Chris Seitz joined FC Dallas on December 15, 2010 as a product of Round Two of the first-ever MLS Re-Entry Draft. Seitz was selected by Seattle with the ninth overall pick before being traded to Dallas only a few hours later in exchange for a fourth round SuperDraft selection.
In 2010 as a member of the Philadelphia Union, Seitz started
22 games between the posts and posted a 1.80 goals against average.
FCDallas.com caught up with the club’s newest addition on his first day at
Pizza Hut Park.
FCDallas.com: Talk about
how you found out you were coming to Dallas on the day of the Re-Entry Draft.
Chris Seitz: I had an idea that Dallas was interested. Obviously, my agent was in contact with them and they showed a lot of interest, but when Seattle picked me up I had zero idea that the trade had already been set up and all that.
We knew a couple teams that showed interest and Seattle wasn’t one of them, so when Seattle went and made that pick it definitely threw me a curve ball.
Literally 10 minutes later my agent called me and was like, “Well, Seattle, huh?” And he was talking about the situation so he said, “Let me give them a call and try to figure out what’s going on.” Because it very well could be that they were just picking me up for someone else and he figured that out. He called me back 10 minutes later and said, “Listen, you’re going to Dallas.”
FCDallas.com: Talk about
what it’s like to be joining a team coming off their best season in club
history.
Seitz: It’s obviously a team that we [Philadelphia] had trouble with last season. It’s obviously a very good club with a strong overall front office and staff and players. I’ve heard nothing but good news about Dallas. I’m really excited to get here and set up home here and get to work.
READ: Seitz looks at 2010 as a learning experience
FCDallas.com: Do you
already personally know any of the guys on the team?
Seitz: I know a couple of the guys. I know Brek, I know Avi and a couple others, but it’s pretty new to me so I’m excited to get in and meet the guys.
FCDallas.com: What’s it
like to be joining a legend like Kevin Hartman in goal?
Seitz: I’ve always loved training with good goalkeepers because the only way that you’re going to get better is by competing, and I obviously have that opportunity with both Josh [Lambo] and Kevin. From that standpoint I’m excited. I don’t want to embarrass him [Hartman] or anything, but I actually grew up watching him, so it’ll be fun to get out there with him every day and train with him and compete with him day in and day out.
FCDallas.com: For FCD fans
who want to get to know you, describe yourself as a player -- physically and
mentally.
Seitz: I’m obviously a big guy, so I’m going to command my box and I’m going to put my body in tough places. Mentally, I’m going to give it everything I have and I’m going out there thinking that there’s no reason we can’t win every single game. I’ll go out there and do my best and help organize the back and hopefully, the best case scenario is I won’t even have to make a save. That we can go out there and get a clean sheet and win games.
FCDallas.com: How excited
are you to be coming to Texas from Philadelphia?
Seitz: It’s my second team in two years (Seitz was with Real Salt Lake previously). I moved out to Philly and now I’m moving out here, so I hope to be here a while. I hope to prove myself and be able to stay here and call this place home for a while. That’s really the main goal, just get out here and get familiarized with the fans, with the front office and with the team and make it a good environment for me. I'm ready to get out there and get to work.
FCDallas.com: Talk about
what it means for you to get a fresh chance with a new team.
Seitz: That’s one thing that, when I talked to the coaching staff, they said. They said every person that comes here comes here with a clean slate and a chance to prove themselves and earn respect. That’s all you want as a player is to go out there with a clean sheet, doesn’t matter what you did the year before, if it was great or it was shaky. So for me it’s good to go out there the first day of training knowing that I need to prove myself and I get the chance to prove myself. That’s really what players want.