Seattle Sounders coach Sigi Schmid admits they're at a disadvantage in this week's MLS Player Combine. "When you're an established team ... you're a little more specific a lot of times in your needs," said Schmid, who directed the Columbus Crew to the 2008 MLS Cup crown. "So you're able to say, 'Hey, we really need to supplement ourselves at left back.'

"For example at the Columbus Crew last year we really needed to get cover in case Chad Marshall had another concussion or had another headache. That's why Andy Iro became an important player for us."

The Crew drafted Iro, a defender, out of the University of California-Santa Barbara in 2008.

"As an expansion team, you haven't seen your team play together," Schmid said. "So you haven't seen how it's going to gel. You're not sure yet on how that whole mix is going to work. You're looking more general. You're looking maybe a little bit more for the best player whereas with an established team you're looking for a good player who might fill a specific need. Who can make the quickest impact? Who can step on the field right away for me?"