Seattle Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer wants the referee to protect his players more on the pitch.
He said that opponents are targeting their offensive players and are not afraid to make fouls in order to slow them down.
The head coach said that he is appealing to the league to provide more protection for their players, but at the moment he does not see anything concrete.
Brian Schmetzer said that the targeting of his players started in the game against Colorado Rapids and their opponents made 18 fouls on that day. He said despite the fact that the referee gave them five yellow cards this did not prevent their opponents from hindering their game.
The Seattle Sounders coach said that it is difficult for his offensive players to perform in this condition and this is affecting their results.
Brian Schmetzer said that things had not changed a lot and in a game against San Jose their opponents were guilty of making 15 fouls against them. He said that he had asked his players to become more united on the pitch and to stand up for their teammates that are being targeted.
He said that this could give rise to match brawl like the one that happens in the game against Galaxy.
Brian Schmetzer said that his players are not letting this targeting affect the game, but he feels that they are playing with a disadvantage. He stated that he does not want the referees to be over-protective of his players but that they need to sanction blatant fouls more severely to deter their opponents from using these tactics against them.
He said that they have a good chance of winning a trophy this season and that the players are ready to give their best on the pitch to make it happen.