The Earthquakes made things official with an old friend on Tuesday, announcing the signing of forward Scott Sealy. The Trinidadian had been in San Jose’s camp the past two weeks, returning to MLS after a year-and-a-half in the Israeli Premier League.
Sealy spent the second half of 2008 with the Quakes after a midseason trade with Kansas City. That acquisition, along with those of Arturo Alvarez and Darren Huckerby, helped ignite the floundering expansion club to a nine-match unbeaten run and a late surge into the playoff picture. Sealy ended up scoring three goals to go with three assists in 14 games down the stretch for the Quakes.
Following that season, Sealy jumped at a lucrative offer from Maccabi Tel Aviv, for whom he appeared in 14 games and scored one goal. He then moved to IPL rival Bnei Sakhnin, where he appeared in 10 games.
Sealy rejoins a suddenly crowded strike rotation in San Jose. Fellow Trinidadian international Cornell Glen, Ryan Johnson and Alvarez all have started up top over the Quakes’ first two matches, and Brazilian veteran Eduardo may make his debut Wednesday night in a U.S. Open Cup play-in match vs. Real Salt Lake.
“Being able to bring Scott back is something we have wanted to do since we finished the 2008 season,” general manager John Doyle said in a statement. “He was a big part of our success in 2008, and he is a forward that holds the ball well and brings other players into the game. He will be a great addition to our team.”
Because the Quakes held the MLS rights to Sealy, they didn’t have to expend an allocation spot to secure his return, nor make a deal with another club. San Jose still currently sits atop the allocation list for international players and has wiggle room under the salary cap, which Doyle told MLSsoccer.com he intends to use this season.
To make room for Sealy, San Jose traded second-year striker and fan favorite Quincy Amarikwa to Colorado last week for a second-round pick in the 2012 SuperDraft.
An alum of Wake Forest, Sealy had a strong rookie season in 2005 with Kansas City, with nine goals and two assists. Over his first three seasons in MLS, he scored 26 goals. He also has 12 caps for the Trinidad and Tobago national team.
Sealy will be available for roster selection and officially added to roster upon receipt of his International Transfer Certificate. Per club and league policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
