The only man to win an MLS Cup as a player and a coach with the same team was the first to reach another historic milestone on Sunday night.
Sporting Kansas City's 0-0 home draw with the Houston Dynamo was enough for the club to secure a seventh straight berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Each of the last seven postseason appearances have come under the tutelage of Peter Vermes, who made seven playoff trips as a player from 1996-2002 before taking the helm at Sporting KC in August 2009.
The MLS Cup champion and three-time U.S. Open Cup winner now has another feather in his cap, as he becomes the first person in MLS history to make at least seven playoff appearances as both a player and a coach. In addition, his 14 combined years in the MLS Cup Playoffs as either a player or head coach ties the league record.
Joining Vermes in the elite group are New York Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch, retired goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and Real Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman, who hopes to secure a 15th year in the playoffs when his side hosts Sporting Kansas City in Sunday's all-important Decision Day finale at Rio Tinto Stadium (3 p.m. CT, FOX Sports KC, FOX Sports Midwest).
YEARS IN MLS CUP PLAYOFFS AS PLAYER AND/OR HEAD COACH
<strong>Name</strong> |
<strong>Player</strong> |
<strong>Coach</strong> |
<strong>Total</strong> |
Peter Vermes <strong>*</strong> |
7 |
7 |
14 |
Jesse Marsch <strong>*</strong> |
11 |
3 |
14 |
Kyle Beckerman <strong>^</strong> |
14 |
0 |
14 |
Kevin Hartman |
14 |
0 |
14 |
Jason Kreis |
7 |
6 |
13 |
Bruce Arena |
0 |
13 |
13 |
Sigi Schmid |
0 |
13 |
13 |
*Qualified for 2017 playoffs
^In contention to qualify for 2017 playoffs
Sporting Kansas City's seventh straight playoff appearance extends an all-time club record and stands as the third-longest active streak in the league. Only Seattle Sounders FC (nine seasons) and the New York Red Bulls (eight seasons) boast longer current runs.
MLS PLAYOFF APPEARANCE RECORDS
(as of Oct. 16, 2017)
Club |
Appearances |
Active
Streak |
Longest
Streak |
|---|---|---|---|
LA Galaxy |
18 |
0 |
10 |
New York Red Bulls |
18 |
8 |
8 |
<strong><em>Sporting Kansas City</em></strong> |
<strong><em>16</em></strong> |
<strong><em>7</em></strong> |
<strong><em>7</em></strong> |
FC Dallas |
15 |
3 |
7 |
Columbus Crew SC |
14 |
1 |
4 |
Chicago Fire |
13 |
1 |
6 |
Colorado Rapids |
13 |
0 |
5 |
D.C. United |
13 |
0 |
4 |
New England Revolution |
13 |
0 |
8 |
Seattle Sounders FC |
9 |
9 |
9 |
Houston Dynamo |
8 |
1 |
4 |
Real Salt Lake |
8 |
1 |
7 |
San Jose Earthquakes |
8 |
0 |
5 |
Chivas USA |
4 |
0 |
4 |
Tampa Bay Mutiny |
4 |
0 |
2 |
Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
4 |
1 |
2 |
Miami Fusion |
3 |
0 |
2 |
Montreal Impact |
3 |
0 |
2 |
Portland Timbers |
3 |
1 |
1 |
Toronto FC |
3 |
3 |
3 |
New York City FC |
2 |
2 |
2 |
Philadelphia Union |
2 |
0 |
1 |
Atlanta United FC |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Minnesota United FC |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Orlando City SC |
0 |
0 |
0 |
With Sporting KC a point behind both Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders FC and two points ahead of Houston, the stage is set for a dramatic Decision Day next Sunday. Click here for the club's seeding scenarios, as Vermes' men can still finish anywhere between second and fifth in the West.
