Times is reporting that Kasey Keller will be spending next season in the Seattle Sounders broadcast booth. According to the report, the former Sounders captain and US National Team goalkeeper will most likely be used in a color analyst role alongside the team's new play-by-play announcer. This would mark a return to the more common two-man booth team, an approach Seattle used in their inaugural MLS season when Kevin Calabro provided the play-by-play and Greg Vanney the color analysis. Mayers also reports that the Sounders are nearing the end of their search for a new play-by-play announcer, with an announcement possible as early as next week.
Keller maintaining a connection with the team was almost a given, but what his exact role would be was not previously clear. As SB Nation Soccer's Jeremiah Oshan points out, this isn't likely to be Keller's long-term gig but for at least one more season it appears as though he be an official part of the Sounders family. Keller is a smart, funny and articulate guy; though full marks will of course be withheld until we've had a chance to hear him in action, this looks to be a great move for Keller, the club and the fans.