Seattle Sounders general manager Adrian Hanauer has indicated that the dynamic of the dressing room changed dramatically after Clint Dempsey joined in August.
The former Fulham star arrived from Tottenham midway through the 2013 MLS season with plans to lead the club into the MLS playoffs and ultimately to the MLS Cup.
However, the addition of Dempsey somewhat had an adverse effect as the Sounders lost six of their last 10 matches to be bundled out in the playoffs by Cascadia rivals Portland Timbers and Hanauer feels it had something to do with a less than united playing group.
"Clint is a strong personality," Hanauer said. "He's going to be an absolutely fantastic personality for this team, but when you inject a strong personality in the middle of the season, it changes the dynamic a little bit.
"I think everybody can see the quality on the field. You don't know what's going on in the locker room but he is going to be a great leader on this team for hopefully many years."
Hanauer added: "I'd be lying I'd be saying it was the best locker room we've had in the five years I've been here.
"There were some tensions at times."
