Midfielder Terry Cooke invited to train with Sounders FC this week

33-year old English Midfielder Terry Cooke is training this week with Seattle Sounders FC.

Cooke was released in late July after a long stint with the Colorado Rapids. Rapids head coach Gary Smith told MLSnet.com at the time:

"The crux of it is, Terry's not played an awful lot of football this year," Smith said. "He's obviously one of the bigger earners. My thoughts were that we really needed to look toward the future. In Jamie Smith, that we've brought in from Aberdeen, I hope we've got an individual that will be able to achieve what Terry's achieved in the years that he's been here. Because of [Smith's] age he's got more in front of him.

"It's a very, very difficult decision, and not a nice one to make at that. But it's been made hopefully for the right reasons, which is for the team, for success, and for the future."

The question for Sounders FC fans is of course does Cooke 'fit' with what we've got? He's a right sided midfielder who has racked up plenty of assists for the Rapids over the last few years. He certainly has a football pedigree, having advanced in the Manchester United youth system and playing at a high level in England before coming to the US and signing with Colorado in 2005.

Cooke most-recently made $187,500 base salary for the Rapids, a fairly high amount by MLS midfielder standards. The sum played a part in his release from Colorado. Should the Sounders choose to sign Cooke at some point they would have the option of negotiating his salary downwards.

Seattle have been a heavily left-sided club in recent weeks with the addition of Leo Gonzalez as an attacking left back and the continued development of Steve Zakuani at left wing. Cooke could be a help in giving Seattle some offensive creativity on the right side.

Bloggers have weighed in on Cooke since his Rapids release. Tribal Football quotes one of Cooke's team mates as saying "I personally just want to wish Cookie all the very best in the future and I look forward to seeing him very soon back on the pitch."

"I won’t lie to ya," says WV Hooligan, "even though he wasn’t seeing time in the Mile High city, some other MLS club should jump to get him. He’s still a talented guy that has proven he can play and produce in this league. I think a club in the playoff hunt like a New England or Chivas could use someone like him to set up some goals."

"I'm a little surprised that they couldn't find a taker for him in some sort of trade. If Pat Noonan is worth a first-round draft pick Cooke has to be worth something," added View From The Couch.